I am leading a writing workshop for Story Circle Network, and after a productive evening session last night, today started at 9 and ended at 7, with a 1 1/2-hour lunch break and a couple of coffee breaks in between. Today, we did a deeper dive into what constitutes voice in writing and also learned…
In Dallas, Leading SCN’s Annual Writing Retreat
I am in Dallas leading the annual Story Circle Network Lifelines writing retreat this weekend. The “From Good to Great: Sharpening Your Writing Craft” retreat runs from Friday evening through Sunday at noon. The women participating represent a wide range of writers, from just starting out to seasoned authors with multiple book publications. They also…
Happy Birthday, Ray!
Today is my husband Ray’s birthday, and one of my gifts is to publish my book, Hope in a Time of Dying, on his special day. Why? Because Ray has been a steadfast supporter of my writing for years and a literary consultant, guidance counselor, and psychologist from time to time as I have struggled…
Tomorrow is Publication Day!
Hi all, I’m happy to say that my book is already on Amazon for pre-order and on Barnes and Noble for sale. It’s $2.99, so please support me in being brave enough to put it out after having it in my desk drawer for fifteen years. (Of course, I did rewrite it another ten times!)…
Our Visit to the Museum of Contemporary Art Today in LA
Here are a few pieces at MOCA today that intrigued me. These were from a photo realism exhibit, meaning these are not photographs but rather paintings that look like photos. Plus, there are some realistic sculptural pieces too. I apologize that I didn’t include the artists. Usually I snap a photo of the card with…
An Artist’s Date, and Pushing Past My Publication Fear
Today, I listened to several YouTube videos with famous writers on subjects such as voice, character building, scene, plot, and more as I prepare for the weekend writing workshop I’m leading in Dallas beginning next Friday for Story Circle Network. One interview featured Julia Cameron (The Artist’s Way) and Elizabeth Gilbert (Eat, Pray, Love; Big…
To My Late Brother John on His Birthday Tomorrow
Tomorrow is my late brother John’s birthday—the Ides of March. The flash memoir piece below is something I wrote a while back, but it feels fitting to repost it now. My oldest brother was a very good friend of mine. He had a wicked sense of humor and a way of saying precisely what I…
My Many Animal Friends at the Orange Grove
I have always had a deep interest in the natural world. I have become even more engaged since moving to the orange grove, where I am often outside, surrounded by trees, birds, and animals. Since moving here, I have learned how destructive gophers are to orange trees—we lose several trees yearly to gophers chewing tree…
Five Days to Publication of “Hope in a Time of Dying!”
Next Tuesday, I will release my novel—one that sat in a desk drawer for far too long. When I pulled it out, I stripped it down to its core, cutting nearly half of the original manuscript. Now, at a lean 70,000 words, it’s finally where it needs to be. It’s time to let it go….
Greg Patent’s Oatmeal Date Bar Recipe
I love Greg Patent’s cookbook, Baking in America: Traditional and Contemporary Favorites from the Past 200 Years. I made a recipe for maple date bars with lemon zest just a while back, but I will make the recipe below tomorrow. Not only does it call for the zest of a whole orange, but the juice…
20 Minutes a Day 