Having finally finished Hope in a Time of Dying, I’ll be turning my attention back to my Work in Progress from a few years back, which has a working title of Hannah Price. I have written approximately 1/3 of the story, but I want to explore a different kind of structure rather than a straight…
Tag: books
Teasing Out the Tangled
I have discovered that over the years, I have developed patience. I can sit for the required time to unknot a chain on a necklace or go line-by-line through a story, essay, or novel chapter to provide the needed commas, semicolons, dashes, or periods. I can also sort through a drawer and separate the safety…
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!)…
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…
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….
Lessons A Texas Girl Learned by Living in Beverly Hills
I lived in Beverly Hills (or BH to the locals) for 30 years. I came to LA with my family when my brother Jim was sick and needed support during the last year and a half of his life. We moved to Beverly Hills because we needed a good school district for our kids. Who…
It’s a Vonnegut Kind of Night
“Go into the arts. I’m not kidding. The arts are not a way to make a living. They are a very human way of making life more bearable. Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven’s sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the…
What I’ve Always Wanted: An Inconclusive List in No Particular Order
I’ve always wanted to be fluent in Spanish and Italian. I’ve always wanted to go on trips to many countries worldwide. I’ve always wanted a simple and nicely tailored wardrobe with at least two cashmere sweaters. I’ve always wanted to learn how to drive a motorcycle. I’ve always wanted a happy and fulfilling marriage that…
Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God
A few years back, I had a student who needed to write an essay on Zora Neale Hurston’s book, Their Eyes Were Watching God, so I had the pleasure of reading it for the first time. This highly-acclaimed novel was published in 1937 and from the very first lines, I was already in love. Here they…
Meet the Main Characters of Hope in a Time of Dying
Set in 1994, during the height of the AIDS epidemic, Hope in a Time of Dying begins with Hope and Ben making the life-changing decision to leave their small Texas town for Los Angeles. The rerouting of the highway has financially damaged their antique business, leaving them with little choice but to seek a new…
20 Minutes a Day 