My sophomore year in college, I entered my first flute competition. As the fall wore on, I found myself lying awake at night, exhausted yet sleepless, every breath an effort. It took me a ridiculously long time to piece it together. One day the light bulb went on. “Oh!” I said. “I’m stressed!” And then,…
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A peek behind the curtain: revision
I had a lovely writing day yesterday. The Women’s Fiction Writers Association has been amazing on every level–community, networking, professional development, skill building. But just when I thought I’d discovered every way I could tap into its resources, I started attending virtual writing dates. I never used to need other people to motivate me, but…
Read MoreThe Sheer Terror of the Blank Page
It’s been a long time since I started a new novel. Well, maybe not as long as it seems. I had an aborted attempt around a year ago. But I’m really zeroing in on novel writing now, and I’m discovering something I probably knew, on some level, but didn’t really, y’know… KNOW. Namely, that when…
Read MoreEnough
My word for 2019 is “enough”: I am enough, I am doing enough, I am good enough, this moment is enough. It’s a combination of learning to recognize the goodness in saying “no” and of living in the moment, being present in my own life instead of always feeling dissatisfied. I’m working on it. But…
Read MoreBizarre Dreams
Photo by Engin Akyurt on Pexels.com I had a bizarre series of dreams last night: 1: I couldn’t get apps to close on a smart device. (Anyone who knows me knows this is particularly bizarre because I don’t use a smart phone.) 2: I couldn’t find the right pair of contacts. 3: We drove up…
Read MoreI. Hate. Waiting.
Sometimes you have no choice but to wait…& wait…& wait. No matter how much you hate it. @Liguori_Pub #JoyToTheWorld
Read MoreNothin’ But a Teeny Bit of News…
(Not that I’m excited or anything!…..)
Read MoreA Novel Accolade and Lots of Kid QTs
I intended this 7 Quick Takes to be all about the kids, but first I have to share a piece of really exciting news…… ___1__ My novel, The Wine Widow, made the finalist round of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association’s inaugural contest, the Rising Star! All novels are a labor of love, but when you’re…
Read MoreThe Distance From Fiction to Reality
Novel writing is a bit touchy in our house. My husband supports my writing, but fiction makes him a little nervous….and with good reason. When I was a kid, I didn’t play. I built houses and castles out of brix blox, and I read, drew and wrote stories. At night, instead of going to sleep,…
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