Sunday Inspiration: Where the Spirit Meets the Bone
This was part of a prayer in a worship service this morning at Chautauqua Institution. I wanted to share it with you since, if you’re like me, you may find it easy to dismiss unpleasant people as simply unpleasant and therefore not worth our time or concern. In the words of American poet Stanley Miller…
Read MoreSunday Inspiration: Enormous Peril
This week I was fortunate to hear one of our nation’s leading environmental activists speak here at Chautauqua Institution, and he scared the wits out of me — but he also gave me hope. Bill McKibben is the founder of 350.org, an international organization that encourages the use of renewable energy and divestment from the…
Read MoreWoodstock and Stone County: Fifty Years Ago Today
This morning Alexa informed me that today is the fiftieth anniversary of Woodstock. As Newsweek puts it: “The three-day festival was host to performers such as Jimi Hendrix, Santana, Ravi Shankar, Janis Joplin and the Grateful Dead, and is considered the pinnacle of the “summer of love” culture of the late 1960s.” I find it…
Read MoreSunday Inspiration: “Writing opened that door…”
“Writing opened that door…to the divine, to some connection to the universe, to things that be… Writing makes me think, and thinking makes me write; and there is a circularity to that, to dive deeper into questions, into yourself, into your soul, into your mind and heart.” -Richard Blanco I’m not a big poetry…
Read MoreNew Covers: Are We Having Fun Yet?
Two weeks ago I told you about the new/old series I will be re-releasing soon. My Homecoming series, Runaway, The Way Back Home, and Fugitive, was first published in 1990. Even if I had the rights to the cover art (I don’t) I wouldn’t use it. They need fresh, contemporary and new covers that better…
Read MoreSunday Inspiration: The most influential person in your life
“Marie Kondo tells us to ask of an object, ‘Does it bring me joy?’ If yes, then keep it; if no, give it to Goodwill. We need to apply that to our hearts. Is that anger bringing you any joy? No? Then let it go. The most influential person in your life is the one…
Read MoreThree More Plots Readers Love Plus A Giveaway
Three more you say? What about the first three? Almost two and a half years ago I blogged about three plots readers seem to love. At the time I said the blog needed a sequel. Then I moved on and never looked back. Today I came across that post, and so I sat awhile, as…
Read MoreSunday Inspiration: Gardens and Gardening
“Gardening is about enjoying the smell of things growing in the soil, getting dirty without feeling guilty, and generally taking the time to soak up a little peace and serenity.” ~Lindley Karstens, noproblemgarden.com Chautauqua is alive with many beautiful gardens this time of year, and I find them all wonderfully inspiring. Here are photos of…
Read MoreIt Only Seems Like Yesterday
Was it really 1990? It only seems like yesterday… Once upon a time I had a dream. Yes, I really did. I was in bed with the flu and feverish. I couldn’t work, but I couldn’t let go of a dream I’d had for a romance proposal due soon to my publisher. A proposal can…
Read MoreSunday Inspiration: Sky’s the Limit
“Don’t tell me sky’s the limit when there’s footprints on the moon.” -Buzz Aldrin One of the most inspirational moments of our age was the first time a person walked on the moon, which occurred 50 years ago yesterday. Most of us who are old enough can remember where we were and how we felt when…
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