Cleaning Out My Office, One Book At A Time
Some dilemmas are so easily resolved, but it takes creativity. Recently when my publisher “gifted” me with multiple cartons of my upcoming re-releases, I raised my hands to the heavens and shrieked. Ask my assistant, she was there. There is simply no place to put more books. I already have a gazillion cartons–including my lovely Quilt…
Read MoreHaiku vs. Epic–Which Kind of Reader Are You?
I’ll confess that unlike some of my colleagues, I believe in reading my reviews. First, I’m incapable of not reading them. That kind of self control is absolutely beyond me. Second and more important, I know I will learn something. I always do, even if I only learn that a particular review site is not…
Read MoreThat Final Piece of the Puzzle–When Ideas Fall Into Place
We had the privilege of hosting a colleague and friend of my husband for dinner this week, along with his delightful wife and daughter. Although our cottage is chock full of toys for younger children– toys our own children played with that are now happily at home here for grandchildren and visitors–we did not have…
Read MoreLaying the Groundwork and Planting the Seeds
Back in late June I blogged about all the wonderful things I did that month instead of writing. This was my first stint at our funky old cottage in Chautauqua, New York, and between plumbers and carpenters, cleaning and weeding out, and yes, meeting and enjoying the company of neighbors, I ended up with far…
Read MoreRacing To Conclusion: The Fine Art of Finishing A Novel
If you hang out with me on my Facebook reader page, then you know that yesterday I was in New York filming a promotional video with the delightful authorKatie Fforde, who writes romantic comedies and lives in–gasp–the Cotswolds of England. In my next life I plan to live in the Cotswolds, too. I’ve already put in…
Read MoreWhat A Difference A Letter Makes: Happy Is A Five Letter Word
I’ll confess profanity rarely bothers me. Maybe my tolerance comes from my father, who was an army staff sergeant during World War II and didn’t always remember to temper his speech later after I made my appearance. Or maybe I’m less bothered because on the radical streets of Berkeley, California, where my husband did his…
Read MoreLet’s Start At The Very Beginning: The Write Way
Choosing the right idea and distilling it to is essence before building on it, is vital for cooks and novelists. Take the humble corn tortilla as a model. The grocery store version is fine, but the homemade version? Spectacular. Although it’s nothing more than masa and water, the tortilla serves as an exquisite base for creativity. Novelists must learn to take a simple, beautifully constructed idea, too, and once they understand all the possibilities, use it as a springboard for their own creativity.
Read MoreWhere, Oh Where, Has My Little Book Gone? Where, Oh Where, Can It Be?
I remember the days before Facebook. Yes, I’m that old. I remember when I pondered questions of great importance and wished I had someone to turn to for answers. No email, no Facebook, no Twitter. Wish no more. Recently I received an email from an unhappy reader. She had a discount coupon for Fortunate Harbor,…
Read MoreVisit My Guest Blog and Contest at Fresh Fiction
Today I’m blogging at Fresh Fiction about friendship and friendship novels. Why did I decide to write the Happiness Key series? Can the theme of friendship carry a trilogy? Come visit the Fresh Fiction website and find out. Oh, and while you’re there? I’m also running a contest on their website. One lucky reader will win…
Read MoreFar Too Infrequently Asked Questions
Almost every author website has a Frequently Asked Questions page. Since I just discovered that the drop-down menu on my home page isn’t producing a link to mine, I can even say once that’s fixed, you might actually stumble upon my FAQ now and then under Bio. If you do, you’ll find the correct order…
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