Brainstorming in Sunny Climes–Five Authors and a Blizzard of Ideas
As I’ve told you before, I’m a confirmed Brainstormer, or BSer, as my group fondly calls itself. I just finished a week in Sarasota, Florida with my brainstorming friends working on ideas for our upcoming novels. Please remember, the plans for this event were laid months ago. We didn’t check weather maps or consult a…
Read MoreEveryone Smiled at This Crocodile–In Memoriam
For two months I’ve enjoyed staying on Sanibel Island, one of Florida’s most beautiful barrier islands. There are so many things to love about this special place, not the least of which is the attention to wildlife and it’s preservation. In December my husband came home from an Audubon Society bird walk and told me…
Read MoreHow Did We Live Without Them?
I love words. No surprise there, right? I spend hours each day glueing them together, selecting the perfect choices, moving and deleting and replacing. New words fascinate me. I love being the first kid on the block to use one, but much more often a word sneaks up and surprises me. In fact a word can be…
Read MoreWhat Were They Thinking?
Even if you’re a smoker, you have to love this one.
Read MoreAs Nice As She Is Talented–The Novels Of Mary Alice Monroe
This month in addition to being a novelist, I’ve had the pleasure of twice being a novelist’s fan. And it has been a pleasure indeed. I reported encountering the delightful Randy Wayne White earlier in January at the Sanibel Doc Ford’s, the upscale sports bar named after the sleuth in his mystery novels. Today I had the pleasure of attending…
Read MoreThe Write Way: Editing Tips
Don’t let anybody fool you. There IS only one way to write a novel. Your way. Attend any writer’s conference, sit through workshops, and you may come away with the idea that everything you’re doing is wrong. You might as well quit before anybody sees that beloved manuscript you’ve so faithfully and enthusiastically nurtured. You…
Read MoreHerons, Egrets, Gators and Authors–which of these things is not like the others?
Sometimes it’s easy to tell when a day is going to be special. This past week our youngest son and his wife came to visit us in Sanibel, at least partly to get away from the snow at home in Ohio, and partly to see us. We will never ask for percentages. Of course the…
Read MoreWinners, We Have Winners–And A Sunrise, Too
I’m delighted to announce three winners of my impromptu blog giveaways. First, in the random drawing from commenters on the blog “My Special Key to Happiness” congratulations to Sylvia from Illinois, and Diana from Kansas, for winning autographed copies of Happiness Key and pewter “key to happiness” pewter keychains. And for my more recent giveaway, for comments on…
Read MorePsst. . . Don’t Forget
Today is your last opportunity to go to my blog “Happiness Thoughts at the End of the Year” and tell us about your best moments of 2009. Using random.org to choose our winner, one commenter will receive an autographed copy of Happiness Key. So tally up your triumphs, share them, and enter to win.
Read More2010 and the Happiness List
Sometimes all you have to do is look around. Last night I did, and see what I found? 2010 in shells laid down by an invisible hand. Not only that, but the light was exactly right for a photo, and my husband had his camera. With this kind of divine prodding, how could I NOT think about…
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