Welcome
{ to my blog }.
Welcome to my blog.
Thanks for visiting my blog. My hope is to post every 1-2 weeks with a combination of adventure stories, craft/writing posts, book reviews, and other non-boring, exciting content to keep you coming back for more!
Knock, Knock – A fiction short story addressing friends, support, and school shootings.
Recently I entered the Iron Pen writing contest and was challenged to write a short story in 24 hours based on the prompt "If I don't have real answers, it is because we still don't know what questions to ask." I didn't win. Or did I? I explored a tough topic through...
Unpublished Author Lessons – Watching Out for the Wicked
Author beware. “We are interested in your manuscript.” THE PHONE CALL!!! Who doesn’t want to receive this phone call from an editor or agent? It would cause massive hysteria and probably mild incontinence... And I received it! But then… I submitted a picture book...
Wait For it or Go For it
Let the song play while you read! I was fortunate to see Hamilton in Chicago, and the powerful music showed me a part of history I knew little about. My favorite song, "Wait For It", is sung by the character, Aaron Burr, who eventually shoots Alexander Hamilton in a...
Learning History through Nonfiction
I know very little history. If I land on a yellow triangle in Trivial Pursuit, I might as well forfeit. If the topic is history at trivia night, I eat potato chips and drink a beer. It's fact. But that does not mean I don't have the interest to learn and don't realize...
Life is an Adventure – Get Your Feet Wet
Anyone who knows me is aware that I MUST travel. I am restless and cannot concentrate unless I know there is a vacation on the horizon: sandy beaches, snowy mountains tops, hiking through the forest, and crashing ocean waves call my name almost every day. My husband...
The 80’s Rocked: Book Review of READY PLAYER ONE
I was a girl of the 80's. High hair, a rolled cuff at the base of my jeans, I owned leg warmers, and cruised the streets blaring Duran Duran. Most of my generation can't pass up the reruns of Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, and the classic John Hughes films. A...
All I Want for Christmas
Christmas is my favorite time of year. I MUST watch the Albert Finney musical version of the Christmas Carol, Scrooge, while I wrap presents, and I turn on the twinkling lights and plug in my Christmas trees before I pour my first cup of coffee. Anticipation of Santa...
A Night of Adventure – For Parents
Last night the tooth fairy came to our house. I've heard that the tooth fairy usually got up at 4:30 am and usually went to bed quite early around the same time as the toothless child. So this meant dragging herself out of bed in the wee hours of the morning to...
Let’s Write a Novel: It’s Time for Nanowrimo
Anyone can write a book. I firmly believe this. That doesn't mean that it will be a grand novel or best-seller right out of the gate, but a novel crafted by your own hard work is a huge accomplishment. November 1st launches National Novel Writing Month - or...
Writing First Pages and the Insight of Jill Santopolo – Editor at Philomel Books
It was another fantastic SCBWI-Iowa conference in Cedar Rapids this past weekend and my fingers can't keep up with the ideas that are spewing from my brain! So many great talks and helpful advice, and I will share the topics of FIRST PAGES and the valuable insight...
Anxiety: Overcoming the Monster
Heart thumping into my ears. A fullness in my throat – is someone choking me? The sweat pools and my deodorant surely can’t keep up with this river of emotion. Do I swear, cry, scream, or run away to the countryside? I just want to put on my flannel pants and curl up...
Lies, Secrets, and Mystery. Author E. Lockhart delivers.
I am typically not a fan of contemporary, realistic fiction because I prefer to read about fantastic worlds for an escape from my own, but author E. Lockhart always delivers. Two YA novels I recommend because they sucked me in with the suspense, the unknown, and...