I suck at patience. And patience is what January is asking of me, with a book release pending and no way to speed up the process! So, to pass the time while my book is being proofed and formatted and getting its nails done, I’ve been playing around with a few of my favorite quotes and scenes. I’ve used my … Read More
Don’t Judge a Book by its Cover…
They (or they used to) say not to judge a book by its cover. And I mostly agree with this sentiment. Unless the cover is a fiercely beautiful and magical rendition of the essence of the book. Like mine happens to be. Not to brag or anything, but just LOOK AT IT! My cover designer is Najla Qamber, of Najla Qamber Designs and she … Read More
Another Lap Around the Sun: Check
If you’ve never seen the website Dear Teen Me, you should take a look. It has letters written by authors to their teen selves. Some are funny, some are full of great advice, and some are downright heart-breaking. I see myself and my students in many of the letters. I haven’t (yet) written one of those telling letters, but on my … Read More
Anywhere a Mouse Can Go
The one about grammar and rodents… In our part of the country, middle school students are taught the trick for identifying prepositions: anywhere a mouse can go. For example: a mouse can go inside your closet and induce your wrath by leaving his mousey mark on stacks of folded blankets and clothing a mouse can go around the live trap … Read More
Libras Do It With Balance
Source: Cheri3380346 (among others) This ecard pretty much sums it up, doesn’t it? But I still wanna write about it. So here goes. Sometimes I wish I were back in the 50s. No, not really, but I would be a lot less busy. Women today juggle full-time jobs outside or inside of the home, plus we tend to take on a majority … Read More
Publishing, Indie Style
So there I was, sitting at an open-call meeting of a local writing group. The man beside me had a strangely large, square volume with him that he claimed was for sale from the trunk of his car, on Amazon, and perhaps Barnes and Noble’s website. Although he hadn’t bothered to check yet. He’s already sold about two dozen copies. Not … Read More
Momma loves you. Now go play.
I remember being around eight, which means my sister was just past two. Our house was on the long edge of a racetrack-shaped subdivision: the loop. Man-O-War, to be exact, just like the racehorse. And every morning my mother would run this loop a dozen times or more. My sister and I would sit in the bay window seat overlooking … Read More