The privilege of getting my book published has done so much more than I could ever have imagined. When I got my YES, I knew it would allow Molly’s story to go beyond my computer, onto the shelf of a bookstore and library, and into...Continue Reading
A Talk With Dr. Kathleen Trainor About Tackling Anxiety in Our Kids Do you ever wish for the right words to say or things to do when your child is feeling anxious? You know, the magic words that will calm...Continue Reading
WOOHOO – was the feeling that wrapped my entire body when I heard my agent Trish say the words I’d been waiting so long to hear, “You’ve got a book deal!” Then I screamed and cried and hugged and cried...Continue Reading
With Thanksgiving days away, I divide my time between my kitchen and computer. Write. Cook. Write. Cook. Repeat. As I chop, dice, prep // plot, type, delete, I think. A lot. Sometimes my mind trails to finding the right balance...Continue Reading
So I’ll be doing this for the next four weeks! Kidlit Summer School. What could be better than diving into a little character development over the summer? Who wants to join me?Continue Reading
What does an RV trailer dealer, a crossword puzzle master, a doctor, and a lawyer have in common? (And this is the not the start of a bad joke!) These were all the people I spoke with to research my...Continue Reading
Reading my work aloud is like standing in front of a room full of people stark naked. And, at the age of 48, I can assure you that’s not happening. But recently, in Vermont at a retreat with my EMLA...Continue Reading
Write. Delete. Revise. Write. Delete. Revise. Repeat. Sound familiar? Whether I write with coffee at 6am, when the house quiets at 10pm, or in car line waiting to pick up one of my boys (did this a lot during...Continue Reading
Last leg of revision. Time to read and reread and then do it all over again. This is my favorite part of the process. When I’m almost there. When I can read my story from start to finish and can see that...Continue Reading
Meet my 100-year-old inspiration, I call Gram. At her tallest (which is not now) she was 4’10”. Proof that inspiration comes in small packages. Until she was 99 ½, she worked every day. Every day. She put her butt in...Continue Reading
What’s the point? I ask myself this question often. It keeps me focused while I write, and to be honest, while I live. I’m the kind of gal who likes to understand and identify my purpose, my goals and my motivations. ...Continue Reading
Fear. Nothing paralyzes or re-routes me like fear. Bungee jumping – not happening. Snakes – I’ll take the long way down the mountain. You get the point. So, while attending the VCFA writers’ retreat at Vermont College (huge shout out...Continue Reading
Guilt. It swallows you up, then spits you back out. We all know the weight, the angst, the twisting gut that attaches with guilt. I’ve recently spent a lot of time with guilt. My latest revisions center around the...Continue Reading
