The Best and Most Beautiful Things
It was neither the best day, nor the most beautiful. But no amount of rain could dampen my mood. I sat across from a writing friend I’d known for years and…
War Paint, Fall Out Boy, and Winston Churchill: The Three Things All Writers Need to Win
“Wait for me!” my niece yells as she runs after the older kids. But her six-year old legs can’t keep up with the other four in the nine-to-thirteen set. “You’re slow,”…
Joyful Noise: Lessons Learned from the Yam Girl.
“Yams? I don’t want yams!” The woman ahead of me yelled at the cashier of my local grocery store. “I want sweet potatoes.” She slammed down a plastic bag and…
Be Strong. Be Brave. Be Dauntless.
This morning, March 14, 2014, I was asked to say a few words about Karen Johnston, my dearest friend and critique partner who recently passed away from brain cancer. I’m…
How to Write a Love Story
He wept. Standing in my kitchen filled with the warmth of baking sugar cookies and the scent of a cinnamon candle, I pressed the phone harder against my ear. Every…
Letter to a CP: Sometimes the Best Comes Out Last
“Monkey buttshine!” my son screams at his sister. “Rat hag!” she yells back. I drop the laundry basket and head downstairs. They know the m-b word is not allowed. To be honest,…