When I was in high school, we spent endless hours in AP English classes dissecting a story’s themes. Let’s be honest, I loved an English class, but I do remember wondering if writers really sat down at the page and thought about these themes before writing. Was Melville really contemplating Man vs. Nature or didContinue reading “THEME vs. INTENT: The Small Difference in Your Writing Approach with a Big Impact on Your Reader”
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Musings from the Weekend of January 23
Originally posted to Substack on 1/29/26 for context. To be honest, I am not sure what to write about this week. I avoided it for a long time. Unsure where to put my words, my fear, my anger, my joy. And so I will share some random thoughts from this past weekend. Friday I sawContinue reading “Musings from the Weekend of January 23”
Back to School = Back to Work…sort of
It’s back to school week here. Routines are filling the calendar. Our alarms are set way earlier. I can feel myself easing back into “real life.” To put a cherry on top, the weather this week is what we like to call around these parts ‘false fall.’ Just under 80, dry, cool mornings. Right now,Continue reading “Back to School = Back to Work…sort of”
Haircuts and Revision
I got my hair cut this week. I have extremely thick hair. It’s a blessing and a curse. Every time, my stylist thins it out and every time I come back there is more and more there. My stylist, luckily, is prepared for me when I show up once a quarter for my maintenance cutContinue reading “Haircuts and Revision”
My Book Coaching Philosophy
What is it like to work with a book coach? More specifically, what is it like to work with me as your book coach? Working with me on your project means that you have someone on your side who: Only you can write this story. Only you have the ultimate solutions. Only you can doContinue reading “My Book Coaching Philosophy”
Read & Watch Your Way to Becoming a Better Writer
This week I shared the following quote on social media: Is it really that simple? Of course. And not at all. The real challenge comes with how we approach both reading and writing. Today, I want to dig into the reading part. A good book can transport you to another world, distracting you from allContinue reading “Read & Watch Your Way to Becoming a Better Writer”
A Fresh Coat of Paint
Earlier this year, I delivered my latest draft to my beta readers. And I exhaled. The pressure of the edit was over. My words in someone else’s hands. The stress was still there, don’t get me wrong. My words were in someone else’s hands. Ack! But I had no control over those words anymore. AndContinue reading “A Fresh Coat of Paint”
Five Years Later
In the days after 9/11, I voraciously consumed the news. I watched bleary-eyed and numb. I read the stories, the names, the histories. I wanted to memorialize what I could, bear witness, honor their sacrifice. In the days after Newtown, I shut down. I turned it off. I refused to read the stories. I wouldn’tContinue reading “Five Years Later”
A Walk in the Woods
We spent the weekend celebrating my newly minted 11 year old son. His birthday was Thursday, the sleepover with friends Friday and a dinner with the grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins was last night. Throughout the candle blowing and meal preparation and attempting to not become a target in the Nerf battle that broke outContinue reading “A Walk in the Woods”
Voices
I attended the Women’s March on Washington on January 21. Why? I had so many reasons. I posted them on my personal Facebook page in the days leading up to the march. I thought and prayed on it.There seemed to be so many reasons and motivations floating about in my head. I thought I understood it.Continue reading “Voices”