Getting paid and other book signing challenges

Rocks in the path -
How to survive book signings
Some authors cringe when thinking about book signings.  It can be an awkward experience.
I relished my debut and new-release book signings. It’s a deliriously happy time when my books release, and all my friends come to share my joy.  The book signings I’m writing about today, though, [...]

The power of group writing

Cold, cold, cold …
Neglecting a WIP means playing catch-up
I’m back after a lovely family vacation in Florida. Quality time with family, sensational visits to the beach, strong waves, lean surfers, clear water. Fishing, and actually catching a fish (small, and we threw it back). Doing the Disney and falling a dozen floors in the Tower [...]

Father’s Day poem to my father

He can be your father, your grandfather, your uncle, your adopted father, or an older brother.  He’s so many things to us – coach, lifesaver, homework helper, all-round fan and supporter.  As Father’s Day approaches, we may recall the grey hairs we gave him, and the strange detours we may have taken in the past [...]

Father’s day poem to my husband

He’s so many things to your children – coach, lifesaver, homework helper, all-round fan and supporter.
In honor of Father’s Day, I wrote this poem for my husband, John, and for all fathers who love their children and give the world its greatest gift … the future.
Please feel free to put my poem to the paper [...]

GMC – the juice that drives the story

GMC.  It’s a mantra
fiction writers have heard frequently, a principle that can add power to your writing.
I recommend Debra Dixon’s book, “GMC: Goal, Motivation & Conflict, the Building Blocks of Good Fiction.”.
While there’s a huge following for Dixon’s GMC, some writers think the concept is too simple, that it can become formulaic and predictable.  Boring, [...]

Birthday poem for mother-in-law

I posted a Mother’s Day poem in May and have been overwhelmed with the response – thousands of people have downloaded my poem for their Mother’s Day greeting cards.
In answer to requests for a birthday poem for beloved mothers-in-law, I made some small adjustments to my Mother’s Day poem. It’s now a birthday poem and [...]

Anxiety and writing – don’t worry, be happy!

“Life is what happens to you while you’re worrying.”
… Janet Lane
Is this just me? Do you worry about the past, too? Do you sometimes review and review a conversation, wondering if you could have expressed yourself better, come up with a more witty response, or remembered to be more thoughtful and inquire about your friend’s [...]