It’s the spot that drives me to homicidal mania.
My husband has that same uncanny knack, but since he’s able to tap into other spots, I permit him to live–on a day by day basis. 
By the way, I’m not talking about canned pork shoulder meat with ham meat added, I’m talking about the daily infestation of unwanted […]

There’s a special bond between people who, together, face death and survive.
That’s just the sort of bond I share with J.D. Rhoades. This past April, our paths crossed at the Southern Kentucky Book Fest, when J.D. and fellow writer Bob Morris were seeking shelter from tornadoes threatening Bowling Green.
And where do you think […]

At every writer’s conference I go to, my biggest fear is not of putting my foot in my mouth (which I’m sure I do regularly) and it’s not of being unable to find the ladies room (which I’m embarrassed to say I need as regularly as I do).
My biggest fear is boredom. […]

At the risk of being pelted with tomatoes—at least cyber tomatoes—I’m going to admit that I’ve just now read Bridget Jones’s Diary. I know. It’s incredible that I hadn’t read it, but before you go to your vegetable bin for your squishiest tomatoes, let me say in my defense that I had a baby in […]

I started running about six months ago.
Nope, I wasn’t being chased. And I wasn’t conducting some sort of hands-on research for a new character or storyline.
I was simply sick and tired of sitting in front of a computer for upwards of seven hours a day, moving little more than fingers across a keyboard. I […]

The question of whether or not to outline recently resurfaced on one of the lists I frequent.
I’ve heard the outline often compared to a roadmap. The thought being that writing is a kind of journey: you start out at “Home” and you keep driving (or tapping keys) until you reach journey’s end. Since your average mystery […]

Friday at last, Friday at last, praise the Lord, it’s Friday at last!
Or don’t.
The thing with this writing gig is that the days of the week become irrelevant. It’s rare that I need to know Tuesday from Thursday, Saturday from Wednesday.
Until now.
Now I know that it’s Friday because on Friday I get to […]

I said something brilliant while I was at the Book Passage conference. Actually, I’m sure I said many brilliant things but the one thing I remember spewing, that actually got some laughs and nods was this:
“The great thing about conferences like this is that you have all levels of writers here –from ‘Thinking About […]

I suppose someone had to come up with the idea for Book Millionaire sooner or later. Reality TV has trickled down to the novel, but like all “reality”-based entertainment, the genuineness of this show is quite removed from an actual writer’s life. You don’t even have to have completed a manuscript to enter. You don’t […]

(I couldn’t resist this title, sorry)
I was all set to post a blog on the writing process and its many forms. Instead, I’ve decided to leave it in my computer for a future Tuesday.
Because sometimes, in life, we get reminded of things we often forget or take for granted. That’s what hit me while […]