—Life Through the Eyes of Storytellers—
Here we are close to the end of the year, and I don’t know about you, but I’m more than ready to say goodbye to 2020. Despite the hardship this year has brought us, I’ve learned some valuable lessons. For example, I’ve learned not to trust myself when making a lot of cookie dough. No… Continue reading Be Kind to Yourself
Yikes. Yes. I’m going there. I know this is a very touchy subject, so know that this is my opinion and not that of my fellow contributors. Now, to my point. I respect all religion and cultures and like anyone else, I’m saddened by the negative exploitation many people are capable of doing. Cultural elements… Continue reading Cultural Appropriation and Bitterness
As this year has progressed, I’ve had no choice but to open my eyes to the cruelty of human kind. No, I wasn’t naive enough to think it didn’t exist, but somehow it was easier living in a bubble. Ironic that being in quarantine has opened up the world’s widest door, no? Either way, this… Continue reading Hilarious Magic & Writing Contest . . . Because Why Not?
And what happened to me? You probably didn’t notice (what with the world going upside down and all), but I haven’t been around. I had been disheartened for a while with blogging . . . and then 2020 happened and I truly grasped the meaning of being disheartened. It is bananas out there. I don’t… Continue reading What Happened to Blogging?
Nothing is off limits. TV shows, movies, YouTube, recipes, blog? Yep. Do it. Share your own books if you want. Heck, share mine! I won’t say no. In fact, I may take your suggestions even more seriously lol. Here’s the caveat: it may take me a while before I get to it. Because, you know:… Continue reading Tell Me What to Watch (or Read) Next
The kids and my husband have been home since NY went into quarantine. It’s been great knowing they’re all safe and healthy. Especially with a wonderful slave someone who can answer every single question that comes to mind (most answers being “I don’t know” but that seems to be good enough), and get them all… Continue reading #AmWriting . . . but Am I Really?
“Writing, at its best, is a lonely life.” - Ernest Hemingway Have you noticed how other people seem to achieve so much more than you feel you possibly ever could? Okay, that sentence sounds very jumbled, but what I’m asking is this: Have you ever felt like a loser who can’t get anything done?… Continue reading Writing, Productivity, and Solitude
"Of all human activities, creativity comes closest to providing the fulfillment we all hope to get in our lives." – M. Csikszentmihalyi The thought that creativity can bring fulfillment is lovely, isn’t it? And I believe it’s true . . . as strongly as I believe it’s that easy AND that hard. Where does creativity… Continue reading What Makes You a Creative Writer?
I hope you’re ready. Because I’m not . . . I have the flu. And I have no choice but to assume that being sick at this point means I’ll be healthy the rest of the year. That’s how it works, right? Just lie to me. Either way, here’s the thing: regardless of how we’re… Continue reading Say Yes to You in 2020. Are You Ready?
It was Monday morning, October 7th, 2019 when my creative life changed. I remember the date because it was the day before my twin’s birthday—and because of that I was able to hold back the heaviness in my chest for 48 hours before a dark wave of sadness came rushing in. You see, that is… Continue reading The Death of an Adventure
I’ve been thinking about doing NaNoWriMo this year (and last year . . . and the one before that). Get my crap together and all that good stuff . . . and it dawned on me that: As an author, you'd assume I know what I'm doing. I don't! I'm winging it just like the… Continue reading The Kind of #Writer I’m NOT! #NaNoWriMo (+ Free NaNo Survival Kit)
“I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” ‑ Michael Jordan So, you may not be a professional basketball player… Continue reading Your Blank Page Isn’t a Failure
Have you ever trusted the wrong person? Ate that third slice of pizza you shouldn’t have? Or just simply overcomplicated a thing because it seemed like the right thing to do? Yes? Then you know what I’m talking about. You live and learn, right? And don’t pretend you’ve never been there! Nobody likes a show-off… Continue reading Mistakes I’ve Made
I know it sounds crazy to think writers would sabotage their writing, when our title alone says we’re writers. The conclusion, of course, is that writers write, and it’s a given that we love to write more than anything else in the world. That’s true, sure, but it’s not always true. Writers have to swim… Continue reading Why Do Writers Sabotage Their Writing?
Did you know May is “Get Caught Reading” month? Yeah, me either. I found out because I was trying to make a list of books to help me get back into reading and stumbled upon it. So what is it? Get Caught Reading is supported by hundreds of celebrities, and it’s “a nationwide public service… Continue reading Finding Time to Read
Once again, the Internet provides an opportunity for you to feel better about yourself. Enjoy the "creative" use of these . . . words . . . Uh—spellings? 😉 ————— #1 ————— ————— #2 ————— ————— #3 ————— ————— #4 ————— ————— #5 ————— ————— #6 ————— ————— #7 ————— ————— #8 ————— ————— #9… Continue reading 13 Funny #GrammarFails
If you’re like me, you find that wanting to write and actually writing isn’t quite the same. There’s no shortage of ideas, there’s no lack of love or passion, heck, there’s even enough time to write if you truly want it. And yet, the excuses overflow so much that when you finally finish a manuscript, you’re… Continue reading 5 Things I Learned About Writing
Here are some posts from writers selling out the secrets of our lifestyle . . . because sometimes you just need to know you’re not alone. Thank you, Internet Strangers! 😉 ————— #1 ————— ————— #2 ————— ————— #3 ————— ————— #4 ————— ————— #5 ————— ————— #6 —————… Continue reading 15 Hilarious #WritersProblems Moments
New year, new goals, new mottos. Goals and mottos are my go-to! Err . . . ahem . . . what I mean to say is I don't make resolutions. For in the past, most of my resolutions have failed, and I haven't done them in years. I’m also kicking “intentions” to the curb this… Continue reading It’s 2019. Be a Badass!
You see? This is why most writers have an issue with math. One of the things about writing and rules is we know the stuff is gonna change. It changes from day-to-day, country-to-country (even in the same language, I’m looking at you, English!), it’s different according to media platforms, style guides, your mood, etc. But… Continue reading And This is Why Writers Have a Problem With Math!
Everyone is on their own journey. On this journey, there are things we’d like to see along the road, and there are things we need to find. Life happens, and even the most mundane day-to-day task is part of going along the trip. What makes it special, however, is what we choose to do from the… Continue reading The Thing You Most Want—Can You Do It?
In case you haven't noticed, I haven't written any posts here in a long time. Nor have I been working on my books consistently. WHY? Well, it's a combination of a few of things. I felt burnt out, I'd been suffering from a terrible comparison phase, and have been stressed due to pressure from those around… Continue reading Why I Stopped Writing
As an author, this is basically what I ask my readers when they pick up one of my books. 🙂 Dear Reader, Let’s Go on a Date . . . I saw you looking. I noticed the sweet caress of your eyes—hidden behind fluttering lashes, and accompanied by a shy smile . . .… Continue reading Dear Reader, Let’s Go on a Date . . .
You know how my writing process works? Via miracles. Seriously. I'm a pantser so when an idea hits me, I sit down to write, and I wing it. If I start trying to figure out the plot, structure, or the why of things I stress out and confuse myself. Once it’s written, then I… Continue reading My Writing Quirks
You know how my writing process works? Via miracles. Seriously. I'm a pantser so when an idea hits me, I sit down to write, and I wing it. If I start trying to figure out the plot, structure, or the why of things I stress out and confuse myself. Once it’s written, then I… Continue reading My Writing Quirks
Book publishing has always adapted to an environment shaped by the accelerated pace of technology, and no one has pushed these changes more than Amazon. As such, it is the first port of call for independent authors. If you can write it, you can publish it. Simple as that! So needless to say, Amazon has… Continue reading 10 Ways Amazon Turned Authors into Tinder Dates
Stay with me! . . . Beyond the screaming crowd and motors roaring, all the driver hears is the continuous pump of his heart. A flash of green catches his eyes, fueling his senses, as he slams on the gas pedal. From zero to a hundred in less than six seconds, he's immersed in the… Continue reading The Mind of a Writer
As writers, we’re always told to show and not tell . . . So in the spirit of keeping it light and taking our own advice of laughing more, we’re sharing a few of our top lessons learned this year in a five-minute video. If that’s not showing, I don’t know what is! 😉 https://youtu.be/Nb84PngnMGc… Continue reading Top Lessons Learned in 2016
As an author, this is basically what I ask my readers when they pick up one of my books. 🙂 Dear Reader, Let’s Go on a Date . . . I saw you looking. I noticed the sweet caress of your eyes—hidden behind fluttering lashes, and accompanied by a shy smile . . . My… Continue reading Dear Reader, Let’s Go on a Date . . .
We're back from our little break! I'm sorry you had to go through the pain of missing us—I can only imagine it feels heart wrenching, like when I get no coffee for a whole day. So, truly I'm sorry. And if you didn't notice that we were gone then you're mean! 🙂 That being said… Continue reading Writers on a Cruise — And Some Inspiration!
So here's the dirty truth about being a writer . . . A writer who is a mom that is. Or rather a mom who is a writer. Because no matter how much I try to ignore my 6-year-old twins, it turns out I can't escape them. Not even if I hide in the bathroom to… Continue reading The Dirty Truth About Being A Writer
Personally, I like thinking I can organize every single detail of my writing. I love the idea of outlining. I love the idea of knowing exactly which word to place in front of another. Realistically, I'm a big fail on that. First, because I'm a pantser. Second, because no matter what, writing can be a… Continue reading Writing is Messy
Nothing feels more satisfying than publishing a new book, but what's the best thing I can do right after that big accomplishment? You'll probably say: "write another one." And I am. Well, I sort of am. I'm mostly enjoying the break. Ahem, long break. I'm taking notes and adding to my word count, but I'm… Continue reading 5 (or 6) Things to Do Between Books!
You know? Unlike everyone else (let's just allow the generalization for the purpose of my post), writers are always working. And I do mean always. It is, after all, a 24/7 job. Here's a little something I made up to properly convey my thoughts on the subject: By
Writing. It's one of the most difficult heartachey types of careers you can pursue. The glamor, fame, and financial richness is lacking, to say the least. But that feeling of fulfilled satisfaction and passion that comes along with the job is absolutely priceless. And a true writer would have it no other way.… Continue reading 3 Things Every Writer Should Stop Doing Immediately
Romance. Horror. Mystery. Suspense. Action. You name the genre, they're all love stories. Well . . . to some extent. In this video, Raymond and I discuss this very topic. A little tipsy, I might add . . . so this conversation is interestingly peculiar. Usually, we disagree just on about everything writing-related. He writes… Continue reading Every Story is a Love Story
Providing readers with a great emotional experience is often at the top of a writer’s list. Creating unrealistic situations, characters, or scenes is basically failing at story telling. When writing a romance, for example, we want our readers to feel like they’re actually falling in love themselves. And when writing an… Continue reading Men and Women: How We Argue
Writers After Dark 