• Dragons, Games, and Adventures in Writing

    I find the ebb and flow of my writing process fascinating. Much of the time, I’m in creative mode, working on one project or another, in awe of how far I’ve come as a writer over the past decade. Other times, I have to step back, to attend to life and binge a series or sleep like a hibernating bear. Lately, I’ve been working on two projects that have me excited: Dragons in the Weaving The sequel to Falling Through the Weaving has been a long time coming. Dragons in the Weaving completes the duology, Roots and Stars, which is part of the World Tree Chronicles. These two books, Falling…

  • The Making of a Screenwriter

    Do you remember when Terminator 2 came out? It was 1991. I was thirteen, in full rebel mode, high on hormones and Gen-X angst. When I saw the trailer for Terminator 2: Judgement Day, I was hooked.

  • Falling Through the Weaving

    I made a new book baby! Published under my sci-fi/fantasy pen name, Leia Talon, Falling Through the Weaving was seven years in the making, and I’m excited to share it with you!

  • The Art of Writing Slow-burn Romance

    I just finished reading Firebrand, the sixth book in Kristen Britain's Green Rider series. The thread that keeps me coming back to this series is a slow-burn, forbidden love story that doesn't quit.

  • POEM: The Canvas of my Mind

    I think many of us are one thing on the outside, and something entirely different in our minds. For instance, my body isn’t capable of things it once was. Not in the same way. I used to run up mountains, but I haven’t had the time or physical capacity to do that lately. As a little girl, I remember riding in the back of my parents’ car and imagining I was flying alongside, over the fields, through the mountains. I still feel like I’m flying when I close my eyes, or doing acrobatics worthy of a Marvel movie. This poem was born of those thoughts that might not exist on…

  • Freedom, Happiness, and Perspective

    Freedom is happiness, and happiness is a choice. Happiness is a choice. It’s a state of mind. Granted, it’s a lot easier to be happy when all your needs are provided for, but even in my relatively luxurious surroundings, sometimes I struggle. Depression is a thing for a lot of people. In my experience, it’s the exact opposite of freedom. I’ve learned ways to refocus, remember how much I have to be grateful for, and find ways to meet whatever needs aren’t getting met. Sometimes, I just need to get out of the house into nature, other times I need a heart-to-heart with a friend, complete with a lot of…

  • Life, the Universe, and Everything

    I’m not turning 42 for another year, but I do have a birthday creeping up, so I figure it’s a good time to check in. Rather than focus on where I’ve been and what I’ve accomplished in the past year (a lot of which is awesome), I’m going to focus on who I am right now. Here’s how I feel about myself and my life at this moment. Personally: I’m in a good place. Better than I’ve been for a long while. A number of things have led to this, and I appreciate each contributing factor to my growing confidence and ability to tap into a sense of calm. I’ve…

  • Poetry and Snow

    Snowy Thoughts My window frames a soft painting In shades of white and grey and brown Tree bows weighed down By the cold, fluffy presence of water Water that will melt and flow When Spring finally sneaks in Weeks from now, to claim Her place on the wheel of time But she slumbers now, beneath The blanket of quiet that comes In Winter’s white rest The lake sleepy beneath its ice Clouds cloak the sky, a lazy Ceiling of floating vapor Crystalized and released To decorate the waiting world Beneath the earth-warmed ground Roots and seeds and creatures await Biding their time like thoughts Seeking the perfect season to grow…

  • Book Review: ALIGHT (The Witches Rede #1) by Jewel E. Leonard

    I gobbled up this story. The first book in The Witches’ Rede series sets up an intriguing cast of characters in a believable world where the odd work of witchcraft is perfectly normal—at least for Maeve and her delightfully fringe friends. And look at this cover! I love this cover. At least 50% of my decision to buy this book was because of this art. Here’s the book description: Maeve lives a charmed life in the small desert town of Redington in Arizona Territory–where spousal prospects are sorely lacking, career choices are shamefully limited to the saloon, and Death himself has a vendetta against her. All Maeve wants is her…

  • TFW you publish a book, then have a panic attack.

    Funny story. Not funny at the time, of course, but let’s laugh at it in retrospect, shall we? I self-published WILD HORSE HEART in May of 2017. The year of intensity. Seriously, it seems like this year has shaken everything up on every level, but I digress. So I’d queried the manuscript a bit (the fourth manuscript I shopped around to agents), but no bites. Then my man got laid off from his job, which supports both of us and our twins. Wanting to contribute, I looked at my books, picked the best one, polished it, whipped up a cover, and self-published. With a background in graphic design, and having…