Writing
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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Wonder Woman & The Rise of Empowerment
Anyone else ready for empowerment to be the new normal? I saw Wonder Woman this weekend, and it ignited a chain-reaction of thoughts I’m continuing to process. My hope is this movie and all it stands for will increase the surge of empowering stories already emerging, and encourage an inner-strength in women worldwide. Like the Marianne Williamson quote says, “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be?” One of…
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WILD HORSE HEART: Giving Back
“If your dream includes just you, it’s too small.” —Ava DuVernay This quote is especially true these days, in this chaotic world where so many are hurting, so many people and animals struggling to survive. The thing is, if we work together, that struggle for survival can transform into a thriving planet. I don’t just want to publish a book, I want my life and creations to add to this dream of interconnectedness where people choose love, choose kindness, choose peace. So, I’ve decided to donate a portion of the proceeds from WILD HORSE HEART to programs that rescue and protect wild horses. Helping animals has always been a priority for me. I’ve adopted many…
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WILD HORSE HEART Cover – Check out this beauty!
AHHHHHH! I’m so excited. Here’s a cover reveal of my upcoming romance book, WILD HORSE HEART. But first, a little story for you: I went to art school, mostly because none of the other options interested me career-wise (read: I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life). I self-majored in video editing, and have done relatively little work as a graphic designer since. That is, if you’re counting paid work done for other companies. For myself, I’ve used my design background over and over again. Art school turned out to be a good choice for this Gemini. My latest adventure in digital art? The cover of…
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GONE GIRL Messes With My Mind
I was up till 1 a.m. reading Gone Girl the other night. Then I was up another two hours thinking about it. Note to self: don’t read a psychological thriller before bedtime. My unsettling dreams included someone trying to strangle me with my braids. But, wow. Gone Girl. Yes, this is the first time I’ve read this book. Yes, I’m aware it’s pretty much required reading for writers. Yes, I totally get why. The writer in me is enthralled with the genius in Gillian Flynn’s craft. Writer-me admires how the characters are scary-real, the voice intimate-conversational, the story constantly unfolding with so many secrets it’s hard to keep track. This…
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Finding Humility in a Discussion on Diversity
I had a huge learning experience yesterday in a discussion about diversity, and how people of colour want to be represented/respected in the writing world. And even though I feel dense for not having gotten it before, I’m grateful to now have a better understanding. After speaking out in confusion on Twitter, I was subject to the opinions of marginalized and non-marginalized writers alike. In some ways it was a public lashing, but it was the best thing that could’ve happened. It helped me gain clarity. Though the initial onslaught of comments brought me back to the days of being bullied in school, I kept my ears open and, in the end, thanked them all—especially…
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Whatever You Do, Keep Writing
Some writers are blessed with muses who continuously chuck ideas at us. I’m glad to be that kind of writer. That doesn’t mean it’s easy—the more I learn, the harder I have to work at it. And, sure, I struggle sometimes, but that usually means I need to go read someone else’s writing for a while. Right now, I’m working on a series that flows from one trilogy into another. The first trilogy is something I’ve revised so many times I had to step away from it for a year. Wow, am I glad I did! There’s nothing like revisiting an old project to see how far you’ve improved your craft as a…
