Have you noticed that Christmas now comes twice a year? Once in December, the month where we're used to celebrating it and a second time in July. I don't know how Christmas In July got started. An advertising gimmick? A hopeful Instagram post by someone who can't wait until December? A decision by people who …
Minnesota Morning
I stepped onto the deck this morning and snapped a picture of a typical Minnesota summer morning. There's a song by that name. Minnesota Morning and the song gets it right. If you walk in your yard on a normal summer day in Minnesota, it's a good idea to wear rubber boots or go barefoot. …
The Grass is Green — and Tall
This summer started out dry. Way too dry. Dry as a bone. Weeks passed with so little rain that the grass was crunchy underfoot. We still haven't gotten a lot of rain but we've had some. Enough to break the drought. And turn the grass soft. And make it grow. And grow. And grow. Until …
Went for a walk the other day and this was what I found just off the driveway. In the woods just far enough that I'd not have seen it if I hadn't followed Bailey into the trees to see what she was sniffing at. Nothing as far as I could tell and she came wagging …
The Healer Cover
I promised I'd show you the cover as soon as I got it. Here it is. Different from what I expected. Wouldn't have guessed a heroine with her face partially obscured. But it is perfect in all respects because the heroine lives in the forest and has some Native American ancestry and it shows in …
The Healer
Whew! I just finished the first draft of The Healer, the last novel of the Wilderness Women trilogy. I don't know what took so long. I should have finished it weeks ago and expected to do so. Okay, I know it was Covid 19. I know that tiny virus wiped out any ability I had …
Is writing difficult or easy?
I've been asked a writer question: Is writing easy for me or hard? My answer might not make sense because I didn’t approach writing with the thought of it being hard or easy. I just decided to make it my job and figured out how to do it. It read books and articles. I took …
What’s the big deal with word count?
I've been asked a writer question: Many writers obsess over word count because publishers require a specific number of words for manuscripts so they can plan for a specific number of pages to be printed and figure the costs involved to be sure they don’t lose money. A short story normally is approximately 4,000 words, …
Where and how to find peace and quiet to write.
I've been asked a writer question: Where and how to find the peace and quiet to write? There are two answers to this question. The first answer is to create a space and a time in which you are guaranteed silence and no interruptions. If you are able to do this in your life and …
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How can a writer avoid cliches when describing characters?
I've been asked a writer question: How to describe characters and avoid cliches? That’s a rather common question, usually by newish writers because writers with a lot of experience know that almost all fictional characters are either cliches or archetypes of real people. Every writer wishes to avoid cliches. Every writer hopes to have their …
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