Wednesday at five. Nancy and I sit on the berm at the edge of the beach; damp in our suits, sharing binoculars. Scanning north, our eyes strain for a glimpse of the Hudson; Rolling dust curls with Dad inside. Winged yellow Hornet; sun flashing off chrome. Now there! Now gone. Bare feet race across late…
Category: Everyday Writer
Moose As Muse
I realized that a moose would become my muse on a hike in Glacier National Park years ago. The twelve-mile hike was exhausting, I was not properly prepared, and I considered turning back at more than one point in the trail. Then it happened. While taking a short break to listen to our guide, he…
Jackamiah’s Pond
When the night is full of mist and shooting stars abound, the oaks begin their slow descent to Jackamiah’s Pond. They drink their fill and wash their leaves, then beckon to the moss to line up at the water’s edge and watch the Pathway’s Cross. At three-past twelve the moon aligns and shines into the…
A Heart’s Story
They were a gift from a man who said she was the love of his life. She believed him to be honest, opened herself to him, and dared to be vulnerable. Shamed and broken, she blamed herself for believing his tender, loving words. “You romantic fool!” she chastised herself again and again. “Will you never…
Hurricanes and Rowboats
It’s a feeling I am familiar with. Anyone who’s finished writing a story might feel the same. I felt lost, like I was adrift in a boat with no oars or motor. The story had come to an end, but this time it was magnified. It was the end of a series – the cumulative…
Resolutions, Anyone?
New Year’s resolutions have been around forever, it seems. A fresh start. A clean slate. A new chance to get it right. I have my own, personal resolutions but I thought it would be fun to think about resolutions for me, the writer. Perhaps they’ll strike a chord with you. Give Your Story a Home…
Castle Dreams
I don’t remember how old I was (early elementary, probably), but the day is clear and vivid in my memory. After sledding with friends, I changed into dry clothes and spent the rest of the afternoon in my room next to the heat register with a book I could not put down. The book? Grimms’…
Broken Promises
She spoke softly with a mix of sadness and anger. I couldn’t see her face, but sensed the tears filling her eyes and felt them spill onto the Earth. “You gave me your word; that you would not let harm come to her. You promised to care for and nurture her.” “I did what I…
Chocolate Sampling
There are those who say it’s bad manners to take a bite of a chocolate candy and put it back in the box. I would respond by buying them their own box, because those partially eaten chocolates have a role to play when it comes to my writing. Sure, there might be a guide on…
Not Available in Stores
In this season of gift-giving, I look back with a grateful heart and mind at those I received that had a direct influence on my present status as a writer. I had no notion in those early years, but now I see that my family was (perhaps unknowingly) planting the seeds that would lead me…
Outlaw King’s Elizabeth
After watching Outlaw King more times than I feel the need to admit, I wanted to explore Elizabeth’s journey and the challenges she faces as she navigates the new life that has been chosen for her. Her first challenge, though not an unusual one for the time, is having no say in who she will…
Just a Pile of Leaves
I took this image of a carpet of autumn leaves years ago. I love it for many artistic reasons, but I thought it would be fun to apply the various components of this image to some of the aspects of the creative writing process. It’s a pleasant scattering of leaves, in different angles, layers,…
Dimmer Switch Request
An image on Facebook prompted me to write this blog. The post read as follows: “A writer is working when looking out the window.” “That’s me!” my mind shouted. (I would have shouted out loud, but I was at work and being on Facebook during office hours is frowned upon.) Conscientious employee that I am,…
Where is This Going, Anyway?
There are times where I need to write, and I have no idea where the inspiration is going to come from. What I have learned from these short pieces, is that they’re about so much more than what I thought or originally intended. I’ll provide a couple of examples – you can read the entire…
How This Writer Writes
I don’t mean handwriting. What I mean is the journey my story makes from brain to page/screen. The process, rather than the actual act – well the act, too. Perhaps I should explain. When a non-writer hears that I’m going to be spending the day writing, I think they envision me in front of my…
A Font Experiment
This post was drafted in Times New Roman, 12 point font. It’s pretty much the industry standard/requirement for writers. I understand the need for ease of reading and a sense of conformity, but I wanted to conduct a little experiment of my own regarding fonts for other uses. Fonts are very powerful images, like the…
Changing Hats
The image of the peddler with the stacks of hats in “Caps for Sale” by Esphyr Slobodkina seems to ring true for me these days. I’m not selling hats, but I am wearing a lot of them (figuratively speaking). They’re not colored, like the peddler’s checked, gray, brown, blue, and red. I guess they could…
When You Have to Kill Someone
Let’s clarify something right away. I’m talking about killing in our story. Please don’t call the cops or report me to the FBI. I don’t want to go to prison or be added to the no-fly list. Now that we’ve that put to rest, I want to tell you how hard it was for me…
The Magic of Inspiration
I never know where or when I’m going to find inspiration – does any writer? Sometimes I go looking, or will it in my mind, but I seem to have the best luck when I leave the door wide open and welcome inspiration on its own terms. I’ve gotten into the habit of taking a…
A Place to Dream
I’ve been doing a lot of traveling lately, spending hours anywhere between 9000 and 35,000 feet above the Earth. While most of the passengers connect to their electronic devices and stare at the screen in the seatback, I look out the window and dream. I can go anywhere I want – where this plane is…
I’m Glad I Love Research
I’m fully immersed in my story. I’m in “the zone,” typing madly, but this story is practically writing itself. Then one of my characters hands another a cup of tea (insert sound of screeching brakes). Wait! Did they have tea in 13th century Scotland? Turns out they didn’t. Change tea to honeyed milk. As my…
Hurricane Irma and the Round Lake Gene
Hurricane Irma left my central Florida yard a mess. I was luckier than some, losing power for just two days and no damage to my home or car. The mess I was faced with was initially overwhelming, and then the Round Lake gene kicked in.
Who Has the Crystal Ball?
I’m a writer. I write about a lot of things, but my primary genre’ is middle-grade. I recently finished the first novel in what will be a series of three. It’s been proofed, edited, and it’s all shined up and ready to go. So how do I know if the time is right, if the…
What’s Your Format?
I have a T-shirt that says, “Even if it’s crap, get it on the page.” That started me thinking about how I write and the mechanisms I use to get the aforementioned crap from my brain to the page (be it electronic or otherwise). If I’m exploring ideas, making lists, or find myself hopelessly stuck,…
Summer Sledding
It’s June in Florida. Hot and humid. The AC is running its heart out while the ceiling fans twirl in every room. When I step outside, it feels like I’m in a greenhouse. The weeds love it – you can almost watch them creep and crawl, latching on with a stranglehold to anything within reach….
Ross Poldark and That Tiny, Silver Ring
That small, silver ring with the curvilinear “E” for “Elizabeth” had an interesting role to play in Season One of Poldark. Let’s take a glance back.
Blogs – This Writer’s Balm
I’m a writer. I need to write. So when I’m at a crossroads on my current project or lamenting the long response time of a query, blogs are my go-to salve.
Poldark and the Power of Letters
Good stories thrive and survive on conflict, and Poldark serves it up in generous portions. That being said, my hopelessly-romantic heart sought to explore the life-changing power of letters (or lack of) in the 18th century drama. In Season One of Poldark, Ross leaves Cornwall to fight in the Americas. Flashbacks show us his last encounter…
Mind-Skipping Seasons
It’s April in Florida. The temperature will creep close to 90 degrees today, they say. So it’s going to be a real mind game for me to write about December in Minnesota.
Every Day Writer 