A love letter to my beta readers As I hit the send button, and my final manuscript zipped through the ether to my proofreader, I felt I should formally thank the most unexpected new friend on this book-writing journey… Critique. Do you wince at the word? At the beginning of this story, I would’ve. Hell, even six months … More Meet My New Friend
At 8:00pm, the toddler turned to me and said, “You know, mom, there aren’t any other kids here.” And she was right. It was prime dinner time on a Friday night, in a Top Chef’s restaurant filled to bustling with people out on the town. Next to me, my mother-in-law Kristin rocked my sleepy five … More Jedi Mind Trick
Today I take a break from the book stuff to honor one of the reasons behind it: My son. Sweet little Von never had the chance to meet two of the most incredible women I’ve ever known—the women who inspired this journey and would have been his adoring grandmothers. (Emphasis on adoring.) Despite the deep sorrow that brings, it … More Birthday Wishes for My Son
What is that “someday” project you’ve been wanting to tackle? My writing coach (turned online friend) Deborah Reber recently published an impactful little book called Doable. Though it’s marketed to teen girls, anyone can use its no-nonsense approach to stop wanting and start doing. Included below are 10 of my favorite quotes from the book. Whatever it is that lingers … More Top 10 “Doable” Quotes
Can you imagine what it must be like for most people (and even some household pets) to tower above you? Add to that a toddler’s limitless imagination—unencumbered by years of practical knowledge and assumptions—and they practically live in a whole other world than our own. One of the kids’ book I’m working on explores this perspective, so I’ve been keeping my eye out for glimpses … More Child’s-Eye View
Occasionally a friend comes to me with a grief story so powerful I ask them if I may share it here with you. Wendy is one such friend, and her story offers a wonderful example of a new kind of memorial… one of celebration and ongoing conversation. When my mom’s Cousin John fell ill, we kind of … More A Word From Peter Pan’s Wendy
Did you know the brain “geotags” memories based on location? When you encounter a familiar place, according to a recent study, “It opens up these memory boxes and triggers a flood of old memories in vivid Technicolor, like they happened yesterday.” In other words, memory and place are intricately linked, on a biological level.
Part of being creative is absorbing the best of the world around you and discovering how you’ll radiate it back out. Here are some of the best books that have inspired me and my kids in such a way. I hope they’ll fill you to overflowing with imaginative possibilities. BONUS IDEA: Sure, it’s nice to give gifts … More 8 Books to Inspire Creativity
My husband introduced me to this phrase. His step-father (that’s him to the left) used to tell him, “Do something, even if it’s wrong.” And that confounded him as a kid. As ridiculous as it might seem at first (of course, you shouldn’t do horrible mean things just for the sake of doing them–that would … More Do Something, Even If It’s Wrong
How many of you parents out there can relate to this terrible, horrible, so good, very awesome day?
My Castle Heart Publications 