“Why don’t you blog about it?” That was a common joke between my husband and me, long before my friend Geraldine (a.k.a. The Everywhereist) encouraged me to embark on this endeavor. I thought back then (and often still do), that many blogs take themselves too seriously. Let’s face it: blogging is not exemplary journalism, literary excellence, … More Why Blog?
Once upon a time, there was a hero. (S)he lived in a world where things weren’t perfect, but they were livable. Then something happened to change all that. At first (s)he denied it. Then someone convinced the hero otherwise. (S)he set off to do something. Things challenged the hero along the way. Eventually, (s)he got … More Story
Sometimes you just need a little soul food, a breadcrumb from the universe, a taste of that dream ever waiting beyond the bend. Sunday I enjoyed some much-needed soul food at the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators conference—along with these tasty morsels of encouragement. May they help feed your dream, too.
What do you think of when you hear “Comicon”? I’m guessing your top 3 would likely include comic books, nerd herds, and costumes. Excuse me, epic costumes. That’s what I thought three years ago. Then I attended one for the first time. Now my top 3 would be inspiration, imagination, and motivation. Why? Because of the … More Top 3: Inspiring Tales from the Con
In Part 1, we discussed the mindset. In Part 2, we explored the ground work, and in Part 3 we talked money. Now let’s get down to specifics. Here are some questions I received from others taking the plunge. Both new and experienced freelancers (and their clients) should find good info in here. So let’s dig … More So You Think You Can Freelance? Part 4: Q&A
Before you read this, did you read Part 1: Mindset and Part 2: Ground Work? Both are critical before you even think about the money. If you have… What do you charge? Be honest. It’s what you want to know, right? If you’re going to take this dive, you need some assurance there will be a little money … More So You Think You Can Freelance? Part 3: Money
Stop! Don’t go any further unless you’ve read So You Think You Can Freelance? Part I: Mindset. If you have (and still want to know more), please proceed … Welcome to the land of freelancing! I have a feeling you’ll be very happy here. The bad news: First you’ll have to do all the tax … More So You Think You Can Freelance? Part 2: Ground Work
Have elaborate fantasies of spending your days in pajamas, checking Facebook, sipping lattes in coffee shops … and maybe jumping into the occasional Slayer match on your lunch break? Sure. It’s a little of that sometimes. But I can tell you from five years of experience, you better be able to hang with the following … More So You Think You Can Freelance? Part I: Mindset
No, not a table of contents for a book or even this blog. A table of contents for you and your life. Last weekend I attended a creative writing workshop by Janie Miller, and that was one of the exercises:
Our lives, in both good and bad times, are very much a product of the influential people who surround us. Today I’m acknowledging 10 such people in my life. (You might even be surprised by the last one.) I encourage you to do so, too, whether it’s by phone, handwritten letter, e-mail, or even a simple … More Giving Thanks
My Castle Heart Publications 