Blog
As a curious observer of life, I blog on writing, marketing, my prairie - anything that interests me in the moment. I like to have conversations with readers, so don’t hesitate to leave a comment. I'll respond.
Did they have a telephone? Was there running water? What kind of buggy did they use? What did they wear? The questions I face every time I sit down to write are never ending. Finding…
Read MoreThis week I’m sharing good words on writing from others. Today’s wisdom comes from George Orwell. In his 1946 essay ‘Politics and the English Language,’ he criticized the bad habits of many writers and promoted…
Read MoreHow do you write? Do you have a system for writing? Someone asks these questions almost every time I speak. As though there might be a magic formula. As though if you do just the…
Read MoreWhere do you find your writing inspiration? When a reader asked that recently, I had to think, and the more I thought, the more multi-faceted the answer became. Here are a few sources I rely…
Read More“Make direct amends to such people whenever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.” That’s the ninth step of the Alcoholics Anonymous 12-step program. THE NINTH STEP, a novel by Barbara…
Read MoreThe daffodils burst into bloom overnight. March 14, 2012. One of the earliest dates in my memory. I cannot look at these beautiful blooms without recalling the poem my 8th grade teacher required we memorize.…
Read MoreI was delighted to rediscover this novel by Anne Lamott. I’d read it long enough ago to forget the details. But I remember the style and it was as engaging to read this time as…
Read MoreWilly Wonka can’t beat this. Writer’s Digest is giving away a free ticket to the San Francisco Writer’s Conference – Feb. 16-19, 2012. This full-registration pass includes all sessions and keynotes in the main…
Read MoreWhen our garden is in full swing, I pull out all the canning supplies and fill our fruit cellar shelves. Just like my mom before me, I can tomatoes, salsa, plums – whatever we grow.…
Read More