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.
My challenge today is creating a character analysis for two of the main characters in my novel. As a writer of non-fiction, the idea of creating characters totally from imagination is a huge challenge. For…
Read MoreI learned of another approach to marking trails while doing research for an article for The Iowan. “Before highways and road signs” was published in the May/June issue. I’m reprinting the piece here with permission.…
Read MoreCoffin or casket? Is there a difference? And if there is, does it matter? Until recently, I used these words interchangeably. But I learned by talking to Loren Horton, an expert on Victorian and early…
Read MoreI’m a real neophyte when it comes to social media. I stumble around to discover paths that others have traversed easily for ages. So I was surprised that American and former colleague Drew McLellan welcomed…
Read MoreIowa’s roadways suffered a bug plague of unprecedented proportions over this past winter, according to an official of the Clean Iowa Ditches Coalition. “Litterbugs were out in force over the winter,” confirmed Illa Pickup, spokesperson…
Read MoreMy love affair with bookstores stepped up a notch this past year when I was assigned to write a feature on Iowas independent bookstores for The Iowanmagazine. Visiting these unique locations and talking with the…
Read MoreHistorical fiction is one of my favorite genres. To experience life in a different place and a different time fascinates me. As a writer aspiring to write historical fiction, I read these books with one…
Read MoreReflecting on the past – looking to the future. It’s a January sort of thing. So join me as I think about the 7 Things I’ve Learned in my writing life to date. 1.…
Read MoreYesterday’s hoar frost was followed by freezing rain over night. This morning I’m watching an ice storm wreak havoc outside my window. Limbs are coated with ice. The double whammy of wind and ice is…
Read MoreI admire people who know their passion. People with passion get things done, often against tremendous odds. Just one example: Jonas Salk worked for decades, with passion, to find a vaccine effective against polio. We…
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