Support can be found in the form of bras and jockstraps; they're both good for supporting our junk. But what about supporting you, as in your dreams and goals? See, we humans like to know someone's got our back when the seas get rough, and the water starts pouring in. We humans also like when someone tells us we're beautiful or handsome, intelligent or savvy, talented or brilliant, tenacious or determined. Maybe you're lucky enough to have someone tell you you're all of those

Drive. Inner drive. The human mind is quite the machine. It can be quite the motivator...but only if allowed to. It can also be quite the sabotager. Think about a time when you talked yourself out of achieving or experiencing success, a time you lost your drive. What did you say to yourself to lose your way? And more importantly, why did you say those negative things to yourself? When you figure out the "why" of self-sabotage it takes the power away from the whole nasty proce

The majority of writers I know thoroughly enjoy being alone inside of their heads. There's a lot going on in there. World building. Character building. Scene building. Ideas forming. Re-writing. Editing. Plotting. Pacing. It's a fun place to be. Comfortable and safe. But today's post is dedicated to the idea of pushing yourself from the coziness of your writer's chair/nest and into potentially uncomfortable moments. Like networking. Let me start by saying I am not shy. I coul

I get asked all the time which of my books is my favorite and I typically guffaw and say I could never choose one over the other. I’m not acting. I’m being honest. But guess what? I’m writing a new book. And I love this book, too. I’m closing in on a completed first draft and my numb legs and shaky hands are proof I’ve been at it for quite a while. Months, actually. This one has taken me some time. Let me tell you a little bit about it. I know you didn't ask, but I'm gonna te

It was back in the summer of 1997, in a Pennsylvania Writing and Literature Project (PAWLP*) class, when I first heard the term "voice" used in connection with writing. Teacher as Writer, that was the class, and it was also the first time I viewed myself as an actual writer. I remember the ten-or-so teachers in the class with me discussing and struggling to define what voice is and how to explain it to our students. It's quite elusive. In true PAWLP style, the teacher suggest

I'm 3/4 of the way through reading a book. I'm liking it...I'm actually liking the main character. He is snarky and brilliant and endearing and really funny. But I am not ripping through the book in my normal fashion, as a matter of fact it's been over a week since I started and for me that's unheard of. It got me thinking. Why wasn't I finishing this book? I loved the MC. I loved everything about him. As I read another loooooooong inner dialogue part from this MC, it hit me.

Some writers say their writing is like their child. It is that personal. An extension of you, if you will. And you know how any parent worth their salt goes into, "Oh no you didn't just wrong my child" mode when their offspring is harmed? And there may be protective claws that come out? Well. Sometimes a critique of what you’ve written feels like that. "Oh no you didn't just rip my BookBaby apart!" But wait, didn't I title this post The Power of Critique???? Oh yes, I did. Yo

Today I'd like to talk about the "G" word. Grammar. Grrrrrammar (emphasis on the "grrrrr"). When I was in elementary school diagramming sentences was all the rage. The lines had to be perfectly drawn with a ruler. And then said lines had to be filled with precise grammar terms: proper noun, linking verb or dangling participle. What the heck is a dangling participle anyway? Back to "grrrrrammar." Now some people have brains wired for grammar. The exactness of it. The absoluten

LASSBERRY REMONADE is a heartfelt and sharply funny contemporary middle grade told in alternating points of view, one a grief-stricken girl desperate to hold on to the home she’s lost, and the basketball-obsessed newcomer who moves in. Their unlikely bond begins at the edge of a pond they both believe belongs to them. Sold to Jaynie Royal at Regal House Publishing. Publication planned for summer 2028. LASSBERRY REMONADE will be my first middle grade novel released into the wo

Here are five things I wish I'd known before sending my first query letter: 1. I wish I knew about the query critique on Evil Editor. Let me warn you: NOT for the faint of heart. But, if all you want to hear is how great your query is, then you may not be ready to query. I didn't find out about this site until well into my query journey. And my ass was handed to me each time I posted - but my query got stronger and stronger and stronger. I often wonder how much shorter my que