From the Eyes of the Stepmother They say children are a blessing. They are gifts from above. At least, that’s what my mother would tell me as she brushed my hair. “Children are a blessing, my sweet. I would never have such a full and happy life without you in it.” I practiced being a… Read more: The True Fairytales: Part 1

Ever read your first chapter and feel like there is something missing? Ever wonder why agents aren’t interested after reading your first chapter? Ever wonder what some of the most popular authors do for their first chapter? Well, I did for my novel. So I decided I needed to study some of my favorite novels… Read more: 5 Tips for Your First Chapter from My Favorite Books

Author Note: I wrote this piece back in August of 2019, but never posted it. I am sharing it now because the concept is exactly what we need in our world. If you are a writer, please pay special attention. If you are writing a character whose background is completely different than yours, make sure… Read more: Opinion with Context Matters

The world feels like it is ending. I must remember that the world has ended before. Rome fell. Mayan rule came to an end. Even Jesus died. How did the people who lived through those times feel? What advice would they give me? I imagine it must be something like, “The world is not ending,… Read more: The End, or the Beginning?

There has been an idea for a humorous science fiction story bouncing around the corners of my brain for a while now. With how many stories out there about some person becoming the “Chosen One,” I wanted to know, what happens if the person destined to be the Chosen One doesn’t get chosen and the… Read more: The (not so) Chosen One

That seems a little ridiculous, right? Who on earth would be disappointed they don’t have a horrible deadly disease?  If you suffer from chronic illnesses, you probably will relate to this post. If you don’t, then it’s time to buckle up and learn a little what it’s like to deal with a chronic illness from… Read more: Why I am Disappointed I Don’t Have Rheumatoid Arthritis

If there is one thing the Oregon coast is known for, it’s the rain. Yesterday morning I sat in my little glider looking out our window and watching the rain. I felt a little silly sitting there, no phone, no distraction, drinking tea and hugging my big teddy bear. What’s impressive about the rain is… Read more: It’s Okay to be Sad

Part 2 of the Writer Motivation Series In the last blog post in this motivational series, we talked about motivation. Where does it come from? Where does it go? (Cotton-eyed Joe). We discussed how to take big things that motivate writers, like publishing a book, and change it into smaller accomplishments that can help motivate… Read more: Writing Tools for Motivation