A Mother’s Tear

Memorial Day means different things to different people. Lots of people attribute this long weekend with the beginning of summer. For some it’s a day off work, a day to sleep in, a day to cook outside. It’s a time for camping, boating, backpacking, backyard BBQ’s and more. Some people think of it as the last days of the school year. Some people look forward to super savings with Memorial Day sales at department stores. And that’s all good. But let us NEVER forget the true importance of this holiday – that we honor the men and women of our armed forces whose sacrifices allow us to live in a (still) free country.

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It’s Harder Than You’d Think

Writers spend lots and lots and lots of time writing their books. Well, most writers. Some writers can whip out a manuscript in a few weeks. That is not me. When you add in the research time, editing time, pre-book launch marketing time, etc., it really takes quite a long time to write a book of any substance.

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Yes You Can Make A Difference

Collectively the world has suffered through a pandemic of enormous portions. For the most part, everyone has taken precautions to stop the spread of this virus. Together we have made a difference.

Now, I don’t know about you guys, but I sort of feel like a grizzly bear just waking up from a long hibernation. I’m ready to go out into the world, stretch my legs and explore. Spring is well underway here in the South and the world is full of rebirth and promise.

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Help – I’m Stuck In A Rut And I Can’t Get Out!

Okay, the title is a little misleading. I’m not really in a rut so much as I’ve been focusing on the same thing for too long that now I can’t see the forest for the trees. Have you ever been there? It’s kind of frustrating. Here’s my problem: I need to come up with a book cover for my next book and I’ve got nothing.

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Workshops, Webinars & Awards Oh My!

As a writer I’m always challenging myself to learn new things so that I can keep things fresh in my writing. I have this fear of running out of clever new ideas or that somewhere down the road my books might end up coming out looking suspiciously like some of the other books I’d previously written. Or worse yet, like someone else’s book. This popular saying come to mind, “There are no new stories, just new ways of telling them.” I’m not sure if that’s true or not, but most people in the business of writing tend to feel that way.

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I Could Be A Double Winner!

That’s right folks, I could very well be a winner in not one, but two contests. A couple of months ago, I entered my book On Common Ground in the Willa Contest. What is the Willa Contest you ask? I’ve never heard of it, you say. Well, neither had I. Here’s the blurb from the Women Writing the West (WWW) website:

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Was It Everything You Hoped It’d Be?

So the holiday madness is behind us and all that’s left is the clean up. Yeah, that’s the part nobody really likes. I’m the person who likes to have everything cleaned up and put away by the end of the day on January 1. It doesn’t always work out that way, but it’s my goal. Not that I’m ready for the pretty sparkling lights to go away – because I’m not – but because I usually have an entire day on January 1st with nothing pressing to do, so I undecorate before the madness of “real” life settles back in.

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It’s That Time of Year Again

Usually around this time of year I post something about making new year’s resolutions. Most of the time I’m an advocate for NOT making resolutions because I believe that by so doing, you’re setting yourself up to fail which creates undue stress. I mean, let’s face it, keeping your resolve for 365 days is an astounding feat. Which is why we start making excuses for not doing what we “resolved” we were going to do.

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Back Away From the Buffet

I don’t know about you, but I love to eat. I like all kinds of food and I like to try new foods. I know there are a lot of people, some of my readers included, who are basically burgers and pizza kind of people, but I’m adventurous when it comes to trying food. Oh sure, I like meat and potatoes as much as the next guy, but I also like to try stuff. Within reason. Some things I’m pretty sure I won’t eat. 

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Every Good Deed

I’m sure we’ve all heard this philosophical question at some point in our lives: If a tree falls in the forest, does it make any sound? There are arguments for those in the yes camp and arguments for those in the no camp. Is anybody right? I suppose we’ll never know.

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