It wasn’t until I wrote my list down that I realized every book was written by a woman. I did read books by men—but these were my favorites for the year. They took me away from covid and other troubles. They made me feel strongly about strong characters. They took me to new places and old places, places I’d never see if not for these authors.
Thank you all for writing them.
I went inside to the parlor and found a tree, not as tall as me, was sitting on the table where Lenore usually has Mr. Poe’s books. It even had little sparkly lights on it, red and green and white. On the top was a raven, like the one Eddy wrote about in that poem everybody likes.
On the twelfth day of Christmas… Having tossed the original idea of the twelve days of Christmas away, I’m counting down the twelve days before Christmas to offer my gratitude for the people and things that make the writing life possible for me. Today it’s perspiration. I don’t know where I sweat more, during Zumba, or when…
On the eleventh day of Christmas… Instead of counting the official twelve days of Christmas, I’m counting down the twelve days before Christmas to offer my gratitude for the people and things that make the writing life possible for me. Today I’m thankful for inspiration. You know what it’s like to sit in front of a blank…
On the tenth day of Christmas… Instead of counting the official twelve days of Christmas, I’m counting down the twelve days before Christmas to offer my gratitude for the people and things that make the writing life possible for me. Today it’s editors. I need to give a shout-out to the wordsmiths who make my writing stronger,…
On the eighth day of Christmas… Instead of counting the official twelve days of Christmas, I’m counting down the twelve days before Christmas to offer my gratitude for the people and things that make the writing life possible for me. Today it’s social media. In truth, in many ways, I don’t like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, blogs, and…
On the fifth day of Christmas… Even though those twelve days are supposed to start on December 25 and run to Epiphany, Jan. 6, I want to offer my gratitude for the people and things that make the writing life possible for me. Today, I’m celebrating my family—and yours. Are you a writer? If you…
I’m grateful for @NaNoWriMo and all the support writers give one another to get to their goals. It’s a great way to reach your goal of becoming a novelist.
On the third day of Christmas… I realize those twelve days are supposed to run between December 25 and Epiphany, Jan. 6, but I want to take these twelve days before Christmas to offer my gratitude for the people and things that make the writing life possible for me. I never belonged to a book…
If you cracked open my Civil War tale DIVIDED LOYALTIES, followed the stories of Angela and Patricia in LOVE LETTERS & GINGERBREAD, fell in love with an inn or the innkeeper’s son, or got a little seasick or lovesick on a ship in THE LAST GIFT, thank you.
Mary K. Tilghman writes 