The end

Typing those little words is a sad moment. Sure it’s an accomplishment. It means months of imagining, pondering, creating and general wood-burning are over and a story is finished. Even though I have a revision to do, my characters have come to their very happy ending. I’m cheering for them. Naturally. But I find I’m…

Once inspired, you gotta perspire

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…

A little love for the family

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…

Did you write all 50,000 words for NaNoWriMo?

November is over. Already a hectic month–besides Thanksgiving, I have a hundred million leaves in my yard and a small sailboat that has got to get out of the water before the winter winds blow in. So what do I do? Spend plenty of waking hours attempting to write 50,000 words as part of a…

Audio Chapter 27—Dan: Flowers, candy and apologies

“C’mon, Rex.” Like I have to prod him to hurry after Monster.
We race around the corner where a woman wearing an Old Bay mask is picking up the little creature.
It’s Jessica. My heart gets a workout like nothing it’s experienced before. It pounds out a tune before rising with joy when she looks up at me and smiles.
“Look what I found. This little kitten ran right into my arms.”
Smart cat. Exactly what I wish I could do. I stop about ten feet away. I don’t know if I should get any closer to the woman who isn’t speaking to me.

Chapter 26—Jessica: Hanna to the rescue

Life with Lori hasn’t been rosy the past few days. She’s tired of school by computer and more days than not, I’ve found her playing under the dining room table rather than finishing her homework. I’ve had to sit with her through the few sessions Mrs. Gambino can manage. Poor teacher. She’s still teaching her students how to mute and unmute themselves. And fewer show up each day. Yesterday, five showed up for her social studi