Show the World How You’re Wrong So often in writing circles you hear about “show” versus “tell”. From my experience, the amount of each in a manuscript varies by genre and more importantly a reader’s taste. The same submission to an agent or competition will be praised by one and shredded by the other. A […]

Blind Conviction wins at Great Beginnings! Blind Conviction won the romantic suspense category of the Utah Romance Writers’ Great Beginnings contest! I’m delighted by such an honor. My sincere appreciation to the chapter and coordinators for the opportunity. Also, to the judges for their time and feedback, in particular, Mr. Lane Heymont of Tobias Literary […]

The Road too often Traveled Being a writer takes you down many avenues. Groomed boulevards blooming with excellent ideas, to dark alleys with a nasty antagonist waiting at the end. A winding country road to reflect on before plot twists, or the endless Kansas highway when my characters refuse to talk to me. (Grrr.) Through […]

Fuzzy shoes, anyone? Like me, you may have noticed the fuzzy shoe crazy this past spring/summer. My inner Celia Hephner (protagonist – Inflatable Men) wouldn’t let me resist the fun. My birthday splurge had a pair of hot pink fu-fu happiness arrive at my door. While cushy and fabulous, I thought they looked like slippers. Even […]

Skunk Spray My younger husky has had the distinct pleasure of being sprayed by a skunk, not once, but twice this year. In fact, she has gleefully pursued him as part of her “evening patrol”. As I was cleaning her up the second time, it struck me how being sprayed by a skunk has similarities […]

I think the term “rough” was more applicable to my journey through this draft than others in recent memory. I didn’t want just a mediocre fourth book in the series, I wanted dynamite. Of course, it will take me the rest of the year to shape it into a smokin’ awesome read. But I’m so […]