Monthly Archives: September 2010

Writing Ruts

“If we don’t change, we don’t grow. Growth demands a temporary surrender of security.” Gail Sheehy It’s easy to get stuck in a writing rut. Now a rut is not the quite same as writer’s block. When you hit a … Continue reading

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Dance On

“The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.” Mark Twain If ever there was a stylist who showed a passion for words it’s “the founding father of American … Continue reading

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Chocolate Lover

“And Charlie, don’t forget about what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he ever wanted. He lived happily ever after.” Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory I love reading about successful writers: their tough childhoods and miserable … Continue reading

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Private Ryan

No, I’m not referring to the film, Saving Private Ryan, but to Ryan Smithson, the young author of Ghosts of War: The True Story of a 19-Year-Old GI. This book, written by a young man just a little older than … Continue reading

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Taking Note

It’s always energizing to learn about how an accomplished artist in any field improves his or her game. One of the messages that shines through loud and clear, for me at least, is that there’s always another mountain to climb. … Continue reading

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Many Doors

A fantasy series based on hip hop and the philosopher David Hume. A coming-of-age tale set in the Caribbean. A series for girls that lets them choose their own endings. A story about a 19th century female musical prodigy. Put … Continue reading

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Foggy Nights

Everyone once in a while, I wake up in the morning with an idea for my post theme popping out of my head — that’s exactly what happened to me today. After writing about our peerless pal Sherlock, I woke … Continue reading

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Dear Sherlock

“Holmesian: of, characteristic of, or suggestive of the detective Sherlock Holmes” Who knew? Scanning my dictionary, this sprightly adjective caught my eye. Fascinating to think that even Merriam Webster’s treats Holmes as if he were a real person rather than … Continue reading

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First Steps

“Success is not a doorway, it’s a staircase.” Dottie Walters Here’s a fascinating statistic:  According a recent survey, more than 80% of Americans would like to publish a book. This doesn’t surprise me at all; as a writer, I constantly … Continue reading

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Fruitful Footfalls

‘Walking about the country by day – prowling about into the strangest places into the strangest places in London by night – sitting down to do an immensity – getting up after doing nothing – walking about my room on … Continue reading

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