Monthly Archives: February 2012

Feeling Grateful

Well, it seems amazing to me, and it’s taken me quite a while, but I am happy to say that I have finally completed a polished manuscript of my YA novel. Break out the bubbly! Prance around in a victory … Continue reading

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Gold Stars

In his wonderful book, Mastery: The Keys to Success and Long-term Fulfillment, George Leonard discusses the path to excellence, with all its progress and plateaus. It’s truly an inspiring guide for anyone willing to commit to consistent practice over time … Continue reading

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Flying Books

“The better the writer, the easier it looks.” Angelina Jolie on screenwriting Oscar night is always fun — and tonight, there was plenty of glitz to go around. And there were some exciting and moving moments, too. One of the … Continue reading

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Taking Note

People are hungry for stories. Studs Terkel Every where you look, there are stories. Sometimes we create them, and sometimes, we simply act as scribes and record the stories that others have told us. This too, has enormous value. Without … Continue reading

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Timeless Stories

“There are only two or three human stories, and they go on repeating themselves as fiercely as if they had never happened before.” Willa Cather I was reminded of this wise and wistful quote tonight for a very special reason. … Continue reading

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Cliff Dwellers

About the only thing more nerve-wracking than writing the first chapter of a novel is well, you guessed it: writing the last chapter. Getting that first chapter to sing and dance is tough because there’s so much pressure on it. … Continue reading

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Making Time

Some days, I find it hard to find time to write. I’m sure you know the feeling. There is other work to do, financial chores that have to be tended to, errands that have to be run, promises to family … Continue reading

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Battling Discouragement

If there’s one thing we all share in common, it’s the fact that we know what it means to feel discouraged. After all, writing can be a lonely calling and it isn’t always easy to persist when things look bleak. … Continue reading

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Energizing Advice

Entering the home stretch in the redraft of my YA novel has been exciting, but it’s also consumed lots of “little gray cells,” as Hercule Poirot would say. Recently, I’ve found that I’ve been feeling pretty tired after an intensive … Continue reading

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Loyal Readers

While there’s plenty of news about the ups and downs of the publishing industry, there’s one cozy corner where everything’s just fine, thank you very much: romance novels. Romance readers are incredibly loyal to the genre. Despite the rocky economy … Continue reading

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