Writing Blog
Kicking off my 2023 reading year…
I’ve been doing a lot of writing since the start of the new year, but I’m still squeezing in a fair bit of readng. While the new year is all fresh and shiny, I thought it would be a good time to look back at the books that have kicked off these first weeks of…
Read MoreAuthor interview and new book launch for Kerry Chaput
I’m lucky enough to know author Kerry Chaput from the wonderful Women’s Fiction Writers Association and its lively sub-group on Historical Fiction. I love her work and am impressed by her versatility across genres, so I’m especially honored to have her as a guest this week. Born a California girl, Kerry now lives in Bend,…
Read MoreResearching 1920s and 1930s Italy
One of my writing projects is a novel I’d like to work on this year – a triple timeline story set in Rome, Italy and centered around sports. One of the timelines I plan on having in my story is 1920s and 30s Italy, the Fascist era leading up to WWII. I’m reading interesting books…
Read MoreWishing you a spectacular reading & writing 2023!
New Year, New reading and writing goals. I always love looking ahead to an exciting new year in books. Every year, I set up a Goodreads challenge, and – as that year ends – I love to look back over the books I read during the course of the year. For 2023, I’ve set a…
Read MoreMy 2022 in books
I always love the Goodreads end-of-year round-up. It’s always so much fun to look back at your year in reading. I overshot my 2022 Goodreads Challenge by quite a bit, pledging to read 45 and instead reading 59. And I read a whopping 18,835 pages. You can see My 2022 Year in Books here. As…
Read MoreLast minute holiday shopper? Give the gift of books…
I know what I like to receive under the tree – books. Ever since I was little, I loved seeing stack of books I’d received under the Christmas tree. And that hasn’t changed at all over the years. I still love receiving – and gifting – books. To help cut down on your gift-giving expenses,…
Read MoreGorgeous cover reveal for Laura Morelli’s latest: The Last Masterpiece
My friend Laura Morelli has a new historical novel coming in 2023 called THE LAST MASTERPIECE. Look at this gorgeous cover! And yes, I admit I do judge books that way … especially if they plan on covering the breathtaking beauty of Florence and its spectacular art. If you do not yet know Laura’s work,…
Read MorePreparing my next publication – a short story collection
I’ve been super busy as 2022 comes to a close. After my first three novels, I decided to break with routine and to publish a short story collection. I have loved writing short stories – and some of the stories in this collection have won prizes or been included in anthologies and magazines. Others were…
Read MoreLearning the craft of short stories
While I’m not a fan of Zoom-work, or Zoom-school, I do have to admit I am a big fan of Zoom writing craft classes. I have been taking them recently, and I am pleased to join in on classes I wouldn’t otherwise be able to join. When you’re a writer, craft classes always provide new…
Read MoreOne year as a NetGalley Reviewer!
It has been about one year since I have joined NetGalley as a book reviewer! If you don’t yet know NetGalley, it is an ARC (advanced readers’ copies) distibution platform where publishers and indie authors alike post soon-to-be published books to be read in exchange for an honest review. I first joined NetGalley as a…
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