Dear Reader, What a month it’s been! At the end of November, I crashed — and hard. I slept in far more than was normal for myself and struggled to sit at the writing desk and concentrate long enough to put coherent sentences together. It was a strange feeling to need a vacation after a month of digging deep and writing my heart out. I’ve taken part in National Novel Writing Month since back in 2009, and I never recall…
People have asked how I stay organized while writing. Some individuals possess a natural inclination for organization, while others don’t. I also believe that each person’s idea of organization differs. I’m a fan of things being orderly. My post-it notes have an order about them when hung on the wall or thrown in my notebooks. It all makes perfect sense to me. My husband, however, finds organization in what I can only refer to as pure chaos. I sit at…
This month’s quotes are all about emotions. Don’t panic, I’m not having a mental breakdown or anything crazy. These are just beautifully woven words that leaped out at me. I remember years ago, when life was just… hard. We faced many challenges on the island while caring for a loved one with early-stage dementia. Our situation was overwhelming, and we needed support, but many of our cries went unheard, as more difficulties piled up. A well-loved book can provide a therapeutic escape…
When I sit down to write, I like to have music playing to block out background noises. The kids’ deep discussion on the pros and cons of horse racing, the husband’s work meeting with people from around the world, or the neighbor’s toddler gurgling with delight as he chases his ride on car around the court. It’s easy to be distracted by these things. Especially the adorable toddler who takes great glee in walking up the steep driveway behind his…