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Sunday Snippet: The I’m Ready for Spring Edition
I am. Aren’t you? We had a whisper of spring this past week–a couple of days in the sixties–and oh, man, it was lovely. I walked in the ‘hood with neighbor, Mary, checked out the green that is peeking up from my garden beds, and just stood in the driveway and inhaled the scent of spring. That said, I’m writing this Sunday post on Saturday morning and it’s currently 13 degrees out. So cold, there isn’t even frost on the ground. Welcome to the Midwest, where the only real weather guarantee is that there will be some. I’m not whining, though, because I love living in the Midwest, where we…
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Author Spotlight: Roseann Brooks Is Here with a New Novel and a Giveaway!
Giveaway winner is Susan Wright! Congratulations, Susan–Roseann will be in touch. I’m so pleased to welcome Roseann McGrath back to the blog with her new novel, Wonderfully Made, the second book in her inspirational series, Vacation Friends. Roseann is not only a fellow romance author, but also a fellow editor. That’s how we met originally. Roseann reads and writes romance novels. In her other life, she edits business technology communications for a marketing agency and tutors writing and beginning French at a local college. She lives in Chester County, Pennsylvania, with her husband and two keep-you-on-your-toes cats and is thankful for very supportive friends and family. Be sure to read…
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Snippet Sunday: The Real Snippet Edition
It’s been a busy week. I’ve got a couple of editing gigs going and I’m trying to write. We’ve been up at the lake since Thursday and although I love this place, I confess I’m more easily distracted when we are here. We won’t be coming up again until June, which is fine–we avoid the holiday weekends. It just gets too people-y for us. Husband’s had a good weekend–we put the boat in the water and that always makes him happy. Tomorrow I get to meet Liz for a writing day and that always makes me happy. I’m working on book 3 of the Lange Brothers series and it’s coming…
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Sunday Snippet–The Wardrobe Edition
My readings in Simple Abundance the past few days have all been about self–becoming more confident and seeing myself in a new way. Clothes were part of the topic–wearing them, buying them, choosing them…knowing what best suits me. Sarah Ban Breathnach talks about finding clothes that fit my lifestyle. That assumes I have a lifestyle, which I’m not entirely sure I really do. I’m a writer. I pretty much live in comfort clothes–yoga pants, T-shirts with a sweater tugged over the top of them or a sweatshirt if it’s really cold outside. Slippers or socks and I’m good to go for the day. There are even days, I confess, where…
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Sunday Snippet: The Writing Furiously Edition
And so I have been, writing furiously that is. Close to 8ooo words in a week. That’s pretty heavy writing for yours truly. One thing that has really helped up that word count is sprinting. If you don’t already know, sprints are timed writing challenges that writers do together. Sometimes it’s just Liz and me, other times it’s Liz, me, and several Tule authors that get together online. We chat for a few minutes (okay, whine), and then we turn off our cameras and mics and each spend anywhere from 25 minutes to 50 minutes writing. It’s not a time for editing or research, it’s a time for getting words…
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Sunday Snippet: The I Got Nothin’ Edition
Truly, I’ve got nothin’. I’ve had an odd week, a busy week. I wrote. I worked on editing gigs. I got my first vaccination–yay! I sent the final copy edits back for The Valentine Wager back to Tule and it looks like the title may stick, which delights me. I’ve been pretty good about doing my daily Simple Abundance reading and journaling, although I wish so much that I could sketch. Do you ever wish for a talent or skill that you absolutely do not have? That’s the one I want. I see these lovely pencil sketches and colored pencil drawings and I want like anything to be able to…
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The New Year Has Arrived, Full of Things that Have Never Been
And now let us welcome the New Year; Full of things that have never been. ~~Rainer Maria Rilke Sarah Ban Breathnach’s Simple Abundance begins with this January thought: “January, the month of new beginnings and cherished memories, beckons. Come, let winter weave her wondrous spell: cold, crisp, woolen-muffler days, long dark evenings of savory suppers, lively conversations, or solitary joys. Outside the temperature drops as the snow falls softly. All of nature is at peace. We should be, too. Draw hearthside. This is the month to dream, to look forward to the year, and to journey within.” “All of nature is at peace. We should be, too.” What a lovely,…
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Sunday Snippet
It’s been a crazy week… I’ve actually written quite a bit, but I also worked on three other editing gigs and did two days of virtual school with Grandboy. I’m in the home stretch with my newest WIP and getting perilously close to my deadline, but the last scenes are coming harder for some reason. No idea why. Virtual school with Grandboy usually goes pretty well–he’s willing and that’s the bulk of the battle right there. But some days are better than others and this week, he wasn’t feeling it. We forget, as adults, that kids have “off” days, too. Days when their focus isn’t going to come around or…
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Hibernation…
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Wednesday, Okay, Thursday Check-in
I didn’t think it was possible for life to get busier, but it has as we draw nearer to closing on the house and moving. So much to do and so many things to think about! However, all that stuff doesn’t mean I’m excused from my copy-editing gigs or writing. I have deadlines on both, so I’m still deep into Aidan and Holly’s story and the work that I’m contracted to do for my clients. Yesterday, though, I did some work in the yard and it was lovely to be completely mindless for just a couple of hours. Be sure to grab my pal, Liz Flaherty’s holiday novella, The Dark…