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Sunday Snippet: The It’s Not Christmas Yet, But…Edition
It is only September, but for me, for River’s Edge, it’s almost Christmas! When I write a holiday-themed romance, it’s usually during the gray days of February or the cool rainy days in early April. That’s because for a book to be released during the holidays, it has be done and ready for production by May. So am I feeling the holidays at those times? Not so much. I’m just over the holidays at that point. But I sit down at my desk, close my eyes, and take myself back to River’s Edge in December. The shops are all decorated with twinkle lights and green and red garland. Carly has…
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Sunday Snippet: The Procrastinor’s Oh, Hell, What Day Is It Edition
I’ve been procrastinating…okay, no big news, right? I am a world-class procrastinator. I passed amateur status years ago and have gone into full-time professional procrastination. Nobody wastes time as well as I do. And honestly, it doesn’t even have to be time spent scrolling around the Web. I can put off doing anything that needs to be done with something as basic as folding laundry—oh, excuse me for a minute, I do have to get some stuff out of the dryer… brb… Fifteen minutes later…I’m back, clothes folded and put away, next load is in the washing machine, and while I was in there, I sorted the recycling, which I…
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Sunday Snippet: The Summer of the Sundress Edition
I confess, I got nothin’ for this week–I mean seriously, between editing gigs and revisions and book promotion and book signings (That’s Lizzie and me at Whyte Horse Winery last Sunday!), and getting into discover for book 1 in my new Dykemans of Rivers Edge series, my brain is exhausted and empty. So… I guess I’m going to tell you about something fun that I discovered this summer… ya ready? This summer, I’ve rediscovered dresses. Okay, so not fancy, like-we-use-to-wear-to-church dresses. You remember those? They required ironing and pantyhose? No, not those dresses. I’ve found sundresses. Cute, knit ones that have an empire waist and come in fun colors. This…
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Sunday Snippet: The Maybe This Is How It Happens Edition
It’s August 11. Summer is nearly over. How did that happen? I’ve been married for 51 years! How did that happen? Grandboy is 12 and he’s back in school. How did that happen? I’ve got 16 published novels and another two on the way in October and January, plus I’m contracted to write four more books for Tule. Whew–how did that happen? I’ll be 71 next month, how the hell did that happen? Can you tell I’m a little overwhelmed with… well, life stuff and work stuff and writing stuff at the moment? I am, yet I go on ahead and do what needs doing because don’t we all? The…
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Sunday Snippet: The Confluence Edition
Confluence: noun; a coming or flowing together, meeting, or gathering at one point I am at the confluence of finishing a book, starting a new book, and promoting a new release. It’s a weird place to be, particularly when I’d rather be somewhere quiet where all I have to do for a whole week is read for pleasure, take long walks along a lovely lake, and simply breathe. I think I might need a vacation… That said, what a wonderful feeling to be able to type “The End” at the finish line of a long arduous writing experience. Aren’t they all? Some more than others. This one wasn’t quite as…
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Sunday Snippet: The Book Signing Edition
This post is going up before I do a book signing here in the Ohio River town that is the inspiration for my fictional town of River’s Edge. I’m speaking to a writers group at 2 p.m. and then signing books at a fun coffeeshop right on Main Street. I’m really looking forward to this event, although I confess that the butterflies in my tummy have butterflies. Speaking is so far out of my wheelhouse, but I think it’s a good exercise to do it, and I’m hoping to do more of it at libraries and book clubs. Today, I’m talking about what a copy editor does and what we…
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Sunday Snippet: The July Memos Edition
Yup, it’s that time again… I have some things to say… Dear July Weather, I’ve enjoyed the rain and wow have we needed it! That said, I’m kinda over the sultry heat and humidity. Can we just stick to the low 80s and a shower or two, or even a great gully-washer, for the rest of the summer? Swelteringly, Nan ~*~*~*~ Dear Hair, You know I love you and that I can even be a little prideful of how pretty you are most of the time, but (and refer to the previous memo to weather), it would be nice if you’d hang onto a style for longer than five minutes…
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Author Spotlight: Big Author News from Me
Yup, it’s me in my own spotlight this week because man, oh, man, July has suddenly become crazy promo month for yours truly. So, I’m going to post everything that’s happening here, with links, so you can pick what you want to check out. Right off, Tule and I are doing several fun things this month: Goodreads giveaway: We are giving away 100 e-book copies of Make You Mine, book 1 in the Walkers of River’s Edge series over on Goodreads. Just click one of the links and it will take you to the page where you can enter for a chance at one of the 100 copies. This lasts…
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Sunday Snippet: The Me & Writing Edition
Someone once asked me to share something I learned since becoming a writer. The list is endless, but there a couple of things I can name right off the top of my head. The first is writing is hard work. Anyone who tells you different is either lying or not a writer. It doesn’t matter whether you’re writing a novel or a back cover blurb, a short story or a 500-word magazine article. Writing is hard. It requires discipline and creativity, time and research, and most of all a love of the game. If you don’t love to write, if the process itself isn’t an intrinsic part of who you…
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Sunday Snippet: The I Hope I’m Not Irrelevant Edition
As I write my 30-something characters this week, I’ve been thinking about how much of the world I am not a part of any more—specifically, pop culture. Liz and I talk frequently about how we are aging out of many things. She wonders if she’s aging out of romance novels–reading and writing them. I sometimes wonder if I’m aging out of being able to keep my plate as full as I do with editing gigs and writing deadlines and book promotion because stuff falls off sometimes, and more often than I like, it’s fun stuff like time with family and friends. Every now and again, I watch younger writers who…