This Life...
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Sunday Snippet: The Author Event Edition
Did you really write all these books? How long have you been writing? How long does it take you to write a book? Where do you get your ideas? and interestingly, Do you like doing this? Do you like writing? Those questions and others came up from readers at the author event I participated in yesterday and the last one was the only one I hadn’t heard before. Yes, I did write all these books. I’ve been writing since I could hold a pencil; I wrote my first book at age 10, but I’ve been published since 2012. It takes me about four to six months to write a book.…
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Sunday Snippet: The Wildflowers and Memories Edition
Neighbor and pal Mary and I have been walking in between raindrops this week, admiring all the spring flowers in folks yards and the magnolia trees and other flowering trees that are blooming. Some wildflowers are showing up in yards as well because we live in a neighborhood with lots of huge old trees. Wildflowers like delicate spring beauties, violets, and the little white blooms that look like stars. They’re so beautiful and they reminded me of when PJ and Kate and I used to go out into the woods behind our church when we were kids and hunt for wild flowers. The woods there was gorgeous and full of…
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Sunday Snippet: The March Memos Edition
It’s that time again, mes amis. March memos. March has been an incredibly busy month so far–finishing a book, starting a new one, editing gigs to do, April book events to prepare for, plus housework and laundry and keeping fit. Thus, I do have a few things I need to get off my chest. Dear Spring, WTAH? Twenty degrees and frost on the ground one day, eighty degrees the next? And what’s with all the rain? Oh, wait, it’s spring in the Midwest… of course each day is a new weather adventure, but FYI, I’m ready for real spring. Warm days, cool nights, sunshine… you know… Confusingly, Nan ~*~*~*~*~ And…
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Sunday Snippet: The Here’s a Fun Story Edition
This is an incident that happened several years before my beloved friend Dee passed away, and I’m sharing it with you because I’ve been thinking of her so much lately. Dee would have a lot to say about what’s happening in our country right now and we’d be commiserating for sure. I remember Dee liked nothing better than a good embarrassment story particularly if it wasn’t hers, and this silly story was hands-down her favorite about me. She loved telling it to anyone we met up with and would laugh her butt off when she recounted my humiliation. So because I need to laugh right now and if she were…
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Sunday Snippet: The I’m Still Learning Edition
It’s been a tough week for me, for the country, for the world, and I debated long and hard about what my column for today would be. I could so easily rant here–it’s my space, I can say what I want. But I don’t want this to be a political platform. I prefer to keep this about my writer life, my editor life, and some things about just being Nan. If you follow me on Facebook or Instagram or Bluesky, you know where I land, so I opted to talk writing instead, because as my friend and fellow author Anne Stuart so aptly puts it: “Everything in my life is…
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Sunday Snippet: The Warehouse Club Edition, + Fun News!
Hiya, happy Sunday. It’s snowing here in the city (probably up at the lake cottage, too, from the look of the radar), and I am snug in our little brick house enjoying this view. I love snow. It makes me want hot chocolate and a fire in the fireplace, a soft snuggly sweater, and a good book. And speaking of good books… See what I did there? It’s called a transition or a segue. It’s an author trick to lead readers to the next part of the story. That one wasn’t very subtle, but it’s fun to practice the art. Anyway, speaking of good books, I want to crow a…
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Sunday Snippet: The I Got Nothin’ Edition
So the scene is this: mid-morning at my desk. I’m looking out the office window where a crimson cardinal is perched on the lamp post in my garden. The skies are gray and dreary and cold, so I’m resisting the urge to go outside and get my steps in anyway. Besides, that means I’d actually have to rise from my chair and I’m disinclined. It’s been a long, very hard winter so far and not particularly because of the weather. That part’s been pretty typical of a Midwestern winter–some snow, some bitter cold days, some surprisingly warm ones. No, it’s not the weather, although I have to confess I’d much…
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Sunday Snippet: The My Language Is Deteriorating Edition
My language is deteriorating. No s#*t—it really is! I’ve always taken pride in the fact that I have a good vocabulary. My mom insisted we have extensive vocabularies and use them appropriately. We played word games voraciously when I was kid—Scrabble, Boggle, Probe—and to this day, family gatherings include word games. I’m a whiz at spelling, and usually if someone asks me what a word means, I can come up with the correct definition without running to a dictionary. My grasp of language and its appropriate use is part of why I’m a damn good copy editor (I have clients who’ll testify, honest!). I adore discovering new words and finding…
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Sunday Snippet: The It’s Almost the New Year Edition
2025 is nearly upon us. A new year should never bring a feeling of dread and yet… here we are. We are living in chaotic and scary times, and I keep thinking what can I do? My stomach roils at the thought of what’s happening in Washington (not much, thanks to a do-nothing off-the rails House) and how divided we are as a nation. I have to have faith in my fellow Americans–that we will come together against the crazy that’s happening in politics. We must be proactive, to mobilize against the far right’s obsession with an autocrat and oligarchs. So, there’s that… But what can I do? I actually…
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Sunday Snippet: The Holiday Music and Joy Edition
Despite struggling financially, my mom always made the holidays a treat for me and my sibs. We always had a Christmas tree, the house was always filled with the scent of cookies baking and there was always, always music. Oh, the music of it all! Mom would go to the Firestone store or to the Marathon gas station every year and pick up their annual Christmas album to play on our old console stereo. Remember when a record player was a piece of furniture? And when holiday record albums that were like 99 cents or at most $1.99? We had them all. I can still sing every song… I loved…