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Sunday Snippet: The Yard Sale and Memories Edition
So, sister PJ had a 2-day yard sale this weekend and I went to help out. It was a neighborhood event, rather ill-timed, I originally thought, because the main drag to her lakeside home was closed to through-traffic Saturday for a town-sponsored mini half-marathon. Folks coming on Friday had no problem getting to her neighborhood, but yesterday, they had to figure a workaround to get there. As it turned out, hardcore yard salers figured it out, and crowds were great both days. Gorgeous early fall weather helped our cause–we had sunshine and blue skies and a lovely September breeze. I confess I’m not much of a yard sale person. I’ve…
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Sunday Snippet: The Don’t Faint, But It’s a Snippet Edition
I know how infrequently my Sunday Snippet actually features a snippet from a book, but that’s because I’m trying not to let each Sunday be all about my books. I muse and whine and talk about other stuff a lot more, and I think that’s okay, don’t you? It’s been a week… but this whole summer has been, I dunno, weird. I’ve been in a strange mood. I think it has more to do with the state of country instead of the state of Nan. For the first time in a very long time–probably since 2008, I feel hopeful again about the United States. Hope has been at a premium…
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Sunday Snippet: The I May Need a Smack Edition
Okay, so yes, I’m a world-class worrier. But I only worry about important stuff, like whether or not the voices in my head that become novels might suddenly stop talking to me or that no one will buy my books or that they will buy them, but hate them or that I’m going to have a heart attack while I’m driving… See? Only really important stuff. The book fears are more real right now because I have a new series to start with Tule Publishing, and I worry that maybe there aren’t any more stories from River’s Edge to tell. That’s totally dumb because of course there are more–tons more.…
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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 Note to Self Edition
Liz and I had another conversation a couple of days ago about weight and weight loss and being disgusted with our bodies. Why do we do this to ourselves? How can we possibly expect to be healthy inside our selves if we’re constantly dissing the outside of our selves? I wonder why my generation of women are so terrible about our own self-images. Today’s young women are much healthier about their body images–at least they appear to be. I think I am part of a generation of females, hopefully, the last generation, who believes that if they aren’t the ideal, then they aren’t worthy. Let’s not do that, okay? Note…
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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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Sunday Snippet: A July Check-In
Every couple of years, I break out my copy of Sara Ban Breathnach’s Simple Abundance. She calls it “A Daybook of Comfort and Joy,” and it truly is. If you’ve never read the book, I recommend it highly and it’s even available as an e-book! I downloaded it to my Kindle a few years ago, which makes it easy to have wherever I am, but I’m still partial to the hardback book because it has my notes in it from previous years, and it’s cool to read those, too. I’ve been doing the Simple Abundance meditations this year because I need that centering right now. Part of the meditation is…
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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 Ode to Grandboy Edition
“Grandchildren fill a space in your heart that you never knew was empty.“—Unknown For a woman who once said, “It’s fine if we don’t get grandkids, it won’t be the end of the world,” this quote couldn’t be more true. Yes, it’s all about Grandboy this week. He turned twelve yesterday, which means he’s almost a teenager. My heart! I’m completely besotted with this child…er, young man. Each time I’m with him, I’m more bewitched with his intelligence, his humor, his charm…his heart. He is the kindest kid I know and worries about things like hurting someone else’s feelings and what he can do to make life better for someone…