-
Sunday Snippet: The Gratitude Edition (Because I Need This)
And maybe you do, too? I’m trying very hard to take each day as it comes. To stay in the here-and-now, as my mom used to preach. It’s hard. I’m worrying about everything–the state of our country, Social Security, Medicare, what will happen to the folks who depend on Medicaid, our relationships with Canada, Mexico, and the rest of the world, how we ended up in this dreadful mess. How can we ever fix it? The gut-wrenching worry and fear is pointless, really, because none of it is anything I can control. It’s better to focus on the many things I have in my life that I can be thankful…
-
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…
-
Sunday Snippet: The Am I Losing It? Edition
Talked my lake friend Mo the other day. We covered everything–health, weather, writing, reading, her lake news, my city news… After we hung up, I thought of something I’d meant to tell her, but the oven timer was dinging, supper was ready and I figured I’d tell her next time I talked to her. I’ve talked to her, but I still can’t remember what it was I wanted to tell her… and that seems to be a theme in our lives. I took a silly online test for dementia yesterday–the results of which were, “You have the memory of an elephant.” The test had no idea how frequently I say,…
-
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…
-
Sunday Snippet: The Taking a Break Edition
I’m taking a break from posting this week. I’ve been all over the Web with book promotion since Made to Love You released on January 23 (still at it as you can clearly see–sigh). Then there’s been the first two weeks of the new regime (I refuse to call it an administration). I’ve had a giant knot in my stomach since the inauguration and I’m a little scared that if I start writing about where my head and heart are right now, I’ll rant and won’t be able to stop. If you follow me on any social media, you already know where I’m at, so no need to fill this…
-
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…
-
Sunday Snippet: The Writing in the Information Age Edition
It’s been a week, mes amis. I’m working hard on my current WIP–the first book in the Dykemans of River’s Edge series. Liz and I went on a very fruitful, if extremely chilly, writer retreat, where both of us wrote words and did a lot processing. Even more of “what’s the word for this” along with a gesture or a motion. We do that a lot when we’re writing together. Liz is an invaluable resource and I can’t imagine writing a book without her input. We ate some good food, drank a little less wine than usual, and found a fab little place for breakfast right near our hotel. Otherwise,…
-
Sunday Snippet: The Words Sometimes Come Hard Edition
I’m in a weird place with this new work-in-progress. I like the story, I like the characters, but somehow I’m having a problem getting them to move along. I have more notes about this first story in my new series than I did starting out any other River’s Edge series, mostly because a lot of this story happens away from River’s Edge. But I also have more word notes, more conversation notes, more scene notes than any book I’ve ever written. It’s almost as if I’m writing the book in my notes, but when I get to the computer, the words are coming hard. Funny thing is, I know this…
-
Sunday Snippet: The Things I Should Have Mentioned in 2024 Edition
It’s January 5 and maybe a few days late for rehashing 2024, but I have few memos for the past year that I need to get off my mind before I plunge into 2025. Dear Summer 2024, Where did you go? I mean seriously? I know the summer lasted the usual 3-4 months, but it sure didn’t feel like it was that long. We didn’t get enough lake time or enough time to go out exploring state parks and places of interest as we’d planned to do. Stick around and be more organized in 2025, okay? Longingly, Nan ~*~*~*~ Dear Election, Sigh. What can I say? Things did not end…
-
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…