There are times where I need to write, and I have no idea where the inspiration is going to come from. What I have learned from these short pieces, is that they’re about so much more than what I thought or originally intended. I’ll provide a couple of examples. You can read the entire pieces on my WordPress blog if you’re interested in the details. Anyway, I was making chocolate chip cookies one afternoon, and the simple ingredients, number of … Read More »

I don’t mean handwriting. What I mean is the journey my story makes from brain to page/screen. The process, rather than the actual act — well the act, too. Perhaps I should explain. When a non-writer hears that I’m going to be spending the day writing, I think they envision me in front of my computer or hunched over my desk with pencil and paper. That would be the truth — sort of. Here’s the reality. When I decided to … Read More »

The image of the peddler with the stacks of hats in Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina seems to ring true for me these days. I’m not selling hats, but I am wearing a lot of them (figuratively speaking). They’re not colored, like the peddler’s checked, gray, brown, blue, and red. I guess they could be, but these hats represent the roles I fill at any given time as a writer. The stack started with my writer’s hat. My naïve, … Read More »

Let’s clarify something right away. I’m talking about killing in our story. Please don’t call the cops or report me to the FBI. I don’t want to go to prison or be added to the no-fly list. Now that we’ve that put to rest, I want to tell you how hard it was for me to initiate my most recent character killing. The first took place in book one of the series, and Lyle had it coming. It was difficult, … Read More »

I never know where or when I’m going to find inspiration – does any writer? Sometimes I go looking, or will it in my mind, but I seem to have the best luck when I leave the door wide open and welcome inspiration on its own terms. I’ve gotten into the habit of taking a photo and posting it every morning on my walk from my car to the building where I work. I see it as a transition from … Read More »

I’m fully immersed in my story. I’m in “the zone,” typing madly, but this story is practically writing itself. Then one of my characters hands another a cup of tea (insert sound of screeching brakes). Wait! Did they have tea in 13th century Scotland? Turns out they didn’t. Change tea to honeyed milk. As my writing brain is fully engulfed in the story, the researcher lobe is pulled from standby to high alert. I engage the “find and replace” function … Read More »