Some books are written based on a proven successful formula.  They have all of the components to make for an engaging story-line.  But there is a difference between these books and ones that are written from the heart and the soul.  The former are well planned out, the latter unfold as imagination is let lose. I had a creative writing teacher in college who once … Continue reading In the End

In my first year of college (1976-1977), I went back to visit my high school and met one of my English teachers, Mr. T, in his classroom.  I told him, “I’m going to write a novel.”  He smiled at me, and I could tell that his smile meant that he had heard that before from others and didn’t believe it for a minute that I … Continue reading The Road to Becoming an Author: It’s Been Quite a Ride!

It seems my sequel has turned into two sequels.  Originally, the sequel was supposed to go back and forth between what was happening in the 1860s and the late 1960s.  But, as I have found out, these stories write themselves.  Whatever I may have in mind for my characters, they demand to have some say in how their story is told.  So, there are now … Continue reading Characters have Minds of their Own!

It was a dark and stormy Halloween night in 1984 when my husband lost his life in a fiery crash.  A few months later, I sold our old brownstone in the city and moved out to the country with our children, Ellie, who was six, and Michael, who was seven.   That is when I met, Miss Esther de’ Monde.  I answered an ad she … Continue reading The Bonfire: A Halloween Story

Dear Character, I had a seed to a story in my head.  That story grew, over the years, through the oddest moments. . . during a walk, during a car ride, in my dreams . . . and all of a sudden . . . you were there.  When I first saw you, you were just a blurry image.  I wasn’t even sure of why … Continue reading A Letter to a Character in My Story

I write best when I’m alone.  Today the house is quiet, our children have grown and moved on, my husband left for work, and I sit at my computer and write.  My old dog, Daisy, rests her head against my foot and the contact is comforting for both of us. Then I start to write.  One by one, my characters join me.  They laugh when I … Continue reading A Solitary Writer

Every morning the Fisherman left his home and went out on the lake in his boat.  He was an expert Fisherman and every night, he returned to his home with his boat filled with fish. He caught fish of many different colors.  There were silver fish, yellow fish, brown fish, green fish, orange fish, red fish, and even purple fish, but there were no blue fish.  He thought, wouldn’t it be nice … Continue reading The Fisherman and His Prized Fish: A Fable

As I was writing The Hope Chest Mystery yesterday, it struck me that another similarity between the time of the Civil War and now is that both time periods are points at which we realize that we need to change the way we live.  Not only do we need to change how we live, we know that the changes that we are going to have … Continue reading The Changing of Times