It’s probably not what you think. My parents came of age on South Dakota homesteads during The Great Depression. Rounding up cattle to be shot and buried before they starved. Picking up bones of dead animals to be sold by the ton. They were steel-forged in the heat of the Dirty Thirties. They married in … Read more
A few years ago, my husband and I interrupted a burglar in our home. Screaming for help, my husband chased the young man down the street while I frantically dialed 9-1-1. The thief stopped, pulled a gun, and aimed it at my husband’s head . . . . This real life event serves as the … Read more
If you ever need an artery nipped out of your temple, have a plastic surgeon do it. My doctor was so deft, his sutures so neat, I’m not quite sure where to slather the antibiotic ointment. What’s going on? That’s the million-dollar question. January of this year was a strange ride for me, as it … Read more
Producing a book can be roughly divided into three parts. Writing the story is only the first third. Then there’s editing, revising and proofreading–sometimes over and over. My current work-in-progress is on draft 11B. As John Irving said, “Half my life is an act of revision.” And finally, for me, the most difficult part–marketing! Whether … Read more
In honor of Veteran’s Day, I offer you the free story below titled “Private First Class.” Long ago when I took “Private First Class” to my critique group, one member said it was “inane” while another proclaimed it the best thing I’d written. I’m sure this thinly fictionalized account of my dad’s World War II … Read more
I feel totally hip and cool to be in Gabba Gabba Hey: An Anthology of Fiction Inspired by the Music of the Ramones. My story, “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend,” was one of 24 chosen from hundreds of submissions! Congratulations to all the writers in the collection: Do You Remember Rock ‘n’ Roll Radio by … Read more
I previously wrote a blog about how where we read a book impacts our perception of it. For example, reading Cara Black’s Murder on the Left Bank while staying on the Left Bank definitely heightened my pleasure. While the book remains the same, our surroundings can make it more—or less—enjoyable to read. A recent experience … Read more
[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”default”] On March 28th my second Covid shot finished marinating. To top off the day, I signed a contract with Mystery Weekly Magazine to publish my story “Try Again.” What a great experience. I submitted. A few weeks later, they accepted and that same day sent … Read more