Autumn is a Vampire Time of Year As we head into my favorite time of year, I always have a lot of fun putting out the autumn decorations. Apples, pumpkins, and multi-colored leaves always help my home feel festive. Of course, no Halloween is complete without vampires, and I happen to have a pretty cool … Continue reading My Favorite Vampire Novels (and Vampires)
Historical Recipe From the Oregon Trail: How To Churn Butter
When Will You Need Pioneering Skills? For those of you who have read The Duchess of Idaho, you know there's a scene where Grace is both baffled and amused when her grandmother Annabelle teaches her how to churn butter. Annabelle has a feeling that Grace will need such a skill. It's a skill Grace will … Continue reading Historical Recipe From the Oregon Trail: How To Churn Butter
Must Read Books About the Oregon Trail
Are You Reading The Duchess of Idaho? Here is a huge thank you to those of you who purchased The Duchess of Idaho, a time-travel love story set on the Oregon Trail. The Duchess of Idaho was #6 on the Time Travel Romance chart on Amazon and #4 on the Amazon Hot New Release chart … Continue reading Must Read Books About the Oregon Trail
The Duchess of Idaho is Now Available
How about this gorgeous cover from Jenny Quinlan? The Duchess of Idaho is Finally Here The Duchess of Idaho, a time travel love story set on the Oregon Trail, is now available. I came up with the title for The Duchess of Idaho about 20 years ago when I was living in Idaho. There's a … Continue reading The Duchess of Idaho is Now Available
Finding My Writing Flow
Mike Tinnion from Unsplash It's Easy to Be Distracted From Writing With all of the stresses in the world these days, there are times when I have to reach a bit to find my creativity. Some days, especially when writing is a struggle, I worry that I have used up every ounce of creativity I … Continue reading Finding My Writing Flow
One Tip For Writing Fiction: Scene Sequels
Photo by Glenn Carstens from Unsplash What is a Scene Sequel? I shared the concept of scene sequels in my book Painting the Past: A Guide for Writing Historical Fiction. Another novelist introduced me to scene sequels about 10 years ago and I’ve been using them ever since. Yes, there are scene sequels in The … Continue reading One Tip For Writing Fiction: Scene Sequels
Room For Freedom When Writing Fiction
Photo by Patrick Tomasso from Unsplash I Was a Guest Speaker for the Lit Mag Love Course! For my first bit of news, on Tuesday, 3/1, I had the chance to participate in a Q&A for Rachel Thompson's course Lit Mag Love, which helps writers who want to submit their work to literary journals. I … Continue reading Room For Freedom When Writing Fiction
Living the Writing Life: Dare To Do Nothing
Photo by Jonas Leupe from Unsplash Seeking a Simpler Life As I've been embracing a simpler writer's life, one of the things I keep hitting against like a brick wall is the pressure I put on myself to create a miles-long to-do list. There are so many things I want to write and edit and … Continue reading Living the Writing Life: Dare To Do Nothing
What Can Coloring Books Teach You About Writing?
This is definitely one of my better pieces, maybe because I love peacocks. I've Always Loved Coloring Books I loved coloring when I was a kid, and as it happens I still love to color. I consider myself a wannabe crafter. I used to dabble in painting with acrylics, and while coloring in a coloring … Continue reading What Can Coloring Books Teach You About Writing?
What is the Spark of Creativity?
The History Quill's Convention for Writers of Historical Fiction On Saturday, February 5, 2022, I was invited to speak at The History Quill’s convention for writers of historical fiction. My topic was writing and publishing short historical fiction. I had a lot of fun speaking to the attendees and sharing my presentation. All Creatives Need … Continue reading What is the Spark of Creativity?