I recently watched the documentary about poet Mary Oliver on PBS–Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World. Oliver's poetry, like Thoreau’s essays, is an invitation to pay attention. She writes about ordinary things, like nature, animals, walking, water, weather, silence, and yet her poems are never ordinary. Birds, fields, even a walk through … Continue reading From My Commonplace Book: Mary Oliver on the Wonder of Being Alive
Reading Inspiration
The Childhood Books That Made Me Love Reading
I’ve been an avid readers since I was in the third grade. I was usually the first in my class to get my work finished, so I was able to sit on the red and blue rug in front of the bookcase and choose a book to read. That was probably my favorite part of … Continue reading The Childhood Books That Made Me Love Reading
My Favorite Books of Summer 2026
As usual, I've been thinking a lot about books lately. I've considered the books that made me into the writer I became as well as the books I read to write The Professor of Eventide. Needless to say, I spent a lot of time reading this summer and my tastes were eclectic. The books I … Continue reading My Favorite Books of Summer 2026
How Summer Affects My Thinking and Creativity
I know I always say that autumn is my favorite time of year, and in many ways it is. I’m not a huge fan of the 100+ degree summer heat we get here in Southern Nevada, especially not the 100+ degree days that are also humid. However, I do get time off in the summer, … Continue reading How Summer Affects My Thinking and Creativity
The Art of Reading Like a Writer: What Books Have Taught Me About Craft
I’ve always believed that we can only ingest so many words from other people until we’re compelled to spill some back out. Long before we understand plot arcs, character construction, or theme, most of us fall first in love with reading. For me, reading in childhood began as an escape from a frantic, stressful family … Continue reading The Art of Reading Like a Writer: What Books Have Taught Me About Craft
Five Favorite Reads from 2025 (The Books That Stayed With Me)
A page from my reading journal featuring poetry by Mary Oliver and Kafka on the Shore. I’m currently knee-deep into the fifth draft of my current #WIP, but I also don’t want to abandon my streak of blogging once a week since March 2025. This week, I wanted to do a (late-ish) round-up of my … Continue reading Five Favorite Reads from 2025 (The Books That Stayed With Me)
How Atmosphere, Ambition, and Mystery Inspired My #WIP
I'm nearing the end of writing my current #WIP. It's not done done but it's getting there. I've completed the fourth draft, and I'm currently giving the manuscript (and myself) a rest for a week or two. The way things stand now, the novel will be published in 2026. As soon as I have a … Continue reading How Atmosphere, Ambition, and Mystery Inspired My #WIP
How To Create a Personal Curriculum: A Step-by-Step Guide
Happy New Year everyone! Since this is my first post of the new year, I thought I’d share a wonderful tool that has really made a difference in how I approach my personal learning. Last summer, I began watching some personal curriculum videos on YouTube. As a long-time teacher and academic, I think these videos … Continue reading How To Create a Personal Curriculum: A Step-by-Step Guide
Books To Curl Up With This Winter
Since I’ve been in a Victorian mood lately, with working on my literary scholarship about Dickens and researching the Victorian era in general, I wanted to focus on winter books with some of the same themes you’ll find in Christmas at Hembry Castle, stories about love and loss, memory and redemption, the pull of history … Continue reading Books To Curl Up With This Winter
Embrace the Cozy: My Ultimate Autumn Reading List
I've made no secret of the fact that autumn is my favorite time of year. After a rough summer of 100+ degree heat, the cooler weather and pretty-colored trees in my neighborhood are a welcome relief. While we're not quite in autumn yet in Southern Nevada, even 89 degrees Fahrenheit feels cooler after such hot days. … Continue reading Embrace the Cozy: My Ultimate Autumn Reading List