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
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
The Books I Read to Write The Professor of Eventide
Whenever I begin a new novel, I do a lot of reading around that project. Whether I’m researching a certain historical aspect or I’m looking to see what other authors have done with that topic, I enjoy learning as much as I can. While not everything I read ends up in the novel (in fact, … Continue reading The Books I Read to Write The Professor of Eventide
Why Some Fictional Mysteries Don’t Want To Be Solved
Last week, I wrote a bit about the differences between traditional mysteries and inverted mysteries. I realized when I finished that post that I had more to say on the subject, so this week I wanted to talk a bit about the endings of mysteries and how sometimes there isn’t a convenient ending for some … Continue reading Why Some Fictional Mysteries Don’t Want To Be Solved
What Makes a Mystery an Inverted Mystery?
Some of the more general questions I’ve received lately have to do with inverted mysteries and what specifically makes an inverted mystery. To put it in its simplest terms, an inverted mystery reveals the central event (the murder or whatever the mystery is about ) early in the story. Instead of focusing on the solving … Continue reading What Makes a Mystery an Inverted Mystery?
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 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
Introducing “Dreams and Departures”: A New Loving Husband Short
Hello Friends: With Christmas right around the corner, I wanted to share a holiday gift with all of you. Next year, 2026, will be the 15th anniversary of the publication of Her Dear & Loving Husband. Even as I write those words, I can hardly believe it. To celebrate, I've been writing short stories set … Continue reading Introducing “Dreams and Departures”: A New Loving Husband Short
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
My Bookshelf Aesthetic: Why I Keep Murakami, Morrison, and Thoreau Next to My Penguin Classics
Explore the bookshelf where Haruki Murakami meets Toni Morrison, Thoreau, and Penguin Black Classics. Discover the aesthetic and philosophy behind mixing surreal fiction with literary tradition.