Oops

You ever have one of those weeks, where your sense of timing is just kind of…off? Where you’re constantly either a day ahead or a day behind? Sure you have. Maybe it’s because the Catbird had no school on Monday, and we took the Magpie back to school. Maybe it’s because the Catbird told us […]

Getting Back Into Things

Well, the break is over, we’re getting back into the swing of normal life now. The Magpie has gone back to school after a nice visit. She was anxious to be home, but anxious to return, I’m sure, I remember those feelings well. For today, I decided to share something I wrote yesterday in my […]

A (Blurry) Glimpse Into My Notebook

I do most of my writing on my computer. I love it. I love the click of the keys, and the way they feel beneath my fingers (I can’t type on my wife’s keyboard; the keys are stiffer and sound ‘clackier’. Blech). I love watching words appear on screen as if by magic. But every […]

Beautiful

Today I abdicate to Offbeat Mama. Not because I don’t have anything prepared, but because this particular shiny caught my eye and had to be shared. A link appeared on The Magpie’s Facebook page Wednesday night, a gift from her high school English teacher of the last two years (an amazing teacher who did much […]

A Pep Talk

Be brave. Take risks. Tell the story you want to tell. If it means ruffling a few feathers, ruffle them. Don’t apologize for your work, and don’t hold back in your query. Don’t hide the uncomfortable or controversial beneath twisted layers of plot and names and places. I read a query letter this weekend that […]

The Mistaken Launches!

I’m making a rare break with my usual Monday-Friday post schedule to trumpet the release Nancy S. Thompson’s debut, The Mistaken! Big congratulations to Nancy! I had the pleasure of reading an earlier draft of the novel. It’s a gripping story of a man and a woman in a rather difficult situation (which is putting […]

Too Tense!

‘A man walked up to me and said, “I’m a wigwam! I’m a teepee! I’m a wigwam! I’m a teepee!” I said, “Relax, you’re two tents.”‘ That’s a really bad joke. I’m too tense today. On Monday I foolishly said I was going to write something about tense. On Wednesday I tried to put some […]

Mugshots, A Disorganized Rant

I actually had at least two different posts in semi-stages of completion heading into the end of this week. “I’m in good shape,” I said to myself. “No problem this time around. Just, which post do I go with?” Until yesterday happened. Actually, what happened happened two days ago. On that day, International Talk Like […]

A Delay

Okay, I’ve totally bungled this one, folks, and I don’t know why. On Monday I linked to an AW thread, promised I’d have more today about it, and I’ve been writing like a fiend since. And I’ve got? A whole lot of stuff, but nothing coherent, and my efforts to write it are making my […]

Caught by Surprise

Well, not really. I actually started my post last night, but first drafts are rough. I also have not enough time this morning–the Catbird starts cross country at 7:15 and we’re off to The Big City immediately afterward to pick up last-minute items for the Magpie this morning. She’s off to college on Wednesday. So, […]