Has it ever occurred to you that it is possible to have two earthly homes? One is the house where you live. Where your nuclear family lives. And the second is the one that forms when you are surrounded by your people. Your friends that make up a second family, tied not with blood but with connection at the heart level. A family that can be just as strongly bonded together as your family. So that when you’re with these people, no matter where, you are home?
Pouring Yourself Into Your Writing
Pouring yourself into your writing is something every writer aspires to do. To be true and real and vulnerable. But how to do it? Where does that desire translate from the heart, to the page?
How to Write a Bad Book
You pick up a book, expecting to enjoy the afternoon immersed in a good story. You are excited by the blurb, eager to learn more about the plot for yourself. You begin to read, and something is wrong. The book is horrible. But why?
Historical Fiction vs Fantasy
Historical fiction and fantasy are known for being two very different genres. But besides the obvious content variations, why aren’t the genres more similar? While historical fiction requires…
Power of the Ocean
Unparalleled by any other part of creation, the ocean is the most powerful and all-consuming thing on earth. But who created the ocean? Who controls it?
Book Review! Willa and the Whale
Ok. You know those new books? Those books where the characters actually have smartphones and are worried about things like boys and stepsiblings and wearing more makeup than the cosmetologists at Belk? The books that as a rule, I don’t read or like?
I broke my rule!
Top Fantasy Books
I recently received a request for fantasy book recommendations. As a writer whose prefered genre is fantasy, why shouldn’t I have some amazing fantasy books up my sleeve? As I scrolled through my 2022 book list, however, I was surprised. There were a few good fantasy books in there, but not many. The real gems…
The Best Storyteller and the Best Story Idea
Who’s writing your story? Not your WIP, but your life story? And how many ideas are you contributing to the greatest Storyteller?
Peace With Skye Peterson
Ever been to a Skye Peterson concert, or listened to her music? I’m telling you, she’s amazing!
The Best Kind of Education
What is true education? Many would say the memorization of fact or the acquirement of knowledge constitutes a good education. While this is true, I would argue that the pursuit of Truth stands above all of these goals.
In Defense of Princess Buttercup (Passivity or Patience?)
Last summer I got together several times with a few of my closest friends. We talked about life, work, and driving, ate my friend’s mom’s incredible chocolate chip cookies, and watched The Princess Bride. It was only my second time watching it, and as usual my brain began analyzing as the end credits rolled across…
Book Review! The Doctor’s Sweetheart
I recently finished The Doctor’s Sweetheart, an anthology of short stories by Lucy Maud Montgomery. In this post, I share my thoughts and revelations from the book.
Best 2022 Reads and 2023 Predictions!
I am most definitely a book nerd. Read a list of my favorite books from 2022 and books I’m looking forward to in 2023 here!
Christmas Hope
I haven’t posted in a while. And there’s a reason, actually. Someone very close to me is in the hospital and things don’t look too hopeful. It affected our Christmas, so only my immediate family was able to celebrate together. Very different from the kind of holiday I’ve known my whole life. So I decided…
I’ve Been Interviewed!
Yes, you read the title correctly! I recently experienced my first interview! Abby, a blogging and writing friend of mine, invited me to come do an interview on the Young Writers series she’s featuring on her blog, Lady Bluebird. I was ecstatic to do so and very grateful to have the opportunity. I had so…
Book Review! Angel on the Square
Angel on the Square by Gloria Whelan isn’t just your normal historical fiction info dump. Read more of my amazing experience with this fabulous book!
My Experience with NaNoWriMo 2022
For those of you who don’t know, NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month. It’s a time when writers and authors all over the world spend time writing as much as they can. Typically, people participating in NaNoWriMo (or Nano for short) finish the first rough draft of a novel during the month of November….
Bo the Hamster and Thankfulness
My sister got a hamster for her birthday. I know. Help. From the beginning, I was opposed to it. A hamster? Like the kind that runs on a wheel all night long and keeps everyone in the house awake? The kind that STINKS? The kind that can supposedly flatten its body, escape through the slats…
Feathered Fancies
Have you ever heard the poem “Hope is the Thing with Feathers,” by Emily Dickinson? The first stanza is very popular, but the other two are not so widely known. Hope is the thing with feathers –That perches in the soul –And sings the tune without the words –And never stops – at all –…
Spicy Pumpkin Cookies
I just want to say that when I post recipes on this blog, I will not write a short novel prior to presenting the recipe. 😂 Suffice to say that these cookies are probably the best pumpkin flavored thing I have ever made. (And I have an excellent pumpkin muffin recipe.) They’re easy and so…