My Daughter Lies: Karma Bites a Writer in Her Skin-Tight Dress
My daughter lies in the best way possible – in her writing. For her sixth grade language arts class, she wrote a story based on an experience from her life.…
The Poet's Advice: Don't Write Crap
When I told my writing group that I planned to write one blog post per day in June, Kay, a poet, gave me a warning. “Don’t write crap.” I laughed,…
Killing the Pirate: The Cutting Pain of Editing a Character from a Novel
This evening, I discovered the ending to the novel I’ve been working on for the past nine years. Glorious. It all makes sense now. Of course, I also realize that…
How to Fail at Being a Writer
Would you like to know how to fail at being a writer? Follow these steps exactly and failure may be yours! First, begin with doubt. Doubt your talent, your brain,…
My Daughter's First Glimpse of Mortality: The Death of Ichi, Ni, San and Toto
My daughter was four-years-old when I wrote this essay. As I had very little experience with death in my own life, guiding her through her first glimpse of mortality proved…
Proper Introductions: The Evolution of a Wallflower
My twelve-year old daughter and I stood at the edge of the wedding pre-party. The crowd of barely knowns and complete unknowns jumped and seethed with motion and noise. Happy.…
Bookshelf Porn: Three Books That Ruined My Ability to Hold A "Real" Job
You may read thousands of books in your lifetime, but there will always be those few special ones that impact your mortal trajectory in major ways. Books inspire us, show us glimpses…
Book Launch Checklist
Authors and publishers must keep track of a great many details when launching a new book. Here is a checklist to help guide you through the process, from the book…
How to Get Revenge on Your Father
Live story telling: Revenge You might think your dad was embarrassing growing up. No. Your dad likely ranked mildly annoying on my personal scale of PIH (Parental Induced Humiliation). My dad,…
