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Book “finds” on strong female characters + blogs to inspire you
All posts come from my weekly newsletter, "Digging in with Joan Fernandez."
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The Stories We Feed (And the Ones That Feed Us)
The Ghost in the Feed: Why I'm Cleaning Up My Clicks The real threadbare “Baby” ultimately disappeared. . .no doubt still adventuring 30 years later! Photo by Lutz Stallknecht on Unsplash I’ve had storytelling on my mind lately—specifically, the moment I realized I was the villain in my three-year-old’s bedtime story The Accidental Villain: Lessons in Bedtime Lore When I was a young mom I used to make up stories for my son when tucking him into bed. I’d describe his favorite


From Manhattan Sprints to a Human Pace: Redefining My Default
Keep some room in your heart for the unimaginable. —Mary Oliver
You never know.


Harry Potter to Jane Austen: 4 Quotes to Bridge Our Turbulent Times
In that spirit, I’ll share a few tales that have molded me in hopes one sparks a memory for you. And, naturally, since I’m an author I’m going to ask a few brilliant lines from literature to tee us up.


Finding the "Best Good" in Sedona: A Story of Wisdom and Serendipity
We've arrived in Sedona and the peace is settling in.


Unlock Your Creativity: Why Clearing Out Leads to Fresh Discoveries
Literary Wisdom for a Lighter Mind & Home Unexpected treasures found in a tchotchke box. I’m clearing the air. Here’s a few literary...
Unleash Your Imagination: Bend Reality, Create New Possibilities
I guess it’s common knowledge that imagination is a must-have tool in the novelist’s bag of tricks. All those scenes and dialogue and thoughts come to life by little sparks flying in a writer’s brain.


"Is There a Cuban in There?"
A Nun, a Rifle, and the Day a Neighborhood Chose a Family Juan and Eloina Fernandez I’m a midwestern girl and my last name is Fernandez...


Calling All Reinforcements
The house is on fire, it’s like the hallway is now a mile long and we’re far apart. I run out the front, smoke is billowing.


Grappling with Significance (Possibility)
I work in simultaneous possibilities — market my current book, sell the anthology with my short story, write Book 2.


The Great Comic Book Debacle
My Mom Pride took a nosedive. I felt duped by comic-book companies.


Opening Lines Redux
Using the opening lines from literature as triggers to recall anecdotes reminds me of hanging out with friends and swapping stories.


On My Three-year-old Granddaughter's Birthday
Filling her space in the universe and wishing her the world.


In Memoriam: Amy Sue Nathan
I want to write a note about my friend Amy who has recently passed away.


What Mom Said
This is a space for women to turn to other women. Learn from others’ stories. Notice life phases of our sisters. Teach our daughters.


Capturing a Grandson Moment
There’s a baby in my novel and while speeding through the plot I think I’ve overlooked him.




Game On – When Birthday Parties Become Family Subterfuge
An epic birthday subterfuge when the entire family galvanizes to surprise a suspicious older brother.


Ready – after Setbacks There’s Hope on the Eve of an Olympic Trial Race
On the eve of the Olympic Track and Field Trials and numerous setbacks hope for another beginning.


Enigmas: Hidden Order behind Life's Tangles
An unexpected phone call untangles a chaotic career beginning


Un-random Acts – San Francisco Bus and Locked Out of the House
Locked out of the house and a strange encounter on a San Francisco bus brought kindness to the surface




New Beginnings and Carpe Diem
Discovering lessons from a concentration camp survivor from Terezin.


Work for the Love of It
I want to be an amateur.
Tons less stress to be admitting RIGHT FROM THE START ...
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