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Book “finds” on strong female characters + blogs to inspire you
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Jo Is Having a Moment
You would not believe how the word on Jo van Gogh’s life is spreading.


Discover a Hidden Ally to Your Aspiration
It can be tempting to get stuck and ruminate on what didn’t happen as you’d hoped, but I want to offer a different course.


How to Dissect (and Write) Conflict
It’s the author craziness when characters take on lives of their own, elbowing and clawing to get their words on the page.


Confession of a Story Origin
I have a forever-fond memory of a girls’ trip. Another long weekend getaway that contained one singular moment that stands still in time.


From Loser to Legend: A Tale of Second Chances
This initial assessment, often based on appearance, body language, and tone of voice, can have a lasting impact on how we perceive others.


See How I Wrote My Way Out of Dead Ends
Like a friend throwing me a rope, inevitably the passages would haul me out of the impasse, and I’d be writing again.


The 98/2 Rule
I’m familiar with ye old 80/20 Rule but not 98/2. I’ve been mulling it over ever since.


3 Questions to Avoid Midyear Meltdown
Am I tinkering, or making material improvements?


Three Thousand Words of Trouble (Growth)
In hindsight, my egoistic inexperience on what it takes to write “only” three thousand words kicked my tush.


Keep on Writing
After spending 15 months writing the first draft, then weeks doing follow-up research—for that matter, after giving up a 22-year profession.


Standing with Jailed Writers
But in light of today’s repression against writers, his [Vincent van Gogh's] letters have taken on new relevancy for me.


How to be Time Wealthy
But to be honest, the bookcase clean-up also was a handy procrastination ploy to keep me from the real work I need to do.


Patriarchy Hidden in Plain Sight
Imagine my intrigue when I realized that the early 20th century is right on the heels of a time when capitalism is emerging.


Three Observations to Revive Your Mojo and Energy
In hindsight, January’s agitation acted as kind of a farm combine, sorting chaff from the wheat.










It’s About Time
I write historical fiction because I am deeply passionate about the present.

Tell the Truth and Do No Harm: Keys to Writing Historical Fiction
When I was a kid I was always reading. I’d get so lost in a story Dad had to coax me out of the house to play flag football with my...


Small things together can become great
Great things are done by a series of small things brought together. -Vincent van Gogh I'm in the middle of a big sort. In Vincent’s...


Digging for Why
“If you ask me what I came into this life to do, I will tell you: I came to live out loud.” — Emile Zola To live out loud! As in, not...


Fairies, feelings and a bit of feminism
“I wonder if we are all wrong about each other, if we are just composing unwritten novels about the people we meet?” — Rebecca West I...


Sticky Stance
“The place where you made your stand never mattered. Only that you were there…and still on your feet.” — Stephen King I'm NOT on my feet....
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