Strange Practice vs. Soulless

If you read enough books, they all start to be family. A second-cousin might remind you of an aunt you met at a party once. You wish you could have a giant reunion to get everyone in the same room to compare faces and laughs. Book vs. Book is as close as I can get … Continue reading Strange Practice vs. Soulless

MisConMT 32 Interlude

This post interrupts our regularly scheduled recipe-sharing about the books that shaped us as we grew up. Hold that thought! Dan and I are headed up to Missoula for a few days of vacation, learning, socializing, and late-but-not-less anniversary fun at the SF&F convention! When I get back, I'll share what I learned with you … Continue reading MisConMT 32 Interlude

Secret Ingredients – 6

I'm starting a new series on here about the books that influenced me growing up. These are the books that shaped my brain. Gave me my fears, values, and passions. The Julie Secret Ingredients! Harry and The Lady Next Door by Gene Zion Harry is a dog. He has a neighbor who sings. Loudly. … Continue reading Secret Ingredients – 6

Secret Ingredients – 5

I'm starting a new series on here about the books that influenced me growing up. These are the books that shaped my brain. Gave me my fears, values, and passions. The Julie Secret Ingredients! Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein I can hear you exhaling with love. Yep, me too. The spine is … Continue reading Secret Ingredients – 5

Secret Ingredients – 4

I'm starting a new series on here about the books that influenced me growing up. These are the books that shaped my brain. Gave me my fears, values, and passions. The Julie Secret Ingredients! The Bible Stories chained to the laundromat bench When I wasn't pretending the vending machine was a spaceship, I … Continue reading Secret Ingredients – 4

Secret Ingredients – 2

I'm starting a new series on here about the books that influenced me growing up. These are the books that shaped my brain. Gave me my fears, values, and passions. The Julie Secret Ingredients! Great Illustrated Classics I swear I think my mom got these through a grocery store coupon program of some kind. … Continue reading Secret Ingredients – 2

Secret Ingredients – 3

I'm starting a new series on here about the books that influenced me growing up. These are the books that shaped my brain. Gave me my fears, values, and passions. The Julie Secret Ingredients! UNKNOWN POETRY BOOK Not every ingredient is sweet or savory. Some are sour. I don't remember the name of … Continue reading Secret Ingredients – 3

Lily’s Contract

*throws confetti* This is the last installment! It's been 52 weeks! An entire year! I wrote the first draft of a novel by writing 500-800 words a week. You can do this, too. The draft needs a lot of work. Revising. Editing. Layering. But the bones are mapped out for me whenever I decide to … Continue reading Lily’s Contract

Catching Up

Penultimate - the last but one This is the penultimate post in my experiment with writing an entire first draft in public. I read on the twitters today that whistling in a theater is considered good luck because sailors were often employed as stagehands. They whistled to communicate, and their whistles kept the actors safe … Continue reading Catching Up

Old Friends

For most of the story installments, I've been able to cut the scene where it counts. Not so this time, so know that I know, and I'm sorry. This one lands with a clunk rather than a bell chime. First drafts are wild and unwieldy. The added restriction of trying to make each entry bite-sized … Continue reading Old Friends