Cover...right? But don't we do just that?  Of course we do. That's why publishers spend so much time and money attempting to design a cover that will grab the reader. That will entice us to pick up the book and take a look. I've got three books coming out this year. Two here in the U.S. and one in Germany. And one of them is a novella, which I really enjoyed writing. To Mend a Dream … [Read more...]

Think about one of your favorite moments from a movie, TV show, or novel. Got it? Hold onto it for just a second. Why is it a favorite, do you think? Most likely, it's because it's evocative. It makes you laugh. Or cry. Or recall a memorable event in your life. Or maybe someone special to you. These moments touch us because they tap into universal truths. A truth that applies to you no … [Read more...]

Does it ever amaze you how quickly and painlessly we take pictures these days?  Not that long ago it took fragile glass plates, tons of chemicals, and patience and courage galore just to capture one single photograph. I wrote about that painstaking process in From a Distance. And sometimes, when I’m snapping away with my phone, capturing pic after pic after pic with hardly a breath much less … [Read more...]

Joe and I spent this past weekend cleaning out the garage, going through boxes and boxes of precious memories and also lots of stuff collected through the years. It was both fun (especially when the kids joined us) and exhausting. Then yesterday we took an Expedition-load to Good Will and it felt sooooo good. In our commitment to "lighten up," I came across a box of items I packed shortly after … [Read more...]