Do you do your own taxes? I've done our family taxes for years--collecting receipts, deciphering records, puzzling over confusing IRS instructions (honestly, they should hire a professional writer to write those instructions, not accountants), etc. And here it is, February again, and time to start thinking about filing those tax forms. I understand that the government needs money to function, … [Read more...]

My inspiration for my current series was this…  Three brothers. Two of them—Jeremiah and Jude--raised beneath the shadow of the scandal their wealthy, famous parents created before their birth. Then there’s Max, the housekeeper’s son, the one Jeremiah and Jude viewed as a friend while all three were growing up on the same property in Maine. When the boys were teenagers, they (and everyone … [Read more...]

Hi friends – Debb Hackett here, standing in for Dani. I was wondering if many of you do reading challenges. We are all readers here, right? Whether you’re also a writer or not.  So, let’s explore the world of the challenge. On the one hand, I can get pretty tired of endless targets and don’t need more in my leisure time. But on the other hand, reading challenges have enriched my reading … [Read more...]

Hello everyone. I recently came across a list I'd written while listening to a talk given by the talented and lovely Shannon Hargreaves (librarian and creator at The Cozy Bookery on Instagram). This was at the fabulous Mississippi River Readers Retreat over a year ago (which is coming up again this summer!) I liked the ideas she shared, so I've kept the note but never shared it. At the risk of … [Read more...]