The other day, I received my edits from my editor (yes, everyone needs editors, even editors). I saw her email, and I immediately got sweaty palms like I was at a middle school dance, waiting for that pimply boy to ask me to sway along to Backstreet Boys with him. I think my heart will pound…
This past weekend, I watched one of my new favorite movies with my husband. It is called Whisper of the Heart. I had never seen it before, and now I am pretty much obsessed.Why? The girl in the movie was totally me growing up.She adores fairy tales and wants nothing more in life than to become a writer.…
A lot of people have been asking me the same question lately: With all that has been going on in the world right now, does my book still matter? Yes, yes it does. If anything, it matters more than ever. You know what has gotten me through this quarantine so far? Books. I feel like…
These are challenging times. There is no denying that. Fortunately, I have managed to stay sane, and I would love to share my tips in hopes that it helps you! 1. Dancing to old-school songs I am dancing around my house. All the time. What's weird about this is it's not to music that I…
Oh, dear friend, You don't have to be stuck when it comes to your book. You really, really don't. Your book doesn't have to live with the virtual dust bunnies on your laptop. It doesn't have to be Rapunzel, hidden away under lock and key in your desk drawer. It deserves to see the light. To…
Last year, I threw my favorite kind of party: a writing party. It was amazing! One person outlined a book in two hours (something she struggled with for over six years!). Another got tons of revisions done in her novel. People made more progress in a few months than they did for decades. Was it…
Wonder what it is like to live a day in the life of an editor? Curious about what I frequently hear? Well, I'm going to step out from behind my curtain and tell all."I am so afraid I'm going to have to change something.""I really don't feel like doing work after I've spent so much…
Yes, I did it. I saw Cats. Was it horrifying? Oh, yeah. My friend, upon finishing the film, said, "This was the best horror movie I've seen in years." But it didn't have to be that way. There were some really stunning performances. I legit cried when Jennifer Hudson sang "Memory" (despite the snot running…
You know what breaks my heart? When I follow up with someone who told me they want to write a book, but they still haven't made any progress. And it's over a year later. These are usually people who want to work with me but tell me they will "next quarter" or "they aren't ready…
I am not ashamed to admit it: I love Hallmark Christmas movies. What's not to love about a wholesome story that will make you smile? Sure, sometimes I watch them ironically, but I often watch them with genuine enjoyment. It feels so nice to not be cynical for once. However, there is a major thing…