I see, I listen, I think. Therefore, I write.
On two consecutive Fridays in June, I ran kdp free days for Hello, My Love! (HML), Book 1, and Welcome Reluctant Stranger! (WRS), Book 3, of my series, Between Two Worlds. I meant to test a couple of my suspicions. … Continued
Has anyone who’s lived within at least two cultures not been tempted to weigh in on the broiling issue of being “transracial”? Rachel Dolezal, former regional president of the NAACP, claimed she was black, but was recently outed as white … Continued
Writing the multicultural experience A famous chef, James Beard, once said: Food is our common ground, a universal experience. Who could dispute that food is a universal experience? But is it really a common ground? I have my own prejudices … Continued
Want to go viral? Take a cue from a former teacher of creative writing. He came out with a rant about his students and the craft of writing. The piece riled quite a few people. Mostly writers, for sure. Enough … Continued
The Zen of Writing? An oxymoron, I’d say. At least, that’s my first reaction. In my mind, the act—but more specially the art—of writing requires you to be active and engaged. Bent over a ream of paper on a desk, … Continued
Every decade has defining moments. The seventies have the American Pie moment. If you were alive and aware in that decade, how could you miss the Kent State shootings in 1970? The Munich massacre at the Olympics in ’72? The … Continued
It is Christmas season. If you’re a Christian (only about a third of the world population). What next for you as a writer? How much do you crave success? After all the grub, booze, and discarded gifts (or, at least, … Continued
You are a writer. Therefore, you’re a slave. To reviews, to courting a readership, to spending hours on tasks not related to writing. Writer and slave: You’re helpless against that bondage. Most writers now are resigned to the fact that … Continued
Everyone is doing book trailers these days. So, why not jump on the bandwagon? Well, for one, having someone do book trailers for you can cost money. Money you may not have on your limited book promotion budget. But you … Continued
Writers are researchers, too. In fact, writers have to be Jacquelines (or Jacks) of many trades. Wordsmiths, grammarians, artists of a certain sort, interviewers, investigators/researchers. Even counselors. Of these, I’m most comfortable being a researcher. I did research for graduate … Continued
Why write fiction? Writing is unrewarding. Not an item you would often find in a bucket list (things you hope to do in your life)—if we mean writing a novel, an essay, or a short story. But it probably makes … Continued
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight For the ends of being and ideal grace. Elizabeth Barrett Browning … Continued
Can writing heal what ails you? Many studies show you can write to save your life. I started writing my thoughts and feelings in a little notebook when I was a kid. I think it was my way of coping … Continued
There is necessary tedium in writing. My third novel (Hello, Agnieszka!) is in the proofreading stage by another pair of eyes. That makes four scrutinizing pairs, so far. Writing is a solitary undertaking but the author is always too … Continued
If you live inside your head, people are likely to think you’re crazy. But doing so can actually be comforting. Productive, even. As I grew older, reality trounced my dreams one by one. I found myself retreating a little more … Continued