I see, I listen, I think. Therefore, I write.
A few years ago, I did a large canvas painting using sketches of models from an art class I attended. At first, I didn’t know where I should go with it. I’m an okay, but not a particularly gifted painter, … Continued
I nearly zapped a historical romance out of my iPad in exasperation, while reading it one evening. Not because it was badly written. Nor was it boring. Rather, it annoyed me that for the umpteenth time, the author describes her … Continued
A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of. So says Jane Austen—like her heroines, the ever sensible woman. She probably did believe that. Which is why her heroes are often rich either by inheritance (Darcy, … Continued
Romance novels are escapist fare. We read them to be entertained. Or to have a few delicious moments of tingling. Is it a contradiction, then, to inject realism in romance novels? Someone more in the know than I told me … Continued
Inside, the terminal was bouncing. That was the only way Leilani could describe it. Greeters jumped and shrieked their welcome at arrivals they had not seen in a while. Children squealed as they played, running through throngs of people. She … Continued
Come times when you need to toot your own horn. Why not? Sometimes no one else can do it better. Like when you’re getting all these sweet words for Welcome Reluctant Stranger on Amazon reviews and you feel you must … 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
I exercise to music. Don’t we all? Relieves the boredom of repetitive motions. Sometimes, of course, music is just a backdrop for thoughts. I do get ideas as I move to music. Like, why not write a post on music … Continued
The best thing, so far, about the Virtual Book Blog Tour: Book Reviews for Hello, My Love. I find the feedback quite useful. I’m changing the cover and have made a bit of revision in one chapter based on these … Continued
Goodbooks Today: Praise for Hello, My Love ************ “The unexpected surprises and emotional encounters of this novel keeps the reader enthralled until the very last page.”—GoodbooksToday.com Reviews There are few stories that capture the raw emotions of a true and … Continued
Places in stories can advance plot and show something about a character. Food and eating can (see Delectable Dishes) do the same. In Hello, Greg invites Elise to his house presumably to see him in his “true element.” When … Continued
Delectable dishes play a more prominent role in Hello, My Love than they do in the 19th-century romance novels it pays homage to. The characterization, style, and plot of Hello borrow from both Pride and Prejudice and North and South. … Continued