We’re all familiar with this scenario:   Driving home like we’re on autopilot. Red light. Stop. The grocery store, gas station, McDonald’s, dry [...]

What? Unnecessary verbs in writing? But…sentences need verbs. Ah, yes, of course they do! But some drag the sentence down, make your character [...]

I love sharing my personal tips on writing, and I hope my blog is becoming a valuable source for readers. But if you’re like me, you seek [...]

I’m a retired English teacher. So obviously, I’m a stickler for grammar, a stickler for the spelling of words correctly. But I not a [...]

As a teacher, one of the issues I’ve found that writers struggle with is creating a distinct voice for each of their characters. A trap that [...]

I’ve heard writers say: “I won’t read books in my genre or even in any genre when I’m writing because I don’t want to be [...]

Are you interested in writing a murder-mystery filled with suspense, twists and turns? Utilizing my novel, Invitation to Death, here are some writing [...]

  Have you ever moved from the only home you’ve ever known? Not so easy, is it? Homesickness might set in. You might miss community, [...]

I ’ve blogged about how setting can become an integral part of the action in a novel, as well as creating or sustaining mood. I love well-crafted [...]

This excerpt comes from page 103 in Secrets. Mary Beth received a suspicious letter. But when she opens the envelope, it’s an invitation to [...]

There is no novel without setting. It could be a room, but even a room can be a complex setting.  Or it could be an image-stimulating cruise ship. A [...]

One of the things I love to read about in a novel is food. What does a character like? Dislike? Food nurtures us. It gives us the ability to carry on [...]

Imagine getting an anonymous letter in the mail, detailing one of your most painful secrets. That’s what happens to four women in my [...]

Have you ever been so taken by a novel that you dreamed of seeing the sites mentioned in it? That happened to me with Luncheon of the Boating Party by [...]

Goodreads is a fantastic place for book lovers and readaholics to share their passion for books. I’ve found an incredible, warm, thoughtful [...]

In my novel, Secrets, food plays an important role. It brings my main characters, Toni Becker, Stacy Holbrook, Dorothy Chaney, and Mary Beth [...]

The hottest Broadway ticket is Hamilton, and no, I haven’t seen it. The cost of tickets are a bit rich for my blood. But, I have read the book [...]

Hello! I’m going to start out with a HUGE thank you. One of the things I love about being an author is meeting people. So starting this blog is [...]