I started my season later than normal, but I’m really happy to say that it really doesn’t show too much. I skated five races in this weekend’s “Masters International Single Distance Championships” at the Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee. It was my first competition this season and my first Masters meet ever. This meet […]
One of the things that people find interesting about my background is that I homeschooled my three children. I did it for about a decade while working part time as a TV reporter. Because I was the only one in my newsroom who’d chosen that path, I sometimes had to field questions when the topic […]
You just never know when terrible things will happen. You can only hope that bad situations are kept from getting worse and that you’ll be around people who keep a cool head. I experienced those things this weekend when I landed at Los Angeles International Airport right after the crazed shooting there that took the […]
Sometimes — often times — writing fiction takes courage, and I’m not just talking about opening yourself up to critics. I’m talking about feeling and facing the fears and problems of your characters. I just got back from an intense writing conference put on by the Wisconsin Chapter of the Society of Children Book Writers […]
Okay, I know I’m a late to the party on this one, but somehow this 2005 release escaped my notice. No problem, though, because A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb is so well written and timeless that anyone could step into that light now and be glad they did. A Certain Slant of […]
I just finished my latest manuscript and synopsis, and I have to say that, if you have a good method of taking notes, writing your synopsis should be a breeze. There are many great websites out there detailing what is a synopsis (It’s a summary of the story, including key characters, events, and, yes, even […]
It’s not often a person can say they’re ranked world class, so I just have to sing about it a bit. Anyone who visits this blog regularly knows I speedskate. Love the sport and the camaraderie with adult skaters. Turns out I can be pretty proud of my actual performance, too. Just found out that […]
If you were at Tough Mudder Wisconsin 2012, you probably saw my team before, during, and after the event. We were the ones with the Yoda backpacks. First, let me thank any and all Mudders who helped any of us along the way, as this event is all about camaraderie, and absolutely everyone on […]
Sometimes you just get along with everyone in the room and have the best time. That’s how it’s been the past couple of days guest hosting The Morning Blend. I’ve done it a few times before and am always honored to be asked back. Tiffany Ogle (on the left) and I (you guessed it, […]
Really love this list of dos and don’ts when editing someone’s work. It’s put out by author, blogger, and former literary agent Nathan Bransford. Point number eight, Don’t Overdo It, especially speaks to me because we’ve all been asked to critique something that needed a lot more work than comma correction. If a whole section […]