That New Year’s Post.

Soooo…I keep saying I’m going to write a New Year’s post. Because that’s what you do when you’re a blogger. Even an infrequent (as of last summer-ish, I was all scheduled and committed before) blogger like me. It’s just what you do. You tell the Internet about your resolutions or your “one word” or your writing goals for the coming year… …

That ending. And why I write.

Fun fact: I do not like to cry. Which is why: I turn the channel with lightening speed anytime I hear Sarah McLachlan’s breathy voice at the start of the worst commercial known to man: those pet rescue ones with the sad animals. I generally refuse to watch Nicholas Sparks movies. (Plus, crying at Nicholas Sparks movies is confusing. During …

Why I got cool with breaking the rules…

It’s been a little quiet around this blog in the past few months. My website silence started out of necessity in the form of a deadline. Back in June, I did a pretty massive rewrite of my next book. Like, I tore it apart. It was a LOT of work in a short amount of time. It also included a …

That bedroom scene and the truth about (re)writing.

YUP. There’s a bedroom scene in my new book. Not so much that kind of bedroom scene. It’s 50 shades of innocent, I promise. But still… It’s a scene in a bedroom. In a bed. With a girl and a guy. And I will admit, I had my worries that some readers might be a bit tsk-tsk-y about it. So far, if there’ve …

How I got my writing joy back…

…I didn’t. I mean, I did, but saying “this is how I got it back” makes it sound like I did something good and wonderful to make it happen. Which is definitely not the case. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s back up… Have you ever had a dream go a little beige on you? Something once all sparkly …

How to pack for the ACFW (or any) writing conference

Around this time of year, I always write a post about the ACFW Conference. Posts like If Best = Random Then These are My Best Conference Tips or How to Stalk Your Favorite Author at ACFW. If you’re not attending the conference, I apologize for the uselessness of this post. And I offer up this for your amusement instead. If …

My writing process.

Happy Monday, folks. Today I’m participating in the Writing Process blog hop that’s been making the rounds on the Triple W lately. But first, can we talk about why my madeup world wide web moniker isn’t catching on? I just think Triple W sounds so great. Like a virtual wild west ranch, you know? My friend Clay Morgan tagged me …

The Writing Life…with guest Clay Morgan

My friend Clay Morgan is here today. Yay! He hosts this great podcast with two friends (which I had a blast guesting on recently). He and those same friends blog at this fun website. He wrote this awesome book. And we both host this classic movie feature. By way of further introduction, I was going to make some disparaging joke about Clay not …

And just like that, a new author fave! Meet Hillary Manton Lodge (plus a giveaway)

A couple months back, awesome writing friend and one of the coolest Canadians I know—Rachel McMillan—told me I had to read a book called A Table by the Window. The author’s writing style, she said, would be just up my alley. I pre-ordered the book…waited patiently…and then read the WHOLE thing in one weekend. Folks, I adored this book. ADORED IT! And …

This is what happens when you spend four days underground.

About a year ago, I spent an entire week writing. Seven days. Seven days of basically withdrawing from society. Yeats could’ve written a poem about me. (The dude wrote four hermit poems. I have no idea why I know this.) Well, last week, though I wasn’t able to play hermit for a full week, I did hide out writing for …