IT'S BACK! SUSANNA HILL'S ANNUAL HOLIDAY STORY CONTEST! We all know that children's stories shouldn't be long, especially when holiday treats are scattered all around! What child wants to listen to a long drawn out story when visions of sugar plums are dancing in his head? ...
I am thrilled to highlight the versatile, talented, and all around wonderful author, Cynthia Surrisi. I "met" "Cynthia in The Best 2018 Picture Book Release Group Ever", and I'm glad I did. Sit down, grab a cup of coffee and a cookie, because Cynthia has...
A few years ago, I was fortunate to meet fellow Texan, Nancy Churnin, while at Kristen Fulton’s WOW retreat in Georgia. I knew that Nancy had written a book about a Deaf baseball player, and I was intrigued. I couldn’t wait to meet her. The...
Today, Jenna Grodzicki popped in to visit. I first met Jenna at Kristen Fulton's WOW retreat in July 2016. I clearly remember talking to her on a shuttle on the way into town. She was telling me about her upcoming book, Pixie's Adventure, and I was...
Show of hands. Anyone else find it hard to keep going? I know, I know. So many of us, right? It’s been a difficult month. Earthquakes, fires, hurricanes, and floods. Natural disasters of great magnitude. I can speak for Houstonians when I say that we...
A group of writers and I are reading a wonderful book called Fearless Writing by William Kenower. I won't say it has been life changing, but I will say it has made me look at my writing and other parts of my life in a...
It's time! It's here! It's short!! In honor of Dr. Seuss's birthday, Vivian Kirkfield has challenged writers to write a short (very short!) story using only fifty words. Did you know that Green Eggs and Ham has only fifty words? Well, only fifty unique words. Dr. Seuss shuffled and repeated them...
Each January first, I beat myself up. Not literally, of course, but it's still pretty painful. I focus on everything I did not accomplish during the past year. Was I lazy? Not good enough? What was it? Turns out that type of thinking is not...
Like most people today, I'd like to wish all who celebrate, a Happy Thanksgiving and all who don't celebrate, a Happy Thursday. This is the time of year when everyone takes a break to be thankful. I love that, I really do. BUT, here's the...
Let me say at the outset that I love my smart, talented, kind critique buddies. Not everyone is so lucky. Picture this: You write something, give it to your critique group, and everyone says it's wonderful. No problems at all. Great feeling? Maybe. Helpful? Nope. The whole point...