Castle MacDuff, East Wymyss, Scotland Something strange happened yesterday. My husband and I stopped by a farmer's market. It was outdoors, in a beautifully wooded park. We had time to kill before we got haircuts, so we figured why not. Before we got out of the car, we both put our masks on. I'd put … Continue reading A step forward?

The original Murder Hobos, drawn by Ed Brabant. If there's one thing the last year taught me, it's that the small things matter more than I realized. We haven't played D&D as a group for about 2 months now. Possibly 3. My mind's a little fuzzy this morning as to when the last session actually … Continue reading The little things matter

Well, drat. Honestly, I'm saying far worse in my head. The trigger finger on my LEFT hand is now showing all signs of being inflamed, and is poised to start misfiring. Again. The steroid shot I was given in October has worn off or something similar. Both fingers have been irritated enough over the last … Continue reading Well, drat

Thistles growing near Clava Cairns, Scotland. Good morning! Last week was a strange one. A lot of stress, emotionally charged, points in time. As you know, if you've been reading my blog for a while, I've had someone who I believed was stalking me. They were someone I knew for decades who would not give … Continue reading Rejections, denials, and renewals

For the last week or two, I've been stuck. I needed to have a fist fight, one that was a long time coming between these two characters. I knew how it'd end, and what comes next because of the fight. But I was having a hard time figuring out how to get that first punch … Continue reading Unsolicited Writing Advice & Why You Need to Resist Giving It.

Hey. It's Mother's Day of 2021. So far, I've gotten the laundry washed (it's in the dryer now), made coffee, fed the cats, made breakfast, and loaded the dishwasher. I figured out how to do what I wanted to do with this chapter in 'Shield & Scepter', but haven't started writing yet. My mother passed … Continue reading Happy Mother’s Day

I'm heading out to pick up groceries soon, but wanted to get this post written first. Emotions are a funny thing. Everybody has them, even if they're locked up, hidden away. Each of us feels things differently. What one person considers painful would barely be a stubbed toe to another. That doesn't mean those with … Continue reading What is mine is not always yours

One of the carved stones, each with part of a poem, on the path to the Falls of Foyer, Upper Foyer, Scotland. Morning! It's chilly here. We've entered the time of the year where it's cold enough at night you wonder if you need another blanket, yet warms up during the day to where you … Continue reading It’s all good now

A creek in the town of Avoch, located on Black Isle, Scotland. Moray Firth is in the background. I've found that sometimes hope comes at the strangest times. It's unexpected, but usually exactly what we need at that moment. I've been working hard on revising 'Scales & Stingers: A Heroes of Avoch Novel' for several … Continue reading Holding onto hope

Caves at East Wymyss, Scotland. A few weeks back, not that long really, my agent got a rejection for 'Scales & Stingers'. They included a comment about liking the story/plot, but thought the writing wasn't where it should be/my voice wasn't clear. Because of this, Denise suggested I take another look at the book. Outside … Continue reading Rewrites, revisits, and rewards