Archive for November 2011
Snowdrift Saplings
Change. I’m not a fan of it. My daughter’s not either. It used to be that I was the only one who tried to hold on to the way things are with both hands, but now I see that tendency in her, too. I’d like to save her 40 plus years of stress and tell…
Read MoreIt's Beginning To Look A Lot Like …
It’s time to stock up on wine. : ) What, you were expecting something else? I’m lucky. For the most part, holidays around here are drama-free. On Thursday, I can honestly say ‘Thanks” for all my family members, extended and otherwise. But even drama-free holidays can still be stressful. So over the years, Bill and…
Read MoreGuest Post! Creating Characters That Grow
For me, one of the most interesting and challenging parts of writing character-driven books is making sure my protagonists stretch and change in a believable way. Frodo from The Lord of the Rings series is my shining example of this: He starts off the series as a happy-go-lucky little hobbit with good intentions, and ends…
Read MoreA Forest in the Trees (For Norman)
Before we moved to the suburbs, we lived on a run down horse farm in a town with a population of maybe 3,000 people. I do not joke when I tell you that the cows often outnumbered the human residents. My husband probably deserves sainthood for staying there with me for that long, but I loved…
Read MorePeace and Quiet
Like many New Englanders, we lost power over the weekend. I’d heard we might be getting a storm, but hadn’t taken it seriously. After all, how much snow could we possibly get before Halloween? But I’d forgotten where I live. The weather in New England is nothing if not a continual surprise. At 8 p.m.,…
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