Would you believe me if told you that every time someone leaves a one-star review, an author keels over? No? Okay, then. The truth: internet reviews and ratings are a major part of the “word of mouth” book buzz readers once found via publication reviews and libraries. They give bookstores, editors, and potential readers an…
Holiday Creep
There are still too many warm, muggy days for my taste, but September signs of fall are everywhere. Leaves edge toward red, orange, and gold, the nights feel chillier, and stores in my area are beginning the Christmas creep. Photo by Andy Holmes on Unsplash That’s what it’s called. Christmas creep. That’s when Christmas decorations…
The Commission of Omission
I tear through journals the way other people tear through snacks. The habit started innocently enough with an inviting empty notebook and an irresistible pen. Next thing I knew, I was juggling a pile of blank back-up journals, more pens than could possibly run dry in the course of a human lifetime, and three-and-a-half large…
Island of Misfit Manuscripts
When I was very young, I looked forward to the Christmas special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Back then, I was most interested in Rudolph and Hermey the Elf, lovable characters rejected by the Establishment because they didn’t fit an expected mold. I’ve grown up. The part of the show that sticks with me the most…
