Category: Writing

Tropical February

It’s that part of February where we get a classic warm spell. Fifty degrees Fahrenheit yesterday with lots of sun, and we’re looking at that for today as well. Yes, it’ll get colder again, but considering that a month ago, the highs were below zero, we’ll take it.

In fact, I saw people out shopping in sleeveless shirts yesterday. They looked so happy.

In writing news, I completed the new opening of The Marigold Miracle. There’s a lot of revision to be done on the existing draft. Even so, I’m pleased. I feel more confident in saying that I can publish the book this year. (Lord willing and the creek don’t rise. I’m always hedging my bets.)

Today is Sunday, which means it’s Jane Eyre day. I’m going to listen and clean my house a bit. It’s getting to the point where someone might question whether I have ever cleaned my house.

Wishing you warm weather and plenty of sunshine.

Early mornings and Jane Eyre

So, more than a week into my new (very) early morning writing routine, and I’m pleased to say that it seems to be working. I’m getting more words per day, and they feel like better ones. (I mean, they may not be better ones, but they feel that way.)

Something is clicking in these early-morning sessions, writing before the day intrudes. I don’t even check the weather before I start writing. But I get my words in, and then it doesn’t matter so much how the rest of my day goes. Like last week, when the furnace decided to stop working.

I also decided to dive into the slow read of Jane Eyre. In fact, I was listening to my chapters yesterday instead of writing my check-in. And while the narrator is working well in the audio version, it’s really Caroline’s voice that is so soothing. I loved listening to the Possession debriefs, and I’m looking forward to the first Jane Eyre one today.

The respite of books and, oddly enough, Duolingo

Well, January was certainly the longest year.

It’s been a lot, I’m not going to lie. But I’ve managed to do some writing, and some reading, and I even made it to the first meeting of my book club.

We read If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin. We all agreed that, in its own way, the book was a timely read, even though it was published in 1974. The group was so welcoming to me, as a new member, and I’m excited for next month.

I’ve rearranged my schedule, so I write in the very early mornings, while it’s still dark out. Although, can it actually be morning if it’s still dark out?

When I can, I read. Another thing I’ve been doing? Duolingo. Really. Last year, I was using it to learn a little Italian before I left on my trip. Now, I’m revisiting German. Between the four years in high school and two in college, I figured that would be the easiest language to start with. Maybe it’s that familiarity, but it’s an oddly peaceful activity.

I’m also thinking of signing up for the slow read of Jane Eyre over at The Tattooed Governess (formerly Book (& Craft) Alchemy). At some point, I bought the audio version, and it’s oddly soothing in the moment, too.

Finally, if you’re looking to help Minnesota but don’t know where to donate, may I suggest ICA Food Shelf? They do tremendous work. Currently, they’re ramping up new support programs and would be grateful for any amount you can give.

Reading in 2026

So, I read 91 books in 2025. This is a good number, great even. Generally, I read between 85 and 100 books a year. (Although one year I logged 118.)

This might sound strange, but in 2026, I want to read more. Or perhaps differently. Most of my reading this year was recreational—which is awesome—but I need more variety if I’m going to write.

Odd thing: when I was commuting to the day job, I was getting that. The fastest I ever got to work (door to parking garage) was 45 minutes. Heading home? Oh. Don’t get me started on that, but easily an hour and a half. (Some days? In winter? A three-hour drive home.)

I was a captive audience; I had to listen to whatever I’d checked out from the library. Either that or drive-time radio and … no, thank you.

This, I realize, really fed my writing. The reading wasn’t necessarily research-related. It was more like fueling my brain for writing, filling the gas tank, if you will. (In CliftonStrengths terms, I’m a #2 Input; I need input.)

Despite how busy I was, I could get several hours of reading in each day.

What’s my problem now?

I’ve confined my reading to (mostly) the evenings. I’ve always read in the evenings, so this isn’t a surprise. What I need to do is add afternoon sessions.

This feels decadent. I feel like I should be doing something. (I blame the hustle/grind culture and toxic productivity for this.)

But isn’t reading doing something? I think it is. And it’s something I need to do if I’m going to write. So, one thing I want to do in 2026 is practice those afternoon reading sessions. And I have one planned for today.

Adventures in research: Stayin’ Alive

So in today’s adventures in research, the only thing I really wanted to know was how the song “Stayin’ Alive” was spelled.

But, in true internet rabbit-hole style, I also discovered the subreddit Ask Old People.

Y’all, I’m an old now.

But I do remember when the song “Stayin’ Alive” came out along with the movie Saturday Night Fever. Oh, that was a big deal, made bigger by the fact that the movie was rated R and I was in junior high at the time, much too young to go see it.

Saturday Night Fever was so popular that they eventually released a cut-up PG version, and we all packed the theaters to see it. Other than the iconic opening sequence, the only thing I remember is that the film was so sliced and diced as to be incomprehensible.  

I never did see the full rated-R version. To this day, I have no idea what the movie is actually about. But I have this memory.

Honestly? That’s enough.

Rhythm and Flow

This week, I experimented with increasing my manuscript time blocks. I increased the number by one, so instead of three, I was doing four time blocks.

By Thursday, though? Full-on brain and body revolt. I did a single time block, and then everything in my being noped out. I was done. This wasn’t garden-variety resistance. This was me, having outrun the story in my head.

So I closed the manuscript and switched to some admin tasks that needed to be done.

On Friday, I did three time blocks and—to quote Goldilocks—it felt just right.

I know, from past experience, that I’ll write more the closer I am to the end of the book, and revision has its own sort of rhythm.

This is also why I’ve noped out of listening to writing process advice. I’m never going to write 5,000 words an hour. More to the point, I actually don’t want to. That’s not how my stories happen.

My stories are slow-and-steady tortoise things. I can embrace that and be happy. Or, I can fight that and be miserable.

I’m choosing to be happy.

In admin/business focus tasks, this was the week to examine our social media accounts. (That sound you hear is me laughing.) The principle behind this is that readers often look to social media first to find an author rather than a website.

Interestingly enough, this week, Cal Newport had a take on what might happen to these social media platforms in an age where “everything” is becoming short-form video content. It’s an interesting blog post, as was the corresponding podcast.

I do have a notion of what I might do with my social media accounts. It is not, however, going to be a huge part of my business. In seasonal news, it’s cold. Those of us with any sense are hibernating.

When in Florence

So, my daughter is back in Italy, via Australia (!). She is completely jetlagged and found herself awake very early this morning. She decided to get up and go for a walk. And because she’s so jetlagged and has no idea what time it is anywhere in the world, she called me.

At 12:30 a.m.

By this point in her travels, I’m used to this, so my mom-panic was brief, especially since it was a video call and I could see Florence at sunrise behind her. Y’all, seriously:

Photo courtesy of my daughter

It’s all I can do not to spend the day on the floor, sobbing with jealousy.

Kidding. Sort of.

I am so glad she has this sort of opportunity. And it has me thinking that the next time (fingers crossed) I visit Italy/Europe, I’d like to go in the fall/winter. Way fewer tourists, and I loved Germany during the holiday season and winter.

I’ll grant you, I did not enjoy the REFORGER exercise in January or Hohenfels in November. But otherwise? It was lovely.

This gift of Florence at sunrise was fortuitous, or maybe it was serendipity. I spent part of this week writing a scene set at sunrise in Florence. (Italy, not Wisconsin. If you know, you know.)

I also worked on consolidating all my author bios. That was a great exercise. Not only are they all in one place now, but I also made lists of publications I can use, depending on what I want to highlight.

Between that and the branding task, I realized that I’m not one author or “brand” and I’m pretty sure I don’t want to be. I have thoughts (many, many thoughts) about branding, which I hope to share in the next few weeks.

But now? I have a date with the living room floor. If anyone needs me, I’ll be there sobbing with jealousy.

New Release: Our Best War Stories, Vol 2

I’ve been remiss in mentioning that I have a new release out. My story “Rules of Engagement” is part of Our Best War Stories: Prize-winning Poetry & Prose from the Col. Darron L. Wright Memorial Awards, Vol. 2.

My story placed second in the veterans’ division of the 2023 awards.

The book is available on Amazon. If you have a Kindle Unlimited subscription, you can read for free.

It’s a winter wonderland out there

And the dogs are having none of it. NONE. They do not appreciate the fact that I have shoveled a path for them or have loaded them up with fleecy dog beds and blankets.

In writing related things, I backed Ines Johnson’s Page Turner Planning Kickstarter. The system is a quarterly breakdown of writing, marketing, branding, and business tips that’s delivered on a week-by-week basis. Or rather, it’s a book that you read one section at a time.

While I don’t need much help with the writing—I’ve been doing that—I could stand to pay a little more attention to business and marketing.

I decided to start the system on December 1st rather than January 1st just to get a head start on 2026.

The system is probably geared more to newer writers. One of the first assignments is to write your author bio. Well, I have one of those. Actually? I probably have a dozen.

What I’m going to do with that task is to locate them all, get them into one document, and refine as needed.

When you’re just starting out with a handful of short stories or a single novel, one bio works just fine. After a while, though? I’ve found I need different lengths, anything from 50 to 100 words, or a different slant, such as one for short speculative fiction, one for young adult, and so on.

The other business task is to start looking at branding. I’m giving that a bit of a side-eye, but it’s something I can and should do.

I’ll let you know how it all goes next week.

A rose walk in the snow

So technically, it isn’t winter, not yet. It’s sure doing a good imitation of it:

Brrr. It’s cold out there today. And tomorrow? We’re getting three to six inches of snow, which I think means winter has officially arrived, no matter what the calendar says.

This made visiting the Giardino delle Rose even more enjoyable. Just for fun, I used a free Photoshop template and pulled together some of my favorite sights from the Rose Garden.

I also made a utilitarian one of images that directly related to the scenes I’m writing. That’s been helpful to place myself there as I write. Of course, I also have to put myself there when it’s dark, and the garden is closed. There’s not much I can do but make up that part of it. I did not sneak into the Giardino delle Rose after dark; I have no desire to cause an international incident.

Honestly, I doubt there’s a bad view from the Giardino delle Rose, but this is one of my favorites: