Like most writers, I have critique partners. One is Cynthia Reese, a multi-published romance author in rural South Georgia. Since I’m in Oregon, we’re separated not only by a bunch of miles, but by vast differences in culture and lifestyle. It’s what I value most in the critiquing process, and it’s also produced some comedic moments in the culinary realm. We both love cooking, so it seemed natural to swap…
I wasn’t feeling very inspired by this week’s topic of “favorite quotes,” so I took off my pants. What? That’s not what you do for inspiration? I got some new jeans, and quite by accident, discovered something printed on the waistband: As a romance author, I feel obligated to point out that in order to see this meaningful message about following your heart, you have to remove your clothing. I’ll…
My parents did an excellent job teaching me the importance of balanced nutrition. As an adult, I’ve added my own neurotic twist. All food groups must be represented in a meal. I start to twitch if there’s not a fruit or veggie on my plate, and I would cheerfully suck milk straight from the cow if it were the only way I could get my three servings of dairy. My…
My family camped a lot when I was a kid. Everyone knows it’s not really camping unless someone tells scary stories around the campfire, and storytelling duties always fell to my dad. His version of scary stories always came with a humorous twist. A terrifying tale about a zombielike voice snarling, “I need eyes” turned out to be a camper with a burnt hand demanding “ice.” When we camped near…
