I thoroughly enjoyed Leanne Morgan’s memoir, What in the World?! I have read several memoirs over the last few years written by women who have succeeded, achieved, and overcome whatever life threw at them. Among my favorites are Cher, Ina Garten, Belle Burden, Jennifer Lauck, Jeannette Walls, and Sophie Gregoire Trudeau. I now add Leanne…
What I’m Reading: The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods
I’ve recently finished reading The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods, and I must say that I liked it more than I thought I would. Not for any reason other than the title sounded like so many other stories: The Stationery Shop, The Little Paris Bookshop, The Bookshop, The Last Bookshop in London. I guess I…
Summer Reading: Under the Egg by Laura Marx Fitzgerald
It’s that time of year…lazy days of reading, drawing, bike riding, fishing, or whatever kids want to do. Parents looking for a book to engage their young readers will be happy with Under the Egg by Laura Marx Fitzgerald. Set in Manhattan, the mystery around a painting unfolds as young Theodora tries to figure out…
Writing Resource: The Secrets of Story by Matt Bird
One of the most thorough resources on fiction writing is Matt Bird’s The Secrets of Story. It’s not about grammar, or a simple, general statement of “show don’t tell” which all writers have hear countless times. Instead, Matt breaks down the elements of storytelling including theme, character, character arc, dialogue, tone, and rewriting. He is…
On Writing: Why Short Pieces Help in the Long Term
As writers, we are often advised to write daily, same time, same place, and to meet our daily word count. Showing up on a “bad” day and still getting words down separates the true writers from the imposters. I beg to differ. Yes, daily writing matters and helps, as does daily reading, and walking. But…
Writing Tip Wednesday: my third published short story
I am happy to announce that I have published another short story! “The Red Shoes” is included in the Back Roads Literary Review Spring 2026 anthology (link for purchase on About Me page). When I saw that the theme for the Spring anthology was “the moment when,” I realized I already had the beginning of…
On My Bookshelf: The New American Diner Cookbook by Julissa Hernandez Roberts
I love promoting books written by friends, and this week’s blog post is about a cookbook that is exactly that. A long-time friend, Juli, has written The New American Diner Cookbook, The classic American diner is an institution unique to the Northeast, especially New Jersey (I may be a little biased). Growing up in the…
What I’m Reading: The Sweet Life in Paris by David Lebovitz
I like to read more than one book at a time, and reading books in different genre is a good way to avoid confusing characters or plot lines. A novel paired with a non-fiction book works out quite nicely. To prepare for an up-coming trip to Europe, I have recently read The Sweet Life in…
Independent Reading: Halfway to Harmony by Barbara O’Connor
Barbara O’Connor is one of my favorite contemporary middle-grade authors. Her stories focus on relatable, likable characters who work together to achieve a goal, and there is often an animal involved. What’s not to love about that? In Halfway to Harmony, grief-stricken Walter Tipple, his new neighbor, Posey, and her rescue dog, Porkchop, discover a…
Writing Tip Wednesday: Head-Heart-Gut Polarization
Writing-manual author, Matt Bird offers a detailed explanation of why and how writers can create an ensemble of characters with different personalities. In The Secrets of Story, Bird explains how secondary characters can act as advisors to the protagonist, each in their own way. To illustrate, I will use the classic kids’ movie, The Sandlot.…