Spent today at the Santa Barbara Writers Conference having a splendid time listening to some wonderful work and insightful critiques, and meeting up with old friends. I swear I learn more from hearing other peoples’ work than hearing crits of my own pieces. It is about the craft, and if you don’t personally own the … Continue reading →
Category Archives: Blog
guests
It’s a foggy Monday morning and I ought to be making sure the house presents a reasonably clean face for Wednesday and Saturday’s dinner guests, not to mention the major party a week from Wednesday. But of all uninspiring things, surely the job of house cleaning must top the list? Won’t our food and conversation … Continue reading →
Feeling virtuous today for having finished a full edit. I hit ‘send’ on the manuscript. I’m full of curiosity to see what the publisher’s editor tells me to do, and my firm plan is to be obedient! We’ll see how well I keep to my fine intentions. I don’t know how many of you writers … Continue reading →
lemon juice
I wrote many drafts of this story based closely on a real conversation with my father some years ago. I workshopped it a few times, but the fascinating thing is that the original had more life than the rewrites. So this morning I went back and recast it and I think this is what it … Continue reading →
non sibi
This is an older piece, I share it from my other blog because of mothers day and all the funny things that brings into my mind about regrets for not having done as well as I wanted, ambition and hope, and having kids in my life. Last night I dreamed that … Continue reading →
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the writer’s plan
I’m looking over the author’s marketing plan and the first prompt is a question about ‘what were your goals in writing the book’. Gives one to think, doesn’t it? Or if you’ve been doing too much editing in the past few weeks, gives you the urge to scream and run out of the … Continue reading →
Posted in: Blog
working with an editor
I’ve had the rewarding experience of working with two editors, Aviva Layton and Toni Lopopolo. My first experience was with Aviva Layton some years ago and that was the customary situation where I hired her to read and critique, (not line edit) two different manuscripts. One of them she read twice. She gave me more than … Continue reading →
May start
Had a grand walk this morning with the fog beginning to lift off the trees and sun breaking through. Husband was quiet, I was too, a few regrets for the pillows still hanging on like the mist. But it’s a fine new day with peas to be picked and catboxes to be cleaned. Lots of … Continue reading →
Posted in: Blog
