“Mom! Look at this!” I hold up my artwork. Horses. Princesses. Flowers. Mermaids. Castles. Repeat. I remember when I wanted to be a visual artist. Drawing after drawing of the above subjects, in just about every creative combination you could think of. I’d show these drawings to my mother, filled with delight and joy because I had made something that I deemed beautiful. Then I grew…
As a little girl, my favorite color was red for the longest time, but then the Power Rangers came along and I switched it to yellow (because the Red Ranger was a boy and I wasn’t about to be like every other girl who liked the Pink Ranger.) Colors are clearly emotional for me. Yesterday I was painting a landscape for my husband (see below). He…
Welcome to the Friday Five – my ritual at the end of each week in which I list four things I’ve learned plus one fun picture. This was a week of idea growth for me. I posted a short story collaboration with a fellow author friend, and pursued an artistic obsession I’ve had with Pan’s Labyrinth ever since I watched that film. This may turn into…
“I have so much information, I don’t know where to start.” This is a great problem to have, if you’ve riffled through your Junk Drawer (Part 1) and Pinned (Part 2) the interesting bits. If you’re just joining us, this is my series on turning an idea into a creative reality You need a plan. Ahem, before anyone of you anti-planners walk away, hear me out:…
I have a great idea but…I feel too inexperienced, too clumsy, too {insert insecurity here} to do it justice. So I throw it away. That beautiful silver thing gets crumpled and stuffed into the trash can. It doesn’t have to be this way. I’ve learned that, in the creative process, there are a many steps to it, and most of us don’t feel highly qualified. But…
Welcome to the Friday Five where every week I share 4 life observations from my week and 1 fun photo. It’s been a great week! I’m feeling productive at work, and I have energy in spite of a 4pm sunset and thick cloud cover. This week my HappyLight bathed me in energizing UV light from its new spot on my desk. I really think it’s helping…
And now for something completely different! I took this week off of my official writing schedule. Still kept busy with various projects and ideas, but released myself from the strict routine I normally adhere to. In it's place, I planned one fun thing for each day of the week, and had a delightful turn out. Saturday: I went to the Renaissance Faire in my area, dressed…
When I first began writing, everything was about extremes. I focused on making my characters as beautiful they could be, having as much fun and excitement as possible, and the bottom line was that I kept myself entertained. I wrote because I found storytelling exciting, and all of my stories had the requirement that they continuously enthrall my imagination. My first “writing” was actually illustration with a few…
I can actually say it: My novel will launch next month! The edits are finalized, the marketing details are being solidified, we're scoping out a venue for the book launch party for friends and family, and bit by bit, the Booktrope team and I are preparing the world to receive Moonlight and Oranges. This book was a product of much love, sweat, and tears. The inspiration to write…
In the art world, and in most places of life, change can come as fast as a tsunami wave--and my reaction to change may be compared to the terror of standing on the beach, watching the incoming wall of water, and wondering if I really am prepared for what's ahead of me. The analogy is imperfect. A tsunami would likely have killed me. The changes in my…