Friday Favorites
I’m constantly amazed by all of the talent out there. Here’s this week’s tribute to awesome posts and great writers: “Annoying Encounters of the Literary Kind” by Anna at Anna’s Book Corner “Let’s face...
View ArticlePsalms and Sympathies in Jane Eyre
My Lenten Scripture reading was hopping and skipping right along. I started with 1 Kings, and within the first two weeks I made it through 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, and...
View ArticleOne Little Checkup
Sometimes you just need to step back, get some perspective, reassess, and make sure you remember your vision. It’s time to dust off the shelves, do a little vacuuming, reorganize, and remember. That’s...
View ArticleBreaking News: I Found the Perfect Journal
I’ve written before about how much I love to journal. Because I’ve been journaling since approximately the second grade, I’ve had the opportunity to write in many types of journals. And I’ve had to...
View ArticlePreach Love
This weekend I almost gave up. It started with an innocent Facebook post. I posted an article on my friend’s wall about Rob Bell’s recent statement in support of same sex marriage. I meant it only for...
View ArticleI’ll Be Seeing You
I’ll Be Seeing You by Suzanne Hayes and Loretta Nyhan; published 2013 by Harlequin Genre: Historical Fiction Review in a word: Intimate Opening line: Dear “Garden Witch,” I’ve stained my fingers blue...
View Article10 Books from the BBC World Book Club
You may remember that a couple months ago I got a new job (and it’s amazing—thanks for asking). Which means I’ve officially been inducted as a True Californian through the rite of passage that is the...
View ArticleSketch Reviews
During the keynote at a conference I attended a few months ago, I was sitting next to a woman holding an iPad. The screen was black, and using this wooden-looking stylus, she started drawing in...
View ArticleOne Little Library is Under Construction!
Hi all, So I love playing around with my blog—adding new widgets and features and gadgets and toys. I think it’s fun. And after three years of having my blog on WordPress.com, I finally got tired of...
View ArticleTaking It to the Next Level
I’ve been blogging for over three years. I’ve always had it in my mind that “someday” I would take it to the next level. “Someday” I would move from WordPress.com to a self-hosted site. “Someday” I...
View Article7 Writing Communities to Know About (+1 More)
I mentioned that I want to write and blog more this year—not simply for the sake of quantity (although that is important!), but with the goal of actually improving my craft. And I’ve found that writing...
View Article3 Secrets to Shareable Content
When I evaluate book proposals, one of the many factors I think about is a book’s shareability. I know that no matter how many ads or paid tweets or web banners a publisher creates, they will not have...
View ArticleWrite for yourself. And then write for one.
Write for yourself. And then write for one. I see it all the time. People write for fame. They perform for social media. They engineer blog posts to get more followers. They beg for shares. They create...
View ArticleThe truth is mistakes matter.
More often than not, telling people I’m an editor immediately puts them on the defensive. People apologize to me all the time when they realize they’ve committed a typo or forgotten a punctuation mark....
View ArticleAll About Translation: Q&A With Foteini Moschi
I’ve always been fascinated by the translation process. Some of my favorite books were ones I read as English translations—Crime and Punishment, The Brothers Karamazov, Madame Bovary. I recently joined...
View ArticleCan’t Wait for #BlogHer16!
If you get my newsletter, you know that this week I’m on vacation! I’ve needed time on my own to relax and indulge in some of the things I enjoy most: yoga, wine, reading, and blogging. I’m driving up...
View ArticleReview: Several Short Sentences About Writing
Several Short Sentences About Writing by Verlyn Klinkenborg; published 2012 by Vintage Books When I travel to new cities, I usually have two items on my personal agenda: Find a place to do yoga Find an...
View ArticleHow to Get Published as a Young Author
Recently I was asked to speak to a group of high schoolers who plan to be English majors or who are interested in writing. I was honored to be asked! I love sharing my story and reassuring young...
View ArticleStop reading about writing. Just write.
Stop reading about writing. Just write. That’s literally what I’m doing right now. I designated this time as dedicated “writing time,” and you know what I did? I opened my laptop and started reading...
View ArticleReview: What I Talk About When I Talk About Running
I absolutely love working out. I know, some people think I’m crazy. But if I don’t work out for a few days, my pores feel clogged. My shoulders tense and my hips stiffen after days sitting in an office...
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