Book Review: Best Book of the Year The best book I’ve read this year, and maybe the past few years, centers around hockey in a small, Scandinavian town. Beartown, written by the author of A Man Called Ove, William Backman, begins with fanatical coaches, obsessive...
I lost a friend and mentor to cancer last month. I’d known Nancy Anderson since the late 1980s and she was one of those people in my life that had a huge impact—in my career, my happiness,...
Gittin’ Back on the Horse The old blurry photo is the first known photograph of me on a horse. I’m the one in the middle, about two years old. The other photo is the last known photo of me on a horse, taken four...
Last month, as research for a novel I’m writing, I asked for your opinions and ideas about ABORTION. In snippets, here are a few replies: People do not talk about how excruciating it can be for women to make this choice when they want the...
I need your help with my next book. That novel (working title: Anything But Love) will focus on a woman and a man on different sides of the political spectrum. One will be running for office (I think the woman; I think for President of the US)...
A friend of mine called me last week and began the conversation with: “Just wanted to say how much I loved you book.” He gushed about Anyone But Me. I was thrilled. Then he asked, “Would you be interested in all the typos I found?” ...
Book Banning Booms “It was a pleasure to burn.” The opening line of Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury*. Maybe you’ve been reading the same disturbing news I have. About book banning. It’s back with a vengeance. The ALA (American Library Association) has fielded almost 1700 requests through...
Challenging Myself In my fiction, I’ve always used a third person voice to describe the story. An unseen narrator. That technique gives the author more freedom to develop different points of view, often giving each character in the story a special perspective. In the novel...
Prayer Request Next week I’m having my arthritic left hip replaced. When I tell people that, I get responses that range from “I’m sorry to hear that” to “you don’t even limp” and “is it that bad?” The first response is fine with me, but...
As my year winds down, I’m excited for the various projects I’m working on that will take me boldly into next year and beyond. (I mixed a little Buzz Lightyear with Captain Kirk there; did you get it?). I’m outlining my next novel and I can...