What gets you motivated, excited, ready to crank out work or start a new project? For most of us the motivation to get up every morning and go to work is the desire to pay our bills. For those of us who have a second job, or a creative passion, that work might not always result in financial gain. As a writer, I know it … Continue reading Motivation
Here in eastern North Carolina, we recently experienced a winter storm resulting in several inches of snow. For many parts of the world snow isn’t a big deal during the winter months. It’s as normal as the wind blowing or the sun shining, but here on the coast of North Carolina, in a very unusual. We get snow maybe once every three to five years, … Continue reading Weather as Setting and Story
What Is Your Story? Or should I ask, what genre is your story? Today I’m sitting in an airport waiting for my flight. Anyone who travels often will tell you much of traveling involves waiting. Much of life involves waiting but it is what we do and who we meet while we are waiting that makes our story more interesting. Life is an adventure. Somedays … Continue reading What is Your Story?
Often anticipation and dread go hand in hand. That thing we most anticipate is also something we fear and dread. Will the wedding of our dreams go off without a hitch? Will our first big promotion prove we weren’t ready for a leadership role? Will this first date lead to something more? As a writer and a reader, I have found that many story topics … Continue reading Anticipation and Dread
I love chai tea and honey but I also enjoy a chai tea latte. If done right, a chai tea latte tastes like Christmas in a glass! Bring water to a boil, steep chai tea bag and add honey to taste. For added kick, add one ounce spiced rum, one ounce bourbon cream liquor, 1/2 ounce ginger liquor and teaspoon of extra chai spice. You … Continue reading Chia Tea Latte with a Kick
Winter Bourbon Smash (Half Gallon Pitcher) Small jar (8-ounces) of preserves or jam my favorite is blackberry or cranberry orange. (Recipe for Quick Cranberry Orange Jam: 1 can orange juice concentrate, 1 can cranberry sauce and ½ cup sugar, 2 tablespoons water and 1 small box orange gelatin. Dissolve sugar in water, add orange juice and cranberry sauce stirring until mixed well, add in gelatin … Continue reading What is Your Holiday Spirit?
Tone: the mood of a story. The tone can often be pre-set by the genre of the story. A gothic tale will often start with a dark and stormy night, but other stories might start off with just a normal day before everything changes. But just because a story begins with one tone, doesn’t mean the mood doesn’t change. It can change several times within … Continue reading Tone, Mood, Genre
As a romance writer, intimacy plays a huge role in the stories I write, and not just sexual intimacy. Being intimate with another person is about being familiar with them, knowing their likes and dislikes, understanding their quirks, and being not just physically close but having a closeness that transcends other boundaries. In my research, Psych Central said there were four types of intimacy. I … Continue reading Intimacy in Fiction
Donna Steele celebrates 50 books published Donna Steele’s fiftieth published book releases September 3rd. Donna and I met as members of the Heart of Carolina Romance Writers. Donna is a real dynamo as you can probably guess with 50 books and countless short stories to her name. When she was told girls can’t write science fiction, she made it her mission to prove the nay-sayers … Continue reading Celebrating 50 Books!
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