Blog Posts

The Play’s the Thing

cover of The Wallace House of Pain on a tablet with a plant in the background

A reader of The Wallace House of Pain says it would make a good play. I agree! After all, as Shakespeare said, "the play's the thing". I have always been a huge drama nerd, and would love to write plays some day. Put it on the list... Why would this novelette translate so well to … Continue reading The Play’s the Thing

Book Lovers Soaps

Bar of soap crafted to look like a little orange covered book, from Holiday Farm

I don't usually talk about non-book products here, but this is too good not to share. You know those people who love books so much they would bathe in them if they could? Or maybe they just read in the bathtub? (Guilty.) I recently came across the perfect gift for those people -- actual bars … Continue reading Book Lovers Soaps

If You Lived Through the 1980s…

If you lived through the 1980s with their "alcohol and drugs, the promiscuity, the inappropriate office behavior" as a new reviewer puts it, then you'll relate to Horseshoes and Hand Grenades! And let's not forget big hair, padded shoulders, and MTV -- all of which helped make the 1980s so special! That's me on the … Continue reading If You Lived Through the 1980s…

New Review: Bit Players, Has-Been Actors and Other Posers

3 Bit Players books on a shelf

Here's an excerpt from a new review of Bit Players, Has-Been Actors and Other Posers posted recently on Amazon: "As a lifelong Broadway theatre lover, I found myself enjoying Bit Players, Has-Been Actors and Other Posers fully! Great characters, a fast-moving story, and wonderful descriptions of the musical created and staged by the high school … Continue reading New Review: Bit Players, Has-Been Actors and Other Posers

Fun Friday Photo: Animal Gang

motley crew of animals including a llama, a fierce looking cow, a sheep, goat, and plumed chicken

Time to get back into Fun Friday Photos! Life is too short not to celebrate and share funny bits. My regular followers know animals are a common theme for me. So today's Fun Friday Photo is animal-themed. I call it the "Animal Gang". I'm guessing that in this animal gang, the llama and the Scotch … Continue reading Fun Friday Photo: Animal Gang

A Little Book Problem Reviews “The Wallace House of Pain”

Graphic showing the masthead for the "A Little Book Problem" blog, a quote from the review, and the cover of The Wallace House of Pain

I'm pleased to share a new review of The Wallace House of Pain, this one from A Little Book Problem--one of my favorite book review blogs. Hop on over to Julie's blog, A Little Book Problem, for the full review. And here are a few snippets: "A great collection of vignettes which explores the relationship … Continue reading A Little Book Problem Reviews “The Wallace House of Pain”

Fun Friday Photo: Losing People

Old man hiking in woods with the words "The older I get the more I regret all the people I've lost over the years. Maybe being a trail guide wasn't such a great idea after all."

"Losing people" is a fun topic? In this case of this fun Friday photo, yep! Loss is disconcerting at best, tragic at worst. Rarely welcomed. So as a fan of black humor to help us through difficult times, I really enjoyed this meme. Hope you do, too. It comes courtesy of Nature Blows My Mind … Continue reading Fun Friday Photo: Losing People

May I Pinch Your Seat? Differences Between American & British English

inside cover of booklet called May I Pinch Your Seat?

Allow me to lay out a story of two English languages, which will—I promise—culminate with a funny story about the phrase, “May I pinch your seat?” My editor at TouchPoint Press for my last novel Horseshoes and Hand Grenades was the talented and delightful Kimberly Carlisle Coghlan. She recently re-shared this funny post on “Being … Continue reading May I Pinch Your Seat? Differences Between American & British English

Fun Friday Photo: Comma Love

meme from Reader's Digest reading: Don't think punctuation is important? Try forgetting the comma when you write "I'm sorry, I love you."

Today's laugh comes from Reader's Digest and is something authors, social media users and pretty much anyone who writes can relate to! 🙂 If you didn't love commas before, you might after thinking about this. Of course, for professional writers, commas are a necessary evil, a wondrous organizer of thought, a typo waiting to happen, … Continue reading Fun Friday Photo: Comma Love

Chat About Books Reviews “The Wallace House of Pain”

screenshot of the Chat About Books blog masthead and beginning of the Wallace House of Pain book review

Thanks to Kerry at Chat About Books for reviewing my novelette, The Wallace House of Pain, on her hugely popular book blog, and calling the story "A must read!" on her 5-star Amazon review. https://youtube.com/shorts/kDySb0WVKHw?feature=share She writes: "[Xander] is convinced his father won’t accept him for who he really is. Something we all know many, many … Continue reading Chat About Books Reviews “The Wallace House of Pain”