My Inspiration for Clever Elsie
Clever Elsie is the name of a Grimm’s tale. After I stumbled across it I found myself kind of obsessing about it. This poor girl. She needed a happy ending! (Would it have really killed you to fudge the ending Grimm boys?) So I started to create a story for Elsie....
read moreA Woman’s Strength is Not Measured by the Size of Her Biceps
I am a woman. I know a lot of women. I have many sisters and a mom and grandmas and aunts and cousins and friends and teachers who are all women. I feel like something of an expert on the subject. If you’re excited about the direction this is going, let me be clear...
read moreAuthenticity in Writing
The experience and wisdom of a high school teacher is not a thing to take lightly. I learned to sew in Mrs. Patterson's Home Economics class. We spent the semester making pin cushions, mastering the slip stitch, making pillows, and learning the art of the sewing...
read moreMy Efforts to Create a Relevant Online Writing Presence
A friend recently asked me if I make any money when I blog. The answer: Nope. Which means I’m probably doing it wrong. Instead my goal is to create something of an online presence and establish some credibility among readers. Then when I finally get something out...
read moreFeatured on Silver Birch Press!!
I'm ridiculously excited to announce that Silver Birch Press has featured a flash fiction piece of mine! You can read it here. Happy...
read moreOne Simple Way I Invest In My Writing Goals
The ideas were pouring in. I obsessed over characters and storyline when I was grocery shopping, sitting at swim lessons, even cooking dinner. I needed something to keep notes on when I was away from the computer. We had notebooks all over the house. The cheap,...
read moreSometimes Writing is Like The Emperor’s New Groove
I'm working on the final part of my current work in progress. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel for this draft. I met with my critique partner a few weeks ago. I was anxious to hear what she thought about my big climax scene. So when she talked about how...
read moreHiking in Southern Utah: Little Wildhorse Canyon, Goblin Valley, and the Ghost Town of Giles
(I meant to use my own images, but my sister's were so much better. Most of the photos are hers. Click on the photo to enlarge if you need a bigger version.) This past summer Outdoor Enthusiast and I loaded up the kids in the minivan and headed for Southern Utah....
read moreMore Reasons to Love SCBWI
SCBWI...the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. (Because seriously...I could talk about this event for days. Daaays I tell you!) Having my good friend there with me. I could bounce thoughts off of her while my brain worked to process things. She also...
read moreCrystal Goes to Denver
A few weeks ago I did a big thing. I took a trip just for me. No kids. No husband. Just my friend and I hopping on a plane and getting out of town. Purely indulgent. You might be imagining a spa weekend getaway for some much needed pampering. But that wasn't it at...
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