Feeling Blue

I don't even know what to say after the events of this week. I feel like the country I love has set itself on fire, and far, far too many people are happy about it. I know things are not going to end well. It has taken me days to work through the grief enough…

Dru Faust and the Devil’s Due, part 3

The room fell into stunned silence before everyone made a mad rush to the door. Glasses hit the floor and shattered. I knocked over a chair in my haste, eyes darting all over the room for my friends, but George and Alexandra were nowhere to be seen. Archie grabbed my wrist, pulling me to the…

Dru Faust and the Devil’s Due, part 2

We joined a group of dancers, allowing our limbs to flap wildly in time with the music. A tall man, a few years older, gestured to me and held out his hand. I took it, and let him spin me around. Giddy laughter escaped. This was what I came for. The excitement, the people. To…

October Wrap Up

The Goals Be active for 30 minutes 5x per week. Another month of failure. My back was out for two weeks, and then I got sick. I'm still shaking off my latest bout with bronchitis. My main goal at the moment is breathing long enough to make it to the mail box. Polish 3 manuscripts…

Writer’s Block & Building Blocks, Part III

The conclusion for my 3 part series on writer's block. Part 1 covers mental blocks, and Part 2 plot & setting issues. The second lesson I learned while writing The Spider's Web (and several subsequent stories) is that antagonists are hard. One of the hardest things for me to do is create realistic, fleshed out…

Dru Faust and the Devil’s Due

Part 1 Thursday July 13, 1922 I tapped the toe of my gold pump on the sidewalk and checked my watch for the third time in as many minutes. I tried to keep to the shadows between buildings, but the bright lights of Columbus’s High Street beaconed. Still, I would feel better the fewer people…

Hey, look over there!

No, over there! That's right, it's a new release! Now you can check here every Wednesday for a new installment of my latest venture, a YA mystery serial a la Nancy Drew. The first segment will be up tomorrow, but of course you know I have to do a Q&A first. What is this story about,…

The Witching Hour

Now available on Amazon.com Dr. Jacob Thompson is a respectable member of his Puritan community, if a little odd. He's kept to himself since the last member of his family died. But his sister, Sarah, still lingers, bearing a warning from beyond the grave: if he doesn't complete the yearly protection ritual, Maple Valley will…

Randomly, from the internet

Ever wondered about the Canadian accent and what it's all "aboot?" A how-to guide for writing a story every week. A look at a 19th century sailor's uniform, embroidered by the man himself. Tips on how to select a critique partner for your writing. The absolute cutest kitten video I have ever seen    

Coming Soon: In Defense of Mushrooms

The smaller package had Izzy’s name on it, but she'd told me to keep an eye out for a birthday present. And since my birthday was technically over, it couldn't hurt to open it, right? I cut through the tape, peeling back the cardboard. Inside was a thin, print-on-demand paperback. More novella than novel, the…