Ripped from the headlines by Maggie Toussaint Usually when you think of stories ripped from the headlines of newspapers, you think of lurid crimes, of things that could never happen in your town or to your family. I was searching for an idea for a novella and I kept coming back to something that happened […]
Authors are Readers, Too Terry Odell Most of the time, writers sit in rooms all by themselves working on their manuscripts. Or working on a blog post, or some marketing chore, or checking in with social media. It’s usually a solitary work environment. Solitary, not lonely, though, because we have our characters and they’re usually […]
Lists By James M Jackson I am a list-maker. Regardless of whether I became one through genes or social training, I owe this trait to my father. Lists come in two forms: the recording (events, transactions, possessions) and the “to do” list or check list. Each Saturday morning, my father recorded the value of each […]
Trolls – Darling or Dangerous? Nancy J. Cohen Trolls come in varied flavors. They can be cute little guys like these dolls from my childhood. Would you believe I still have my collection? These have happy faces and hair you want to pet. Then there are ugly trolls from Norse mythology. I used these mythical […]
Our Spring Collection by Karla Brandenburg, Nancy J Cohen, James M Jackson, Terry Odell, Maggie Toussaint, and Tina Whittle Everyone’s heard the saying “April showers bring May flowers,” and for me, that phrase is synonymous with spring. I’m sure many places in the US and the world still have traditional seasons, but here in the […]
Moments of Grace By Karla Brandenburg Have you ever found yourself in a situation that completely captivated you? Where you and whatever you were looking at seemed to come to a silent understanding of peace with the universe? It’s a very humbling moment. I’m currently on deadline at the day job and under extreme stress. […]
Raise A Glass By Tina Whittle We grow muscadines in my backyard. These wild grapes were planted by the homeowners before us, but they didn’t start producing fruit until about ten years ago. Now they gift us with a plentiful crop. One vine makes the bronze variety (scuppernongs) and the other the purple variety. Both […]
Pets in mysteries By Maggie Toussaint Dog lovers and cat lovers vie for supremacy. Each group thinks their pets are cuter, smarter, and more entertaining. I’ve been owned by both dogs and cats, and I must confess I’m more of a dog person. For that reason, I have dogs in just about every book I write. […]
Birthday Presents in Reverse By Terry Odell It was my birthday last week – one of those milestone “ends in a zero” years. However, as is the case with every birthday, I’m only one day older than the day before, so I don’t pay a whole lot of attention to the number. As far as […]
Winter Vacations by James M Jackson There are (at least) three schools of thought regarding winter vacations. One, especially attractive to those in higher latitudes, is a vacation to someplace warm. The opposite is preferred by those who enjoy winters sports, specifically seeking out a cold location, usually with plentiful snow. The third is a […]
