If you've read my two-part post about slowing down, the following announcement shouldn't come as a surprise to you: I'm going to slow down and consolidate the different places I'm writing. I realized that I've stretched myself too thin by writing individual blog posts, newsletter articles, and Patreon updates, while also homeschooling, doing freelance work, and writing my own fiction. I, of course, reached this realization…
Last time, on the blog, I talked about my (very ingrained) habit of working hard and fast (and too much) and always staying busy. I'm continuing the thoughts here. I have a lot of passions. Last fall, I knew I wanted to work with and help the unhoused community in Seattle. I wanted to sing in an all women’s choir that a friend of mine was…
Check it off the list. Finish the job. That task will be hanging over my head until it’s completely done. Any of those sound familiar? There are two sides to every coin. On one side is laziness and lack of impetus to get started. On the other is an impulsive, burning drive that pushes me to keep chugging along, a fire that never quite goes out.…
Red and gold lantana blooms Crab grass prickles bare feet Avocado tree and hazy purple hills - Vista from the hot tub Water warmed by parabolic mirror One of many inventions - Ideas, plans, musings Gadget bursting garage Dreams half-formed, many yet to come - Fragrant cedar chips Dancing branches of eucalyptus shadows Strawberry haven for the grandkids - Cousins, aunties, siblings, clan Catalina Island, saltwater…
Hello friends! Many of you know that it's awards nomination season in the SFF writing community and I'm so grateful for the chance to share two new stories with the world this year. Links to listen/read for free or purchase are included by clicking the story titles below. Common Speech A high-stakes drama of interspecies communication, family, grief, and overcoming, set inside a human colony located…
I’ve never been a “figure it out as I go” kind of person. I prefer to control and plan as much as possible. I want to know what I’m getting into. To know what the outline is. And if I don’t have some kind of a plan in place before the time arrives to jump into action, I will probably be panicked. Okay, I’ll definitely be…
It was a Saturday afternoon. My friend and I wanted to go on a girl-date somewhere nice. We went to an Italian cafe--a favorite of mine--ordered a bottle of wine and some snacks, and sat out in front of the cafe. This cafe is also a coffee shop and a restaurant. To say that I love this place is an understatement. The very first time I…
This last July, four of my dear writer friends and I took time away from work and family to gather in Seattle to write and live together for five days. When I was younger, this sort of thing was fairly easy for me to do (though I had less ability to earn and spend money than I do now), but now, in my present lifestage, time…
Friends, I'm pleased to introduce you to "Two-Tone," a fantasy short story that hails from my lumastration universe. It is the fourth story from this world and, interestingly, the very first one I wrote about lumastration. If you've read some of my other short stories in the world, you'll recognize the characters of Estil and Nerr and a brief mention of Hallis. I dreamed up the…
“Awkward” Definition a: lacking social grace and assurance b: causing embarrassment Most of us don’t like being awkward. Sometimes we’re just unaware of the awkwardness in a situation and sometimes we mistakenly perceive a situation to be more awkward than it really is. Actually, I’m not sure *any* of us like being awkward. We don’t like saying something that could make others embarrassed or upset, or at the…