The first three months of each year are an exciting, nerve-wracking time in the life of a romance writer (at least for those of us who are members of RWA). This is the season when entries for the RITA and Golden Heart contests are sent to judges. These contests are the Oscars of the romance world where published (RITA) and unpublished (Golden Heart) authors submit their work … [Read more...]
Gratituding
Giving thanks and making lists. Two of my favorite activities. Combining the two? Well, that calls for the creation of a new word! Allow me to introduce to you gratituding: making a list of people/things/concepts/etc. for which one is grateful. Below are my top five blessings for 2016. Verbing - using nouns or other parts of speech as verbs. We do this all the time … [Read more...]
Trope! The Virgin Librarian
When I first started reading romance (around age 13), I pretty much read whatever I could get my hands on. Slowly, I began gravitating to certain story lines - a bluestocking Regency heroine facing her debut in the Ton? Coworkers struggling to keep things professional (bonus points if the set up was boss/secretary)? Catnip! Later, I'd learn these recognizable situations … [Read more...]
You’re Not the Boss of My Hair (The Hamster Wheel in Keely’s Head)
Can I let you in on a secret? I have hair issues. Not the normal "it's this drab color when in my heart I'm a striking redhead/blonde/brunette" or "it's too fine/too thin/too coarse." Not even the evergreen lament "it's straight/curly and I want it curly/straight." By and large, I'm happy with my "birth" hair and I like feeling free to mix it up on … [Read more...]
I’m a Word Geek and I Know It
In high school, I read voraciously. Not much has changed, as I'm pretty sure I read four books in the last week. Score! Back then, my brain was pretty spongy (that sounds awful!). Everything I slurped up I added to my knowledge well. Not so uncommon, I guess, when we're young. In addition to the education that school and sports and socializing offered, one of my favorite … [Read more...]
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