I travel some — to writers conferences, mostly. And I enjoy the chance to be with people who “get” me. People who can have entire conversations about imaginary people. Yeah, we do that. But this is inevitable: Even as I pack my bags for the trip, anticipating the workshops and the almost nonstop conversations and the hugs and the …
In Others’ Words: Are You Scared?
Fear likes to tell us no. No, you can’t (fill in the blank). No, you can’t learn to dance — you’re not coordinated enough. No, you can’t sing well enough to try out for school chorus. No, you can’t try out for that sports team. What makes you think you’re good enough to compete with those other kids? No, you …
In Others’ Words: Be Optimistic
Helen Keller was an amazing woman. Born in 1880, an illness left her deaf and blind when she was all of 19 months old. Helen had limited communication with her family until she was 7 years old — when Annie Sullivan arrived and worked with her to teach her sign language. Fast forward to 1904, when Helen was 24 years …
In Others’ Words: Encountering Defeat
One of these days I’m going to catalogue my quotes and tally how many posts I’ve written that deal with facing — and overcomng — defeat. Quite a few, I’m thinking. Sometimes when I find a quote about overcoming defeat and then I blog about it, I’m writing myself out of a funk. And then there are times I’m …
In Others’ Words: Direction and Focus
I select a quote for various reasons. A quote may: make me laugh. make me pause and realize, “Now there’s a new way to think about (fill in the blank).” challenge my “I’ve got this all figured out” preconceived idea. give me some practical ways to approach life. Today’s quote is a bit of practical wisdom that, if heeded, …
In Others’ Words: On the dotted line
I keep a basket on one of the shelves in my office closet. In that basket I keep cards I’ve received from friends or readers or other writers. Words of encouragement that have blessed me, sometimes at just the right moment, when doubt pressed in on my dream or my sense of self. People took the time to say something …
In Others’ Words: Behave Yourself
I’m writing this blog post early. Come Friday — today — I’ll be in Wichita, Kansas, visiting my “safe harbor” friend, Fran. Technically, I’m going to meet with Fran’s book club to discuss Somebody Like You, my lastest novel. But after that, well, it’s all about time with Fran. I’ve known Fran for decades. Yes, decades. And I have so …
In Others’ Words: Row, Row, Row Your Boat
There are days that are easy, when the proverbial wind is at my back. No real effort seems to be needed on my part. The words flow … or the To Do list disappears in almost magical fashion. And then there are those other kinds of days. You know the kind I’m talking about. It’s all row, row, row my …
In Others’ Words: Unexpected Setbacks
This is not the blog post I expected to write. Of course, things kind of spun out of my control yesterday. And there’s the truth of it: I made the mistake of thinking I had the day all under control, hemmed in, thanks to my all powerful To Do list. Yeah, that’ll do it. My plans for yesterday: write, write, …
In Others’ Words: Embracing Story
My friend, Sherrinda, recommended the book The Artisan Soul by Erwin Raphael McManus. (I’m not going to comment on his wonderful middle name — Raphael — at this point. But I mean … really … Raphael.) One thing Sherrinda said was how she was underlining the book like crazy. So I bought the book … and I am doing …