I’m listening: upping the communications ante
My husband and I recently opened up to each other about a couple of our frustrations. One of Bob’s is our combined loft workspace in our two-bedroom cabin. Because the area opens to the first level, he’s concerned about disturbing me when I’m writing. I’ve tried sound-canceling headphones and white noise, but I’m not a…
Day in the life: swapping the creative hat for the tech hat
One of my least favorite, yet necessary parts of the writing life revolves around technology. While not overly savvy pertaining to anything more than simple formatting in Word and Excel, I can navigate Zoom meetings, Facebook and Twitter, though Instagram intimidates me. Several years ago, I created my first website, but eventually retained a designer…
New month, new opportunities: holiday housekeeping
Happy November! In today’s post, I’m doing a little holiday housekeeping by offering a sneak peek on what to expect in this month’s newsletter—from a new release giveaway by author Tina Radcliffe—who I’ve fangirled over for more than a decade now—to a festive Thanksgiving-themed downloadable for the whole family, to a tasty holiday recipe you…
Counting our blessings: the have’s vs. the have nots
It’s been a minute since I’ve counted my blessings beyond the three things I jot in my gratitude journal each morning. Which spurred me on to thinking how often I focus on the “have nots,” while failing to acknowledge the “have’s.” Like filtered drinking water (thank you, Brita!) and the sun’s warmth on a brisk…
Thirty-six years and counting: a love story for the books
Today my husband, Bob and I celebrate 36 years of marriage. A part-time job at a retail catalog store in a Minneapolis suburb served as the setting for our “meet cute,” and 11 months later we said our “I do’s” at a Twin Cities courthouse on a blustery afternoon. The rest has unfolded into a…
When to move on: lessons from a pine tree
When my husband, Bob and I bought our little cabin in Northern Arizona’s Rim Country in 2022, we transplanted our foot-tall Christmas tree, “Jack” on the back of our two-acre parcel. At first, our pine experienced transplant shock and it was touch-and-go for a while. We compared this to our own growing pains adjusting from…
A year-round taste of fall: low-carb pumpkin protein muffins
In my debut novel—A FATHER’S VOW—my heroine in Northern Arizona’s fictional Sweetwater, veterinarian Doc Wells, prepares her perfectly sweet whole wheat cornbread for Thanksgiving (the recipe is in the back of my book). On a return trip to Sweetwater, Annie Greene, the resident baker and heroine in my next novel—THE FIRE CHIEF’S SURPRISE (July 2025*)—runs…
A humble life: considering others through intentional acts of kindness
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves. ~ Philippians 2:3 Although I’ve been blessed with a 36-year marriage to my real-life hero, Bob, a sweet friendship with our daughter, Bailey Ann, plus wonderful family, friends and dreams come true, as another birthday sneaks up…
Fanning our gifts into flame: an ongoing effort
For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God…For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. ~ 1 Timothy 1:6a-7 I recently completed extensive revisions for my second Harlequin Love Inspired novel—THE FIRE CHIEF’S SURPRISE (July 2025)—a return to Northern…
Embracing transition: holding on loosely
Times of transition are strenuous, but I love them. They are an opportunity to purge, rethink priorities, and be intentional about new habits… ~ Kristin Armstrong A week ago I attended a creative workshop facilitated by my mentor and former writing coach, Sage Adderley, that focused on the timely topic of embracing transitions. At the…
A cloud of witnesses: running the race
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses…let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. ~ Hebrews 12:1-2 NIV This Bible verse compares the Christian life to running a race, or more accurately, a marathon. Which translates…
Building in the non-negotiables: grounding your day the simple way
The other day I was listening to a craft-related podcast—Simply Write with Polly Campbell—which covered the topic of time management for writers, although I believe the methods highlighted can be applied to any vocation. One thing she discussed was the non-negotiables she builds into each day, which triggered a review of how I manage my…