Random Thoughts
What you know + what you’re good at: finding your lane
I’ve read several meanings of the saying, “Stay in your lane,” but my favorite is: find your purpose and stick with what you know and what you’re good at. While “good” is an ideal I continue to strive toward, there have been many signs over the years pointing me toward my purpose—culminating in a contract…
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God ‘winks:’ tiny reminders that we matter
One recent morning, I prepared a travel mug with hot coffee for an hour-long drive into town. But when I reached for the natural sweetener I use, I discovered my supply was depleted. On a whim, I peeked inside my purse and found a stash of my favorite sweetener packets. During another morning, I stepped…
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The ‘fruit’ of our labor: what happens when we give up too soon
A couple weeks ago, we invited our neighbors over for dinner and I tackled a new dessert recipe. I realized that was risky business, especially if it flopped, with the nearest store a minimum of 1½-2 hours roundtrip. Although I encountered a couple glitches, I’m grateful I improvised because it ultimately received raving reviews. I…
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Love as sweet as honey: real-life makes the best stories
My latest five-minute romance—Love as sweet as honey—appears in Woman’s World Aug. 28 issue, available at retailers and online. The story opens when a single mom playing tourist in her hometown meets a handsome stranger over soft-serve—his charming company a reminder of how lonely she often gets—but a business deal might just lead to a…
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Work hard, play hard: refueling our ‘output’ with ‘input’
I don’t think of work as work and play as play. It’s all living. ~ Richard Branson I was in the middle of a major household move, COVID and life in a new community when I wrote and submitted my debut Love Inspired novel (“A Father’s Vow,” April 2024 release) in August 2022—celebrating with a…
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Guilty pleasures: nothing to prove, everything to gain
I heard a story about a woman who was feeling guilty for binge-watching a “stupid” TV show. A friend then asked her if she’d enjoyed herself, to which the woman replied, “I really did.” I’ve contemplated that conversation many times—mostly when I’m engaging in my own “decadent” pastimes, whether reclining on the sofa with a…
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Head vs. heart: identifying the space from which you operate
A couple weeks ago, a writing podcast I listen to focused on “MerPeople.” The host of the podcast mentioned a documentary she viewed on Netflix about these professional mermaids, and how she could easily discern when a particular mermaid named Mermaid Sparkles would be operating out of her head space during a performance opposed to…
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Showing up late to the party: when you feel unseen
As a late-blooming writer (aka mid-life), I often compare myself to prolific authors with five, 10, 20+ books in their backlist, while I eagerly await the release of my Harlequin Love Inspired debut novel (releases April 2024). I have to remind myself to acknowledge the small beginnings; e.g., my stories in Woman’s World, Chicken Soup…
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Decision-making made simple: determining your priorities
When you know what’s most important to you, making a decision is quite simple. ~ Anthony Robbin Recently I was invited to join other ladies in my community for games and lunch. Despite a full day of writing on tap, the first thing I did was try to figure out how to make it happen.…
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Between a rock and a hard place: making peace with your stuckness
Noun. stuckness (uncountable) (informal) The state of being stuck (in all senses) When I recently found myself experiencing a state of stuckness, my type A personality jumped in to invent a solution. Did I need a change of scenery? To take a hike? To get lost in a feel-good movie? Check, check and check. Yet…
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