Random Thoughts
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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When life throws you lemons: ‘squeezing’ the most out of it
Our neighbors own a second home in the Phoenix Valley. This past winter, they transported bags to the mountain teeming with sunshine-yellow lemons from their backyard. It gave me a pang of homesickness and the four citrus trees we once had. But when they offered me a share of their haul, it was like accepting…
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The only gift I want or need: a momma’s thoughts
This latest Mother’s Day has consumed my thoughts, my heart overflowing with gratitude as I smile at the memories. Although we’d seen our daughter two months earlier and we visit almost daily, she made the three-hour trip to our cabin—apologizing for not getting me a gift. Oh dear child, you are the only gift I…
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5 favorites: cutting out the ‘fluff’
While scrolling through my Twitter feed one afternoon, an author I follow posted her five favorite things. Several years ago, I challenged myself to share an image on Facebook of a simple pleasure I saw or experienced daily. It turned out to be a fun but oftentimes tricky exercise to discover something new for 365…
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What you see is what you get: standing by your word
During the past year, I’ve encountered a startling number of people who say one thing to me, while their actions speak something entirely different. On a recent podcast, the presenter shared insights about what integrity means to her: being dependable, following through on promises, arriving on time, etc. Admittedly, throughout my own life, I’ve fallen…
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Rootbound vs. adventure-bound: selecting your course
I’ve discovered I can’t sit still for long anymore. Oh, I’m able to stay put for 45-minute writing sprints that often morph into an hour and a half until I force myself to take a break. But when it comes to where I’m planted—whether in a particular home, vocation or season—my roots seem to need…
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Work-life balance: streamlining our time
“Something’s going to give…” While that’s a line mined from my debut Harlequin Love Inspired novel releasing in 2024, it had been mirroring real-life. Although I can sit at my laptop for 8½ hours while on deadline, when I emerge from my fictional world, my task list is still begging for attention. This arrangement may…
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