This one-pot dinner came about when I wanted comfort food, but didn’t have the supplies for any of my usual go-to recipes. I threw it together on intuition, and now it’s a regular player in my recipe rotation. It makes enough for four, so there are always leftovers in ourContinue Reading
I have to admit straight up, I’m a sickly person and lazy as well, so writing to me is an ideal hobby / job. I cannot say that writing has come with a physical challenge as such, if at all, there might be a lack of Vitamin D, as IContinue Reading
Rejection. Ack! Poor review. Help! Lackluster sales. Eek! Writer’s block. Ugh! What’s the cure for all these writer afflictions? Appropos for this time of year: Gratitude. Practicing an attitude of gratitude can save a writer on many occasions. Ready to throw in the towel or tear your hair out? TakeContinue Reading
I guess I don’t notice many physical challenges [of writing], but instead the challenges for me are finding the time to write and keeping at it in the face of the many rejection and near misses that are part of being a writer. As a parent with a full-time jobContinue Reading
My mom raises goats. She enjoys most parts of the process, but there are a few things that get her frustrated. One of the biggest ones is when one of her goats gets out of the field. This doesn’t happen often, but when it does, it’s usually because of oneContinue Reading
I have a lot of neck and shoulder issues. I have an office job, so along with writing in my free time, I’m sitting at a computer 8-5. Also, when I’m really focused on a writing project, usually in the first draft stage, I don’t exercise as much as IContinue Reading
Writers and back pain. They seem to go together. Could be because we sit a lot, often without the proper ergonomic setup, and maybe without a very good cushion or chair. Even if we have premier office equipment, we’re on our backsides way too much, which is a sure prescriptionContinue Reading
Time [is the biggest challenge]. It’s pure and simple, time. Which translates into being chronically sleep deprived! Like most authors, I do more to put kibble in the puppy bowls than write. I’m a book editor as well, so I’m just entrenched in many aspects of publishing. Which comes downContinue Reading
For me the biggest physical challenges come from my eleven years dealing with incurable lymphoma, and two (so far) courses of chemotherapy, which have left permanent side effects such as weight gain from high dose steroids, trouble with concentration, and now shaky hands. Eating as healthy as possible, walking, andContinue Reading
There’s a lot of talk about authenticity these days. “Be real,” they tell us. Show your true self. Be honest in your writing. Take away the masks. I’m all for being authentic. In fact, I have a hard time being any other way. When I was a teenager, it oftenContinue Reading
Writing can be exhausting. When I have finished an eight or nine-hour day at the keyboard—tied there because of a tight deadline—I come away physically and mentally drained. My muscles are stiff and my eyes are scratchy. It’s been a tough day at the office. I’ve found a couple ofContinue Reading
Funny thing happened to me this past weekend. I had planned a 10-day writing retreat by the ocean to pound out the edits for my literary novel that’s coming out next April. (Read more about Loreena’s Gift here.) The plans had been in the works for months. To accomplish theContinue Reading