Writing Tip #17: Sometimes You Have to Walk Away

A plate from Audubon’s Birds of America. Not my mystery bird, but he’s awfully cute. Last week I had the good fortune to have a week alone in cabin at a writers’ retreat. Every year I try to carve out a week to spend at a place like this that cuts me...

How to Make Time

These days, I often wish I could make time: as in create hours, manufacture minutes. It seems there are always so many tasks to do, so much work to be done. By the time I get through my daily to-do list (ye gods, when did I get so overwhelmed that I had to get apps...

When We’re Old, We’ll be Badasses

    Last weekend I went to a writers’ conference with my partner in crime Katie. (Some of you know that with our powers combined, we are Blue Crow Publishing.) Appearing as “exhibitors” meant that we spent most of the weekend stationed at...

NaNoWriMo: How My Tiny Word Count is Saving Me

I was looking forward to kicking myself into high gear this month, for another round of NaNoWriMo, but I quickly realized that there was just too much life happening. There was no way I was going to finish my next novel this November. December? Maybe. This month? No...