The last time I wrote a blog post, I was living in an Extended Stay hotel in a new state, with no address of my own. I felt forced out of my previous home by the unwillingness of insurance companies to accept the fact that their business is, in essence, gambling. They chose to jettison all bets that appeared likely …
Fire, Water, Burn: California Is a Bloodhound Gang Song
What made you choose the city or town that you live in? Was it your job? Was it because you grew up there? Was it because you can afford it? Was it because you like the view? What if you had to start over and pick someplace new? Where would you go? How would you decide where you should be? …
A Writer’s Midlife Crisis
There is a lie we tell our children. It goes something like this: “If you set your mind to a goal, you can achieve it. Anything is possible if you work hard enough.” We tell our kids they can be an astronaut, a ballerina, a basketball player, a physicist, or even the president. It’s not true. At least it wasn’t for me. I …
Songs for Writers
I went running yesterday, and as often happens when I run, my mind turned to writing. I have a running playlist, but instead of using these songs as motivation to exercise, I usually apply them to writing. Yesterday, I realized my playlist mapped out way more of the writing process than the get-your-ass-around-this-track process. Why? I’ve been going through a spectrum …
If Taylor Swift Sang about Editing Books Instead of Boys
I was in the liquor store the other night when the piped-in music caught my attention. It was Taylor Swift’s “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.” Like, ever. Suddenly, it hit me…if this song were about finishing a book instead of getting over a guy, it would be my theme song. If you think about it, it makes total …
Madame du Barry & Me: What an 18th Century Courtesan Taught Me about Modern Life
If you’ve ever wondered where writers get their ideas, sometimes it’s when they were looking for something completely different. Case in point: I’ve been reading the biography Du Barry by Stanley Loomis, as part of my research for the sequel to The Romanov Legacy. The book is a fascinating glimpse at Louis XV’s last mistress. I related to her in …