*** As I promised last week, Podcast 17 discusses the MFA from my perspective (and how it helped me in many ways). I know a lot of writers wonder if they should tackle one. In this podcast, I break down my journey to earning my MFA in my forties. I hope this is helpful, and… Read More Podcast 17: The MFA Journey as a Writer (and a teacher of writing)
One of the biggest losses I’m feeling from completing the semester at home is the inability to execute my favorite “Five Senses” activity in the classroom with my writing students. It’s one of my favorite days in the classroom, where I play music and ask students to sit and write based on prompts pertaining to… Read More Two Exercises for Teaching Description and Using The Five Senses in Writing
*** Sorry it’s been a couple of weeks…I explain in the Podcast of where I’ve been and why I haven’t posted a Podcast in a while. I’m really looking to hear your thoughts about this one…so feel free to comment below and share your opinions on your readings and your approaches. I love to learn… Read More Podcast 16: Taking a Gander of What’s Out There Before You Write
Prologue You don’t have to listen to me. But it may serve you well if you do. More importantly, it may serve someone else well. And so, let me share with you something that has the potential to be one of the best choices you’ve made during this pandemic. In This Time of Self-Quarantine and… Read More There’s Something You Should Do During Quarantine and Social Distancing
✨THINGS THAT HAVE MOST AFFECTED MY LIFE✨My parents & familyMy husband and kidsHigh school & collegeWorking in baseballBeing a teacherFriendships.✨THINGS THAT HAVE MOST AFFECTED MY STORYTELLING✨Broken lovesGrandmothersLife in baseballRelationships (good & bad)Losing people we loveMaryland’s beauty . BLACKBIRDS PARK is the fictional version of Camden Yards in my novel entitled Baseball Girl. I worked at… Read More Baseball Nostalgia and Baseball Fiction
* Currently, I’m not writing anything, but next week, I will begin to dive deeply into novel number five, picking up with Chapter 3 where I left off before coronavirus intensified the nature of my working life. The novel is still to be named, which I hate, actually. I typically have to have a working… Read More What I’m Writing Now (or my current WIP)
This whole lockdown has been pretty strange. Not only are we getting sick of being in the house, we’re in front of our computer screens nonstop, with walking breaks stretched throughout the day to keep us sane. I thank goodness each day for the park/farm up the street and the odd little jobs we’ve been… Read More Getting My Books in Order
✨ADVANTAGES of WORKING FROM HOME✨ 1-you can go without jewelry and shoes and no one really cares2-you can work during the day or night at whatever time works for your schedule or short commute3-you can take potty breaks whenever you want4-you can multi-task without anyone really seeing you do it5-you can play music while you… Read More Advantages & Disadvantages of Working from Home
* As authors, it’s important that we stay connected to our audiences. Blogging allows us to do just that. On a blog platform, we can connect with readers, showcase our work, and share other experiences that allow readers to get to know us. For all these reasons and more, it’s important to blog. Today’s podcast… Read More Podcast 15: Committing to Your Blog
*** What’s one of the first stories you remember reading as a child? The Tale of Custard the Dragon by Ogden Nash and Cinderella were two of mine. Now I prefer stories about fire-breathing dragons that torch fighting pits with Daenerys and love stories that make me feel so deeply for the characters, I want… Read More Happy World Book Day
Today, I’m trying my hand at a bit of short fiction. This piece of flash fiction is under 600 words at 595 words. This scene popped into my head last night, perhaps because at dinner, our family was talking about our Italian heritage and the legacies we leave behind (I know…a little heavy for a… Read More Franco and The Blonde: Fiction Friday
What’s my next project? I’m trying to figure that out. I’m outlining, doing research, and juggling two things simultaneously as I flush out what might be my next project. As I dig in, I’m finding out what might work as my next piece of writing. Are you in the same boat? If so, today’s podcast… Read More Podcast 14: Finding and Flushing Out Story Ideas for Novel Writers
