Five Not-Expensive, Not Cutesy Wonderful Mothers-Day (All Days!) Gifts

Shopping for Mother’s Day: difficult, expensive, typical (flowers! perfume! chocolates!) presents? Receiving presents? Yay!!! Stealing ideas? Smart. Below are some of the best (ethical, small business, useful, uber-pleasing) presents my family found for me. Gardening Overalls from Duluth Trading Co. Yes, I am in love with these. Pockets? Do you want pockets? Zipped pockets for … Read more

Does Worrying About Scales & Hair Right Now Make Me Horrible?

 Unless one’s made of stone and iron, having written a novel based on extreme body-shaming & how the eyes of others scorch women must change one, yes? Pair that with compiling an anthology titled Women Under Scrutiny, and voila, the perfect storm for facing personal crucibles.* Though examining ‘knowing one’s character’s crucible**’ is paramount, delving into my personal albatrosses is … Read more

Making Invisible Kids Visible

Being invisible is pretty hard for a kid. Crummy childhoods take many forms; usually, it’s an amalgam of yuck. Smacks and screams thankfully have a time limit, but neglect is the gift that never stops. Even the most benign neglect—like being a latchkey kid—can foster loneliness. When trouble fills a family, kids are pushed to … Read more

How to Adventure Without Leaving the Couch

Hint: It’s Books Stories of survival fill me with shivery delight. I rarely meet a story of man/woman vs. elements that won’t keep me up until all hours. Heartpounding adventure stories are, no doubt, one of my favorite sub-genres. And yes, I am the most fearful of creatures. I’ve never skied, but I will explode … Read more

The Ugly Truth of Author Photoshop Botox

First, they put Vaseline on the camera lens. Next up was rose-colored lighting, shooting through pantyhose and soft focus. And then, just in time for my first author photo in 2010, came Photoshop. Few tell the truth, so for the “me-too-ism” of writers everywhere, I offer the unadulterated, unvarnished, un-photoshopped truth. These are the things … Read more