A Novel Excerpt: Small as a Mustard Seed
November 1965 “I ain’t afraid this time. I ain’t some kid don’t know shit from Shinola,” my father hollered as he stood in the driveway. In the curve of his chest, pressed tight against the denim of his overalls, he clutched a black revolver. The other hand combed through the short dark hairs of his …
Do You Live What You Believe?
“To believe in something, and not to live it, is dishonest.” ~ Mohandas Gandhi So in last week’s post about stepping out in faith (find it here), I told you about how I’ve wanted to be a novelist since I was five years old. Here’s my earliest memory of writing: crafting a story in the …
Stepping Out In Faith
“Security does not exist in nature nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.” ~ Helen Keller One of the best self-help/motivational books I ever read for stepping out in faith was If …
Slow-Cooker Fabulous Turkey Stew
Well, Thanksgiving’s coming. Get ready for some gratitude & lots of leftover turkey. Just in time for a slow-cooker turkey stew recipe to use up some of that while making everyone even more grateful at the same time. Serves 8 – 10. Assuming you already have the turkey, it costs less than $15. Prep. time: …
Do or Do Not ~ A Note on Trying
“Do or do not. There is no try.” ~ Yoda from Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back I usually don’t find myself quoting Yoda, but in this case, I think he’s absolutely right. Show of hands: how many people really believe somebody when they tell you that they’re going to try to do something? I’ll …
Redefining Failure
Thomas Edison: “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” I once spent 14 months writing over 600 pages. I thought I was done. I thought I had a novel, thought I could turn it in, thought I could work on the next thing. Then I sat down & read it. …
How Do You Define Success?
For some people, success equals money. For others, it’s fame. Maybe scoring an agent. Or a book contract. Good reviews. A New York Times bestseller. Your book optioned for a film. But what if you don’t have those things? What if your attempts at finding an agent fell flat? Or you got reviews that cut …
Slow-Cooker Utterly Delicious Apple Cobbler
Okay, so this slow cooker apple cobbler is a little more involved. Takes about 30 minutes prep. time (most of that is peeling & cutting up apples), but it’s so worth it. And as an added bonus, it will make your home smell fabulous. Serves 8 – 10. Costs less than $10. To make slow-cooker …
A View Of My Writing Space
My writing space is my favorite room in the house. I made sure I decorated it so I loved it because I spend 8+ hours a day in it. Some of the time is writing fiction, the rest is doing my day job. If this room were a person, it’d be my best friend. Really, …