Did Not Finish: Life’s Too Short to Read Bad Books
I didn’t used to be a believer in the “did not finish” school of reading. Rather, I believed that I needed to “power through” books that I wasn’t excited to read. I’m not sure when that changed, but sometime around 2013, I realized that if I wasn’t enjoying a book, I should just move on. […]
You can’t win if you don’t play
Whether you’re referring to lottery tickets, succeeding in business, or entering contests, “You can’t win if you don’t play” sums up the strategy. In the advertising and marketing industry, creative awards are a driving force. Awards are proof that the creative work stands out among the competition, and they allow agencies an opportunity for PR. […]
2025 in Review…and a Peek at 2026
I’m a list-maker. Lists keep me organized, they give me goals to strive for, and they give me a sense of accomplishment. So, here’s my 2025 list and a glimpse at 2026. In 2025: I stepped into the world of audiobook production. Two of my “On the Dakota Frontier” books, Proving Her Claim and Lone […]
Happy New Year: Best Books of 2025
It’s that time of year again – time for lists. As an author and avid reader, I track my books through Goodreads. That makes it sooo easy to track my reading history. I discovered two of my top three books early in the year: The Briar Club by Kate Quinn – Set in the turbulent […]
Conversations about books and dogs
Having just spent two days at a holiday arts and crafts show, I had plenty of time to chat with attendees. One observation from the event: many people wear their hobbies and interests on t-shirts that make for good conversation starters. For instance, I chatted with a woman who was wearing a “I love dogs […]
In praise of mentors
At the recent SD Festival of Books event, I had an interesting conversation with fellow author and presenter Lawrence Diggs. Of course, all conversations with Diggs are interesting. We spoke about the importance of mentoring the next wave of professionals. “Mentors provide encouragement and courage,” Diggs said. It started me thinking about the mentors in […]
A Royal Assist
Warning: Old-school references ahead. In the middle of the last century, my mother insisted that I take the secretarial classes offered at my public high school, which included typing and shorthand. Mom said, “You’ll always be employable if you can type and take shorthand.” The ability to type served me well. But shorthand? Well, Mom […]
Logging time at the library
As I’ve said and written before – research is what writers do to postpone writing. But it’s also one of the fun parts of the job. Last week I had the pleasure to spend the afternoon in my local public library conducting research for a new book. It felt familiar to be sitting at a […]
It’s not all writing & editing
Being an author isn’t all research, writing, and editing. The cliche of the hardworking author alone at a typewriter or keyboard is a myth. Once the book is written, the next step is to promote the book at author signings and book fairs. And it’s been a busy summer for my “On the Dakota Frontier” […]