The Art of Forgiveness

“It took a long time, but as soon as I let go of my anger and resentment, I was free. I dropped the chains I’d been carrying around like Ebenezer Scrooge and felt as if a single balloon could lift me off the ground and carry me to the sky.” I wrote those words some

In Defense of Prejudice

And what’s this got to do with writing anyway? One of my writing colleagues recently published an article about prejudice against beauty. What? Who doesn’t like beauty? We all enjoy seeing beautiful things, places, faces. But what we don’t usually consider is how that pretty face makes us feel. Envious? Intimidated? Intrigued? Superior? Before that

A Point in Time

Just by chance, we got one more day.

TIME FOR NANOWRIMO

Thousands of writers are running the marathon – a month long writing event in which we are challenged to complete a 50,000 word novel in thirty days. Here are a few ideas to keep you going…

Where Have All The Readers Gone?

     It doesn’t take a Cultural Anthropologist to figure out why readers are dropping like swatted flies. How many hours  a week do people spend binge watching TV shows or playing Candy-crush? Kids won’t, or can’t, peel their eyes away from their smart phones. Teens insist on sharing every boring moment of their lives

GUEST POST by author Lisa Becker: Fall in Love With Your Words

It was 1994, and I was a graduate student studying public relations at Boston University. I was asked to interview Charles Rosen, a producer for the original “Beverly Hills 90210,” for an article in the alumni magazine. The magazine editors, knowing I was from LA, figured he and I would have a lot in common.

3 Ways to Win against Writer’s Block

Nothing freaks writers out more than the inability to write. It can happen at any point in a project but most often strikes mid-stream. You are stopped cold, confronted by a startling realization that your story has lost direction and is sinking into an abyss of confusion. There are countless reasons why writers stumble, lose

Couldn’t Keep my Mouth Shut

     I tend to be a peace-maker. I avoid conflict, don’t like confrontation, and most certainly never go looking for trouble. But something in me is changing, and, in certain situations, I’m having a bit of trouble keeping my mouth shut . . .

The Table Turns

I am four years old. My mother has taken me grocery shopping, one of my favorite outings. As we roam the aisles, I traipse behind her as she checks prices and places items in the cart. I ask for cookies and treats, but she says no. I am distracted and don’t notice her rounding the

Hanukkah Boy in a Christmas World

The phone rang on a cold December morning, the week before school let out for Christmas break. It was my son’s kindergarten teacher. My heart leaped in my chest, certain my precious baby had fallen and cracked his head open or broken his leg. “What happened? What’s wrong?” I was already searching for my car