Category: My Rules

  • Countdown to Finals

    My first semester teaching a college course in more than thirty years is rapidly drawing to a close. The weeks since school started have flown by. The last day of class will be here in no time. The teaching I’ve done for more than thirty years is dramatically different from teaching a college course. Participation in…

  • A Crotchety Christmas

    A Crotchety Christmas

    Christmas is a very special time of year. Competing with the grandeur and spectacle of the yuletide celebration is a tall order. No other holiday celebration even comes close to the month-long festival of parades, television specials, religious services, community events, parties, dinners, and gift exchanges taking place in the Christmas season. Bah humbug! I’m over…

  • Pet Writing Peeves: Pop Culture References

    A good writer makes the reader feel like he or she is a witness to events in the story as they unfold. Keeping the reader’s attention focused on the action and dialogue is the goal. Errors and mistakes, when noticed, take the reader out of the story. Ignorance is bliss. Before getting published, as long…

  • My MVPs

    I am not a hoarder. The neat freak in me couldn’t handle the mess. If anything, I err in the opposite direction, tossing stuff others would probably keep. Whether the result of nature or nurture, I can’t say. As with most traits, I suspect both play a role. My parents were both OCD control freaks. At…

  • And the Winners Are…

    Thanks to everyone who participated in the month-long giveaway to celebrate my one year anniversary as a published author. I’m tickled pink so many people participated. In fact, my first giveaway was so successful, I’ve decided to mail an autographed copy of Until Thanksgiving to five lucky winners. I’m especially grateful to Lane Hayes, Z.…

  • Anniversary Give Away Contest

    A year ago in August, Dreamspinner Press offered me a contract for my first novel. To celebrate, I’m giving away autographed copies of Until Thanksgiving. How many? I have no idea. Maybe I’ll send a copy to everyone who enters. That’s what I’d like to do, anyway. But with my luck, the offer would go…

  • Ignorance No Longer Bliss

    I’ve always heard that ignorance is bliss. Not knowing about stuff–however you choose to define stuff–won’t hurt you. Apparently, a significant portion of our population believes this to be true. In fact, I’ve come to believe that a hefty percent of Americans desire ignorance. That’s why they drop out of high school, denigrate college-educated people…

  • If I Ruled the World…

    Do you ever have one of those days where everything people do pisses you off? Surely I’m not the only person who has that kind of day. Maybe it’s the early heat. Or maybe it’s that so many people are total f’ing idiots. I’ll let you decide. While you’re thinking about it, here are some…