Welcome!

Thank you for joining me on my journey as a writer!  My current work in progress is the Mel Goodman series.  It's about a witch returning to her small home town in Michigan, where she's caught up in a whirlwind of magic, romance, and murder.  The first book in the series, Punch Drunk Magic, will …

I’m Reading: The Revolution of Birdie Randolph, by Brandy Colbert

I don't usually read YA, but when I was browsing through the library's new acquisitions in romance, this caught my eye. I might technically call The Revolution of Birdie Randolph romance, but its breadth and depth defy genre. It reminds me of the tarot card The Lovers. While the story is about relationships both physical …

I’m Reading: Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

It's on every shelf and every agent wishlist, and for good reason. Red, White & Royal Blue had me laughing out loud one minute and leaking happy-sappy tears the next. My partner kept giving me concerned looks from the corner of his eye. The last third of the book required chocolate with my tissues. In …

I’m Reading: The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

Whatever you do, do not start this book right before bed. Or do, if that's as soon as you can get to it. Even though I finally put it down at 3am, blurry-eyed and probably good for absolutely nothing the next day,  I knew it was worth it.  There's a reason why this debut rocked …

I’m Reading: The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez

(contains spoilers) The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez has been taking the Romance world by storm, and for good reason. It starts with the perfect meet-cute involving an adorable lost puppy, and fulfills all our sighs and yearning for a solid romance from there.  The biggest reason this should be in your TBR …

I’m Reading: Saddled, by Linda G. Hill

I'm finding myself more and more drawn to light, uncomplicated, wholesome reads. When everything around me is bleak, I want my fiction to be escapism. That's why Saddled was such a refreshing read, both as a beta reader and a purchaser. A woman executive at a condom manufacturing company falls hard for a new temp. …

I’m Reading: Eve Silver’s Dark Gothics

When I told my partner about wanting to write some gothic elements into my current book, he asked me how many gothics I'd read and enjoyed. I'd read the classics of course, Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. They weren't my favorites. Northanger Abbey was my second-least-favorite Jane Austen, although I found out later that it was intended as a parody …

I’m Reading: Mariana Zapata

If you asked me last year what romance tropes I was fairly "meh" about, the list would have included sports romance and slow-burn. Reading Mariana Zapata has reminded me once again that it isn't about the trope; it's about the writing. I started with The Wall of Winnipeg and Me on recommendations from an agent. …

Houseplant Writing

January 2 was supposed to be my big return day from taking December off from writing. But it wasn't. January 1 was my first day at the gym after graduating from physical therapy for knee surgery, and (as my family and friends won't be shocked to hear) I overdid it. That plus a big office …

NaNoWriMo Project

I'm doing my very first ever NaNoWriMo! I've always wanted to participate, and never managed a clear enough schedule to do so. This year, I've got a project in the hands of beta readers and cleared the deck for November. I'm excited to announce my NaNo project, with the working title "Inheritance:" When professional psychic …

3 Writing Lessons from Dungeons and Dragons

Tabletop role-playing games (RPGs) have a lot to teach you about writing. You create characters and tell a collaborative story in real time, so of course it's good practice for your novel! Taking away the setting elements (fantasy, sci-fi, horror), you find lessons that apply to any writer in any genre. Here are the first …