We all have them. Come on, admit it. Somewhere in your past is a story—be it book or film—that you love so much, it’s a guilty pleasure. Guilty pleasures are stories you return to again and again. They lift you when you’re feeling down or comfort you when you’re sick or blue. They prepare you fight back when life has dumped on you. They’re a welcome interruption when life is …Read the Rest
I already miss football. And I’m not really a serious sports fan. Not like my brother. He can talk stats and scores and teams and players for every sport. Might come with the territory of being the father of three grown sons. But as a writer, I’m also intrigued by how the media turns so many elements of sports into STORY. First, there are the many personalities and life stories …Read the Rest
I’m wild about heroes who play the role of “Protector.” From True Grit to Terminator 2, there are hundreds of stories that feature this iconic hero. Often a loner or someone who has been shunned by society, the Protector defies convention and risks his life to keep the heroine safe. Of course, there are heroine twists on the Protector, too. Sigourney Weaver’s character in Aliens must protect the orphaned girl, …Read the Rest
Go ahead and list them. Those “classics” you were forced to read in school. Which ones were on your list? Great Expectations The Grapes of Wrath To Kill A Mockingbird The Red Badge of Courage Julius Caesar Macbeth Hamlet I read Great Expectations in high school. Don’t tell anyone, but I *loved* it! I was always two chapters ahead of the class. Yeah, Dickens was a little long-winded in his …Read the Rest
Raise your hand if you were a Mr. Ed fan. Remember him? The talking palomino who lived in architect Wilbur’s little barn? (Go ahead, I’ll wait while you sing the theme song…) For a city kid who dreamed of one day owning a horse, that show was like candy. I have always loved the majestic beauty of horses. No one else in my immediate family rides, but from the time …Read the Rest
Happy 2011, everyone! Thanks for being patient with me. I extended my blogging hiatus for a little trip down to Orlando to visit the recreated Hogsmeade and taste butterbeer. Yes, it was fun. When I go back (heck, it’s only 2 hours away!), I’ll take my camera, snap some pix, and blog about it. Maybe by then I’ll have finished reading all 7 books. Now that I’m finally reading Harry …Read the Rest
Hi all! I’m home from a week of travels (and even missed my Monday post–sorry!–due to holiday preparation), and now I’m finally getting into the holiday spirit. Good timing since we’re experiencing a cold front in Florida. I almost expect to see snow! So what better time to discuss our favorite Christmas stories? I have a lengthy and diverse list (instead of a gift wish list!). Watching these movies or …Read the Rest
Come on, you’ve got one. Who is it? Cruella de Vil? Lex Luther? The Wicked Witch of the West? Voldemort? Great stories often require great villains. Without them, our heroes cannot be truly heroic. They provide the force we long to see our hero overcome. But great villains can’t just be evil. We need to understand them. Frighteningly, we often need to empathize with them. In 1989’s Batman, brought to …Read the Rest
Hans Christian Andersen brought us some lovely, compelling tales about characters who didn’t quite fit into their world. The Ugly Duckling. The Little Mermaid. They recognized that they belonged among a different crowd. They just didn’t know how to get there. The Little Mermaid has always drawn me as an iconic character. She knows she doesn’t fit in. She’s desperate to experience the human world, and she goes so far …Read the Rest
Let me just start out by saying that I love the character Harry Potter. I’ve seen the movies through The Half-Blood Prince. Thrilling, enjoyable, and for someone who didn’t raise her own kids, what a treat to watch Harry, Ron and Hermione grow up over the years. But as a writer, I hid my dark secret until recently: I’ve never read the Harry Potter books. Well, okay, I’ll confess—I did …Read the Rest
I'm a storyteller at heart. After fifteen years in professional theater, I turned from the stage to the page to write fiction. It's been a journey honing my craft in this new medium, but my debut novel LYING EYES is now available from Carina Press and other online retailers. I love contemporary and historical tales that combine romance and adventure. When not writing, I run an online community to help goal-oriented writers achieve their dreams.
To learn more about me, visit my Website.
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