Category Archives: Books

The Wishing Map (continued)

Posted on September 30, 2020 by

Note: To read the Preface and Prologue to The Wishing Map first, click here. The Wishing Map Chapter One: The Double Moon “Zachary Zinn rode like the wind on his faithful steed, El Furioso,” Zack narrated as he pedaled. Zachary … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Humor, Story Power, The Wishing Map, Writing | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

The Wishing Map

Posted on September 29, 2020 by

Yesterday’s quote from my fantasy novel The Wishing Map was warmly responded to. And I’m currently in the throes of editing the novelization of my feature film Healing River (to my editor’s satisfaction, I pray). And so I’ve re-posted the … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Memoir, Story Power, The Wishing Map, Writing | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments

The Upside to COVID-19 (for Writers Only)

Posted on September 5, 2020 by

Remember… “You need to spend time crawling alone through shadows to truly appreciate what it is to stand in the sun.” ~Shaun Hick “When everything is wiped blank, it’s life’s way of forcing you to become acquainted with who you … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Humor, Quips and Quotes, Writing | Tagged , , , , , | 37 Comments

Tips for Writers: The Power of Ironic Reversals

Posted on July 11, 2020 by

Dramatic tension is the key to an engaging storyline—or even an essay or blog post, for that matter. This takes the form of rising action, a series of reversals (escalating problems or crises) that must be resolved. These keep us, … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Movies, Story Power, Writing | Tagged , , , , , | 16 Comments

Summer Treats on Wheels!

Posted on June 22, 2020 by

Summer Memories Along with camping and roller rinks, I associate summer with delivery trucks. Huh? Sure, delivery guys were there year-round; the proverbial off-color tease was to suggest a particular young and attractive mom’s kids looked “an awful lot like … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Humor, Memoir | Tagged , , , , , , | 23 Comments

The Smell of Books

Posted on January 11, 2020 by

“I’ll buy a Kindle when they create a ‘book smell’ app.” I wrote that right before I caved in and bought a tablet computer. But the smell was never the point. It was the memories it evoked (although I do … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Humor, Memoir, Story Power, Writing | Tagged , , , , | 57 Comments

Eavesdropping and Etiquette

Posted on August 7, 2019 by

Originally posted on Pam Webb:
This month’s Why We Say is a batch fresh from the “E” section. Eavesdropper Going back to the Saxon days of England, a person could not build right to the property line since it was…

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Bear With Me!

Posted on April 22, 2019 by

To my old faithfuls, and hopefully a few new faithfuls, as well: I’m scrambling to finish the first draft of my novel Over-the-Rhine (based on the screenplay of my feature film of the same name). As a result, I’ll be slow … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Humor, Movies, Popular Culture & Entertainment, Quips and Quotes, Writing | Tagged , , , | 39 Comments

Just Snap Out of It!

Posted on March 13, 2019 by

Originally posted on Valerie Cullers:
Photo by Gratisography on Pexels.com Have you ever been in a situation with someone who was going through something temporary and you wanted to say to them, “Just Snap Out of It!”? I have and…

Posted in Books, For Pastors and Teachers, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Tips for Writers: Are You a Vulcan or a Klingon?

Posted on March 1, 2019 by

“Words, words, words.” ~Hamlet Whether you are a prosaic get-to-the-point communicator or a wild and wooly wordsmith, you’ll be a better writer if you tap both sides of your brain: The accurate, logical, pragmatic Latinate side, and the The intuitive, … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Humor, Quips and Quotes, Writing | Tagged , , , , , | 53 Comments