Completing my training to be a Spirit Animal was the greatest accomplishment of my life. Unlike most of my 1500 clutch-mates, I made it to adulthood, where I was quickly tapped to enter the program to become a guide to the humans in need of our wisdom and skill. The majority of my classmates were birds and frogs, which made me glad dragonflies can see in 360°. I was assured by my instructors, students in the program were forbidden to…
It has been an incredibly long journey. Through at least five drafts, numerous rejections, giving up for several months, getting it back out and trying again, I have finally realized my lifelong dream of holding a novel I wrote in my hands. Seeing people line up to buy it at the release party was pretty cool, and having people tell me their thoughts on it has been an exciting and nerve-wracking experience. As the thoughts on being a published author…
Dugout It started with my first kiss. Jacob and I were sitting on my bed, playing RBI on my PS4, when he hit a grand slam off me and moved ahead by one run. “Big bad baseball star getting his ass kicked by a tennis player. That must sting!” he shouted as his last man rounded third. “Pure luck. I let you have that one because I felt sorry for you,” I replied, though I hadn’t really. I threw…
As I have been reminded lately, details matter. They shape the story and create a more dynamic and vivid picture.
Hello Everyone, A lot has been happening with my novel since my last update. I hired an editor to look it over because I really wanted to have an impartial person look it over. While I trust the friends who have read it and offered their feedback, I felt it was good to get the perspective of someone who had no ties to me. After mailing it off, I wanted ever-so-patiently for her to get back to me with her…
This is the final installment of the series told in reverse order, so it takes place before Part 3. The brief for this section included: a dead end, a confession from the protagonist, and a proverb. The overcast skies reflected the mood of the couple in the small London apartment. Grandma Hannah’s death had been a surprise to no one, as she had been ill for some time, but knowledge that it was imminent did nothing to soften the…
This is Part 3 of the series told in reverse order, so it takes place before Part 2. The brief for this section included: a mirror, a conversation with a child, and an unforeseen consequence. “Yes, Hannah. I promise I’ll bring you back a present from my trip to America,” Michael said, speaking into his laptop screen. The little girl on the other end of the Skype call grew excited. “What kind of gift, Daddy?” she said. “Well, that…