During the holidays I received a card from a friend. For some reason, the card hung around my desk and I couldn’t bring myself to toss it. For some reason I kept thinking about her and finally, faced with cleaning the desk (which meant tossing the card) and doing something else (like clean my desk), I grabbed a note card and wrote her a quick letter. I just jotted down a few things . . . Thinking of you . . . hoping all is well in your new home . . . will we catch up in SF? Sure … Read more »

A moment of silence please for a brave and hardy (and I do mean HARDY) little Logitech mouse, who withstood hours of LineRider drawing, endless clicks on Buzz Lightyear uTube videos, and at times, we are sad to admit, ruthless banging when a page refused to load. This mouse, who spent his life in the merciless hands of two small boys has sadly given up the will to click.

Where other brands of mice have lasted a month, a week, an hour in the presence of He-Who-Makes-Mice-Tremble (yes, an hour is his personal record for breaking a mouse) this wee, … Read more »

Debut author, Jamie Leigh Hansen. Her book, Betrayed, just hit the shelves, and I wanted to let all of you get to know her. I met Jamie years ago and was struck even then by her determination and her bright smile. A few months ago, during a Google search, I ran across her first book, and was thrilled! She kindly gave me an advance copy (which I loved) and now it is her time to shine.

EB: Jamie, you’ve worked a long time to get published–and through some tough health issues–what kept you going and kept you writing?

JLH:… Read more »

Yes, I have an extra blog this week, but not here.  Over at Purple Hearts.  Drop by, but be advised:  I am handing out non-nonsense, non-fuzzy advice about writing.  You know me, all warm and full of sugar now that I am about to embark on my New Year’s Resolutions.  Small children with candy be warned.… Read more »

And I have Niki Burnham to thank for my newest time sink. Yes, I got tempted by an all-knowing, utterly hip YA author to make a go of MySpace and now I am addicted. It’s like going back to school all over again, but in a healthy way, at least so I hope. I sit down at my computer and think, “Who can I friend now?”. I mean, there’s a whole world of people to meet out there. It’s like Ravelry for the non-knitting set. (Okay, if you are a non-knitter that reference just went right over your head. But … Read more »

Recently, there was a poll in England for the most ridiculous British laws still on the books. As a writer of British set fiction, I try very hard to adhere to what is lawful and historically accurate. So I’ve made a note of what not to do in my books, as being both ridiculous and unlawful:

1. It is illegal to die in the Houses of Parliament. (Thankfully, I haven’t done this to anyone, but I am sure there are plenty of times I’ve wanted to send a really annoying character off to their death. Now I know where not … Read more »

Gads. I’ve been terrible about getting something together about the weekend–perhaps its because I’m still trying to get caught up after a whirlwind month of social engagements. My husband was a tad grumpy the other day and I asked him what had his boxers in a knot (okay, perhaps that wasn’t the most gracious way to ask and by way of marital harmony, I could have phrased it a little better) and his reply was: “Well, you’ve been gone. Like the entire month. And I’ve had to deal with the kids and every thing.” Do you see the hands up … Read more »

I recently went and heard Donald Maass talk about putting the fire into your fiction–which coincidently will be the name of his next writing book. Years ago, I attended one of his all day workshops and was completely taken aback at his theories and insights on writing. He really fired me back up then and so when I heard he was coming to Bainbridge Island, which is just a ferry hop across Puget Sound, I knew I needed to sign up. I wasn’t disappointed.

He took those of us lucky enough to attend through a series of hands on exercises … Read more »

I keep hoping to find my rhythm in blogging. Sort of Mystery Mondays, as in you’ll never guess what I’ve come up with, Writing Wednesdays, with my thoughts and musings on writing and the writer’s life, and leave Fridays for Fun. I mean, you gotta have fun on a Friday, don’t ya?

But my plans for some semblance of a schedule keep getting interrupted. I see something I want to blog about and just can’t resist. So there is more or less a schedule around here, but like any schedule in my chaotic life, it is subject to change without … Read more »

but Julia Quinn copied me. Oh, yeah. She copied me. I don’t think I’ll probably ever be able to say that again, so I have to admit to a certain smug satisfaction in it. Not I’m not pointing any fingers or bitter about it, but she saw my most excellent idea and stole it without blinking. If you are wondering what I’m talking about, I direct you to Exhibit A.

Are you as shocked as I was? Oh, yeah, Julia’s calling it “Bridgerton Couture,” but you, me and any jury of our peers would agree that this is nothing … Read more »