Today is Take Your Dog To Work Day (actually, it might be Take Your Pet To Work Day) so I took my dog to work. Then we enjoyed a break outside: How was your Summer Solstice? Read more…
The elusive benefits of gardening
I was weeding my lavender bed the other day, and it occurred to me that I’d written about a character who found peace, tranquility, and a sense of purpose from working in a garden. Yeah, right, I told myself, as I grabbed a hunk of grass with my bare hand, hoping I didn’t get any […] Read more…
Happy Father’s Day
My brother was one of the best dads I know. He died a little over a year ago, and I know his two children think of him every day. He was a great “dad” even before he became a father—I remember him as a teenager, playing with all the younger kids on the block, all […] Read more…
May: England at its most gorgeous
May is my favorite month, because that’s when England is bursting with blooms everywhere. All my favorites come out: bluebells, wisteria, laburnum, and rhododendrons. But this year they were all late, due to our extra cold spring. The bluebells were fantastic, despite their late arrival. Even my dog got in on the bluebell action: Not […] Read more…
Visiting Jane Austen
“Mary Jane and I have been wet through once already today, we set off in the Donkey Carriage for Farringdon…but were obliged to turn back before we got there, but not soon enough to avoid a Pelter all the way home.” —Jane Austen, letter to James Edward Austen, 9 July 1816. Yesterday when I drove […] Read more…
Devon: Possibly the greenest county on Earth
Last weekend we made a long-anticipated trip to Devon. I can honestly say I’ve never seen such vivid green in my life, not even in Ireland. Maybe it’s the sheep—is their poop magical? Does it make the grass glow? Here are a few more pics: Read more…
Stop worrying and get writing
Last week was a busy week here in London. The London Book fair was held April 14-17, and on Saturday I attended the Verulam Writers’ Circle Get Writing Conference. I think I learned almost as much from the questions as I did from the speakers. For instance, I was quite surprised to hear so many […] Read more…
The Sunshine Award
I’ve been given the Sunshine Award by Eve Devon! The Sunshine Award is given to bloggers who “positively and creatively inspire others in the Blogosphere”. How lovely! Now I have to answer the questions and tag other bloggers, I mean, award them the Sunshine Award. Here are the rules: Here are the Sunshine Award rules: […] Read more…
Give your hero a job
I wrote a blog post for Rachel Firasek’s blog called The Professional Hero and Heroine. In it I talk about how important it is for characters to have careers—not just as background but as key parts of their characterization. No, not every novel calls for your characters to have exciting careers, but when the author […] Read more…
Deleted scene: How to make a keepsake box
During the last pass of edits on Temptation, my editor asked me to delete a scene that shows Jacob, an Amish woodworker, creating a keepsake box for Laura. Later on he takes the box to her, a last gift before she leaves the country to work on another film. The scene didn’t add anything to […] Read more…