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In Memoriam: Remembering the High School English Teacher Who Influenced my Love of Literature & Writing

Yesterday, I learned the sad news that my high school English teacher, Joseph McLaughlin, passed away. I was devastated, and even all these years later, burst into tears immediately upon hearing the news. All of a sudden I was back in 12th grade sitting in his class, learning Shakespeare, studying the song lyrics of Bob Dylan and the Beatles, and solidifying my love of language and literature, which has stayed with me to this day. [...]

By |2023-08-02T13:56:18-07:00April 14th, 2023|Gratitude, Reading, Writing|0 Comments
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Best Books of 2020

I'm excited to share my annual “best book of the year” list! 2020 was a strange year for all of us with the pandemic causing us to shelter in place. When not working virtually, I filled my time with gardening, cycling, hiking, baking, writing, and reading. I read 53 books in 2020—so it wasn't easy selecting the top ones. Here are some standouts, in no particular order. Hope you enjoyed some of these books too. If [...]

By |2021-01-28T05:16:54-08:00January 28th, 2021|Book Reviews, Reading|0 Comments
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My 15 Favorite Reads of 2019

So many good books in 2019! I set my Goodreads Reading Challenge goal to 52 books -- one per week -- and managed to read 61. That was through a combination of traditional hard cover/paperback books, ebooks on my Kindle, and audiobooks that I listened to (while driving, walking my dogs and doing housework... sure makes the activities more pleasurable!). It's always difficult to choose favorites, but there were some definite stand outs. If you [...]

By |2020-12-15T13:18:08-08:00February 2nd, 2020|Book Reviews, Reading|2 Comments
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A Visit to the New American Writers Museum: An Inspiring Afternoon with the Written Word

Last fall, I had the absolute pleasure of visiting the new American Writers Museum in Chicago. The museum opened to the public in May 2017, and I visited in October 2017, only five months later. What a treat! I was accompanied by my writer friend and co-member of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association, Nancy Johnson, who lives in Chicago. It was wonderful to spend time with Nancy and in such an inspiring place for writers! [...]

By |2020-12-15T13:19:12-08:00December 23rd, 2018|Adventures, Reading, Writing, Writing Community|0 Comments
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My Favorite Stand Out Reads of 2018

2018 was another great year for reading! I set my Goodreads Challenge goal to only 52 books to give myself more time to get my own writing done (I just finished the first draft of my novel, and am now entering the revising and editing stage — exciting, but overwhelming!), but wound up reading 65 books in total. It is always so hard to choose my favorites, but there were some definite stand outs. So [...]

By |2020-12-15T13:17:17-08:00December 13th, 2018|Book Reviews, Reading|0 Comments
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Best Books of 2017: Recapping a Fantastic Year of Reading

2017 was a great year of reading! I set my Goodreads Challenge goal to 52 books, but managed to read 71 books in total. And I loved every minute of it! It is always so hard to choose my favorites because I almost always find something wonderful, or at least redeeming, in every book I finish. But there were some stand outs. So without further adieu, here are my Top 21 Books. Perhaps you loved [...]

By |2018-02-21T16:24:45-08:00January 10th, 2018|Book Reviews, Reading|0 Comments
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Fan Girl Moment: Honored to Be Included in the Acknowledgments of a Writer Friend’s Upcoming Book!

Happiness is finding out that you have been given a shout out by one of your favorite authors who has become a writer friend that you had the pleasure of spending time with in person a few months ago. I am incredibly honored to be mentioned in the acknowledgments of Camille Di Maio's newest book to be released. I absolutely loved her first book, The Memory of Us, and am getting ready to read her [...]

By |2017-11-05T22:50:18-08:00November 15th, 2017|Reading, Writing Community|0 Comments
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The Diary of Anne Frank: The Book That Influenced My Reading, Writing, and Life as a Young Girl

The books we first pick up and read can have a profound effect on us -- as readers, writers, and people. For me that book is The Diary of Anne Frank. I always loved to read. Years before I picked up this particular book, I was a voracious reader with an appetite that was hearty. I loved books. The feel of them, their smell, and their promise to introduce you to new people and places. [...]

By |2018-02-21T16:25:13-08:00September 19th, 2017|Book Reviews, Journal, Reading, Writing|4 Comments
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