All It Takes

All it takes - mushrooms

I never know what might spark a story idea. I posted this drawing by Megan with Little Druid Stories this last week because it caught my eye at SwanCon. That probably was because I've already found myself fascinated by the fungus and toadstools that grow in my backyard. Growing up in Colorado, we'd see mushrooms… Continue reading All It Takes

Epiphany Moments Hit at Odd Times

Inspiration Spark

I lay down for a brief nap in the afternoon, hoping it'll refresh me enough to keep powering through editing. But as I lay there, breathing deeply and telling my muscles to relax, an idea starts rolling through my thoughts. It's persistent and intriguing. "You're a steel dragon with marble eyes, strong claws, and long-plated… Continue reading Epiphany Moments Hit at Odd Times

Sometimes the Brain Helps

Water

My arms rhythmically move, pulling me through the water in a steady, smooth glide. In the back of my head, I'm counting, "One, two, breathe. One, two, breathe." But at the forefront of my mind, I'm a steel dragon covered in soot and rust and hiding beneath a dumpster while three street boys search for… Continue reading Sometimes the Brain Helps

The Sidekick Strikes Again!

Writing Sidekick

It was December of 2012 and I wasn't even into my first month of blogging when I posted about my cat eating my book outline. (Yarn, Sticky Notes, and a Cat). You see, I'd tried to outline my 100K word novel across the wall by using yarn and sticky notes. After putting hours into the… Continue reading The Sidekick Strikes Again!

Peace in the Process

Wooden Shelf

For as long as I can remember, my dad's always had some sort of woodshop. When my sisters and I were young, he'd make us wooden puzzles like the one with the horseshoes connected by chain links and you have to figure out how to get the metal ring off the shoes. (Perhaps this explains… Continue reading Peace in the Process

Quaking Soul Review from The Lily Cafe

The Lily Cafe Quaking Soul Review

I tried to reblog this yesterday but it somehow never showed up... not sure what I did wrong, but the following review made my day. Follow the link to read Kat's review of Quaking Soul at her blog The Lily Cafe. I can’t say how encouraging it is for me as I work on the… Continue reading Quaking Soul Review from The Lily Cafe

It’s Like a Muscle

Piano - Muscle Memory

Logically I know that if I work out regularly, my muscles will grow stronger. If I practice piano regularly, I’ll slowly improve my sight-reading, my playing, and even the muscle memory in my hands. If I write regularly then… I’m amazed that we treat our brains differently than we do the rest of our bodies.… Continue reading It’s Like a Muscle