Lessons for me… and for my characters

Lessons for me… and for my characters

I started using the readings as springboards for stories and poems, and for the persistent main character of my current novel in progress.

How are you doing?

How are you doing?

The greeting—How are you doing?—is common. This question is expected. Compulsory in some situations. And polite. Or is it? Is it even real?

Writing as a Leap of Faith

Writing as a Leap of Faith

With a breath, a deep leap of faith, I took a writing plunge with a handful of friends. 

Safe Places

Safe Places

A gospel sermon about holding out hope stirred memories of safe spaces and the power of being seen. From childhood sanctuaries to high-school mentors, this reflection explores the quiet encouragement that stays with us—and what it means to offer that same sanctuary to others.

Breaking Up with Wallpaper: A Memory and a Trunk

Breaking Up with Wallpaper: A Memory and a Trunk

I have this chunk of a memory.
I’ll take care what I store in it. I’ll  spend a little more time repairing the lining, a yellow-velvet panel whose double-sided tape didn’t survive the decades. The repair gives me a chance to follow Mom’s hands through a task.

Cracking the Tradition: Southern Pecan Love

Cracking the Tradition: Southern Pecan Love