My Current Fight Song

Music has always been an incredible influence in my life for as long as I can remember. It has the power to calm my soul, express joy, release the river of sorrow, vent anger, share love, and more. For every emotion I’ve felt in my life, there is a song to express it. Sometimes no words are necessary … the … Read More

Warning Deadline Approaches

Along with juggling quite a few things I can’t talk about, I have been working diligently on my latest WIP, a dark upper YA novel, Speak No Evil. I am excited about how this book is shaping up and how close I am to the finish line with it. Then I happened to have a conversation with my literary manager … Read More

Lesson Learned

Last weekend was rough one. It always is when the universe hands you a lesson. Although, in this case, I kind of begged for the lesson … without realizing it. My current work in progress (WIP) is something that came to me four years ago. I have been in love with the concept from the moment it came to me, … Read More

Diary of a Misfit – The Ring

I’ll admit, when Tom pulled out a ring to give to Katie, I was taken aback. I think I may have been more floored by it than Katie. Tom is one of my quieter characters, and he had recently opened up to Katie, and then came to me and told me he wanted to give her a ring. At first I thought he meant his class ring, and while I think it is a little soon in their relationship, I could shrug off the class ring. But then he showed me the ring ….

Diary of a Misfit – Current Event

When I decided to put Diary of a Misfit together, I earmarked the article on Amanda Cummings for inclusion to the collection. It initially caught my attention because the family believed repetitive bullying had been responsible for her decision to kill herself.

Diary of a Misfit – Daddy’s Death

When I ran across the photo of the rose, I knew immediately it summed up everything I needed for the piece named, Daddy’s Death. The bud, wilted and drooping, yet the stalk still straight and the leaves green. When we lose a loved one, it is how we feel; as if our essence has been sapped, we’re wilted, our life is crumpling around the edges, and yet, there is still life, and it flows around us. It was so perfect to me, I almost left the title and name off the cover—there was no need for anything else.

Diary of a Misfit – There’s Something About Rusty

I’ll admit it … when reviewing the stories I was planning for Diary of a Misfit I realized I needed a few lighter stories to balance out some of the heavier topics included in the collection and the first thing that popped into my head was an entry about Rusty. *Sigh* Rusty is the sort of character writers fall in love with.

Diary of a Misfit – Remembering What Isn’t To Be

The mind of a writer is a strange thing. Or maybe I should qualify that and say the mind of some writers …. Because I can’t speak on behalf of all writers, but I know others who deal with some of the same things I do. My mind is kind of like a co-op with my characters. My stories are character driven, and in order to do that, I need to know how my characters would think, act, talk, feel in any given situation. They live in my head and speak to me to tell me the story line. I feel their emotions … sometimes over and over, in order to capture them on the page.

Diary of a Misfit – Tim’s Shiner

When her best friend Tim shows up on her doorstep with a black eye, Katie McCabe teases him for being a klutz, until she learns the horrifying truth.

Diary of a Misfit

Since the beginning of the year, I’ve had my head down, working away, and, except for the occasional outburst on Twitter, have even kept my socializing to a minimum (and those who know me, KNOW how I love to socialize.)