I don’t remember when I first became fascinated with the Oregon/California trail, but it has been an ingrained interest for possibly decades. One of the very first full book ideas that I came up with after I decided I wanted to be a writer (around 8-years-old) was that of a rich, entitled girl whose familyContinueContinue reading “Traveling the California Trail”
Tag Archives: Writer
Fancy Dresses and Fairy tales
It was almost midnight. But that did not stop us. Once we had our hearts set on something, it was inevitable we would see it through if at all possible. The benefit to wintering in the Twin Cities with my grandparents (due to untraversable roads in the north) was that there were actually restaurants withinContinueContinue reading “Fancy Dresses and Fairy tales”
NaNo (10,280) and Life
I have gotten little done for NaNo, though I have every intention of catching up at some point. It’s always hard when you have visitors. I once again don’t like what’s happening in my story, but rather than rewrite it, I’ve decided to make my character a little older and see if that helps fixContinueContinue reading “NaNo (10,280) and Life”
Making Characters Suffer
As part of my new year’s resolution, I have a new schedule (as anyone who knows me at all would have already guessed). I get up at 5:00 AM, do a quick 10-minute workout (sometimes Calisthenics and sometimes stretches as instructed by the chiropractor), get dressed, do hair and makeup, grab the lunch my husbandContinueContinue reading “Making Characters Suffer”
Protected: Historical Rant and 23,542 Words
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Writer Envy
Today – or rather, this afternoon – was spent at a coffee shop writing. A perfect thing to do on a holiday. Well, more research than writing. I finally reached that point in my book where it was hard to proceed without an actual timeline for the California/Oregon trail. So I spent hours trying toContinueContinue reading “Writer Envy”
15 Minute Challenge – Day 7: Final Thoughts
Yes, I did my 15 minutes. I used it (well, really, half an hour) to finish up a couple scenes I stopped in the middle of last week. I have no profound things to say about my self-imposed 7 day challenge. Certainly nothing that hasn’t been said before by “real” writers and multiples of them.ContinueContinue reading “15 Minute Challenge – Day 7: Final Thoughts”
15 Minute Challenge – Day 6: Giving Breanna a Backbone
One significant flaw I think I have mentioned before is how quickly Elizabeth’s mother went from being weak, conciliatory, and non-confrontational to speaking her mind and ordering people around. Granted, I know from experience that it can happen to even meek people when the occasion is right, but to turn around so completely seemed inconsistentContinueContinue reading “15 Minute Challenge – Day 6: Giving Breanna a Backbone”
15 Minute Challenge – Day 5: Developing Characters
I’ve been having an issue with my main character in Picture of the Past almost since the beginning. I didn’t like her. I didn’t intend for anyone to like her at first, but to gradually sympathize with her as she changed – but I didn’t like her even when she changed. She seemed so -ContinueContinue reading “15 Minute Challenge – Day 5: Developing Characters”
15 Minute Challenge – Day 2 – Getting Back Into the Mindset
Actually written yesterday, August 30: I have a lot more free time than usual tonight due to my husband being gone for a guy’s night and having nothing in particular scheduled. I was going to go to the Library of Congress to do some research and writing, but it is a dreary, rainy night, andContinueContinue reading “15 Minute Challenge – Day 2 – Getting Back Into the Mindset”
Forest Idylls 