I set this manuscript aside while I worked on other projects. Now, I’m back to “Painted Dreams” and having fun figuring out all the drama and angst and conflict and character arcs and relationships! I’m especially enjoying writing the “fun and games” section, which is where the hero and heroine fall in love in a romance. I also had fun putting together a storyboard on Pinterest! What book are you reading/project are you working on?

I hit 50,000 words in my work-in-progress last week! That means I’m about half way through the first draft. I still have a long way to go, but I’m celebrating this milestone. Wish me luck!

Valentine weekend is the perfect time to snuggle up with a book boyfriend and enjoy a heartwarming happy ever after! Whether you’re celebrating friends, family or your significant other, hope you feel the love! XOXO

I recently finished reading A Fall of Marigolds by Susan Meissner. This book is a dual timeline novel, with the main plot set in 1911 and the secondary plot set in 2011. The two timelines are held together by a lovely scarf prnted with bright marigolds. The 1911 plot features Clara Wood, a nurse in a hospital on Ellis Island. I enjoyed learning more about the immigrants of that era, as well as about the tragic Triangle Shirtwaist Fire. I knew something about the fire from a high-school history class, but Susan Meissner made the horror real as well as

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This was a cute read. I picked it up because the title intrigued me, and Laura Ingalls Wilder books were my favorite childhood books and hold a special place in my heart. The book is a Young Adult and is about a single mother of three who believes Laura Ingalls is her writing muse. I enjoyed it! — Book Description: Charlotte’s mom has just moved the family across the country to live in Walnut Grove, “childhood home of pioneer author Laura Ingalls Wilder.” Mom’s idea is that the spirit of Laura Ingalls will help her write a bestselling book. But

Continue reading Laura Ingalls is Ruining My Life

I recently read Amor Towles’s The Lincoln Highway for one of my book clubs. His wonderful A Gentleman in Moscow is one of my favorite novels of all time, and I had high hopes for The Lincoln Highway. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. I’m glad I read the book, and I liked the characters . . . until I wanted to shake them. Four boys, each with flaws, and each engaging in his own way. But the combination proved deadly. Whereas A Gentleman in Moscow was uplifting and showed the increasing empathy of its main character, The Lincoln Highway was ultimately depressing

Continue reading The Lincoln Highway, by Amor Towles

I just finished The Lost Book of Names. I hadn’t planned to read another World War Two story, but I kept seeing this one on my social media feeds, so decided to check it out. And I ended up liking it. I didn’t like everything about it — I found the mother character annoying. But it held my interest and kept me turning the pages. Also, it had a lovely ending. And a bad ending can ruin a book for me!

For book club this month, I’m reading Andy Weir’s Hail Mary. So far, I’m intrigued, but there are a lot of scientific details! I enjoyed his book/movie The Martian, so will stick with this for a while. What’s your first read of the new year?

Mary-Lane Kamberg, co-leader of the Kansas City Writers Group put together a compilation of some of her snippets into a delightful book. It’s an easy read; one to pick up for a quick diversion in this busy time.