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Writing December 6, 2022 No Comments

Death Brew Launches—Finally

On June 16, 2016 I was ecstatic to announce completion of the first draft of Death Brew, sequel to Imposter. It always takes me so much longer to get the revisions done and this book was no exception. Nine months later, with the help four editors, a couple of extraordinary middle school classes, and my own […]

Marketing December 6, 2022 No Comments

Death Brew Marketing—to Arabia

Sometimes you’ve just got to laugh—at Facebook. Hell bent they are on squeezing every last drop from Page features that used to be free. But hey, that’s biz. So I signed up to use this image, my new Page banner, to promote my forthcoming book, Death Brew. In designing the ad you are allowed to […]

Tribute

In thinking about Memorial Day today, I once again held the flag I was given in my Dad’s honor. Not until he died, when the mortuary noticed that he had been a vet, was I given a folded flag to honor his service. I placed it in a cupboard at home and when we moved, […]

Writing December 6, 2022 No Comments

The Day the Darlings Died

Once again, I sit looking out over Colvos Passage, tears dripping onto my keyboard, blood dripping off the knife.  Once again, I killed them, the darlings in my new book. Just like in all previous books, they had to go. I think William Falkner is given credit for the term, “kill your darlings,” advising writers to […]

It’s a Miracle

I had such fears, none of them justified. Susan said my snoring blew the tiles off the ceiling. I said, meh. She said I stopped breathing off and on all night long. I said. I’m still here. She dealt with my lackadaisical   attitude by buying a noise machine that masked my snoring and other wretched […]

Writing December 6, 2022 No Comments

Kissing My Mac Good Bye

Shouldn’t this guy look happier? Please, having a moment. Saying good-bye to my trusty ten year old Macbook. Another moment, please. Okay, better. When I ordered it over the phone from my local Mac store in Seattle, the woman dutifully asked many qualifying questions. “No, just the MacBook Pro, the 1099.00 one, please.” “Sir, you […]

Uncategorized December 6, 2022 No Comments

Mr. Suckee

Yesterday was my last day of one-day-a-week subbing on the island this school year. Grade six, six periods, hot outside, no air conditioning, blue sky, only two weeks left. Thought I had skills, but with not much control of expectations or consequences, sometimes skills don’t count for jack. Sixth and final period, fingernails digging deeper […]

Writing December 6, 2022 No Comments

Persistence

Like all authors I have received more than my fair share of rejection letters. I’m not sure if others who have been rejected multiple times–being illustrators, musicians, or anyone who creates and starts out tender but develops a tough skin–have kept their rejection notices as faithfully as I have. Only now has my librarian/pack rat […]

Imposter–Ready for Launch

Two and a half years after ChinAlive was published, Imposter is finally ready to go. With the generous and talented help  of former students, colleagues, and cold hearted, blood thirsty (but invaluable) editors , the book is ready for its marketing phase. Book bloggers and review agenices are being lined up, virtual blog tour arranged, a space for the launch(s) readied, […]

Gone Fishin’

Went fishin’ once.  Didn’t catch nuthin’. Now we live fifteen feet in front of Colvos Passage, a body of water that’s part of Puget Sound. It’s like living in front of a stocked pond–sea lions, Orcas, seagulls, blue herons, and fish fish fish.So I bought me a fishin’ outfit. Last night one fish after another […]