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Want to Write a Book that Sells? Start With an Outline

/ On Writing, The Mail Bag / By / 9 Comments

writing From the mailbag: Hannah writes: I’ve been writing a novel and have been stuck for weeks. That’s my pattern: I write a little, get stuck, have a breakthrough, write again, etc. It often feels like torture. I’m wondering if you also have this problem and if you’ve found a way to overcome it. I’ve read that it’s a good idea to start with an outline, but doesn’t that work better for non-fiction? For fiction, it seems like it would clash … Read More

Longest Day of the Year

/ Cait and Me, Finnegan the Coon Cat, Life, My Dogs and Me / By / 13 Comments

The summer solstice is the day of maximum sunlight hours, bringing the longest day and shortest night of the year.

I’d like to think we put it to maximum use.

As usual, Graidy greeted me at 4:50 a.m.by jumping up on the bed and licking my face until I woke up. Next to me on the floor, was Kiera on her dog bed. Finn was perched on the open window sill, twitching at every birdsong. The furry contingent and I … Read More

Warning Labels

/ Cait and Me, Funnies / By / 10 Comments

On a recent, rather hot evening, Cait and I were waiting in the air-conditioned car while Andrew volunteered to get everyone ice cream cones. We’d all just finished hitting a bucket of golf balls at the driving range.

Andrew, interested in getting Cait good enough at golf to become a golfing buddy, had been trying to get her to the driving range to practice her swing. Lately, all she’s been interested in is challenging either me or Andrew to badminton … Read More

Garden Experiment 2008

/ My Garden / Recipes / By / 16 Comments

With the cost of food skyrocketing, and the prices of organic produce off the charts, my garden experiment this year is to work toward growing enough food to feed my family for the year. Matron of Husbandry over at Throwback at Trapper Creek was the one who inspired me.

This year, I’ve more than doubled the size of my gardening space, as well as added several more fruit trees and bushes. Even with all that, I’ll need to increase my … Read More

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