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On Writing

My Writing Tools

writing1I’ve been writing since I was eleven years old, when I wrote my first book. I first started writing in my father’s old Air Force writing kit. I’d just replace the notebooks after I’d filled them. When I’d finish writing a story long-hand, I’d type up the final version. (I was probably the only eleven-year-old back then who had her own typewriter.)

The tools have gotten more sophisticated over the years. Being the tech geek that I am, I had … Read More

Paw Talk Interview

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I have the honor of guest blogging over at Paw-Talk today. If you’d like to take a peek at a typical day around here, head on over to get the scoop.

Even if you feel you already know quite enough about our gang, if you love animals, you’ll be in for a treat if you visit.

Paw-Talk began in 2001 as a forum devoted to all animals, where you could find lots of great information for just about any pet … Read More

One For the Book

As I continue to collect amazing stories about dogs showing their smarts, I’d like to share the occasional one with you. I’ve selected this story because it speaks volumes on so many levels. See if you agree.

~This story came to me from Margo Seamus in Washington

The Ground Beneath Her Feet

I have two Keeshonds: Apollo, who I got when he was a puppy, and Keesha, who came to us from Rescue when she was a bit older. While

Read More

Crash Course on How to Submit a Manuscript

I am often asked for help on how to go about submitting a book to publishers. In an attempt to simplify the process of passing along useful information, the following is a crash course on how and to whom you should submit your manuscript.  Consider it a nitty-gritty action plan.

First things first, submitting your work is no small undertaking. Truth be told, writing the book is the easier part. This next step is the daunting one. I don’t say … Read More

Cautionary Tale

hackedAnyone who’s visited my blog over the past few days has been greeted with a big, bold “404 Not Found” message. The equivalent of the blue screen of death for a blogger.

In case you’re wondering what happened, my site got hacked. I had a couple of days where it looked like I’d lost the whole kit and caboodle. Very exciting. Just not the kind of excitement I’m looking for.

I was relatively lucky, because I’d recently backed up. It … Read More

Ree “The Pioneer Woman” Drummond vs. Heather “Dooce” Armstrong

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From the Mailbag:  Emma writes: I don’t get it. I read lots of blogs from the “famous” Dooce  (who’s a little too, I dunno, b*tchy for my tastes), and now Pioneer Woman (who seems like a lightweight one-trick pony/cow), to obscure blogs on personal subjects that interest me. And I gotta tell ya, I think some of the more unknown ones are much better written and much more interesting. I’m wondering why you think some blogs that aren’t particularly well-written Read More

The Five Ws of Blogging

From the mailbag: Cheryl writes: I just started a blog four months ago and at first had all kinds of things I wanted to write about. Then I started putting too much pressure on myself to come up with something brilliant everyday and I quickly got writer’s block. Then I got obsessed with checking my stats. Then I found myself actually getting really bummed that people weren’t leaving comments. So I just ditched the whole thing. But now I’m thinking Read More

Leaps of Faith, and the Difference Between Vanity Presses and “Legitimate” Publishing Houses

Last night, Cait came running into the kitchen, screaming. Heart pounding, I raced in from outside to see what was wrong. She’d just hung up with one of her best friends, who’d called to say that she’d just received an offer from a publishing house to publish her first children’s story.

This friend of Cait’s is the kind of kid that you’d wish for good things to happen to. She’s a wonderful girl who doesn’t have the easiest of lives … Read More

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