In my house I avoid the kitchen the way most people avoid their nice, fancy dining rooms with expensive china; the light is rarely on and if the floor were carpeted, you would only see footprints near the cabinet where I keep my cheese plate boards and cocktail shaker. I’m not sure if I can’t cook, I just really don’t have a huge desire to. I’d much rather spend my evenings writing, reading, or out enjoying a meal at someone else’s fine establishment. So, Thanksgiving is always a bit daunting . . .
How to Date On a Budget (and why it’s more romantic to!)
A while back I spoke with a guy who said he’s not dating because it’s too expensive. “It’s not the same for women,” he said. “You just have to show up and everything’s paid for.” His first point was valid. In Orange County a cocktail alone can cost upwards of $18 and a ticket to a movie, $22. (Fun Fact: when I first moved to the OC and went to a matinee alone, I was sure the cashier misheard me and rang me up for two tickets when he told me the cost. “I just need one,” I reiterated. “That is . . .
Fear Being Seen? How To Get Comfortable Sharing Your Creativity With Others
When it comes to what we wear, I’m all about camouflage. You can find these camo pants I’m currently loving here as well as a camo skirt I just added to my wishlist here. Creatively though, I don’t want to camouflage myself or be afraid of being seen. But the truth is that fear is something I struggle with daily, and I know lots of other creatives struggle with it as well. Shop The Look While visiting bookstores across the country, I had the opportunity to talk to many aspiring authors and . . .
The Importance of Dressing Up for Work (even if you work from home)
The other day I was working out of a coffee shop, and a sixty-something woman, dressed to the nines in a silk blouse, tailored pants, and black heels, sat at the table next to me talking to her friend. “I don’t get young people, today,” she said. “They’re always dressed for yoga, but none of them are ever at the gym.” “I know,” said her friend. “There’s this brand called Lululemon. Apparently it’s “in.”” I sunk into my chair, hoping they wouldn’t turn around and notice me dressed head . . .
Bad Apples? How To Deal With Toxic Relationships
It’s easy to toss the bad apples when we’re apple picking, but in life, toxic relationships are a bit more difficult to spot and often can be the most challenging relationships to get out of (I mean look at the great lengths Amy Dunne went to in a failed attempt to disentangle herself from Nick in Gone Girl). At my “core” (I apple-ogize now for all my apple picking puns in this post) I don’t believe any one person is a “bad apple.” Quite the opposite, actually. I think most people are . . .
How Being a Diehard Nicholas Sparks Fan Landed Me in the Hospital
To say I’m a Nicholas Sparks fan girl is an understatement. As most of you know, I up and moved across the country to the setting of his novels to write the first draft of Waiting at Hayden’s. So during my recent book tour, where I traveled through the South and then the East Coast introducing shopfiction™ to bookstores, I knew I had to stop in his hometown. The drive there was filled with excitement. And lots of missed exits and wrong turns (hence why I ended up having my sister’s friend, . . .
