With the exception of one seventy-five degree weekend, we've been having an unusually rainy February in Orange County. Although I moved from Oregon to California to escape the rain, I do love any excuse to get cozy! I've been living in this cable knit sweater all winter long and throwing on a pair of jeans and Hunter Boots with it when I go out, then pairing it with these leggings and my favorite slippers when I'm home. My cottage on Balboa Island is an old historic house that . . .
My Favorite Places to Write (And Eat) In Charleston
For the longest time I had to write on the second story of a building. I have LITERALLY no idea why, but most authors can’t seem to explain their bizarre writing habits. Dan Brown apparently puts on gravity boots and hangs upside down to help him with his focus on his stories. Truman Capote had to write while lying horizontal—and often in the nude. And Maya Angelo would rent hotel rooms (a woman after my own heart!) and write on her bed. Most of Waiting at Hayden’s was written at Tea Chai Te . . .
How Learning to Act Can Help You Find Yourself: An Interview with Portland-Based Acting Coach Karen Lavoie (& Exclusive Offer!)
When I decided I wanted to bring seven scenes from Waiting at Hayden’s to life so readers could watch all the key moments in the book unfold, one of the first things I did was reach out to Portland based acting coach, Karen Lavoie, to see if she had any students she could put me in touch with. Five of Karen’s students starred in the video clips found in the story: Rachel Dewees, Crystal Smart, Elijah Price, Meredith Esquivel, Sylvia Gercke, and Karen herself even made an appearance. Not only . . .
Change Your Life by Changing Your Life Story
A year ago, before I moved to Orange County, I told my employers in Oregon that I was moving because I’d won a writing competition at Chapman University and was going back to school to work with a professor on my novels. The truth was I hadn’t actually won the competition yet. I’d only entered. But I believed that what I’d written was good enough to get me accepted and more importantly, I WANTED that to be the way my life unfolded. So I made the move BEFORE I knew the results, which helped me . . .
A New Perspective on Valentine’s Day and 10 Love Stories to Help You Celebrate
For the longest time I hated the smell of cigarettes—probably almost as much as most people hate Valentine’s Day. But then I went backpacking through Europe and stayed with a handful of wonderful people—all who smoked cigarettes. And almost overnight cigarette smoke became synonymous with good times and great people. I’ve found that you can change your relationship with just about anything—and anyone—by a simple shift in perspective. I, for one, have always been a sucker for Valentine’s Day. . . .
