As a writer of feel-good love stories, there’s a LOT I’ve learned that goes into creating a good feeling. I had to rewrite Waiting at Hayden’s ten times, not because there was a problem with the story, but because I hadn’t mastered the art of making my readers feel what I wanted them to feel when reading certain scenes. “Don’t tell me they’re happy,” an editor once told me. “Make me feel it.” How?! This can often feel like an impossible task—both on the written page, and in our . . .
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, . . .
How To Make Transitions—In Our Wardrobes & In Our Lives
When it comes to our wardrobes, most of us love the transition from one season to the next. I’m currently loving this fall top, these high-waisted jeans, and these scalloped flats. But in our personal lives, we tend to fear transitional phases. During a recent flight to Boston I was delayed for seven hours in the airport. With time to kill, I started talking with another passenger from my flight. He was traveling for work, but told me he didn’t really love his job. “Why don’t you find a . . .
Do You Need a Routine Makeover: Is Your Routine Inspiring or Miring You?
When I was in the third grade my teacher gave us an assignment to come up with an invention. Mine was an innovative, practical, BRILLIANT way to quickly wake people up in the morning. I set an alarm to go off and had my sister, Casey, the “test subject”, lie in bed and pull a string when she heard the beep. The string released Tabasco sauce down a PVC pipe and into her mouth. “You asshole!” she said, popping right up and hitting me. (Casey routinely had her mouth washed out with soap when we . . .
Signs, Fate, and Destiny: Are We Living in a Serendipitous World?
One of my all time favorite romantic comedies is Serendipity. If you aren’t familiar with the film it tells the story of two people Jonathan (John Cusack) and Sara (Kate Beckinsale) who fall for each other one night in New York City. The problem is both are dating other people. Jonathan thinks the night was so magical they should leave their significant others and be together, but Sara suggests they leave it up to destiny. She writes her name and number in a book—Love in the Time of Cholera—and . . .
Summer Date Night Outfits Guaranteed to Make Getting Ready for a Date Fun
It’s probably no surprise that as a love story writer, I love going on dates. For years I used to agree to go out with anyone who asked—even when I wasn’t interested. I think it takes guts to ask someone out and I never wanted to turn anyone away who put himself out there. Plus, I find it fascinating to meet new people and love experiencing great moments—even if these moments don’t ultimately lead to a relationship. Over the years, I’ve had to amend that rule slightly when I'm single. While . . .
