Looking back over this BookStack, I couldn’t help noticing the first three books I read were historical fiction, all with strong female characters at the center. I savored the history lessons and was reminded of the sacrifices our foremothers made, and of how far women’s voices have come. I’m thankful I live in a free America in 2024.
Read MoreThe podcast preview arrived in my inbox just hours after our conversation was recorded. Not wanting anyone else to hear how inarticulate I might be, I stuck my Airpods in my ears and hit Play. How would my voice sound? How many times had I fumbled? Would our conversation help anyone? Or would my rambling way with spoken words turn listeners away?
Read MoreSummer is winding down and thoughts are turning to football and pumpkin spice. Before we turn the page to autumn, let’s look back at our summer reading.
I finished seven books in July and August, which keeps me on track (and four books ahead!) for my goal of 36 books in 2024.
Read MoreRemember all those “What to Expect When…You’re Expecting” (“…in the First Year”, “…Second Year”, etc.) books? For years, they filled our bookshelves and covered our nightstands, teaching us everything we needed to know to tackle pregnancy and parenthood with confidence. But what about “What to Expect When You’re Empty Nesting”?
Read MoreSince the beginning of 2024, I’ve taken one newsletter every two months to review my recent reads. Not only does it keep me on track for my reading goals and push me to leave reviews online, but it’s also inspired at least some of you, my dear readers, to pick up a book, try an author you’ve not read before, or explore a new genre.
Read MoreMy March-April BookStack includes two non-fiction, one memoir, and five fiction reads. There’s quite a mix, with a dystopian classic, time-travel story, 1950s murder mystery, present-day “Romantic Comedy”, and a historical fiction account of a 1960s rock band.
Read MoreIt’s impossible to share all the information, inspiration, and interactions I encountered at this writing festival. Instead, I’ll search my notes and find some highlights—nuggets I uncovered throughout the week. Unlike elusive beach glass, with my journal and highlighter, I know I’ll find some treasures to share!
Read MoreMy BookStack (an offshoot of my “Substack”) is the stack of books I’ve read, reviewed, and might recommend to you. Even though many of the books I “read” are audiobooks or on my Kindle, I like to imagine a BIG stack of books I’ve finished on my nightstand or bookshelf at the end of each month.
Read MorePerhaps you’ve heard the slogan ringing in this new year: Do More in 2024!
I don’t know about you, but the thought of doing more after the past few weeks of shopping, decorating, baking, cooking, and entertaining makes me want to crawl in a hole and hide.
If I did though, I would take a book with me.
Read MoreWhat this is about is the right that every individual has to communicate. Our freedom of speech is so important that our forefathers included it in the first amendment to our constitution. Still, with rights come responsibilities. And it’s what we do with that right, with our gift of speech, that matters.
Read More“Well, it finally happened, Zachary. Somebody burned down my she shed.”
“Nobody burned down your she shed, Cheryl…”
You know the commercial. If you don’t, I’m afraid to say you might live under a rock. Besides being played countless times on TV, the State Farm commercial has scored over a million YouTube views. “Cheryl’s she shed” has come up in everyday conversations in my vicinity no less than four times in the past couple of months.
Read MoreWriter's block. I guess it was bound to happen.
I've spent the past six weeks feeling guilty about not writing, "thinking" about what to write, mulling ideas around in my head, discounting my ideas as uninteresting, feeling like I'm "forcing" a topic just for the sake of the blog...
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