Appalachian Blessings
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Celebrating Our Anniversary
My husband is a private guy. I like that about him. There's a LOT I like about him, actually. This week we're celebrating our 26th anniversary, which is more than a little astonishing. On one hand, it seems like we just met. On the other, I feel like he's always been...
Calling All Book Clubs
I tend to write character-driven stories which often makes them a good fit for book clubs with plenty of opportunities to dig in and have good discussions. Which I LOVE! Over the last few months, I've visited several book clubs virtually. One of the good things to...
The Importance of Anticipation
My goodness. It’s almost Easter. If I don’t pause and consider the coming of a special day, I tend to feel like I’m missing out a bit. What if you just woke up and someone told you it was your birthday? Sure, it might be a nice surprise, but I’d be sorry I didn’t get...
What is it about West Virginians?
I met two West Virginians this past week right here in Lenoir, NC. We DIDN'T burst into "Take Me Home, Country Roads," but in one situation we had an in-depth discussion of pepperoni rolls and in the second we talked about how Mountaineers have an uncanny ability to...
Waterfall Hikes Get Ideas Flowing!
My favorite way to brainstorm a new story is wearing a pair of hiking shoes on a mountain trail with my dog snuffling through the leaves. I get the BEST ideas! Since our move a little north and east in our section of the Appalachian Mountains, we've been getting in...
A Poem for March – False Spring
Spring is often a bit of a tease in the mountains. Early, warm days will trick you into putting out flowers and bedding plants only to see an April frost literally nip them in the bud. I have a spot all picked out for my tomatoes (maybe they won't get blight in this...
What if There’s No Happy Ending?
How do you write a satisfying story about a real event that simply does NOT have a happy ending? That's what I tackled when I decided to write The Finder of Forgotten Things around the Hawks Nest Tunnel Disaster. I’ve long been haunted by tunnel tragedy--the worst...
Everything Changes Yet Stays the Same
We've been in our new home for two months now. New job. New town. New grocery store! And here's what I've discovered much to my surprise . . . my life doesn't feel all that different. I expected this to be a sea change--a huge upheaval that would leave me in a shiny...
Meet Sarah
