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How my crush on Gregory Peck helped me become a writer
I can’t remember exactly when it happened, only that I do remember that I fell madly in love with Gregory Peck as a kid. Maybe it sparked when he was Atticus Finch, or as Captain Ahab. (I thought the scar made by the white whale was sexy even before I knew what sexy was.) Perhaps, […]
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What makes a story great? Watch ‘Winchester ’73’
It is no secret I am an uber movie fan. But aside from watching movies for pure entertainment, as a writer I also pay attention to what makes a movie great, particularly the story. Recently, I again watched one of my favs, “Winchester ’73″on TV and again remarked to my husband, “This is one great […]
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From book to play
The University of Arizona’s etc…Educational Theatre Company in Tucson will produce a play “Red Ridin’ in the Hood and Dos Cuentos” based on three stories from my award-winning children’s book, “Red Ridin’ in the Hood and Other Cuentos,” a retelling of traditional fairy tales with Latino characters and culture. The etc… production will feature The […]
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Coming soon: Hauntings from the Snake River Plain.
. A lost cave, a possessed canyon and a visit from mysterious strangers. Lock the door, turn on the lights and enjoy these haunted tales.
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Postpartum Writing Blues: The let down when you finish a novel
I finished writing a novel recently and it felt like my kid left home and went to college and didn’t write or call. This is not the first time I’ve had that experience. Whenever I complete such a project, be it novel or screenplay, there is a let down. I’ll call it the Postpartum Writing […]
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Sorry. I forgot Johnny Depp
On my recent post dealing with cool movies about writers, I made a terrible omission. Namely, “Secret Window,” about a writer who loses himself in his stories with Stephen King like consequences. While you can see the ending coming from a league away, the movie stars Johnny Depp as the writer. Need I say more.
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Yes, writers can be movie heroes.
When it comes to action movie heroes, a writer isn’t going to save the world. In “Die Hard,” no writer takes on terrorists with a computer to rescue hostages. Indiana Jones flashes a whip and pistol not a pen and paper to beat the bad guys in any of those four movies. A battalion of […]
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Finishing a manuscript and chicken tacos
Nothing is as good as finishing a book, well maybe, chicken tacos. Within a week or so, I will be ready to pitch my new manuscript, a steampunk mystery. After all the typing, sore back and hands, research, and doubts, it will be complete. After all the searching for the right word and emotion. Making […]
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It’s Thelma’s movie
One of the first things writers learn is that good drama means your characters change, either for the better or worse, within the scope of the story. Why is change so important? Because it doesn’t happen without conflict, which keeps the motor of our story running. But that lesson really struck me to the core […]
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Bless my Valentines
Of course, the first person on my list today was my husband. For his support of my writing and well, just of me. But I have other Valentines out there. Those are the people who critique my work so that it can get better. Those who give build my low morale when the rejects fall […]
