The search is on It is seven a.m. in Columbus Ohio. I am strolling with intent through a gentrifying neighborhood towards my first cup of coffee of the day. My oldest son is still asleep a few blocks away. I am in town to visit him. A few days ago, I texted... Continue Reading →
Who would read a Starbucks novel?
“Who would read a novel Starbucks novel?” I asked the facilitator of my “Author Development” class. Her answer would be important to me. After all, I had just written one. She looked my way and made eye contact for a moment. She then looked out above my head towards the wall behind me... Continue Reading →
Be where your coffee is
"Those who manage to be where their coffee is will grow, stretch and emerge stronger, smarter and more prepared as we find peace and gratitude in the pause after the sip" This expert is from the above book and has been modified by me. This morning, I am where my coffee... Continue Reading →
A quote on a quilt
A few days ago I visited the Kurt Vonnegut Museum in my hometown of Indianapolis. I am not from here, Kurt Vonnegut was. I had never been there as close as I now live to it. And it required out of town visitors interested in seeing the museum to get me there. A few weeks... Continue Reading →
writing without a hook
Writing a book without a hook I have always viewed my writing as a vital part of my self-care practice. The three most important, ongoing parts are my yoga and exercise practice, my mediation practice and my writing practice. I have found that the three working together can create a calm, intentional person... Continue Reading →
10 words I liked
More than ten words on Dan Yack I found these words in a book entitled Dan Yack, by Blaise Cendrars. The novel was published in 1927 and has been around the house for years. It is 144 pages and I picked it up for it's length. I wanted a quick read over the weekend. It... Continue Reading →
Active cruelty
I smiled, comparing myself with other men, comparing my active goodwill with the lazy cruelty of their neglect... The excerpt above comes from "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." I read the book several years ago. For the record, I liked it as more detective, who done it book, as opposed to... Continue Reading →
Ten more leave ins for the mind
Ten More Leave-ins for the mind Write your novels, prose and poetry like you don't them back. Leave your writing in the present, and your books in the future. It's the feeling put into the words that count, not the word count. When writing try not to chase, nor attempt to... Continue Reading →
Doing the work to get the work done
I try to start to work I just wanted to get up on this Saturday morning and do some writing. The specific writing was my pre-Starbucks coffee house comedic novel, Altonstreet and Philpatrick. I had spent all Memorial Day refining my YA basketball fishing novella, Ironjaws. This was mainly grunt work. But damn if... Continue Reading →
My dream team
Allie The alarm rings. 4:45 a.m. I wake up way too early for another morning and more writing. I stagger downstairs and head to the coffee maker. Once in the kitchen, Allie, my motivation coordinator, hands me today's coffee already poured into my favorite pre-warmed mug. She tells me what I want to know: today's... Continue Reading →