Blog Posts

Is it possible for someone to live their entire life and believe they never had a true love, a forever person, and that they’d always married or dated wrong? That question came up in a writing critique group when someone asked about one of my characters, “How can that be possible?” Well, since I believe plenty of people go through

The summer of ’75 was my most impactful season ever, beginning with a first date with Kathy, my future wife, on June 1st, when I instantly fell in love. Near the end of that summer, on August 23rd, my birthday, I asked her to marry me, and she said yes! Looking back, those three months were the most momentous and

One of the best aspects of being a writer is that I get to create an entire make-believe realm, to which I redirect readers, away from the real, fallen world they inhabit. Like us, my two main characters, Coral and Mike, will appear so imperfect and almost hopeless. Yet, throughout the book, you will cheer on these flawed and despairing

A reader can spot a disingenuous author a mile away. Writers must always be authentic and heartfelt, and know their audience’s preferences, especially in this age of DEI. My romance novel is directed at the Boomer and Gen X generations, and the majority comprising these groups aren’t typically as sensitive as younger readers, for you’ve lived hard lives, having the

As a writer, I do my best to stay attuned to the world around me. That is where I draw my characters and their traits from, as well as everything else that will make it into their and the novel’s universe. So, it’s not hard for me to detect a difference between the children of the 1960s (when I grew

As a 70-year-old man daily inching closer to the end of his life, I’ve put more thought into what kind of legacy I want to leave my children, grandchildren, and now a great-grandchild. And it’s not about being a best-selling author or some guy who left them a financial inheritance. No, it’s something money can’t buy. It’s about me leaving

It doesn’t matter how much intelligence, education, or God-given talent one has; if someone lacks the motivation or passion to tackle a significant endeavor, they’re not likely to leave the starting blocks anytime soon. Or as my generation said, “You ain’t got jack.” Take me, for instance. I planned on writing this post yesterday, but life got in the way.

As a writer approaches their craft, they must determine what their “voice” will be and then remain consistent with it—never confusing the reader. In my case, as a Christian, I’ve decided my voice in my romance novels would not drop F-bombs or other crude language. Also, there’d be no vulgar or graphic sex and violence. My goal is to provide

In my neck of the woods, this year’s brutal and destructive winter of ‘26 is now behind us, as Spring has taken center stage, praise God! Every cell in my body rejoices and looks forward to morning walks along the beach at sunrise in shorts and t-shirts only. Now, that’s what I call living! But leaving winter behind reminds me

I’m on the cusp of publishing my first romance novel at the tender age of 70. How badly have I wanted this? Well, it’s been fifty years in the making. Back in my late teens and early twenties, I wrote poetry and several manuscripts, although my writing lacked quality, skill, and professionalism. I didn’t put in the time to learn