Blog Posts

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

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

Being a fiction author, I create every aspect of my characters—their personalities, strengths, weaknesses, and everything that gives them life—then drop them into a world and storyline that I’ve also created and can alter anytime I choose. I’m in absolute control from the beginning to the end of the novel. In many ways, I’m a mini-god, having the power of

In fiction writing, an author first visualizes and creates characters in their head before bringing them to life within the confines of a story. However, as the characters grow and interact with other characters or elements of the plot, the author will undoubtedly encounter curveballs. Maybe a character or story arc needs refining or significant altering to make the story

As I near the completion of my first romance novel, as well as any other thing I undertake in retirement, my appreciation for these two popular phrases only increases: “Live and learn” and “Never put off till tomorrow what can be accomplished today.” In my case, both snippets of wisdom should be in the same sentence and breath! In life,

Whatever major project you’re trying to accomplish in life—whether writing and publishing your first romance novel, creating and then following the best retirement plan for you and your spouse, or any project that has arrested your full attention at the moment—maintaining a genuinely serious commitment to the hard work ahead will be paramount. But be sure to count the costs

Just as in writing a novel, so it is in life. An author must identify their target audience, and so should each of us understand that the people we allow into our inner circle must love and sacrifice as we do, share similar goals and purposes, and hold common beliefs and interests. Otherwise, we set ourselves up for tension, heartache,

I previously hesitated to like, love, or comment on social media posts for the fear of being ostracized, pigeonholed, or even destroyed by people who didn’t see life through the same lens as I did. I had no desire to put my job, my relationships, or even my future dreams in jeopardy because of how I think, speak, and live.

Writing a novel can be like recovering from a destructive deep freeze. Over the next few weeks, and on into Spring, I’ll get out my handsaw, shears, and rake to clean up all that is dead and no longer adding beauty to my yard. The lifeless vegetation will then be piled at the curb and removed by the city. Similarly,