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The first week with my new writing group (aka “The Author Hive Mind”) went great. I started the week writing my very aggressive goals: 1. Finish monthly newsletter and send 2. Submit two short stories to six publications 3. Edit 40 pages of my novel-in-progress Back to editing my novel! In addition to working when the group was offline, I attended four (out of 14 offered!) write-in sessions where we met on Zoom, said our goals for the session, then connected at

I’ve written stories since I was young. I’d type them out on my mother’s manual typewriter. When I took a business class in high school to learn how to type, I’d stay late after school so I could use the electric typewriters to transcribe my newest story or essay. My first rejection was from the Boston Globe. Boy, I was confident in my teens! You know who never once asked to read my work? My mother. She was an avid reader who probably read every single book in the Canton Publ

Dad always said, “you need the right tools for the job.” Good advice from an MIT engineer. Today I’ll share my favorite writing tools that help me stay productive. Computer. ‘Nuf said. Software: MS Word for writing and editing, but I use Scrivner as well. Scrivner offers more integrated tools to keep track of details and reorganize longer works (like my novel). It’s got character sketch templates, location templates, notes features, a corkboard feature, and many other feature

Offline. Broken web link. Gone. Such was the fate of my first published short story, Happy Camper when I checked the link on my website the other day. Sad Girl Diaries was a literary online journal that published fiction, non fiction and poetry. They were the first to accept my work for publication in January 2024, so they held a special place in my heart! They are no longer in operation. While my story can no longer be found online, it still lives on my website (read it here

I'm sorry to tell you.... An editor’s rejection is expected in every writer’s journey. Writing is subjective. You can think your piece will fit, only to open an email from an editor starting with the words, “I’m sorry to tell you….” And yes, that was the beginning of a very kind rejection I got recently. Submitting work is a long process. It can take me ½ to a full day to submit to one publication. I read back issues, compare my style with published pieces, tailor my cover le

Sisters in Crime New England Mystery Mansion Day Conference, 2025 Pen to paper, paper to typewriter, typewriter to computer – I wrote prolifically from the 1970’s through 1995. Plots and dialog materialized from anywhere and everywhere – an obituary, a snow globe, a Red Sox game. Three novels and dozens of essays and short stories later, nothing was accepted for publication. Looking back, I wonder if it was because I wrote and edited alone. I stopped writing for more than 25

As a writer, it’s hard for me to let go of writing. Even for a little while. I’ve been writing consistently for the past five years. I always have my writing tools with me: my Freewrite electronic typewriter (If you are a writer, I highly recommend getting one!), my lap desk, my computer. Whether writing in my journal, creating short stories, essays, or my novel, I’m consumed with my writing life. The Writing Life A medical event in January forced me to pause (read my Januar

A few years ago, I abandoned the word “goals” when making a list of what I wanted to accomplish in the new year. “Goals” felt absolute – either complete your list or fail. While reviewing my accomplishments each December, I often felt like a failure because some goals weren't attained. I changed the word “goals” to “intentions.” Intentions seemed to be a more forgiving word, akin to a parent telling a child, just do your best and have fun . My first intention for 2026 was to

Our group of writers gather for breakfast at Abbots Grange, Broadway, Cotswolds, December 2025 I’d been looking for a writer’s retreat for a while. A place where I could escape to work on my novel in peace and quiet. Away from my eleven-month-old miniature poodle who nips at my socks, and barks a painfully sharp "Arf!" to retrieve his ball that's rolled under the couch (he has me trained well!). Away from my husband and friends and family and precious granddaughter. I needed