In my last blog, I told you why Halloween is my least favorite holiday. But every holiday has some redeeming quality so now I’ll tell you what I like about it. Let’s start with ghost stories. Eons ago I was a member of the San Juan Capistrano Historical Society’s walking tour guides. For those of … Read more

My kids loved Halloween. I hated it. Nights were usually cold, sometimes rainy. The kids wanted to start early and finish late. Instead of a cute plastic pumpkin for their candy, they took pillowcases—more room for their haul. Candy—in many shapes and forms—were strewn on the floor afterward while they picked out the “good stuff.” … Read more

I didn’t write a blog last week. I’m currently living in Las Vegas and last Monday was a day full of distractions, a day most of us won’t forget. I boarded a plane at 8:15 in the morning, heading to San Francisco and then on to Sonoma. “It’s going to be a full flight,” said … Read more

We all have them. From momentary interruptions to full-on changes of focus. Distractions are time killers and stress producers. But what can we do about them? Writers, especially those who have small children or needy pets, find themselves struggling to keep their train of thought when they stop to take care of a problem or … Read more

Every morning I roll out of bed, wander into the living room, turn on the lights (I get up when it’s still dark), and scan the walls for spiders. Have I seen even one spider since we moved to Las Vegas last January? No. It’s a habit—long ingrained—because I don’t want any nasty surprises. Habits … Read more