April 22, 2020

Little did I realize when I wrote a blog post in April 2019 that it would be a whole year before I wrote another one. There is a certain amount of defeat in that realization, since I’d been pretty regular about checking in, sharing books I’d written or read by other authors whose work I

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January 11, 2019

There are some writers who bring so much to the table besides good storytelling. You know instinctively they’ve come about their unique perspective the hard way, whether through their own challenging times or through observing the suffering of others. I’m not saying you have to suffer for the sake of writing, but seeing a larger

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December 4, 2018

I’ve had several creative outlets over the years that allowed me to envision something that didn’t exist and create it. I painted, sewed, made ceramics pieces and mosaic furniture. Writing was something I never gave a thought to because all the wonderful books I had read convinced me that was a talent I didn’t possess.

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November 13, 2018

It takes confidence as a writer to create irritatingly flawed protagonists whom the reader ultimately roots for. Author Catharine Riggs manages to achieve this feat in her debut novel, “What She Gave Away”. Not only does she walk that tricky path, she slyly coaxes the reader to empathize with the frighteningly conniving Crystal Love and

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October 17, 2018

Learning about the past while indulging in my favorite pastime—reading—doubles my pleasure. Good historical novels have now become a predominant presence on my Kindle. “The Innocents”, the first book in a new detective-mystery series by author C.A. Asbrey is a superb example of getting first-rate entertainment while getting an accurate glimpse of life in the

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September 3, 2018

Daniel Beckett is an appreciator of women, and not just in a carnal sense, but in every aspect. Whereas the women in “Femme Fatale” are mostly coveted for their physical attributes, Mr. Beckett’s interest in them is genuine and all-encompassing. It may rightfully be said that he’s never met a woman he didn’t find something

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July 13, 2018

The idea for Golden State came to me quite out of the blue while taking a walk with friends on New Year’s Eve 2007. It had been a year since I’d received the correct diagnosis for what had been torturing me from within for nine years. Reflecting back on a time that is happily in

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July 5, 2018

I had read a few books dealing with Alzheimer’s before I started “Blue Hydrangeas” by Marianne Sciucco. The difference was they were true-life accounts of dealing with the disease, though Marianne’s tale is every bit as believable and moving. It’s a story that allows us readers to witness the heartbreak of the diagnosis along with

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June 21, 2018

The fun thing about being an author is not knowing when or where inspiration will strike. For anyone who’s decided they wanted to write a book and gone as far as sitting in front of their computer with absolutely no idea what to say, I’m sure you can appreciate the caprices of creativity. It likes

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