November is for Writing

November is for writing and it is not too late to start. Maybe you’ve never thought of yourself as a writer. But you have been thinking about giving writing a try. Here’s the good news. You do not need a college degree to be a writer and author. What you do need is to write. … Read more

Destination Procrastination

You have ideas for stories, but when you open a document to write, you stare helplessly at a blank page. Every time you try to write, you end up spending your time doing anything, but writing. I call it Destination Procrastination. All authors have been there. It is not a preferred destination, but there are … Read more

A Day in the Life

Friends, family and even strangers often ask me what is your day like? What does a day in the life of an author look like? It is nothing like you imagine. Most authors do not sit tirelessly at their computers writing. Writing is only one part of an author’s job. There are so many other … Read more

A Beautiful Collaboration

We often get asked why we wrote Two Wins for Wiley. It was a beautiful collaboration with my daughter Caitlin. Caitlin is an acupuncturist and is the guest author of this blog post. In most cases, a children’s book is written by one author. If the author is fortunate enough to find a publisher, the … Read more

The Sticky Note Approach

It’s a new year and I decided to try a new approach; the sticky note approach to writing a picture book. I have long admired those writers who use sticky notes and while I am a notebook type of writer. I am trying something new and different. One of the most important elements of writing … Read more

Wrapping Up Children’s Books

Wrapping up children’s books for the holidays can be lots of fun. With some creativity you can add a personal touch to your gift book. From designing your own gift wrap to adding memorable trinkets, a book can be transformed into a much loved gift. Check out some of my favorite ideas. Wrap with Goodies … Read more

I Love to Write Day

November 15th is I Love to Write Day. It is a day for people of all ages spend time writing. You can write a poem, a love letter, a greeting card, an essay, a short story, start a novel, finish a novel … the possibilities are endless. John Riddle, started I Love to Write Day … Read more