Serial and Milk(ing it)

Writers love playing the “what-if?” game. It’s how we get our best ideas. Many years ago, I read a series of articles in The Oregonian about the growing problem of eco-terrorism in the western states. One line in particular grabbed me: the reporter wrote, “It’s a miracle nobody has been killed.” So, I thought, what … Continue reading Serial and Milk(ing it)

2020 Visions

I've been reading posts about NaNoWriMo the last couple of days, and they have brought back memories. Back in 2016, I participated in National Novel Writing Month for the first (and only) time in my life. It was a heady experience. By "heady," I mean, tough as hell. 50,000 words in 30 days is no … Continue reading 2020 Visions

The End

Quite unexpectedly, I finished my novel this afternoon. I still don't think it's sunk in yet. As you may recall, I began writing "Dream Sailors" four years ago. Soon after moving in, Tara suggested we set aside time every Sunday to write. She has long been supportive of my writing - was, in fact, the … Continue reading The End

The “S” Word

Tara and I drove into Portland yesterday to pick up a few things (an $11.45 bag of Jacobsen sea salt, a bottle of Wild Roots Marionberry infused vodka, a package of smoked steelhead trout - god, we’re weird). While on Sandy Blvd. we drove past a huge vintage store we had never seen before and … Continue reading The “S” Word

NNWM/30: Final Words

Happy last day of November! If you participated in NaNoWriMo, I hope you hit your word goal. I, for one, am glad it's over. NaNoWriMo was harder than I imagined it would be. 50,000 words in a month is tough. I did the math before signing up and figured 1,667 words a day - the … Continue reading NNWM/30: Final Words

NNWM/29: Turning 24 Into 10

When I got to work this morning, I told my coworkers how happy I was to be back in the office. They assumed I was joking, but I was deadly serious. I feel like I've been cooped up for days. Probably because I've been cooped up for days. Vacation felt like work, so in this … Continue reading NNWM/29: Turning 24 Into 10

NNWM/28: 50,000

I have a new favorite word in my vocabulary. That word is several. It's a simple word, really. Merriam-Webster defines it as "an indefinite number; more than two and fewer than many." I like it for another reason: it is the 50,000th word in my novel, Dream Sailors. Which means I have successfully completed my first-ever NaNoWriMo! … Continue reading NNWM/28: 50,000

NNWM/27: A Lot Like Christmas

I woke up this morning dismayed that the long holiday weekend was already coming to an end. It's amazing how quickly the days fly by, huh? But I'm not ready to go back to work just yet, so I texted my boss and asked if I could take a last-minute PTO day on Monday. He gave … Continue reading NNWM/27: A Lot Like Christmas

NNWM/26: Inception-ish

When I've talked about the plot of my new novel, a lot of people say, "Oh - like Inception!" And while both stories center around dreaming, that's the only real common ground they share. But enough folks made the comparison that I began to worry. I saw Inception when it came out a few years ago, … Continue reading NNWM/26: Inception-ish

NNWM/25: Rabbit Hole

Originally we'd hoped to take advantage of the long holiday weekend and embark upon a mini getaway today, possibly to check out the Painted Hills of Oregon before holing up in Pendleton or The Dalles overnight, but poor weather and a lack of daylight made us reconsider those plans. The rain we could probably deal with, … Continue reading NNWM/25: Rabbit Hole