First Cup of Coffee – September 2, 2024

The role of luck/serendipity in publishing success, how it’s not who you know, but how you can know people. Also, the problems at NaNoWriMo, and why I believe being a writer and the process of writing is more important than having generated a book.



First Cup of Coffee – August 30, 2024

My mojo is back and my mother is doing well! Other than reports on that – and progress on A ROSE IN THE MIRROR – I’m talking about first names and surnames, feminism, women supporting women (or not), and Kamala Harris.



First Cup of Coffee – August 26, 2024

My wonderful weekend at Bubonicon and exciting news about next year’s con. Also, thoughts on more experienced authors giving advice to newbies, how to be honest without stomping on their dreams, and a story of my own newbie dream-crushing.



First Cup of Coffee – August 23, 2024

My great news/bad news week, why I didn’t podcast Monday, my mom’s health crisis and my writing productivity in the face of it anyway. Also, keeping good relationships in the publishing business.



First Cup of Coffee – August 13, 2024

Why we, as adult creatives, must learn to overcome the well-meaning lessons we were taught as children – like recognizing daydreaming as a feature, not a bug. Also, practical approaches to self-care, nurturing our creative selves, and what happened to me yesterday.



First Cup of Coffee – August 9, 2024

Recent revelations on ghostwriting, using metrics for good, rain gauges, gardening, JD Vance’s memoir, the real meaning of “bemused” and whether everyone has one great novel or flower arrangement in them.



First Cup of Coffee – August 5, 2024

How traditional publishing deadlines work – and how I’m balancing one of mine with a self-published project. Also, homonyms and how you really need a human being to catch those errors for you.



First Cup of Coffee – August 2, 2024

Envy and jealousy, especially professional jealousy and how to combat them. I’m talking negative emotions in general and offering my two go-to tips for how to diffuse professional jealousy in myself and make it a positive.



First Cup of Coffee – July 29, 2024

A peek at my “map scrap” for NEVER THE ROSES, updates on ARCs, and endorsement quotes as another new-to-me term. Also, not taking other people so seriously and the internet as a weapon against loneliness.