I am one of those people who have the good fortune to live in a world that is true to my purpose. When I’m not writing stories, I am a school librarian. I’ll let that sink in. My day revolves around sharing the love of reading. And I mean the love of reading. I remember the first time I asserted this. The first time kids met me, they challenged me. Yes, challenged. One approached me with a well-known title and said, “I’ve read this. I challenge you to find a book I like.” The poor child didn’t realize she had given away her hand. She already loved reading. So, I placed another well-written st ..read more

This blog should appear either late on International Women’s Day or early the next morning. That’s okay because celebrations should last longer than the day assigned to them.  And with that in mind I share a couple of stories and some thoughts on International Women’s Day and Women’s Month.  Earlier this week, I had a class of girls in the library. The lesson was about recognition of women’s accomplishments. I told them how, within my lifetime, things taken for granted today weren’t a possibility when I was their age. Mouths dropped, eyes popped wide, and gasps filled the air when I ..read more

In the world of fiction, there are characters who, like beacons, shine a light on the power of uplifting words. They remind us that the right voices can indeed transform cages into open skies. Here’s a list of such characters that come to life on the pages of some of my favorite books, embodying the essence of inspiration and encouragement: Elizabeth Bennet from “Pride and Prejudice” – Her sharp wit and refusal to bow to societal pressures make her an inspiring figure, as she looks beyond class and fortune to find true love. (This is a story I reread every couple of years) Nora from Emma St ..read more

Hello, reader friends, Nature gifted us with a four-day weekend. The thing about this gift is it was unexpected. Last Monday, we were planning for a hectic weekend. Friday was a five-hour basketball event, followed by most of us going on the road for more extracurricular activities.  This had been a warm winter, and our plans, while tiring, were within reason.  Then the forecast changed on Tuesday. A cold front was coming through.  Then those tiring plans turned into a daunting cloud promising drives that would have us clinging to seatbelts, wearing layers, and packing extra cl ..read more

Happy First Week I thought I’d start the year with a story that hopefully will inspire you. So here we go. As a Christmas present to ourselves, Randy and I took a grand adventure that ended with visiting our children and grandchildren. It was days of sunshine, spending time at the park or around a fire, and passing along my favorite gifts … books. My smile was almost as wide as the one drawn on the cover when I delivered the Happiness Advantage by Shawn Anchor to every family member. Because, ultimately, that is what I want for our kids. Regardless of where they are in their journey, they gro ..read more

Dear Reader Friends, As the holiday season twinkles upon us, I know many of you are on the lookout for the perfect gifts for your book-loving friends and family (or perhaps a little treat for yourself!). To make your holiday shopping a breeze, I’ve put together a special gift guide filled with delightful and thoughtful ideas for any bibliophile. So grab a cup of your favorite winter beverage, and let’s dive into the world of literary gifting! 1. Custom Bookmarks For the friend who’s always reading, a custom bookmark is both a thoughtful and practical gift. Whether it’s leather, metal, or hand ..read more

Good morning, Reader Crawling out of bed in the dark, dark, early morning can be a challenge. It’s that way every January, but I have a plan. While everyone else is buying the low cal, reduced sugar foods, I pívot. I buy my favorite creamer. This year’s flavor is sweet cream. It has a scoop of ice cream on the label. Then, I either bake or buy cookies from the bakery section. My husband has a philosophy that I usually laugh at, but embrace in January. He says if it has oatmeal in it, it’s halfway there to being a protein bar. Once, I’m out of bed, I’m good. Then I read. In the morning, I read ..read more

People have different traditions on the first day of the year. It’s the day I like to sit down and thank the previous year for all the blessings. There are the big ones: family, my home, the ability to breathe air (I’m asthmatic, so breathing is a big deal to me).  Then there are the specific things that couldn’t be attributed to any other year. Here are just a few.  It had been five long years since I’d seen my sister, Judy. She lives on the east coast. I live in the far-far north. Add a lockdown and work limitations and five years zoomed by quickly.  2022 was the year I hugge ..read more

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Dear Reader Friends, All of us have different personalities, depending on the setting. On my visual socials, I present as the relatable aunt. The one who knows things but will never tell you how she figured it out. So, I have tea related to the book I’m reading, but can’t share on my Instagram or Facebook because the book has spice. (I write sweet romance, so anything beyond banana pepper seasoning catches my attention.) And the spice was a plot twist, so I had to pay attention. This plot twist was so sudden, I argued a loudly with the audiobook, while it was happening. My poor husband wanted ..read more