My Blog

Happy Pi Day! And a Note on Science Writing

It's Pi Day! Which is a big day where I work. People get so excited about it, it's almost a holiday! It would be more of a holiday if they gave us the day off, but at least they feed us... As a professional engineer and lover of all things math, science, and...

Why It’s Time to Label Yourself

As a writer, it's important to label yourself. I don't mean pigeonholing yourself into a single genre or committing to a pen name for the rest of your life—I mean labeling yourself a writer. Or an author. Or, if you're in the early stages of your writing career (like...

My Year in Books: Fairy Tale February

I didn't read as much this month, because I was busy with, well, life. My mother visited the last week of February, so I spent most of that time shopping, walking the dog, watching movies, and working on craft projects with her. Also, the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics....

Why You Should Be a Quitter

For many people, the first months of the year are a burst of energy as we set goals, make plans, and chase dreams with renewed vigor. But it's also a great time to quit. Quit toxic people and relationships. Quit the toxic mindsets and bad habits holding you back. Quit...

For the Love of Writers

Yesterday I received a message from a writing friend, telling me she’d read one of my publications. She didn’t just read it—that would’ve been encouragement enough—she enjoyed it, and she told me in detail what she loved about it. My little writerly heart nearly burst...

The Perfect Game for Writers

For Christmas this year, Andrew gave me Once Upon a Time: The Storytelling Card Game. It’s exactly as described: a game, involving cards, where you tell stories. It’s simple and easy to learn, and each game only takes about half an hour. Once Upon a Time is based in...