I’ve been contemplating a website makeover for a while – it’s like getting a new outfit or hair-do – it feels great and has the added bonus of being more reflective of what websites are supposed to do. Namely to let folks know who I am and get a feel for my books when they visit. My old design was …
Five Truths About Writing Competitions
I was recently honored to be a finalist for the Oklahoma Book Award. I didn’t win, but it got me to thinking about contests and writing competitions and what they all mean. By nature, I’m somewhat competitive at least in academic matters. I think that at some point early in my childhood it was obvious that I was not going …
Sweet Deal
In five weeks, Sweet Dreams, hits the streets, but it’s available now for pre-order! I’m busy setting up book signings, talks, a launch party, and some fantastic giveaways! As I anticipate the release, I have so many hopes and dreams for this book – one that has a lot of who I am in it. It’s not my story or …
Ramblings on the Writing Life
Once upon a time, I dreamed of writing a book. I’d read thousands of them, surely I could write one. My first attempt was rather feeble. The most that can be said for it was that I finished, and an editor said I had an engaging voice. It wasn’t published, but the bug had bitten and writing became an all-consuming …
Road Tripping
Sorry I’ve been absent this week. I’ll take a detention. The truth is, sometimes you just have to get away. And what better excuse than speaking to a group of writers? And then tacking on a four-day vacation. Well worth a detention and then some. The Siloam Springs Writers invited me to speak at their fall workshop a while back, …
Word Weavers and Friends
Virginia Frantz grew up during the Great Depression only a few miles from where Max’s family lived from the early fifties on. Beaver County, OK was hit hard by the depression as was much of the country, but Virginia remembers it vividly and has written about it from time to time. Recently Ken Burns interviewed and filmed Virginia for the …
America’s Future
Today I had the sublime opportunity to talk to a group of students. Yes, I knew it was launch day for Stardust, but I’d been talking to a teacher for awhile, and the students at her small central Oklahoma school would soon be dispersing for the summer, so we set a date for me to visit. What a splendid way …
My First Skype Book Club Visit
I know. I know. Skype has been around awhile. Like so many other tech-y things, it sounded intimidating. Another gadgety thing to learn. AND there was the fact that it would be MY FACE on the screen in someone else’s living room. And then . . . . my friend Sarah Sundin wrote and told me her book club in …
Book Giveaway Winners
Thank you, readers for the many comments on the posts for Alice Wisler’s A Wedding Invitation and for my “thank you” giveaway for the choice of either of my books. Ta-Da! The winner of A Wedding Invitation is Deb’s Desk. Enjoy! Cheryl Barker and Seashore Mary (love that name!) were the lucky winners of my post and have both chosen …
Thirty Days of Thanksgiving – Day 26
Day 26. The Letter Y for You, my readers! If you have read one of my books, thank you. If you have attended one of my book launches or book signings, I appreciate the time you took from your busy life to celebrate with me. If you have written a review and posted it on your blog or online, thank …