We love our love stories. We love reading about someone lonely who finds someone in a tale that usually includes the words “unbridled passion” and “setting fire to my loins.” I’ve written plenty of those tales. However, that’s old hat. Some authors are writing love stories in the midst of dire situations where very few…
Tag: books
Would you want to be traded for another job?
Trading athletes tends to be big news, especially in states that have professional sports teams. Here in Wisconsin, the world of basketball was rocked when Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokoumpo, who had spent most of his career here, was traded to the Miami Heat recently. It had seemed like Antetokoumpo would be here forever—or at…
Books hold the key to unlock the imagination
Books have been on the forefront of my mind over the last week. From selling the books I’ve written to buying books that have caught my eye, the literary side of my brain has kicked into high gear. It got me thinking of the books that I’ve read previously. I read more in my youth…
Creative spark can become a flame with the right circumstances
We all have a creative spark somewhere that inflames us and causes us to do wonderful things. Sometimes, it’s getting that perfect photograph of a raccoon clutching a tree branch in the forest. Sometimes, it’s painting that perfect image of a bowl of fruit sitting on a kitchen table. It could be sewing the most…
Pizza could save America’s reading scores
You can’t be a writer without readers. You also can’t be a writer without being a reader. I was fortunate to have a family that put a lot of stock into reading, showing it’s an important way to learn and a vital method for expanding your imagination. You could say that reading is its own…
Libraries should make it easier to access knowledge, not harder
One of my mother’s favorite brags is that I learned how to read at the age of 3½. It is one of the things that she is most proud of. The key to getting a young boy like me into reading was exposing me to books. During those days, there were few bookstores, so much…
Authors’ victories measured by leaving readers wanting more
Given the world that we live in, it’s not really a surprise that people escape into books. It’s easy enough to come up with fictional tales set in our world, but it can be even more fun to create an entirely new world and develop interesting creatures that inhabit it. Instead of putting on a…
As we welcome tomorrow, hold tight to the things from yesterday
Many folks like the idea of looking to the future and embracing new ways of doing things. New concepts, new technologies—call it what you will, but moving forward is the sign of a good civilization. However, there’s also something to be said about not forgetting the old way of doing things. I’m not talking about…
Favoritism not a factor when writing novels
Which of your books is your favorite? This question was asked of me at a recent vendor event for Fox Valley Pride. It wasn’t the first time I was asked the question, but like the other times, I didn’t have a satisfactory answer. It’s akin to asking a parent who their favorite child is. However,…
Magazine escapism old-school method in the new world
It’s a rough world out there, and people are turning away from traditional media, and in some ways, the internet. War, famine, corruption and more. You’ll occasionally find some good news along the way, but you have to ask yourself if it’s real or something crafted up by artificial intelligence. The bleakness of the world…
Sometimes you’re not the only writer in town
It’s not always easy for me to find time to sit down and read a book. I write full-time for a newspaper, and then I take quite a bit of time putting together my novels. However, I recently discovered a friend I went to school with in Chino Valley is in the same boat I…
Rural Roots and American Rainbows 