I’d like to think I’m a solid “out loud” reader. I’ve done it a lot in front of an audience, and every time I read my latest romcom, Running with Hounds…and an English Degree, people would tell me afterward I should do the audiobook. So I did.

What a humbling experience. LOL I have a ton of respect for narrators who do that for a living.

As an indie author, there’s so much more than just the writing process to take on. Since I can’t throw my work into the air and have others buy it (not that this is what traditionally published authors do, but it’s close) I have to take on a second job: marketing. And thankfully, that is an industry I’m familiar with, because I’ve worked in that field for decades now. But I’ve always edited the marketing material, rather than come up with brand new content that sizzles and sells.

So, last year, when I launched my romcom, Running with Hounds…and an English Degree, I decided to lean into the marketing side of things to try and make it as an indie author.

Tomorrow is National Author’s Day, and I give major kudos to those who write and have their work published. Writing is hard enough without knowing other people will be judging the blood, sweat and tears you left on the page. LOL You have to have enough of an ego to create something you think others will want to read, while also being incredibly vulnerable to criticism. It’s a fine line to walk and doesn’t take into account things like writer’s block, imposter syndrome, and trying to create art while processing life’s ups and downs.

There are two days coming up this week that celebrate literature: National Read a Book Day happening tomorrow and International Literacy Day on Thursday. I can’t think of a better way to enjoy these days then by (you know what I’m going to say. Insert book marketing message here for my new romcom).

If you had told me 10 years ago that I’d be living in SoCal and hiking twice a week, I would’ve laughed. I was NEVER a nature girl: I hate flying bugs, my sinuses are always acting up, and I wasn’t particularly active back then. You were more than likely to find me on the couch eating chips and catching up on shows.

Grief sounds like a simple word, but it’s a complicated progression. The definition is deep sorrow, usually from the loss of a loved one, but how that manifests in people varies. And that makes it a difficult path to navigate, both in yourself and in trying to help others.

Being a writer, one of the questions I get asked on a regular basis is, “What’s your writing process?” Whether it’s from a seasoned veteran who wants to trade stories or a new author looking for tips, my answer is the same.

This coming Saturday is National Paperback Book Day, so might I suggest buying my newest romcom, Running with Hounds…and an English Degree, to celebrate? 😊 It’s currently sold on Amazon and will soon be available through Barnes and Noble.

When texting and emojis were a new thing, I remember thinking to myself from an editor’s perspective, “Wow, social media’s going to be even MORE painful to read!” Plenty of people already struggled with spelling and grammar, and there seemed to be a growing aversion to writing in complete sentences. Now we were going to shorten things even more and turn them into pictures? What was happening to language?? My eyes started to twitch from the imagined horror.

As I get older, I’m finding trauma to be a much more common theme among my friends, at least those I’ve met as an adult. The more discussions I have with people, the more I realize how rare it is to have grown up with loving, caring parents who actually believed in me and my sisters. And for a writer, that seems to be even rarer.

Looks like I had my uterus removed just in time.

Father’s Day is always a tough one for me, having lost my dad six years ago. They say things get easier with time, but I think what they mean is different.

12 a.m. – Lie down to go to bed.

12:15 a.m. – Spring outta bed to write down answer to an annoying plot question plaguing me for days.

12:30 a.m. – Go to sleep.

7:30 a.m. – Alarm goes off for day job. Boo.

Initially for National Gun Violence Awareness Day, I was going to write about the research I did on teen mass suicide shootings for my first book. But now, there are much more important things to talk about.

When self-publishing my recent novel, Running with Hounds…and an English Degree, one of the first things I had to do was put it in a box. No, not like the whole “put it away in a box for 6 months then come back to it” deal, although I did do that during the pandemic. I mean, I had to figure out what genre to put it in for all the different places it’s available for sale.

Ever since I turned 30, I’d been telling myself, “You should lose weight.” I had gained 75 pounds in 6 years, and every doctor’s visit ended with a lecture on that very subject. But as lots of people know, it’s much easier said than done.

When I first joined Instagram and Twitter, I had no idea what I was doing, posting pictures and videos facing the wrong way and not tagging people correctly. Now, I still don’t really know all the rules, but I’m getting better at playing the game.

My relationship with my mom is very different from the relationship I had with my dad.

Now that my new romcom, Running with Hounds…and an English Degree has officially launched, I’ve been asked some questions about my writing style and sense of humor. So here are my answers. 😊

It finally happened.

My new romcom, Running with Hounds…and an English Degree, launched yesterday at a hybrid event on Zoom and at Book Carnival in Orange, CA. And what an event it was!