5 Reasons for Writers to Try Twitter Pitches
I previously posted about Twitter pitch conferences. I’m a fan. A big fan. Yesterday was #PitMad, and I jumped over to Twitter several times throughout the day, scrolling through the feed, reading assorted summaries of literary loveliness. Oh, how they lie in wait for a heart-click like… Twitter pitches are inspiring and hopeful. Calculating and…
My Latest Story…Free
Looking for a sweet, small-town summer story ?I’ve written a fun, clean romance short story called A Summer of Songs. It takes about an hour to read and was a lot of fun to write. And, oh yeah, it’s free. 🙂 About A Summer of Songs: Ex-boy-band member Brent Diggs used to top the R&B charts and sell…
Get a New Book and a Free Book
It’s not exactly a BOGO (Buy One Get One) sale, but it’s close. So, here’s my new book: A Weekend with Warren is available now on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited. Yay! This is the third book of the Love and Work series. Like my other stories, it’s got laughs, relatable characters, witty banter, a happy-ever-after…
A Weekend with Warren
I’m pleased to announce that my next book, A Weekend with Warren, will come out on December 3. Yay! This will be book three of my sweet, romantic comedy Love and Work series and will feature Bridget, an ex-beauty queen, and Warren, a.k.a. “The Top Dog of Sales.” Bridget and Warren work together at an…
Eek! CA Ants, Spiders, and Fires
Last fall, hubby and I moved to California. Though it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, change is still change. And we have to get used to everything that comes with our new surroundings. Including ants… Spiders… And fires. Eek! Apparently, ants like the end-of-summer climate around here. It’s hot. It’s dry. And…
Summer is passing so fast…
What’s happening to our summer? It’s going by so fast. It’s already late-August. Sheesh. I’m clearly not keeping up. But time has been weird during the pandemic, hasn’t it? The days can be slow yet fast. They go by in a blur or hover like a cloudy haze. Bizarre, indeed. I hope that you and…
My Achy Breaky Heart
My heart is breaking. A common feeling for many, I think. First, the pandemic hit the news. Coronavirus ravaged China. Then, Italy. I remembered the trip I took to the north several years ago to Lake Como and Milan. I recalled the breathtaking view from a scenic lookout at the top of the Duomo, and…
Writing a Book about Natural Hair
My friends and family know that there are two topics that I love to discuss: writing and hair. So it makes sense that I write a book about hair. That way, I get to incorporate my two favorite activities into one experience. The result for me? A glitter bomb mind explosion. The result for readers?…
Fun, LOL Quarantine Escape Reads
Am I the only one who’s reading funny, feel-good books to boost your mood during these crazy times? If I’m not alone, please share your favorite LOL escape reads down in the comments below. Here are a few books that I’ve been enjoying. The Overdue Life of Amy Byler This book hit the presses in…
Book Titles, House-Buying, and Pizza
Last month, I started working on my third book in the Love and Work series. The writing is coming along, but it’s been slower than I’d like. For good reason, though… We’re buying a house. Yay! The search took about four months, and we visited about sixty houses. After a certain amount of time, the…
Writing, Moving, and House-Hunting
I’ve been a busy little beaver! In December, I published my holiday romance novel, Santa Bring Me a Ryan. And now I’m working on the outline for my next book. A Weekend With Warren will be book three of the Love and Work series. Updates and a book cover image are coming next month. Meanwhile,…
Ryan Gosling for Christmas?
In my new whimsical holiday romance novel, Santa Bring Me a Ryan, Jules Carmichael asks Santa to bring her a Ryan for Christmas, as in Ryan Gosling or Ryan Reynolds. She’s single and has been unlucky in love, especially during the holidays. Jules realizes that Ryan Gosling and Ryan Reynolds are a little bit busy.…
Santa Bring Me a Ryan, Available Now
Santa Bring Me a Ryan is available now, and I’m so excited to introduce Jules Carmichael to you. She’s likable, relatable, and not about to let any Scrooge behavior come between her and her Christmas wish. Described as a “whimsical holiday romp,” Santa Bring Me a Ryan is a fun escape for the hectic holiday…
Coming Soon, Santa Bring Me a Ryan
Earlier this year, I decided to start writing something a little different. A holiday romance novel. I wanted it to be fun—a light-hearted love story with rom-com movie flair, like my novella Fake It Til She Makes It. I wondered: what will the female main character’s goal be? Maybe she’ll want something for Christmas? Ryan…
Fruit Picking and Cobbler
A couple of times a year, hubby and I like to go fruit picking. Now is the time of year when peaches are available. Last weekend, we decided to take advantage, despite the kind warning on the farm’s website. Unfortunately, a lot of the peaches had been dinged up from a previous hailstorm. We decided to…
Free RomCom Book, Launch Results
If you’re interested in a fun, funny, breezy summer/beach read, today is the last day to get Fake It Til She Makes It for free on Amazon. My debut romantic comedy novella has been trending in categories for Top 100 Free Amazon Bestsellers, and the free book promo ends today. If you’re one of my fave folks…
Looking for a Free, Fun, Funny Summer Read?
If your summer isn’t complete without a fun, easy, beach read, check out my debut romantic comedy novella, Fake It Til She Makes It. Even better—it’s free as an e-book on Amazon (and Amazon UK) now through Wednesday, July 24. Woot! You: Cool. What’s it about? You: Gimme a teaser. Nora has the opportunity to land her dream…
Fake It Til She Makes It, an Excerpt
Have you ever gone to a company weekend retreat with your ex-boyfriend and acted like you were still in a relationship? Nope. Me, neither. That’s what makes fiction so fun: we can read the what-if’s without the real-life commitment and drama. Fake It Til She Makes It, a romantic comedy novella, will be available on Amazon…
Coming Soon, Fake It Til She Makes It
Soon I’ll be introducing my debut book, Fake It Til She Makes It, a novella about 140 pages long. I like to call it a #FFFRomance: Funny, Fast-Paced, Fun Romantic Comedy. An ex-boyfriend. A fake relationship. A company weekend retreat. What can possibly go wrong? Jacob wants to make amends… Five years ago, Jacob Lancaster…
4 Things I Work On When I Start a Novel, Part 2
Last week, I blogged part one of this topic. Please check it out, if you haven’t already, because the list below piggybacks on part one. Here are four more things I work on when I start writing a novel. 1. “Stuff That Can Go Wrong” list I created this concept after banging my head over…
4 Things I Work On When I Start a Novel
As I begin writing my next book, I thought it might be cool to share how I start the process. Also, I’d love to hear what steps YOU take when you start a new manuscript. But enough about you. Back to me… With every new writing project, I’ve been fine-tuning my approach. I’ve got an…
At 15, a girl became a hit author. And I was…
Somehow I missed this crazy, out-of-the-box author news in 2010. That year, a 15-year-old named Amy Zhang became a Young Adult author sensation. I can’t even imagine. There’s no way I would’ve been doing that at age 15. When I was 15, it was 1991. I was struggling in geometry and probably still pinch-rolling my jeans.…
There’s Something To Be Said for…
I’m in between writing books. I finished one, and it’s ready for an editor’s critique. In a future post, I’ll discuss the process that I’m tweaking to start writing my next book. But for now, I’m reflecting. I’m feeling introspective. I have the Thinking Man pose. Several things come to mind. Okay, 8 things. There’s…
A Smorgasbord of Writing Ideas
“You’re a writer? Cool.” I often hear people say that to me, which is nice. Their tone is positive, encouraging. Then about one-third of them will follow up with, “I’ve got this great idea that you could turn into a book.” They all mean well, and I like to hear their ideas. Love it, in…
Got Dates? Try Banana or Apple Date Nut Muffins
Date nut bread is delicious and pretty easy to bake, but there are other fun alternatives worth trying. I made this Banana Date Nut Muffin recipe from Taste of Home, which was not too sweet and great for breakfast. I could have done with a little less oats than what the recipe called for—1/2 cup—but the outcome…
I’m Trying Meditation…Again
I’m trying out meditation. I’ve done it before, years ago, and it didn’t work so well. I’d heard that you should picture a calming environment. I closed my eyes and imagined a beach, bright blue ocean, waves lapping… How calming, how serene… But after a minute of that, my mind wandered, probably thinking about what…
Meal? Snack? Sweet Potato, Plantain, and Sausage
My husband came home with a plantain from Wegman’s. Every once in a while I like to cook them at home. Here’s the problem with that… I bake them in the oven, which means they never taste as good as they do at a Caribbean or Mexican restaurant. Healthier, yes. Tastier, no. Lesson learned, I…
8 Writer-Inspired Things To Do On Vacation
I’ve come to a realization about my vacation time. When I’m away and exploring a new place, I like to writer-geek it up. I check out sights and do things to inspire my creative-writing side. It gives a new twist on how to spend a vacation, especially when it’s hard to sit down and write…
Tabloids, Grocery Drama, and Fiction
A tabloid made me take my eye off the ball. I was standing in a long line at the grocery store, six back from the register. At least ten more shoppers were behind me. And no other checkout lane was better. A “major” storm was coming to D.C.-metro land. Weather folks had predicted a walloping.…
IDK, Am I Hip? Part Two
Last week, I wrote about #WriterAcronyms, and how important it is to understand them if you’re a writer using social media. I also joked about the word “hip”. The concept deserved its own post. So here we are… “Hip” Awareness and Lack Thereof Per Dictionary. com, one of the definitions for hip is: “familiar with or…
IDK, Am I Hip? #WriterAcronyms
A long-time friend sent a group text announcing what “IDK” means. Her pre-teen had filled her in on the acronym. IDK stands for I don’t know, she wrote. She was passing on the knowledge to us forty-somethings to keep us “hip.” The “hip” comment was the icing on the cake. I must proudly say that…
9 Things I’m Still Learning from the “Big Read” Experience
I’ve done it again—I finished a draft of my WIP (work-in-progress), printed it out, and did the Big Read. I noticed the following similarities and differences from the time I reached this point with a previous manuscript. It’s still like to see the book printed on 8 1/2″ x 11″ paper. It feels more real…
Sweet Potato and Corn Chowder
I was inspired by a can of Campbell’s Well Yes! Sweet Potato Corn Chowder to find a comparable soup that I can fresh make at home. The answer was this Sweet Potato and Corn Chowder recipe by Pinch and Swirl. It’s pretty easy to make, with good whole ingredients, like sweet potato, onion, red bell pepper, corn… …And,…
The Double Doink and Writing
“Oh, my goodness. The Bears season’s going to end on a double doink…Unbelievable.” — Chris Collinsworth, commentator of NBC’s Sunday Night Football I have to do it. I have to blog about the double doink that took place in football on January 6, and how it relates to writing. I’m a bit late to the…
Fish Stew? Really? Yes!
I have two go-to soup recipes that I like to make, this Chicken Noodle Soup and this Cheddar Broccoli Soup. Variety is nice, though. So when I stumbled on this Fish Stew recipe, I thought: Fish stew? Really? I was doubtful. But the ingredients intrigued me—things like white fish, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and parsley… Honestly, anything…
Clawing to The End of a WIP
I’ve been clawing my way to the end of a manuscript. I think this first draft is pretty decent, given how first drafts can be. It just feels like I clawed my way through at the end. Am I the only one who’s felt that way? Getting to the end is so different from the other…
The Grinch and New Year’s Resolutions for Writers
Until recently, I was the grinch or scrooge of New Year’s resolutions. I thought resolutions were cliche, hard to keep, and designed to make you feel bad when they are broken. I didn’t want to get sucked into that, so I stayed away from them. But here I am, being super-cliche, writing about New Year’s resolutions…
11 Things to Do With a DNF Writing Project
A few months ago, I learned about the term DNF, Did Not Finish, in the context of reading books. It’s when someone loses interests in a book they’re reading and never makes it to the end. Funny thing is, we writers have this DNF experience with our own writing. Don’t we? I know I’ve amassed…
Our Stories Are Like Socks…
Socks have come up a lot recently. I think it’s because the weather’s gotten cooler—and colder still. So I’m trying to up my sock game. I’ve had a couple of unsuccessful shopping trips on a quest for new socks. There are so many kinds out there. Striped, argyle, conservative, fun, boot-length, no-show, and anything in between. You…
Cranberry Apple Nut Bread and Cold-Weather Blues
I don’t like cold weather, which means I’m less than amused when late-Fall rolls around. To combat that feeling, I try to concentrate on the wonderful things that only happen during this time of year. Football. Holidays. Family Gatherings. And Autumn-inspired foods. That includes cranberries. Boy, do I love cranberries. I’ll take them dried and…
The Bachelorette Blogger, a Story, Chapter 9: The Final Chapter: Full Disclosure
Chapter 9: The Final Chapter: Full Disclosure There’s so much that Zoe needs to tell Trevor, all of the things that went through her head during the ten-mile race. But first, she starts with, “I didn’t think you were going to make the race. And if you did, I thought you’d be helping out at…
NaNoWriMo, Cheating, Losing, and Winning
National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) was an odd experience for me this year. I’ll cut to the chase and tell you that I didn’t meet the “winner” requirements. I didn’t make 50,000 words for the month. I finished at 37,154. How would one even write out that number? Thirty-seven thousand, one hundred and fifty-four? Such a…
The Bachelorette Blogger, a Story, Chapter 8: Collision
Chapter 8: Collision The ten-mile race doesn’t start for another fifteen minutes. Zoe maneuvers her way through the group of participants and spectators, glancing at the faces, hoping to see a familiar one. Trevor. “Need help?” asks a lady with a bright green volunteer shirt. Zoe responds, “I’m looking for a volunteer named Trevor Dobbs.…
The Bachelorette Blogger, a Story, Chapter 7: The Knot
Chapter 7: The Knot Zoe took care in choosing her running clothes today. She put on a baseball cap and doubled-up her shirts. Trevor is meeting her, and she wants to look more appealing than a sweat balloon. Zoe shouldn’t care what Trevor thinks, but she does. She wants him to find her attractive. And she…
6 NaNoWriMo Tips for Vacation, Thanksgiving
Do you know that “All Is Lost” moment in a novel? It usually happens at the end of Act Two.I feel like that’s where I’m at with National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo).Why? Because I went to San Diego for vacation. And my word count status for NaNoWriMo has plummeted.For me and my NaNoWriMo progress, it…
The Bachelorette Blogger, a Story, Chapter 6: Got It Bad
Chapter 6: Got It Bad So this is it. Zoe’s dating blog, The Bachelorette Blogger. It took some time for Trevor to find it. But he was determined, ever since he saw Zoe running on the trail a few days ago. Scrolling through the posts on her site, he notices that Zoe’s name isn’t anywhere. He…
Apple Picking and CrockPot Cider
Last weekend, hubby and I went apple-picking in Maryland. It was a sunshine-filled day, the air had a crisp, fall bite to it, and we were welcomed to the farm by a friendly little goat. The farm we visited grows Pink Lady apples. I’ve always thought that was a funny name, and have wondered why…
NaNoWriMo Week One, Moving Forward
Here’s how the first week of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) went for me, a short recap in a few sentences and pictures. On the first day of NaNoWriMo, things started off great. I completed more than 300 words over the recommended daily word count. Days two and three weren’t as promising. I completed slightly…
The Bachelorette Blogger, a Story, Chapter 5: I Run. Sometimes.
Chapter 5: I Run. Sometimes. Zoe loves jogging on the trail. Not only does she exercise, she thinks about all kinds of stuff, including her blog. And if she’s thinking about her blog, there’s probably a date or a guy that’s on her mind, too. And today, that guy is Trevor. She’s thought about him every…
NaNoWriMo, Day One…Again
It’s November 1, the first day of National Novel Writing Month, a.k.a. NaNoWriMo, a.k.a., NaNo. Still don’t know what it is? Here’s the skinny. Starting November 1, “participants begin working towards the goal of writing a 50,000-word novel by 11:59 PM on November 30.” — National Novel Writing Month So I signed up. I’m one…
Rene Penn 