Today is the National Day on Writing, and the annual #WhyIWrite celebration has me thinking about how I ended up becoming an author. The funny thing is, I didn’t grow up wanting to be a writer.
Why I Write: Celebrating National Day on Writing
The Journey
In the Cauldron: Secrets, Second Chances, and a Little Supernatural Mischief.
Y’all, is there a better month than October to be suspicious perfectly ordinary appearing items?
Take your cabinet door for instance. The rest of the year, it probably leads to dishes, spices, towels, or something equally ordinary. In October, I’m willing to entertain a haunted passage, a hidden room, or a woman on the other side who knows considerably more than she’s telling.
Preferably all three. I do like a story that gets its money’s worth.
Welcome to In the Cauldron, a peek at the ideas bubbling around my writing life. This month, the ingredients include secrets, second chances, and the sort of supernatural trouble that refuses to wait until everyone has finished their wine.
[Read more…] about In the Cauldron: Secrets, Second Chances, and a Little Supernatural Mischief.Five Reasons Sunny Days and Cozy Mysteries are the Perfect Pairing
Hey Y’all!
Greetings from Texas! It’s one of those beautiful days that makes you want to grab a book, pour a glass of wine, and soak up the sunshine. But as much as I’d love to be outdoors, I couldn’t resist taking a moment to share why cozy mysteries are the ultimate companion for a sunny day.
Finding Adventure in Everyday Life: Embrace the Extraordinary
Adventure doesn’t always require a passport, a packed suitcase, or a grand plan. Sometimes, the most meaningful adventures happen in the quiet moments when we choose to step outside of our routines and seek something a little less ordinary.
Currently, I’m living in East Texas and won’t be able to travel very much in the foreseeable future. I was worried that I was going to miss out on adventure, so I asked my favorite ChatGPT guru (that’s you, Sunny Sage!) to make some suggestions for finding adventure in daily life. I was shocked and pleasantly surprised with the list it gave me and wanted to share it with my readers. Whether you’re grounded in one place by circumstance or just looking for ways to inject more excitement into your life, adventure is always within reach. Here’s how to live your best life, choose adventure, and find joy in the everyday.
1. Explore Through Taste
Food has the power to transport us across the world without leaving our kitchens. Each week, try cooking dishes from different countries or regions. Pair your culinary creations with a wine or cheese from the same area to create a full sensory experience. You can even start small: pick up a snack or drink you’ve never tried while grocery shopping. Each bite or sip can be its own tiny adventure.
[Read more…] about Finding Adventure in Everyday Life: Embrace the ExtraordinaryFrom Saint to Sinner – The Evolution of Saint Patrick’s Day
Ah, Saint Patrick’s Day, the one day a year when everyone pretends to be Irish and wears more green than a leprechaun at a salad bar. It’s a day filled with parades, parties, and more green beer than you can shake a shillelagh at.
But how did this holy day dedicated to Saint Patrick himself turn into a celebration of all things mischievous and merrymaking? Let’s take a little trip back in time and explore the evolution of Saint Patrick’s Day from saintly to sinfully delightful.
The Saintly Start
Once upon a time, in a land far, far away (okay, maybe just Ireland), there lived a man named Patrick. Legend has it that he drove all the snakes out of Ireland, which, given the number of Irish pubs I’ve been to, must have been quite the challenge. Legend also has it that he is responsible for the werewolves on the Emerald Isle, too, but that is another blog post entirely. Anyway, Patrick was canonized and became the patron saint of Ireland, and the Irish wanted to celebrate his feast day in a big way.
Green and Serene
The early celebrations of Saint Patrick’s Day were a bit more subdued. People attended church, wore a sprig of shamrock to honor the Holy Trinity, and maybe had a quiet pint or two. It was all very proper and saintly – until someone had the brilliant idea to add more than a sprout of green to the mix.
The Green Invasion
At some point in history, the color green took over Saint Patrick’s Day like a leprechaun on a sugar high. Suddenly, it wasn’t just about wearing a bit of shamrock; it was about looking like a walking, talking lawn. Green clothes, green accessories, green rivers – if you could dream it, you could turn it green. Saint Patrick’s Day became a vibrant celebration of all things emerald, with a side of leprechaun chic.
The Mischievous Turn
As the green craze took hold, so did the mischievous spirit of the leprechaun. What started as a holy day to honor a saint turned into a day of lighthearted pranks, shenanigans, and violent pinching. People started donning leprechaun hats, searching for pots of gold (usually filled with chocolate coins), and reveling in a bit of harmless mischief.
Liquid Rainbows
Of course, no evolution of Saint Patrick’s Day would be complete without mentioning the pot of liquid gold at the end of the rainbow – green beer. Somehow, someone decided that dyeing beer an unnatural shade of green was the perfect way to celebrate the occasion. And you know what? It caught on. Bars and pubs around the world now serve green pints on Saint Patrick’s Day, and we all pretend that it’s totally normal to drink something that looks like it belongs in a science experiment.
The Modern Sinner
Fast forward to today, and Saint Patrick’s Day has transformed into a lively, colorful, and slightly irreverent celebration. It’s a day to embrace your inner leprechaun, don ridiculous green attire, and join the revelry. From parades and parties to green-drenched cities and pubs filled with laughter, Saint Patrick’s Day has come a long way from its saintly roots.
So, whether you’re sipping on green beer, searching for that elusive pot of gold, or simply enjoying the festivities, just remember that Saint Patrick’s Day has evolved from saint to sinner in the most delightful way possible.
Sláinte, Y’all!
New Year, New Adventures: Setting Writing Goals and Sticking to Them
Ah, the start of a new year—a time for fresh beginnings, renewed motivation, and a stack of untouched notebooks that I promised myself I’d fill with profound thoughts. Yes, it’s that time when I dust off my keyboard, sharpen my pencils (metaphorically, of course, who uses pencils anymore?), and set writing goals that I swear I’ll stick to this year.
Goal #1: Write Every Day
As the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve, I proudly declare, “This year, I will write every single day, no excuses!” Fast forward to January 2nd, and I’ll find myself binge-watching dog videos on YouTube, convinced that I’ll find inspiration in the way Rover destroys a squeaky ball.
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