On Tuesday, May 10th, the IPPY Awards went down in Chicago at the Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower). My husband, Wen, and I flew out on Mother's Day and spent three awesome nights enjoying beer, food, and models hired to hand out medals (see photo on right). We met a cool couple celebrating their anniversary on the beer tour (see below), a sweet couple (who were also in town for the awards) at a trendy restaurant - Girl & The Goat (see below) where Wen actually ate pig

Success Does Not (Necessarily) Mean Sales My book has not been selling well. It sits on Amazon, Smashwords, IngramSpark, and many other databases ready to be printed and mailed or downloaded. I have zero desire to promote it via book signings and hitting the pavement, trying to chat up book store managers (not that either of those strategies are bad or that I won't do them at some point). And, yet, I feel incredibly proud of my baby winning both a Silver IPPY and Finalist in

I'm honored to announce that The Strangeness of Men, my debut collection of short stories and prose poetry, was awarded Finalist in the USA Best Book Awards from USA Book News. In each category they choose one overall winner and then finalists. The short story category's winner already had 9 books previously published with presses and all the other finalists were from established presses. This makes me extremely proud that The Strangeness can hold its own in such a renowned g

1. In The Strangeness of Men there are many different characters. Stories are told from elderly men, teenage girls, and everyone in between. Could you identify with any of the characters? Did you find yourself identifying with a character completely different than yourself in sex and age? Why or why not? 2. Many of the stories focus on issues connected to women and their lives in a modern life of balancing work and family while dealing with engrained social injustices

Ever wanted to write fiction? Interested in how stories are born? Come hear me speak this Thursday at Twin Hickory branch library - 5001 Twin Hickory Rd, Glen Allen. Save me from talking to the walls and a homeless guy that's just there for the coffee (I'm joking - there won't be any coffee). I will also give this presentation the following Thursday, August 20 at 7 pm at the Dumbarton Branch at 6800 Staples Mill Rd, Henrico. #mywritingprocess #writing #writingprompt #writinge

Put down that taco. Call your grandma back. (I really hope I'm tlaking to three different people here...). It's RELEASE DAY for The Strangeness of Men! What are you waiting for? Go buy it now from Amazon or other retailers. Now! Go! I mean it. Step away from the taco. #flashfiction #shortstory #TheStrangenessofMen #prosepoetry #goals