• An Author's Life,  Uncategorized

    Young Adult Books and The Not-So-Young Adults Who Love Them

    I often find myself in a bookstore these days. Perhaps it’s a necessary evil for my profession. Maybe I simply call it market research to see what’s out there and what’s hot. Or it could be that I tell myself I’m just browsing to get inspired. But most likely it’s just because I love books. But if there’s one thing I’ve noticed as I peruse the aisles, it’s the influx of New Adult, or NA, books on the shelves. Their stories involve college age characters that will usually incorporate “hotter” story lines, allowing the writer to pursue topics or sexual situations that may be considered inappropriate for younger characters. There’s clearly a market for…

  • Daily Life,  Humor

    An Open Letter to my Niece as she Starts College

    My dearest niece, Today is you birthday, and you are headed off to the hallowed halls of higher education. You thought being a freshman in high school was rough? Well, pull up your big girl panties and get ready for the ride of your life. College is a whole new world filled with fun, stress, and changes that will forever shape your future. Since I’m the queen of unsolicited advice when it comes to you and my daughters, I thought…”Why not offer up some useful advice about how to get through college without screwing it up?” So…here it goes. 1) College isn’t for everybody. But you decided to further your…

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