IWSG: A Season of Gentle Focus, Poetry, and Looking Back
Today feels like a hinge moment—a turning, not away from creativity, but toward a more sustainable way of holding it. […]
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Happy New Year to Readers, Poetry Lovers, and Podcast Listeners
Happy New Year, readers! 🎉 To kick off 2026 with some fresh reading opportunities, I’m excited to share three special
Creative Pathways: Stories, Poems, and Finding Your Voice
Creative Pathways: Stories, Poems, and Finding Your Voice Creativity rarely travels in a straight line. Sometimes it arrives through a
Podcast Notes: Five Voices for Writers
Podcast Show Brief Notes – The Truth About Storytelling Writing often happens alone, but the journey of learning how to
The Symbolism of Swords in The Dark Blade Trilogy
People often ask why I write about swords so often — why my characters train with them, fight with them, make life-changing decisions with them in hand.
For me, swords aren’t just weapons.
They’re symbols.
They represent truth, clarity, discipline, justice, and the constant tension between light and darkness.
The Impact of Real Places on Fiction Writing
I’ve lived my whole life in Washington State, which gives me a long-rooted sense of home. But when I write, my worlds aren’t usually PNW transplants. Instead, they become mosaics of the places I’ve visited, walked through, researched, or imagined deeply.
Faith vs. Fear: How Journaling Restores Your Creativity
Every writer has that moment — the midnight jolt awake, the fear that whispers something untrue and outsized. If you’ve had a “midnight creativity crisis,” you’re not alone. The next time that fear appears, take a moment and pray, then check your own pages.
Writing Prompts: Explore Senses in Character Development
Based on the interview I did with Sean McLachlan on Archeology and Authorship, I have a sensory writing prompt to share.
Imagine you (or your character) are walking down a busy street. Use all your (your character’s) senses: sight, sound, smell, touch, taste for a sense of place.
Thankfulness for Writers and Podcasters
My podcast today is an eclectic episode of thanksgiving and a recap episode, inviting listeners to the interview with Sean
Exploring Storytelling Through Travel and History
From Archeology to Authorship with Sean McLachlan On this week’s episode of The Truth About Storytelling, Sean McLachlan and I