March 1, 2024

Marking Vernal Equinox by Celebrating Balance

When trying to figure out what my March theme should be, I pulled out my calendar and pondered over the events of the month. St. Patrick’s Day is fun, but I don’t have Irish heritage and typically forget even to wear green to commemorate the occasion. Easter is in March this year, but I didn’t want to focus on any religious themes and already did the whole “new beginnings” topic for the New Year. Ultimately, vernal equinox caught my eye, and I decided that I have a lot to say about balance to help celebrate the first day of spring, which is split exactly in half between daylight and nighttime.

But First, A Rant on Social Media

But before I get into the discussion of Balance, I have to disclose something that happened in February that has been a huge weight on me: my Facebook account got hacked. There is something incredibly violating about someone getting into my personal social media and using it as a vehicle to scam my friends and family out of money. After a little over a week and with the help of Meta’s customer support, I was able to regain access to my account and get the hackers locked out. Although I’m relieved the whole ordeal is over, this has shaken my confidence in social media.

Authors are told both by publishers and other successful authors that a healthy social media presence is critical to our success and a key aspect of book marketing. In my experience, this is just not the case. Although I’ve had a few fans message me on Instagram to share that they just received their copy of my newest novel, people don’t buy books they see on Twitter Posts. I’ve never gotten a handle on Facebook ads. The most successful marketing tactic I’ve found has been my Amazon ads for my puzzle book series. In fact, my puzzle books sell really well despite my not mentioning them much on social media.

I view social media as a way to stay connected with people I’ve met and those who enjoy my books. Doing monthly themes has been a fun way to explore ideas and share tidbits I’ve been thinking about. My main method of connecting with people, though, has always been this website. When I have big announcements, I put them here on this feed and then simply post a link on social media, directing people to this site. This is kind of my personal corner of the web, and I appreciate you venturing over here to hang out.

Onto the March Theme: Balance

I’m focusing on two main aspects of balance this month. First is work-life balance for writers and creatives. I’ll share tips through the month of things I do to make sure I’m fueling my creativity but also making sure I’m not spending every waking moment on work. Second, I’m shining a light on balancing different elements of a story in order to make your work more enjoyable for readers.

Going along with the balance theme, I’ll be sharing mazes that feature strong symmetry. And to help celebrate the beginning of Spring, I’ll be sharing fun media all set in the springtime or with spring themes.

Follow me on social media if you haven’t already. I’ve changed the names on my X and Instagram accounts, so check them out here:

And if you don’t follow me on either of these, make sure to sign up for my newsletter so you don’t miss out on anything!

Have a wonderful March, and I’ll see you here again soon.

February 12, 2024

Launching a New Adventure: The Starship Blunder Shared Universe Project

I'm thrilled to announce a brand-new project I’ve been working on this year: the Starship Blunder Shared Universe! This anthology will be more than a collection of stories; it's the beginning of an entire universe waiting to be explored and expanded. I want to invite you all to be a part of this creative journey with me!

What is Starship Blunder?

The spacecraft Starship Blunder travels through the cosmos, manned by a crew of misfits and adventurers. The universe brims with humor, heart, and the endless possibilities of space. The bumbling crew do their best with the old, patched-up ship, but mishaps and hilarity crop up at every turn.

I’ve set up a website for this shared universe at starshipblunder.xyz. Read all the info on the site to learn more about the universe of Starship Blunder and get acquainted with her crew.

Open for Submissions

If you feel inspired by the world I’ve created, I would love to read your stories! Whether you're an established writer or someone who's just starting out, your voice matters in this cosmos. Craft your tale set aboard the Starship Blunder, on distant planets, or amidst the stars.

For detailed submission guidelines, including themes, payment, and deadlines, visit the Starship Blunder website.

Join the Journey

This is more than a call for submissions; it's an invitation to a community of creators. By contributing to the Starship Blunder universe, you'll be part of a collaborative storytelling adventure, with your work published alongside others in this unique shared universe.

So, grab your writing tools and join me on this interstellar voyage. Let's fill the Starship Blunder universe with stories as boundless and brilliant as the stars themselves!

Thank you, everyone, for joining me on this journey!


February 1, 2024

February's Theme: Love's Labyrinth

I don’t ever get overly romantic and sappy, but I’m willing to make an exception for Valentine’s Day. So for February, I wanted to embrace everything romantic with the theme: “Love’s Labyrinth: A Month of Romance and Puzzles”! This month, I’m going to explore the many facets of love, not just through the lens of romance, but also through more fun mazes and science-fiction stories. To get all the goodies I’ll be sharing this month, you can either sign up for my newsletter or follow me on Instagram, Facebook, or X.

Although I write primarily science-fiction and thrillers, that doesn’t mean I’m afraid of adding a dash of love and romance to my books. Throughout the month, I'll be featuring some of my favorite scenes about love that I've written.  I've included a couple kisses and professions of love that I think you'll enjoy!

There are also tons of great Sci-Fi movies that beautifully blend futuristic vistas with the timeless theme of love. Join me on Fridays to rewatch some classics, along with a few unexpected choices that show how love can transcend time, space, and reality.

I've had so much fun crafting weekly mazes the past couple of months, that I’ve decided to keep it going.  To keep with the love theme, this month’s mazes include a few hearts and a saccharine-sweet kiss. Let me know if you’re enjoying the mazesand if you think they’re too easy or too hard.

I’ll also keep posting my weekly writing tips. Each tip this month will focus on writing romance and relationships, including the often-overlooked platonic and familial bonds.

February is a great time to celebrate love in all its forms. So, whether you’re a hardcore romantic, a puzzle enthusiast, or a sci-fi aficionado, there’s something here for everyone. Join me this month as we dive into “Love’s Labyrinth”!

January 30, 2024

Book Review: The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno Garcia

I saw this book at my local bookstore and loved the cover with all the vibrant colors. After purchasing it, it sat in my office for a while before I finally picked it up and started reading it. Only a few pages in, I broke down and purchased the Kindle version. As much as I love and want to enjoy print books, the printing on my copy was particularly light, and I had a hard time deciphering the thin little letters. So I read the majority of this book in my comforting fat font with large text on my backlit Kindle, which didn’t require me to turn on a lamp and wake my husband when I wanted to read at 4 am.

I know this is supposed to be a book review and not an ad for the Kindle Paperwhite, and I’ll get to that, but first, I need to complain about a specific feature on Kindle called “Word Wise.” Whenever I get to a word I don’t recognize, I can poke it, and the Kindle will bring up the definition, Wikipedia entry, or character profile, depending on the word. The Daughter of Doctor Moreau had enough Spanish words and ancient Mayan terms that I often used the feature. After a few definitions, my Kindle asked if I wanted to turn on the Word Wise feature, which would automatically define challenging words for “young readers and new English speakers.” Needless to say, I was quite upset with my electronic book device for the clear slight on my intelligence.

I’m a writer, damnit! I know words!

All right, onto the review:

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau reimagines H.G. Well’s The Island of Doctor Moreau set in 19th-century Mexico. I adored the setting for this story and all the fun historical details. They added a lot of beautiful texture to behind a reasonably engaging story.

Carlota Moreau is Doctor Moreau’s daughter and only child. They live on an isolated estate where the Doctor can conduct his research in secret. He creates animal-human hybrids which serve as workers on the farm. Outside of the estate, everyone believes the Doctor runs a sanatorium.

Montgomery oversees the estate, and the story is told from both his and Carlota’s perspective. He has a troubled past, which he escapes by working at the isolated estate, and he slowly develops feelings for the doctor’s daughter.

The pacing of this book is slower than I’m accustomed to, so I feel like the story doesn’t cover a lot of ground, but I really enjoyed reading it. Moreno-Garcia tackles a few themes: what makes a monster, their physicality or actions; can one truly escape their past; and where’s the line between human and animal? Some of the characters have attitudes toward slavery that I found truly repulsive, but it was closer to the end of the book, so at that point, I was too invested to stop reading.

I enjoyed a reveal that happens halfway through the book—I can’t think of a way to hint at it without ruining it, but I’ll just say it’s sort of unexpected and totally satisfying.

I didn’t like Doctor Moreau’s motivation for creating his hybrids. His true driving force was never revealed, and it seems like his research doesn’t make much progress throughout the book. The reader is left wondering what he’s trying to accomplish and what steps he’s taking to achieve that goal.

Overall, I’d say this book is much more historical than sci-fi. I wish there were more romantic elements, but I understand that wasn’t the focus of the story Moreno-Garcia wanted to tell. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction and wants a thoughtful examination of remarkable characters.

Check out all of my book reviews!