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Everyone’s a Critic, Even the Squirrels
Animals have opinions. Anyone who has ever been owned by a pet knows this. Cats have perfected the silent review. Dogs specialize in wounded disappointment. Birds can deliver editorial comments at full volume.
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More Than Fine: When You Need to Stop Before the Cliff
Have you felt under the gun lately? Like you are taking hits from all directions? Like the smoke is thick, the noise is loud, and you are trying to keep moving even though you are not sure you are still pointed where you want to go?
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The Gift of Belief: Why Encouragement Matters for Writers and Dreamers
Before I believed I was a writer, someone else believed it for me. This is a personal reflection on encouragement, long marriage, creative dreams, and the quiet power of being supported.
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Monday Needs a Rebrand
Updated from the archives, because Monday remains a repeat offender. It is funny how Monday happens again and again, despite its lack of popularity. If I were Monday, I would be so embarrassed. I would do something. Move to another spot. Rebrand myself as a cool, happy day. Maybe get a theme song. Anything would…
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Why I Am Going Indie, Again
I have been publishing for a long time. Long enough to remember when “digital publishing” sounded like something a cyborg might do after lunch.
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The Carnival Wing of the Perilously Fun Fiction Fortress
Step inside the Carnival Wing of the Perilously Fun Fiction Fortress and discover Pauline Baird Jones’s Big Uneasy mystery series set in New Orleans.
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The Perilously Fun Fiction Fortress
What does my fictional world look like to readers?
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Why Is It So Hard to Start, Finish, and Start Again?
Understanding the Creative Cycle The Creative Cycle at a Glance If you have ever stared at a blank page, a new business idea, a fitness plan, or a half-finished project and thought, “Why is this so hard?” you are not alone. Starting is exciting. The middle feels endless. Finishing is exhausting. And sometimes, after finishing,…
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Why I Wrote Echoes Beneath: A Project Enterprise Story
Do you like to know what went on behind the scenes of a story? As a long time reader, I’ve always been curious about how an author came up with an idea, or “met” the characters, or why they chose to tell a story that way. That’s why I make a point of doing a…
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Do Romance Novels Have to Be Explicit?
Not all romance novels are explicit. Discover the difference between sweet, moderate, and steamy romance and how to choose books you will love.