Words paint a beautiful picture, bring to life rambling rivers, and colorful meadows. Words convey comfort and laughs. They teach us and relay news. Some news we want and some not. But the words we hear can't live on like the words we write ...

"Sonji" is getting closer to the finish line - I know because my amazing publisher, Elk Lake Publishing, Inc., just gave me the thumbs up to share the beautiful cover image with all of you!

While I share this image, I want to give a few shout outs to some people who seriously dug in and helped make this book a coming reality: my mom and dad (for helping me follow my dreams - especially when they seem crazy), my brother (for constantly asking me when there would be ...

Our lives are observed by others even when we aren't thinking about it. We could be in the grocery store store with a long list, mumbling to ourselves over and over under our breath. Or we could be playing at the park or fishing in the river. We could even be in the theater and excited to watch the latest movie. Absorbed in activities like these,  we are seen by others and God.

My mom and I heard the other day that Walmart had received its first shipment of flowers and decided ..

Lately I've been asked to share my two cents about how I see a friend's or fellow writer's work. I love stories and I love making them the best that they can be, but I'm not a legitimate editor - just a writer who's spent a lot of time reading and listening to super smart writers and editors.

When I go to share my two cents, I use color to help reveal what I am seeing and what I think might help fix the places I've stumbled. Blue words are my comments, questions, or explanations for ...