Tales from the Raven

Facebook, email, texting…if you’re anything like me, sending letters in the mail as a form of communication sounds really, really sloooow.  But what if you couldn’t even use the good old red flag on your mailbox, and had to send your messages by bottle and cork?  What would you say? Me, I think I’d write [...]

Question: What’s the common thread between a dorky tent-camp manager, a traffic cop, and a shark? Answer:  They’re all inspiration for characters in the new series I’m working on.  They’re also all proof you should think carefully before inspiring a writer.  People often get excited when they meet a writer–they love the idea of having a [...]

I am in denial.  Every day I pretend I have a life, and the reason I check my emails seventeen times an hour has nothing to do with the three requested fulls I have currently under consideration with agents.  I act cool, casual.  Pretend patience.  But I’m not fooling anyone.  The truth is, I’ve been bit by the querying bug, [...]

Just a quick note to say I posted on the cabinet, a discussion about plot pacing.  And different paces of pacing.  Because apparently I’m still living up to my childhood nickname of Speedy Gonzales, Only now it’s in my writing!

Is another man’s treasure, right?  That how the saying tells it.  So I guess it’s no surprise that the recent heat wave that’s had most of us moaning and groaning that even the pool was too hot would be heaven for someone out there.  Some one prickly, pineapple-shaped…and presumed dead.  My Cycad, to be exact. [...]

I’ve discovered something better than forks, knives, spoons, chopsticks or even fingers for eating food.  It’s lettuce!  It started one day when I wanted the mandarin orange chicken my husband was cooking, but not the rice that went with it.  I remembered how much I love PF Changs lettuce wraps, and, Ta Da!  One lettuce [...]

When we got back from the beach, our fish tank had sprouted a leak (down in the sump) and was leaking salt water all over our living room.  Guess our fish wanted to come with.  I can’t blame them for trying, but I’m afraid that turning the living room into a massive salt water tank just isn’t an option.  [...]

My first post on the Cabinet of Curiosities is up!  Or, maybe it’s almost up.  We’ll see if I correctly communicated with blogger. :P  I had a fun time writing the post, since it gave me a chance to quote Dr. Seuss.  He’s been an all-time favorite writer of mine my entire life, and I’ve always [...]

I rewrote my query today, and it only took me ten hours!  I think that’s a record.  Which kind I’d probably best not say.  But, it feels good to be finally really and truly heading out on the query trail.  Unlike last year when I went out with my dearly beloved 13 Demon Days, I’m [...]

I’ve been thinking how some chicken moms just don’t seem to get it.  They lay their eggs in the silliest places.  I mean, really!  What chick would want to hatch here? In case you can’t tell, that’s a cat crate.  And something tells me that any fluffy little chicks who hatched out of these eggs would [...]