Recently, George Clooney accepted a lifetime achievement award at the Golden Globe Awards. In an effort to cheer up the nominees who had not won in their categories, he reminded them that no one remembers how many awards an actor collects, what they remember is the iconic role he created or that famous line she...
Tag: writers
Are You Worth More Than a Dollar an Hour?
As a teen, I was such a good babysitter that I got regular calls from nine different families! I thought it was because I was always available, played well with the kids, and cleaned up the messes. Now, I think it was also because I was the bargain of the century. At a dollar an...
We Make What Matters, Matter
This is the tagline for my company. Why? To remind me of what’s important and to ensure that I never take a single step forward in my life or business unless that step really matters. The line is a quote from Mildred Shearer, one of the women I interviewed for my book Dancing in Combat...
Do You Believe in Magic?
Tomorrow, a houseful of relatives arrive. Friends have asked me how I can stand to have 13 people in my house and if it doubles my stress at the holidays. The answer to that is yes, a bit, but so what? Christmas, to me, is about giving. Isn’t that what we tell our children? Wouldn’t...
A Tale of Two Artists
I have two necklaces that I count among my favorites. Every time I wear each of them, I’m guaranteed a compliment. One was made by a local artist I met at a craft show. I’ve bought several pieces from her over the years. The other I purchased at Macy’s department store. It’s from the 1928...
Cookies, Cards and Creativity
I know you’re out shopping today or hanging up those Christmas lights. The holiday madness is upon us. When you get a quiet moment, watch this video on how to relax and let your creative energy carry you through this crazy and very special time of year.
Are Gatekeepers Still Relevant?
Several times over the past few years, I’ve listened to colleagues tell me that an editor who loved his/her work had called, sometimes in tears, to say they could not make an offer on their book project. Why? Because the marketing and sales departments at the publishing house decided that the book, though good, was...
Can You Dislike the Artist and Still Like the Art?
I realize I’m often behind on the news, and this story is a couple of weeks old, but singer CeeLo Green’s offensive comments about rape recently came to my attention. Green’s song “Forget You” (also known by another name) happens to be one of my favorites. It’s a silly, catchy, just-for-fun song, and every time...
The Arts or Football – You Decide
I was reading a newspaper article the other day hyping a slew of new books celebrating or criticizing our nation’s obsession with football. One quote from a former player caught my attention. He stated that football “teaches one thing that kids can’t get anywhere else . . . how to get knocked down and get...
How to Write Great Dialogue – Part II
I do a one-woman show based on my book Dancing in Combat Boots, but few people know that the show actually started out as a fundraising effort for a local theater, and I performed it with several actresses. As we were back stage prepping before the show, one of the actresses was running some of her...