A Year Like No Other How many times in 2020 did you say: “What a year!” I hope you didn't lose a loved one to Covid-19 or meet with financial ruin. Surely, someone reading this has and you have my deepest sympathies. Please keep reading. I have … [Read more...]
Q&A: Jill McCorkle on dolls, dollhouses, tiny objects and what they have to do with writing and life
"I have always loved dolls. And yes, there are still within the love, those that have creeped me out!" - Jill McCorkle Jill McCorkle is a bestselling, award-winning author of unforgettable novels and short stories. She was a … [Read more...]
How My French Work Exchange Journey Led to a New Life and Love
Hotel de Cours de Thomazeau in Castillonnes, France. A few years ago I stumbled on the blog Enjoy Living Abroad and began a vicarious journey through Karen McCann and her husband Rich. In 2004, these intrepid Americans decided to live one year in … [Read more...]
Chapter 1 of Zerk ‘Em and Pull the Push Rods: A Wry Squint at Aviation in the Mid-20th Century
“Something went terribly wrong,” the stranger said. “Katie’s been in the hospital since her operation last month. She wanted me to call you. She’s on a ventilator and can’t speak.” Katie was my father’s widow. After George Weitz died in 1985 at … [Read more...]
The Tale of the Squirrel-proof Bird Feeder
Let me explain why I was so determined to outwit the squirrels stealing birdseed from the wild birds I'd attracted to my yard. Of course they didn't see it as stealing. It's their natural right to snarf up anything they can. And boy are they smart. … [Read more...]
Life Works in Mysterious Ways: How losing my last sibling gave me more than just a new perspective
I once wrote an essay for AOL about getting through Mother’s Day when Mom is no longer here (the essay is no longer here as well—so much for everything living forever online). Now I’m faced with Mother’s Day without my brother, Art. Every day without … [Read more...]
When A Video of Someone You Know Goes Viral (in a bad way)
It was bound to happen. Someone I knew and consider to be a nice person behaved badly, a bystander made a video, it went viral, this person lost their job and now must mentally wear the scarlet letters IPH (Internet Public Hanging). I don’t want to … [Read more...]
How to leave a book review on Amazon (anonymously or not)
When a tech-savvy friend confessed that she loved my book yet had no idea how to leave a review on Amazon, I decided to write this for her and anyone else who may not know. Books depend on word-of-mouth and mouse. It's part of my job description now … [Read more...]
What is the #1 way to increase happiness?
Life is not a bowl of cherries for anyone. We must take the bitter with the sweet, we're told. But some people seem to have an innate melancholy they can never shake. Studies now show that we stay at the same level of happiness our entire life. … [Read more...]
Zerk ’em: Another surprise in a pile of old family papers
In honor of Aviation History Month, Veteran's Day, and my father’s birthday, I’m sharing a peek at a treasure I unearthed when his widow died. I was asked by her executor if I would like his papers. What papers?, I thought. When he passed she became … [Read more...]