Dogs in my life and books

I’ve owned, or rather ‘been owned’, by two dogs. And both have enriched my life immeasurably. First was Ladybug, a white and brown spotted floppy-eared mutt. Adopted from a farm, she joined the family soon after my ninth birthday. Smart, active and curious, she’s part...

Do you feel ‘quanked’ too? The joy of unusual words

As an author, I love words. In fact, my family might call me a bit of a ‘word nerd.’ From subscribing to Dictionary.com ‘Word of the Day’ emails to looking up new-to-me words used in books, news articles or conversation, I’ve rarely met a word I didn’t like. This week...

Down the high school yearbook rabbit hole

High school wasn’t the best time in my life, so I don’t often think of it. Yet, when I was recently in search of character names beyond online sources and a baby name book, I turned to a stack of old yearbooks—and took a stroll down memory lane. Long-forgotten...