I was raised in an era where photos were taken with an honest-to-God camera, film and all. Filters were for furnaces, family videos were only for rich people, a brand was for putting on cows, and selfies sounded like something that should be done in the privacy of your own room. It’s not that I’m reaching the octogenarian stage of … Read More
Five Top Places to Review Books
Reviews have become a staple in our lives. Want to try out the new restaurant down the street? Hop on Yelp and see how many stars they have. Looking for a plumber, or electrician? Check Angieslist or homeadvisor and see what others have said. Today, more than ever, reviews play a critical role in the lives of small business owners … Read More
Five Tips to Write for Life
There’s a thread weaving through Facebook that I’m enjoying these days. Writers from all walks of life are sharing their top five writing tips and secrets, and then they challenge another five writers to do the same. I’ve been following the threads like a hound chasing rabbits, loving the snippets of insight and advice from the authors that I admire. … Read More
How to Stop Facebook’s Shenanigans From Keeping You From Your Tribe.
I was talking to a friend today about Facebook’s crackdown on using personal pages for business. For those outside the writing community, I’m sure you may not think this is a big deal. But for every entrepreneur out there, it’s a game-changer. Last year, Facebook scaled back a business pages’ reach, meaning only a few people could see posts containing URLs … Read More
Suspended in Creativity
The stage lights serve as a barrier; they blind the performer from seeing the audience’s reaction, they protect them from fear. In that moment, they are Mozart’s Fiordiligi or Tchaikovsky’s Joan of Arc. Their mind is mute; instinct takes over, time is suspended in creativity–expression is life. I haven’t performed in years, but on rare occasions, my heart remembers, and I again am … Read More
What Inspires Your Muse?
I spent all day yesterday carefully crafting a post. After a few hours of intentional word choice, I had a pretty good piece … a hook at the beginning, compelling words, well written, downright insightful at times. The problem was, it sounded stuffy and pretentious, even to me. As most of you know, I’m a vocalist, and I started remembering all … Read More
Understanding the Power of Intent
Cultures are born from the depths of belief. Some take root in the sacred, like the Native American belief that the Earth is the source of all life, a gift from the Maker. Others grow from the ideals that shape societies, such as justice and freedom being the heart of democratic nations. Each culture is a living testament to the … Read More