When you raise your consciousness, your writing ascends It was Halloween night and I had just pulled out the Pumpkin Chili from the oven. I think I screamed. Stuffed inside floppy orange pepper jack o’lanterns I had carved myself, my vegetarian meal looked nothing like the recipe pictures I had…

It’s never too early (or late) to give your Inner Child the ultimate gift — Can you feel the holiday magic? I’ve been playing a lot of Christmas music these days and baking cookies and eating cookies, and Nick and I are enjoying a very peaceful holiday season so far. Even at my age, I still get a kick out of our annual excursion of…

At least I got my “cheeseburger in paradise” — There I was aboard a 47-foot Stephens, a reluctant mariner sailing to Newport, Rhode Island from St. Lucia, my body hunched over a marine toilet for nearly three days. My throat hurt. My stomach hurt. I had never felt so sick in my life. You want the truth? …

You may think it’s cute, but you sound like a three-year old — Since I’m a writer and I don’t like to waste words, I’ll come “write” to the point. I don’t like the expression “So I did a thing.” Of course, I see what you’re doing here. You’re trying to sound all mysterious, maybe even tantalizing, but it’s just not working for…

Don’t be surprised if your book research leads to an exciting new skill — One of the most daunting aspects of book writing is research. Since it could take months — even years — to accumulate enough material, I believe the key to good research is good organization. With my forthcoming eco-fiction novel, Moonwater Beach, I have bulging computer folders filled with alphabetized documents…

Death is a certainty and there’s no getting out of this I’ve been preparing for my death and it’s going as one might expect. Lots of planning, lots of paperwork, lots of soul searching. I’ve lived a fortunate life. I’ve seen a lot of places, done most everything I’ve wanted…

Are you a vegetarian with a craving for tuna? Try these saltwater substitutes to keep you satisfied and guilt free! — When you live in The Ocean State, you come to expect a few things about summer, like Newport music festivals, bumper-to-bumper beach traffic, and the freshest seafood available. I’ve been a vegetarian for twelve years now and while it hasn’t been difficult at all, I do have the occasional seafood…

Here is why being a Highly Sensitive Person may be a good thing — Recently I unplugged from social media and the news. Some people were worried, but there really was no need because it was a good decision. What I didn’t mention was the reason for this sudden change in my daily habits. I’m an empath. If you’re not familiar with that word, basically it means…

Try as we might, we can’t change history — Hold on to your bonnets, Dear Readers, because the word is out that Jane Austen’s father was a trustee of a sugar plantation in Antigua. Could this possibly mean Our Jane truly had family ties to slavery? How disappointing! Amidst the Black Lives Matter movement, there’s been some heated discussion…