Just one week of meditation boosts creative problem solving
Please read my latest article on Huffington Post: Just One Week of Meditation Can Boost Creative Problem Solving From deciding what to eat for breakfast to handling a complex dilemma at the office, there is always more than one solution to any problem The paths linking a problem to any number of resolutions can become twisted […]
Kitsap Area NaNoWriMo Write-in
Hey neighbors, friends, and PNW writers! We had so much last year hosting Monday night NaNoWriMo write-ins at the Poulsbo library, we’re doing it again! National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to creative writing. On November 1, participants begin working towards the goal of writing a 50,000-word novel by 11:59 PM on […]
Teen Story Slam 2016 is coming!
On Bainbridge Island, we have a wonderful bi-annual celebration of storytelling called Story Slam. Held at a local restaurant, The Treehouse Cafe, friends and neighbors dare to take the stage to tell a 5-minute true story, without props. Random judges chosen from the always-packed-to-the-rafters audience tally scores to determine three winners. The stories are always memorable; funny, […]
Teens can Improve Creativity, Relieve Anxiety by Meditating
Please read my latest contribution to Huffington Post! Teens can Improve Creativity, Relieve Anxiety by Meditating creative thinking with our neocortex, the part of the brain that is concerned with problem solving, visioning, hypothesizing, and strategizing. Meditation can have profound effects on the neocortex. Blogger Branain Radcliffe shows how meditation boosts your creativity and focus in seven specific […]
I met the cast who inspired me to write Middle Grade
Over the weekend, I was invited to present my book to 100 Emmy nominees. (Tune in Sunday, September 18 to see who wins.) Believe me, I was both excited and honored to share what I’d written. The day was spent meeting young actors, bands, and recording artists who have been tapped to pick up an Emmy. A […]
Teen Writing Group Starts Thursday!
Calling all teen creative writers! It’s time for our monthly Teen Writers Group. We will meet the second Thursday of every month, throughout the school year. Our first meeting is: Thurs. Sept. 8th 3:30 to 5:00 at Bainbridge Public Library Looking forward to seeing returning writers, and hoping to see new faces. Please bring a friend […]
Memoirs of Teen Writing Camp
There’s something magical and heart-warming about teens who choose to set aside a week of their summer break to craft their daydreams and ideas into captivating stories. I had so much fun teaching at the filled-to-capacity Teen Creative Writing Summer Camp last year, I couldn’t wait to do it again this year. The Teen Creative Writing Summer Camp […]
From fact to feeling: Adding emotional tension
In fiction, one truth prevails: emotional tension turns pages. A beautifully executed and thoroughly researched story comes across as ho-hum and put-down-able if the characters do not share authentic feelings with the reader, regardless of whether those feelings are fear, love, or rage. Conversely, a loosely plotted, implausible story can be absorbed enthusiastically in a number of hours […]
Cara Lopez Lee’s Thoughtful Rules for Compassionate Critiques
Note: I love when readers tell me WHAT they think they just read. Often what we are trying to imply in a scene comes across differently to different people, and this technique helps me gauge whether I’ve nailed it–or not.
Like Father, Like Son – A Short Story (Horror)
I was challenged to write a horror story a month ago, about the things that sadden, disgust, and disturb me. I don’t write horror. It may sound silly, but I hold to the belief that what we think about makes up who we are. I don’t want to ponder the things that break my heart, […]