Do you ever want to hit the reset button and begin again? I certainly do, especially when it comes to my writing practice. As many of you know, November was National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), and although I wasn’t working on a novel, I resolved to at least touch my writing every day in November. Well, that lasted about two weeks and then life got in the way. We each have our own version of this, but you know what I mean—our resolutions disperse into the atmosphere like

I am writing this at my desk in cabin #20 at the Highlights Foundation’s retreat center. As I look out my window past the screened-in porch, I see a gentle rain pattering on the brilliant patchwork of fall leaves in the woods beyond. All around me are other small cabins with lights burning in the windows, and other writers bent over their laptops writing young adult novels, picture books, poetry, or—in the case of the two friends I came with—spiritual memoirs. This is my fift

“If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans.” —Woody Allen On Thursday I made the five-hour drive to Milanville, Pennsylvania, with two writer friends. We arrived at the Highlights Foundation’s retreat center after dark, the final eight miles of the trip made stressful by rain, fog, and serpentine country roads. As is always the case at Highlights, we were greeted warmly and invited to sit down to a hearty, healthy dinner: baked lemon chicken, salad with homemad

Recently I was discussing the “if money were no object” scenario with a friend, and I remarked, “if money were no object, I would go to a conference, retreat, or training once a month. I love learning and being with my tribe!” It just popped out of my mouth: not world travel, not a life of unadulterated leisure, not a mansion or a personal chef/trainer/housekeeper. Just feeding my brain and my spirit, being inspired and co-creating. I am already living my dream to some degree