Have I Made a Difference?

As I get older, I look back on my life and wonder what it would have been like if I’d made different decisions along the way. What if I’d done that volunteer job after college instead of letting my mother scare me out of it? What if I’d gotten a fulltime teaching job?...

Beverly Cleary Day in Little Yamhill, Oregon

Children’s authors, Carole Marie Shelton and Susan Thogerson Maas Beverly Cleary, one of the most beloved writers of children’s books, was born in our own lovely state of Oregon and spent much of her childhood in tiny Yamhill, Oregon. On May 13, Yamhill held a...

Make the Most of Autumn

Rain has returned to Oregon—a sure sign, along with those bright leaves, that autumn has arrived. Summer was hot and dry, lasting well past its official end date. I welcome the rain, washing the dust from the air, dousing the forest fires, soaking into the thirsty...

Shooting Stars, or Leaving a Legacy

August 8, 2022 Meteors streak across the sky and then they’re gone. The brightest ones leave a streak that fades within seconds. Our lives seem like that sometimes. Although the years may pass slowly when we are young, as we get older, they seem to fly by. One day...

Finding Your Life Theme through Movies

June 30, 2022 The Cascade Christian Writers Conference was a great time to get reacquainted with old writing friends and make new ones, as well as receive instruction in writing and marketing. Not to mention the excitement of winning a Cascade Award for best middle...

One Little Piece: The Wisdom of a 7-year-old Lego Master

When we visited our grandchildren recently, we gave each a Lego set, because little boys love Legos—or at least, ours do. The seven-year-old built his set, then immediately took it apart and built it again. And again. To him, building was the best part. Later he was...

Living in the In-Between

Early the other morning it snowed, depositing a white layer over the newly sprouted daffodils and hyacinths. It’s the time of year when spring is trying to break through, but winter isn’t ready to let go. One of those in-between times. It seems much of life is lived...

Blog Tour Contest

Abbie’s Woods: Defending the Nest is going on tour—blog tour, that is. And you have a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card! My book will be featured on a different blog each day from January 19-February 1. By commenting on a blog featuring my book, you can receive...

Birds as Resurrection

When my third grade teacher sparked my interest in birds, the first book I got was A Field Guide to Western Birds by Roger Tory Peterson. It became my constant companion on birdwatching walks. Recently I learned how Peterson himself became intrigued by birds. Peterson...

Cover Reveal!

I can’t wait to share the cover of my upcoming middle grade novel. My thanks to Roseanna White of White Fire Publishing—writer, editor, publisher, and all-around wonderful person—who came up with this cover. (I helped a bit with ideas, but the work was all hers.) And...