I adore the holiday season. I love the twinkle of lights, stockings hung by the fireplace, the nip in the air (even in Birmingham, Alabama), and the scent of delicious treats, fresh from the oven, wafting through the house. In our house, the holiday season means baking cookies. Lots of cookies. Batches of sugar cookies. Snickerdoodles. Gingerbread cutouts. We whip up loads of royal icing and gather bottles of sprinkles and colored sugar. It’s a relaxing, fun, and messy way to

I’m back today with three more “best writing book” recommendations. Two of today’s choices may seem a bit out of the ordinary, as they fall in to the film and screenwriting industry category, but I have found that both are exceptional when it comes to capturing the magic of story construction and creating compelling characters. Story: Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting Save The Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You’ll Ever Need The author, Blake

I’m often asked about my favorite books on writing. I have shelves of books on writing, editing, publishing, story structure — you name it. But, when I’m asked to recommend the best writing books, the same volumes comes to mind. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft I agree with King. As an author, reading as much a possible gives you fuel. It revs up creativity, inspires, makes you think, and makes you laugh or cry. As for the keeping your butt in a chair statement, it might sou

I love books, but I am especially in love with book titles. The best novel titles are evocative and powerful. A great book title can also grab attention, illustrate the book’s theme, and serve as a symbol for a key character or plot point. A few that come to mind from my own shelves include: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson (Lisbeth is such a remarkable main character; the dragon tattoo defines her fiery and fierce nature) Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (A tight,