During 2020, I wrote one novel at 101,350 words, another at 63,026 words, and a novella at 13,000 words — and I still felt like I could have done more. Last weekend, I finished a nonfiction piece that had taken me over a week to write and painted a 36″ x 18″ canvas, yet I … Continue reading
Editor’s note: This series is about our contributors showcasing the art they do apart from writing, and what it means to them. Each week we’ll feature a new artist! “For me, painting is another way to tell a story. Sometimes I get stuck in a story or novel that I’m working on and painting helps … Continue reading
I have an issue with appearing weak. This all started when I was born with spastic cerebral palsy. I was raised to believe that I would have to learn to do things for myself. I was raised not to be a quitter and to move forward, despite the pain that I might be in. It … Continue reading
CW: This article has mention of grief over pet loss. Writing can be a very solitary craft. Often when I’m writing, I voyage to strange new worlds within myself. Sometimes it’s hard to come back because I can’t find my way home. Thankfully, I have had a few Muses throughout my life who have trod … Continue reading
A few years ago, someone asked me if I would ever write a novel with a character who had MS. I told him no. My reasons for this at the time seemed simple. I already wrote a blog about living with multiple sclerosis and cerebral palsy. That seemed like enough for me. My thought at … Continue reading
I hit a wall a few weeks ago. Not a literal wall — more a wall within myself — one that had neither substance or form, but was strong nonetheless. I hit the wall so hard that I hurt something within myself. I had ignored the warning signs and pushed forward until the wall within … Continue reading
I am my own worst enemy. I tend to spiral downwards when issues get to me, and I lose myself in the shadowy labyrinth. I know its walls very well and have wandered them for so long, they are a second home to me now. Looking back, I see spoons littering the dirt floor of … Continue reading
I’ve written over sixty books in multiple genres that run the gambit: short fiction, romance, fantasy, poetry, young adult, children’s literature, horror and suspense, even some science fiction. In all of those books, I have never had a character that was disabled—not in any of my books. I was born with cerebral palsy (CP). When … Continue reading
Just to set the record straight, I’m not brave, okay? I live with spastic cerebral palsy (CP) and relapse-and-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS). I can’t count the number of people who have called me brave. I always smile and nod when they say this, but the truth is that bravery has nothing to do with it. … Continue reading
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