Sooner or later every author will receive a negative review. There’s a saying out there that no matter what you do, 10% of people will disagree with it. I wonder if they’re just ornery or something. In hindsight, I’m really really grateful that the first review I ever received was a total pan! It was […]

It’s never a good idea to criticize yourself. Especially if people are raving about your presentation. Don’t criticize yourself publicly, don’t diminish their exuberance or their compliments by putting yourself down, but in the privacy of your own room…yes, think of what you did wrong. Analyze, assess, and fix it for next time so it’s […]

Omigosh, where has the time gone??? I’m leaving for Delhi tomorrow and it still hasn’t hit me yet that I’m going. I keep remembering that first email conversation where my the lady at my Indian publisher Duckbill, first mentioned the possibility of my going to the Bookaroo festival, and now I’m actually packing for it! […]

…or as they say, “The devil’s in the details.” I keep thinking of a moment I had with an artist while having tea in Piccadilly circus! Thing is, I get approached by a LOT of Muslims who want to break into the business. Most of them are people who want to be writers, only some […]

why aren’t I writing like mad? Daughter and Son in law came back safe and sound on Saturday, grandkiddies are gone, I have my life back. No need to get up so darn early in the mornings to make breakfast for kiddies, no need to worry if they’re surpassing their Thomas the Tank engine quota […]

but who’s counting? I’m starting to think menopause is a blessing! Women my age weren’t meant to be mothering. My daughter’s on Hajj and we’ve been taking care of the oldest two grandkids for about two weeks now, with one more to go. Grandkids are fantastic! But taking care of them while trying to adhere […]

I was corresponding with an old friend of mine and she sent me a link to a blogpost about an author visiting a school and not even being recompensed for her time and effort and my friend expressed alarm because I’d put up those youtube videos as free resources for educators on my youtube channel […]

I received an email a few days ago from a lady who’s seriously trying to decide whether to pursue a career in publishing and she asked, “My second question is what gives you the courage? I read a blog in which you were saying that ‘you just have to go for it’ but I’ve spent […]

It’s the dog days of summer and it’s hard to get enthusiastic about much! Had a long talk with an editor on what’s working and not working with some sample chapters I sent her. It was funny. As I’m talking to her and she’s confirming all of my worst fears about the piece, there’s part […]

I simply love hearing and learning about other artists’ and authors’ creative process! When Christiane contacted me after she’d finished the artwork for my new book King for a Day, I called her up and we talked on the phone and as we were talking I thought, hey, this would make a fantastic blog post or page on my […]