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A Bit Bionic and Back to Writing

Now with a steel plate and 8 pins in my shoulder, I thought that was an omen. It was! I'm…

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Be a Life Long Learner for Change

The horrific events around the world from Covid-19 and the painful injustice and brutality against Blacks in the U.S. have…

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My Latest Writing Resources

I started my professional career in market research, consumer research, and statistics. As I moved through executive marketing positions, I've…

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The Huli People of Papua New Guinea: From Isolation to Theft of Their Natural Resources

The Huli people have tribal customs from thousands of years. When the Europeans "discovered" them in the 1940's, life changed.…

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Change at SCBWI and More Time to Write

After 12 years of running the San Francisco North and East Bay Region, first as Assistant Regional Advisor and then…

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Mentoring is a gift

I just finished the 2018 Nevada Mentor program for children writers. My mentor was author Terri Farley. She was amazing.…

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FACES Magazine, Great Cities of the World: Tokyo, 1/18 — Two articles: Bento Boxes and Japanese Lacquerware, and Manga and Anime Mania

I've worked and traveled to Japan for the video game industry. I probably was the first woman to do that!!!…

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Middle Grade Craft Program, The Corte Madera Inn, June 16, 2018

Digging deeper into your craft is a critical keystone for SCBWI. So since I write middle grade, what better event…

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“People of Peace” Faces Magazine, April 2018 — Malala Yousafzai and Tegla Loroupe

For this issue on People of Peace, I focused on two of the areas I love - running and education…

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FACES Magazine, Bonnie Scotland, Feb. 2018

Tartan, Not Just Plaid – The Scottish Heritage of the World Famous Weave

All around the world, people wear plaid. It might be one of the most best-known, well-recognized patterns in the world.…

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Mentoring – a gift to writing and writers

It is a gift to have someone help you along a journey to improve, such as a coach or a…

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Tokyo, Japan – Two upcoming magazine articles I love

I received assignments for two articles for the January 2018 issue of FACES Magazine's Great Cities of the World: Tokyo.…

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Getting Ideas

Sometimes the best thing for your writing is to take a break, give your brain a break, and enjoy something…

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Sydney, Australia Issue, FACES Magazine, Cobblestone Publishing

My mum and sisters migrated to Australia over 35 years ago, so I've been to Australia several times to visit…

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Livermore Half – here we come

I've been scaling away from full marathons and just doing a bunch of Half's. So the first Half for 2017…

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February, 2017, The Greatest Rivers of the World, FACES magazine

After writing earlier articles on Cambodia, I learned how the Mekong River is the life and livelihood of millions of…

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Morocco: Land of Extremes, January 2017, FACES Magazine

Morocco is a beautiful, bustling, mystical country. One of the lovely traditions is the making and sharing of sweet Moroccan…

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Cambodia, FACES Magazine, September 2016

Cambodia is a new democracy struggling to make its way in the modern world. After years of brutal wars, its…

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The World of Dogs, October 2016, FACES Magazine

My three articles in The World of Dogs were so much fun! I loved writing about honoring dogs and showing…

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Lots of magazine articles

I have been very honored to have received assignments in several issues of FACES magazine for children in 2016 and…

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Children’s Magazine Articles Coming Up

I am thrilled to receive five more assignments from FACES Magazine. I love writing for the Cricket Media group. I…

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Researching Hard Topics

I'm a researcher from way back. A colleague and I developed the first playtesting methodology for video games while at…

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Now it’s about sticking with a schedule

My thoughts of speed enhancement are that - merely thoughts. I haven't done a lot, okay any,  speed or tempo…

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Getting Away to Write

I'm a big proponent of getting away to write. I think I do some of my best work when I…

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Deadlines – They work

I was thrilled to get 2 magazine assignments from FACES magazine on Dec. 14th, due on Jan 3rd, 2016. But…

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Invest in Your Writing – Treat it like you are an athlete

I find the investment in writing is like developing an athlete. You need to find experts, lay out a training…

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When you are the slowest . . . It’s all about perspective.

I never thought it would happen. Really, I never thought about age. I keep trying new things. But I never…

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The Ups and Downs of Critiques

I've had blistering critiques, start-over critiques, not nice critiques, critiques that called my work "a critique quilt", critiques by "experts"…

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May 16th Oakland Intensives Spot On

Our Oakland Intensives for Picture Book and Novel writers were spot on and sold out. The attendees were terrific and…

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May 16 Intensives for Picture Book and Novel

Our SCBWI programs are blessed with many devoted volunteers and more join every day to help us put on terrific…

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Setbacks – Star Wars Half, or not to Half

I'm used to running (and writing) setbacks. 2014 seemed to have its share of them. First, plantar fasciitis, right at…

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Great Ending to 2014 and Blast Off for 2015

Our SCBWI Region ended the year with a terrific Faire and Holiday Mixer on Dec. 6th! Over 85 members and…

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Our First FREE SCBWI FAIRE on Dec. 6th!

I have gone to many trade shows and managed many in my professional career, along with board meetings, seminars, conferences…

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Our Fall Intensives and Conference 10/17 & 10/18

We have been in a huge whirl of the many, many preparations for this tremendous event. We expanded the conference…

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Do the same thing, get the same result.

This is so true. How hard I have tried to change up my running training -- like my writing. I…

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Rewrite lesson – “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” Albert Einstein

I recently re-read the many, many critiques that have been done on one of my chapter book stories over the…

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Magazine Mania for Writing Fitness

I've been submitting queries to children's magazines as much as I could in 2013. I love doing short, high impact…

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Diving in for a Complete Edit

I have completed 2 chapter book manuscripts. I've been submitting both a bit to agents and editors. Then I rewrite,…

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Manuscript Revisions and Running – You need support groups!

Now that I am back from rehabbing, both on my manuscripts and on my lower back for running, I see…

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New Assignment from Appleseeds Magazine

I'm excited about this new assignment - a short article about the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.  I loved…

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Getting the Calendar Going for 2013

It's been pretty crazy since our terrific, super crowded conference in October, 2012. I think it took the conference team…

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Coming Soon in FACES MAGAZINE

COMING SOON  in FACES magazine, The Dreamtime of Australia’s Aborigines. I collaborated with my sister, Linda Weil, Australian wildlife artist,…

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Yippee, now SCBWI Co-Regional Adviser for SF North & East Bay

We have a great region and I have had a blast working with Margaret Speaker Yuan as her assistant regional…

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Getting writer’s education and subject matter street cred

Whenever writers are asked to submit a query or proposal, they are asked for their biography and specific relevant experience.…

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Writing about Nature

Let's face it. That title does not spark you to jump in. If you are a children's non-fiction writer of…

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Conference excitement, but get the pay off

There are so many good reasons for writers to attend conferences. But go with a plan, though. The national August…

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Marketing and PR

I love writing and devising creative angles to solve problems. That is the backbone of my work. My background is…

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