My writing spans a W-I-D-E range of genres.

THIS BLOG:

On the main page of TealAshes.com I relay “What to Say When Someone Dies” (and what NOT to say) based primarily on my experiences after my husband’s unexpected death.  I’ve networked with thousands of other people who’ve mourned significant losses. Most mean well in attempts to comfort the bereaved, but not every attempt consoles. I hope to bridge the gap between those who mourn a loss and those who wish to help but don’t know how.

OTHER NON-FICTION:

• “Eggplant Elegy” received an honorable mention in the Segullah literary journal’s 2013 contest and was published in their March 2014 edition. Its exploration of eggplants, superstition, and loss will change the way you view the purple vegetables.

In books:

• Chicken Soup for the Soul: Think Positive for Kids My short story reveals “The Visitor’s Secret,” the true account of how my mother taught me about confidentiality. (Here is a link to a related article.)

Posted as a guest on other blogs:

• “The Sister, the Beast, and the Invitation to Love“  tells of one instance when well-meant insistence overrode its intention. http://segullah.org/daily-special/the-sister-the-beast-and-the-invitation-to-love/ (posted 2/22/14)

FICTION:

I delight in creating suspenseful tales with a twist, often drawing upon my own grief experiences to color my characters’ authentic emotions in the purely fictional situations I craft for them.

Super-short flash fiction:

• I was a Finalist in the 2014 NYC Midnight Flash Fiction Challenge.
• “After School Snack” in The Florida Writer, Winter 2014, Volume 7, Number 4, p. 22.
  Young Jeb’s oversized jacket bulges with the weight of what he smuggles into the house.

• “Clearing the Field” in The Florida Writer, Fall 2013, Volume 7, Number 3, p. 28.
  A scientist forced to work in post-Acquisition fields is as wary of fellow laborers as of Overseers.

Short stories:

These short stories were selected for publication by the Florida Writers Association in their three most recent Collection volumes:

• “The Gardener” in FWA Collection #5–It’s A Crime (2013)
  Which is the criminal and which is the victim? Unearth the sinister crime about to be dug up.

• “Hands at the Wheel” in FWA Collection #4 — My Wheels (2012)
  An artist’s long-delayed return to her craft shows there may be more on her hands than just clay.

• “The Inevitable” in FWA Collection #3 — Let’s Talk (2011)
  In this all-dialogue short story, David badgers his wife with dire what-ifs while awaiting his turn for a procedure, but Evelyn refuses to take him seriously.

Poetry:

• “Stained Glass” in  FWA Collection #6 — The First Step (2014)

Works in progress:
I’m drafting several articles and themed essays. I’ve also got a humorous how-to book in the works — stay tuned for future details! I’m also in the agonizing, drawn-out process of rewriting my young adult suspense novel as well as my National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) 2014 novel.