Tag: reading

  • Angels on the Ceiling

    A Christmas Bonus Excerpt from my novel Misty Dreams, Chapter 4. 🎄✨ Manhattan, Christmas Eve Richard Kelly had never been a believer. At least, not since he was five years old and still believed Santa Claus was a kindhearted old man from the North Pole who traveled the world bringing gifts to children. Angels, to…

  • WINDBLOWN IN LIVORNO

    WINDBLOWN IN LIVORNO

    (A short story loosely inspired by real-life events) Glimpsing her distorted reflection in the polished brass railing, Bianca wanted to cry. Or scream. Preferably both. Out on the Europa’s main deck, surrounded by crowds of passengers, she felt painfully conspicuous, convinced almost every eye was trained on her horrendous hair. She resisted the urge to…

  • THE FORGOTTEN LETTER: A Short Story

    THE FORGOTTEN LETTER: A Short Story

    Image from Unsplash Summers are always busy for me, and writing often takes a back seat. But every now and then, a memory or feeling surfaces, and I find myself racing to the keyboard. This story is purely fictional, though inspired by memories of my mother. I lingered in the entryway, clutching the ring of…

  • WRITING LIFE: Excerpt

    WRITING LIFE: Excerpt

    I’m excited to share another excerpt of my work-in-progress, the Misty Dreams prequel. This scene is written from the perspective of twelve- and thirteen-year-old Richard and Tony. I hope you enjoy this glimpse into their world! Shards of golden light from the low-hanging sun burst between the tall buildings, casting a warm orange glow over…

  • From Notebooks to Keyboard: How I Wrote My Way Into the Digital Age

    From Notebooks to Keyboard: How I Wrote My Way Into the Digital Age

    As a child I was fascinated by anything associated with the writing craft, from notebooks and pens, to keyboards. Even before I could identify it as my passion, I was enamored with writing. Back then, the personal computer was the stuff of science fiction. Typewriters were the real deal—bulky, mechanical beasts like the one in…

  • Writing Life: An Excerpt From the Current Draft of “Finding Home” – The Prequel to ‘Misty Dreams’

    This excerpt is an unedited draft and may contain errors, inconsistencies, or changes from the final version. It is shared for early insight and enjoyment only. Thank you for reading! “Are you okay?” Max asked the boy hunched on the park bench. The kid couldn’t be more than twelve or thirteen. One sleeve of his…

  • Judging a Book by its Cover: Trends in Romance Book Cover Designs

    I’m the first to admit it. I’m that person who breaks the ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’ rule when it comes to choosing a romance novel to read. Even when it comes to my own books, cover design plays an important part in the decision process. As I edge closer to the completion…

  • Remembering the drive-in theater: the best pajama fun

    Shenandoah Valley, VA 2002 When earlier this month I read Janet Dailey’s novel, Blue Moon Haven, I was transported back to my childhood. The book is a romance novel about a woman who moves to a small Alabama town with her two foster children, where she takes on the arduous job of reviving an old…

  • Secondary characters in a novel

    As a romance writer, I enjoy creating secondary characters just as much as crafting the protagonists. In my debut novel, Misty Dreams, there are several secondary characters who play both major and minor roles. I loved giving each of them distinct personalities with unique traits and mannerisms, even the less prominent ones. Developing strong, well-rounded…

  • Hold on to your memories

    by Josephine Strand (first published in Memoirabilia Magazine in 2016) How I wish there were a recycle bin in our brain for old memories to be stored in. Then, when we’re unable to fully recall a life experience, all we’d need to do is look for the missing ‘file; and ‘restore’ it to its original…