Writing - the ups and downs

Good to be back from Florida vacation! Here are a few highlights from the trip. I came home with more than I went with. Five extra pounds and I can't figure out why. WHO AM I KIDDING??? Here I am at Goodson's Strawberry Farm with an oversized strawberry shortcake with ice cream. Hands down the best strawberries I've ever tasted! We've visited Goodson's Farm for a good many years now. It's grown from a shack along the road to a huge indoor farm market and food court. Sandwiches, drinks and their famous strawberry concoctions. Happy to see them thriving. We had a great time visiting Sarasota and the Lipizon Horse Show. Beautiful horses. Such a great story about them being saved from Austria, in part by our own General Patton.  Sorry no photos of the play we saw at Sun City Center - Rollings Theatre, titled Valentine's on Rt. 66, written by two members of the talented cast. No photos either of our afternoon of music, performed by the F...

So ready for Spring I know when one writes a novel and puts it out there for the public to read, the writer is open to criticism, both negative and positive. I expect that. I've been writing and publishing long enough to have developed a tough skin. I've learned with my own books that for every negative review I get - I get ten glowing reviews. I'm not bragging, I'm just mighty proud. I've worked long and hard at my writing career. It's all about ups and downs. An author has to roll with the punches and know the public is not going to like every single project he or she puts out there. That's life. I'm still growing as an author. Each time I start a project, I can tell I'm getting better as a writer, at plotting and characterization, at organizing material, being a better editor. Am I perfect? No way! But am I growing and willing to accept honest criticism? You bet! My suggestion to anyone choosing a book is to take a few minutes before pur...