Great essay. I can relate to your childhood - being around others who seemed to have more and better. What intelligent sensitive child would not notice things like her friends having multiple American Girl dolls? Even if our culture didn't give us...

Oh my gosh - what have I been missing? My husband and I have watched all the available episodes of "House of Cards" and have been looking around for our next series. I think I have found it! This Diane Lockhard sounds like a really interesting...

Thanks for the encouragement Julie. I am all over the place with my writing, trying to find my focus, feeling scattered, getting discouraged. Great advice about writing 1000 words every day not matter what. That advice and and words of encouragement...

I agree with the others who name Dickens as the master of fictional names and, being a big fan of Mr. Dickens, I  have to share a just few of my favorites: Samuel Pickwick, Noddy Boffin, Joe Gargery, Clara Peggotty, and Wackford Squeers. But aside...

I use code names for my kids when I write for the public and tend to stick to the part of their stories that intersect with mine. When they are young that includes everything, but now that they are older teens, I do not go into detail about their...

I see that you wrote this a couple years ago, but I just go a SheWrites email that referred me to it and I'm glad for that. Great stories, great thoughts here. I use a "storefront" myself. Since I have to have a regular paycheck to pay my bills and...

Thank you for this interesting insight into the world of adjuncts. My son is getting ready to begin classes at a local community college and I know they have plenty of adjunct professors. It seems this sort of exploitation happens in any profession...

What a fascinating piece! I haven't really studied Gertrude Stein but knew a little about her. Now I know more and want to look into some of the history you talk about. I have an avid interest in World War II, particularly in the effect of the War...

You do have your hands full with all your blogs + the B&B Nancy! I have a hard enough time keeping up with one (yet I am seriously thinking of doing one with a specific focus - politics maybe or religion... :) I had not even though of trying to...

I love the new look! I am already finding it easier to navigate and find the blog posts and other pages more readable; that of course will translate into me spending more time at She Writes and reading more of the great writing here. Not that I...