Welcome, writer, to the wonderful world of fulfilling your dreams and telling the story (or stories) of your heart! writer's backgroundBefore we listen to someone, especially about something so important to us, we need to know who that person is. So, first, a little bit about me: I am a novelist, … [Read more...] about How to Write Your First Novel
Process
Life-Changing Magic, Part One
Transforming Self and HomeIn the late spring and early summer of 2022, my husband Jonathan and I went through Marie Kondo’s The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. We’re relatively neat and averse to clutter, and we had just moved in October 2021 so, to be honest, I didn’t think we would have that … [Read more...] about Life-Changing Magic, Part One
Embracing Ritual in the Everyday, Part One
Fantasy Afield began with the goal of finding (and celebrating!) magic in the everyday. And for me, a lot of that magic comes from transitioning routines into rituals. In this series, I'll explore personal transformations from routines into rituals. I'll also look at some of the thought leaders and … [Read more...] about Embracing Ritual in the Everyday, Part One
The Power of Choosing Yourself as a Creative
encouragement & empowerment for creativesThere's a special power to choosing yourself as a creative, a freedom and empowerment to believing in your creative dream.But if that's true, why do we face so much resistance around our creative dreams? Why is it so difficult for us to put ourselves … [Read more...] about The Power of Choosing Yourself as a Creative
The Seasons of Creativity: Autumnal Reflections on the Creative Process
Do you feel as though you've hit a creative rut? That it's time for something new, but you're not sure what? Or perhaps you're feeling like there's too much on your plate, or that there aren't enough important things on your plate. seasons of creativityThis blog is, in part, an in-process record of … [Read more...] about The Seasons of Creativity: Autumnal Reflections on the Creative Process
Elm Tree Mythology: The Wonders of the World of Trees
Mythology, Folklore, and Fiction of the Elm TreeIn this post, I cover some of my research into elm tree mythology and folklore. I also share some of my recent fiction inspired by the lore of the elm!One of my hopes for this site was that I would have a place to share interesting research and … [Read more...] about Elm Tree Mythology: The Wonders of the World of Trees
Leaning into Ritual
Fostering creativity in a time of uncertaintyThe thing that can open the portal to creativity again is ritual."Mark McGuinness, on The Creative Penn PodcastInto the UnknownWhen talking about the discovery part of the writing process, especially for something lengthy like a novel, many writers turn … [Read more...] about Leaning into Ritual