As much fun as blogging can be, I wish I could just sit with you in a cafe, Dear Reader, and talk about books and the literary life for awhile. –Shelley Burbank What do you think of the Oz earrings? Aren’t they cute? I adore them, not least because my friend Wendy, a fellow writer… Continue reading The Earrings of Oz
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Heading Over the Rainbow
Writer’s Brain I don’t know about other writers, but if I spend too much time researching, reading, recharging, or goofing off rather than tapping away at my keyboard doing actual writing, I get as agitated and depressed as a Kansas farm girl watching her balloon-ride home drift away into the heavens. This is my state… Continue reading Heading Over the Rainbow
Uploading Ourselves
This week, I write about how I’m going to be working at an upcoming education conference and the very invasive “health & safety” requirements for entrance into the event. Has it been awhile since you’ve attended an in-person conference or event? Me, too. Despite the relative ease and convenience of online meetings, I miss the… Continue reading Uploading Ourselves
Life in the SLO Lane
This weekend, Hubby and I traveled up to San Luis Obispo, known affectionately by the locals as SLO, with a couple of foodie friends. We ate well. We visited two wineries for tastings. We took a leisurely train (and one bus) to and from the Central Coast region. Read all about it below and maybe… Continue reading Life in the SLO Lane
Rainy Day Friends: A Very Short Story
Back in December, my flash fiction was published in San Diego Woman Magazine! I was thrilled because I’d actually pitched the idea of a fiction section in the magazine to the editor, and she gave it a try. THIS month, three more of my flashes are included in the latest edition–along with some other talented… Continue reading Rainy Day Friends: A Very Short Story
Thoughts on David Brooks’s THE SECOND MOUNTAIN
Every so often I come across a book that not only speaks to the very concerns with which I am most engaged at the moment but also bounces me off in a completely unexpected direction. Read on to hear how David Brooks’s book, THE SECOND MOUNTAIN, left me feeling more committed to the idea of… Continue reading Thoughts on David Brooks’s THE SECOND MOUNTAIN
The Cozy Comfort of Knitting
When you find yourself distracted and upset by the outside world, sometimes there’s nothing better than picking up a couple of hefty needles and a skein of soft, bright, bulky yarn. Read on to hear about how a simple knit stitch project like this comfort shawl can lift your spirits in crazy times. March.… Continue reading The Cozy Comfort of Knitting
Palm Springs
Hello, Lovelies! With things opening back up (finally) and spring in the air, Hubby and I decided to take a brief overnight trip up to Palm Springs. We’d heard about it, but really didn’t know what to expect. Turns out, it was Modernism Week–an 11-day festival dedicated to all things Mid-Century Modern, celebrating midcentury architecture,… Continue reading Palm Springs
Spring Cleaning My Tech
“Out of clutter find simplicity. From discord find harmony. In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity” –Albert Einstein Every so often, the need to simplify, downsize, and clarify, grabs hold of me and I become a whirling dervish of activity: selling tableware, giving away books, tossing files from filing cabinets, bundling up old clothes to… Continue reading Spring Cleaning My Tech
Something Sparkly in a Little Velvet Box
Just for you, my dear readers, a Valentine’s Day short story with a happy ending. XOXO, Shelley SOMETHING SPARKLY IN A LITTLE VELVET BOX ******** “I have bad news.” Henley’s voice faded in and out, the cell service in that part of Florida spotty. I pressed the phone against my ear. “What did you say?”… Continue reading Something Sparkly in a Little Velvet Box