Last week, I wrote a blog post and sent an email asking readers what they wanted to know about me. It didn’t have to be about writing or reading. I was literally an open book. 😬
Luckily, you guys didn’t ask anything that made me blush or reconsider my offer to answer anything. I did have one person on Facebook ask me what was in a pot on my deck. See the photo below.
Well, Judy, I already answered that question for you on Facebook. If anyone here wants to know what’s in the pot, it’s a very sad jalapeño plant. I had high hopes to make jalapeño poppers this summer, the only way I’ll eat hot peppers. Yet, I think this little plant needed deeper soil and better care.
Judy also asked me another question, which I’ll answer here. She asked:
Do you wake up with ideas to write about, and do you get up and write them down?
Yes, sometimes I wake up with ideas about current works-in-progress or new stories, but most of my ideas come throughout the day. I get lost in my thoughts a lot throughout the day, especially while I’m driving. I’d say most of my ideas come from the time I spend in the car having conversations with myself. Talking to myself is how I write dialogue. It’s the best way for me to create a believable conversation. Thanks to hands-free devices, these days most people just think I’m talking on the phone, which makes me look a little less crazy having a conversation with myself in the car.
Now, when I do wake up with ideas, I can’t remember a time when I ever wrote them down. Maybe there were one or two instances of me doing this, but I’m not a morning person. I don’t hit my stride until later in the day, so I just let the ideas bounce around in my brain and develop more before I write them down, if ever. I have stories I woke up thinking about years ago that are still fresh in my head. I’m just waiting for the right time to tell them.
When are new Murder Lawyer stories coming out?
Okay, now let me address this question. It was one that many readers emailed me. Is The Murder Lawyer Series ever going to wrap up?
The answer is YES!
All my readers have been so patient with me, waiting for me to finish this series. A couple of readers asked about a new schedule. I don’t have a new schedule that I want to share right now because I don’t want to promise a date and not deliver. Here’s what I will tell you. The final stories are being handed to my editor over the next several weeks and will be available before the end of this year.
If you’re reading this and have no idea what The Murder Lawyer Series is, go here. You’ll find info about the series, how to get a free copy of the first story, and how to order the whole series at a deep discount.
Why did you create a children’s journal?
This was another popular question. The simple answer is because it was something that I felt called to do for a long time. It is my passion project, and finishing it during quarantine felt so timely. Journaling is a great way to explore emotions and children have so many emotions that aren’t always easy to sort out. I wanted to create a fun and safe experience for children to do this.
What’s up with digital journaling?
Also, a couple of people asked how the digital journal works. Digital journaling is a new concept for parents, but children pick it up right away. Unlike an ebook-version of the paperback journal, digital journaling works with PDF annotation apps and lets children write directly on the screen. They can import images, share their entries (if they choose), and add more pages to make their journal their own. You can learn more about the digital journal here.
All right, friends, I’m gotta wrap this up. Thank you so much for your questions. Keep them coming and I’ll try to answer them as quickly as possible. Have a beautiful week!