Why Morally Gray Characters Fascinate Us
A couple of weeks ago, I attended a conference and actually participated in a conversation about characters. Normally, at conferences, especially online, I pay attention to the information being given, and that’s it… I fade into the background, but this time I participated.
The question was: Why do people like morally gray characters?
My answer was quick, and it almost scared me because, again, I usually don’t participate like that. But I immediately...
Welcome to Diary of an Introverted Author!
2025 was tough... House issues, health issues (for me and my dog), growing pains… all the things… however, I am still here, and I am still so very grateful. As we start a new year, some of my junk from 2025 is tagging along, nudging me to pay attention to my needs as well as the world around me. This has pushed me to make changes.
*More info to come, however, I am starting another page on my Substack (The Quiet Retreat) that honors the part of me that...
If your writing no longer sounds like you, is it still your writing?
Over the summer, I submitted a novella to an editor, and when I received it back, I felt off. The editor didn’t add anything to the story or remove anything, yet some of the wording had been changed… and suddenly, it didn’t sound like my voice anymore.
Yes, there were sentences that needed restructuring. I can admit that. As a newer author, I know I have areas to grow in and my grammar often needs help. But the amount of edits...
Most of us have that one person in our life who has the ability to transform even the simplest of stories into something unforgettable. Maybe it’s a friend who makes you laugh until your side hurts, or a cousin who can turn an ordinary day into a memory you’ll never forget. Those stories stick with us because they make us feel. They help us understand each other and remind us that we’re connected… through laughter, love, and the shared experience of being human.
That’s the power of stories....
Some stories entertain. Others help us heal. I write the kind that stay with pain long enough to find the light... stories that remind me why we keep going, even when it hurts.
Just like every reader has a reason they reach for certain stories, every writer has a reason they keep showing up to write. For me, there are many… but the one that pulls me back again and again is the need to work through the things that linger with me long after life has moved on.
What I see in the world sometimes...
August Post
I wrote a YA emotional crime story (for the first time), and I enjoyed it. But what started as an enjoyable creative experience turned into a deep conversation with myself. As a writer, it is in my nature to include diversity in my writing, so when I wrote something that veered away from that, it concerned me. I considered the feelings of others, while trying to stay true to who I am, which left me with a lot to sift through.
Including diversity in my stories comes naturally, as my...
Juniper - Present Day (Thursday)
Juniper’s laughter spilled out, uncontrollable and bubbly, like it always did when Willow nailed one of her wickedly accurate impressions of one of their classmates. She and her best friend, Willow, talked about everything that happened at school. Willow’s spot-on imitations left Juniper in stitches, clutching her stomach as she doubled over.
The conversation shifted, giving Juniper a chance to catch her breath.
“You hear about the girl they found down by the...