by Danielle | May 21, 2023 | Blog Post |
Nancy steadied herself. She was a bartender. He was a customer. This was not complicated. She took another deep breath and made a slow, nonchalant meander to the bar. Jacob was so hyper-focused on his phone that he didn’t see her approach. She picked up a bar towel...
by Danielle | May 20, 2023 | Blog Post |
As soon as Holly landed in Chattanooga, she took out her phone to text Max. Anything? He’s not at the cabin, Holly. And I didn’t see anything suspicious. Okay. Thanks for looking. I appreciate it. Are you still coming out here? Yes, of course....
by Danielle | May 15, 2023 | Blog Post |
Every compelling story needs a villain the reader loves to hate. He or she is the antagonist—the driving force behind the plot, the character who creates conflict and makes the hero’s journey meaningful. Without a villain, a novel can feel flat and...
by Danielle | Apr 17, 2023 | Blog Post, Podcast Episode |
Memoirs, life stories, and autobiographies are all alike in that they offer us glimpses into the experiences of people who have journeyed on this earth before us. They are intimate and personal—often shedding light on how the author dealt with struggles and triumphs,...
by Danielle | Apr 6, 2023 | Blog Post, Podcast Episode |
Revising your novel is an essential part of the writing process. It’s also one of the most important steps because it helps you make sure that your story flows logically and makes sense to readers. To revise means to look at what you’ve written so far,...
by Danielle | Mar 28, 2023 | Blog Post, Podcast Episode |
“Are we covering up the tattoos?” called the young woman from the dressing room. Her friend, the bride-to-be, scoffed in reply. “We would never cover up Mama Jade and Raven Sky.” She turned to me. “Her ancestors,” she whispered with...
by Danielle | Feb 28, 2023 | Blog Post, Podcast Episode |
At precisely 7:55, I begin to close up the gallery. For the past eight hours, I have had one customer (an elderly woman asking to use our washroom) and one phone call (wrong number). This has got to be the least successful art gallery in Canada. But why do I even...
by Danielle | Feb 7, 2023 | Blog Post, Podcast Episode |
*excerpt from my novel-in-progress, The Lonely People “I don’t have the energy for her,” said Sarah with a flip of her thick brown hair as she and Manfred walked a local, heavily-wooded trail on a mild February afternoon. The sun was high above them,...
by Danielle | Jan 17, 2023 | Blog Post, Podcast Episode |
She moved through the trees with ease as if it was where she came from—as if she had been rooted and born here. Her long black hair draped gracefully over her dark green cape, and her worn brown boots made the barest of thuds against the mossy floor of the forest. He...
by Danielle | Jan 12, 2023 | Blog Post, Podcast Episode |
I gathered her hair in my hands and attempted the braid she requested. My daughter, now nine years old, was keenly aware of her appearance and valued it. She was particular about colours (bright) about pants (tight) and about jewelry (never too much). To me, this...
by Danielle | Dec 31, 2022 | Blog Post |
Excerpt from The Sweetwood Series, Book 2 Back at the hotel, Jacob headed straight for the shower knowing it was the only way to ensure his mother would leave him alone. Minutes later though, she was knocking at the door. “Darlin’? Jacob, honey, it’s your mother.” He...
by Danielle | Dec 30, 2022 | Blog Post, Podcast Episode |
Because some days, we don’t know where we want to go; we just know we’re not ready to go home. I always landed at her doorstep. She was everyone I had ever known and all of those whom I still had yet to meet. She had eyes that knew, with irises that were...
