There is a lesson about writing, parenthood & life wrapped up in this gingerbread house.
Here’s the story: last year for Christmas, one of my dear friends sent me a lovely gift of a gingerbread house Bundt cake pan. My daughter was too young for the joys of gingerbread decorating last year, but this year I could not wait to see the smile light up her face as we had a messy, frosting-covered afternoon decorating with peppermints and M&Ms. đ
It was my first time using a Bundt cake pan, and I was a bit intimidated by the intricate design — certain part of it would stick to the pan — but I carefully followed the recipe and instructions. When it came time to turn the cake pan upside-down onto the plate, the gingerbread house plopped right out– perfect!
I bought decorating supplies and whipped up a batch of homemade buttercream frosting, just the right consistency to adhere candies to cake. Yesterday was a rainy day here in the Bay Area — perfect for a cozy indoor afternoon around the kitchen table.
This would be the beginning of a beloved new family tradition. Years and years from now, I imagined my daughter reminiscing about the homemade gingerbread cakes from her childhood…
But when I brought out the cake, the icing, the candies in their little bowls, and led my daughter over to the table, she immediately stiffened and shook her head. “No, no, no!” she cried, running away.
My toddler is bafflingly AFRAID of the gingerbread cake.
She wants nothing to do with it.
I continue to learn this lesson again and again — in parenthood, writing, life. We make our careful plans and dreams. We want everything to go so perfectly. But all we can control is our own small part of the process. We cannot control other people’s reactions. (Especially those tiny humans! They are enigmas!)
Life is messy. Writing is messy. Creativity is messy. It will not go as planned. And that is okay. It’s all about staying humble, being flexible, adapting, and laughing through it all.
My husband and I had a wonderful time decorating our gingerbread house together. đ
Maybe next year, our daughter will want to join in on the fun too!
Hi, friends! I hope wherever this finds you today, you are finding moments of gratitude and something to smile about.
I’ve been busily working on some new programs & resources that I’m really excited to share with you! Please pass this along to anyone who might be interested.
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holiday book special
Books make the best gifts! Now through the end of December, if you buy a copy of THE BEST WEEK THAT NEVER HAPPENED for yourself or for a gift, I have a bunch of extra goodies to send your way! Just email me proof of purchase — a screenshot is fine. In return, Iâll send you:
an autographed/personalized bookplate
a matching bookmark with an inspiring quote from the book
hourglass & gecko temporary tattoos
a free signed paperback copy of my short story collection WOMAN, RUNNING LATE, IN A DRESS!
This offer applies to purchases made for e-book, audiobook, or paperback. Also, if youâre purchasing any of my titles as gifts, let me know if you need signed bookplates and I will gladly send them to you!
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online teen novel-writing class
My fall online novel-writing class for teens was such a success that I’m starting up a new session on Dec 20!
CALLING ALL TEEN WRITERS: Have you ever wanted to write a novel? Maybe you have a story idea that has been simmering in your head for a long time, but youâve never gotten around to actually putting it down on paper.
Or maybe you started writing your novel â or you have started writing many novels â but you never seem to build enough momentum to carry you through to the end.
What if you could have sustained weekly support to write your novel?
I would be honored to be your cheerleader, mentor, teacher, and accountability partner during this journey!
Ray Bradbury said of the reading and writing process: âWe are cupsâŠconstantly and quietly being filled. The trick is knowing how to tip ourselves over and let the beautiful stuff out.â
Using the Outlining Your Novel Workbook by K.M. Weland as a jumping-off point, you will then âtip yourselves over and let the beautiful stuff outâ by writing your own novel chapters, which you will submit to me each week for individual constructive feedback. By the end of the class, you will have written a substantial draft of a novel. Wow!
Every class will include:
Focused teachings on a âcraftâ element of writing a novel, such as character development, plot and story structure, setting, dialogue, scene vs. summary, and more.
A brief writing exercise to get creative juices flowing.
A 15-minute workshop of a fellow studentâs opening chapter to give feedback and learn from.
Homework: write a chapter of your novel every week and send it to me for individual feedback.
By the end of the class, you will have a solid draft of a novel completed, which is quite an accomplishment!!
My small-group book coaching program is now open for enrollment! We start on January 5 and meet every Tuesday + Saturday through the end of March. It is going to be such an amazing way to kick off the new year! Is writing a book is one of your new year’s resolutions? I’d love to have you join us! Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or would like to chat about it!
What if you finally committed to writing your book? You know the book Iâm talking about.
The book inside you, beating within your heart, dying to be written.
The book you daydream about when youâre staring off into the clouds.
The book you think about before you fall asleep at night.
The book youâve wanted to write for months, years, possibly even decades⊠but for many reasons, never quite get around to actually writing.
The book sharing your stories, teachings, insights, wisdom, and perspective that will enrich countless lives.
The book that will change the world.
The book that will be part of your legacy.
The book that is uniquely YOU — that no one else but YOU can write.
Decide NOW that you are going to hit the ground running in 2021 by finally writing your book — in fact, that you will complete the first draft by April 1st and feel the most unbelievable sense of pride + accomplishment!
Join my exclusive 13-week small-group coaching program and become part of a community of writers who will provide you support + encouragement as your pages pile up.
Receive accountability, cheerleading, inspiration (and a gentle kick-in-the pants when needed) to ensure you are consistently moving forward towards those two magical words: THE END.
Learn how to find your writing voice and embrace your authentic style to write your book and spread your message in a way that is riveting, memorable, crystal clear, and uniquely you.
To celebrate our daughter’s second birthday, she launched an Etsy shop! đ She loves painting, so we chose five of her best pieces and turned them into 5×7 greeting cards!
MAYA’S MASTERPIECES: Receive beautiful greeting cards, support a toddler artist, and plant trees to help our Mother Earth!
Each package contains five unique 5×7 inch blank greeting cards with five white envelopes, featuring artwork painted by our daughter Maya. She is a vivacious two-year-old who loves creating artwork. She is so proud of these cards and very excited to share them with you.
For every package of cards purchased, half the proceeds will go to Maya’s college fund and half will go towards reforestation efforts to plant trees through the nonprofit organization One Tree Planted.
Day-By-Day Masterpiece 