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Why a Staybbatical?
I took this pic right before dawn at a great house called, “Above Sleepy Hollow” in the mountains of West Virginia. Rich Potter, Michael Jayne, and I rented it a few years between Christmas and New Year’s for a writing/creativity retreat. I got so much writing done each time. I want to do it again,…
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Why Every Crime Writer Needs a Mailing List
And How to Start Yours Without Stress, Hype, or Overwhelm Let’s talk about something that can help your writing career without draining your energy or turning you into someone you’re not. This last is crucial for all writers and storytellers. If you’re writing mysteries, thrillers, or crime fiction of any kind, a mailing list is…
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And So It Goes – Billy Joel Documentary Part 1 Review
“And So It Goes,” the Billy Joel documentary on HBO Max is profound, inspiring, illuminating, and moving.* Years ago, I took a songwriting class. The instructor asked us to name enduring songwriters. I named Billy Joel. “He’s not a songwriter for the ages,“ she said. “Really?” I said. “Have you ever been to one of…
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From Prompt to Premiere – Adapting work into other media
Can One Word, One Minute, and One Idea Spark a Movie? Yep. How easily can you adapt a work into another medium. A few years ago, I wrote a story a day for a year. I wrote each story from a prompt word. The trick? I only had a single minute in which to write…
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Cover Reveal! and what’s so important about a cover anyway?
I’ve been keeping this under wraps, but it’s finally time to introduce you to someone who’s been living in my head—and soon, yours. Meet Gemma Blackthorne: True crime podcaster. Relentless seeker of secrets. Obsessive solver of the unsolved. Her specialty? Ancient, chilling mysteries buried by time. Her source? A shadowy group known only as The…
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Poem: When or How To Be A Grown-Up
I don’t often write poems, but this one flew out of me. I might need to rearrange two of the lines but for right now, here it is. When: Or How To Be A Grown-Up By Izolda Trakhtenberg When you’re wrong, admit it. When you’re right, be right but don’t be smug. When you’ve learned…
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Don’t Be Meh
I’ve reached the age of, “If a book doesn’t grab me in the first two chapters, I put it down & back away.” I used to slog through any meh book I started until the tepid end. No more. I do the same with plays, TV shows & movies. The other night I walked out…
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A Guiding Light for Creativity: How Visual Inspiration Fuels My Writing
The Power of Visual Cues: My Secret to Staying on Track Sometimes, when you’re creating, you need a guiding light. You need a signpost that represents what you’re working towards. Some people keep it in their minds, but I need something more tangible or visual. I have post-it notes all over my apartment that inspire…
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Izolda T 