inspiration Archives - Page 2 of 5

September Authors of the Month: MARY NEWMAN and CONSTANCE KIRKER

This author of the month feature is among the most fun activities I do in my writing life. Every interview yields new information about the writing life and expands my horizons to include writers of every genre. This month is no exception. I'm so pleased to welcome September's authors, sisters Mary Newman and Constance Kirker, who have written books about food and the cultural history behind its use. These amazing food gurus have serious academic credentials, a passion for travel and adventure, and a deep [...]

By irvinjgdm|2022-08-31T16:44:04+00:00August 31st, 2022|Author of the Month, Uncategorized|0 Comments

Digging Myself Up

No way to sugarcoat this truth, for me personally, it's been a shitty summer. Three rounds of antibiotics for various unusual infections followed by a Mohs procedure (www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-information/mohs-surgery) for skin cancer that ended up costing me most of my left nostril and resulted in complicated facial reconstruction, which is not over yet. If my last name were Scrooge, I'd scream Bah, humbug! The combination of these events entombed me in a very dark hole. I've been digging myself up ever since. For a flaming [...]

By irvinjgdm|2022-07-31T17:04:33+00:00July 31st, 2022|contemplative, Essays, inspirational, motivational, philosophical|0 Comments

Author of the Month: Celebrity Chef KEITH D. JONES

August 2022...We might be in the dog days of summer, but I'm so excited to feature my first celebrity chef and author, Keith D. Jones, as the subject of this month's author interview. I admit to being a 'food snob,' not in the sense that I have to have gourmet meals, no, but in the vein of healthy, fresh ingredients prepared with love and care and a touch of the creative. That's exactly what Keith brings to his table -- a dedication to eating healthy [...]

By irvinjgdm|2022-07-31T16:28:32+00:00July 31st, 2022|Author of the Month|0 Comments

It’s June…and Romance Is In The Air!

The absolute BEST prize for a writing contest is publication, and Central Ohio Fiction Writers have that. Sharpen your ideas, flex your fingers, and start writing! And pass the word to all your writing friends!

By irvinjgdm|2022-05-31T15:11:54+00:00May 31st, 2022|Essays|0 Comments

June 2022 Author of the Month: TRACE CONGER

Welcome, June, and welcome to crime writer, Shamus award-winning author, and fellow Ohio University grad (Go, Bobcats!) Trace Conger, whose novels explore murder in the crime, thriller, and suspense genres. I've had the opportunity to share space with Trace at Mulberry Street Books in Lebanon, Ohio, and pick his brain a little about the writing process and this writing adventure we share. He is the author of the Conner Harding and Mr. Finn series Janet Irvin: Trace, let's talk about choosing this writing path. [...]

By irvinjgdm|2022-05-31T15:10:08+00:00May 31st, 2022|Author of the Month, Uncategorized|0 Comments

April 2022 Author of the Month: ROCK NEELLY

April ushers in wet weather, early blooms, and a new release from this month's special author, Rock Neelly. If you follow my writing journey, you already know that I seek out fellow authors wherever I roam. I met Rock at Mulberry Street Books in Lebanon, Ohio, and invited him to sit down for a chat with me this month. Neelly hails originally from Hutchinson, Kansas, and grew up spending weekends on family farms in both Oklahoma and Kansas. The son of teachers, he grew up [...]

By irvinjgdm|2022-03-31T15:56:50+00:00March 31st, 2022|Author of the Month|0 Comments

March Author of the Month: TARA TYLER

I love Book Fairs and Book Signings, not only for the opportunity to talk with readers and the public in general but also for the chance to interact with fellow writers. I met Tara Tyler at Mulberry Street Books in Lebanon, Ohio, where proprietor Angela is incredibly supportive of local authors. Tara, a sci-fi fantasy and adventure author, impressed me with her stories aimed at the middle-grade reader. She describes herself as "a math teacher who writes to share her passion for reading with others. [...]

By irvinjgdm|2022-02-28T17:01:18+00:00February 28th, 2022|Author of the Month, Featured, Uncategorized|0 Comments

The Heart of it All

Once upon a time, the slogan for the Buckeye State was "Ohio...the heart of it all." While the P.R. guys and gals have moved on from that catchy phrase, I find myself returning to it this February...not for the state but for myself and my passion. What, I ask myself, is the heart of my writing? Here's what I came up with... 1. exploring the motivations that prompt human actions, good or bad 2. optimism...despite the chaos that threatens our world 3. a belief in [...]

By irvinjgdm|2022-01-31T17:19:51+00:00January 31st, 2022|Essays|0 Comments

Resolutions — A New Sense or a Nuisance?

Ah, the pressure of a new year...the overt or subtle messages from friends, family, the media to change your ways, make a fresh start, replace old habits with new ones. Do I or don't I make that list? Some days the desire to simply 'be' overshadows everything else and raises questions. Why must I push myself forward? What do I hope to accomplish in this moment? Do I need to always be chasing after something more? During December, I spent much of my online time [...]

By irvinjgdm|2022-01-01T14:50:08+00:00January 1st, 2022|Essays|0 Comments

January 2022 Author of the Month: MAGGIE BLACKBIRD

It's a new day in a new year...welcome, 2022, and welcome, as well, to Maggie Blackbird, who writes romance novels set among Canada's indigenous people. About herself, Maggie is an Ojibway from Northwestern Ontario. She resides in the country with her husband and their fur babies, two beautiful Alaskan Malamutes, one of whom is pictured below. "When I'm not writing," Maggie says, "I can be found pulling weeds in the flower beds, mowing the huge lawn, walking the Mals deep in the bush, teeing up [...]

By irvinjgdm|2022-01-01T14:42:22+00:00January 1st, 2022|Author of the Month|0 Comments