Why do we run ourselves ragged before the Christmas holidays? Why do we shop until we drop? Decorate the house inside and out? Fret over new Elf on the Shelf locations? Because we have wonderful Christmas memories of family gatherings at grandmother’s house, toys from Santa under the tree, church pageants and choir concerts, and […]
Christmas Memories Read More »
Sometimes books take many paths to publication. I wrote the novel Secrets a few years ago, choosing to explore a romance about a woman caught between the past and her desire to create a new life for herself. I wanted to submit the manuscript to a traditional publisher, but was advised at the time by
Writing Secrets—Release Day Read More »
In 2012, I wrote a blog called Recalling History Gives Meaning to Today. The blog reflected on my book A Groovy Christmas and the history of 1968 I had researched when writing it. I won’t lie. I remember 1968 vividly. I was a carefree teenager back then. I thought about that blog recently because A
Perspective: we’ve always had it hard Read More »
Sometime after second grade and by the time I discovered Black Stallion books in the fourth grade, I started loving to read. My ninth grade teacher Mrs. Neff encouraged us to buy and keep books. You can see I have many of them in my library today. Mrs. Neff also introduced me to the joys
I was a reader before I was a writer Read More »
When my husband and I discussed a summer vacation, I suggested Montana. I wanted to see the state where I’d set four books in the The Montana McKenna’s series with Maddie James. Before writing my books, I had researched the Internet for the setting, a dude ranch in Southwestern Montana near Yellowstone National Park. I
Montana vacation spurs romance novel ideas Read More »
In my last blog, I explored how novelists put their experiences into what they write. I also examined the idea in a blog for Gems in the Attic called “Write what you know. It’s fun!” Most of my Bluegrass Reunion Series are books about single moms. The heroines were divorced, unwed mothers, widows, or aunts.
Write what you know: single moms Read More »
How many times have friends asked me that question? Once the ladies in accounting asked my husband (then my boy friend) if he was the inspiration for my love scenes. He blushed and ran quickly out of the cubicle where they were working. Robert McKee (author of Story: Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of
Do you put people you know in your books? Read More »
Living in Louisville, Kentucky, I can’t escape the hoopla surrounding the death and funeral of native son, Muhammad Ali. It’s taking place downtown where I work. The Muhammad Ali Center is three blocks from my office building. On Monday when I went to my favorite spot for lunch, a crew from ABC was picking up
Remembering Muhammad Ali Read More »
Welcome Donna! Tell us about your new novel. Many years ago I attended the RWA convention in New Orleans. My roommate and I played hooky from the workshops by heading to the French Quarter for lunch. We were on Royal St. and saw the shingle for the famous Court of Two Sisters restaurant, but when
Charming the Professor by Donna MacMeans is a winner Read More »
This week someone in a published writers’ group email list mentioned that multi-published author Roberta Gellis is ailing. The sad report sent me to my basement bookshelf where I discovered nine copies of Gellis’ books. Back in the day, before I wrote novels, I read all the time. And back in the day, the
I found nine books on my keeper shelf written by Roberta Gellis Read More »
