Sometimes, life just isn’t fair. And the most talented among us get overlooked. For example, my good friend Tony Hooper emailed me last week with this lament: Dear Joanna, Walter Bargen narrowly edged me out to become Missouri’s first Poet Laureate. I probably should have steered away from controversy in my poems, one of which […]
Category Archives: Blog
The Best of British Scrapbooking 2007
Since 2004, I’ve been judging The Best of British Scrapbooking, a contest I started in the UK to spotlight new talent. When I began the contest, people wondered if there was really enough talent
Hoppin' John for a Happy New Year
Hoppin’ John Stop by our house tomorrow, and you’ll find me cooking a mess of “Hoppin’ John.” “Hoppin’ John” is an essential part of southern lore, especially honored in the Low Country, South Carolina’s coastal counties. If you stop in an area restaurant around New Year’s Day, no matter what you order, they’ll slip you […]
Back from Vacation
Just home from Kiawah Island, SC, and a marathon bookreading vacation. My husband David and I laugh that we must be getting old. We ENJOY sitting around, reading, and going to bed early. I particularly loved reading In the Bleak Midwinter by Julia Spenser-Fleming. Wow. That’s all I can say. It’s an absolutely terrific book. […]
What's New for October 2007
So what’s new? Forensic University–Is right around the corner, Nov. 1-4, 2007. This will be the first all-forensic conference for writers ever held. I’m co-chairing with my pal Michelle Becker. She’s done a great job, and I’ve worked hard too! Paper, Scissors, Dead–Will debut September 2008. (This used to be called Over Exposed. I like […]
That SCRAPBOOKING Author!
Someone called me “that SCRAPBOOK author” this week. She meant it as a perjorative. But all I can do is laugh. You see, I’m proud to be called “that SCRAPBOOK author” for a variety of reasons. First of all, I love scrapbooking. And scrapbookers. Scrapbookers are the loveliest folks in the world. They care about […]
Cogblogo Ergo Sum
Okay, I’m already writing for three other blogs, (http://killerhobbies.blogspot.com http://forustl.blogspot.com http://midnightwriters.blogspot.com ) plus notes on Crimespace. What the heck am I doing here? It’s simple: I don’t want anyone to take my name. Why? Well, it’s happened to me before (a long, ugly story), and I’m a tad paranoid about it happening again. Cogblogo ergo […]