by Patti Miinch | Feb 27, 2018 | Uncategorized
Novel-writers tend to fall into one of two camps.Some writers have a germ of an idea and simply sit down and start writing. They allow the characters to reveal themselves and the story to unfold. Because they write by the seat of their pants, so to speak, they are...
by Patti Miinch | Feb 13, 2018 | books, Lent, reading, sacrifice
Despite the fact that I’m not and never have been Catholic, I’ve been giving up something for Lent for most of my life.When I was in grade school, I gave up things like candy, bothering my older sister, and biting my nails. One year during high school I...
by Patti Miinch | Jan 23, 2018 | aging, family, friends, laughter, smiles, sun, wrinkles
Last week, when washing my face before going to bed, I was surprised to see that somehow, when I wasn’t paying attention, one of my formerly-slight crow’s feet had become much more distinct.It reminded me of the afternoon last summer when I looked at my...
by Patti Miinch | Jan 16, 2018 | book, boy, elements, feature, girl, ideas, Judy Blume, novel, plot, story, tell
I stumbled across this image this past week and immediately saved it as my phone’s wallpaper and screensaver.It appeals to me in part because I am a writer.But it speaks to me even more because I’m a reader. A reader who sometimes is frustrated by finding...
by Patti Miinch | Jan 9, 2018 | book, one year, write
What would you do with one year’s paid leave of absence?That subject line in my email inbox made my heart kick up a notch for just a few seconds one day last week. A quick glance at the sender’s name, however, informed me that the accompanying message...