Ten amazingly effective drawing activities for when your emotions get the best of you. — We wouldn’t be human without our emotions. Our ability to feel these emotions is the fuel that drives our thoughts, behaviors, and ambitions. Quite simply, we couldn’t live life without them. Emotions, even positive ones, can be overwhelming and cause us to make bad decisions, take rash action, or no…

Opinions are mixed, but they’re fun to make, and here’s my favorite way to DIY — “Book trailers are the quickest way to make you and your writing better known to a wider audience. Many people don’t like to read social media posts, but if there are some flickering images, you can be assured that there’ll be some interest…it’s also pretty cool. “Have you seen my…

Here’s how getting creative in the kitchen can help promote emotional wellness — We all know food is good for the soul, but did you know that cooking is great for your mind? Some mental health professionals now recommend cooking classes as a treatment for depression and anxiety. The psychology of cooking Some therapists say that focusing on a task such as following a recipe deflects worry…

A grieving fiancee, naïve victim, or calculating coquette? — We’ve met Eleanor (Nell) Darrows in Chapter 4 of Death’s First Kiss. She’s young, pretty, and living with a man she calls ‘uncle’. But is there more to her relationship with Houston Carlisle? There are those who hope so…namely Houston’s sister Charlotte and her husband Preston Darrows. They believe Houston’s…

Creativity is like a muscle, and yes, you have one — YOU are creative! As an instructor of digital design software, I so often heard a student claim things like: “I’m not creative. I can’t draw a straight line. I don’t have a creative bone in my body.” For starters, the truth is: No one can draw a straight line. We are human beings…

Getting organized is a task. Staying organized is a habit! — If you’re someone who forms habits easily, keeping your home organized can be ‘hard-wired’ into your life without too much trouble. For the rest of us, keeping a few basic ‘commitments’ each day will keep the clutter away. …

How to creatively conquer clutter in your home, your work and your brain. — Clutter-filled environments can make for a clutter-filled life When your surroundings are out of control, you often feel the same way. Clutter also has a knack for compounding itself, creeping into other areas of our lives like a fast-growing weed: your car, your desk at work, and even your mind! Creative people are sometimes thought to be unorganized…

How expressing gratitude can lower stress, improve sleep patterns, and enrich personal relationships. — “That’s gratitude for you!” Do you remember hearing that old saying? An acerbic retort generally directed at someone who wasn’t grateful at all for something they received, especially if it was from you! If someone didn’t appreciate a kindness or gift you’d given them, you probably never wanted to help that person again, right…

Varenna Black, Myth Hunter: The Judas Curse — Book One — “Houston!” I hear Nell call, her shrill voice echoing from the hallway the moment I enter the house. “Thank goodness you’re back!” In a flourish of colorful silk skirts, Eleanor Darrows swishes into view, breathless and pale as ever, the dark circles under her eyes even more pronounced than when…