One of the things I’ve recently learned about writing is the importance of keeping a notepad with me at all times, so I can write down good ideas when I have them. Sounds obvious, right? But let me tell you, for the longest time I didn’t bother. I just expected my inspirational moments to come back and re-visit at a more convenient time (a-k-a when I was sitting at my computer). I also know I’ve lost thousands of great plot lines because I simply didn’t take ownership of them

Everyone seems to love HBO’s smash hit series Game of Thrones, as much for its cast of remarkable characters as its plot twists and gore. I love the evil-doers of the show. I didn’t think anyone could outdo the callousness of the despicable Joffrey Lannister, and then HBO upped the ante with the introduction of Ramsay Bolton. Poor Joffrey’s evil deeds pale in comparison. The reason why I risk receiving a cease and desist order from HBO attorneys by showing the picture to the

[endif]--Let’s face it, reading the news these days is depressing. I’m not talking here about media outlets bombarding our psyches 24/7 with news of mass shootings and the latest faux pas of ghastly political candidates. I’m talking about the language we’re subjected to on a daily basis that is full of grammatical errors. Worse still, even respected news outlets are regular offenders, (including my beloved NPR and BBC)! ![endif]-- Take, for example, an ABC news story I read t