We are still mid-pandemic and the end is not quite in sight yet, so I do all my writing at home. But I find myself daydreaming of the places where I used to write and find inspiration, and I’m looking forward to toting my laptop and notes out to one of my favorite haunts.

There’s always so much chitchat about what tools writers use in their craft: software, hardware, notebooks, planners. I’m not high-tech, but there are some things I feel like I can’t live without.

I worked nights in a newsroom for 10 years; and though it’s been a long time, my body somehow never recovered or recalibrated. The mornings are tough for me. Even if I’m not sleepy, I have zero inclination to actually get out of bed.

I never liked the word “trope” as it refers to romance novels because it implies—well, bad writing. It implies cliché. It implies laziness.

Podcasts are my favorite companion for chores, road trips, and long hours of procrastination. My favorites shift and change, but I wanted to share with you my current favorites!