Author Updates

April 15, 2026

Despite Distractions . . . Right on Schedule

A Tetralogy Update

I'm chose a slow writing schedule to accommodate life and its many distractions. Some of these distractions are delightful, like taking a creek walk with Henry. (The creek of which I speak is pictured as the background behind these various content "strips"). We took our first plunge yesterday, the earliest season opener since beginning these creek walks back in 2017. Back then, it was Rosie and me. Henry hadn't yet come into the world. Sadly for us, Rosie passed from age related issues in 2024. But being in Heaven, Rosie isn't sad at all.

Other distractions, like mowing, are not in the least delightful. In fact, I'd prefer to let the yard grow up into pasture with only mowed walking paths, but localities have rules against this sort of thing. Even so, I'm slowing converting grass into habitat for birds, bees, and insects of all kinds.

But to the point of this posting: I'm writing with my latest progress update.

Another month has passed with a new seasonal view outside my window. You can tell its spring with the blossoms--yet it feels like summer with a temperature of 85% . . . and a high expected today of 88%. Wow.

Even so, I'm right on track . . . actually ahead of schedule, given I should be finished forty pages by the end of April will easily exceed that. So, until next time . . . I'll remember to take my camera on my next creek walk with Henry and post something interesting to see!

Until then . . .

March 19, 2026

Synchronicities
A Tetralogy Update

How odd. Turns out my writing schedule matches another quite different schedule: my dog walks.

Let's start with my writing schedule. On deciding the book should be no less than 240 pages and likely more, I set a goal of writing one page per three days. This doesn't sound like a lot, but I've many other activities in life, one being walking my dog. Though, as you can see through my window, I've a spacious and deep yard, my dog Henry requires regular outings into the world, sometimes to the Gettysburg Battlefield, sometimes outings to Marsh Creek, and various other locations. To keep both myself and Henry happy, I set a goal of 120 outings per year. We started and met this specific goal for the year 2025. As it turns out, this parsing of the year also reflects my writing schedule. (Yes, a year is 365 days, but I'm rounding days to simplify the math.). To be specific, by March 31, I will have 30 pages written; by June 30, I'll have 60 pages; September 30 will bring the count to 90; and by years end, I'll have 120 pages. Thus, it will take me until the end of 2027 to complete this book, a standalone young adult fiction but also Book 4 in what will be the tetralogy Of the Wing.

Why do I even mention this? Perhaps, because I wonder at the connection between these activities, writing and dog walking, and because I don't believe in "coincidences." Then it hit me. Of course! Most every dog walk, which is a lovely time spent in the natural world, fills me with ideas and inspiration for the stories I write. I conceive ideas for the characters and story development as I walk and then I sit down to the computer and translate these ideas into written words.

So far, I'm right on schedule in both life areas--walking and writing. Come back soon for my next update. Until then . . . enjoy the beginning days of Spring!

February 5, 2026

Tetralogy Update

In my last post, I announced that I’m writing a young adult book, one that will extend my current trilogy into a tetralogy. (See my January 4 post below for specifics.) Thus, this is my first writing update.

I am currently writing chapter four in what will likely be a 44-chapter book, more or less, depending on the chapter page lengths.

As this story is for young adults (ages 12+), I intend to extend these chapters. My habit, however, has been to write shorter chapters for middle grade readers . . . and briefer still for chapter books . . . and it’s a hard habit to break.

Of the Wing, the current trilogy, was written for readers 8 to 12, so you might wonder why the fourth book targets young adults. I’ve a variety of reasons but two stand out from the rest. The first is that I discovered an unexpected audience for this trilogy—mature women, especially over 55. This might stem from the simpler life style depicted in the series, which includes An Odd Bird #1; The Hawk’s Message #2, and The Shining Swan #3. With the knowledge that women enjoy my stories and often read young adult fiction, I began to consider writing for this audience. The second reason for choosing to write for young adults is that, since publication of the trilogy, the intended middle-grade readers have become young adults! Thus, I hope these original readers will return to the series, which is now morphing into a tetralogy. (By the way, I love the word tetralogy.) For those young readers new to the series, I imagine they’ll grow in their skills while progressing through the books.

So much for this update. Come back in early March for my next update. Until then . . . Here’s wishing you “a good read.”

Image outside the window at which I sit to write.

January 4, 2026

Happy New Year 2026!

I hope your New Year is a bright

one! Whatever chaos may

surround us, we each possess

the ability to create a

positive world. My pursuit of

this positive world is to write a

new book, a young adult book,

to transform my middle grade

trilogy Of the Wing into a

tetralogy. Yes, in due time, this series will expand to four books. But more, book four will be written for young adults, as Claire (the protagonist) has herself matured, now being fourteen years of age.

While I've only begun to write this book, the story has been forming in my mind (and in notes) for several years, so I expect to finish it in about two years. Perhaps that seems long to you, but to, me it's lightning fast--ha!

My hope is to include you in my writing journey without giving away the story.

Not sure how to do that . . . but let's find out together. So, until next time, keep the faith that during 2026 you, too, can create something beautiful in your life, whatever that might be.

December 2, 2025

Adventure Awaits Young Readers

The Bird Club, an ongoing illustrated series of seven books, is now available as eBook or paperback on Amazon.

If you've been following these updates, you might have noticed a color background change for the cover. (A last minute decision, for sure.) Here's hoping you like the change.

In my post below, I wrote about the emotional significance of these years while writing and producing this serial series, so I won't do so here. Instead, I want to comment on the overall nature of the content.

At least one reviewer has called this content "breezy" and another "winsome," descriptors that I much appreciate. I would add that these stories are more mature in subject matter than typical for primary school readers. Or . . . so I think. The characters are driven not so much by childish antics as by a desire to experience the natural world and to discover and understand its wonders and themselves. As a mature women, I've taken my inspiration from such classics as Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan, and many others. Thus, I hope that even parents will enjoy these stories—all seven of them. Ha!