I started playing around with online kaleidoscope and mandala makers while I was researching Life Glows On—one of the many perks of researching a book about creativity. I find it really fun and relaxing, and as much as I love writing, it’s a nice break from working with words all day. I should also probably warn you that it’s a little bit addicting!
Happy first day of spring, everybody! Claire Cook wrote her first novel in her minivan when she was 45. At 50, she walked the red carpet at the Hollywood premiere of the adaptation of her second novel, Must Love Dogs, starring Diane Lane and John Cusack, which is now a 7-book series. Claire is the…
I’ve definitely had days like this (especially when I’m trying to finish a book!), but one thing I’ve learned is that whenever I want to give up on something, when I try just a little bit harder, that’s when all the good things happen. So whatever is or isn’t happening in your life right now,…
I’ve known I was a writer since I was three. I was one of eight kids, and when you grow up in those great big families, you desperately want something that’s just yours to make you feel special, to separate you from the pack. I grabbed writer. My mother entered me in a contest to…
I took this photo with my iPhone leaning up against a telescope. It’s a roseate spoonbill. The long beak is rounded like a spoon at the end so it can scoop up shrimp and other pink crustaceans, which is how its feathers get that great color. I’m so grateful for my island life and the…
I love found sculptures. Walking in the woods at Christmastime and discovering a scrubby little pine tree with candy canes hanging from it and a tinsel garland wrapped around it like a hug. Or strolling across the beach and finding all the left-behind flip-flops dangling from a mast-like hunk of driftwood.
Just in case you ever need to rescue a baby raccoon, I made this video to share with you. I’m so glad it had a happy ending. I’ve spent a fair amount of time rescuing animals in my life, and I have to admit it always makes me feel a little bit like a superhero!…
The simplest thing really can change our lives. Walking is free. It’s easy to do. It makes us feel better—way better! Walking gives us time to spend with our friends and catch up on all the latest news. It increases our mental well-being and focus. It helps control body weight and reduce body fat. Walking reduces…
Christopher Plummer was incredibly kind to me on the set of the Must Love Dogs movie. When he first saw me, he stood, lifted his arms in one of his grand gestures and announced, “The author is here.” Thanks for making this author laugh and feel a little less overwhelmed. The world was lucky to have you…
Hi Everybody, I hope you’re staying safe and healthy and finding creative ways to enjoy your holidays. It’s been all Zoom for us this year, but our hearts are filled with gratitude and we’re enjoying plenty of laughs any way we can get them! As I began writing this newsletter, I came across a quote that I love: “You…
