As an undergraduate many years ago, I signed up to be a tutor at a local middle school. I was only somewhat interested in the work...

In November 2011, I started to tell a story. But the story actually began earlier than that, way back during the summer of 2000. I was in...

So, you've written yourself a pretty good book. A great book, you dare say. It has a unique (but trendy) premise. You've spent...

I took this photo several years ago at a time when CAMPER GIRL was in limbo. When I think of Shannon's adventure through the Adirondacks,...

Michelle Caffrey's book, "Bring Jade Home," tells the true story of a dog lost in the wilderness of Yellowstone and the people who work...

Several years ago, I attended a writing workshop outside of Toronto. I don't remember where it was exactly, but the landscape was...

Writers block is real. And it sucks. What makes it so widespread and difficult to overcome is that there are many different causes. You...

There are about 50,000 fiction books published in the U.S. each year. No, really. 50,000. That's 1000 books per state. Other sources say...

"The minute I stop writing for a month or two months and am on a trip I feel absolutely animally happy. But when you are writing and get...

Several years ago, I became fascinated by the rise in flash fiction. These are short-short stories generally in the 500-1000 word range....

How much writing goes into a book? More than you think. A lot more. Back before I dared even think about writing a book, I'd read...

Doing an "On Writing" post on a quote from Stephen King is fitting, since he's lauded for his book On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft as...

Groups of friends are fleeting. Think about all the communities you've belonged to: your summer camp friends, your college band, your...

Most people think of writer's block as a complete drought of ideas. For many writers, however, the block they experience isn't about...

I'm excited to introduce a regular feature to my blog: On Writing. There are a gazillion books and poems and essays about the art of...

I'm honored to announce that my Young Adult novel CAMPER GIRL has been accepted for publication by Regal House Publishing. A HUGE thank...

The Adirondack Park in northern New York state is a six-million acre preserve, the largest park in the lower 48 states. Though it...

When writers first meet, a question they often ask one another is "Are you a planner or a pantser?" That is, do you outline and plan your...

cairn kern (noun) 1. a mound of rough stones built as a memorial or landmark, typically on a hilltop or skyline. Early in her journey,...