How to Pack for the Perfect Vacation

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills July becomes vacation spectacular for many people around the world, and you may be one of them. Over the years, I’ve simplified my packing method, and I’d like to share with you 10 easy ways to ensure your trip meets expectations with a plan for taking just what you need—and ensuring the perfect vacation. Here are …

Popular Childhood Reading from the 1930s – 1970s

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills A discussion arose on Facebook about books that sparked our childhood reading. What fun, and I found I’d read most of them too. The nostalgia of favorite books that not only kept me turning pages but also encouraged me to write caused me to research favorite childhood books beginning with my mother’s era in the 1930s. …

Danger Signs of a Too Comfortable Writer

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills We live in a comfortable society. But that can be dangerous for writers who choose complacency rather than pouring a steady stream of effort into their writing. Have you ever met a writer who expected and demanded results from readers, other writers, and those involved in the profession without doing their share of the work? It’s …

Are You Denying Your Emotions?

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Each one of us responds to life and its peculiarities with emotion. We are all wired differently, and that makes us all unique. How we mentally, physically, and spiritually interpret happenings is based on inherited traits, our role models from birth, and life experiences. It’s no surprise that many of us deny what we feel. Tonya …

10 Ways for Writers to Toss Out Perfectionism

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Do you know writers who are miserable because they equate success with perfectionism? They seldom find satisfaction with their creativity and are rarely pleased with others’ accomplishments. Some say the perfectionism trait is determined by the writer’s personality, childhood, education, life experiences, and a host of other variables. Really? None of us are perfect writers, so …

Managing Life with Motivational Quotes

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Quotes that inspire, encourage, make us laugh, and motivate us into action are those words of wisdom that we return to time and time again. The following quotes are some of my favorites, and they may be special to you too. There are three ways to ultimate success: The first way is to be kind. The …

National Cherry Cobbler Day

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills My mouth waters at the thought of a hot cherry cobbler, one scoop maybe two of vanilla ice cream, and fresh dark-roasted coffee. Yep, that’s May 17th—National Cherry Cobbler Day. According to the dictionary, the definition of a cobbler is: “A dessert consisting of fruit baked in a deep dish with a thick, cake-like crust on top.” The sweet …

Where to Find Ideas for Your Novel

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Where do authors find their ideas? From experience I can assure you a drone hasn’t delivered any of my stories to my front door or drop-shipped a complete novel into my brain. Sometimes I waken from a dream with an amazing idea, but that’s rare. Novel ideas are everywhere. We simply must train our minds to …

Recipes to Swing into Spring

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Trying new recipes doesn’t need a special season of the year but swinging into spring with light and fun dishes makes sense to me. The following are a few favorites that will tickle your tastebuds. Crispy Jicama Apple Salad Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Servings: 4 I tried this for the …