Perfect Storms

I’ve been mostly absent from Joy & Moxie for several months due to a perfect storm of stresses, season-changes & soul-wanderings. September 2017. My grandmother (Nanny) and last living grandparent passed away. So began a season of mourning and the excavation of our memories and her house. Winter 2017-2018. As I endeavored to finish my […]

Joy In Embroidery Floss

I have been in a fallow season of late – a resting season. My novel is done (for now – honestly is it ever done?), and I am resisting the mighty temptation to begin work on a sequel. It’s too early for a sequel; the novel itself needs some time to cool down before edits […]

Taking The Week “On”: Summer Writing

When some people go on vacation, they like to say they’re “taking the week off.” I say I’m “taking the week on.” Next week I will be operating as a full-time writer. This will be my staycation. For there is really no grander place to be than deep in my own writings and at home […]

Making the World Beautiful

It’s already been an incredibly long summer. Long in the sense that I find it difficult to write posts for this blog without feeling mute and powerless. There isn’t a patch on the Earth that isn’t in some kind of turmoil or political upheaval, except for perhaps the penguin nations of Antarctica. This is one of […]

Self-care: Permission To Be A Human

Several years ago, a dear friend introduced me to The Artist’s Way, Julia’s Cameron’s book on writing, art and “unblocking” one’s creative sensibilities. Its fundamentals – morning pages and self-care – were immensely helpful in my journey to becoming comfortable with my artist-self. But this self-care thing? At first it seemed me like a “well, duh” […]