Posts by Christina Consolino
An Interview with Christina Berry
One of my new favorite people in the world right now is debut author Christina Berry. Because she lives in Texas (see what I mean about knowing a ton of authors from Texas?), we haven’t met in-person (yet). But when she posted on social media about reading and reviewing her book, I responded with interest.…
Read MoreWith or Without You
My youngest, who is twelve, has always clung to words. She likes how coffin and soft sound, and she repeats words like creamy often. Her new favorite word: rude. As in, “That’s rude,” in response to someone’s off-color behavior. But it’s not the word that stands out, it’s how she says it. A bit of…
Read MoreAn Interview with Pamela Skjolsvik
What is it about Texas? In the past three months or so, I’ve “met” several authors living in Texas, including Pamela Skjolsvik, whose “last name is pronounced like Dr. Scholls with a ‘vik’ on the end.” Like many authors, Pamela has been published in literary journals and online (including Writer’s Digest), and she’s also placed…
Read MoreNineteen: The Nest
Dear Zoe and Talia, These letters get more sappy as the years go by, but I hope someday, when I’m gone, you can look at them and know how much I loved you. This past year for you has been strange, to say the least. The other day, in fact, Zoe came into my room…
Read MoreLet’s Talk About THE BLURB
She thinks the hard part is over. She’s written the manuscript. She’s done the homework. She’s sent the queries, imploring someone—anyone?—to take her work on. She’s learned to handle rejection and the constant nagging that her email folder labeled Rejections is teetering on the brink of no storage. She’s chipped away at her self-confidence, and…
Read MoreCat-astrophe
“When you’re ready to put Arnold on a diet,” the vet says, “call me. It can be a process, but it can work.” Arnold is the second of our cats to need some help in terms of dietary needs. The first, Ferdinand, ended up with diabetes, something we couldn’t control. I still remember the toil…
Read MoreAn Interview with Cara Sue Achterberg
I’ve never met Cara Sue Achterberg in real life, but if I did, I think we’d be fast friends. She describes herself as “an irrepressible writer, a curious cook, a lazy gardener, a loyal friend, a dog trainer in training, and an occasional cowgirl.” With a set of interests as diverse as those, she’s sure…
Read MoreEven More Words for the New Year 6
I’m more than willing to call myself out when I make a mistake. And friends, oooh, did I make a mistake last year! I chose to focus on these words (these words!): What a wonderful thought it is that some of the best days of our lives haven’t even happened yet. —Anne Frank Um, really.…
Read MoreAll I Want for Christmas . . .
This year hasn’t been easy for anyone. (That’s probably a gross understatement, of course.) And I think the stress of this year, whether overt or subtle, has gotten to me in ways I didn’t expect. Because today, as I sit at my computer and think about all the things I might want, or need, the…
Read MoreAn Interview with Abigail Swanson
Interviews are some of my favorite posts to put together, mainly because I’m excited about the authors I choose to interview. Today’s interviewee is a real pleasure to feature: Abigail Swanson is a current high school student and daughter of a college acquaintance. Abigail’s older brother, Jonathan, was born at thirty-one weeks with Cornelia de…
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