My husband is a hugger. (I’ve known this since I met him.) I am not a hugger, though with my children, I am. Those children seem to be the exception, and what I’ve noticed over the last several years especially—as I approach menopause and all the delights that go with it—is that I have very…

Interviewing subjects for my interview series or for Literary Mama profiles brings me joy. Researching the subjects, crafting the questions, and reading the answers the authors provide—I love all of it. Usually, I feel a connection between me and the subject, and I often learn something new, even if I’ve known the person for a…

The cancer hadn’t devoured Ray yet, but with each rising of the sun, Sam knew his father was closer to dying than to living. It was too bad his folks lived over two hours away. Just far enough that Sam couldn’t get there as much as he would have liked. After all, he had two…

Last week, I found myself with a rare Thursday morning, empty of all obligations. Tim had left the day before on a business trip, so once all the children had departed for school, I started a load of laundry and drank my cup of coffee in near silence. Only the warbling of the birds and…