Ella Joy Olsen Who are my long-lost relatives? And what role did they play in determining who I am today? Where does their identity place me in the patchwork of humanity? These are some of the questions people hope to answer when conducting ancestral research, a trend that is growing worldwide. But genealogy has long […]

Amy Poeppel My first real job after graduating from college was working as an actress. I spent about five years performing in plays, shooting commercials, and acting in probably the worst episode ever made of America’s Most Wanted. I learned the ins and outs of union affiliation, auditioned for all kinds of roles, and developed […]

Who doesn't have fond memories of childhood summers? Sure, you may remember that time you got a blistering sunburn, but I bet you had fun getting it.  I'm coming down to the last edits for my debut book. And I'm digging deep to make my characters memorable. I've discovered myself thinking a lot about the […]

Susan Donovan Do you think I’m sexy? Well? Do you? This is not some rhetorical Rod Stewart question. I’m totally serious. Do you think I’m sexy? Perhaps not. So let’s move on to the next question. Do you think I’m funny? See where I’m going with this? The truth is, “funny” is a lot like […]

Many of my fellow writing parents tell me that the summer school break is a menace to their writing schedule. There's no denying that it's a challenge that takes juggling and creativity. I've already completed the first road trip of the summer, and here are the five benefits I've found (so far). 1. The importance of […]