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Greetings from Barrio Horseshoe, where the second draft of my novel is finally complete. Now, the real work begins. Authors often identify as either "pantsers" or "plotters." This refers to those who write by the seat of their pants versus those who meticulously plot everything out. Most of us fall somewhere in between. Notable exceptions include John Grisham and, I believe, David Baldacci, who have elaborate storyboards, character bios, and clear arcs before they even write

The Unwelcome Buzz of Drones I wrote the drones into Gone To Ground because of their ubiquity in our world and their deeply annoying sound. My hope was that readers could relate to the desire to escape if drones hovered endlessly over their neighborhoods. This past year has offered an uncanny array of life-imitating-art scenarios, and the spying drone has finally appeared—sadly. In Minneapolis, residents opposing ICE operations have reported a surge of mysterious drone sighti

The Heart of the Story Gone To Ground grew from years spent in classrooms, listening closely to students whose stories rarely appear at the center of contemporary fiction. As a teacher, I work daily with young people navigating immigration, economic instability, cultural identity, and the pressures of adulthood arriving too early. I wanted to write a novel that reflects the emotional reality I see around me — a story that recognizes the dignity, humor, intelligence, and resi

A Glimpse into the Future Three years ago, when I was crafting Gone To Ground , I thought I was exaggerating — pushing fiction slightly past reality. I imagined a world where federal agents used facial recognition cameras and data platforms to identify, track, and pressure entire communities, not just individuals. In my novel, the technology becomes more than mere surveillance; it transforms into a catalyst for chaos. Cameras pop up everywhere. Tensions rise. A neighborhood i

It's been about 6 months since my last post. (Sounds like the start of a confession). Been drafting and rewriting which is really endless work - I'm a slow reader and a slow writer. WIth regard to Gone To Ground, it is now available on Audible, we have over 100 Amazon reviews, and for one brief moment it was in the top 25 under crime and action (David Baldacci is reportedly not losing sleep). When I wrote Gone To Ground, one of the questions I wanted to pose was this: How do

When I first drafted Gone To Ground, I wanted to give George Jones some pretext to send in the ICE agents and start kicking in doors. So...