While researching my book on the Moore tornado of 2013, I came across the story of a man who instantly intrigued me. His name is Ted “Mr. Tornado” Fujita. The tornado F-scale is named after him, and he is responsible for nearly all the information we have about the mysterious weather phenomenon known as the…
When you first get published, peers will tell you, “Don’t read your reviews.” We nod, completely understanding how distracting and potentially damaging it could be to our artistic psyche. And then we all ignore that advice and read them anyway. How can we not? They’re everywhere these days and we’re curious, of course. Writing is…
I have a bizarre relationship with new things. Maybe you can identify with it. I can’t seem to own them very long before they’re damaged. Many years ago my husband and I went out and bought our first really nice, new piece of furniture, a dining room table. We’d had it exactly three days before…
For those of you who love a good horror story, fasten your seatbelts. You’re about to hear a doozy. I must warn you, there are no guts or high-pitched screams, no axes or dark forests, but there is death. Death of ego and pride, dreams and aspirations…no less bloody but maybe less chill bump inducing….
I distinctly remember the first conference I ever went to. I still to this day don’t know how I got the mailing list, but a postcard announcing the conference came shortly after I’d made the decision to pursue a publishing career. It was like I was meant to go. That turned out to be true….
On January 15th, 2009, US Airways Flight 1549 departed from LaGuardia airport. In the climb out after takeoff, the plane was struck in both turbofan engines by a flock of Canadian geese. The engines caught fire and lost power immediately. Captain Chesley Sullenberger was forced to ditch the plane moments later in the Hudson River. …
