5 Rules for Writing Your Novel

1. Write your novel. I don't care whether it's romance, mystery, or sci-fi. If the aliens invade the White House and end up taking the president out for drinks then good for you. Just write. Sit down at your laptop and write. Why are you still reading this post? You should be writing!

2. Read alot. Okay, sometimes you shouldn't be writing. Sometimes you should be reading. Everything. Read your genre, read another genre, read a classic, read the New York Times. Eat some cheese. Read some more. Why are you still looking at this post? You should be reading!

3. Edit like a mad fiend. Seriously though, most of writing is rewriting. Everything you've written should be rewritten at least twice then handed to a friend who can tell you it's crap so you can edit it again. Go edit something, this post will wait.

4. Take a deep breath, relax, eat some ice cream. Writing is about taking care of yourself. Unless you're Ernest Hemingway, in which case it means being an alcoholic. Check yourself, are you Ernest Hemingway? Do you live in the Florida Keys with a metric ton of six toed cats? Do you have a white beard? Do random people call you Papa? (Those last two might also be signs that you're Santa Clause) If you have checked yourself and you've come to the conclusion that you're Hemingway then please turn yourself in at the nearest hospital. If you're not Hemingway then there's no reason why writing should be a destructive process. Go get some ice cream, right now.

5. Do it all over again...

What do you think? Do you have any advice for writing? What do you like to see in a writer? Are you Hemingway? Leave a comment below!

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Coffee, Tea, or...

So, I'm a big freaking coffee drinker. It's in the title of the blog. Of course, a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, which means that I also like tea. I buy tea from two sources, a woman who sells her own mixes in Detroit's Eastern Market on Saturday morning and bagged tea from the cheese/tea/everything store (also in Eastern Market). The bagged tea is usually Harney & Sons, I'm not going to say they're the best (there's a lot of tea out there) but it's damn good and seeing the pretty tins makes me happy. The loose leaf is fantastic too!

What about you? Do you have a favorite writing drink? A favorite reading drink? Coffee, tea, or...?

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Spaghetti Squash Lasagna. Gluten free, Healthy, Incredibly Labor Intensive.

Yesterday I was talking to my mom on the phone (asking for a phone number because, you know, I am a ditz and recently lost my cell) and I told her I'd started cooking two hours ago and probably had another two hours to go.

She asked if I was unwell.

Not so much, I was just making spaghetti squash lasagna which first requires making homemade pasta sauce and preparing spaghetti squash. Then you cut up lots of vegetables and layer it all with cheese. What was supposed to be one lasagna turned into three, and I now have enough food to last until the end of days (and a huge thank you to my boyfriend who put it all away). 

What's your favorite labor intensive food? Do people think you're crazy when you make it? Is it worth it?

Hostess, a love story...

I have never eaten a Twinkie.

Or a Snoball.

Or a Ding-Dong.

In this age of American excess—where obesity is fast becoming the norm and cancer clusters crop up like dandelions—Twinkies, and other associated products, have become a symbol of a bygone age. When calories went uncounted and no one bothered to read the ingredients.

While other companies updated their classic recipes with varying degrees of success (new Coke anyone?) Twinkies have remained largely the same. Sold in crinkly packaging with a heart on the front. What little change has occurred has been in the form of product diversification (100 Calorie Twinkie Bites! The same chemically dependent formula—now smaller—with the calorie count on the bag!)

Twinkies are sold in gas stations, convenience shops, and grocery stores all over the country. Two to a pack, perfect for grade school friends pooling their allowance or a young couple lounging under the stars, contemplating life, death, and all the fun stuff in between.

Eat Healthier! Be a Better Person! And, More Boring!

I've been dieting recently, or making a lifestyle choice, or something...

And I've come to the conclusion that it's boring. Really boring.

Vegetables are something you eat while reading analyst reports on the widget market (anyone know what a widget really is?).

To really read a romance novel you need some mac and cheese, a pulled pork sandwich, and mashed sweet potatoes.

For serious.