Behind the (Writing) Scenes with…
Dogs Make a Difference
From The Pen Woman, Winter 2022
Jo Jo Harder find inspiration in an unusual place — from her canine companion, Romeo.
Writing to Music
From The Pen Woman, Fall 2021
Christina Britton Conroy usually writes her stories to music — and considers film composers her gods.
Words
From The Pen Woman, Summer 2021
Betty J. Lafferty shares tips on how to find inspiration — and how to honor words.
Memoirs a Must
From The Pen Woman, Spring 2021
Patricia Daly-Lipe writes that “a memoir is how you remember your own life” — and encourages all writers to inspire others with their stories.
To Maintain a Flow, Edit
From The Pen Woman, Winter 2021
Rosemary Barkes began a writing career at 64 — and had to learn how to maintain a good story flow.
Far from Home
From The Pen Woman, Fall 2020
Ronni Miller has always “started a story or a novel with some incident, sight, feeling, or momentary flash of insight” — she’s hooked and wants to find out more.
Cooking Up Western Stories
From The Pen Woman, Fall 2019
How does a gal like Barbara Blackburn — from east of the Mississippi — end up as a Western cookery specialist? Being a writer who loves to cook helps.
A Writer’s Process
From The Pen Woman, Summer 2019
Susan S. Buzzi believes inspiration is everywhere — “and if we are open, it will find us.” She uses a simple approach to writing that’s become a ritual.
‘What No Child Should See’
From The Pen Woman, Spring 2019
For Donna DeLeo Bruno, a book started with a friendship. But it would be many years before her friend opened up about her childhood experiences in Nazi Belgium.
My Creative Process for Writing Poetry
From The Pen Woman, Winter 2019
Donna Puglisi always carries notepads and pens wherever she goes — she doesn’t know “when a thought will come, an inspiration, an observation of human behavior, something someone said.”
Rubbing Elbows with Celebrities
From The Pen Woman, Fall 2018
For Louise Webb, it all started when she and Richard Simmons saved her roommate’s life. The second interview, with Truman Capote, was certainly memorable — and made all the future celebrity interviews easy.