Window Over The Sink

I have to admit it--I have nothing today. But the fairgrounds has this. " Come out and see the Prehistoric Indian artifacts show at the fairgrounds sponsored by the Indiana Archaelogical Society. We are here representing the Miami County Museum with some of our artifacts and goodies. The show is open until 3pm. The concessions are open and they have some breakfast too! Or this sounds like fun -- If you're out and about tonight, stop in for Open Mic at Gallery 15 -- And then

by M.J. Schiller Thank you, Liz, for having me on the Window! It’s an honor being on the blog that I enjoy reading so much! People often ask where an author gets their ideas for their books. Mine come from a number of sources. One book, it was the first line that came to my mind, and the story revolved around that. (Ironically, the line ended up being in the middle of the book.) Sometimes it’s a dream, sometimes it develops out of a song, and sometimes, like with my newest r

by Joe DeRozier Joe, caught being terrified. They walk by, casually turning their heads to look at my table while being very careful not to make eye contact. I usually push my books at Fall and Christmas events, believing my chances of getting sales are elevated being close to the holidays, but a few weeks ago I read about an opportunity to attend a Spring Spectacular. I wasn't sure how well I'd do because the targeted audience would be different. The holiday crowd can be per

By Sarah and Darin Fortner We are proud to announce the release of our new book, The Cases of Owen Barham . It is a collection of short stories, unusual mysteries set in 1920s England. It is written in the style and language of that time period, and illustrated with black-and-white images to maintain that atmosphere. The main character is a university student from London, who manages to get involved in various cases despite not being a professional detective. This is our fift

The Interurban Round my Indiana homestead wave the cornfields,In the distance loom the woodlands clear and cool.Oftentimes my thoughts revert to scenes of childhood ... Oh, the moonlight’s fair tonight along the Wabash; from the fields there comes the breath of new-mown hay,through the sycamores the candlelights are gleaming, on the banks of the Wabash, far away. - Paul Dresser Indiana is not always a comfortable place to live. Our weather's iffy, the politics are ... what th

I'm sorry I never saw the Beatles or the Eagles perform live.

... life has a funny way of taking plans like that and tossing them right out the window.

I can't speak for other professions, but writers and other artists tend to seek each other out.

I'm happy to have Darlene Fredette back at the Window today. She's going to talk about Book 5 in her Redford Falls Series, but first she's going to answer some questions. I just love when someone agrees to do that, don't you? 1. What do you do on those days when you’re pretty sure the muse has died and you’ll never again write a publishable word? I don’t think my muse has ever died. I have too many stories in my head and too little time. However, there have been days when I n

Virginia Balsbaugh was the librarian at North Miami when I was a kid.

What if the key to abundance isn’t giving more—but giving in balance? We’ve been taught that it’s more blessed to give than to receive. But what if receiving is just as sacred as giving? And what if the two were never meant to exist apart? The Giving on Purpose journal invites you to explore the powerful, often misunderstood connection between giving and receiving. If you’ve ever felt like you give endlessly—your time, love, energy, or resources—yet struggle to receive in ret

Oh, weren't we? But I'm always talking about books. Way too often about my own, but sometimes ... sometimes I spread the news about other authors. It's especially fun to do this when they are either local or locally connected. This week, I'm talking about children's books. Gloria Dance Gloria Beecher Dance graduated from North Miami. She's had an interesting life that included a long career in elementary education. However, it was her twin grandchildren who planted the story

...the days that were 'wasted’ are the ones to regret the most.

I wrote the following column in 1994. I last used it in April of 2022, when my sister Nancy passed away. I use it again now because this week we lost my brother Joe, the one I talk about in the essay's first paragraph. He is the last of my sisters and brothers and the ache of loss is deep and unrelenting. However, the memories are just as deep and offer many of the Heartening Times I wrote about recently. It is also dedicated, with never ending love, to the memories of Nancy

by Sheila Hansberger, Artist & Author Welcome Sheila Hansberger to the Window today. I'm sure you'll find her interview as interesting as I did! - Liz 1. What is your favorite thing about yourself? And your least favorite. I’m proud to say I’m not a quitter. I may struggle to get a project done, but I refuse to stop until I see results. Sadly, that’s also my least favorite trait, because in the past, I have pushed so hard to finish, I risked endangering my health. And recu

by Sherri Easley I recently learned there is an actual word for something I’ve been doing my entire life. It’s called pebbling. Apparently, penguins will offer small stones to one another as a sign of affection. It’s their way of saying I choose you, I like you, you matter, and possibly, let’s build a life together and raise little penguin babies who waddle dramatically into the sunset. And when I read about this, I had one immediate thought: Oh, no. I’m a penguin. Not the c

Like a few others I’ve talked to about this, I lie awake for a while before I get up. Not because I’m still tired or because I don’t have things I want to do with my day or even because I don’t have to go to the bathroom quite yet. No, I stay there because a sense of dread accompanies my waking. The dread is neither predictable or always definable. Often, admittedly, it has to do with politics and the state of our country. Sometimes it is about people I’ve dreamed about or fr

by Jana Richards I’ve populated the three books of the Twice in a Lifetime series with a bevy of secondary characters. But even though they’re labeled as secondary, I like to believe they are interesting, fully formed individuals who have important contributions to make to the stories being told. Take, for instance, Ellen Arnason. She’s the mother of Gabriel Daniels, the series’ main character. Ellen is vibrant, creative and a little eccentric. She’s also bipolar, and though

I'd been in a bit of writer quicksand. Several books that are works in progress got stuck in the messy middle. I needed a palette cleanser. What to do?

... the very three a.m. of the calendar. ~Joseph Wood Krutch I have always said, although no one ever asked me, that if God made mistakes, February was right at the top of the list. Surely it wasn't intended to be the way it is, was it? Twenty-eight (or sometimes 29) days last at least as long as January and March combined, and we all know how long those go on, don't we? However ... On February 1st, Hattie Caraway, the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate, was born. She gai