Yesterday, I finished the sixth draft of my novel, Painting Celia. Technically, I finished today — it was 2 A.M. on a Sunday night, and I had promised myself I would complete the job over the weekend. I was almost too tired to feel happy about it, but my husband…

A character in a book walks into a room filled with glowing golden light. Good, right? Now the light turns dark red. Uh oh, bad! This is the magic of color symbolism, a literary tool where colors are used to convey deeper meanings, to whisper something about a character or…

There’s a certain kind of magic that comes from organizing thoughts, ideas, and characters into a cohesive narrative. It’s a bit like solving a puzzle or a crossword. Today, I want to share with you my love for this process, my journey as a Plotter, and the joy I find…

As I prepare my query letter and the first fifteen pages of my manuscript to be sent off, I’m feeling those opening night jitters. It’s as though I’m about to perform on a grand stage for the first time, my fledgling craft exposed, my hopeful truths spotlighted in words for…

Lamentably, I have a gluten intolerance. This means I cook from scratch most of the food I eat, and ask many questions about ingredients when eating food I haven’t prepared myself. Both of these habits made their way into Painting Celia. It’s never called out, but Celia also cooks gluten…

A detour of delightful diversions can derail even the most dedicated writer. How do we avoid procrastination’s siren song? Procrastinating? Me? It’s research! I recently wanted a word to describe reaching up through water, trying to get to the surface. Did I use the words I already knew would express it? Eventually, but not…

“Maya wrote a book,” my husband announces. — With that, I become the center of attention at a family gathering, struggling to explain my latest endeavor. I’ve always prided myself on being stoic, friendly and enjoying time with family but keeping my feelings hidden. As a corporate coder and content writer, my career has always been a little…

Women Writers, Women(’s) Books has published my story about traveling to LA to visit Celia, León, and the rest of the crew. Here’s an except from “Setting Research: When You Didn’t Write What You Know” published on April 29, 2023. A woman floats peacefully in a swimming pool at night…

I’m an author, but also an avid reader. One has to be, I think! I’m thrilled that my readers share my love of escaping into books, especially spicy ones like my new romance novel, Painting Celia. Few pleasures in life compare to diving into a tale that transports you into…