Winters’ Day In
Conversations on life, faith, stories, and creativity from author Talena Winters.
Pour a cuppa and stay awhile.
How It Started vs. How It’s Going
A brief update about my current writing projects and ideas for a future memoir.
The Secret to Being More Human
How reading lots of different kinds of books can make us better humans and better as a culture and race. Plus a new short story.
Sowing New Creative Seeds
Notes on the “in-between” stages of creative work and how I’m planning to tackle my upcoming projects to publish more frequently and keep my creativity fresh.
The Long-Overdue Update
An update about my writing projects, my reader community, and other happenings in the last little while.
Winding Ways, Dark Secrets, and Dwarf Duels, Oh My!
In Part Seven of the Rise of the Grigori Beneath-the-Surface series I’ve got my most favourite author interview I’ve ever done in my life. Mary from Kit’n’Kabookle came up with some seriously fun questions—including a behind-the-scenes moment from Calandra’s past that’s not in the series itself.
Read on for a real treat!
Creating a Vivid Fantasy Mermaid World with Real-Life Connections
In Part Five of my Rise of the Grigori Beneath-the-Surface series, I talk about some of the seed ideas the grew into a full-blown fantasy world full of mermaids, crystal technology, and more. (Hint: Breathing stones aren’t so far-fetched after all.)
Hair, shoulder pads, and nukes.
Another personal update written to the company of Doctor Who. In general this new is becoming normal. Plus a strange thing to be thankful for right now.
Developing Successful Habits
My approach to goal-setting for 2020, plus my holiday highlights photo album.
Remembering How to Chillax
In which I discuss the family vacation, progress on The Sphinx’s Heart, and introduce our trip mascots, Hagrid and Dumbledore.
The Secret to Breaking Writer's Block: Do It Anyway; Also, an update.
Whether it’s fitness, professional, emotional, or spiritual goals—the only way to reach them is to do the work, whether you feel like it or not. The same is true for Writer’s Block. And, since it’s been a while, there are updates on multiple topics in this post.
Insanely Optimistic
Some days, writing fiction for a living feels like walking through sludge in a mudstorm. I'm going to be honest—I spend a little bit of every day wondering if I'm actually going to be able to pull this off. But no risk, no reward. Right?
A Conversation with Myself: Wherein I Give Myself a Solid Smack
I work alone, people. And usually, I love it. But on days like today, when all I wanna do is drink tea and read books, this is what conversations around my office sound like...
Enjoying the Little Moments
Summer has been challenging for me as a work-from-home mom, but we've also made some great memories. And I am much more able to put aside my anxiety at my unfinished to-do list than I ever used to be and just enjoy the little moments.
Getting Unstuck
A day at a time, the log jam is loosening and the ideas are flowing. The sun is coming back, energy is returning, and I am pulling myself blinking from the retreat of hibernation. For my own mental and emotional health, this year needs to be less about driving myself and more about reducing commitments, taking care of myself, and finding my passion again. It needs to be about healing.
Endings and Beginnings
As a reader, I always thought that the ending was the goal. And it is. But it never occurred to me that it was the well-written middle that actually got me there as inevitably as a cart on a roller coaster track.
If only life had someone writing me out of my "swampy middles."