Most of the music enthusiasts I know would admit that Achy Breaky Heart is one of the dumbest songs ever recorded. Why is it, then, that whenever someone mentions that song, it gets stuck in my head for days?! And all of my writer friends agree that Bridges of Madison County is one of the...
Category: Artists/Creativity
Chasing Perfection
Anthony Doerr recently won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction for his World War II novel All the Light We Cannot See. And his book is not only noteworthy, it’s popular. It seems as if everyone I know has read or is reading that story, including one of my relatives, who is one of the sharpest...
My Regards to Broadway
It’s impossible to talk about Broadway musicals without sounding corny. So let’s acknowledge that and move on. I’ve been obsessed with musicals for as long as I can remember. Why? Because on Broadway, the dreamers were the heroes. And they were not head-in-the-clouds dreamers, they were people who took action and changed everyone around them...
To Boast or Not to Boast
If you look up the words “confidence” and “arrogance,” you’ll find there’s a fine line between the two. The former means having self-assurance in one’s own abilities or qualities. The latter implies an offensive display of superiority or possessing an overbearing pride. But where’s the line between self-assurance and overbearing pride? And who decides? As...
Giving Your Most Precious Gift
Today I had the pleasure of attending a fundraiser for one of my favorite local charities. As always, I was in awe not only of the stories told by the families who benefit from the services, but by those of the volunteers and staff who shared how much their work means to them. We are...
I’m Done With That
As human beings, we reserve the right to complain once in a while. And lament and regret and maybe even whine. As artists and entrepreneurs who are somewhat solitary in the work we do, it’s especially important to know where we can find a sympathetic friend. When I’m listening to people talk about their troubles,...
Whose Voice Do You Need in Your Head?
This blog is called Bursts of Brilliance because that’s what it feels like when you get a great idea, like the heavens opened up and handed you a gift. But that gift will pass you by if you don’t seize it. And it will wither on the vine if you don’t nurture it. I’ve seen...
What’s a Woman to Do?
Ask any person on the street to name a famous painter, and they’ll likely say Van Gogh, Michelangelo, Monet, etc. Ask that same person to name a famous composer, and you’ll hear names like Mozart or Bach or Beethoven. According to statistics for 2014, male actors still out earned female actors in Hollywood. If you...
Do You Dream of Agents?
I have lots of writerly dreams that may or may not come true. I dream of seeing the words “based on a novel by Teresa Funke” roll by on the silver screen. I dream of being the first self-published author to win one of the prestigious literary awards. I dream of keynoting at a major...
Sing it again, Mom
I love to sing. That’s not to say I’m great at it. I can carry a tune, and I’m game enough to massacre a song or two on karaoke, but my favorite way to use song has always been to get my kids’ attention. As they were growing up, whenever they were ignoring my directives...