I quit smoking this year (yes, even the electronic ones), and like so many of the positive things in my life, this was a complete accident. My last cigarrette was on December 31, 2015. I’ve even kept the pack, which is still half full. I don’t give it a second thought. I love nicotine …

Nearly four years ago, in early 2012, I started taking Taekwondo. I was overweight, out of shape, but my oldest minion had been taking classes for a year plus and had just turned old enough to start doing family classes. So I buckled down, drank plenty of water, tried not to smoke so much and gave …

I wrapped up a first draft of my next novel in early December, and I decided to make 2013 a year for building my short story skills. I love short stories, but I’m more inclined toward novels and long fiction, I think in part because they’re, well, longer. I like robust stories with full worlds and …