Patricia Harrelson

One terrific aspect of having 15 grandkids, ages 10-30, is their wealth of cultural and artistic experience. This year, I asked each of my grandkids to name a show, movie, podcast, book and/or musical artist they have enjoyed. I now … Continue reading

I signed up for the 2016 Goodreads book challenge and read 33 books. Though I had hoped to read 45, I’m nevertheless quite happy with my reading this year because I read several fat biographies as opposed to a bunch … Continue reading

Self-promotion, in particular promoting the book I wrote, is not something I do eagerly, even though I recognize that if I don’t promote my book, it’s not likely to be purchased or read. Consequently, I have a box of 50 … Continue reading

Earlier this year, just about the time I realized my biography project was stalled (see From Stalled to Inspired), I read an interview with Penelope Niven in the March/April issue of The Writer’s Chronicle. Talk about timely! Niven is the … Continue reading

I love bookmarks! I pick them up all over the place: bookstores, libraries, conferences, craft fairs, gift shops and novelty shops. I have four containers that hold bookmarks–one each by my desk, bed, reading chair and the kitchen counter. Here … Continue reading

On August 17, 2010, the Writer’s Almanac reported: On this day in 1993, Random House offered Colin Powell $6 million for My American Journey — the largest advance ever for a celebrity memoir — and it became the fastest-selling book … Continue reading

On July 25, 2010, my friend Agatha Hoff launched her book Burning Horses: A Hungarian Life Turned Upside Down. The event took place at the Maritime Museum in San Francisco where huge windows onto Aquatic Park and Alcatraz served as … Continue reading

My second book is out: The Right Sisters: Women Inventors Tell Their Stories. This was a collaborative project with my friend, inventor Julia Rhodes. For me, it was tremendously satisfying to work on a project that celebrates women’s ingenuity with … Continue reading

I spent the last month finishing a book project. Twelve hours a day, day after day. I loved it! My back ached from sitting; my wrist ached from typing. My nights were filled with thoughts about the book to the … Continue reading

The books I read in 2009 were varied, leaving me quite satisfied about that aspect of the year. I got an iPod for Christmas 2008, so I was able to listen to a lot of audiobooks, though I had a … Continue reading