by kristinoakley | Apr 24, 2021 | Books and Movies, Newsletter
This Sunday marks the 93rd Annual Academy Awards and, more importantly, my niece’s 7th Annual Academy Award Party. In preparation for the party, my daughters and I watched all eight movies (and many others that were nominated for other awards). Here is my take...
by kristinoakley | Apr 14, 2021 | Homeschooling, Unschooling
Are you considering homeschooling your children but are hesitant, worried they might not get into college? Rest assured that most colleges and universities eagerly accept homeschoolers. In fact, many colleges provide separate admissions pages specifically for...
by kristinoakley | Apr 9, 2021 | Creativity & Craft, Newsletter
When I told my editor, Tim Storm, I was struggling with the character arcs in The Devil Particle series he suggested reading craft books by Michael Hague and Lisa Cron. So, I checked out Michael Hague’s Story Master website and was surprised to find a video of...
by kristinoakley | Mar 26, 2021 | Creativity & Craft, Newsletter
Laurie Scheer, the powerhouse who made UW-Madison’s Writers’ Institute a must-attend event for thousands of writers throughout the Midwest, is offering new opportunities for writers. In this interview, Laurie and I discuss Nature Writing and her latest...
by kristinoakley | Mar 19, 2021 | Homeschooling, Unschooling
I vividly remember when my daughter Caitlin learned to read. One morning when she about six years old, Caitlin stormed into the kitchen with a library picture book in her hand. It wasn’t a favorite book, in fact, it was the first time we’d taken it out. I...
by kristinoakley | Mar 12, 2021 | Creativity & Craft, Newsletter
When I was seven or eight, I asked my mom, “Do you want to meet everyone in the world?” She looked at me in surprise and said, “No.” Her answer surprised me. I thought everyone wanted to meet everyone else. And I had been feeling anxious,...
by kristinoakley | Mar 5, 2021 | Homeschooling, Unschooling
In 2008, I wrote “Top 5 Reasons to Homeschool” for the July-August edition of Home Education Magazine which I’m passing along to you. Things have changed dramatically since then, so, for 2021, I’ll add a few more: no mandatory virtual schooling...
by kristinoakley | Feb 26, 2021 | Fictional Research, Newsletter
When I wrote God on Mayhem Street, I created Frank Townsend’s family farm even though I didn’t know a thing about farming. As part of my research, I toured a friend’s farm and recruited Veterinarian Bill Stork to read my manuscript. His feedback gave...
