The Writing Life

The everyday struggle of trying to find time researching undetectable poisons in ancient Mesopotamia while caring for sick children and filing out TPS reports.

From Self-Published Author to Publishing Company CEO

“Your story does not need permission to matter. If it lives in your heart, it deserves a place in the world.”

Amy M. Le, Founder of Quill Hawk Publishing

Meet Amy M. Le, an award-winning author of historical and women’s fiction as well as a soon-to-be-published memoir, From Broken to Brave: Memoir of a Heart Warrior scheduled for a July 30, 2026 release; a Congential Heart Defect (CDH) warrior and co-founder of The Heart Community Collection, a resource for the CHD community; and the CEO and founder of Quill Hawk Publishing, a company that provides hybrid publishing services and coaching for independent or emerging writers seeking non-traditional publishing paths.…

Words in the Works

Discover what Story Street members are working on

This week we’re featuring Story Street member Eileen O’Neill Connors.

What’s your current project?

My big project is a memoir plus titled Authentic: A Mystery and a Memoir. It chronicles nine months as assistant director of an art gallery in New York City during the 1990s, and digs into the mystery of a newly-discovered painting that I encountered at the time by the Renaissance master, Titian.…

Zen and the Pen: Let It Be

In a soulful, infectious song, the Beatles made famous three simple words of wisdom:

“Let it be.”

In times of trouble…

In hours of darkness…

When nights are cloudy…

For the brokenhearted… 

And the parted…

Paul McCartney promises, “There will be an answer” if we just “let it be.”…

Helping Writers “Keep the Magic Flowing,” an Interview with Productivity Coach Kristina Chilian

by Michele Alouf

Some of my writing friends and I have formed a weekly “therapy” group where we discuss our accomplishments (or lack thereof) during the previous week, craft strategies, creative struggles, and goals for the week ahead. A recurring theme is productivity—how we get stuck, deal with distractions, keep motivated, stay organized, and find ways to write forward.…