E.R. COOK

Author. Artist. Dreamer.

  • Playing with AI: a winter poem

    There’s been a lot of talk lately about AI being used for writing and creating art. Some are excited and intrigued by the new technology. Others are worried about copyrights and the death of creativity. I’m not really sure which side of the debate I fall on, mostly because I’ve not experienced using it. So,…

  • Life as a PTPW: When inspiration won’t strike

    Writer’s block is as old as time. In fact, it seems cliché to write about it. I don’t have any sure-fire cures, and there’s nothing I can add that you couldn’t find with a simple search. But what I can talk about is that for all we hear and talk about writer’s block, we don’t…

  • New Year’s Resolutions

    Yes, it is that time of year when you have to decide. Do you make a resolution, knowing that more than likely you’re going to give up on it after a week or two, or do you resign yourself to not making a resolution but feeling like you’re not accomplishing something anyway? I can’t tell…

  • Tis’ the Season: Mistletoe and Magic

    Tis’ the Season: Mistletoe and Magic

    I love Christmas. From a brightly lit tree to sparkling icicles and a fresh fallen snow to gathering together for a meal or spending time with family, Christmas was always magical for me. I love picking out that perfect gift for people, seeing their faces light up in surprise. Even now, away from most of…

  • Snowstorms and candles: Weather moods and writing

    I’ve gotten a gift this week. Twice I’ve woken up to snow. As I stepped into my cold office, lit the candles and looked out at the darkened landscape, I could just make out the small flakes drifting down in the early dawn light, muted gray by the clouds but allowing me to see the…

  • Giving Thanks

    Giving Thanks

    So, this is the time of year that everyone’s thoughts turned to giving thanks, and most bloggers have a “Giving Thanks” blog. Normally, I eschew the cliché, just because I like doing my own thing. But on reflection, I realized that this has been a huge year for me. So much has changed, including starting…

  • My Life as a PTPW: Making words while the sun shines

    My Life as a PTPW: Making words while the sun shines

    As I sit typing this, I have a Roomba running around my feet knocking into chairs. A bread machine with a loose something in it is noisily making dough for dinner rolls. The oven is steam cleaning. I’m contemplating if its worth getting the fall decorations (that I meant to put out in September) out…

  • What’s in a (pen) name?

    When I started writing this book, I toyed with the idea of a pen name. I waffled back and forth, weighing the pros and cons, and eventually decided to go with one. The more I looked at the book cover with my new name on it, I came to enjoy using the name. I even…

  • And the adventure begins…

    And the adventure begins…

    Ever since I was a little girl I knew I wanted to be an author. My first work, prompted by a homework assignment much like my first novel, was a little flipbook called Bugtown that was written and illustrated by yours truly. That simple little book made from nothing but folded over printer paper and…