When my new article was first published, it was called Red Hair Is Not As Uncommon As You Think. The version that just came out in The Writer Magazine is slightly revised and renamed Of Wicked Stepmoms and Dorky Heroines, but for the most part, the same piece. I’m very excited that it’s getting this second chance at life, and that even more people will see it. And there are some great articles surrounding it in this issue too, so you should definitely pick up your copy of the September issue (not that I’m telling you what to do)!

For the record, I do have something to say though based on the last time it was published. I am not trying to tell anyone what to do. While I got loads of funny and cheerful emails last time telling me that it was a useful (or amusing) piece, I also got a bunch of emails from people saying things like, “What’s wrong with calling parents by their first name?” as if I’d personally attacked their WIP with my article. I even got a few emails from people telling me their whole family AND their best friends had red hair. On one hand this made me laugh, but on the other, I found myself answering a lot of emails with something like this: I am hardly in a position to tell people what to or what to not write. I’m just pointing out what I’ve noticed. So, you know…it’s just an observation and if you can use the info or it makes you laugh, then I’ve done my job!

I hope you enjoy the article and that maybe you find it useful! Feel free to leave comments about other things you’ve noticed. I’ve come up with a few more myself, but I’m too tired right now to remember what they are. Still, maybe I’ll be up to fifty before you know it!