My amazing improv team, Big Shoes, formed a 48 hour film festival team this year. Two of our members, Mark and Randy, had done the fest in northern CA and Tijuana, respectively. Austin’s brother Mason flew in from Austin (ha ha) with his camera equipment and extensive knowledge (he also composed music!). And the teamContinue reading “48 Hour Film Project”
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PitchWars 2018 Wish List: Middle Grade
Hi, I’m Margaret Dilloway! I write both contemporary realistic and fantasy middle grade; I’m also the author of three women’s fiction. I’m an Aquarius, born in the year of the Tiger, on a Wednesday. For fun, I like to do long-form improv, hike, play with my dog, and bake. What Am I Open To? ContemporaryContinue reading “PitchWars 2018 Wish List: Middle Grade”
Minding Your Own Business
Dear People of the World: MYOB. I just saw this article about how these parents who live in a beach condo received an anonymous note criticizing their choice to live there with 2 kids. As if billions of other people in the world don’t live in far worse conditions. As if there’s NOTHING to do soContinue reading “Minding Your Own Business”
Teaching Kids How to Meditate in 4 Easy Steps
I’ve seen this article shared a bunch of times on Facebook about how using meditation has improved behavior at a school. I’ve actually used a similar technique in the classroom and I can attest to how well it works. I learned about this meditation technique from a hypnotherapist that was recommended by my pediatrician to helpContinue reading “Teaching Kids How to Meditate in 4 Easy Steps”
Teaching
Happy December! Where have you been, you ask? Besides recuperating from my 4th procedure since July, I’ve been (drumroll) teaching! Yes, teaching creative writing to the sunniest, easiest age group of kids that ever was…middle school. A glutton for punishment, you say? Perhaps. I was hired a couple days before the school year began, andContinue reading “Teaching”
Kid Milestones: Unlocked!
My youngest turned 10 a couple of days ago, but this morning it really hit me. We have NO kids in the single digits anymore. Milestone unlocked. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it’s bittersweet– she’s our BABY, she’s not supposed to AGE!– but we all know how the days are short but the years are long already,Continue reading “Kid Milestones: Unlocked!”
Saturday Night
Tonight is Saturday night. Tonight I wrestled down a copse of dead trees standing between us and the neighbors. I’m sitting here with a hair full of bark and glasses full of sawdust. I’m not sure what kind of trees they were. They were tall, providing privacy; now they’re just branches sticking into the earth.Continue reading “Saturday Night”
The End of the School Year
The school year’s come to another close, and I I was going to use this post to tell you Important and Fun Summer Activities to do with your kids, but instead I’m going to gloat. I have no at-home summer activities to do with your kids. I don’t care about summer organization anymore. Every singleContinue reading “The End of the School Year”
Writing Wednesday: Should I Write to a Genre, or Just Write What I Want?
Writing Wednesday This is one of the most frequent how-do-I-write questions I get. You’re working on The Great American Novel you’ve harbored in your heart. Should you change it to fit into some genre? I’m probably not the best person to ask. With my first two novels, I just had these very specific stories toContinue reading “Writing Wednesday: Should I Write to a Genre, or Just Write What I Want?”
Forgotten Samurai Women
Forgotten Samurai Women by Margaret Dilloway One day, my dad told me, “You know your mother was from a samurai family, right?” Um, no, didn’t know that. That kind of information is good to know!My mom had said only that her family had been the royal seal-bearers (which I guess, though it doesn’t sound asContinue reading “Forgotten Samurai Women”
MARGARET DILLOWAY 