Sharon Bially's Blog

Most parents of young kids only dream about how helpful it would be to live in a community where friends, neighbors or extended family pitch in systematically to help each other out with everything from childcare to daily errands.

But author Anjali Mitter Duva has made it her reality by intentionally partnering with a neighbor to share cooking, grocery shopping and childcare. The arrangement, which all began seven years ago with two steaming bowls of pho soup, has grown into the cornerstone of...

I know the Olympics are almost a distant memory at this point. But aside from some of the breathtaking instants like watching Oscar Pistorius soar past finish lines, there’s one moment that keeps coming back to me. And it’s gotten under my skin.

That is: Kate Middleton walking over to and chatting with the U.S. women’s gymnastics team during the vault finals.

Kate, as always, was clean, polished, poised and relaxed, with a perfect curl to her hair and an effervescent smile. Gabby, Jordyn, Aly,...

Now that I’ve got your attention…

During my hiatus from the blogosphere over the past few months my family has had all sorts of memorable meals. From my son’s Bar Mitzvah in June to gatherings at our home with overseas visitors and a trip to both Paris and Croatia, it seems our lives have been all about food.

Throughout it all, I’ve been struck by something that until now, I’ve taken for granted: my kids, it turns out, are extremely open-minded, adventurous eaters.

I’ve always known that they ea...

In preparation for his Bar Mitzvah on June 16, my twelve-year-old son Sam is doing a "Mitzvah Project" with the goal of helping repair the world in some small way.

This act of charity, generosity or simple compassion can range from anything to raising money for the local homeless shelter or volunteering at the town library to collecting and donating clothing for children in developing countries.  It's a pretty standard step along the path to becoming a Bar or Bat Mitzvah these days.

Looking...

On Sunday I wrote a post over at Writer Unboxed called A Look at Writers’ Day Jobs, which concluded by asking readers whether they have day jobs and what they are.

Along with the dozens of people who stopped by to describe their jobs in fields such as teaching, physical therapy and martial-arts school management, three moms talked about their experience staying at home. I was fascinated to note that two of them them picked up on the language of “jobs” and “work” and wove it into their comments...

On Sunday I wrote a post over at Writer Unboxed called A Look at Writers' Day Jobs, which concluded by asking readers whether they have day jobs and what they are.

Along with the dozens of people who stopped by to describe their jobs in fields such as teaching, physical therapy and martial-arts school management, three moms talked about their experience staying at home.  I was fascinated to note that two of them them picked up on the language of "jobs" and "work" and wove it into their...

(Continued from Chapter 20.1 – The New Cinderella; to start book, scroll to "Chapters" in right side bar.) "Monday to Friday," Shirley repeats. "Ten to four. And every other Saturday morning. I thought you meant tomorrow. Or this afternoon. But a weekly schedule, for what, a year? Two? More? That's a full-time job!" She contemplates her fingertips for a moment, turning them at different angles as if critiquing her pink manicure, then sighs. "How about this: I take them the Saturday mornings, ...

Traditional publishers’ decisions about which manuscripts to accept and which ones to pass on can be mystifying to writers.

Sure, there are a few things that seem to tip the balance in favor of “yes,” like loud events, likeable characters and a plot that pulls readers constantly forward, making those pages turn.

Yet vast numbers of well-written books with all those qualities wind up in the “pass” pile every day, leaving authors to second guess themselves and to feel confused, dejected and downr...

Traditional publishers' decisions about which manuscripts to accept and which ones to pass on can be mystifying to writers.

Sure, there are a few things that seem to tip the balance in favor of "yes," like loud events, likeable characters and a plot that pulls readers constantly forward, making those pages turn.

Yet vast numbers of well-written books with all those qualities wind up in the "pass" pile every day, leaving authors to second guess themselves and to feel confused, dejected and...

(Continued from Chapter 19.2 – Scavenger Hunt; to start book, scroll to "Chapters" in right side bar.) "My fingers are crossed for you, hon," says Shirley, phone to her ear. She's in the living room, deep in conversation, when Veronica, Luc, and Céleste come home. "Can I spread the word?"

A pause. Shirley glances at Veronica and nods. Her hair, freshly sculpted and sprayed into a poofier-than-than-usual cycling helmet shape, glints a metallic shade of ruby. "All right. Gotta go. Hugs and...