River of Thoughts

Christine Royse Niles — Changing the world one word at a time

A New Gift For You

Feature Box

Being a writer can get overwhelming, can’t it?

I’m here to help. The Growing Writer’s Survival Kit offers you an ever-expanding set of tools to get through any roadblock you’re facing.

  • Looking to cut through the chaos? The Next Steps Planning Worksheet will help you through your next project.

  • Ready to launch your book? A Minimalist Guide to Book Launches will cut through the noise and get your work out there.

  • Feeling down? The Secret might encourage you when you hit one of those days when you just plain can’t keep going.

Get your FREE copies (and get notified when Time to Write is released):

Get it now!

Father’s Day 2012

by Christine | 1 Comment

Today is Father’s Day. The day to hang out at the lake, grill manly meat, and for the kids to mow the lawn while Dad rests in the hammock with the beverage of his choice. If you’re a father, congratulations! If you live with a father, cater to him. If you have a father, call him. If you’ve lost your father, remember him. Try to find a moment sometime during the day to say a prayer for the children who don’t have a father to grill for.  (Yes, that was a bit of a Jesus Juke.  Sorry about that.  Back […]

Read More

Arthur

by Christine | 9 Comments

As part of the 15 Habits Of Great Writers Challenge, I’ve been dared to practice in public.  Last Friday, I shared a little snippet of Zach the Zombie, and everyone was so encouraging that I’m starting Fiction Friday.  Like last week, go easy on me…this is raw, unedited stuff.  This week, the verb tense jumps back and forth.  I know this.  I’m sorry.  Grammar-police, please check your red pens at the door.   “Arthur, I need to go.” Arthur takes a deep breath and heaves it back out again with a long cough.  He spits a chunk of phlegm and flesh out […]

Read More

Re-entry

by Christine | Leave a Comment

Exactly five years ago, we were in Ukraine, in the home stretch of our five-week adventure for Masha’s adoption. Today is the last day that I’m posting excerpts and a photo or two from each day. Sometimes funny, and sometimes proof of how naive we were, I hope you have enjoyed our little trip down memory lane… 21 June, 2007 – Re-Entry Note:  Thursday went as planned, and our flight on Friday morning was scheduled for about 6:45 AM.  It took about a week to get unpacked, settled and to write my last blog entry from the trip: We left […]

Read More

The Toilet Whisperer

by Christine | 12 Comments

As part of the 15 Habits Of Great Writers Challenge, I’ve was dared last week to been to practice in public–to post something here like nothing I’ve ever posted before. Now, Jeff has dared us to “Start Ugly.” This means that I need to confess something to you.  What you normally see here?  That’s not how it starts.  Thoughts don’t typically come pouring out of me like a beautiful flowing river (nor do they end up looking like that, either).  They look a lot more like a Class 6 rapids.  Messy.  Doubling back on themselves.  Lots of rocks. Then I edit. […]

Read More

Midnight Train to Kiev, Part 2

by Christine | Leave a Comment

Exactly five years ago, we were in Ukraine, in the home stretch of our five-week adventure for Masha’s adoption. For a few more days, I’m posting excerpts and a photo or two from each day. Sometimes funny, and sometimes proof of how naive we were, I hope you’ll enjoy our little trip down memory lane… Wednesday, 13 June, 2007 – The Midnight Train to Kiev (part 2) The train arrived right on time this morning, and as Mark was trying to wrestle one of our big duffel bags out from under the bench seat, he popped up, and there was […]

Read More