I received an email the day after a speaking engagement from a lady who wanted to know if I'd ever written any non-fiction articles. The answer to that is a resounding YES! And I loved writing them.

During the time that I was Managing Editor of AGELESS TIMES, a lovely senior publication in San Antonio that closed its doors in the early 2000's, I was privileged to write many articles and columns. I wrote for many other places, too, but AGELESS TIMES was my favorite.

One of the most special articles I got to write was about SeaWorld's new (at that time) Beluga Whales - and I actually got to swim with them. A fabulous experience I'll never forget!

That's the beauty of writing non-fiction. You're not stuck in a room with a computer, never socializing, never experiencing anything new, never mingling with people different from you. Non-fiction writing stretches your mind - and your abilities - because it's so different from fiction.

If you're a novelist, you might want to consider trying your hand at writing an article - or a column. It'll warm up your brain, that's for sure, and give you lots of stories to turn into books!