Archives for “Uncategorized”
I have a big announcement to make. Big for me at least. As of June 1, I am a full time writer. Yep, I have left the day job after all these years. My school offered a buy out to senior faculty, and since it included health insurance until I turn 65, I took it. Technically [...]
I just finished an e-book novella for Avon. It took me two months to write one-hundred and ten pages. For me, that’s fast. The truth is, I totally forgot about the novella. I was basking in some down time, mostly watching Snapped and 24 Hour Mysteries, when I got an e-mail from my editor asking [...]
I am so joshing. I have no secret. How can I? With our social media-ized world, what could I possibly keep from any of you? Everyone knows my work-in-progress, my marital status, what I looked like when I was at the RWA conference last year (not my best…I was still dealing with rehabbing the broken [...]
One of the most quoted movies of all time is The Princess Bride because it has so many memorable lines. My favorite: “Is this a kissing book?” Followed closely by, “Bow to the Queen of Slime, the Queen of Filth, the Queen of Putrescence.” Some of my other favorite all time quotes and lines: Songs: Aerosmith, What It [...]
A year ago I wrote an e-novella, Crazy On You. When my publisher asked me to write a short story, I immediately knew I wanted to write about Lily Darlington. I first wrote about Lily in my book, Daisy’s Back In Town, published in 2004. In 2004, Lily was a secondary character in her sister [...]
We’re planning on a home remodel. We did it once before, tripling the size of our house. Then we added a pool. But time has gone by, and just like a mother forgets the pain of going through childbirth, we’re not remembering very clearly the inconvenience, the mess, the irritation of having strangers around all [...]
Sorry….I’m late, I’m late, I’m late….I don’t know how I keep missing my blog day, but here we go…. Still lots of prizes to win, so be sure to comment for your chance. All around the world today, Catholics are observing Shrove Tuesday or Fat Tuesday, the last day of indulgence before the beginning of [...]
NOTE: WOOHOO, this is our anniversary week and EVERY COMMENT MADE TODAY will be entered to win the daily prize! In addition, at the end of the week, EVERY COMMENT MADE THROUGHOUT THAT TIME will be entered for our GRAND PRIZES – a $200 bookstore gift card, and two $100 bookstore gift cards!!! SO COMMENT, [...]
I am so thrilled that it’s the release day of Book 1 of my new trilogy. Beach House No. 9 comes out today, followed by Bungalow Nights on February 26 and The Love Shack on March 26. All three books take place during a “Summer of Love” in Southern California’s Crescent Cove. Wary hearts encounter [...]
Have you ever felt like a hamster on a wheel? Everyday you get on the wheel and run. You like it. You know what to expect. You know what you’re doing. You’re just running on your wheel like always. Maybe you pause for a sandwich and some Judge Judy (I know hamsters don’t eat sandwiches [...]
I have just finished a delightful little book, Mrs. Queen Takes the Train. It’s about Queen Elizabeth, as we know her now. She is depressed. She’s spent her life in service to her country and she yearns for something a little different. She’s into yoga and the internet, but she would like to walk beyond [...]
A while back, someone sent me a link to a list…a list of first names that cause the bearer of said name not to be taken seriously by other other people. You know what was number one, right? Christie (or Christy or Kristy). Where was Bambi, Candy, and Muffy? I don’t know, but there was [...]
(Image to the left is a holiday project made at school by my Son2, circa 1st grade.) I was all prepared to blog about irresistible holiday treats, but after the images and stories we’ve seen and read this past weekend, I thought we could beam a little light into the world by sharing about the [...]
I like to think that I’m a risk-taker, an adventurer, an unabashed embracer of all things unusual. After all, I left a secure job and took on a very chancy and difficult career; have traveled the world to England, Germany, the Netherlands, Turkey, and other faraway lands; and (most difficult and adventuresome of all) I’ve [...]
First off, there are no “woods” in my neck of the woods. I live in SoCal. We have palm trees, citrus trees, and sand. Which can make our holidays different than in other parts of the country. Believe it or not, it can get chilly here (into the 40s and sometimes 30s on winter nights!), [...]
First, let me say I truly feel as if I have climbed to Mount Olympus. Thanks to the Goddesses for letting me share their air. Over the past two years, I wrote my first trilogy. It’s set on the Scottish Borders during the turbulent early Tudor era and revolves around the Brunson clan, a family [...]
From the TV show Oddities to Antiques Roadshow to Pawn Stars it’s pretty clear that people collect stuff. Sometimes it’s been handed down and sometimes people develop their own interests. Then there’s the people who want really weird stuff, like those you see on Oddities San Francisco, which follows the store Loved to Death. I [...]
What a great week it has been here on Mt Oly! Let’s continue with our Booktoberest celebration with a round of “Getting to Know You!” What are YOUR answers to the following questions? How far do you live from the town you were born in? What was the name of your first sweetheart growing up? [...]
