tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10252013373166103242024-03-17T23:00:54.539-04:00THE STILETTO GANGA blog about women, mystery and romance writers.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3152125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1025201337316610324.post-52471476722168208262022-07-06T07:00:00.003-04:002022-07-06T07:00:00.231-04:00We've Moved!<p><b> Hello & Goodbye from the Stiletto Gang!</b></p><p>We've been on the blogger platform for MANY years, but as the platform slowly gets abandoned by the developers it's become more and more unfriendly to readers and writer's alike. So...</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">We've moved!</h3><h2 style="text-align: left;">You can now find us at: <a href="https://www.thestilettogang.com/">www.TheStilettoGang.com</a></h2><p>We're taking our old posts with us and we've added functionality, like getting the posts delivered to your inbox, and easier access to our bios and our books. We hope you'll join us on our writing journey there.</p>Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05287040994749326468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1025201337316610324.post-85005079714312772302022-07-05T04:30:00.026-04:002022-07-05T04:30:00.262-04:00Evacuating from a Wildfire <div class="separator"><br /></div><p>By Kathryn Lane</p><p class="MsoNormal">I love the mountains in northern New Mexico. Nature in this
area constantly surprises me with beautiful vistas, wildflowers, and above all,
the wild animals. We have elk, deer, coyotes, wild turkeys, several varieties
of birds, Cooper hawks, and bears. Occasional wild cats and mountain lions also
roam the area. I’m mesmerized by the herds of elk and their calves. <o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Maj9jT47a3ETqGB1T4m5W_u1A0LTliRrSObeAHH4H_se34szsG2QiExIoRlVOtrQdJOoBdt62nu_W_icBqkIYMwA4OvMx1HslVNzkTIFOcBGvWGu8QzeCB1GDSoe16WTNBzCwhxkgkcz1fLNLqfDHdB-LcM-HL2zeGdLk3U3W2Xqw8bsac320NOc/s1501/Female%20Elk%20with%20their%20Babies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1037" data-original-width="1501" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Maj9jT47a3ETqGB1T4m5W_u1A0LTliRrSObeAHH4H_se34szsG2QiExIoRlVOtrQdJOoBdt62nu_W_icBqkIYMwA4OvMx1HslVNzkTIFOcBGvWGu8QzeCB1GDSoe16WTNBzCwhxkgkcz1fLNLqfDHdB-LcM-HL2zeGdLk3U3W2Xqw8bsac320NOc/s320/Female%20Elk%20with%20their%20Babies.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>For some writers, the beach inspires them. For me, the
mountains clear my brain and let my creativity flow. This year our normally
peaceful mountain hideaway proved that nature can also be terrifying. A
horrific wildfire started when controlled burns in the Gallinas Canyon in the
Santa Fe National Forest near Las Vegas, NM, got out of hand and turned into
the most destructive wildfire in the state’s recorded history.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjILBkE5N14zfLfjEcxcS7patGp9pn6L7g9jPMYvbjx8Xgse8hEUSu2gVkgQtZvZOe9An5UPU9eHJMsl-mA9isuqoGQ1Kg5WFF77z0_VWFsM97PRPOHkucjMLWmP7_XI5c62IXU8zOvmgnFXmuskyG8Wl-ml40NntWFYxoIz5_T0Ac5_twj0IOEgmo-/s480/Firefighter%20-%202022%20May-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="467" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjILBkE5N14zfLfjEcxcS7patGp9pn6L7g9jPMYvbjx8Xgse8hEUSu2gVkgQtZvZOe9An5UPU9eHJMsl-mA9isuqoGQ1Kg5WFF77z0_VWFsM97PRPOHkucjMLWmP7_XI5c62IXU8zOvmgnFXmuskyG8Wl-ml40NntWFYxoIz5_T0Ac5_twj0IOEgmo-/s320/Firefighter%20-%202022%20May-2.jpg" width="311" /></a></div><div><p class="MsoNormal">In May, evacuations began very close to where we live. We
could see the flames beyond the mountains in front of our cabin and the smoke
was so thick, we decided to pack up and leave. What to take with us became an
issue. Essential articles that we need for any trip is a given. Emergency items
came next. After that, it’s a conflict between sentimental items, such as
paintings, and what we could fit into our vehicle.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Two years ago, I’d given my husband, Bob, a bathrobe for the
cabin. He lost it after forgetting it on a trip last year. He’d spent at least
two months searching online for a replacement. For two months he grumbled about
the bad selection, grim colors, wrong fabric, incorrect length, and lack of
styling. He finally ordered one and it
arrived two days before we evacuated. A thick, heavy terrycloth robe, I put it
in the car.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He immediately asked why we needed to take it. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“We’ll survive the evacuation,” I said, “but I can’t get
through two more months of you hunting for another bathrobe.” <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thankfully, we are back in our beloved mountains and our
cabin survived just fine. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I’d decided, before the wildfire started, to place my next
Nikki Garcia mystery in New Mexico.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPbAGe5SrJ3l8TyRq1dfvQSfkqrj0SQsnU_zYRGwfzM1yPClZdaevznVTkDX3lsXTSu0edVOOT5soXodYvMux1G1Pk3jvvnIF1xC6PC7937P2NtenTP-UmGtJUjRTXJUVclbdKsxLyVj3Kqr6Lup_svwvj4ux8iRBesQnI6kN49krbNYLPaJg-OxHe/s2296/IMG_2610%2026%20June%202021%20Brown%20Bear%20chased%20Black%20Bear%20Away3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1737" data-original-width="2296" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPbAGe5SrJ3l8TyRq1dfvQSfkqrj0SQsnU_zYRGwfzM1yPClZdaevznVTkDX3lsXTSu0edVOOT5soXodYvMux1G1Pk3jvvnIF1xC6PC7937P2NtenTP-UmGtJUjRTXJUVclbdKsxLyVj3Kqr6Lup_svwvj4ux8iRBesQnI6kN49krbNYLPaJg-OxHe/s320/IMG_2610%2026%20June%202021%20Brown%20Bear%20chased%20Black%20Bear%20Away3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">Now I’m wondering if I should include a wildfire in the mix to
complicate the plot. One thing is for sure, Bob’s bathrobe will <i>not</i> be a
part of the story! Or maybe a bear will eat the robe!</p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">***<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">
</p><p class="MsoNormal">Postscript: The fire is no longer a threat, but for many
families who lost their homes, their struggle is far from over.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p></div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p style="text-align: center;">***</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Kathryn's <b>Nikki Garcia Mystery
Series</b> - on Amazon<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Amazon Paperback - <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/173328270X/">https://www.amazon.com/dp/173328270X/</a></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Amazon
eBook - </span><a name="_Hlk34827595"></a><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084GSGSRX/"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084GSGSRX/</span></a><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDNlxJBNlf5krkDPXlwgP3B9ndrJwCkqQGbC0EDNziDna7CYrn6FZMwMeTt1CFiXQz2xxOud2oe5D3wZkQ7Dmi-2yhCUoHBxtydVih0K7b6hlHtZEZA7P3r_A5VjWdFP-CRFQvqNEA_WiQvihJvyakShq897sk_wdpfa-PFwPYEBgd7BuJRQJsRe9y/s1120/All%20Nikki%20Books-LO%20RES.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1120" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDNlxJBNlf5krkDPXlwgP3B9ndrJwCkqQGbC0EDNziDna7CYrn6FZMwMeTt1CFiXQz2xxOud2oe5D3wZkQ7Dmi-2yhCUoHBxtydVih0K7b6hlHtZEZA7P3r_A5VjWdFP-CRFQvqNEA_WiQvihJvyakShq897sk_wdpfa-PFwPYEBgd7BuJRQJsRe9y/w400-h225/All%20Nikki%20Books-LO%20RES.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>ABOUT KATHRYN</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcdkOVkChLRbSa5dAbq5AYkJfw6Zo-B2MAiodYFdVu8Nj7EQAW9T4RT92i1QYAbJ49zcvoncrEwcDXHSLQpHspLo0xdd9_4A5zepyL8RRiuN1uyMn3jr48d0YaHNNNOTPx_elmoyJAMwbv1XVUkbHVYS9ZlmHrapbOGBXzU9fEYVo_BvKIQUCkUT_o/s2016/IMG_3002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcdkOVkChLRbSa5dAbq5AYkJfw6Zo-B2MAiodYFdVu8Nj7EQAW9T4RT92i1QYAbJ49zcvoncrEwcDXHSLQpHspLo0xdd9_4A5zepyL8RRiuN1uyMn3jr48d0YaHNNNOTPx_elmoyJAMwbv1XVUkbHVYS9ZlmHrapbOGBXzU9fEYVo_BvKIQUCkUT_o/w132-h176/IMG_3002.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></p>Kathryn Lane started out as a painter in oils and quickly became a starving artist. To earn a living, she became a certified public accountant and embarked on a career in international finance with a major multinational corporation. After two decades, she left the corporate world to plunge into writing mystery and suspense thrillers. In her stories, Kathryn draws deeply from her Mexican background as well as her travels in over ninety countries.<p></p><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Visit my website at </span><a href="https://www.kathryn-lane.com/"><span style="color: #a21722; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">https://www.Kathryn-Lane.com</span></a></div><div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sign up for my monthly newsletter on my website<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Photo credits:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">All photographs are used in an editorial and/or
educational manner<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Elk and their Calves by Kathryn Lane<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Firefighter – Taos News<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Brown Bear by Kathryn Lane<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Covers for the Nikki Garcia Mystery Series –
Heidi Dorey designs for Tortuga Publishing, LLC<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Photo of Kathryn Lane by Bob Hurt<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1025201337316610324.post-89697934844860051552022-07-04T09:07:00.000-04:002022-07-04T09:07:35.202-04:00Off to camp...<h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">by</span></h2><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Debra Sennefelder </span><br /></h2><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi0slyI6lO70Jpe6aHR2Py8rMz7oqoylEoj3uahWSIfSmYzccRgOsZX-GVbEtURnz8HB9L5ByCrb5F5HUm0lD1oHtm9TaDUHny8lI_S-HA1lOhKRo24Gqzq60PIfzKE_1oH1VkWkDKxGzxUISWq9KR-VqCo5oWvnk4Uw1TnASNCkHf3BUmec_Njw/s1836/PackingforCampNano.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1836" data-original-width="1825" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi0slyI6lO70Jpe6aHR2Py8rMz7oqoylEoj3uahWSIfSmYzccRgOsZX-GVbEtURnz8HB9L5ByCrb5F5HUm0lD1oHtm9TaDUHny8lI_S-HA1lOhKRo24Gqzq60PIfzKE_1oH1VkWkDKxGzxUISWq9KR-VqCo5oWvnk4Uw1TnASNCkHf3BUmec_Njw/s320/PackingforCampNano.JPG" width="318" /></a></div><br /><p><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #262626; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">I'm all packed for camp...but there's one thing missing from this photo and that's my laptop because the camp I'm participating in July is Camp Nanowrimo. 😆 Seriously...I don't camp. Never had. Not even when I was a girl scout. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #262626; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">So, what the heck am I doing?</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #262626; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Camp Nano (National Novel Writing Month) happens twice a year. It has a more chilled vibe than National Novel Writing Month, which is November (I never understood how that month was chosen). In November the goal is to write a 50,000 word manuscript. The Camp sessions, while they are still a month long, have more flexible goals. And this year my goal is to write two outlines and the first 50 pages of each new book. Yeah, a pretty lofty goal since my outlines tend to run 20-25 pages (single spaced). But I'm up for the challenge! If I keep repeating it, I'm sure I'll believe it. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #262626; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">So far, I am doing pretty good with the goals I've set. I've been working since last Monday (I arrived at camp early...that's me!) and I've done pretty good with plotting this book. I'm on track to wrap up the outline by mid-week and then I can start writing the first 50 pages. I already wrote the opening paragraphs and I love this story!</span></span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #262626; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Before I go (words need to be written), I wanted to share that Connie celebrated her third birthday on June 30th. I baked her a cake and then she went to her favorite shop to pick out a birthday toy. It was a fun day. </span><br /></span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #262626; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJKfoEmQXesQr6JucZSLuwvOWywuho1hOn1RlsDxI2D8dYno6S78WVL1P2xhh_60mQxsokOnC7DNgHyf8mBFDXcsKxx19jllAGh4KkD05r-1PkWuBmRfak18Q-C0HwM_l3MhDu6TT_QQOZM5A3Hpzx5R7PLofNbqf8pRQBFeaDq8VNsFRHBWIO0g/s4032/OutdoorPlaydate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJKfoEmQXesQr6JucZSLuwvOWywuho1hOn1RlsDxI2D8dYno6S78WVL1P2xhh_60mQxsokOnC7DNgHyf8mBFDXcsKxx19jllAGh4KkD05r-1PkWuBmRfak18Q-C0HwM_l3MhDu6TT_QQOZM5A3Hpzx5R7PLofNbqf8pRQBFeaDq8VNsFRHBWIO0g/s320/OutdoorPlaydate.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Have you participated in Camp Nano? Or, have you actually went camping? Please leave a comment down below. </span><p></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #262626; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Have a wonderful July 4th.</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigpCaq6Y0m4zGfPpvhym_ym0dRHlPj9jyXsS7ocJyfE0Sup8iGz4YhqRSyHM6wFK73x_nwGNMBU6aQqTO4XsW0jNTMfSuxutdYoR6Id4s7-GJrRbeG_FLQUS9L-JMpFqJFc4izpcOZ7EbH_hnyZELAGAbqSXE15DxxTd-XWW4JOfhoOOV60peKcA/s2048/October2019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1508" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigpCaq6Y0m4zGfPpvhym_ym0dRHlPj9jyXsS7ocJyfE0Sup8iGz4YhqRSyHM6wFK73x_nwGNMBU6aQqTO4XsW0jNTMfSuxutdYoR6Id4s7-GJrRbeG_FLQUS9L-JMpFqJFc4izpcOZ7EbH_hnyZELAGAbqSXE15DxxTd-XWW4JOfhoOOV60peKcA/s320/October2019.jpg" width="236" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #262626; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: medium;">D<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">ebra Sennefelder is the
author of the Food Blogger Mystery series and the Resale Boutique Mystery series.
She lives and writes in Connecticut. When she’s not writing, she enjoys baking,
exercising and taking long walks with her Shih-Tzu, Connie. You can keep in touch
with Debra through her <a href="http://bit.ly/2EQh6da" target="_blank">website</a>, on <a href="http://bit.ly/2ASJVDr" target="_blank">Facebook </a>and <a href="http://bit.ly/2EQh6da" target="_blank">Instagram</a>.</span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #262626; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #262626; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1025201337316610324.post-88247245133086093322022-06-28T05:00:00.244-04:002022-06-28T05:00:00.275-04:00Planning Inspiration<p> By Lynn McPherson</p><p>Looking for inspiration these days can be tricky. Where do you go to find it? I am happy to report that I'm planning mine to come by way of my sister's upcoming birthday. Weird, right? Let me explain. My sister has a milestone coming up this fall and has organized a trip to celebrate. Not a big surprise since she loves to travel. It'll be her first time away for over two years, but she and her husband are finally ready to head out again to explore the world, one destination at a time. This time, her plans include me!</p><p>The destination is Paris. The trip will include my sister and her husband, my parents, and myself. I'd love to bring my husband, too, but that would mean bringing the kids. And that would be a different trip. </p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgChjAF1VryAr9oiEU73RoVeb1r3xXuk5moaBxbdsLaWEl1fdklBOxI0y3bJTEcREhoDe0aYNYJUbPktyU1-NZbAJVAKiXKFNKKbabZU12Awhxj0EAS5J-0FCWcK4VwvLqBEu4cNJC2cyOohWRvJVkP6gKJHNt-uL-AuOTgrtfUdgsgkyzALFKPY-0h-g/s4032/paris.2007.1.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgChjAF1VryAr9oiEU73RoVeb1r3xXuk5moaBxbdsLaWEl1fdklBOxI0y3bJTEcREhoDe0aYNYJUbPktyU1-NZbAJVAKiXKFNKKbabZU12Awhxj0EAS5J-0FCWcK4VwvLqBEu4cNJC2cyOohWRvJVkP6gKJHNt-uL-AuOTgrtfUdgsgkyzALFKPY-0h-g/w240-h320/paris.2007.1.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Posing in front of Basilique de Sacre-Coeu</span><span style="font-family: arial;">r </span></span></td></tr></tbody></table>I love Paris. I haven't been in many years(!) and I am already counting down the days. I used to visit more often, having lived two years in London and having much easier access to the City of Lights. I've included a few photos from back then...<p></p><p>The first question my sister had for me is what I want to do. She shared her list and wanted to know mine. I had no answer. It had been so long since I planned a vacation without the kids, I didn't even know where to start. So, I decided I should start with a book (of course). I downloaded <i>Paris</i>, by Edward Rutherford on Audible, and picked up a copy of <i>The Paris Apartment</i>, by Lucy Foley.</p><p>I'm already thinking about the people and places I'll see, the fun I'll have, and the memories I'll keep. I'm also thinking about how I can bring Paris into a mystery.</p><p>I'm excited and inspired. And I'm not even there yet!</p><p></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></span></div></div><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioSm9-GkWKNUOqIhDgrklzL7GWnJbfITTGW7pwWmUQ3IfvUwKtbafeNsebchV4ZeknYggDSi4RDlckd2E78XCmBE10N0bMOVLFf-Y4EcPVgfz1j0XUaX1KpQzU3I459J5bXC71QGh7icNYr05pOBtzW2n_UoCB7kZlX3U6Fr4tCY2ecVxoQ-jzHixdnw/s4032/paris.2007.2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioSm9-GkWKNUOqIhDgrklzL7GWnJbfITTGW7pwWmUQ3IfvUwKtbafeNsebchV4ZeknYggDSi4RDlckd2E78XCmBE10N0bMOVLFf-Y4EcPVgfz1j0XUaX1KpQzU3I459J5bXC71QGh7icNYr05pOBtzW2n_UoCB7kZlX3U6Fr4tCY2ecVxoQ-jzHixdnw/w197-h262/paris.2007.2.jpg" width="197" /></a></div>Where do you find inspiration?<p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Lynn McPherson</b> has worked for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, ran a small business, and </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 400;">taught English across the globe. She has travelled the world solo where her daring spirit has led her to jump out of airplanes, dive with sharks, and learn she would never master a surfboard. She now channels her lifelong love of adventure and history into her writing, where she is free to go anywhere, anytime. Her cozy series has three books out: </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 400;">The Girls' Weekend Murder</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 400;"> and </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 400;">The Girls Whispered Murder, </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 400;">and <i>The Girls Dressed For Murder</i></span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: times, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 400;">. </i></p><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">[<a href="http://lynnmcpherson.net/" style="color: purple; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Lynn's Author Site</a>] - [<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1626949875" style="color: purple; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Buy Lynn's Book</a>]</span></div></div><div><br /></div><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></p><br /><p></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div><br /></div><p><br /></p><div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br /></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1025201337316610324.post-5684901592917432172022-06-27T04:00:00.040-04:002022-06-27T04:00:00.278-04:00Weekend with Friends by Dru Ann Love<p>by Dru Ann Love</p><p>Every year me and two of my friends plan a weekend getaway. We’ve been to Boston, Denver, Savannah, and most recently Memphis and Tennessee. Whatever is our destination, I always look to see if I have any author friends in the area and plan a lunch. I like to introduce them to the authors and the books they write. In most cases, they do tend to make a purchase or two.
</p><p>This past weekend, we did the touristy things, Graceland, the National Civil Rights Museum, and the Peabody Hotel to see the ducks march to the fountain in Memphis and Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Johnny Cash Museum, and the Musicians Hall of fame. But the most entertaining activity was meeting the authors and one of them was Lois Winston. We picked the Margaritaville restaurant for lunch, but who knew they had live music that just never stopped. It was hard hearing conversations if you weren’t nearby. It was great seeing Lois and my other friends.
</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKpjJzTjQ3CkEfkqoFNBgDKXmkQAOAMjhOW1Z9pNx0bkLh2TB4V2UWXTU0_tIP2n4_c5vnioarec35M2fX5BzVF8g74bOHvGu_PRzN9Fn3Tc6sMBs5m_0lect9MdqE3KU0c0mbJdlEXqULuQtJ89IJwsJz_PJM1TdwKfJg0rTVy6kSmXWRgtA23E0UhA/s1024/IMG_1121.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKpjJzTjQ3CkEfkqoFNBgDKXmkQAOAMjhOW1Z9pNx0bkLh2TB4V2UWXTU0_tIP2n4_c5vnioarec35M2fX5BzVF8g74bOHvGu_PRzN9Fn3Tc6sMBs5m_0lect9MdqE3KU0c0mbJdlEXqULuQtJ89IJwsJz_PJM1TdwKfJg0rTVy6kSmXWRgtA23E0UhA/s320/IMG_1121.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsdhLlW6zSsrnpccGlEGBotGGc-EXU385QbNmVUEyoC3bGjF_4ysdyp5Ug68gW7824hqgH_omM_gY5HDULQUWSAGV9e2WCWin03sjpMxwuVnpR_gbQ2z9nSDUG_3DIp_YxrFJFvld7E8T8lbDwik-7Esw2-CU2U_Ja4CMD-ehtSS_5rPbl1b1ZZaenUA/s1282/ARYL9914.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" data-original-height="1282" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsdhLlW6zSsrnpccGlEGBotGGc-EXU385QbNmVUEyoC3bGjF_4ysdyp5Ug68gW7824hqgH_omM_gY5HDULQUWSAGV9e2WCWin03sjpMxwuVnpR_gbQ2z9nSDUG_3DIp_YxrFJFvld7E8T8lbDwik-7Esw2-CU2U_Ja4CMD-ehtSS_5rPbl1b1ZZaenUA/s320/ARYL9914.JPG" width="256" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiru3hxYFzQEKTT3kMqgSfhdZyBmfYPR-lkfwM_YN_IGMhn06FhGUorjwR9KYTBYU0hSax0IVF5P3jcCStnXZfSqUalfcWliLPUt7kUWgLGQ4HQTJkvaPgscOXIUHYa_3bzM3MkCEtrX2ag_bVQ-SmPKQ807Bqfu7jIuip2OcV0_8CPI0TmzdxcHVkByw/s1024/IMG_1278.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiru3hxYFzQEKTT3kMqgSfhdZyBmfYPR-lkfwM_YN_IGMhn06FhGUorjwR9KYTBYU0hSax0IVF5P3jcCStnXZfSqUalfcWliLPUt7kUWgLGQ4HQTJkvaPgscOXIUHYa_3bzM3MkCEtrX2ag_bVQ-SmPKQ807Bqfu7jIuip2OcV0_8CPI0TmzdxcHVkByw/s320/IMG_1278.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgma5Euj67J_przYhSNBzuktTIRg_CJpo3sQGzSBbsWbqWzDH3jpbEPrjPJt8psIB0bN6ct0jzqJ_MmUQdjdaR7hlH9JXeXG_ha_lxdcR5IkxA6u7EkrpxKQ8E0bHJbEmrDmqkrgxscnCGn1UEimrTiyY06ldQFIVVex25lvOMdRiGKyvJRK6vH-P_DhA/s1365/IMG_1320.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgma5Euj67J_przYhSNBzuktTIRg_CJpo3sQGzSBbsWbqWzDH3jpbEPrjPJt8psIB0bN6ct0jzqJ_MmUQdjdaR7hlH9JXeXG_ha_lxdcR5IkxA6u7EkrpxKQ8E0bHJbEmrDmqkrgxscnCGn1UEimrTiyY06ldQFIVVex25lvOMdRiGKyvJRK6vH-P_DhA/s320/IMG_1320.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3fd_sWIsx8CPWVPeUoMbtoTSz6YbrBOfSsz-64hzSK6nks3fG7xgWY3WwmlBQTJTA9RNuACj-vhJEvtmUH2pzo-2sAo6TO9rcXchXCG7RLV_nMMmIwoRV9ZM3ZCnzYF2kR6qXl5ds_welBRi3dL3CWJkWvfQ7fj_72JvcAh3-0JvnSmcsjtzYcNjhxQ/s1024/IMG_1351.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3fd_sWIsx8CPWVPeUoMbtoTSz6YbrBOfSsz-64hzSK6nks3fG7xgWY3WwmlBQTJTA9RNuACj-vhJEvtmUH2pzo-2sAo6TO9rcXchXCG7RLV_nMMmIwoRV9ZM3ZCnzYF2kR6qXl5ds_welBRi3dL3CWJkWvfQ7fj_72JvcAh3-0JvnSmcsjtzYcNjhxQ/s320/IMG_1351.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoHdNJZz9g8Jmf67K9QszAgV90nOe0d-ptCs5IrsOuneAzu-_NICpzNupPQ2_tukNR6c0TWUdqjfiaqf0SR33-4V8UqXvH2rb3p7EpHjGT7w7WYJa4EqNq_jV14q0B2QT9F2KBkI7qTB7kBzyi2FraopqtGSCVpmvYydrG5VsFln2DS9LswRuV1y9P4A/s1024/IMG_1352.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoHdNJZz9g8Jmf67K9QszAgV90nOe0d-ptCs5IrsOuneAzu-_NICpzNupPQ2_tukNR6c0TWUdqjfiaqf0SR33-4V8UqXvH2rb3p7EpHjGT7w7WYJa4EqNq_jV14q0B2QT9F2KBkI7qTB7kBzyi2FraopqtGSCVpmvYydrG5VsFln2DS9LswRuV1y9P4A/s320/IMG_1352.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEMo256JTeKBN41NbghIBsJIjv3JIlQQZZ_bagaLSq7BZV6o3q9Sij7DR7k70pkLnx3bwJaQeTLPG4ue1vYmxSprfIQ6xzq76BrvafrzNy6ewy2MfSloX1nVUJ-US0Mz93HqN8C8ZfBthI31dUFdz5DKL35ipiIwZpeoHBLVdaXBFs2QZHySW-K5aIYg/s1024/UFAV6542.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEMo256JTeKBN41NbghIBsJIjv3JIlQQZZ_bagaLSq7BZV6o3q9Sij7DR7k70pkLnx3bwJaQeTLPG4ue1vYmxSprfIQ6xzq76BrvafrzNy6ewy2MfSloX1nVUJ-US0Mz93HqN8C8ZfBthI31dUFdz5DKL35ipiIwZpeoHBLVdaXBFs2QZHySW-K5aIYg/s320/UFAV6542.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>When you travel, do you seek out friends to visit?<div><br /><div><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1025201337316610324.post-35874503524200380072022-06-24T06:00:00.001-04:002022-06-24T06:00:00.260-04:00What Love Really Means<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO1JsycMpu09Jp0vFOV-8Xm7SRS5Qk9k37HSrAkUA8BRnH4z7qCsLhE1rdd9znIuFyCUkN2TMpheVMK7cG7w7ML7qOzOzWCE27vUpCJiu3rKGu9FZuQzb4v5hmlu7719TX13nbvgAue_ZFBO5TikIrBCTMMYc2YxltVM87cpfLYWfZh5x9uZFtAwkV/s431/TKT%20Rock%20wall%20%20for%20web%20flipped%20Oval.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="431" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO1JsycMpu09Jp0vFOV-8Xm7SRS5Qk9k37HSrAkUA8BRnH4z7qCsLhE1rdd9znIuFyCUkN2TMpheVMK7cG7w7ML7qOzOzWCE27vUpCJiu3rKGu9FZuQzb4v5hmlu7719TX13nbvgAue_ZFBO5TikIrBCTMMYc2YxltVM87cpfLYWfZh5x9uZFtAwkV/w200-h196/TKT%20Rock%20wall%20%20for%20web%20flipped%20Oval.png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Writer, humanist,</span></p><p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"> dog-mom, horse servant and cat-slave,</span></p><p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"> Lover of solitude</span></p><p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"> and the company of good friends,</span></p><p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"> new places, new ideas</span></p><p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"> and old wisdom.</span></p><p><br /></p><p>The answer to what love is has defied the best efforts of philosophers and poets, yet we know it when we see it, as these keen observations from children prove. </p><p>"Karl, age 5: ‘Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.’ </p><p>Billy, who is 4, had to think about it, but decided, ‘When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You know that your name is safe in their mouth.’</p><p>And Rebecca observed, ‘When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So, my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love.’”</p><p>And Teresa (TK) age. . . never mind . . . said, ‘Daddy is love--you can crawl onto his lap, and he will read the comics in the newspaper for you; you can crawl on his shoulders, and he will flip you over and over again! You can know you will always have a place to go if you need it; he will always be there.’</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFeT2QUqplryieGO5Je2OriQv5ggQwFWPIqPzn9EcFaEJr2WbqDJgmNBlR8AN4AgR8pmIJgl2oEHIayj94rH9Hg7IlQPjYSEOzMuMSg4L9pDr4c7OmkuD9TD0Zj5RCkjOnEkIWliGAtc94Vr_UcVG-HspLfh6jDQxGXJPnaVUagyTHwZtehrKhjYde/s940/Daddy%20and%20his%20Girls%20in%20Fairhope.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="728" data-original-width="940" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFeT2QUqplryieGO5Je2OriQv5ggQwFWPIqPzn9EcFaEJr2WbqDJgmNBlR8AN4AgR8pmIJgl2oEHIayj94rH9Hg7IlQPjYSEOzMuMSg4L9pDr4c7OmkuD9TD0Zj5RCkjOnEkIWliGAtc94Vr_UcVG-HspLfh6jDQxGXJPnaVUagyTHwZtehrKhjYde/s320/Daddy%20and%20his%20Girls%20in%20Fairhope.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Thank you, Papa for everything and always. I love you . . . and that's the most important thing.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">T.K.Thorne is a retired police captain who writes <a href="https://tkthorne.com/books/">Books</a>, which, like this blog, go wherever her curiosity and imagination take her. <a href="http://www.tkthorne.com" target="_blank">More at TKThorne.com</a></div><br /><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>T.K. Thornehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12608840749337554040noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1025201337316610324.post-21720549710366794822022-06-23T13:00:00.024-04:002022-06-23T13:00:00.285-04:00<p>June 23, 2022 </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8O2z_d2vfhghTfs9bJ6dOH_ZLBhWQckzBNOlmE4R01useTvevEdKM859ofbj8gKOMfR7FBcuEx-vT6PiDV0s3ngxlk4ixYraNltuZGVuCHBN7PtdpWs-4mtDzt9CKe6g6XmKcCZfhx9kE8W96s29I7hi7BH-eVtGWkevUTdIWydnvZaL9tUgd9OKARA/s2048/IMG_3168-EFFECTS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8O2z_d2vfhghTfs9bJ6dOH_ZLBhWQckzBNOlmE4R01useTvevEdKM859ofbj8gKOMfR7FBcuEx-vT6PiDV0s3ngxlk4ixYraNltuZGVuCHBN7PtdpWs-4mtDzt9CKe6g6XmKcCZfhx9kE8W96s29I7hi7BH-eVtGWkevUTdIWydnvZaL9tUgd9OKARA/w629-h472/IMG_3168-EFFECTS.jpg" width="629" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">mi Chicana Garden Southern Colorado 2022</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br />Dear Reader, </p><p>It is officially summer, and I spent the solstice riding on a quad runner with mi esposo in the Sangre de Cristos near the cell phone towers at 10,000 feet (about twice the elevation of Denver, Colorado). The air felt thin and caused me to get short of breath. But the oxygen was thick and smelled like wildflowers and mountain meadows and forests. Just what the doctor ordered. I am working on being a better human being and it begins with me and my happiness. A friend suggested I try MACA powder for my low energy and depression during the pandemic and damned if he was not right in his diagnosis and prescription. He is my friend of thirty-two years and my acupuncturist. He is a keeper. He goes ice fishing and hiking with mi esposo. They are like minded. Nature lovers and animal lovers. </p><p><br /></p><p>I am planning a birthday party for a few relatives and celebrating the fourth of July, Independence Day. Whose independence you ask? Some people are saying we are free, but I say until we are all different but equal, until we are undocumented not illegal human beings, until the LGBTQ community and people of color are no longer afraid to walk with pride down main street, I say we are not free. We are all slaves. Slaves of greed, power, sex, drugs, rock, and roll. Lol. </p><p><br /></p><p>That was my Independence Day rant. Every year I suffer through the holidays. Columbus Day, Thanksgiving, Winter Wonderland, St. Patrick's Day, Valentine's Day, etc. When is my holiday? I am going to celebrate this fourth of July as a sacred ceremony honoring my ancestors' who lived and died on this soil in Southern Colorado, New Mexico, the New Mexico Territory, Mexico, los genizaros. The indigenous slaves. My ancestors were not free they were herded into missionaries and pueblos and became indentured servants and laborers. The truth hurts because it is the truth. Deal with it. If you do not want to learn this country’s history, you will never know the people who live here and what they have endured just to survive in a world of colonialism. You heard me. Decolonize your diet. Beans, rice, green chile, tortillas. But what do I know. I know after sixty-five years and a life of hard knocks and abundant blessings, that dying is easy; it is the living that is hard. </p><p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdT3SRbrap0Qr0FpqSv-sx-EQ-KUwJVUEnkg3ogk4jewR022HbwSnD2suZodaU_EdFKLNRoYc6nFZYuo5QmXZCD0JLq5dtUC2C6dLnR_PuM5vkYCqHX9PcxY1FcN9Dgt8sKu6m-BVZebAtsmlfq_SlsrSrOPEx6smA1yDV5A1ks9JW9hWmJlG2ntiC6Q/s640/laughing%20sisters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="640" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdT3SRbrap0Qr0FpqSv-sx-EQ-KUwJVUEnkg3ogk4jewR022HbwSnD2suZodaU_EdFKLNRoYc6nFZYuo5QmXZCD0JLq5dtUC2C6dLnR_PuM5vkYCqHX9PcxY1FcN9Dgt8sKu6m-BVZebAtsmlfq_SlsrSrOPEx6smA1yDV5A1ks9JW9hWmJlG2ntiC6Q/w544-h398/laughing%20sisters.jpg" width="544" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lynette Aragon Patrick and Juliana Aragon Fatula at family home Southern Colorado</td></tr></tbody></table></p><br /><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1025201337316610324.post-63862195633177226122022-06-22T03:30:00.002-04:002022-06-22T10:12:21.792-04:00Anastasia is Back, and This Time the Crime is Real!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh02LbEPxUhpsedDhsojmmvaXwYAKQp_0TIlchA7c9CLYS8YgHMLOtSC9_4B4WvgycC9nGXH3T_Th3OLohhtfhMrOEmcFgPYuOpW5laIZH83_gXYwMWGguRPVuAvL3MyuOtGR5dFArdMDXCAM96hk86Lw48STDB9Eh0keMFWMFxjccJvfw9TsCuKJb8dg/s571/cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="571" data-original-width="366" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh02LbEPxUhpsedDhsojmmvaXwYAKQp_0TIlchA7c9CLYS8YgHMLOtSC9_4B4WvgycC9nGXH3T_Th3OLohhtfhMrOEmcFgPYuOpW5laIZH83_gXYwMWGguRPVuAvL3MyuOtGR5dFArdMDXCAM96hk86Lw48STDB9Eh0keMFWMFxjccJvfw9TsCuKJb8dg/w315-h492/cover.jpg" width="315" /></a></div><span face="Arial, sans-serif">By Lois Winston</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Most mystery writers and readers are fascinated by true crimes. Even if our reading doesn’t branch out beyond cozy mysteries, many of us watch everything from <i>Murder, She Wrote </i>reruns to each iteration of the <i>Law & Order</i> franchise. Some of us have even become hooked on true crime podcasts. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Me? I’m a news junkie. All my books have been inspired in some way by actual events, or human-interest stories. <i>Inspired </i>is the key word, though. For instance, in <i>A Stitch to Die for</i>, the fifth book in my Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery Series, I wove in a thread about Munchausen by Proxy Disorder after reading about several high-profile cases.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">However, I’ve never incorporated an actual crime into one of my plots—until now. For <i>Guilty as Framed</i>, the eleventh book in my Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery Series, I’ve centered the plot around a yet unsolved crime that took place in 1990. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">For years I’ve been fascinated with the burglary at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. It’s still considered the largest art heist in history, and to this day, not only haven’t the perpetrators been caught, but none of the artworks have ever been recovered. Worst of all, many of the suspects have since died.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">But how do you incorporate a true crime cold case into a cozy mystery, especially when that crime might one day be solved, no matter how the likelihood diminishes with each passing year? I certainly couldn’t have my sleuth find the paintings or unmask the actual perpetrators. I don’t write alternate-reality fiction. In addition, the crime was committed in Boston, and my amateur sleuth resides in New Jersey. Besides, Anastasia is in her mid-forties. She would have been an adolescent at the time of the theft.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">This was the puzzle I set for myself. Like my sleuth, I can be extremely stubborn when I set my mind to something. I may fail at a task, but I rarely give up and walk away. It helps that I’m a pantser and not a plotter. So I started out by reading everything I could get my hands on about the theft, watched a few documentaries, then just started writing, allowing my brain free rein. After writing myself into a few corners, backtracking, and beginning again…and again…and again, I came up with a story that uses various events from the actual crime, making them plausible within the pages of my story. Of course, I had to take authorial liberties along the way, but hey, I’m writing fiction. I can do that. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">I invented several characters for the purpose of advancing my plot. I’ve also changed the names of suspects and their relatives, whether they’re still alive or not, to protect the innocent, the not-so-innocent, and yours truly. But in the end, I stayed true to the major events of the crime but found a way to involve my sleuth.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">It’s just too bad that Anastasia couldn’t solve the mystery of what happened to all those missing artworks. There’s still a huge reward outstanding for any information leading to their recovery, and anyone who knows anything about Anastasia knows she could really use the money.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><a href="https://www.loiswinston.com/guilty-as-framed" style="color: #954f72;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Guilty as Framed</span></b></a><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><i><span face="Arial, sans-serif">An Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery, Book 11<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><i><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">When an elderly man shows up at the home of reluctant amateur sleuth Anastasia Pollack, she’s drawn into the unsolved mystery of the greatest art heist in history. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Boston mob boss Cormac Murphy has recently been released from prison. He doesn’t believe Anastasia’s assertion that the man he’s looking for doesn’t live at her address and attempts to muscle his way into her home. His efforts are thwarted by Anastasia’s fiancé Zack Barnes. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">A week later, a stolen SUV containing a dead body appears in Anastasia’s driveway. Anastasia believes Murphy is sending her a message. It’s only the first in a series of alarming incidents, including a mugging, a break-in, another murder, and the discovery of a cache of jewelry and an etching from the largest museum burglary in history.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">But will Anastasia solve the mystery behind these shocking events before she falls victim to a couple of desperate thugs who will stop at nothing to get what they want?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><i><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Guilty as Framed </span></i><span face="Arial, sans-serif">is currently available for pre-order and will be released September 6th. Find links <a href="https://www.loiswinston.com/guilty-as-framed" style="color: #954f72;">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~*~<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><i><span face="Arial, sans-serif">USA Today</span></i><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> and Amazon bestselling and award-winning author Lois Winston writes mystery, romance, romantic suspense, chick lit, women’s fiction, children’s chapter books, and nonfiction under her own name and her Emma Carlyle pen name. <i>Kirkus Reviews</i> dubbed her critically acclaimed Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery series, “North Jersey’s more mature answer to Stephanie Plum.” In addition, Lois is a former literary agent and an award-winning craft and needlework designer who </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">often draws much of her source material for both her characters and plots from her experiences in the crafts industry. Learn more about Lois and her books at her website </span><a href="http://www.loiswinston.com/" style="color: #954f72;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">www.loiswinston.com</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> where you can also sign up for her newsletter and follow her on various social media sites.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1025201337316610324.post-14496359972138928992022-06-21T13:56:00.000-04:002022-06-21T13:56:20.860-04:00<p> </p><p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>Scouting for Good Reads</o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>by Saralyn Richard</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNRGSlvvk_A_8qVXnp9uk6gm1Zj_hG87WDD_uj_hj62zUWtZUNUI1HFhW-LmXUWdNLBWxrGASpBNhhUgE8k0tv5RYBONMiJ3tTFSZrZeqdeXEXOM8di4zYlMoEWtKbK4d-nBDqAenr-x_f4AANPEFyrByUUihHs5sII7DdWecQTdxRP0NT8Nc0ce4q7A/s400/GS%20Reading%20badge.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="370" data-original-width="400" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNRGSlvvk_A_8qVXnp9uk6gm1Zj_hG87WDD_uj_hj62zUWtZUNUI1HFhW-LmXUWdNLBWxrGASpBNhhUgE8k0tv5RYBONMiJ3tTFSZrZeqdeXEXOM8di4zYlMoEWtKbK4d-nBDqAenr-x_f4AANPEFyrByUUihHs5sII7DdWecQTdxRP0NT8Nc0ce4q7A/s320/GS%20Reading%20badge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">One of my most memorable activities from childhood was being
a part of the Girl Scouts. My Girl Scout troop was phenomenal. Our leaders,
Mrs. Taylor and Mrs. Martin, made sure every meeting was a learning experience
and a social experience worth our time and effort. We went on several trips,
including one to the Alamo in San Antonio, the State Capitol in Austin, and to
a dude ranch in New Braunfels. Many of the girls in our troop are still among
my close friends today.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The scout program encouraged each girl to select an area to “specialize”
in, with the goal of earning a badge in that field. I earned many badges in my
time, but my favorite was—no surprise here—the reading badge. The reading badge
didn’t require me to go out into scorching hot, mosquito-infested campgrounds.
I didn’t have to prove proficiency at knot-tying (although I recall doing
something like that anyway), sharp-tool-wielding, or fire-starting. All I had
to do was chill with a book in the comfort of my house, which was my favorite
activity anyway.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The reading badge turned out not to be that easily obtained,
however. If memory serves me correctly, I had to read a hundred books, most of
them required. Lots of these books were Newbery Award winners. Many of them
were classics. Most were long. Some of the titles I remember were <i>Hittie:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her First Hundred Years, Desiree, King of the
Wind, Johnny Tremain, Adam of the Road, Caddie Woodlawn, Little Women, Black
Beauty, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, Pippi Longstocking, Robinson Crusoe. </i>I
remember sitting in the elementary school library, reading every chance I could.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho_qTcP6V5do8WpuuoJ2wBIHyZM1ziGNvqpV-NFtefkAosjJJbBmpMbHwxMZqBBkJMhL48h77z4GidIw-ZLChFidsLl02Ab9bjzhvPRJbW2MPlC2c6cXnnWI6B0NiRnnArhHy8MQkBpuZHZLf0OJFGOQNIjZnF5mychuCubAVZJEswnqNfSNanqfY9qw/s218/Pippi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="218" data-original-width="143" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho_qTcP6V5do8WpuuoJ2wBIHyZM1ziGNvqpV-NFtefkAosjJJbBmpMbHwxMZqBBkJMhL48h77z4GidIw-ZLChFidsLl02Ab9bjzhvPRJbW2MPlC2c6cXnnWI6B0NiRnnArhHy8MQkBpuZHZLf0OJFGOQNIjZnF5mychuCubAVZJEswnqNfSNanqfY9qw/s1600/Pippi.jpg" width="143" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Even though I was an avid reading before I decided to work
on the badge, I benefitted in numerous ways from reading so many excellent books. My vocabulary increased, as did my understanding of diverse cultures and
themes. Most of all, my love of reading grew exponentially. The more I read,
the more I craved clever story lines, exquisite descriptions, fascinating
characters. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I’m sure the reading badge contributed to my choosing to
major in English and to teach high school English. More than likely, it inspired
me to try my hand at writing, too.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I decided to see what the requirements are for the reading
badge today, and here’s what I found out. Girl Scouts has modernized its “curriculum.”
The options for badges, awards, and pins include more practical topics, like
saving the environment, becoming financially literate, becoming a space science
researcher, and leading in the digital world. See<a href="https://www.girlscouts.org/content/dam/girlscouts-gsusa/forms-and-documents/our-program/Badges/GSUSA_CadetteBadgesAwardsAndPins_2021.pdf">
here</a> for a complete list. A scout can earn a reading diva patch (see <a href="https://www.girlscoutshop.com/GSWCF-Reading-Diva-Patch-Program">here</a>),
but so little is required that one could earn that in a week’s time. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">At the risk of sounding like an anachronism, I’m sad that
the opportunities afforded by the rigorous reading badge no longer exist for
young girls. At the same time, I’m extremely grateful that I earned mine when I
could. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Were you a big reader when you were younger? What were some
of your most memorable books read?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzg6assTsyz18xK6pSxm7i0LcxgThqrYTsFaQdvEaAoSPOeFj7OY7g6TF46eKuj-zIHrdxCCSGNjRhDrSqgAR7_dC7iuD5CmcqLWbHFdMqyQmCKhrHFjb2u442c9C6CNCJ5jInxPR1li6y_-hABn1nex_S6AIGh5FfaC_PrgK0eKf0f0IO4BhtAODprg/s1080/Five%20books.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzg6assTsyz18xK6pSxm7i0LcxgThqrYTsFaQdvEaAoSPOeFj7OY7g6TF46eKuj-zIHrdxCCSGNjRhDrSqgAR7_dC7iuD5CmcqLWbHFdMqyQmCKhrHFjb2u442c9C6CNCJ5jInxPR1li6y_-hABn1nex_S6AIGh5FfaC_PrgK0eKf0f0IO4BhtAODprg/s320/Five%20books.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Saralyn
Richard’s award-winning humor- and romance-tinged mysteries and children's book
pull back the curtain on people in settings as diverse as elite country manor
houses and disadvantaged urban high schools.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Saralyn’s most recent release is <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bad-Blood-Sisters-Saralyn-Richard/dp/1645993205/ref=">Bad Blood Sisters</a>.</i> </span><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A
member of International Thriller Writers and Mystery Writers of America,
Saralyn teaches creative writing and literature at the Osher Lifelong Learning
Institute, and continues to write mysteries. Her favorite thing about being an
author is interacting with readers like you. </span><span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Visit
Saralyn </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Saralyn-Richar..."><span style="mso-field-code: " HYPERLINK \0022http\:\/\/saralynrichard\.com\/\0022 \\t \0022_blank\0022 ";"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">here</span></span></a><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">,</span><span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"> on her
Amazon page </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Saralyn-Richard/e/B0787F6HD4/ref" target="_blank"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">here,</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"> or on Facebook </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Palmcirclepress" target="_blank"><span style="background: white; color: #00635d; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">here</span></a><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="background: white; color: #00635d; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">.</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1025201337316610324.post-26423905767760517412022-06-20T00:30:00.007-04:002022-06-20T00:30:00.236-04:00Celebrating the Third Virtual Mystery in the Midlands with a Matching Game<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;">by Paula
Gail Benson</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOaQWTtcUzH6TJD7Zhnd-K1SAzf8HzYKoDVPsmbcN3bAXeFu3LxSHUESBynyjFjfk_JOvR2LME_7dzf9Dm-Pq2X-NoP-zuxP_6LmSblXs2W0do8RfKBbJDB5SZzku2RNfUmLXwexfK7S5WUbvw23uFrJdABnXcldgAXic3mxWN8xqSsSBVBfpdb6oU/s1080/Mystery%20in%20the%20Midlands%202022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOaQWTtcUzH6TJD7Zhnd-K1SAzf8HzYKoDVPsmbcN3bAXeFu3LxSHUESBynyjFjfk_JOvR2LME_7dzf9Dm-Pq2X-NoP-zuxP_6LmSblXs2W0do8RfKBbJDB5SZzku2RNfUmLXwexfK7S5WUbvw23uFrJdABnXcldgAXic3mxWN8xqSsSBVBfpdb6oU/s320/Mystery%20in%20the%20Midlands%202022.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Longing
to attend a writing conference? Here’s one that costs only $8!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;">On
Saturday, July 16, from 10:30 am to 3:15 pm ET, the Southeast Chapter of
Mystery Writers of America and the Palmetto Chapter of Sisters in Crime, are
proud to present their third virtual Mystery in the Midlands.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Our wonderful
participants include keynote David Heska Wanbli Weiden, who will be interviewed by Hank
Phillippi Ryan. In addition, three panels will be moderated by Dana Kaye. The
panelists are Alan Orloff, Shawn Reilly Simmons, and Joseph S. Walker, talking
about short stories; Daryl Wood Gerber, Raquel V. Reyes, and Abby L. Vandiver,
talking about cozies; and Hallie Ephron, John Hart, and Hank Phillippi Ryan,
talking about settings and suspense.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We would love for you to join us. You can register
through </span><a href="https://www.crowdcast.io/e/mystery-in-the-midlands-3/register" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">this
link</a>.</p><p class="MsoNormal">If you can't attend the broadcast, by registering, you can watch the recording.</p><p class="MsoNormal">At $8, it's a bargain!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;">Following is a little game to match our
participants with fun facts about them. See how much you know about our
distinguished authors and check your results with the answers at the end.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR-R7eyzVtHS3DBWrB9ojpjWaveD86n7aD58t7Bd5wV8aAg1kAmgUFAWx7Nab_zywMx1WZYC5Trhsazn_bdGq1ie-zt5ftzNg0XKCTiK3jmMrovwavQ1zjT4517YLnVHBuA4xmXJEkGRa0DexC4AZXA7cQH9nAH12AGrVtIxMe50cD-q40cy_xw5Xc/s1080/Weiden.Ryan.Keynote.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR-R7eyzVtHS3DBWrB9ojpjWaveD86n7aD58t7Bd5wV8aAg1kAmgUFAWx7Nab_zywMx1WZYC5Trhsazn_bdGq1ie-zt5ftzNg0XKCTiK3jmMrovwavQ1zjT4517YLnVHBuA4xmXJEkGRa0DexC4AZXA7cQH9nAH12AGrVtIxMe50cD-q40cy_xw5Xc/s320/Weiden.Ryan.Keynote.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;">Hope to
see you on Saturday, July 16! Don't forget to register:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.crowdcast.io/e/mystery-in-the-midlands-3/register"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">https://www.crowdcast.io/e/mystery-in-the-midlands-3/register</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><u><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">AUTHORS</span></u></b><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1.
Hallie Ephron<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">2.
Daryl Wood Gerber</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">3.
John Hart</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">4.
Alan Orloff</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">5.
Raquel V. Reyes</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt;">6. Hank Phillippi Ryan</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-BOz0cWa9_8Wc1N0m0u_CLYX5uiVVnjdF9qZC-NAmHeQC3KJrXMShw8qzY_NaoaaltgLFwX5P5XJp_QQRrPE9nr-kK7rDoYF2CD8AOAVgQYaNZARL31nFcBfuaM8H1xzK9C4_bg376qDWw1Qyu6dKqY6oWCFW1IjdNnWoUtL01BmMSMGC3W1L0D6w/s1080/Short%20Stories%20Panel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-BOz0cWa9_8Wc1N0m0u_CLYX5uiVVnjdF9qZC-NAmHeQC3KJrXMShw8qzY_NaoaaltgLFwX5P5XJp_QQRrPE9nr-kK7rDoYF2CD8AOAVgQYaNZARL31nFcBfuaM8H1xzK9C4_bg376qDWw1Qyu6dKqY6oWCFW1IjdNnWoUtL01BmMSMGC3W1L0D6w/s320/Short%20Stories%20Panel.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt;">7.
Shawn Reilly Simmons</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">8.
Abby L. Vandiver</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">9.
Joseph S. Walker</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">10.
David Heska Wanbli Weiden</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><u><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">FUN
FACTS</span></u></b><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A. Has been to baseball games in 21 different
major league parks<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">B.
Edited Midnight Hour anthology</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFf35FQmIrYbdYNqHiIA4ikoc5qzeLZnIp2W7Ft4-2PsG4XdHazYxrbqrJ1DzLhbpxQ3R7oEDhUwRqng1cKQXrMVVF5udZY5IK_EwpEp9XtFOtwbVlTds8Cw-3tgEc6HD74vo91huOVDOLTLJXHzffmBm6sga3xWWoBwS0KQT29UH1ZhB2Fu8EMLSn/s1080/Cozies%20Panel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFf35FQmIrYbdYNqHiIA4ikoc5qzeLZnIp2W7Ft4-2PsG4XdHazYxrbqrJ1DzLhbpxQ3R7oEDhUwRqng1cKQXrMVVF5udZY5IK_EwpEp9XtFOtwbVlTds8Cw-3tgEc6HD74vo91huOVDOLTLJXHzffmBm6sga3xWWoBwS0KQT29UH1ZhB2Fu8EMLSn/s320/Cozies%20Panel.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>C. Cheese-phobic<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">D.
Considered being a professional violinist</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">E.
Has 2 rescue Bichon Frise dogs</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">F.
Grew up among writers, but only reluctantly became one after age 40</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">G.
In addition to a writing passion, loves riding a tractor</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt;">H. Successfully sued the CIA for information on a
sunken Russian submarine</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I.
Worked as a parrot wrangler at a pet store</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">J.
Has made over 30 fairy gardens</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><u><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></u></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><u></u></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><u><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB1_lskO4NHTtGSoNMhUvNgYZY9oMb10BvWModKerHSQIVdxnUypA1AVl3CT8d9hpcYm6a6O-1sjKysquVXNUUz9vGcrzJ9mEKPm9AjvpPBW7WRTTopnrCdp5Y5eollMa1W7Oj4SMJMBD8ziHMdViY-hLN3Jg_IfaUALbX7UQFXQOjRynWMJR3ej2E/s1080/Settings%20Panel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB1_lskO4NHTtGSoNMhUvNgYZY9oMb10BvWModKerHSQIVdxnUypA1AVl3CT8d9hpcYm6a6O-1sjKysquVXNUUz9vGcrzJ9mEKPm9AjvpPBW7WRTTopnrCdp5Y5eollMa1W7Oj4SMJMBD8ziHMdViY-hLN3Jg_IfaUALbX7UQFXQOjRynWMJR3ej2E/s320/Settings%20Panel.jpg" width="320" /></a></u></b></div><b><u><br /></u></b><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><u><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ANSWERS</span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1. F<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2. J<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3. G<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">4. C<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">5. I<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">6. H<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">7. D<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">8. B<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">9. A<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">10. E<o:p></o:p></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1025201337316610324.post-76854785569183017602022-06-15T02:00:00.024-04:002022-06-15T02:00:00.464-04:00Getting Stronger<div style="text-align: center;">By Barbara J. Eikmeier</div><div style="text-align: left;">
<p class="MsoNormal">I lift weights. Twice a week my husband and I go to the gym.
The nutritionist at the army health clinic told me about the weight training
room. She said as we age it is important to do weight bearing exercises to keep
our bones strong and joints limber. “Just go twice a week. Go in the middle of
the day – there’s no one there at that time.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Another year passed before I went. The catalyst was my
annual cholesterol check. I begged for 6 months of diet and lifestyle changes
before going on medication. Thus, the gym - and less wine and more veggies.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But there is another reason I started lifting weights. I had
become weak. When I travel to give quilt presentations, I bring multiple suitcases stuffed with quilts, pushing the airlines 50-pound weight limit with
those big bags. The check-in agent, eyeing my bags, would say, “put that up
here” motioning with their chin to the scale. I’d laugh and say, “It’s not over
50 pounds because I can’t lift 50 pounds.” Each spring, when my travel season
began it was true, I couldn’t lift 50 pounds, but as the trips added up, I
could feel myself getting stronger. Yes, that may have been me holding up the line
while pulling items from an overweight suitcase and stuffing them in my carry-on. Just by handling
those heavy bags I became stronger. Strong enough to lift more than 50 pounds
by the end of the season.</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbqVtjOZw3T1WKyygSIx4Ekf0FsMi3taNm_x9RFWncLnBphtd9susVYNal-8XByznoHazpyoXf_yrFhY7oriXDYxHbansqcjo_bUqBv2a6dkHHnvWrynmkutL2Xqki-yCKhUrmOEGq71fucJZWQ-Tv19uk2y7RW3PQZtg7RuI7kpDSt10KUP9nwCHJ/s936/IMG_4417.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="936" data-original-width="702" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbqVtjOZw3T1WKyygSIx4Ekf0FsMi3taNm_x9RFWncLnBphtd9susVYNal-8XByznoHazpyoXf_yrFhY7oriXDYxHbansqcjo_bUqBv2a6dkHHnvWrynmkutL2Xqki-yCKhUrmOEGq71fucJZWQ-Tv19uk2y7RW3PQZtg7RuI7kpDSt10KUP9nwCHJ/s320/IMG_4417.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Then came Covid-19 and my work became a series of Zoom
presentations. And I grew weak.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When my travels resumed, I lifted my bag onto the scale that
first trip and it was heavy! I was visualizing what I could move to my carry-on
bag just as the scale settled on 43 pounds. Only 43 pounds? I quickly moved shoes and jeans from my carry-on to the checked bag. That’s
because I have another problem once I board the plane – getting my carry-on in
the overhead bin. My rule is, if I can’t lift it myself, I must check it. But
I’m 5’3” and it’s not a matter of strength as much as a matter of height. (At
least that’s what I always tell the nice tall man in the aisle seat who jumps
up to help me!)</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The army gym is not a flashy place. It’s old, and kind of
run down. I wish someone would sweep the floor. It’s often only the two of us there.
It’s quiet, almost meditative. But when soldiers come in the atmosphere
changes. They are young, and strong, and physically fit. They sweat and grunt
and the weights come clanging down as they finish their routines. There’s a
demand for the best machines and a polite toe taping or pacing when they must wait. Among
the most popular machines is the leg press – it's for the quads and glutes. I
like it. And the sit up machine. I like it too. And there is the Graviton
machine. It’s meant to condition your arms to do pull ups. I can’t do a pull
up. I’m not sure this machine can even help me get there. But I do it. Every
time.</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhipMT9e30ibtfLVFV3RdQe03l0D7B-h7nU4in6p5dA01Mzej7mP6C7rhTB9M0oJ8EhQj4HIzFkDPRt7Vyvv0G6CLIp42FE4VrQAWshL4q_Bvpp2mdFyLkz34Inem3roUWcZjjwWiJQQc6UvmuG4oJNa3-7raw9GGwW9uzzwebe_em4UXLjyXOK5Cjo/s640/IMG_7509.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhipMT9e30ibtfLVFV3RdQe03l0D7B-h7nU4in6p5dA01Mzej7mP6C7rhTB9M0oJ8EhQj4HIzFkDPRt7Vyvv0G6CLIp42FE4VrQAWshL4q_Bvpp2mdFyLkz34Inem3roUWcZjjwWiJQQc6UvmuG4oJNa3-7raw9GGwW9uzzwebe_em4UXLjyXOK5Cjo/s320/IMG_7509.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There is a less popular machine called the Overhead Press. My
husband skips it. He explained, “I don’t think there is much benefit in that
machine.” I said, “I hate this machine.” He asked, “Then why do you do it?” I said,
“Watch my arms.” I lifted the weights over my head. He watched. I lowered the
weights and said, “It’s the muscles used to put my carry-on in the overhead
bin.”</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjAh6RZHO0Mq3ahVBp5R8gI_HAw3v6ZUhJ3rqM1jbntd9YpC4ZFqttVEgTA0qyui2wUTjgbmBi1bd9tql6qBo3FCKAwCq0UNLI0-l9wflZaCY0yqtChCi27nyFlTFJVQ42nLmdqZTovl06WVCLhNWaQs1nkUHKQdvLLhRRpgiSxrTfywV64-GeOGpl/s640/IMG_7507.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjAh6RZHO0Mq3ahVBp5R8gI_HAw3v6ZUhJ3rqM1jbntd9YpC4ZFqttVEgTA0qyui2wUTjgbmBi1bd9tql6qBo3FCKAwCq0UNLI0-l9wflZaCY0yqtChCi27nyFlTFJVQ42nLmdqZTovl06WVCLhNWaQs1nkUHKQdvLLhRRpgiSxrTfywV64-GeOGpl/s320/IMG_7507.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />The gym, even on the slowest days, is a good place to shop
for character traits. There’s another older couple who come in wearing street clothes,
and each do a few machines, talking the entire time. Their workout takes 10
minutes. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Should that even count as a workout? Who am I to judge?<br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">And there is a young woman who
runs on the treadmill in the cardio room before lifting weights. Her dark hair is
pulled back in a bouncy ponytail. I like following her on the weight circuit
because she is my height, so our settings are the same.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know anything about her but in my
writer’s mind she is an Army lawyer. She runs fast and lifts fast and is very focused.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">And there is a group of firefighters from the post fire station. They move from machine to machine keeping their hand radios within reach. Their big red firetruck is just outside the gym parked along the curb, ready to go at a moment's notice. One of them wears a bandanna around his head, Karate Kid style. Another harasses his buddy to speed it up on the Biceps machine. His buddy's response is to go slower.<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">And my favorite, the retired marine whose
shaved head glistens with sweat when he works out. He looks intimidating – all
muscle and sinew. He only does three machines but with many reps and huge
stacks of weights. One day I asked him, “Do you alternate upper body and lower
body workouts?” He smiled. Maybe you’ve heard the term ‘resting bitch face’?
This guy has resting ‘fierce face’. He looks scary. But when the marine smiles
his face will melt your heart a little. He shows his bright white teeth, his
double dimples dimple and the deep creases in his forehead relax. And over that
one question we became friends. He took me to the free weight room down the
hall and taught me how to use a standing machine for an intense abs’ workout.
He said, “You are a little short, but you are doing it perfectly.” He told me
it’s easy to talk yourself into skipping the gym, like 90% of the people he
knows. With that gorgeous grin he added, “Now if only I had a refrigerator that
automatically locked at 6 pm, I’d be in good shape!”</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqhd6XbH3VgtrIkFS189uRHeb6DvkuTpdzcbsbJR6AVqaHHuCHzmcNEpt_GFRhA2zLsi-jtBApb_aIa78XBTwDXXR611UmEjS_Y4QodtWlXfrf8m3hnLHrkYFk-cDpyT9BAE1TISqLHWcQvYq9kArAPY7FR6-OIB0CWz_qXZEfclxUVNSi5OH2I__c/s640/IMG_7503.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqhd6XbH3VgtrIkFS189uRHeb6DvkuTpdzcbsbJR6AVqaHHuCHzmcNEpt_GFRhA2zLsi-jtBApb_aIa78XBTwDXXR611UmEjS_Y4QodtWlXfrf8m3hnLHrkYFk-cDpyT9BAE1TISqLHWcQvYq9kArAPY7FR6-OIB0CWz_qXZEfclxUVNSi5OH2I__c/s320/IMG_7503.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I lift weights. I’m getting stronger and my character file
is growing. What's your favorite place to shop for characters?<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Name="footnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footer"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of figures"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope return"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="line number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="page number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of authorities"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="macro"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="toa heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Message Header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Barbara J. Eikmeier is a quilter, writer, student of quilt
history, and lover of small-town America. Raised on a dairy farm in California,
she enjoys placing her characters in rural communities. </i></p>
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<![endif]--></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1025201337316610324.post-66389728425811673962022-06-14T02:30:00.151-04:002022-06-14T02:30:00.262-04:00How Do You Feel About Emojis?<p><span style="color: #990000; font-size: medium;">by Gay Yellen</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Once upon a time, I had a comfortably introverted life. That all changed in 2014, when my first book came out, and my publisher urged me to join the rest of the world on Facebook, Twitter, and other social platforms. </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq0qIEhEiiRgEqRYLcgDXBNwSzAIAqVa3mUt0MUPi1KjjY-gdRX7BH__3ewuiRM37Mw_bgDB539_QnZh9fRyU7swU_4zmhis6e7GaJFwLyC2Zbt6u8wtKTbbAXc-L3avSRjowit-V0gB6BM3tfD_iTY_S8rGMuFAwj5NsQL-kJl3jURSRlpOM7Mdd3lg/s1000/Emojipedia-Facebook-Emoji-14_0-Smileys.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="895" data-original-width="1000" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq0qIEhEiiRgEqRYLcgDXBNwSzAIAqVa3mUt0MUPi1KjjY-gdRX7BH__3ewuiRM37Mw_bgDB539_QnZh9fRyU7swU_4zmhis6e7GaJFwLyC2Zbt6u8wtKTbbAXc-L3avSRjowit-V0gB6BM3tfD_iTY_S8rGMuFAwj5NsQL-kJl3jURSRlpOM7Mdd3lg/s320/Emojipedia-Facebook-Emoji-14_0-Smileys.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Facebook</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: medium;">At first, it was tough to emerge from my cocoon, but little by little, I was posting like a pro. I came to feel pretty comfortable about it, too, until last year, when I read an article in <i>The Wall Street Journal </i>about the generation gap in how people interpret what the little emoticons mean.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEa0qlFa5qLLOFAkzya8VKOEWWkF98RxGqKOMfT_b_zD6N2dbnjdmw903_uDt0gC8ByGYvmT81AOfbcASKjBQ86YsZXrTI67dIp59reb3jOQCKNNTa_zTU_-fHxD20b9dCzFKhMQ3OWTFGcbKX-RD-idv4LAi8h1ZLYi2hRFvXUhQcE8O_RUZwTeX3eg/s240/grinning-face-with-big-eyes_1f603.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="240" height="90" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEa0qlFa5qLLOFAkzya8VKOEWWkF98RxGqKOMfT_b_zD6N2dbnjdmw903_uDt0gC8ByGYvmT81AOfbcASKjBQ86YsZXrTI67dIp59reb3jOQCKNNTa_zTU_-fHxD20b9dCzFKhMQ3OWTFGcbKX-RD-idv4LAi8h1ZLYi2hRFvXUhQcE8O_RUZwTeX3eg/w90-h90/grinning-face-with-big-eyes_1f603.png" width="90" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Take the smiley face, for example. People over the age of thirty generally use it to express happiness, or to indicate a positive response, like saying "good job!" Or perhaps, "I'm happy for you." But you might be dismayed to know that twenty-somethings and teens find it patronizing, and if they use it at all, they deploy it sarcastically.</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The skull and crossbones icon has also been reinterpreted by the younger set. Instead of pointing to danger, they use it to show that they are laughing so hard, they're dying. And the frowny face? For most people, it's a sign of disapproval or frustration. But for the younger set? They are more likely to be pining for the unobtainable object of their affection.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Since reading the <i>WSJ </i>article, I second-guess myself almost every time I reply to a post. Does my response feel genuine to the person receiving the message? Or does it come across as ironic when it's meant to be sincere?</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqFESsqrJSEm-xkJ9UjQM8KlakwZFSuD7M5YjLnV5tVYrfyEbPy9R6pPIM-evYn9KShL0scZE94m0nl1CXVzRaytj3E_OK4rPH7FZYz5T7AAvDZVdu1BlB_sb1P--jRbMQ_tb3PLwudx0r4r-lJ28H6k1br9m-GVDo7kXa18n-x5CeF6q53TcbrpeuWA/s160/pile-of-poo_1f4a9.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="160" data-original-width="160" height="97" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqFESsqrJSEm-xkJ9UjQM8KlakwZFSuD7M5YjLnV5tVYrfyEbPy9R6pPIM-evYn9KShL0scZE94m0nl1CXVzRaytj3E_OK4rPH7FZYz5T7AAvDZVdu1BlB_sb1P--jRbMQ_tb3PLwudx0r4r-lJ28H6k1br9m-GVDo7kXa18n-x5CeF6q53TcbrpeuWA/w97-h97/pile-of-poo_1f4a9.png" width="97" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">And what to make of the pile of Poop emoji, especially if it's smiling? Even after consulting the internet for the answer, I'm not really sure, although I did learn that, in 2015, it was the most popular emoji in Canada, while the Eggplant reigned supreme in the States. Excrement and sexual innuendo. Lovely.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Thank goodness there's one icon whose meaning we all seem to agree on. We </span><span>still feel good when</span> the universal symbol for love is delivered to us, although it may help to know that various heart configurations and colors connote different degrees and types of affection. These days, younger people prefer to use the word "fire" and its icon to indicate their strong positive feelings, especially when the response is to a "hot" person or idea. Heart-hands are gaining on in popularity, too.</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiomVPvZhFYHZaV5E49MLfum2R3OQpQV8kw-3_RtBxXYRjoYBtpBZYWuDAu9oDagonCTxNTe3nFhVFpI42JtAPXXjLzJ8x2h9myJ3pbtUU3vvRHRijLhO5Hlor-MlRA2vLq9MC8KUuQeitlnH-QKGZzJslLzyT3uPnIafVl_rK94b85bhO1a5Je6N_JvQ/s160/red-heart_2764-fe0f.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwF58xN05OnnE045a4iJjpuSDKX-ULjKoWxSIrjoKq7LbvpG_cIGh0KS8Nh6O6UOMUiKa68s84tLlFwspeRUATRKQ81rBooVNbSfDjit-haw-spTVovFE-GmO_y7vpswl2G6zn5dy3Hd2tY9BIEoYUcV8FjFBXGSHh7atu_SzQpnywUsRQTUvNZRQB_w/s240/heart-hands_1faf6.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="240" height="103" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwF58xN05OnnE045a4iJjpuSDKX-ULjKoWxSIrjoKq7LbvpG_cIGh0KS8Nh6O6UOMUiKa68s84tLlFwspeRUATRKQ81rBooVNbSfDjit-haw-spTVovFE-GmO_y7vpswl2G6zn5dy3Hd2tY9BIEoYUcV8FjFBXGSHh7atu_SzQpnywUsRQTUvNZRQB_w/w103-h103/heart-hands_1faf6.png" width="103" /></a><img border="0" data-original-height="160" data-original-width="160" height="98" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiomVPvZhFYHZaV5E49MLfum2R3OQpQV8kw-3_RtBxXYRjoYBtpBZYWuDAu9oDagonCTxNTe3nFhVFpI42JtAPXXjLzJ8x2h9myJ3pbtUU3vvRHRijLhO5Hlor-MlRA2vLq9MC8KUuQeitlnH-QKGZzJslLzyT3uPnIafVl_rK94b85bhO1a5Je6N_JvQ/w98-h98/red-heart_2764-fe0f.png" width="98" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ZRPAY7eI1biWArvU-GSwP_TSwLuMPe_PNtyfj6536PHK_8HHSu0QR8vO8-TirOQw1ypteHlXO-Jk_pEQuTTf2UrPpPxrrYFdwC6RA-HabKPFGlO1LmiXjbYmOGDTy1-aGnZOXv853O-64E-ZBQIIIWMSdYfl5DReqT9nwJDHAWX45il22hUfovCkbw/s240/fire_1f525.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="240" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ZRPAY7eI1biWArvU-GSwP_TSwLuMPe_PNtyfj6536PHK_8HHSu0QR8vO8-TirOQw1ypteHlXO-Jk_pEQuTTf2UrPpPxrrYFdwC6RA-HabKPFGlO1LmiXjbYmOGDTy1-aGnZOXv853O-64E-ZBQIIIWMSdYfl5DReqT9nwJDHAWX45il22hUfovCkbw/w100-h100/fire_1f525.png" width="100" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">If you're concerned that people may misread your intentions when you use emojis, you could try consulting <i>emojipedia.com</i> or a few emoji bloggers for an answer. Be warned, however, that you might end up even more confused.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">As for me, I'm thinking the safest bet it to revert to an old standby that has worked to express our true feelings for centuries: </span><span style="font-size: large;">words.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><i><b>Readers, how do you feel about emojis?</b></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1VAl31EgTTZMYWwUNWv09VqPS2Fz4SwCPnagWWaxBJ1jXNAHGmHJ-w3jAPQgWaRUvlNoswLcLoaTwsaZZqDmNQmBhgRVgCQSJlCrTeditpnY5xJvCXEkRELX8ht-zUsWShyTrXA295lK0cLQal3vfWjsxPV-WMDgN-AFAXMCEx7PLk8rbNKYDPpsuqw/s2048/GayYellen%202.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1377" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1VAl31EgTTZMYWwUNWv09VqPS2Fz4SwCPnagWWaxBJ1jXNAHGmHJ-w3jAPQgWaRUvlNoswLcLoaTwsaZZqDmNQmBhgRVgCQSJlCrTeditpnY5xJvCXEkRELX8ht-zUsWShyTrXA295lK0cLQal3vfWjsxPV-WMDgN-AFAXMCEx7PLk8rbNKYDPpsuqw/w134-h200/GayYellen%202.jpeg" width="134" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Gay Yellen </span></b><span style="font-size: medium;">writes the award-winning</span></span></div><div style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>Samantha Newman </i></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>Mysteries<b> </b></i>including</span></span></div><div style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><b style="font-style: italic;">The Body Business,</b></span></div><div style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: justify;"><i style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Body Next Door</span></i></div><div style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">(</i><span style="text-align: center;">available on<b> </b></span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08Q8P1RNP?ref_=dbs_p_mng_rwt_ser_shvlr&storeType=ebooks" style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;" target="_blank">Amazon</a><b>)</b></span></div><div style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCGqgz8JH9gL1yDaTUDr1idK_2I8LlCTT6od1gBaS8irrVnKpSimE7N1j5B2EuroWRS0em1PDMh4yYIv3wsyBzN9TJx4aUUeaYTzFDLgchLOOhXZDViiRgLgmTPlTd0Zr3R7_OzRp51PCw9kPUkTBEpNaE7CMASBRUfab8nKW94vPeHLyOuhuZZvNSWw/s1146/SamanthaNewmanMysteriespng.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1146" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCGqgz8JH9gL1yDaTUDr1idK_2I8LlCTT6od1gBaS8irrVnKpSimE7N1j5B2EuroWRS0em1PDMh4yYIv3wsyBzN9TJx4aUUeaYTzFDLgchLOOhXZDViiRgLgmTPlTd0Zr3R7_OzRp51PCw9kPUkTBEpNaE7CMASBRUfab8nKW94vPeHLyOuhuZZvNSWw/s320/SamanthaNewmanMysteriespng.jpeg" width="320" /></a><span style="text-align: center;"><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Coming soon,</span></span></div><div style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="text-align: center;"><b><i>The </i></b></span><b style="text-align: center;"><i>Body in the News</i></b></span></div></div><br /><p><br /></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10Houston, TX, USA29.7604267 -95.36980281.4501928638211545 -130.5260528 58.070660536178849 -60.2135528tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1025201337316610324.post-58874694137847786402022-06-13T09:00:00.025-04:002022-06-13T09:00:00.249-04:00Request for a Time Management Intervention<p>by Donnell Ann Bell </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Well, it’s happened. I survived my sixth book release. I
wrote blogs, put out a newsletter, attended Facebook parties, attended a
fantastic Zoom presentation with the Corrales Community Library (near
Albuquerque), appeared on my local community radio program, worked on my own blog, and made some valuable and very sweet connections by doing so. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In between that, I went to the grocery store, paid bills, changed
my sheets, vacuumed, and mopped my tile floor. (I live in a desert. If dust builds
up, you may never see me again.) I also had agreed to judge The Colorado
Gold, part of Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers and my deadline came due during this
time. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I take contest judging very seriously as I’ve been a
contestant and I know what happens on the other side of the spectrum. There is so much hope
when aspiring authors submit their entry. Chances are, too, they’re not
wealthy, and I want them to get the most for their entry dollar. I finished
those entries, and can pretty much guarantee I gave them their money’s worth. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Last night, I joined my husband and watched a beautiful sunset,
then as he went off to bed, I snuck back into my office and typed out labels for marketing books to mail, and
wrote thank you notes to the very generous experts who advised me on <b>Until
Dead, A Cold Case Suspense.</b></p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbf3JENJIYIC5As3q30w3aUXx5osFfewkAnvi5pkASRCalEGbK2VxTm-2tFarlxahOL7PTuKJ3uj1D4wJTDvrTm1bTlYuPCbX9Ps0K-Ti9eUnkVFeEKKs5sv6BJy4lDZfEYhXCoWRc-ObG9z_VbQIbp_IrxDbH3oCfF9JrPl8QL9rUrQJshvIo_76i/s960/Magnificent%20Sunset.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbf3JENJIYIC5As3q30w3aUXx5osFfewkAnvi5pkASRCalEGbK2VxTm-2tFarlxahOL7PTuKJ3uj1D4wJTDvrTm1bTlYuPCbX9Ps0K-Ti9eUnkVFeEKKs5sv6BJy4lDZfEYhXCoWRc-ObG9z_VbQIbp_IrxDbH3oCfF9JrPl8QL9rUrQJshvIo_76i/s320/Magnificent%20Sunset.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A glorious New Mexico sunsets </td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal">This morning, I’ve thrown in another load of laundry. I’ve
still yet to make my bed. Will do so after I finish this blog after which I’ll
be out the door to ship them off at the post office. I hope to come home and
exercise (I pray last week’s housework counted for something because my formal exercise routine surely escaped me during all of the hustle and bustle). This afternoon I have a dentist
appointment and I swear between now and Wednesday I will get a pedicure!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Some of you may wonder why a woman who no longer works
outside the home is trying to cram so much into her schedule. I’m leaving for
Colorado this Thursday for a month. This is a welcome respite to visit with my family, play with the grandkids, take my mom to her doctors’
appointments, and of course catch up with her. I’m actually looking forward to my road trip where I can listen
to books on audio and just breathe!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
favorite alone time!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For the most part, I have a lovely life and recognize I am
so so blessed. I also know there are twenty-four-hours in a day but now the
experts are saying in addition to exercise, sleep is critical. My Fitbit now
tells me it’s time to go to bed! Sorry to tell you this, Fitbit; I’m a rebel and
often am forced to ignore you. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I know/pray my busy season is coming to an end so I can get
back to writing. I’m already planning my alone time in Colorado so I can return
to my work in progress. Which brings me to the point of this blog: How did I
ever work forty hours a week, raise a family, do volunteer activities, and
write books? <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Finally, now that I look at my calendar, I realize this blog
isn’t due until <i>next </i>week. Can you believe it? Doesn’t matter. This baby’s
going in. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><h1 style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOpqbsRfaKoDf6vWt2KeJGCZcU0HoZ8eHHZeaTkPg-QJpJLOJAmt-TKyA35oOGX5JjzTtkgJtrAXSSLECB9iTutJqRIfjMXYQMLr2X4f2vKS14R9arR7o7UQDbGodYq_hCFjij-0MgzqKPBNC0LXS0k6BD46zSrfxo9IjuQYujVmAYMA7DTzSGMjEQ/s650/finally-now-that-i-look-at-my-calendar-i-realize-this-blog.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="433" data-original-width="650" height="451" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOpqbsRfaKoDf6vWt2KeJGCZcU0HoZ8eHHZeaTkPg-QJpJLOJAmt-TKyA35oOGX5JjzTtkgJtrAXSSLECB9iTutJqRIfjMXYQMLr2X4f2vKS14R9arR7o7UQDbGodYq_hCFjij-0MgzqKPBNC0LXS0k6BD46zSrfxo9IjuQYujVmAYMA7DTzSGMjEQ/w648-h451/finally-now-that-i-look-at-my-calendar-i-realize-this-blog.jpg" width="648" /></a></h1>So I ask you. How are your time management skills? Are you
sometimes overwhelmed? Confused what day it is? Please tell me I'm not alone and how you fit everything in!<o:p></o:p><p></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><a name="_Hlk103418551"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Donnell
Ann Bell is an award-winning author of four bestselling romantic suspense
novels and two mainstream taskforce suspense novels<b>.</b> <b><i>Until Dead, a
Cold Case Suspense</i></b>, was released on May 31, 2022, and she is currently
working on Book Three. Readers can find her on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, or
BookBub. For social media contact or to learn more, find her at </span></a><a href="http://www.donnellannbell.com/"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">www.donnellannbell.com</span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Donnell Ann Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07943037206984648849noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1025201337316610324.post-6875604835144841692022-06-10T07:00:00.003-04:002022-06-10T07:00:00.255-04:00Oh Where, Oh Where has my launch gone? by Debra H. Goldstein<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrjzZ1v9kgHmJCvWb_HuN3hw8_M-CNyuw26wqe7sQi9s3M1yBAEa6Lc1lrOn7v1DYqueiPl5AyCE78KZ_Cpg6izrQ8tzun8Wb7aaC8OdGydAXhVMIunG_SQcFuPh1HtfwykgrT-CPHg4cRoteyda-M9eaE7u2Xpbj_mkd8wr7TANw5krg08abmsj6Xmg/s2100/Five%20Belles%20too%20Many_Goldstein%20_comp%5B9724%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2100" data-original-width="1425" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrjzZ1v9kgHmJCvWb_HuN3hw8_M-CNyuw26wqe7sQi9s3M1yBAEa6Lc1lrOn7v1DYqueiPl5AyCE78KZ_Cpg6izrQ8tzun8Wb7aaC8OdGydAXhVMIunG_SQcFuPh1HtfwykgrT-CPHg4cRoteyda-M9eaE7u2Xpbj_mkd8wr7TANw5krg08abmsj6Xmg/s320/Five%20Belles%20too%20Many_Goldstein%20_comp%5B9724%5D.jpg" width="217" /></a></b></div><b>Oh Where, Oh Where has my
launch gone? by Debra H. Goldstein<o:p></o:p></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><b>J</b>une 28 is the release date from Kensington of my fifth
Sarah Blair novel,<i> Five Belles Too Many</i>. As I write this blog, three days
before it will appear on the Stiletto Gang blog, I have yet to confirm a physical
launch location (which would be in mid-July). That’s unusual for me.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;">When <i>One Taste Too Many</i>, the first book in the series, was
published, there was a table at Barnes & Noble at the Summit in Birmingham
and not only did I have the initial signing there, but two nights later, I had
an indie signing at Little Professor. Both were successes and the events were repeated
when <i>Two Bites Too Many </i>was released. And then, a few weeks later, after I had additional
live signings in Alabama, as well as in California, Arizona, Georgia, Tennessee,
Texas, and Colorado, the world shut down because of Covid. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;">We weren’t sophisticated with virtual panels and signings
during the height of <i>Two Bites Too Many’s</i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYGKXEVRfD-_RybNutUdw-WL4RLxWMvaCkbAZ963IEThyB82wbPL_5qqenrs37z3D0I0JpNDMsaD99uYKN36SXTvvxoHbwMYTP414OYqRtgL2te5WORNSAkSZkE2X_ah0Kz2AhEewlCNc7tWNsc9B1PQZPqQAbDaLPFqTmp_N7gm04L6fD97Hs_o1NQg/s4032/one%20taste%20barnes%20and%20noble%20table.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYGKXEVRfD-_RybNutUdw-WL4RLxWMvaCkbAZ963IEThyB82wbPL_5qqenrs37z3D0I0JpNDMsaD99uYKN36SXTvvxoHbwMYTP414OYqRtgL2te5WORNSAkSZkE2X_ah0Kz2AhEewlCNc7tWNsc9B1PQZPqQAbDaLPFqTmp_N7gm04L6fD97Hs_o1NQg/s320/one%20taste%20barnes%20and%20noble%20table.jpg" width="240" /></a></i></div>release, but we definitely were by
the time <i>Three Treats Too Many</i> and <i>Four Cuts Too Many </i>were published. I crisscrossed
the country doing zoom presentations. It wasn’t the same as being able to sign
books live for readers, but it did give me an opportunity to partner with
writers I adore from other parts of the country for the same presentation. I
was sure by the time, Five Belles was published, I’d be able to have a launch
similar to my first ones, but that isn’t the case.<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;">B&N in my area of the world has not returned to live signings.
Our indies are beginning to do events, but with certain health protocols still
being followed. I am in limbo. I’m ready to meet fans in person again, but I’m
not jumping through hoops to make the live signing happen. Instead, I’m taking
a step back and watching and waiting, figuring the official live launch may be
replaced by smaller bookstore gatherings in July and August.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;">In one way, it is a shame. <i>Five Belles Too Many</i> is my
second favorite book in the series. In it, Sarah is forced to chaperone her
mother when Maybelle is a finalist to win the perfect Southern wedding. When
the reality TV show’s producer is found dead with Sarah’s greatest nemesis
kneeling by the body, Sarah must find the true killer before any more of the
contestants or crew are permanently eliminated. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOawZawHDzwi53PLxvU-Q_2UoNE9doHu8fZLPDHUDmIDVcXofntX1f0zPxXi7HEfvqo_mKOiEXGubetKSI-hvf-R8ogdptQd35pdOAcVd2P2C4P5Nv8A-hz6Z1VUOiyHKOteB63cyGi4fpIbaKwFTFlZZ4FfxslGchhYBcfnLgN0FUDU2cvXubwj6_3g/s1080/Summer2022%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOawZawHDzwi53PLxvU-Q_2UoNE9doHu8fZLPDHUDmIDVcXofntX1f0zPxXi7HEfvqo_mKOiEXGubetKSI-hvf-R8ogdptQd35pdOAcVd2P2C4P5Nv8A-hz6Z1VUOiyHKOteB63cyGi4fpIbaKwFTFlZZ4FfxslGchhYBcfnLgN0FUDU2cvXubwj6_3g/s320/Summer2022%20(1).jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Because of the humor and nature
of the book it would be fun to interact with a live audience, but that’s not to
be. In the meantime, I’m
going ahead with virtual plans, including a takeover of Joanna Slan’s Readers
on June 20 and an incredibly special Summer Blast/New Release Party with three
other cozy authors, Terry Ambrose, Maggie Toussaint/Volana Jones, and Nancy J.
Cohen, on June 28 from 7-8 EST. I’ll also be participating in a Great Escapes
Tour (June 17-30) and visiting other blogs including The Wickeds, Jungle Red
Writers, Chicks on the Case, Dru’s Book Musings, and Mystery Lovers Kitchen. The
fun part of the parties and blogs for readers is that there will be plenty of
prizes to be won. I’ll also be offering additional prizes if you are a newsletter
subscriber (you can sign up on my website – <a href="https://www.debrahgoldstein.com/">https://www.DebraHGoldstein.com</a> ).<p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;">For more chances to read reviews, win prizes, and find out
how Five Belles is taking off, don’t forget to visit me on: <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;">Twitter: @DebraHGoldstein, <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="color: windowtext;">Facebook
</span></span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/DebraHGoldsteinAuthor">https://www.facebook.com/DebraHGoldsteinAuthor</a>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;">Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/debrahgoldstein/">https://www.instagram.com/debrahgoldstein/</a>
, or <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;">Bookbub: <a href="https://www.bookbub.com/profile/debra-h-goldstein">https://www.bookbub.com/profile/debra-h-goldstein</a>
.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;">Or, make my day by pre-ordering a copy of<i> Five Belles Too
Many</i> from <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Five-Belles-Sarah-Blair-Mystery/dp/1496732235 " target="_blank">Amazon</a>, <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/five-belles-too-many-debra-h-goldstein/1140225124 " target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a>, or your favorite indie bookstore. We’ll
call it being part of the silent launch.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p><p>How do you feel about not having as many live signings? </p>Debra H. Goldsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17533446284471717884noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1025201337316610324.post-67536658688395634332022-06-08T06:00:00.010-04:002022-06-08T06:00:00.235-04:00The Parts of a Book<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal">By Bethany Maines<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtcByA73vNWZwhqgYxt-gb8rdU4fnFgLnpBHty4Rv5Vqnd4d9sqgKvTCSufR_dQkzfonfCvPv6mgeeYuWXonZglHF06RCt9l7F4bHa07z6_WHgckiB6NU6AY1ZBZGZ1x3BjZCMYTfrJbO3bJTQo5zU4QJM2VJ1jxOHs_mxJuV1nBPWf9a2rxaKTyle9w/s1066/MercuryInRetrograde-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="254" height="535" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtcByA73vNWZwhqgYxt-gb8rdU4fnFgLnpBHty4Rv5Vqnd4d9sqgKvTCSufR_dQkzfonfCvPv6mgeeYuWXonZglHF06RCt9l7F4bHa07z6_WHgckiB6NU6AY1ZBZGZ1x3BjZCMYTfrJbO3bJTQo5zU4QJM2VJ1jxOHs_mxJuV1nBPWf9a2rxaKTyle9w/w127-h535/MercuryInRetrograde-01.jpg" width="127" /></a></div>Recently, we’ve added Harry Potter to our daughter’s bedtime
story reading.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once we’ve completed a
book, we watch the movie version.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But then,
of course, she wanted a wand and an owl. There’s not much I can do about the
owl, but a kindly auntie did provide a wand for Christmas and a potions “class”
with dry ice and tea that turns blue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clitoria_ternatea">Butterfly Pea Blossom
Tea</a> if you’re interested, but be forewarned, don’t google the Latin name if
you’re at all prone to laughing at dirty jokes.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But now, she wants the fancy potions bottles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So after some quick youtubing around and going
Dr. Frankenstein on a recycling bin test subject, I’m prepared to have an
afternoon of magic potion bottle making.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">None of which has anything to do with writing, except that
plotting out how to turn something random into magic is pretty a good
definition of what it a writer does.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There was even the “oh shit” part where I was pretty sure I screwed it
up and it was going to be a disaster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
believe that every book I’ve ever written has featured that part.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In fact, there are many parts to writing a book that don’t
get discussed in English classes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For
instance, the “Oh Shit” part is sometimes followed by the Drinking part. Which
is often then followed by either the Dawn of Inspiration or the Damned Recycling
Bin of I Hate You.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And my next
paranormal romance featured the three week long Hiatus of Indecision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My personal favorite part is the Shining Hope
of a New Project.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sadly, it’s frequently
followed by the Hopeless Disillusionment phase. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But if you’re lucky you can make it through
the Weary Slog to the End part and end up with a book full of characters that
you love and a feeling of accomplishment that the story got told.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If you’re interested in seeing how the Hiatus of Indecision
resulted in a story about vampires that don’t glitter and a shifter wolf who
got a little more than he bargained for on his way to rob a bank, you can check
it out below.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcgNaeyQi3qsVZ8i8be47jXbSEJx5UL2rVcJJ4TCCpd7r1yeDNMiXDleLQOELdx4I8qUI3omXEdjzrj99C-HQZgUid1O2mk2-CmUT929tKtzx6WDFfXgZLXFS8fHkjqHl18pq7hHmZVwljLwa4-qe5x2a_dogdv6rYzUDxe9dOrUQKtaz5kZcKvLPj0A/s320/Maverick_TheCured-200x320.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcgNaeyQi3qsVZ8i8be47jXbSEJx5UL2rVcJJ4TCCpd7r1yeDNMiXDleLQOELdx4I8qUI3omXEdjzrj99C-HQZgUid1O2mk2-CmUT929tKtzx6WDFfXgZLXFS8fHkjqHl18pq7hHmZVwljLwa4-qe5x2a_dogdv6rYzUDxe9dOrUQKtaz5kZcKvLPj0A/w125-h200/Maverick_TheCured-200x320.jpg" width="125" /></a></b></div><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br />MAVERICK:</b> Maverick
Lacasse, shifter wolf, bank robber and rebel didn’t mean to take Deya Jasper
with him on his way out of Littleton Texas, but fate had other plans. But as
the two flee for California, vampires dog their every step, and both Deya and
Maverick find themselves questioning if the unexpected bond they feel can
withstand the dangers they face.<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://amzn.to/36CMNti">PREORDER NOW</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white;">Maverick takes place in the Supernatural world of the
3 Colors Trilogy, but is a stand-alone novel.</span><o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background: white;">**<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.bethanymaines.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Times","serif";">Bethany Maines</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif";"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif";">is the award-winning author of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Carrie Mae Mysteries</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">San
Juan Islands Mysteries</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Deveraux
Legacy Series</i>, and numerous novellas and short stories. When she's not
traveling to exotic lands, or kicking some serious butt with her black belt in
karate, she can be found chasing her daughter or glued to the computer working
on her next novel. </span><span style="color: black;">You can also catch up with
her on</span> <a href="https://twitter.com/BethanyMaines">Twitter</a><span style="color: black;">,</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/authorbethanymaines">Facebook</a><span style="color: black;">, </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/authorbethanymaines/" target="_blank">Instagram</a><span style="color: black;">, and </span><a href="https://www.bookbub.com/profile/bethany-maines" target="_blank">BookBub</a><span style="color: black;">.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p> </o:p></i></p>Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05287040994749326468noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1025201337316610324.post-33219527927967117882022-06-07T03:30:00.020-04:002022-06-07T03:30:00.239-04:00A Nod to Writers and Artists<p>By Kathryn Lane</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In every novel of my Nikki Garcia mystery series, I’ve
mentioned a writer or a visual artist whose work I admire. Since my mysteries
are set in foreign countries, this detail adds a touch of that country’s culture.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><b>Waking Up in Medellin</b></i> takes place in Colombia and I
wove in the works of Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Nobel Laurette in Literature for <i><b>One
Hundred Years of Solitude</b>,</i> and the sculptures of Fernando Botero into the
story.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJmV5zQNrE8QvR_iLyKrpvQ78UGvt-Xt4L7ZhQJtzkfn_KiRGRa4qIOaq4gyK6z8fQ8brBoWYmZABM2GUtII9p10NJPTauB_fAGv5cDBGfDpLeaKXaAmppJ90z0e9tupp7YkJh31HSGsB2l68IYK9ifgZL6mW3kxMq968OZ7SBgnGMVn0eZXz1VKeh/s1929/IMG_5937-copy-Botero%20sculpture%20-%20Waking%20Up%20in%20Medellin.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1929" data-original-width="1301" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJmV5zQNrE8QvR_iLyKrpvQ78UGvt-Xt4L7ZhQJtzkfn_KiRGRa4qIOaq4gyK6z8fQ8brBoWYmZABM2GUtII9p10NJPTauB_fAGv5cDBGfDpLeaKXaAmppJ90z0e9tupp7YkJh31HSGsB2l68IYK9ifgZL6mW3kxMq968OZ7SBgnGMVn0eZXz1VKeh/w216-h320/IMG_5937-copy-Botero%20sculpture%20-%20Waking%20Up%20in%20Medellin.JPG" width="216" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Research on Fernando Botero's sculpture</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><b>Danger in the Coyote Zone</b></i> takes place in Mexico and I
mentioned Leonora Carrington, a British woman who lived and worked among the
surrealists in Paris and moved to Mexico to escape the ravishes of World War
II. She remained in Mexico, married <span style="background: white; color: #282828;">the
Hungarian-born photographer Emerico Weisz</span>, and lived in Mexico City for
the rest of her life. Leonora infused her surrealist paintings and sculptures
with a feminine perspective, and she played an important role in the women’s
rights movement in Mexico. In my novel, I only mention that Nikki notices one
of her surreal sculptures on a street in San Miguel de Allende. To my amazement,
I received an email from Wendy Weisz, Leonora’s daughter-in-law. Wendy had read
my first novel in the series and had purchased the second one too. She was
pleasantly surprised to find the mention of her late mother-in-law’s sculpture.
Hearing from her was thrilling to me, especially since I’ve never met anyone in
the Weisz family though I’ve always admired Leonora’s art and sculpture.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxPJcyG40Hm02IEsm47ghc9qsy1Yj0k51nToTsBCOolRD9-cr1WaHovpHQVoAr7WNOShHSCh0UOfOyQ3pSan5rzEvdC3S3CG9-ZXzimkJlxN04Jy1jjgUGa-2eORX9K1ZkP-YOohDQnWqG5h1Q2P3iGe_a-wKxugoYfBAWC5H_kPmoaIHPKciGJMvX/s313/Leonora%20Carrington's%20Self-portrait-Metropolitan%20Museum%20of%20Art-Wiki%20Commons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="199" data-original-width="313" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxPJcyG40Hm02IEsm47ghc9qsy1Yj0k51nToTsBCOolRD9-cr1WaHovpHQVoAr7WNOShHSCh0UOfOyQ3pSan5rzEvdC3S3CG9-ZXzimkJlxN04Jy1jjgUGa-2eORX9K1ZkP-YOohDQnWqG5h1Q2P3iGe_a-wKxugoYfBAWC5H_kPmoaIHPKciGJMvX/s1600/Leonora%20Carrington's%20Self-portrait-Metropolitan%20Museum%20of%20Art-Wiki%20Commons.jpg" width="313" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leonora Carrington's Self-Portrait in New York's Metropolitan Museum</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><b>Revenge in Barcelona</b></i> includes action scenes that
occur at Gaudi’s architectural sites, such as the world famous Sagrada Familia
Basilica. Not only did I research Gaudi’s work, but also I made two trips to
Barcelona to make certain I had the facts right. (That Barcelona is my favorite
city in the world did not influence my decision to travel there to fact check!)</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1tuTYDQWNSKXw36R5QBzxgkPcqEIsqosPDKcasVAxpzM3nvM-sRC7qhMDAarP92pmWSRm-5tWKn5jbbYRdQ54GSHdc8EolViUaNFcYHIEsURH_h-kWDeamJuC_c-Q3Hq-xCEis2xO4CLdHx6W_SSZq2CQtxbavBKcpOAeadonY79BWp-jx2-iBvcS/s1228/Sagrada%20Familia%20June%202022%20Blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1228" data-original-width="816" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1tuTYDQWNSKXw36R5QBzxgkPcqEIsqosPDKcasVAxpzM3nvM-sRC7qhMDAarP92pmWSRm-5tWKn5jbbYRdQ54GSHdc8EolViUaNFcYHIEsURH_h-kWDeamJuC_c-Q3Hq-xCEis2xO4CLdHx6W_SSZq2CQtxbavBKcpOAeadonY79BWp-jx2-iBvcS/s320/Sagrada%20Familia%20June%202022%20Blog.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Author and her husband. She was researching Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain. </td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">While writing <i><b>Missing in Miami</b></i>, I took a slightly
different approach. I’d read <i><b>Klara and the Sun</b></i> by Ishiguro. Josie,
Ishiguro’s character, suffers from an illness that is never fully defined. My
character Andrea, the missing girl in my novel, also has an illness. I mentioned
Ishiguro’s novel despite his lack of ties to Cuba to subliminally correlate his
Josie to my Andrea. I never mention Ishiguro’s character or her illness so I
don’t expect many readers to catch the comparison unless they’ve read both
novels.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj97h_GWd7lc3f9160WbWNggcN1RNwuTpwNxD6Ka6R5rUyQzBD8X2qL7svnQMGt8gA1opclo6VaAq5igjOx6CXMzWozDHap4OckdGRe0-WFs2i-Zuj_DF-HeDbTcgZJIFSuHUvu4_XbwV8BwCRD-xX1N2BZ07C1NIG7dY-tNUOVFG21FXg150ZdT4Ie/s499/Klara%20and%20the%20Sun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="329" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj97h_GWd7lc3f9160WbWNggcN1RNwuTpwNxD6Ka6R5rUyQzBD8X2qL7svnQMGt8gA1opclo6VaAq5igjOx6CXMzWozDHap4OckdGRe0-WFs2i-Zuj_DF-HeDbTcgZJIFSuHUvu4_XbwV8BwCRD-xX1N2BZ07C1NIG7dY-tNUOVFG21FXg150ZdT4Ie/w132-h200/Klara%20and%20the%20Sun.jpg" width="132" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The author loves Ishiguro's novels!</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">I’m currently writing a novel about a math prodigy. In it I’ve
mentioned Miguel de Cervantes and his picaresque novel, </span><i style="text-align: left;"><b>Don Quixote de la
Mancha</b></i><span style="text-align: left;">. It’s prompted me to reread the adventures of Don Quixote and Sancho
Panza, a novel I love despite the fact it was written in the early 1700s.</span></div><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYdWekD8Bkt_8Cq8wRF9oqdnnoeoMSfgi8vo-cNjncvjcFXSCX6zzwunyxVe-LoqGJqQ7SaqwoypmrnBRer0Ysoha2gjUpX2xwhbCaAz0aVOJuPVVqKgiCHpOM-1bSQITUWHR58Aj4CEWwSYRDLQMPfpIw-rcL-J1ve4AV9bJ_fP8qeso4q0ieajo2/s634/IMG_4134-Don%20Quixote.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="634" data-original-width="448" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYdWekD8Bkt_8Cq8wRF9oqdnnoeoMSfgi8vo-cNjncvjcFXSCX6zzwunyxVe-LoqGJqQ7SaqwoypmrnBRer0Ysoha2gjUpX2xwhbCaAz0aVOJuPVVqKgiCHpOM-1bSQITUWHR58Aj4CEWwSYRDLQMPfpIw-rcL-J1ve4AV9bJ_fP8qeso4q0ieajo2/w141-h200/IMG_4134-Don%20Quixote.jpg" width="141" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don Quixote and Sancho Panza on their steeds.</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">***</p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Do you incorporate allusions, a nod, or direct references in
your novels to either writers or their work? <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">***</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">Kathryn's Nikki Garcia Thriller Series - on Amazon</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgffJkVEXwKrvys54s1HriaYY38YPLotN-MjDeB_fLp2ViN78P9DxemF_djQMb5yR9EgPUFQGErMhcXzFSlPy62d-hGZQwTHYXsx09TIk51vlHE1z6jEPDo7d0Cwu0WOu2EvOgc3nu-tEH5vwF9EnVTnnvmvtAqs_bRvLSVowA9un0yBfQ3fSVLaDJO/s1120/All%20Nikki%20Books-LO%20RES.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1120" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgffJkVEXwKrvys54s1HriaYY38YPLotN-MjDeB_fLp2ViN78P9DxemF_djQMb5yR9EgPUFQGErMhcXzFSlPy62d-hGZQwTHYXsx09TIk51vlHE1z6jEPDo7d0Cwu0WOu2EvOgc3nu-tEH5vwF9EnVTnnvmvtAqs_bRvLSVowA9un0yBfQ3fSVLaDJO/s320/All%20Nikki%20Books-LO%20RES.png" width="320" /></a></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">About Kathryn</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Kathryn Lane started out painting in oils and quickly became a
starving artist. To earn a living, she became a certified public accountant and
embarked on a career in international finance with a major multinational
corporation. After two decades, she left the corporate world to plunge into
writing mystery and suspense thrillers. In her stories, Kathryn draws deeply
from <span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">her Mexican background as well as her travels in over ninety
countries.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Visit my website
at </span><a href="https://www.kathryn-lane.com/"><span style="color: #a21722; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">https://www.Kathryn-Lane.com</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Photo credits:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">All photographs are used
in an editorial and/or educational manner</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Botero Sculpture - by Kathryn Lane</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Leonora Carrington's Self-Portrait - Pinterest</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Sagrada Familia - by Kathryn Lane</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Klara and the Sun - Amazon</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Don Quijote de la Mancha - Amazon</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1025201337316610324.post-61896923745283955742022-06-06T04:00:00.001-04:002022-06-06T04:00:00.253-04:00Sleuthing In Stilettos Has A Cover<p> <span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9uu0NSqjAuQPAmwfPLiWA7E31PiuLxkzSRs2_pFgznSrnJi_ySQ-z7FLg15lzZwF38kjnAqF03t3fcxdg_0mu8cF8teB-U1EMJBUqqldd53hxDjAmfypS_CFnZMtzVyuSsoge3QkXjwIZNNEutusBBxSbnHC-ZLUMhRCBBYpXvh15GjNijkM95g/s3024/Tulips2021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9uu0NSqjAuQPAmwfPLiWA7E31PiuLxkzSRs2_pFgznSrnJi_ySQ-z7FLg15lzZwF38kjnAqF03t3fcxdg_0mu8cF8teB-U1EMJBUqqldd53hxDjAmfypS_CFnZMtzVyuSsoge3QkXjwIZNNEutusBBxSbnHC-ZLUMhRCBBYpXvh15GjNijkM95g/s320/Tulips2021.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />Happy June! Can you believe we're six months into 2022? It feels like I blinked and the year was half over. Honestly, I hope the same happens for the next three months because I really dislike the hot, humid weather. I'm much more a fall kinda gal. :) But, the month I'm really looking forward to this year is December! That's when SLEUTHING IN STILETTOS releases!!! And I got the cover for the book the other day. I absolutely love it. It fits the story so well.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpIOAlKUaglTsX0jD0azhE0QMiWE_UnXKkiACAL9S0IHRYl3tl06IDrsCA3Lywc3qsHqiRDbD88eK7MqDDp8m5PAVrY42sfKoSCgAKoYpR_A8wvzzMFm0DAUYljhEiiyx1yVbp_Px9xvsDtezEYt-kVrMnK4giIaD0Ydp_FLpmHGzJ1bqArnoTGA/s2400/SleuthingInStilettosCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpIOAlKUaglTsX0jD0azhE0QMiWE_UnXKkiACAL9S0IHRYl3tl06IDrsCA3Lywc3qsHqiRDbD88eK7MqDDp8m5PAVrY42sfKoSCgAKoYpR_A8wvzzMFm0DAUYljhEiiyx1yVbp_Px9xvsDtezEYt-kVrMnK4giIaD0Ydp_FLpmHGzJ1bqArnoTGA/w426-h640/SleuthingInStilettosCover.jpg" width="426" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />Writing this story was so much fun for me for so many reasons but I can't go into those reasons because they'll be spoilers. Let's just say, Kelly Quinn finds herself up to her false lashes in hot water and big trouble. So, you see why I loved writing the story so much. Here's a little bit about SLEUTHING IN STILETTOS.</span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><div aria-expanded="true" class="a-expander-content a-expander-partial-collapse-content a-expander-content-expanded" style="padding-bottom: 20px;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="a-text-bold a-text-italic">Kelly
Quinn, owner of a high-end consignment shop, is a booster for her Long
Island town’s small businesses—but now a store owner’s murder has
brought big trouble . . .</span><span><br /><br /> Locals in Lucky Cove seem
to harbor hostility toward Miranda Farrell, proprietor of a new shoe
store. Nevertheless, Kelly invites her along to a Chamber of Commerce
meeting. But soon afterward, Miranda’s body is found in her shop, with
Kelly’s uncle—who’s had multiple public arguments with her—standing
nearby. Could her uncle really have committed murder over a business
dispute? Or is Miranda’s death related to her late husband’s long-ago
embezzlement case?<br /> <br /> Kelly feels compelled to investigate,
despite her detective boyfriend’s objections—not to mention her
commitment to promoting Small Business Saturday. But her effort to pump
up sales may fall flat. After her presentation to the committee is
sabotaged, the Chamber gives her the boot—and tongues start wagging. Now
she has to do some fancy footwork to find the killer . . .</span></span></i> </div><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">The book releases on 12/6/22 and is available for pre-order at <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sleuthing-Stilettos-Resale-Boutique-Mystery-ebook/dp/B09VCWFVRQ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=359DKC5BJNJSH&keywords=sleuthing+in+stilettos&qid=1654095805&sprefix=sleuthing+in+s%2Caps%2C71&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Amazon</a> or <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sleuthing-in-stilettos-debra-sennefelder/1141215327?ean=9781516111022" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a>.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">When I received this cover from my publicist, it truly made my day. I've had crushing back-to-back deadlines, so having this bright spot pop into my day was amazing. BTW, I did meet both those deadlines. Yay! And I've managed to do some reading. Over on my <a href="http://debrasennefelder.com/2022/06/my-2022-reads-so-far/" target="_blank">personal blog</a>, I shared what I've read so far this year and three books I'd like to read next. My current read is The Art of the Decoy by Trish Esden. Set in New England and centered around antiques. I love it! </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">What are you reading? I'd love to know. Because, you know, the TBR pile can never be too big. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigqngjbTmxzDkq9aNgSRCaa_Y-TbgbFqj7O2wPve5qMBKw8O4Vel4JygbVKwo2NCAakiytZHWjhNuxqLcwcy6fkZb5sgStnHAmXQFICKZ6dn5VNxYBPsus7-KCKbzQLpfSKuyHoNI6NX6HTYvsE6MkKZ8Z_kvAKxuBuUMTKRvkulw0Ar2-vrTXkg/s2048/October2019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1508" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigqngjbTmxzDkq9aNgSRCaa_Y-TbgbFqj7O2wPve5qMBKw8O4Vel4JygbVKwo2NCAakiytZHWjhNuxqLcwcy6fkZb5sgStnHAmXQFICKZ6dn5VNxYBPsus7-KCKbzQLpfSKuyHoNI6NX6HTYvsE6MkKZ8Z_kvAKxuBuUMTKRvkulw0Ar2-vrTXkg/s320/October2019.jpg" width="236" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /> </span><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">D<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">ebra Sennefelder is the
author of the Food Blogger Mystery series and the Resale Boutique Mystery series.
She lives and writes in Connecticut. When she’s not writing, she enjoys baking,
exercising and taking long walks with her Shih-Tzu, Connie. You can keep in touch
with Debra through her <a href="http://bit.ly/2EQh6da" target="_blank">website</a>, on <a href="http://bit.ly/2ASJVDr" target="_blank">Facebook </a>and <a href="http://bit.ly/2EQh6da" target="_blank">Instagram</a>.</span></span></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1025201337316610324.post-63854774647599214922022-06-02T02:00:00.011-04:002022-06-02T02:00:00.282-04:00So You Want to Write a Book<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>By Sparkle Abbey</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Part 2: Old School Research<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Welcome back to So You Want to Write a Book!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnys9eJNOgUXyC3F4l3ul1e6GZkUu2HNob0Ism1jfKMQtFh0ZYqQrwA4kjvmEVjDJdNKRcMeEbuANL9_noPx-n9QUKvihgY42d-MPK__V5gmPp89vc5Hx-suIBxcYiGW5V-_N26ATvcEmigLhJpiXtSKH6USVPplEQ3SZqCqPcpnGK7go-5NRw348m/s940/Let's%20Write%20a%20Book.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="940" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnys9eJNOgUXyC3F4l3ul1e6GZkUu2HNob0Ism1jfKMQtFh0ZYqQrwA4kjvmEVjDJdNKRcMeEbuANL9_noPx-n9QUKvihgY42d-MPK__V5gmPp89vc5Hx-suIBxcYiGW5V-_N26ATvcEmigLhJpiXtSKH6USVPplEQ3SZqCqPcpnGK7go-5NRw348m/s320/Let's%20Write%20a%20Book.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">There’s a book in everyone, right? If you’ve decided that there’s a book in you and you’re ready to embark on that journey, we’re excited for you!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Last month we talked about where to start when writing a
book for the first time. We asked you a lot of questions, such as:</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Are you passionate about a particular
storyline? </span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;">What type of book are you interested in writing?
</span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;">What idea is constantly on your mind? </span></li></ul><!--[if !supportLists]--><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">You may remember there was also an assignment. We hope you
took our suggestion to write down ALL your ideas. If so, pull out that notebook
where you jotted down them down, and let’s talk about what you wrote. (If you
didn’t take that step, there’s still time. Just take that step today.)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">By now you should have decided what you’re passionate about
and what type of book you’re going to write. You should know if you’re writing
fiction or non-fiction. A thriller or a memoir. Romance or a self-help book. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Okay, are you ready for step two? Step two is what we call <i>Old
School Research.</i> And we’re the first to admit, that not everyone agrees on this.
We believe to write well in any genre or subject, you need to be well-read in
that area. What is currently being written? What type of plot resonates with you?
What characters speak to you? How do the best-selling stories unfold? What can
you LEARN from books you love as well as books you put down after a few pages?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1p-bmuke1_pTDZjaDwrB21_g1k2vXjFC_ilhduU60LoypX3dtfKg78aBvVhT426PLMfv9ruGZ83aB4OgZxl2HYM-OlJN_c-VJZkQCgjmsiLgP0T7nA8JcbusZXTwzmcMK4e2YG55_kj57yZ4ObRnMnEZlxKU30q1-qniTOpOV9C1FXcF2-2PyXHie/s940/Become%20an%20expert%20on%20your%20subject%20or%20genre.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="940" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1p-bmuke1_pTDZjaDwrB21_g1k2vXjFC_ilhduU60LoypX3dtfKg78aBvVhT426PLMfv9ruGZ83aB4OgZxl2HYM-OlJN_c-VJZkQCgjmsiLgP0T7nA8JcbusZXTwzmcMK4e2YG55_kj57yZ4ObRnMnEZlxKU30q1-qniTOpOV9C1FXcF2-2PyXHie/s320/Become%20an%20expert%20on%20your%20subject%20or%20genre.png" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br />Back when we first started writing we read over 100 books in
our genre. While we aren’t telling <o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">you to read 100 books before you start
writing, we are telling you to read extensively in the genre or subject in
which you’re going to write. There are some who disagree with this approach for
various reasons. They may worry about copying another author’s work. Probably
not. After 100 books, one thing you’ll notice is there’s really no new plot. And
how you write your story is all about what you uniquely bring to the table.
However, by reading deeply in your selected subject, you’ll have a better
understanding of how to make your book stand out from the crowd. You’ll also
begin to understand the importance of reader expectations. (More on that down
the road!)</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Well, what do you think? Are you onboard to read, read,
read for the next few weeks while you’re thinking about your book? As you read,
keep your notebook handy. Take notes on what you learn, how you’ll be
different, what works, and what doesn’t. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">If you’d like, share in the comments what you’ve decided to
write and what you’ve learned from reading extensively in your subject, and how
you’ll use that to write a book that stands out from the crowd. And as always,
if you have questions, feel free to ask us. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Next month we’ll talk about knowing where you’re headed.
Sound intriguing? </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZaJET0dnk0Y8oqc9Vy5nhy3-BC2OKS6qxl6hh2xk7huPoO3iFwv38qCmj55KrhDNpS_c3EzIcbhOJEG2M8aLb4hCQ9gPKPBUfXEWi5FS2Tnjy-C5uVHY2W1-ZpST0hHyW2d6xPeWeoVBjLVlcaH2x9syutE8pafR7C3szl1Ak_s76Sn3lqbtp8eZ_/s647/youtube_profile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="647" data-original-width="647" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZaJET0dnk0Y8oqc9Vy5nhy3-BC2OKS6qxl6hh2xk7huPoO3iFwv38qCmj55KrhDNpS_c3EzIcbhOJEG2M8aLb4hCQ9gPKPBUfXEWi5FS2Tnjy-C5uVHY2W1-ZpST0hHyW2d6xPeWeoVBjLVlcaH2x9syutE8pafR7C3szl1Ak_s76Sn3lqbtp8eZ_/w168-h168/youtube_profile.jpg" width="168" /></a></div>Sparkle Abbey's latest story (written in first person) is a short but fun one. If you've not yet<br />checked out <a href="https://books2read.com/u/38dEO7" style="background-color: white; color: #a21722; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">PROJECT DOGWAY,</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> this is a great time to do that. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><p></p><p></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="http://www.sparkleabbey.com/" style="color: #a21722; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span lang="EN" style="color: #ff9900;">Sparkle Abbey</span></a><span lang="EN"> is actually two people, </span><a href="http://www.maryleeashford.com/" style="color: #a21722; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span lang="EN" style="color: #ff9900;">Mary Lee Ashford</span></a><span lang="EN"> and Anita Carter, who write the national best-selling Pampered Pets cozy mystery series. They are friends as well as neighbors so they often get together and plot ways to commit murder. (But don't tell the other neighbors.) </span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; color: #222222; line-height: 11.4pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span lang="EN">They love to hear from readers and can be found on </span><span style="color: black;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/sparkleabbey" style="color: #a21722; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span lang="EN" style="color: #ff9900;">Facebook</span></a></span><span lang="EN">, </span><span style="color: black;"><a href="https://twitter.com/sparkleabbey" style="color: #a21722; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span lang="EN" style="color: #ff9900;">Twitter</span></a></span><span lang="EN">, and </span><span style="color: black;"><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/sparkleabbey/" style="color: #a21722; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span lang="EN" style="color: #ff9900;">Pinterest</span></a></span><span lang="EN">, their favorite social media sites. </span>Also, if you want to make sure you get updates, sign up for their newsletter via the <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://sparkleabbey.com/" style="color: #a21722; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #ff9900;">SparkleAbbey.com</span></a></span> website</span></p><p><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1025201337316610324.post-49594719939785505482022-06-01T01:30:00.001-04:002022-06-01T01:30:00.269-04:00Clicking Our Heels - Physically Moving Outside Our Comfort Zones?<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzdkVz8Ac33qS03TuXryanSqKo4n-6w_R0K0uEzMhVm2k0zkc6nX8Rpu5r8OgTYXRr7uqHMedlDFP_sxyjQYEPw7XQWQUwTC2YwpufbeYEccBG8tZug4oN0bGfo1l6KqorRNX8pujJPytwC2_AbY3PcIKHPmSyTb5RM1JCGeGrFeIf5LkiOxrISp8K9A/s1024/open-parachute-clipart-18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="1024" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzdkVz8Ac33qS03TuXryanSqKo4n-6w_R0K0uEzMhVm2k0zkc6nX8Rpu5r8OgTYXRr7uqHMedlDFP_sxyjQYEPw7XQWQUwTC2YwpufbeYEccBG8tZug4oN0bGfo1l6KqorRNX8pujJPytwC2_AbY3PcIKHPmSyTb5RM1JCGeGrFeIf5LkiOxrISp8K9A/s320/open-parachute-clipart-18.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></div><b><br />Clicking Our Heels –
Physically Moving Outside Our Comfort Zones?<o:p></o:p></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><i>In last month’s Clicking Our Heels blog post we
discussed our favorite forms of exercise. Our answers were quite varied, but
what if we had an opportunity to physically move outside our comfort zones?
<b>What if we had the option to skydive, bungee jump, mountain climb, or ??? –
would we or would we opt to be couch potatoes?</b></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><b>Mary Lee Ashford</b>: Oh, no. No skydiving, bungee jumping, or
mountain climbing for me. Boating could be a yes, but I would undoubtedly take
a book along. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><b>Bethany Maines</b>: I’ve been indoor skydiving (total blast), I
would go bungee jumping given the opportunity, I’ve hiked up a few mountains,
and I like being a couch potato but usually someone in my family is hogging it.
Frequently, it’s the dog.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><b>Gay Yellen</b>: The beautiful city park across the street makes
for easy, almost daily walking jaunts.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><b>Lynn Mcpherson</b>: I’ve been skydiving three times. It was
amazing. I’m not good at sitting around. I like to get outside and have some
fun.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><b>Donnell Bell</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love
taking hills, not necessarily mountains-I tried that and lost two toenails!!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><b>Barbara J. Eikmeier</b>: I would be willing to go zip lining.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><b>Lynn C. Willis</b>: Oh, mountain climbing! I have books on
training to climb Everest but have recently realized I don’t like the cold.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><b>Lois Winston:</b> None of the above. However, I do love to take
long walks.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><b>Robin Hillyer-Miles</b>: I like hiking. I am not a dare devil!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><b>Dru Ann Love</b>: Definitely a couch potato. Give me a sci-fi
movie and I’m in heaven.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><b>Kathryn Lane</b>: Love mountain climbing!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><o:p><b> </b></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><b>Debra Sennefelder</b>: No to everything in that question. LOL I
won’t climb a mountain, but I love a good hike. So there you have my level of
adventure.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><o:p><b> </b></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><b>Anita Carter</b>: If those are my only choice, I guess I’m a
couch potato. LOL The most adventurous active I’ve ever done was ziplining.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><b>Linda Rodriguez</b>: I love the idea of bungee jumping with my
walker with specialized support for my wrecked shoulder. I think I’ll go with
that.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><b>Shari Randall</b>: No, thank you! Couch for me!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><b>Debra H. Goldstein</b>: All of these require exertion – even
getting on and off the couch. I think I’ll take a long hot bath while reading a
good gossipy magazine.<o:p></o:p></p>Debra H. Goldsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17533446284471717884noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1025201337316610324.post-22568365369861307592022-05-27T06:30:00.003-04:002022-05-27T06:30:00.287-04:00<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm89VJLuNCKOHlFflHvJAI7AZoyVdOpxw0UQFz0x4FyfOHsyTvJmubPU1kjtb6cv6vRROuYFKbGu3lloTHkQTVCj1SqhcKz0RiUpriu6KnirkH9m9C_5GouefbJgamMV7U_NqsunssGQ3UZfawLZr0lYiqEjM9D7Q19ywxx3BaXqSsaq6AdlhrGb8L/s431/TKT%20Rock%20wall%20%20for%20web%20flipped%20Oval.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="431" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm89VJLuNCKOHlFflHvJAI7AZoyVdOpxw0UQFz0x4FyfOHsyTvJmubPU1kjtb6cv6vRROuYFKbGu3lloTHkQTVCj1SqhcKz0RiUpriu6KnirkH9m9C_5GouefbJgamMV7U_NqsunssGQ3UZfawLZr0lYiqEjM9D7Q19ywxx3BaXqSsaq6AdlhrGb8L/w200-h195/TKT%20Rock%20wall%20%20for%20web%20flipped%20Oval.png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12px;">Writer, humanist,</span><p></p>
<p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"> dog-mom, horse servant and cat-slave,</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"> Lover of solitude</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"> and the company of good friends,</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"> new places, new ideas</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"> and old wisdom.</span></p><div><span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></p><span style="font-kerning: none;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt;">Today, I delve into the decade I was born into but have only a vague recollection of—the 1950s. The vehicle for time travel was Lynn McPherson’s delightful <i>The Girls Dressed for Murder</i>. So far, there are three books with Izzy: </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>The Girls' Weekend Murder, The Girls Whispered Murder, and The Girls Dressed for Murder.</i></span></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih5iubi_grzmnB7RCBTLmusdIOJZiT8Su7iYE5A4SE2ljM3aws1Y5i61YZheSVZnaEcu2_BP2k--UYqvefnlFShUbIc0DMPVL9NynImXn7UhrgJBGPU2sh3fYBtZvNesYvS5UqM5nYgCjGVD1CwmxqhtGExIjAswIfPyFj1ABQ13ToDk_8GrSMUPwk/s1200/Izzy%20Walsh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih5iubi_grzmnB7RCBTLmusdIOJZiT8Su7iYE5A4SE2ljM3aws1Y5i61YZheSVZnaEcu2_BP2k--UYqvefnlFShUbIc0DMPVL9NynImXn7UhrgJBGPU2sh3fYBtZvNesYvS5UqM5nYgCjGVD1CwmxqhtGExIjAswIfPyFj1ABQ13ToDk_8GrSMUPwk/w400-h200/Izzy%20Walsh.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px;">I really want to go shopping in Twin Oaks, y’all, and that is saying something since I don’t have a shopping gene. </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt;">But in lieu of that, I am chatting with Lynn.</span></p></span></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div><span style="font-kerning: none;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></p></span></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></blockquote><div><br /><span style="font-kerning: none;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheWYFfot0dMwpe_mQ4y3mz4OpD3Ru2NQqQJzY-gzJAj5G-lubySq38-WX_zWKfv57JOD92VA-7Z6cLWhf-CeFts2VxBCnsbWqIjGjAEPXeXpHACh5-u_MAAMWt7fby2UxhG_YlyHgYBaYne4T9DW3Mn1dAUKB7Og2BEmkUyKTi-8eHoGHzNrJdLEoC/s640/Coffee%20and%20Lynn%20photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="540" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheWYFfot0dMwpe_mQ4y3mz4OpD3Ru2NQqQJzY-gzJAj5G-lubySq38-WX_zWKfv57JOD92VA-7Z6cLWhf-CeFts2VxBCnsbWqIjGjAEPXeXpHACh5-u_MAAMWt7fby2UxhG_YlyHgYBaYne4T9DW3Mn1dAUKB7Og2BEmkUyKTi-8eHoGHzNrJdLEoC/s320/Coffee%20and%20Lynn%20photo.jpg" width="270" /></a></b></div><b><br /></b></span><b style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px;">TK:</b><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px;"> So, Lynn, what made you pick the 50s decade?</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><b style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><b style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt;">Lynn:</b><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt;"> Several years ago, I ran my own business. After five years, things went downhill, and we were forced to close. During that time, I became pregnant with my first child. My life changed overnight, and I went from a small business owner to a stay-at-home mom. I felt like I'd transported back in time, to the 1950s. It was a huge adjustment, and I began to watch a lot of </span><i style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt;">I Love Lucy</i><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt;"> reruns. I thought about what a fun protagonist a homemaker from that era would make. From there, ideas began to percolate, resulting in the Izzy Walsh series.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><b style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt;">TK:</b><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt;"> I love the interplay between your characters, “The Girls.” My favorite line was “Sometimes there was no other cure for a sad heart than a best friend.” How important are relationships to your stories?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt;"><b>Lynn:</b> They are the core of the Izzy Walsh series. The love between Ethel and Lucy inspired me to show how important and amazing good friends can be (nevermind when you have a murder to solve)!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt;"><b>TK: </b>Do you write the Izzy Walsh stories with a character arc or does Izzy get to just dig into the mysteries in the cozy coastal town of Twin Oaks? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt;"><b>Lynn: </b>Thanks TK. I always start out with a character arc and an idea of where the story is going to go and how it will get there. However, Izzy and her friends often get in the way. Sometimes they have a mind of their own and I have to fight to keep them in line. Usually by the end, we make up and a compromise is reached.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt;"><b>TK: </b>What about the Brenna Flynn mysteries? How are they similar or not?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt;"><b>Lynn: </b>Brenna Flynn, the protagonist in <i>Death On The Set</i>, by Rose Kerr, definitely has some similarities to Izzy. Both characters are smart, inquisitive, and have a knack for trouble. I'd certainly recommend it as a fun read. The series is set in the current day, and Brenna Flynn is widowed, like Izzy, but she has no kids. Brenna is a former guidance counselor who lands a position as a production assistant on a cooking reality show.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt;"><b>TK:</b> I see from your website that you have jumped out of an airplane. What, pray tell, drove that and how was the landing?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt;"><b>Lynn:</b> Well, that was an adventure. I guess you could say I have a knack for finding trouble, too. I've gone skydiving three times and it was a blast. My best jump was in Australia. It was a tandem jump (I was attached to my instructor) and we jumped from 14,000 feet over the Great Barrier Reef. I saw turtles! We landed on the beach, and I couldn't shake the smile off my face for days.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt;"><b>TK:</b> What did you do at the Royal Canadian Mounted Police? This sounds like fertile writing ground! Can we expect to see a plot thicken there at some point? </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was a civilian employee and worked on transcripts for court prep. I read some pretty spicy stuff (too spicy for the cozy genre!). It certainly gave me some insight into character building, and I have a few ideas I might dive into at some point. But my true writing love is cozies so for now, I'm going to stick to small towns and amateur sleuths. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt;">Thanks Lynn, it was great to get to know you a bit, SG Sister! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.5pt;">Lynn’s website:<a href="https://lynnmcpherson.net" target="_blank"> <o:p></o:p></a></span><a href="https://lynnmcpherson.net" target="_blank">https://lynnmcpherson.net</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;">Purchase all her books on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lynn-McPherson/e/B06XX6531R?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1653060213&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Amazon</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdPy726Sck9a2c29PtCbEz73xdD5g2UodfJaRddtiAp9jQMy1JzEiEquL7Z684VW3huR5MKGNZWn32hHCCX_Qa4Vjq4ak1QlnspJNRxOGnNbxgP3mEqF01hmbTh_5oPtb0LjBeKSL4I36i6d-iNWAni-GQqHy2oCGVTkNttBHxTok1Q81mNfguSGZ5/s170/Black%20rose%20divider%20small.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="46" data-original-width="170" height="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdPy726Sck9a2c29PtCbEz73xdD5g2UodfJaRddtiAp9jQMy1JzEiEquL7Z684VW3huR5MKGNZWn32hHCCX_Qa4Vjq4ak1QlnspJNRxOGnNbxgP3mEqF01hmbTh_5oPtb0LjBeKSL4I36i6d-iNWAni-GQqHy2oCGVTkNttBHxTok1Q81mNfguSGZ5/s1600/Black%20rose%20divider%20small.gif" width="170" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;">T.K.Thorne is a retired police captain who writes <a href="https://tkthorne.com/books/"><span style="color: #0000e9; font-kerning: none;">Books</span></a>, which, like this blog, go wherever her curiosity and imagination take her. More at TKThorne.com</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p></div>T.K. Thornehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12608840749337554040noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1025201337316610324.post-7604835284498901872022-05-26T10:28:00.000-04:002022-05-26T10:28:17.225-04:00Mental Health and the Pandemic by Juliana Aragon Fatula<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiqTQRNxqtPRxpTwKYeGrNDyaef6Z3fpkm0bdIXsSKdpi7LDPuEoaILOaasUq_8XHyLtYM8Fy7NXcyHWJC74XGef4fMlPSzdFyKOEYQjwiY_AwTQ8LhPnSZLvW--4pFQpwrXownHnQb1ww338Urod0X5b1j44ok-VE8Yt0TdxInWmqVrx7SDUMmPvyfpQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiqTQRNxqtPRxpTwKYeGrNDyaef6Z3fpkm0bdIXsSKdpi7LDPuEoaILOaasUq_8XHyLtYM8Fy7NXcyHWJC74XGef4fMlPSzdFyKOEYQjwiY_AwTQ8LhPnSZLvW--4pFQpwrXownHnQb1ww338Urod0X5b1j44ok-VE8Yt0TdxInWmqVrx7SDUMmPvyfpQ=w603-h452" width="603" /></a></div><p></p><p>May 25, 2022</p><p>Dear Reader,</p><p>This year I’ve written book reviews, judged book contests, entered two manuscripts for publishing and started writing a new novel. My writing has been sporadic, and my submissions have been few, but I continue to write and read and do research and learn every day.</p><p>I’ve been writing for the Stiletto Gang for years and have written several posts about my life as a writer and educator. I’ve also written about my genealogy research and stories about my ancestors. I’ve posted book reviews and interviews. I’ve posted photos of my Chicana Garden and my flowers. I’ve written about my music therapy for the blues, and I’ve written about my dysfunctional family. I’ve told the stories of my life and how I ended up the Crazy Chicana in Catholic City in Red Canyon Falling on Churches, Colorado. My characters are based on the compilations of people I’ve known. Many of them are dead but I’m still here telling their stories. My imagination is wicked, and my sense of humor is dark and disturbing. I write from the heart and tell the truth, not the facts, the truth. </p><p>My therapist tells me to get my joy back I need to think about the good things in my life and so I’m going to tell you about some of the good things that make me unique and adored. I am kind and generous and funny and smart and creative and silly. I like my eggs hard-boiled and with no runny yokes in my fried eggs. I only eat my meat well done never rare. I love children but have a soft spot for the elderly. I’ve rescued hundreds of at-risk teenagers and given them guidance and love. </p><p>I’ve been married twice. Once when I was twenty-one. Divorced at twenty-two. It was a disaster. Married again and found my lifelong partner of 32 years and counting. I have one son, no daughters, no grandchildren, and lots of siblings, nieces, nephews, and cousins. All my aunts and uncles on both sides have died. My parents died on Christmas Day and Christmas Eve, many years apart. I am an orphan. </p><p>I love zombies and werewolves and vampires and love stories about the unlovable. I listen to a variety of music but love Reggae and Dance music. I love to dance and have danced in too many saloons, dives, bars, and joints to count. When I was in my twenties, I played soccer in Colorado Springs and enjoyed running on the field playing fullback defense. </p><p>I love animals and spoil my pets. My home is filled with houseplants and my garden is flowering from May to October with flowers and herbs. I grow my own cannabis for medication and make a salve for pain and edibles for dosing for my depression. I’ve had the same small-town country doctor for 40 plus years. I’ve known him longer than my husband. </p><p>I began therapy again during the pandemic and am on my way to healing but it is a process, and you can’t rush or count on pharmaceuticals for a cure. It takes work. I’m working hard at healing and returning to my joyful self. I haven’t been joyful for a couple of years. I’ve stayed away from people and practiced social distancing to the extreme. I’ve been vaccinated, boosted, and boosted some more. I fear getting Covid or the Monkey Pox and avoid gatherings with people who are not vaccinated. My life has changed, and my joy has diminished but I’m striving for a better future where I travel and visit friends and enjoy going to writing workshops and comingling with strangers. </p><p>Until I no longer fear the outside world, I’ll continue to hibernate in my comfy little house with my husband, Big Bad Baby Boy Bear, and Yogi. I’ll continue to write and read and submit my work and when my first novel gets published, I’ll celebrate. There is hope for me and I know I can be a better human being and that is what I’m working on. </p><p>These photos of books in my library speak clearly about my choice of authors and subjects. I have a collection of poetry and novels by writers of color and it continues to grow. My skin color, brown, has been underrepresented for centuries and today that fact has changed. Please read books by writers of color and the LGBTQ community and broaden your understanding of the world. If you need any recommendations, I’m happy to suggest a book or two for you. Thank you and keep the faith. </p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1025201337316610324.post-61035732753848859952022-05-25T01:30:00.023-04:002022-05-25T01:30:00.268-04:00Writing as Catharsis<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj67OiG3iysVTXFf9qIZmmTri3cRqNCYszSkIau9wiANS2SCY5lFn-XPIxgZ4pJcNWI-_dMbwoEDxfNi7xjXh1Yt92Thse1mLU0SyOZ5cWiztRNDdqlDPfuhep6X0bJ5GlbW-CxMnpkvLnzbbEmpNJsi_oEGWoAdbVDvPjKmcQ8DbtJlBwpo0oopgd4sw/s400/Lucille.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="400" height="367" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj67OiG3iysVTXFf9qIZmmTri3cRqNCYszSkIau9wiANS2SCY5lFn-XPIxgZ4pJcNWI-_dMbwoEDxfNi7xjXh1Yt92Thse1mLU0SyOZ5cWiztRNDdqlDPfuhep6X0bJ5GlbW-CxMnpkvLnzbbEmpNJsi_oEGWoAdbVDvPjKmcQ8DbtJlBwpo0oopgd4sw/w441-h367/Lucille.jpeg" width="441" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who would think this cute baby would grow up to be the inspiration<br />for the woman who makes the Wicked Witch of the West look like<br />Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm?</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;">By Lois Winston </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial;">During an interview recently, the interviewer told me she loves Anastasia Pollack, my reluctant amateur sleuth, but the character she really, really loves is Anastasia’s communist mother-in-law. “You write the best antagonists!” she said, then asked me where I came up with the idea of giving my protagonist a communist mother-in-law.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUrJ3k5PLohD8JXStw4EQ2XmhQseDEX6_9IsoNnZdD9ShFl573_KJBOQB4GdDSMxdgreWBKddsJzoWbigzmkchWdRM0-504pPKM-VB2qVbbQQ9jCtzT-slmnMi5DL1spqtjemSQyEJfnGyiImoVr_MxfZh1sSaA4BQ6Te_ZzBvW5oAoZlCiWZVZJhqTg/s800/Glue_Gun_GBGD-500x800.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUrJ3k5PLohD8JXStw4EQ2XmhQseDEX6_9IsoNnZdD9ShFl573_KJBOQB4GdDSMxdgreWBKddsJzoWbigzmkchWdRM0-504pPKM-VB2qVbbQQ9jCtzT-slmnMi5DL1spqtjemSQyEJfnGyiImoVr_MxfZh1sSaA4BQ6Te_ZzBvW5oAoZlCiWZVZJhqTg/s320/Glue_Gun_GBGD-500x800.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">This is a conversation I’ve had many times since <i>Assault with a Deadly Glue Gun</i>, the first book in my Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery Series, debuted in 2011. Lucille Pollack is the character my readers love to hate. Is it because so many of my readers have mother-in-law issues? Perhaps. </span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Or maybe it’s because Lucille is such an over-the-top unbelievable character. I’m sure many readers think so, but here’s a little secret: Unlike all my other characters, Lucille didn’t spring from my imagination. The woman who makes the Wicked Witch of the West look like Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm is based almost entirely on my own communist mother-in-law.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Yes, you read that correctly. My mother-in-law was a card-carrying commie. Beyond that, though, she was nasty, really nasty, especially if you dared to have an opinion that differed from hers. This was a woman who always knew everything, an expert on every subject. And she was always right—according to her. No one else’s opinions mattered because everyone else was always wrong. You didn’t have conversations with my mother-in-law; you were subjected to lectures—on every subject under the sun. She wasn’t perfect, though. She did fail at things, but when she did, it was always someone or something else’s fault. Never hers.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A couple I knew and whom my father-in-law had befriended, once called me the day after they had dinner with my in-laws. They wanted to know how I put up with “that woman.” This was a pattern throughout the years I knew my mother-in-law. Friends never lasted long because she was so insufferable.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Even my father-in-law, who had always seen his wife through rose-colored glasses, eventually woke up to her true nature. When he needed her most, she was too selfish and self-centered to be bothered.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The thing about antagonistic people, though, is that although they’re insufferable in real life, they make for great antagonists on the page. My mother-in-law grew increasingly nastier the older she got. However, instead of letting her get to me, I brought her doppelganger to life in the form of Anastasia’s mother-in-law Lucille Pollack. Whether it’s a matter of “don’t get mad, get even” or turning lemons into lemonade, all those years of putting up with my mother-in-law paid off in the end when I created the characters my readers love to hate. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlZCGXR_1OTb4E9gVTf-30penGFZpg3PphWE8Pslbm0F7YcxNkEn9kATE9B71quHSBwZJ8bWtSMEltikHLOyEeJmp1W9_GKmBwciw1Uz0zWbWMRRQyjY1FIAcs5P9xiCHUZ-U0VOUxub2epLw_dBsUa3xPh5PVgJ5LNJfTsku_DRPUib8ShuryX27FoQ/s571/cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="571" data-original-width="366" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlZCGXR_1OTb4E9gVTf-30penGFZpg3PphWE8Pslbm0F7YcxNkEn9kATE9B71quHSBwZJ8bWtSMEltikHLOyEeJmp1W9_GKmBwciw1Uz0zWbWMRRQyjY1FIAcs5P9xiCHUZ-U0VOUxub2epLw_dBsUa3xPh5PVgJ5LNJfTsku_DRPUib8ShuryX27FoQ/w225-h351/cover.jpg" width="225" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial;">My one regret? My mother-in-law didn’t live to see my literary revenge, but it wouldn’t have mattered. She was too highbrow to waste her time reading fiction and certainly wouldn’t have read anything written by her stupid (her word) daughter-in-law. Twenty novels, five novellas, and a children's book later, revenge is sweet.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Meanwhile, Anastasia's mother-in-law Lucille winds up wreaking havoc yet again in <i><a href="https://www.loiswinston.com/guilty-as-framed">Guilty as Framed</a></i>, the 11th book in the Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries, now available for <a href="https://www.loiswinston.com/guilty-as-framed">preorder</a>.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">~*~<o:p></o:p></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>USA Today</i> and Amazon bestselling and award-winning author Lois Winston writes mystery, romance, romantic suspense, chick lit, women’s fiction, children’s chapter books, and nonfiction under her own name and her Emma Carlyle pen name. <i>Kirkus Reviews</i> dubbed her critically acclaimed Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery series, “North Jersey’s more mature answer to Stephanie Plum.” In addition, Lois is a former literary agent and an award-winning craft and needlework designer who often draws much of her source material for both her characters and plots from her experiences in the crafts industry. Learn more about Lois and her books at her <a href="http://www.loiswinston.com">website</a> where you can also sign up for her newsletter and follow her on various social media sites.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1025201337316610324.post-60055438261288202592022-05-24T05:00:00.203-04:002022-05-24T06:42:01.016-04:00Interview with Cozy Author, Rose Kerr<p>By Lynn McPherson</p><p>I met Rose Kerr earlier this year at Malice Domestic. We had a few good chats over some delicious cake and I'm delighted to have her here today to talk about her great new book, <i>Death on the Set. </i>It's the first book in the Brenna Flynn Mystery Series, recently published by Touchpoint Press.</p><p><b>Rose, can you tell us about your debut novel, <i>Death on the Set</i>?</b></p><p>Brenna Flynn is my protagonist in <i>Death on the Set</i>. Brenna's had some bad luck. Her husband was killed in a highway accident, and then she loses her job as a high school guidance counselor due to budget cuts.</p><p>She returns home to Bayview City and works with a temp agency to find work until she can get work as a high school guidance counselor. </p><p>Brenna interviews for the job of a production assistant for a cooking reality show and aces the interview. On the second day at work, she finds a body. The police think she may have something to do with the murder and she's their prime suspect.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjreSJTpOvUUqCL-g0xO5giy3Dh3omvLMJdsmzMI8mqQvK8-z3yfqoon9MchyWemj40omVw2GiR31bTSZfGtAAMo0BNQRL6HpychRIngtq2K4XKP676SQIrU1C3F6bbNwhlyX4U7I5xncXp6xPO6TLj6q-_kbsTeIS9kzLGob9jqjUjw-iW8dJMBrgATA/s2700/Death%20on%20the%20Set_prepublication%20front%20cover.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjreSJTpOvUUqCL-g0xO5giy3Dh3omvLMJdsmzMI8mqQvK8-z3yfqoon9MchyWemj40omVw2GiR31bTSZfGtAAMo0BNQRL6HpychRIngtq2K4XKP676SQIrU1C3F6bbNwhlyX4U7I5xncXp6xPO6TLj6q-_kbsTeIS9kzLGob9jqjUjw-iW8dJMBrgATA/w266-h400/Death%20on%20the%20Set_prepublication%20front%20cover.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>Determined to prove her innocence, Brenna uses the skills she's honed as a high school guidance counselor to learn about the victim and members of the cast and crew. The stakes are raised with threatening notes, poisonings, and blackmail.<p></p><p>Can Brenna uncover who the killer is before someone else dies?</p><p><b>The story is so much fun. Where do you get your book ideas?</b></p><p>I had a lot of fun writing this book! For Death on the Set, my son and I were watching a cooking reality show and the head chef (who shall remain nameless) was especially nasty to the contestants. I looked at my son and said, one day someone is going to kill him. My son said, Mom, there's your story. It took a while to get that story out, but it was fun writing it. The other two books in the series came from ideas that had been in my mind for some time.</p><p><b>Why did you choose a former guidance counselor as your protagonist?</b></p><p>I've worked with guidance counselors in the past. Some skills they have seemed natural for my amateur sleuth to have. The skills Brenna uses include research, understanding how people think, observant, active listening, drawing people out, critical thinking, problem solving, gathering information, making informed decisions, Brenna genuinely likes people and wants to help them where possible.</p><p><b>How important is setting in your books?</b></p><p>Bayview City is a fictional town on the shores of Lake Superior. My husband and I raised our family in a small town in Northern Ontario on the shores of Lake Superior. We had beautiful parks close to our town and took advantage of Lake Superior's coastline. The lake was a factor in our lives because of how often the weather changed. We had some storms that came up quickly. The lake is vast, majestic, and constantly changing. I've used some parts of the town we lived in and parts of larger towns and cities in my books. It's a setting I'm familiar and very comfortable with.</p><p><b>What's your writing process? Do you have an extensive outline? Are you a pantser?</b></p><p>I do a lot of preparation for my books; I outline thoroughly. In my series, my main character, Brenna Flynn, takes on temp jobs. It's important for me to understand the responsibilities she has for each position. The recurring characters each support Brenna differently. New to the series characters need to be developed. I like to know who is the victim, who the killer is, and why they're the victim and the killer. I've tried pantsing and it just didn't work for me. I admire anyone who is a pantser! One thing I've started doing with book three is ending my writing session with a brief note reminding me of the next scene. It's been helpful to keep me on track.</p><p><b>Did you always want to be a writer? Why crime?</b></p><p>I wanted to write, but wasn't sure what to write. I tried my hand at writing romance, but it didn't stick. I found writing murder mysteries much more fun!</p><p><b>Who are your favorite cozy authors?</b></p><p>I have several authors that I reach for frequently: Connie Berry, Lynn Cahoon, Kate Carlisle, and Vicki Delany. I'm always looking for new cozy authors to read.</p><p><b>What's next for Brenna Flynn?</b></p><p>Book two, tentatively title <i>Death in Academia</i>, is with my editor. I'm writing book three, working title, <i>Death at the Festival. </i>I don't think Brenna is going to find work as a guidance counselor for some time!</p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpDhxk8DbipKsynFEIIaomU7lbLNkfWEywKDaqQzYbhITWGofepiX_xv7hd-oP0Qcl7Eb8Mzt7cUQj2qQXQDtJOf4kNctE1pBHGIVY_3xDG44BS1X3ScRdJhkzX0D8tfTExqHccFr4cHHpYTJvVqrRKU9KXRIymt4Jf1l3MqJGxU8NwnE8nLwBzS1W5w/s1936/Rose%20Headshot%20sm-11.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1936" data-original-width="1549" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpDhxk8DbipKsynFEIIaomU7lbLNkfWEywKDaqQzYbhITWGofepiX_xv7hd-oP0Qcl7Eb8Mzt7cUQj2qQXQDtJOf4kNctE1pBHGIVY_3xDG44BS1X3ScRdJhkzX0D8tfTExqHccFr4cHHpYTJvVqrRKU9KXRIymt4Jf1l3MqJGxU8NwnE8nLwBzS1W5w/s320/Rose%20Headshot%20sm-11.jpg" width="256" /></a></b></div><b>Rose Kerr </b>lived most of her adult life in small towns. She and her husband raised their family in a small town in Northern Ontario, on the shores of Lake Superior. Rose is a member of Sisters in Crime, the Guppy Online Chapter of Sisters in Crime, and Crime Writers of Canada. For more info visit www.rosekerr.com<br /><p></p><p><b>Facebook</b>: https://https://www.facebook.com/RoseKerrAuthor</p><p><b>Instagram</b>: @r.m.kerr</p><p><b>Twitter</b>: @rkerrwriter</p><p><b>Pinterest</b>: @rosekerrauthor</p><p><b>Goodreads</b>:https://www.goodreads.com/rosekerr</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1025201337316610324.post-64193561642428674542022-05-23T00:30:00.019-04:002022-05-23T20:20:12.166-04:00Short Story Month and a Diabolical Treat<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ZPc9h7f4zOReWf_Q_lnZtLpPpvYDa6w7XI7Zcp8MCCCCQzW5sfxRQ0APrHOyN0IHP2P3nlPN4_okKsobedDZQfovp2y49NkqbTZlIwbagBddSasDbXmS6LOExS-fP1GNh7JfQ02h8D_NzG1qSJ9-i0_yoZDdUA6LdepUHF04joFeVN2H0Fx485xt/s500/Mystery%20Most%20Diabolical.518Lih3fEwL.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="375" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ZPc9h7f4zOReWf_Q_lnZtLpPpvYDa6w7XI7Zcp8MCCCCQzW5sfxRQ0APrHOyN0IHP2P3nlPN4_okKsobedDZQfovp2y49NkqbTZlIwbagBddSasDbXmS6LOExS-fP1GNh7JfQ02h8D_NzG1qSJ9-i0_yoZDdUA6LdepUHF04joFeVN2H0Fx485xt/s320/Mystery%20Most%20Diabolical.518Lih3fEwL.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>by Paula Gail Benson<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">In World News ERA, Ashleigh
Durden wrote an article </span><a href="https://worldnewsera.com/lifestyle/books/why-is-may-short-story-month/" style="font-size: 12pt;">“Why
is May Short Story Month?”</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> that delves into the history and practices to
celebrate short fiction. She traces declaring May short story month to Dan
Wickett, the founder and editor of the Emerging Writers Network (EWN), who on
April 7, 2007, posted an article suggesting a short story month, just as April
had been designated National Poetry Month. That following May, Wickett read and
reviewed a short story a day. Due to reader enthusiasm, the next year it
increased to two stories a day and in the third year to three stories a day.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Meanwhile, writers were urged
to set a goal of the number of stories they would write during the month. </span><a href="https://storyaday.org/short-story-month/" style="font-size: 12pt;">StoryADay.org</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> continues
this tradition with suggestions for short stories to read and prompts and advice
about writing short stories. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Earlier this month, on May 9,
Malice Domestic released its latest anthology, </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">Mystery Most Diabolical</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, published by Wildside Press and edited by
Verna Rose, Rita Simmons and Shawn Reilly Simmons.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Art Taylor featured three of
the stories in his The First Two Pages: </span><a href="https://arttaylorwriter.com/2021/12/14/the-first-two-pages-all-in-the-planning-by-marco-carocari/" style="font-size: 12pt;">“All
in the Planning”</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> by Marco Carocari, </span><a href="https://arttaylorwriter.com/2021/12/21/the-first-two-pages-there-comes-a-time-by-cynthia-kuhn/" style="font-size: 12pt;">“There
Comes a Time”</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> by Cynthia Kuhn, and </span><a href="https://arttaylorwriter.com/2021/12/28/the-first-two-pages-fly-me-to-the-moon-by-lisa-q-mathews/" style="font-size: 12pt;">“Fly
Me to the Moon”</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> by Lisa Q. Mathews.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">In addition, Barb Goffman, winner of the </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt;">Agatha Award twice as well as the Macavity,
Silver Falchion, and 2020 Readers Award given by </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt;">Ellery Queen’s Mystery
Magazine</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt;">, </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">described her story, “Go Big or Go Home,” in her Sleuthsayers post </span><a href="https://www.sleuthsayers.org/2022/05/everything-is-fodder.html" style="font-size: 12pt;">“Everything
is Fodder”</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, where she explains how almost any irritation can lead to a
mystery short story.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Contributors to the anthology
include editor, Edgar nominee, and Derringer award winner Michael Bracken; Agatha
and Thriller award winner Alan Orloff; Agatha nominees Alexia Gordon, Cynthia Kuhn, and Keenan
Powell; Al Blanchard award winner Mary Dutta; and Margaret Lucke who wrote an
excellent craft book,</span><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></i><i><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Schaum's Quick Guide to
Writing Great Short Stories</span></i><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt;">.<i> </i></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I’m proud and humbled to have
my story included with those of many accomplished and distinguished writers.
Here’s a complete list:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt;">Leah Bailey · “A Killer in the Family</span>”</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
<span style="background: white;">Paula Gail Benson · “Reputation or Soul”</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background: white;">M. A. Blum · “Little White Lies”</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt;">Michael Bracken · “Locked Mesa</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt;">”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
<span style="background: white;">Susan Breen · “The Demon Valentine”</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt;">Marco Carocari · “All in the Planning</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt;">”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
<span style="background: white;">Mary Dutta · “Devil’s Advocate”</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt;">Christine Eskilson · “The Reunion</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt;">”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
<span style="background: white;">Nancy Gardner · “Death’s Door”</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt;">Barb Goffman · “Go Big or Go Home</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt;">”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
<span style="background: white;">Alexia Gordon · “Happy Birthday”</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt;">B. J. Graf · “Servant of the Place of Truth</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt;">”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
<span style="background: white;">Maurissa Guibord · “Into the Devil’s Den”</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt;">Victoria Hamilton · “Reunion with the Devil”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt;">Kerry Hammond · “Strangers at a Table”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt;">Peter W. J. Hayes · “The Ice House”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt;">Smita Harish Jain · “Keeping Up with the Jainses”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt;">Cynthia Kuhn · “There Comes a Time”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt;">Margaret Lucke · “The Devil’s-Work Ball”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt;">Sharon Lynn · “The Professor’s Lesson”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt;">Tim Maleeny · “A Cure For Madness”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt;">Lisa Q. Mathews · “Fly Me to the Morgue”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="background: white;">A</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt;">dam Meyer · “Crime Rate”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt;">Alan Orloff · “There Once Was a Man Named Larue”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt;">Keenan Powell · “Miss Millie Munz”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt;">Graham Powell · “A Rough Idea”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt;">Lori Robbins · “Accidents Happen”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt;">Cynthia Sabelhaus · “Exegesis”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt;">Nancy Cole Silverman · “The Case of the Sourdough
Starter”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt;">Shawn Reilly Simmons · “The Devil’s in the Details”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt;">C. J. Verburg · “A Terrible Tragedy”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt;">Andrea Wells · “Taking Umbrage</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt;">”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #212529; font-size: 12pt;">Here’s a little about the
background for my story, “Reputation or Soul.” When I saw the call for </span><i style="color: #212529; font-size: 12pt;">Mystery Most Diabolical</i><span style="color: #212529; font-size: 12pt;">, I looked up </span><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diabolical" style="font-size: 12pt;">“diabolical”</a><span style="color: #212529; font-size: 12pt;">
in the online Merriam-Webster Dictionary. It had a note about the origins of
the term, from the Greek “diabolos” that means “slanderer.” Usually,
“diabolical” is associated with the devil. I began thinking about a trade off:
if given a choice, which might a person be willing to live with--losing a soul
or having a maligned reputation?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #212529; font-size: 12pt;">I started with an image
of a jilted bride, sitting in a turret room in the church, knowing with certainty
that her groom had skipped the ceremony as well as stealing a substantial sum
of money. I was certain the bride remained calm about this occurrence and
equally certain that her younger brother, the narrator of the story, was
completely puzzled about her response.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #212529; font-size: 12pt;">Together, they went to
visit their abusive father, now confined in a nursing home. The father berated
them, but the sister spoke kindly to him without telling him about the runaway
groom. Then, the sister asked her brother to go with her on her honeymoon trip,
to a location where she expected the groom might resurface.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #212529; font-size: 12pt;">Whose action will hurt
most? In a scenario where almost everyone has a reason to seek revenge, will it
occur and what will be the consequence?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #212529; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">There are still a few more days left in the
short story month of May 2022. Why not check out the stories in </span><i style="color: #212529; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Mystery Most Diabolical</i><span style="color: #212529; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">?</span> </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1025201337316610324.post-90512761466659894042022-05-20T00:00:00.013-04:002022-05-20T00:00:00.285-04:00Book Babies: A Guest Post by Rosalie Spielman<p><i>I want to wish a very warm Stiletto Gang welcome to Rosalie Spielman. Rosalie has committed a portion of the proceeds of the sales of her book, </i>Welcome Home to Murder<i>, to the DAV - Disabled American Veterans. What a worthy cause! Read on to learn more about Rosalie and see how you can take part in this great fundraiser. --Shari Randall</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09ZCG6FJ6/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="2600" data-original-width="1705" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2v5fBNzr_nL6s5bloDTbVpLIEbPqBbyXEE8COBp9530JJudIFwJyXwmojcAcHzeXHzm_bov5v7jy1-sdfpXDVsA3TNetF61Xy3mU1-Vd44IpSx9M-GEhc3zguKpuIxX23vK2PZ-Ozgt8pYO4Tb6sDV8O1cTaihSGhQCl8fitjvPQFH4Lx-dhBTrSZYQ/s320/Welcome%20Home%20to%20Murder%20FINALIST%20FRONT.jpg" width="210" /></a></div><br />Every author dreams of that day when the story that they labored over and loved into existence is birthed into reality. But what happens when the idea is not originally your own? I can tell you from experience, the birth is no less exciting!<p></p><p>After I was signed by my agent, the book I queried with went on submission and I casted around for new ideas just in case that one didn't work out. Then my agent posted that Gemma Halliday Publishing was looking for more authors for their multi-author series, Aloha Lagoon. I decided to give it a shot. I did my research, sent some ideas, and a writing sample. A few months later, I was given a contract to write <i>Death Under the Sea, </i>which became the 16th book in the series.</p><p>This contract came with a few limitations. Setting, to me, is a character itself in cozy mysteries. But in this case, Aloha Lagoon and its resort were already established, as were the detective and various other characters. So, while the characters of Kiki Hepburn and her friends are completely my own, she belongs to the series, and even, in part, to the other authors. I've made the metaphor that while I did give birth to <i>Death Under the Sea</i>, I was a surrogate for the publisher. No less pain or love put into it, just not completely my baby.</p><p>Compare that to <i>Welcome Home to Murder</i>, which was completely mine from conception to birth. There is so much of me in this book - the main character, Tessa, is a veteran from a military family, and originally from a tiny town. I come from a military family, was a veteran, too, as well as being a military spouse for over two decades. Writing a military character was second nature for me. I understand the special challenges of the military life as well as being sensitive to the problems and pain some service members endure.</p><p>My children occasionally make me cry. That includes my book babies. There's a scene in <i>Welcome Home to Murder </i>that I wrote crying, edited crying, and cannot read without crying. Still. Without fail, my eyes will begin leaking. In this scene, Tessa is reflecting on the losses she and her fellow service members have experienced. I will not pretend that I understand fully how service members who struggle with the unseen wounds of war feel. But I can sympathize - and empathize, to a point - and my heart aches for them.</p><p>When the book went out on submission, I had included some resources for veterans in need at the end of the manuscript. I was unsure that section would make it to publication. But when my publisher read it, they offered to donate a portion of preorders and early sales to one of the charities. This touched me so deeply. (So much, in fact, that I got choked up telling the crowd about it during my Malice Domestic panel.) I've chosen the DAV, or Disabled American Veterans, to receive the donation. This organization does so much for veterans who need help, and now, every reader who purchases <i>Welcome Home to Murder</i> in either format will also be helping. <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09ZCG6FJ6/" target="_blank">Welcome Home to Murder</a></i> will be released on 7 June, 2022.</p><p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9olbeZu2NUrFo96Brz_ltRabL8PkWLyXC72T7ugs6Ab71hQFpoZbxQE7NStsRm5Gu9fPuFIYHF5Urwqee4-Eaok91jraZTXaITM043QmyQ454nQ23tbLz3ACSx1OmWfSdcKbE90avASu5kzWK_U73YP1P4Mnd0mr2rjWZUYGIDvyxb-dnk_QvwGcX1w" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="412" data-original-width="314" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9olbeZu2NUrFo96Brz_ltRabL8PkWLyXC72T7ugs6Ab71hQFpoZbxQE7NStsRm5Gu9fPuFIYHF5Urwqee4-Eaok91jraZTXaITM043QmyQ454nQ23tbLz3ACSx1OmWfSdcKbE90avASu5kzWK_U73YP1P4Mnd0mr2rjWZUYGIDvyxb-dnk_QvwGcX1w" width="183" /></a></i></div><i><br />Originally from a tiny town in the Palouse region of Idaho, as a military brat, veteran, and military spouse (retired), Rosalie Spielman has moved more times than she has fingers to count on. Somewhere along the way, Rosalie discovered that she could make other people laugh with her writing. She enjoys reading to escape from the real world and hopes to give you the same with her stories.</i><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A</div><br /><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com19