Reflections on Today – My Birthday by Debra H. Goldstein

Today is my birthday. It isn’t a special birthday, but it is another notch in my belt of life. Another year around the sun. And a reminder that the years seem to each be moving faster than the one before.

 

When I was a child, I devoured books. If it was hot outside, I preferred to be indoors, where it was cooler, reading. My mother felt that I needed to get out of the house and play for at least an hour on those hot days. I specifically remember once, when there were no neighborhood children to play with (which always took care of the hour plus), I was forced to entertain myself outside for the hour. I sat on our front stoop periodically checking my watch only to be dismayed at how slowly time moved. That hour was an eternity. Today, an hour goes by so fast that it melds into other hours and the entire day passes before I know it.

 

One other thing I’ve noticed is that I no longer am the young hotshot. I’ve reached the age where people say “ma’am,” offer me senior drinks before I ask for them, and at club and organization meetings, I am respected for my institutional knowledge. The honors coming my way aren’t titled “Top women under thirty” or “Rising Star.” Instead, they are more like “Fifty Over Fifty.”

 

Being seasoned has its benefits – seeing my children happy in marriages and careers; having grandchildren; AARP and other discounts; and being able to use Rhett Butler’s “I don’t give a damn” line whenever I want. The sad part is knowing that there are less years left than have passed so there are things I would like to see or experience that I may not.

 

The latter thought is sad, but I’m not going to dwell on it. For now, I’m going to happy dance and celebrate this birthday!  (By the way, I'm not Poppy, but I loved this picture of one of granddogs wishing my husband a happy birthday) How do you feel about birthdays?

It's Deception - Not Anticipation

It’s Deception-Not Anticipation by Debra H. Goldstein

Deception.

It’s a word that rolls around my tongue and brain with ease. Different dictionaries shade its definition:

a: the act of causing someone to accept as true or valid what is false or invalid 

b: the fact or condition of being deceived

c: something that deceives (Merriam-Webster)

The act of hiding the truth, especially to get an advantage – Cambridge Dictionary

A misleading falsehood. misrepresentation, deceit. bill of goods - communication (written or spoken) that persuades someone to accept something untrue or undesirable – The Free Dictionary

As a mystery writer, my writings incorporate deception to engage and challenge readers. If in my everyday life, I tell a little white lie, I am using deception to make my point or shield someone from the truth.

Lately, I’ve found deception in my writing and my life are combining against me. I say I’m writing my fifth Sarah Blair mystery and technically I am. I write 3000 words and then delete them; I write another 3000 words and then I move them to another place in the book or into my discard bin. What I’ve finally realized, after two weeks of this is that I’m not challenged by covid brain or anything except – deception. I’ve been deceiving myself into thinking the book is working, the prose is smooth, and that the public will like it. They won’t. Why? Because I don’t like it. The book isn’t moving fast enough, and after much thought, I’ve realized why. I’m laying out too much backstory rather than tweaking moments of deception into my tale.

It sounds like a simple fix. But that would be deceiving myself. I’ve got to rethink and rewrite from scratch. That’s the truth. That’s the fact. Oh, how I wish it were merely a moment of deception. I anticipate otherwise.

  

 

 

BSP and Passing It Forward by Debra H. Goldstein

For the next few months, while Linda takes a short break, watch for guest posts featuring new books and authors.

BSP and Passing it Forward by Debra H. Goldstein

It took me months to learn that BSP stands for “Blatant Self Promotion.” Like many authors, I’m basically an introvert who struggles to self-promote. Although I could use this column to tell you that Three Treats Too Many, the new Sarah Blair mystery, releases on August 25, but is available for pre-order and that the e-book version of Two Bites Too Many, which was just named a 2020 Silver Falchion finalist, will be reduced to $.99 from August 21-24, and featured in a Bookbub ad on August 22, but I won’t. Instead, I want to pass it forward and tell you about some new releases I think might interest you.

On Tuesday, August 11, pick up a copy of PAW AND ORDER by V. M. Burns.

It is the fourth book in the Dog Club Mystery Series. Available at https://bit.ly/DCMPawAndOrder :

Lilly's best pal Scarlett “Dixie” Jefferson has done it again! She’s convinced eccentric poodle-loving billionaire Archibald Lowry to sponsor a grand fundraiser for the Eastern Tennessee Poodle Rescue. Tragically, it’s too late to rescue Lowry, who is murdered at the event. His pet poodle is now orphaned, so Dixie begs Lilly to foster the adorable pup. Of course, she already has a poodle—her beloved Aggie, named after Agatha Christie. Fortunately, Aggie seems to like the new addition to the family, whom Lilly renames Rex, after her second favorite mystery author, Rex Stout.
 
But she’s barely welcomed Rex into her home when there’s an attempted poodle-nabbing, foiled with Aggie’s help. As desperate characters try to get their hands on the canine cutie, Lilly turns to Dixie’s dog training class to help her sort through a litter of suspects. Ultimately, she may have to unleash Rex as bait to collar the killer . . .

Another book to check out this month is Digging Up the Remains by Julia Henry. It is the third book in the Garden Squad mystery series. This time,

Between hosting a haunted house on her lawn, serving on the town’s 400th Anniversary Planning Committee, and prepping for the Fall Festival’s 10k fundraiser, Lilly’s hands are full. She doesn’t have time for prickly newspaper reporter Tyler Crane, who’s been creeping around town, looking for dirt on Goosebush’s most notable families . . . until he’s found dead on the race route moments before the start.
 
An unfortunate accident? Or did Tyler unearth a secret that someone in Goosebush is willing to kill to keep? By planting nasty rumors and cultivating fear, Tyler sowed a fair share of ill will during his brief time in town. Weeding through the suspects will be thorny, but Lilly and her Garden Squad are determined to root out the autumnal assassin before the Fall Festival flops . .

A few more recently or about to be released books include Cheryl Hollon’s Still Knife Painting, Leslie Budewitz’s The Solace of Bay Leaves, Sherry Harris’ From Beer to Eternity, Bethany Maines’ Love and Treasure, Anna Gerald’s Peachy Scream, and Maggie Toussaint’s All Done With It.

 

 

 

 

Things Change, but Stay the Same

Things Change, but Stay the Same by Debra H. Goldstein

Recently, I was thinking about how as much as things change, they stay the same.

For example, the Stiletto Gang recently welcomed three new members: Kathryn Lane, Saralyn Richard and Robin Hillyer-Miles. That means, every day of the month, readers will continue to find an interesting blog to read on The Stiletto Gang.

Last Thursday, I received edits on one manuscript and galleys on another. Both have drop dead deadlines. So does a class I’m preparing to teach, a group of speaking engagements I have scheduled, and lots of family events. My first instinct was to panic, but then I remembered that if I do one thing at a time, they all will get done. It’s just a matter of starting and doing rather than giving in to that moment when I was overwhelmed. The reality is, I’ll get everything done – and hopefully, at the quality level I want.

Today, I opened an e-mail. It was the schedule of my youngest grandchild’s school year for 2020-2021. Why did I get it? Because I’m a mom and a grandmother and my daughter and her husband want me to know the dates they may need a little babysitting help. Last week one of our other children called to ask for our Verizon code. It seems he needed a new phone and because he’s still on my account, he needed access. He paid for his own phone, but he wants to stay on my family plan because it is a lot cheaper than if he headed his own phone plan. What do both these things say to me – they may be grown up, but they still need me the same way they did when they were toddlers.

I have a birthday coming up. For that event, there will be many dinners and lunches with various groups of friends. One will be bittersweet because it will be the first one missing a friend – the youngest in that group. We’ll raise a glass in her memory, and then we’ll laugh and cut-up because we’ll still be there together supporting and, if I can say it, loving each other.

My husband and I are thinking of downsizing again. After twenty-three years in our first house, we downsized fifteen years ago. We never looked back. The idea of going into something smaller, but on one floor, is daunting, but I bet once we find the right house and get settled, it will feel like we always lived there.

My writing is like that – ideas come; ideas go, but the beat goes on. That’s what it’s all about, isn’t it?

10 Days of Promotion by Debra H. Goldstein

10 Days of Promotion by Debra H. Goldstein

Writing is often referred to as a lonely or introverted activity. Successful promotion, on the other hand, requires one to be gregarious, friendly, and “on.” If you hand me a microphone, I can take on the characteristics of a comedienne, but the reality is I’m shy. So, why did I recently take on a four city in ten days promotional tour? Insanity? A personal challenge? Stupidity? A detour side trip addition of one city to meet my son’s girlfriend?

Probably, for every reason cited above.

On Friday, January 3, I flew to Houston for a book discussion and signing with Kay Kendall

at Murder by the Book on Saturday, January 4. We planned this gig months in advance – months

before we knew that at the exact time we scheduled the event, Texas would be in the playoffs. Kay and I were very thankful to the 30 plus folks who obviously weren’t sports fans who came to the store and for the over 1 million who dropped in on the live stream. It was my first-time live streaming and it was great to hear from people all over the country who watched it. What a great signing…. and if you aren’t aware, what a wonderful store.

I caught the last plane out of Houston to Denver. Boy, was I sweating considering Denver had snow a day or so earlier. I had visions of the plane being cancelled, but it wasn’t. Got to Denver, saw my youngest son close to midnight, and by noon I was at The Book Bar for a signing. A combination bookstore, coffee and other items bar, I fell in love with how they’ve pulled off the   (yes, I liked her)

concept. Also appreciated all the friends of my son who gave me a standing room only audience. This was one time I’m glad he’s never met a stranger. Of course, meeting his girlfriend and her mother while trying to do a book talk about my life was an eerie feeling, but again, all went well.

Tuesday morning, I left snow on the streets Denver and flew to Scottsdale for a dream come true. When I began writing, a friend told me that if I could get a signing at The Poisoned Pen, my career would have credibility. I don’t know about that, but I can tell you that I’m a super fan of The

Poisoned Pen. Not only are there books galore and a warm and engaging staff, but the hanging pictures of authors who have spoken there sometime in the past thirty years was wonderful to see. (Some of the authors still had hair when they made their first visit to The Poisoned Pen). I also appreciated some special people coming out to join the audience.

That night, or should I say morning, it was red-eye time. I landed in Birmingham on Thursday morning, did laundry, slept, and jumped

in the car to make Memphis before a predicted storm blew me off the road.

Not only was it fun visiting friends, but the Sunday book discussion and signing at Novel was with a friend, Beth (Jaden) Terrell. Always fun to play off each other (we were on a panel together at the Southern Book Festival) and we both adored the story of Novel. When this local bookstore was going to have to close, people in the community raised the money to take it over and keep it going. And that’s an understatement. The store is full of books and people who love books.

The tour finished the next morning with an appearance on Live at 9 on Memphis television station WREG-TV. Marybeth Conley is very generous to authors --- and a great reader of our books. You can watch the interview here .

I drove home and was tired, but I’d do it all again in a moment. Do you like attending bookstore events? Leave a comment and have a chance to win a copy of One Taste Too Many, the first in Kensington’s Sarah Blair mystery series.

The DHG Challenge by Debra H. Goldstein

The DHG Challenge by Debra H. Goldstein

I’m worried about my friends and family. Lately, even though I’ve been hearing many wonderful things like births of children and grandchildren, awards, new books, obtaining an agent, or winning a little on the lottery, I’ve also been learning about friends getting hurt, sick, or dying. Maybe it’s my age, but I don’t think that’s the only reason I’m so much more attuned to the “news.”

I think it is a conscious decision to step back from the “chatter.” Whether one is into reported news, which constantly juggles breaking political or environmental stories against touching human interest pieces, or is simply trying to balance all the things necessary in life from grocery shopping, taking kids to school, working, or doing whatever else one does, one is bombarded by noise and responsibilities.

The intense level of things happening makes it easy to get lost in the mundane. It’s hard to pause and take a breath – to smell the flowers, laugh at a joke, or curl up with a good book. Our computers, voice driven machines, and other technological devices supposedly make our lives easier, but we often seem more overwrought and rushed.

What to do about it?

I’m making a conscious decision to stop and announce, “Not me, anymore.” I’m going to go back to making time for myself – whether exercising, reading, or hanging out on the couch, I’m taking back a few hours for myself. Will you join me?

We’ll call it The DHG Challenge. Our motto will be “Time for Me.” It doesn’t have to be a lot of time, but it must be something personal to you.

There will be a guest blogger in my November slot, but I’ll report how The DHG Challenge goes on December 13^th. In the meantime, go out, enjoy, and then e-mail how you make time for yourself at DHG@DebraHGoldstein.com. 

I’m going to take the time to read book.  What are you going to do?