October! The thrill of crisp, cool air, gently weaving its way through the sun-baked furnace of summer. We can feel it coming… sweater weather! Pumpkins and spices and all things Halloween will soon be here. Baked apples! Hot chocolate! And glorious leaves in bright colors, red, gold, yellow, purple! Welcome to my favorite month, and […]
It’s my pleasure to interview sister-Gangster and award-winning author Saralyn Richard today to find out more about her latest mystery, A Murder of Principal, which recently earned a Readers’ Choice Award from Killer Nashville. Way to go, Saralyn! Before her publishing career, Saralyn was a highly regarded educator. So it’s only natural that her latest book is set at a fictitious […]
Like many sports fans last week, our TV was tuned to the Olympics. Gymnasts, swimmers, divers, track-and-fielders. Such amazing athletes! This year, for the first time, we also watched skateboarding. Skateboarding may not strike purists an Olympic-worthy sport, but I can understand how the hobby— embraced for decades by renegade spirits of all ages—made it […]
A recent article in The Wall Street Journal has me thinking about the emotional connection humans often feel for trees. In “Why a Tree is the Friend We Need Right Now,” columnist Elizabeth Bernstein describes her relationship with the banyan tree she first encountered while worrying about a sick relative, and to which she returned […]
Two fictional characters are making me crazy. One’s a famous villain, the other, a hero, and lately, they’ve pulled a switcheroo. Cruella de Vil, the nefarious puppy kidnapper of Dodie Smith’s novel, The Hundred and One Dalmations, is the villain. Ever-popular, her story has been made and remade into film at least four times. And […]
Have you ever had a dream that returns again and again? When I was a child, I had quite a few. Most of them were scary. In one, I was repeatedly shot by a mean-looking gangster. In another, a gorilla chased me down the street, getting closer and closer as I ran for my life. […]
I’m thrilled to welcome Pamela Fagan Hutchins, a USA Today bestseller, repeat top 100 Kindle author, repeat top 25 Kindle bestseller, and winner of the 2017 Silver Falchion Best Mystery. She knows a thing or two about writing books that readers love, and how to market them (more about that in her bio). Today, she’s sharing her […]
Dickie George was his name, my first imaginary friend. I was the only four-year-old among a household of grown-ups, so I suppose he was my way of having a ready-made playmate whenever I wanted an adventure. At the dinner table, I would regularly share news of his latest exploits with my Mom and Dad, Grandma and Grandpa, […]
To battle the bleak winter, I’ve been searching for pleasant distractions. This month, I discovered a bit of silliness happening in February. Writing fuel. But first, a prequel. January officially marked National Oatmeal Month. Also Hot Tea Month. And Soup Month. They’re all great sustenance when it’s cold outside, but for spreading cheer? Blah. Thank […]
Gay Yellen: Block that Gift! A wonderful friend threw a fabulous launch party for me in 2014 when my first book, The Body Business, was published. And several months later, she bought me a gift I’ll never forget. She said that the moment she saw it, she knew I had to have it. I knew […]