Dear Readers:
Just last month, I had the privilege to help facilitate a rescue. When the heroine of the adventure, acknowledged cat whisperer Fran Bush, wrote the story and sent it to me, I asked if I could share it. I think you will truly appreciate Fran’s talent and expertise, both as a storyteller and a caring human being. I’m proud to call her my friend.
Here in her own words is the story of “The Kitten Who Lived.” Thanks, Fran, for sharing.
Paula Gail Benson
THE KITTEN WHO LIVED (A True Story)
By Frances “Fran” Bush
On Saturday, September 27, 2025, I received a text message from my friend Paula asking me if I would be willing to take a kitten who a friend of hers had found. The friend couldn’t keep the kitten. I said Yes. Paula put her friend Catherine in touch with me and then I learned the rest of the rescue story.
Catherine and her husband, Shawn, live in Lexington, S.C., and they rescue dogs. They were traveling on a very busy highway in Lexington County, in a 55mph zone, when they spotted 2 dogs in the center of the road. They had stopped to check on the dogs when they noticed one dog had something in its mouth. They forced the dog to drop what they thought was a squirrel only to realize it was a tiny kitten.
In a few more seconds, the dog would have killed the baby kitten, but Catherine and her husband saved it!
Having rescued the baby kitten, they tried to find help. When they contacted the animal shelters in and near Columbia, S.C., they learned the shelters would not take cats or kittens because of some kind of cat illness.
Then, they checked every other place and person they could think of with no help found. Catherine resorted to posting a plea for help on Facebook. That is where our mutual friend Paula saw the post, contacted me, and put me in touch with Catherine.
If Catherine had not posted on Facebook and Paula had not immediately seen the post and called me, I would never have known about the tiny baby kitten needing help.
When Catherine texted me, we arranged to meet about halfway between Lexington and my home in Windsor. Catherine and Shawn were waiting for us when we arrived in Pelion, S.C. One look at the tiny baby kitten in a big box and I knew it was worth the trip. I talked to Catherine for just a couple of minutes, and they gave me a 7-pound bag of Fancy Feast Kitten food they had purchased.
When I took the hissing kitten out of the box, I realized the kitten’s eyes were stuck shut and that puss was leaking from the corners. My husband Don went into the store and bought a bottle of water, then I used a wet tissue to open and clean the tiny feral kitten’s eyes. There was a lot of infection in the kitten’s eyes but no visible permanent damage.
One more day with the eyes stuck shut and the kitten could have been blind. Catherine had saved the kitten again!
Don drove home while I cuddled the dirty little feral spitfire. I love getting feral baby kittens that I can tame and find homes for. By the time we got home the sweet little flea covered kitten had quit hissing and was taking a nap.
The first thing that needed to happen was to feed the kitten. I thought the kitten was about 8 weeks old and I had stage 2 kitten food and canned kitten food. The kitten would not eat the canned kitten food, stage 2 liquid, or kitten kibble.
Next was a bath. The fleas and dirt had to go. By the end of the bath the little Hissy-Fit was a Beautiful Kitten with lots of white and a patchwork of black and tan strips. Then I noticed an injury on the kitten’s abdomen. The injury didn’t look deep, but it needed to be checked.
For Martha Teachey, who lives with us, it was Love at First Sight.
I managed to get a little watered-down formula into the kitten Saturday night.
Don drove into Aiken to PetSmart on Sunday for Cat Milk Replacement formula. Yep, the kitten loved that! I spent all of Sunday playing with and bottle feeding the Beautiful little kitten and I cleaned the baby’s eyes every couple of hours. By the end of the day, I was smitten and so was Don.
What should I name the kitten? I settled on Lexie Girl or Lexy Boy for Lexington kitten.
First thing Monday morning I called the Vet’s office and was told to bring Lexie in that afternoon. Lexie was a hit with everyone who saw the tiny kitten, and they were amazed at Lexie’s story. Dr Barber checked Lexie – 5 weeks old, female, 1.0 pound. He prescribed ointment for her eyes and said the wound on her abdomen was healing. When they asked me if I was keeping her, I said YES.
5 weeks old! No wonder Lexie didn’t want the other kitten food. Time to buy more Kitten Milk Replacer (KMR). I took Lexie into PetSmart. The employees and customers loved her.
It has been one week since Catherine and Shawn rescued Lexie and every day is a new adventure. Lexie loves to play. We had to clip her claws – I became her climbing post and chew toy. Lexie loves her other new toys, too. She does NOT like being carried and becomes a Velcro baby. Lexie has graduated from a small carrier at night to a big crate. Lexie has her own tiny litter box and has Litter Box Trained Herself.
Most of the big cats still have not accepted Lexie. They hiss at her and she hisses back at them. But Lexie knows that We are her Mommy and Daddy. And I am SOOOO glad that we have her!!
UPDATE: 10/11/2025 We adopted Lexie 2 weeks ago today. All of the cats have accepted Lexie. She is weaned from the bottle, loves her kibble and canned food, and Plays and PLAYS! Lexie is now 1½ pounds.
UPDATE: 10/16/2025 We adopted Lexie 19 days ago today. Lexie has grown from the tiny baby kitten who was 6 inches long to 9in long + her tail. Lexie is now 1lb 12oz. She climbs onto the recliner, jumps off, and tackles me and Daddy. 2 of our big cats have started playing with Lexie.
Thank You Paula!!!
Thank You Catherine and Shawn!!!
Don and I have done cat rescue for 35 years. We live way out in the country, back off the road, and we have several acres of land, so we are not putting the cats in danger or overcrowding the neighborhood. No matter how many cats we have, we try to make room for one more if they need us. Most of the time we take care of them, tame and spoil them, and try to find them a good home. But if needed, they will always have a home here.
Lexie is now HEALTHY and HAPPY!
Guest Blogger: The First Therapist by GP Gottlieb
/in Uncategorized/by DebraOne day many years ago, my husband suddenly told me he wanted a divorce. Between the moment he said that he missed his freedom and the slamming of the door when he left, I learned what it meant to watch your life crumble into tiny pieces.
I imagined writing about it one day in the future, but it was the old, “College professor gets tenure and has an affair with his teaching assistant” story, so not a new tale to tell.
I still remember going to a therapist that week and sitting in her dark-paneled, stuffy office. It was just a ten-minute drive from the house I’d soon have to leave. I loved that house, a “painted lady,” built in 1897, and had spent a lot of time choosing paints and wallpapers and furniture. I considered writing about my woes, but who needs another, “Divorced woman forced to leave the home she spent five years fixing up” story?
During my first few weeks of therapy, I told the therapist about my life and my marriage. Of course we had issues, but I thought that we’d work through them together. I wished the therapist could have been more sympathetic, but no matter what I told her, she’d respond with a version of, “How did that make you feel?”
I wanted to say, “I’ve just spent thirty minutes telling you how it made me feel,” but I was raised to be polite, so I answered her with words like “angry”, “abandoned,” and “betrayed.” If I wrote a story about a woman who sat weeping about the end of her marriage, my fictional therapist would say something like, “Oh honey, that must have been so hard,” or, “It sounds like a tragic situation – but I’m going to help you get through it.”
My character would cry and say, “Yeah, it is tragic,” and she’d come away from the appointment feeling a tiny bit better. I never came away from my appointments feeling better, but I couldn’t write about those feeling because who needs another story about a therapist who doesn’t help her patient?
One day, about three months after I started seeing that therapist, I went over for my appointment, and the door to her office was locked. I thought she must have gotten tired of my whining, but slowly, over the next few weeks, stories started to circulate in the small town where we lived.
According to my friend who was a dance teacher, the therapist’s daughters hadn’t come to class for several weeks, and there was gossip about the husband being abusive. One chatty neighbor told me she’d heard something about him having underworld connections. I thought it sounded interesting, but how could I tell that old chestnut about a therapist who disappears under murky circumstances from a military-heavy, fundamentalist town?
According to a friend in my mommy group, the therapist survived her husband’s attempt to murder her and had gone into the federal witness protection program. Why had I been so whacked out just because my husband wanted a divorce? What was I even complaining about? That’s why I could never write about getting divorced – there are so many worse things happening in the world, so many other stories to tell.
I hope the first therapist survived her experience. I turned her into a character in an early draft of my first novel but later took her out because it sounded like the old “husband tried to kill her, and she ended up in witness protection” story.
I moved away from that town and settled in another part of the country but still imagine running into that therapist one day. It would probably turn out that she’d went home to her family in Texas, but I’d still be interested to hear her side of the story. And although it isn’t nice of me, I imagine asking her, “How did the experience make you feel?”
GP Gottlieb is the author of the Whipped and Sipped Mystery Series (Battered was re-released September 2025 in Paperback, Kindle and Nook). She’s a member of the Blackbird Writers, on the Sisters in Crime Chicagoland Board, and a member of SinC Colorado and SinC Wisconsin. She likes posting on Facebook, reads voraciously, and has interviewed over 260 authors for New Books in Literature, a podcast channel on the New Books Network. Her stories have been published in Pure Slush, Another Chicago Magazine, Grande Dame Literary, and other journals and anthologies. Over 250 of her essays on travel, music, culture, writing, and things that annoy her are available in various publications at Medium.Com.
How a Real-Life “Diamond Dog” Sparked CB Wilson’s Next Cozy Dog Mystery Series
/in new dog mystery series, author promotion, Cozy Mysteries, Dog books, Guest Blogger/by Lois WinstonGuest post by CB Wilson
As the author of a long-running cozy dog mystery series, I’ve learned to keep my radar tuned for anything canine. I devour dog-related articles—not because I plan to use every tidbit, but because I know that one day, something will leap off the page and knock my socks off.
Sure enough, about a year ago, a reader emailed me a headline that stopped me in my tracks: Diamond Dogs. Real, live dogs trained to sniff out diamonds buried as deep as fifty feet underground. No kidding. My head nearly exploded with ideas.
The timing couldn’t have been better. Truth be told, I’m a bit of a blingaholic. Long before I started writing mysteries, I studied gemology and earned my degree from the Geological Society of America. I’ve always wanted to write about diamonds. I’d slipped a few into the Barkview Mysteries—lost stones popped up in books four, five, and six—but it never felt like enough sparkle.
Then came the article.
Imagine it: a dog that works like a living, wagging metal detector, sniffing out missing gemstones on a beach or in a park. Anyone who’s ever lost a diamond because of a broken prong knows the heartbreak. With a dog like that, you could make a fortune—or stumble into a world of secrets best left buried.
Within fifteen minutes, Glimmer the diamond-sniffing dachshund was born. Alongside her came a new heroine: a diamond investigator with a family history that includes a notorious jewel thief. Together, they stepped into a fictional Arizona mining town filled with danger, intrigue, and just the right amount of cozy charm.
That was the moment The Gem Hunters Mysteries took shape—a blend of sparkle, suspense, and of course, an unforgettable dog.
Because in my world, every diamond has a story … and some are worth killing for.
Glimmer, the Diamond Dog, is no ordinary dachshund. With her silky, long hair and sharp instincts, she has an extraordinary gift—she can sniff out diamonds buried deep underground. Serious and focused when on the job, Glimmer is the loyal partner of diamond investigator Taylor Hunter. Together, they unravel mysteries where every gem holds a dangerous secret. Fiercely devoted and brilliantly skilled, Glimmer proves that even the smallest detective can make the biggest discoveries.
Glimmer is an Influencer with her own social media on Facebook and Instagram. Follow Glimmer for a chance to win a signed book.
The Fire Diamond
Every diamond has a story… but some are worth killing for.
When Sunset Peak’s legendary Peak Diamond disappears during the town’s glittering centennial gala, Taylor Hunter knows one thing: this was no ordinary theft. As a renowned “Diamond Detective” and reluctant heir to a family legacy of jewel thieves, Taylor has solved high-profile cases around the globe—but this time, it’s personal.
The stakes spiral when a perfect replica of the diamond is found, a notorious diamond broker turns up dead, and her twin sister Hope’s fingerprints are discovered at the crime scene. With Sunset Peak’s future—and her sister’s freedom—on the line, Taylor must partner with the one man she swore she’d never trust: Police Chief Rocky Rockman, her ex-husband’s dangerously charming best friend.
Armed with her expertise, her sharp instincts, and Glimmer, her diamond-sniffing dachshund, Taylor races to unravel a tangled web of stolen gems, buried secrets, and hidden betrayals stretching far beyond her small Arizona town. But someone is willing to kill to keep the truth buried—and if Taylor’s not careful, she could be their next target.
Perfect for fans of Janet Evanovich, Ellery Adams, and Jenn McKinlay, The Fire Diamond is a fast-paced cozy adventure mystery where family secrets cut deep, small-town gossip hides deadly truths, and every diamond comes with a price.
~*~
Award-winning author CB Wilson began her writing journey with a childhood rebellion—after finishing a Nancy Drew mystery, she decided she could write a better ending.
A passionate animal advocate, she created the beloved Barkview Mysteries, blending her love of puzzles and pups. Her newest series, Gem Hunters, shines with adventure. Drawing on her Gemology degree from the prestigious Gemological Institute of America, CB weaves authentic sparkle into every page, featuring an extraordinary “Diamond Dog”—a clever Dachshund named Glitter who can sniff out diamonds fifty feet underground.
Her most creative ideas strike while horseback riding through Arizona’s desert trails. When she’s not plotting twists, CB enjoys pickleball and indulging her chocoholic side, convinced the best stories—like the best chocolate—are meant to be savored slowly.
Learn more about CB and her books at her website, where you’ll find links to her other social media.
The Future of Struggle by T.K. Thorne
/in T.K. Thorne/by TK Thorne“Struggle” is not a word I naturally embrace. I recently posted this:
My housekeeping style can be summed up in 7 words:
“There appears to have been a struggle.”
Okay, I stole that from a dish towel in a gift shop somewhere.
I like order around me, but housekeeping is, indeed, a struggle. The effort involved in making order happen seems like a waste of time. Why make the beds when we’re just going to get in them in a few hours? Why clean the floor we are constantly walking on?
Cleaning the house is a process on a spectrum. If you are too far on one end, you can eat off the floor, but you are a neurotic mess or a zombie. Too far on the other end, and the mice are eating off the floor. But the more interesting question is, why do we need order?
SEE MORE
A Cozy Holiday Whodunnit Sale
/in cozy holiday whodunnit sale, amateur sleuth mysteries, Christmas, Cozy Mysteries, cozy mystery books, cozy mystery sale, crafting cozies, crafty cozy mystery sale, Holiday Gifts, humor, Lois Winston, Sale, women sleuths, writing life/by Lois WinstonWhat’s better than a cozy holiday whodunnit? A cozy holiday whodunit sale!
Are you someone who curates your reading for each holiday? Holiday whodunnits are always a treat to pick up, especially this time of year. Not only do readers love holiday-themed cozies, but many of us also love writing them. Some authors even have holiday themed series. Although I haven’t yet penned a holiday-themed series (but who knows where my writing will take me in the future?) I love incorporating holidays into my books. The spooky atmosphere of Halloween seeps through A Stitch to Die For as well as the book I’m currently finishing.
However, Christmas has always been my favorite holiday. For that reason, there are two Christmas-themed books in my Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery series, and I’ll probably write another at some point. In Anastasia’s world, when the snowflakes start falling, it’s beginning to look a lot like murder, and she never knows when she’ll find a corpse in a sleigh. (Hint: she does!)
That’s what happens in Handmade Ho-Ho Homicide, the eighth book in the series, which is currently on sale through November 14th for only .99 cents.
Handmade Ho-Ho Homicide
An Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery, Book 8
Two and a half weeks ago magazine crafts editor Anastasia Pollack arrived home to find Ira Pollack, her half-brother-in-law, had blinged out her home with enough Christmas lights to rival Rockefeller Center. Now he’s crammed her small yard with enormous cavorting inflatable characters. She and photojournalist boyfriend (and possible spy) Zack Barnes pack up the unwanted lawn decorations to return to Ira. They arrive to find his yard the scene of an over-the-top Christmas extravaganza. His neighbors are not happy with the animatronics, laser light show, and blaring music creating traffic jams on their normally quiet street. One of them expresses his displeasure with his fists before running off.
In the excitement, the deflated lawn ornaments are never returned to Ira. The next morning Anastasia once again heads to his house before work to drop them off. When she arrives, she discovers Ira’s attacker dead in Santa’s sleigh. Ira becomes the prime suspect in the man’s murder and begs Anastasia to help clear his name. But Anastasia has promised her sons she’ll keep her nose out of police business. What’s a reluctant amateur sleuth to do?
Christmas craft projects included.
A cozy holiday whodunnit sale!
Kindle Kobo Nook Apple Books
Grab a copy of Handmade Ho-Ho Homicide for yourself, then cozy up under your favorite quilt with a cup of hot cocoa, peppermint tea, some mulled cider, or even a hot toddy. But don’t forget about all your cozy-loving friends and family. Gift them a copy. They’ll certainly appreciate it more than that annual leaden fruit cake!
Are you someone who loves reading holiday-themed cozies? Or an author who loves writing them? Post a comment for a chance to win a promo code for a free audiobook download of any of the Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries.
~*~
USA Today 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. Kirkus Reviews 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 website www.loiswinston.com. Sign up for her newsletter to receive an Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mini-Mystery.
Switching Gears and Finding Joy
/in Uncategorized/by Saralyn RichardMy current work in progress is a historical mystery, my first foray into writing in that genre. It’s also the book I’ve wanted to write since I was fifteen years old. There are a lot of reasons the project has stalled over the years, but now that I’m fully into it, I’m finding so much joy.
As this is the first time I’ve ventured into history, I’m finding out how essential the research is. And savoring it! One example—I spent at least a half hour learning how the old-fashioned cash registers work. I’ll probably never need to use this information in real life, but my character needs to operate a cash register in her family’s shop, and I can’t have her standing before a customer, looking inept.
Everything about the writing feels different, too. Word choices and expressions must reflect the idioms of the day, more than a century go. It’s a treat to say things in different ways, not having to resort to modern-day slang or curse words. I find myself playing with language as I imagine a first kiss between two restrained and proper young lovers.
The best part is that the setting is my home town, and two of the characters are my grandparents, whom I didn’t have many years to know. I’m passionate about “getting them right,” and I’ve channeled them, conducted interviews with family and community members, and reacquainted myself with my family.
Overall, the writing of this book is fulfilling a dream, and I’m certain that the end product will be better for the story’s having percolated for decades.
Have you ever switched gears and found joy? I’d love to hear about your experiences.
Saralyn Richard is the author of seven mystery novels, including the Detective Parrott series, the Quinn McFarland series, A Murder of Principal, and the children’s book, Naughty Nana. Visit her website at https://www.saralynrichard.com and sign up for her monthly newsletter for unique opportunities, giveaways, surveys, and fun.
THE KITTEN WHO LIVED (A True Story)
/in Paula Gail Benson, words/by Paula BensonDear Readers:
Just last month, I had the privilege to help facilitate a rescue. When the heroine of the adventure, acknowledged cat whisperer Fran Bush, wrote the story and sent it to me, I asked if I could share it. I think you will truly appreciate Fran’s talent and expertise, both as a storyteller and a caring human being. I’m proud to call her my friend.
Here in her own words is the story of “The Kitten Who Lived.” Thanks, Fran, for sharing.
Paula Gail Benson
THE KITTEN WHO LIVED (A True Story)
By Frances “Fran” Bush
On Saturday, September 27, 2025, I received a text message from my friend Paula asking me if I would be willing to take a kitten who a friend of hers had found. The friend couldn’t keep the kitten. I said Yes. Paula put her friend Catherine in touch with me and then I learned the rest of the rescue story.
Catherine and her husband, Shawn, live in Lexington, S.C., and they rescue dogs. They were traveling on a very busy highway in Lexington County, in a 55mph zone, when they spotted 2 dogs in the center of the road. They had stopped to check on the dogs when they noticed one dog had something in its mouth. They forced the dog to drop what they thought was a squirrel only to realize it was a tiny kitten.
In a few more seconds, the dog would have killed the baby kitten, but Catherine and her husband saved it!
Having rescued the baby kitten, they tried to find help. When they contacted the animal shelters in and near Columbia, S.C., they learned the shelters would not take cats or kittens because of some kind of cat illness.
Then, they checked every other place and person they could think of with no help found. Catherine resorted to posting a plea for help on Facebook. That is where our mutual friend Paula saw the post, contacted me, and put me in touch with Catherine.
If Catherine had not posted on Facebook and Paula had not immediately seen the post and called me, I would never have known about the tiny baby kitten needing help.
When Catherine texted me, we arranged to meet about halfway between Lexington and my home in Windsor. Catherine and Shawn were waiting for us when we arrived in Pelion, S.C. One look at the tiny baby kitten in a big box and I knew it was worth the trip. I talked to Catherine for just a couple of minutes, and they gave me a 7-pound bag of Fancy Feast Kitten food they had purchased.
When I took the hissing kitten out of the box, I realized the kitten’s eyes were stuck shut and that puss was leaking from the corners. My husband Don went into the store and bought a bottle of water, then I used a wet tissue to open and clean the tiny feral kitten’s eyes. There was a lot of infection in the kitten’s eyes but no visible permanent damage.
One more day with the eyes stuck shut and the kitten could have been blind. Catherine had saved the kitten again!
Don drove home while I cuddled the dirty little feral spitfire. I love getting feral baby kittens that I can tame and find homes for. By the time we got home the sweet little flea covered kitten had quit hissing and was taking a nap.
The first thing that needed to happen was to feed the kitten. I thought the kitten was about 8 weeks old and I had stage 2 kitten food and canned kitten food. The kitten would not eat the canned kitten food, stage 2 liquid, or kitten kibble.
Next was a bath. The fleas and dirt had to go. By the end of the bath the little Hissy-Fit was a Beautiful Kitten with lots of white and a patchwork of black and tan strips. Then I noticed an injury on the kitten’s abdomen. The injury didn’t look deep, but it needed to be checked.
For Martha Teachey, who lives with us, it was Love at First Sight.
I managed to get a little watered-down formula into the kitten Saturday night.
Don drove into Aiken to PetSmart on Sunday for Cat Milk Replacement formula. Yep, the kitten loved that! I spent all of Sunday playing with and bottle feeding the Beautiful little kitten and I cleaned the baby’s eyes every couple of hours. By the end of the day, I was smitten and so was Don.
What should I name the kitten? I settled on Lexie Girl or Lexy Boy for Lexington kitten.
First thing Monday morning I called the Vet’s office and was told to bring Lexie in that afternoon. Lexie was a hit with everyone who saw the tiny kitten, and they were amazed at Lexie’s story. Dr Barber checked Lexie – 5 weeks old, female, 1.0 pound. He prescribed ointment for her eyes and said the wound on her abdomen was healing. When they asked me if I was keeping her, I said YES.
5 weeks old! No wonder Lexie didn’t want the other kitten food. Time to buy more Kitten Milk Replacer (KMR). I took Lexie into PetSmart. The employees and customers loved her.
It has been one week since Catherine and Shawn rescued Lexie and every day is a new adventure. Lexie loves to play. We had to clip her claws – I became her climbing post and chew toy. Lexie loves her other new toys, too. She does NOT like being carried and becomes a Velcro baby. Lexie has graduated from a small carrier at night to a big crate. Lexie has her own tiny litter box and has Litter Box Trained Herself.
Most of the big cats still have not accepted Lexie. They hiss at her and she hisses back at them. But Lexie knows that We are her Mommy and Daddy. And I am SOOOO glad that we have her!!
UPDATE: 10/11/2025 We adopted Lexie 2 weeks ago today. All of the cats have accepted Lexie. She is weaned from the bottle, loves her kibble and canned food, and Plays and PLAYS! Lexie is now 1½ pounds.
UPDATE: 10/16/2025 We adopted Lexie 19 days ago today. Lexie has grown from the tiny baby kitten who was 6 inches long to 9in long + her tail. Lexie is now 1lb 12oz. She climbs onto the recliner, jumps off, and tackles me and Daddy. 2 of our big cats have started playing with Lexie.
Thank You Paula!!!
Thank You Catherine and Shawn!!!
Don and I have done cat rescue for 35 years. We live way out in the country, back off the road, and we have several acres of land, so we are not putting the cats in danger or overcrowding the neighborhood. No matter how many cats we have, we try to make room for one more if they need us. Most of the time we take care of them, tame and spoil them, and try to find them a good home. But if needed, they will always have a home here.
Lexie is now HEALTHY and HAPPY!
A life well lived – highlights and hiccups
/in Author Life, writing life/by donalee Moultonby donalee Moulton
I was recently asked about life’s pleasures as a writer, and otherwise. I thought I’d share some of my likes and dislikes with you. I would love to hear what you’d say to these.
Things you never want to run out of: Chocolate, sweat pants, downward dogs
Things you wish you’d never bought: White chocolate, stilettos, a gym membership
Hardest thing about being a writer: Writing
Easiest thing about being a writer: Talking about writing with other writers
Favorite foods: Miso chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, baked gnocchi
Things that make you want to gag: Snails (even if you call it “escargot”), lima beans, coconut
Favorite music or song: I like music I can move to or with lyrics that move me
Music that drives you crazy: Opera (sadly)
Last best thing you ate: Cider doughnuts
Last thing you regret eating: Some waxy wrap thing with shredded carrots
The last thing you ordered online: A catio for Wiley Bob so he can safely go out in the sunshine
The last thing you regret buying: A wool winter coat that’s itchy to look at and itchy to wear
Things you always put in your books: Humor
Things you never put in your books: Blood, guts, gore (at least so far)
Favorite places you’ve been: Sable Island, Thailand, Sweden
Places you never want to go to again: Yoga retreats with yurts
Favorite books (or genre): Charlotte’s Web, Where the Crawdad’s Sing, The Marriages Between Zones Three, Four, and Five
Books you wouldn’t buy: Horror
Best thing you’ve ever done: Written books and stories and poems and articles
Biggest mistake: Going to the opera ties with joining a gym
The nicest thing a reader said to you: One reader posted a picture of themselves lounging in the sun reading Hung Out to Die. They captioned it “Perfect afternoon.”
The craziest thing a reader said to you: Some readers see sexual tension between two characters in Hung Out to Die. I just don’t see it.
Some real-life story that made it to one of your books: I can get up off the floor without using my hands. So can one of my characters.
Something in your story that readers think is about you, but it’s not: Love of coffee. I don’t drink caffeine.
My Accidental Career
/in Author Life, Cozy Mysteries, Gay Yellen, memories, Publishing, Samantha Newman Romantic Mystery series, Tennis, Uncategorized/by Gay YellenHave you ever bluffed your way into a job?
In my ongoing task of digging through the overwhelming amount of my family’s old photos and papers to form some semblance of an organized archive, I’ve recently encountered episodes of my life that I haven’t thought about in years. Including the one that turned me into a professional writer.
It started with accepting an emergency assignment for a job I knew nothing about.
Would I take the gig?
I knew zero about the game of tennis, but the magazine didn’t know that. They hadn’t asked. That’s how desperate they were.
The job meant a few extra bucks for me, and I had no weekend plans. So, that evening, I borrowed a racket from a friend, packed a bag and boarded the next puddle jumper from L.A. to Tahoe to cover the event.
This was in pre-Internet days, so there was no way for me to access information about the game of tennis or the new camp, a reality that hadn’t sunk in until I was on the plane. I told myself that a reporter’s job was just to ask questions, which helped calm my nerves. After all, I’d written lots of reports in high school and college. What could be so hard about writing this one?
By the time I arrived, it was almost midnight. I’d already missed the welcome dinner and any chance to find out anything in advance of tomorrow’s Opening Day’s activities.
The first thing I learned when I arrived at the courts the next morning was that the camp’s purpose was to teach tennis professionals how to teach tennis. All the attendees were accomplished players. All fifteen or so of them were there to get certified as tennis pros at various country clubs around the nation. Since they were already seasoned athletes, the training was sure to be exceedingly rigorous. And I was expected to participate.
After a long and excruciating first day on the court, I was ready for bed as soon as the sun set. When I woke the next morning, my legs were completely in spasm. I rolled off the bed onto the floor and belly-crawled to the bathroom, then hoisted myself into the bathtub. After a few minutes of soaking in warm water, the cramps relaxed just enough for me to hobble to the courts in time for a second round of torture. All the pros were already warming up, practicing their sleek forehands, twisty backhands, powerful overhead smashes, cunning lobs, and the rest of the words in my new sports vocabulary.
I returned to L.A., turned in my report, and collected the check. The next month, Tennis Illustrated published the article. A few weeks later, they called to ask if I’d be interested in being their editor. The offer was almost twice what my job as Assistant to the Director of Production at The American Film Institute paid, so I accepted.
Luckily, the friend who had loaned me his racket came to the rescue again. Not only did he know tennis, but he’d also been the editor of his college newspaper. He gave me his extra racket along with a manual of editorial squiggles (which I came to learn were called “proofreaders’ marks”) so I’d know how to mark copy.
That is how, while I was still in my twenties, my life as a professional writer began. After a couple of years of covering big tournaments and interviewing tennis greats, I moved on to the masthead of a lifestyle magazine, where I earned a national journalism award. And then I turned to writing novels, which also happened to me out of the blue. But that’s a story for another time.
Today, with my multi-award-winning Samantha Newman Mystery Series—and beloved writing colleagues all over the country—I’m thrilled to be part of the publishing community. And I’m working on another book. But that is another story for another time.
To all the aspiring writers out there, keep writing. You never know when good luck might lead you to your best life.
Her multi-award-winning Samantha Newman Mystery Series is packed with suspense and laced with touches of romance, heart, and humor. Available on Amazon or through your favorite bookseller.
What Do the Girls Have to Say About the Guy?
/in Guest Blogger, Author Life, characters, Detective/by Lois WinstonTen years ago, when the character of Declan Shaw, a Houston PI, popped into my head, I didn’t give a second thought to the fact that I’d just committed myself to write, from a male perspective, what could become a series. It didn’t bother me. I wanted to try my hand at a detective story featuring in the main role a bruised romantic shamus, a classic updated for the 21st century.
I completed a first manuscript (full disclosure: that attempt will never be published; it was a trial run) and gave it to my husband. He’s a brilliant writer and my first beta reader. He said he enjoyed the story and proceeded to criticize it down to the bone. It’s good to have a fierce reviewer at home; once you’ve cleared that hurdle there’s nothing the world can throw at you that’ll make you flinch. He picked up two dialogue excerpts and commented: “A guy would never say that.”
Out of a 300-page story, I thought that was a pretty good score. It also made me aware of the stumbling blocks that our subconscious takes pleasure in throwing in our path. Note to self: Guys don’t giggle, unless they’re Tommy Udo and about to push a lady down the staircase. Not the mood I was going for … I fixed the dialogue and toughened it up.
We’re quite a few years later now. I have a ton of short stories under my belt, a retro-noir novella written in collaboration (Bop City Swing) where I take the part of the hardboiled cop and my writing partner, Russell Thayer, is in the female assassin’s head, and two Declan Shaw novels. Girls or guys, pumps or brogues, I’ll slip into the shoes the story calls for.
Except …
In Catch Me on a Blue Day, Book 2 of the Declan Shaw series, my PI gets very close and very personal with Isabel, a cute art gallery manager.
I’ve written quite a few seduction/sex scenes and I’m not new to the challenge, but the story required this one to jump higher in the temperature range than I’d gone before. I could have written it from Declan’s point of view—there’s another scene with Isabel in the book that gives him quite a kick—but for this particular one, I thought I could do more from the girl’s perspective. It’s a decision that changed the structure of the book.
The Declan stories are mostly told from his standpoint. Secondary points of view come into play, out of narrative necessity (for example, I put him in the ICU in Book 1, Love You Till Tuesday, and the plot couldn’t remain frozen for a week).
In this case, changing the angle to Isabel gave me an opportunity to put a different light on the main character, and reveal things about him that would never have surfaced otherwise. He’s a very controlled guy and she pushes his buttons so hard he loses his footing.
Next to Isabel’s star turn, I also gave voice to two other female characters who play a major role in the story. They form the other points of a triangle with Declan in the middle, in the crossbeams, and they balance the narrative.
The first one is Jean. She’s old enough to be his mother and would love to slip into a protective role. She does it, in a harrowing scene, and Declan accepts her help, but he remains reticent and unwilling to let her in too close. She sees herself as a nest builder, and he is a drifting soul. Their alliance can only be temporary.
The second one is Kate, close in age to Declan and Isabel. Fiercely independent, wary of emotional entanglements, and dealing with a troubled past. Her sister was murdered thirty years ago, a death that destroyed the family. Kate never knew the girl; she was only two at the time. She doesn’t open up to people easily, and her trust is hard to win. She’d like to see Declan as some noble defender, but he’s a bit wobbly.
Seen through the eyes of these three women, Declan’s character gains new dimensions.
I enjoyed trading his cowboy boots for Isabel’s sandals, Jean’s sensible shoes, and Kate’s wellies … for a little while.
Catch Me on a Blue Day
A Declan Shaw Mystery, Book 2
“For Ella and all the innocents slain by soulless men.”
It’s the dedication of the book on the Salvadoran civil war retired reporter Carlton Marsh was writing before he committed suicide.
A shocking death. Marsh had asked Declan Shaw to come to Old Mapleton, Connecticut to help him with research. He looked forward to Declan’s visit: “See you at cocktail time, a fine whiskey’s waiting.” They talked on the phone a few hours before the man put a bullet in his brains.
Now Declan stands in the office of the local police chief. The cop would prefer to see him fly back to Houston. He’s never dealt with a private detective, but everybody knows they are trouble. If only there weren’t so many unanswered questions around Marsh’s death … the haunting first three chapters of his book, and that dedication to Ella, a girl whose murder thirty years ago brought the town to its knees.
In Catch Me on a Blue Day, Declan is far from his regular Texas stomping grounds. He’s off balance in more ways than one, and the crimes he uncovers are of a magnitude he could not foresee.
Between the sins of an old New England town and the violence of 1980s El Salvador. And the links between the two.
Buy links
paperback
ebook
~*~
M.E. Proctor was born in Brussels and lives in Texas. She’s the author of the Declan Shaw detective mysteries: Love You Till Tuesday and Catch Me on a Blue Day. She’s also the author of a short story collection, Family and Other Ailments, and the co-author of a retro-noir novella, Bop City Swing. Her fiction has appeared in anthologies and magazines like Vautrin, Tough, Rock and a Hard Place, Bristol Noir, Mystery Tribune, Reckon Review, and Black Cat Weekly among others. She’s a Shamus and Derringer short story nominee.
Pen Names & Projects
/in Author Life, author promotion, Ideas, Marketing, Romance/by Bethany MainesA New Pen Name for a New Project
As some of you may remember from earlier in the year, I was on a writing and submitting spree. Novella’s, short stories, writing contests—I was on a writing rampage! And with some spicier romance novellas in the collection, I asked for your help picking a pen name, so that I could differentiate between the standard spicy and the extra peppers brand.
And you came through!
Readers Helping Writers
There was a poll. Everyone responded and the pen name Vivienne Cross was selected as the winner! I was excited to start using it, but decided to hold off on doing any prep work until I had set on my branding strategy and had the right release to go with it.
Well, welcome to fall! Welcome to new contracts. Welcome to having the work I’ve been doing pay off. And now… welcome to wishing I had done some additional work on the pen name.
It was the 21st of September
In September, I went to acquire the domain name (for reasons I won’t discuss until next month) for Vivienne Cross and found that it was not available. Suspicious. I typed in the web address and, low and behold, it was being firmly occupied by someone who had put out a new book in August of this year. Complete face palm. While I had done my due diligence to see if anyone was using the name when I came up with it, there is nothing I can do about someone grabbing the name before me.
Inventing the Skateboard
Once my father said he invented the skateboard. And I know you’re thinking… No, he didn’t. But yes, he came up with the idea of putting his rollerskate wheels on a plank all on his own. And so did at least three other people out there in the 1950s. So, while I could be deeply suspicious that this author stole it from me, I have to admit that my own experience suggests otherwise. Every time I’ve tried to come up with a pen name, I’ve had at least three names that I considered genuine winners only to find that someone is already using it.
Forward Momentum
But I still need a pen name!
So I went back to the list and while I liked the runner up I found that I was no longer willing to take any of the secondary names. So I went back to the drawing board and worked with my business partner and another writer to workshop a new pen name.
The Criteria
We quickly established some guidelines for what I wanted to achieve with the name and assessed which names had ranked higher in the poll to find names in a similar style.
With those boundaries in mind, we developed our list, did some research and settled on (drum roll please)…
Sirena is a name originating from the mythical sirens and Corbeau means crow in French. I liked the symbolism and I liked the sound of the name. And yes, I threw myself on acquiring the domain name without delay. Thank you all for your help in selecting a name and I wish our efforts had not been in vain! But hopefully now we can all enjoy Sirena Corbeau and her future novels.
**
And don’t forget to check out more books by the Stiletto Gang: BOOKS