Tag Archive for: Debra H. Goldstein

Juggling by Debra H. Goldstein

I’m not a writer’s writer.  If I could claim that distinction, I would follow a schedule – perhaps coffee, exercise and writing before and after a short lunch until so many words or pages are completed.  I marvel at writers who live a pre-ordained lifestyle that produces a specified number of words or pages stopping only when “The End” is typed.  Me, I’m a juggler.

Jugglers balance balls, oranges, bowling pins, or whatever comes up in life in the air.  When we watch a juggler, we hold our breath hoping nothing breaks the cycle by falling.  Invariably, at some point, there is a miss, but the juggler grins or grimaces and tries again.

My writing is exactly like the juggler’s act.  Sometimes things go smoothly and the words flow in an easy timely manner, but more often, I add one more ball and my rhythm gets out of kilter.  This week was going to be simple:  two blogs to prepare, a rewrite of the book I am working on, a couple of contest entries if I had spare time, and the beginning of a two week online course with daily homework.  A piece of cake.  That is, until I lost a few hours to a medical appointment, an old friend called to catch up for an hour plus, my husband had the audacity to want to have dinner and conversation, all of the kids checked in, I had to spend hours on the computer and phone purchasing airline tickets for some upcoming trips and wrangling with the television, TV, and internet provider because my bill took a funny jump.  My goals for the week all came tumbling down.

Frustrated, I prioritized.  1) Get homework for class done; 2) smile…this is a guest blogger week on “It’s Not Always a Mystery” and Paula Benson sent me a great piece for Monday, April 14, explaining “What the Bar Exam Taught Me About Writing” (why didn’t I think of that?); 3) Do more class homework; 4) rewrite two pages; 5) write my Stiletto Gang blog; and take a deep breath so that easing in a few extra balls marked as the distractions of life didn’t cause me to drop anything.  Will I finish all the words and pages I hoped for this week?  No.  The contest stuff may have to wait until closer to deadline, the book rewrite may take an extra week, but I’m sure managing to successfully keep a lot of balls in the air and I’m grateful for that.

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Debra H. Goldstein is the author of 2012 IPPY Award winning Maze in Blue, a mystery set on the University of Michigan’s campus in the 1970’s.  Her most recent short stories, “Who Dat? Dat the Indian Chief!” and “Early Frost” can be found in the anthology Mardi Gras Murder (2014) and in The Birmingham Arts Journal (April 2014).  Contact Debra through her website www.DebraHGoldstein.com or through her personal blog, “It’s Not Always a Mystery,” http://debrahgoldstein.wordpress.com.

Comparing the Thoughts of Three Mardi Gras Murder Short Story Authors

The different ways authors work is intriguing and
educational.  While reading the thirteen
stories included in Mardi Gras Murder,
a short story anthology published by Mystery and Horror LLC, I
wondered if the other authors had approached their crime themed stories as I
did when writing Who Dat? Dat the Indian
Chief!
To answer my questions, I
contacted Harriette Sackler – Queen of
the King Cakes
and Sarah Glenn – Red
Beans and Ricin
.
1.  Tell me a plot
teaser about your Mardi Gras Murder
story:
Harriette:  Queen of the King Cakes is about a young
woman who is determined to fulfill her dream of achieving success in an area
she is most passionate about.   However,
one decision changes the course of her life.
Sarah:  In Red Beans and Ricin, private eye Lana
Fisher’s red beans take the blame when the guests at a Cajun potluck fall
ill.  When the hostess dies, Lana must
clear her name.
Debra:  Who Dat? Dat the Indian Chief! focuses
on the New Orleans Mardi Gras Indian Tribe parades and traditions.  This story of redemption is set post Katrina.
Harriette Sackler
2.  How did you get
the idea and come to write your short story?
Harriette:  I find
that somehow, my stories just come to me. 
Some of them are based on observations or incidents that have stuck in my mind over time.  This story actually revolves around a woman who lived on our block when I was a little girl and the wonderful times I spent with my grandmother who shared a passion similar to my protagonist.

Sarah:  I started with
the notion of Fat Wednesday, because I belonged to a group that celebrated it
for the same reasons J.  When I
mentioned setting a mystery during Mardi Gras to a friend, he said, “Red beans
and ricin?” which was just perfect.
Debra:  I saw an open
call for short stories for a Mardi Gras anthology.  Not knowing much about Mardi Gras events, I
started researching different parades. When I found historical info about how
the offspring of slaves and Indians created alternate parade activities, my
imagination ran wild – especially in light of the aftermath of Katrina.
3.  Did you need to do
research for the story?
Harriette:  Yes.  I did research for this story.  I read about the history of King Cakes, the
geography of New Orleans, and the Louisiana penal system.
Sarah:  Yes.  I was afraid that the FBI or some such would
investigate my online searches, but I would have to get in line.  There are a number of Breaking Bad fan sites
now that reference ricin.  I also wrote
Luci Zahray, the Poison Lady, about possible methods of introducing the
ricin.  Gwen Mayo helped me with the
method I finally chose.  Won’t divulge
that part, since it’s a spoiler.
Debra H. Goldstein
Debra:  I read
everything I could find on Mardi Gras Indian tribe parades, the routes they use,
and the special way the tribes communicate so that I could make my story
realistic.  Because I have not spent much
time in New Orleans, I contacted two friends who are natives to find out about
schools, streets, parishes, and other physical landmarks so my setting would be
accurate.

Our stories are very different.  Two of us use a prompt or research idea to
stimulate our imagination while things flow for the third writer, but no matter
how we approach our writing, we utilize research skills and personal memories.  The attention we give to details brings our
stories alive for readers.  The result,
in this case, is the Mardi Gras Murder anthology
that offers something for everyone.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 
Harriette Sackler serves as Grants Chair of the Malice Domestic Board of Directors. She is a past Agatha Award nominee for Best Short Story for “Mother Love,” Chesapeake Crimes II. “Fishing for Justice,” appeared in the Sisters in Crime-Guppies anthology, Fishnets.  “Devil’s Night,” can be found in All Hallows’ Evil,” a Mystery and Horror, LLC anthology.  “Thanksgiving with a Turkey,” appeared in a Shaker of Margaritas: a Bad Hair Day; and “The Factory,” was published in Chesapeake Crimes: This Job is Murder.
Harriette is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, Sisters in Crime-Chesapeake Chapter, and the Guppies. She lives in the D.C. suburbs with her husband and their three pups and spends a great deal of time as Vice President of her labor of love: House with a Heart Senior Pet Sanctuary. She is a proud mom and grandmother.  Visit Harriette at: www.harriettesackler.com .
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Sarah Glenn  has a degree in journalism. She spent a few years as a grad student in Classical Languages. She generally writes in the mystery and horror genres. Gwen Mayo and Sarah started Mystery and Horror LLC in 2011, after each had a novel published by another publisher.  Sarah’s most recent non-MAHLLC publication was in Hoosier Hoops and Hijinks, an anthology from the Speed City chapter of Sisters in Crime. She co-wrote The Odds Are Always Uneven with Gwen Mayo, featuring characters from a novel they are writing together.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Debra H. Goldstein is the author of 2012 IPPY Award winning Maze in Blue, a mystery set on the University of Michigan’s campus in the 1970’s.  Harlequin Worldwide Mystery will be featuring Maze in Blue as an April 2014 book of the month. In addition to the recently published Who Dat? Dat the Indian Chief! in Mardi Gras Murder, Debra’s Early Frost short story will be included in the April 2014 Birmingham Arts Journal.
  

Murder with Ganache Triggers Memories of Our Daughter’s Wedding

A few months ago, my husband and I lived through the insanity (with love) of our daughter getting married. The strategic planning and balancing of family, friends, and vendors was worse than plotting a novel. When I recently read Murder with Ganache:  A Key West Food Critic Mystery by Lucy Burdete (aka Roberta Isleib), I was reminded by its combination of mystery, romance, family conflict, food and recipes of just how smoothly our wedding weekend went. I found the book to be fun, witty and with just the right amount of clues to keep me guessing to the end.

In Murder with Ganache, Haley Snow, the food critic for Key Zest magazine, is juggling meeting her writing deadlines for restaurant reviews, doughnut and sticky bun tastings, and an article on the Hemingway cats while handling all of the details, include baking 200 cupcakes, for her best friend’s wedding.  Haley’s plate overflows when family drama and murder is added to it.

The summary blurb notes that Haley’s “parents come barreling down on the island like a category 3 hurricane and on the first night in town her stepbrother, Roby, disappears into the spring break party scene in Key West.  When Haley hears that two teenagers have stolen a jet ski, she sets aside her oven mitts and goes in search of Rory.  She finds him, barely conscious, but his female companion isn’t so lucky.  Now Haley has to let the cupcakes cool and assemble the sprinkles of clues to clear her stepbrother’s name – before someone else gets iced.”

Murder with Ganache is an enjoyable read and a well-constructed mystery that also manages to embrace family.  In addition, the book brings the quirkiness of Key West to life by including details such as the Hemingway House’s cats and the famous Courthouse Deli Bench (the bench has its own Facebook page).
Much as I enjoyed the memories that Murder with Ganache brought back, I’m really happy that our wedding weekend was comparably tame.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Lucy Burdette (aka Roberta Isleib) is the author of twelve mysteries.  Murder with Ganache is the latest in the Key West series featuring food critic Haley Snow. She is a past president of Sisters in Crime.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Debra H. Goldstein is the author of 2012 IPPY Award winning Maze in Blue, a mystery set on the University of Michigan’s campus in the 1970’s.  It has been selected as a Harlequin Worldwide Mystery book of the month for May 2014.  Who Dat? Dat the Indian Chief! is one of thirteen short stories in the newly released Mardi Gras Murder anthology.

Ice, Snow, and Being Part of a Caring Community (Part II) by Debra H. Goldstein

In my last blog, I wrote about the caring community created by the twenty-five of us stranded at the YWCA. What could have been a horrible experience became a warm and wonderful time as we all helped each other make it through our unexpected stay.  As I struggle to find my voice and place as an author, I have found that writers also create caring communities.

Whether offering manuscript advice, methods of researching and expressing ideas, or simply how to find one’s way around at a conference, I have observed best-selling authors and peons joining together as a community.  Those who are successful give shout-outs and support to those climbing the ladder – and make sure the platform is wide enough for all to share.

For example, at Malice Domestic 2013, I had the privilege of riding an elevator with Carolyn Hart. I’m a pretty confident person, but as the elevator went up, I stumbled over my words telling “Ms. Hart” how much I enjoyed her books. During the conference, where she was honored with the Amelia Award, she told the audience how her writing career failed take off immediately. In fact, her first few books either were not published or didn’t sell well, but she kept writing. When she became an overnight success, it had been a long night. 

Our paths crossed a number of times during the conference and at the Sisters in Crime breakfast. Ironically, we were in the elevator together again leaving the conference. This time, I congratulated “Carolyn” on her award and we actually laughed about spending the conference in the elevator.

Thinking back on the difference in my behavior during our elevator rides, I realize that the change in my attitude came from being impressed with her writing abilities and with her persistence and willingness to help other writers. Even during the hour interview tied to her award at Malice, she took the time to give a newer writer, Terry Shames, a shout-out. It takes a big person to share one’s limelight with others. Carolyn’s work ethic and her generosity during that conference demonstrated how a little bit of caring behavior enhances the community of writers.

Because of Carolyn Hart’s shout-out, I made it a point to read Terry Shame’s book, A Killing at Cotton Hill.  I loved it.  I’m looking forward to reading her new book, The Last Death of Jack Harbin.

My personal writing journey also reflects an ever-expanding community of generous writers.  2012 IPPY award winning Maze in Blue, a murder mystery set on the University of Michigan’s campus in the 1970’s originally was published and now will be reissued by Harlequin Worldwide Mysteries as a May 2014 book of the month because other writers opened or suggested doors to go through.  Similarly, Who Dat? Dat the Indian Chief! which appears in the new short story anthology, Mardi Gras Murder, would never have been written nor submitted if another writer hadn’t generously posted the open call for submissions on two listserves.

I am thankful for the community of writers who care enough to help me.  Have you been given or extended a helping hand along the way?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~                              ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Debra H. Goldstein’s debut novel, Maze in Blue, received a 2012 IPPY Award.
She writes fiction and non-fiction pieces.  Who Dat? Dat the Indian Chief! was included in the Mardi Gras Murder short story anthology in February 2014.  A Political Cornucopia was featured in the November 2013 Bethlehem Writers Roundtable.  An upcoming issue of Mysterical-E will include her short story The Rabbi’s Wife Stayed Home.

Listening to the Sound of Words and the Voice of Characters

Listening to the Sound of Words and the Voice of Characters
by Debra H. Goldstein

I like to talk to myself.  Not quietly in my mind, but out loud. My children cringe and fear the worst when they hear me. Joel ignores my occasional mutterings grateful they aren’t honey do directives.  I have no idea what someone watching a security camera filming an elevator or hallway thinks – especially when the words relate to murder or another heinous crime.  The fact is that as a writer, I need to hear the sound of words.

Testing dialogue or narrative works best for me if I can listen to the words.  Giving them vocal life allows me to feel the pace of a scene and the true voice of each character.  Often I realize that what is blocking the flow of the piece is that in trying to push the story, I overwrote it with words the characters never would have chosen to utter when expressing themselves.  The story only works when I respond to the awkwardness of my crafted sentences.

Many writers don’t have to talk aloud.  Instead, they hear voices in their heads. One of my first guest bloggers on my personal blog, “It’s Not Always a Mystery,” Lois Winston, author of the Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries, described the phenomenon of “Those Voices in My Head” in February 2012. (http://debrahgoldstein.wordpress.com/2012/02/21/guest-blog-those-voices-in-my-head-by-lois-winston/ )  Lois explained that the voices belong to her characters. Her voices are not content to sit back and let her write their stories.  Instead, they argue plot lines, characterization, voice, and pace with her.  They often refuse to let the story proceed until she accedes to their demands. Time has taught her that the way the voices in her head want a book to be written is always correct.  Her newest book, Decoupage can be Deadly, is a perfect example of  combining polished writing skills with listening to the voices in her head to produce a delightful final product.

Linda Rodriguez, author of Every Last Secret, Every Broken Trust and Every Hidden Fear, has a similar involvement with her characters.  She recently blogged about how they speak to her and insist on having lives of their own, but she implied that what the characters say are extensions of her subconscious experiences and reading that she had failed to consciously pull together.  The impact of these subliminal messages barging into her consciousness is what works to makes half-Cherokee Marquitta “Skeet” Bannion and the other characters in Linda’s books so real. (https://www.thestilettogang.com/ – December 6, 2013) The result is that when one reads any of the books that feature “Skeet” Bannion, one immediately feels a kinship with “Skeet,” her family, friends and enemies. 
 
A third group of writers don’t talk out loud or hear voices.  Their story stumbling blocks are resolved while sleeping.  The loose ends of their stories come together in action sequences during their dreams.

Whether words are spoken aloud, voices are heard, or acted out during rem sleep, it is immaterial how subconscious story truth is reached.  The key is for a writer to recognize and accept the message. No matter how skilled a writer is, continually trying to push a round-pegged story into a square hole never produces a quality work product.  Being open to the sound of words and the thoughts characters speak can make the difference between writing that ends up in the drawer versus a book or story that is successful.  As a writer, what method do you use to find the true path a project is meant to take?
                                                                           ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Decoupage Can Be Deadly is the fourth book in Lois Winston’s Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries series.  In Decoupage Can Be Deadly, Anastasia and her fellow American Woman editors are steaming mad when minutes before the opening of a consumer show, they discover half their booth usurped by Bling!, their publisher’s newest magazine. CEO Alfred Gruenwald is sporting new arm candy—rapper-turned-entrepreneur and Bling! executive editor, the first-name-only Philomena. During the consumer show, Gruenwald’s wife serves Philomena with an alienation of affection lawsuit, but Philomena doesn’t live long enough to make an appearance in court. She’s found dead days later, stuffed in the shipping case that held Anastasia’s decoupage crafts. When Gruenwald makes cash-strapped Anastasia an offer she can’t refuse, she wonders, does he really want to find Philomena’s killer or is he harboring a hidden agenda?
                                                                             ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
In Every Broken Trust by Linda Rodriguez, life has settled into routine for half-Cherokee Marquitta “Skeet” Bannion now that she’s gained custody of fifteen-year-old Brian Jameson and shares care for her stroke-impaired father with her ex-husband—until the past reaches out to destroy everything she holds dear.

A party to celebrate the arrival in Brewster, Missouri, of George Melvin, a Kansas City politician accompanied by his troubled teenage daughter, wealthy wife, even wealthier backer, and mysterious employee, rapidly turns into disaster when Skeet’s best friend, Karen Wise, stumbles on a body in Chouteau University’s storage caves and is attacked herself.  Not knowing who she can trust as she finds friends and neighbors in Brewster keeping secrets from her, Skeet struggles against the clock to solve a series of linked murders stretching into the past before she loses Brian forever and her best friend winds up in jail—or dead.

Writing – Bah Humbug and Future Promises

Writing – Bah Humbug and Future Promises by Debra H. Goldstein

The holidays are over.  The Christmas music that began playing on my favorite radio station in November has changed back to easy listening.  Although the station will probably have a Christmas in July weekend, it is pretty safe to say the songs, tinsel, advertising, and holiday spirit are gone.  Bah humbug has returned.  It feels pretty good.

No, I’m not Scrooge.  I actually like the kindness and gentle spirit that is attached to the holiday season.  I love to see the lit candles of Chanukah twinkle.  I enjoy watching shelter children picking out presents for their parents while their parents choose toys for them at the Birmingham YWCA’s Santa’s Workshop or volunteering to help meet a family’s wishes through the Angel Tree or Temple’s Adopt A Family Program.  My issue is that I don’t like to be banged over the head with this “spirit” only in November and December.  I prefer the year ‘round approach.

I often wish I could apply my all year charitable approach to my writing.  I envy the person who sits down and writes a set number of words a day.  For me, trying to write is very similar to enjoying the holidays.  I write in sprints – easily distracted by the music and lights of everyday living.  When the writing is going well, I celebrate joyously and concentrate on the work.  When my ideas aren’t fresh or exciting or I’ve received a rejection letter, I find it far easier to lounge in front of the television than my computer or to pick up pen and paper.  

In the past, I’ve been a master of excuses as to why I’m not writing.  Excuses like I need to be in the mood (compare this to the holiday spirit), my office is upstairs and I don’t feel like going up the steps, or I would write in a notebook but then I would have to transcribe my thoughts to a computer.  Other excuses for the notebook could be a) if I leave it lying around the neighbor’s dog might eat my work, b) if I put the notebook down, I may forget where I put it, or c) if I close the notebook I may not find the page I wrote on again.  

I really wonder what excuses others use and what is the motivation that helps one write consistently?  My next blog will not appear until 2014. In anticipation of it and the New Year, I want to resolve to apply the year ‘round approach to my writing.  It isn’t going to be easy.  How do you do it?  Will you help me or join me in this New Year’s resolution?

Whether we succeed or not, may 2014 be a happy, healthy and prosperous year for you and yours.
                                                                       ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Debra H. Goldstein is the author of Maze in Blue, a murder mystery set on the University of Michigan’s campus in the 1970’s.  Her short story, “A Political Cornucopia” was the November Bethlehem Writers Roundtable featured story.    

Fiction is Stranger than Truth – Or Is It?

Fiction is stranger than truth – or is it? 
by Debra H. Goldstein

Writers pull stories out of the air – or at least that’s how it seems.

In reality, the seeds of a story may have many origins.  An incident in our lives, an anecdote someone tells us, a line of poetry, chance meetings or long time friendships may be the “what if” that triggers our imaginations.

Sally Berneathy provided a good example of this in her November 26th Stiletto Gang blogpost when she wrote about transforming her interaction with a road-rage filled driver into a character in the her current work in progress. My recent Bethlehem Writers Roundtable short story, “A Political Cornucopia,” (http://bwgwritersroundtable.com) grew out of a chance discussion about Southern politics with a colleague.

We were talking about the practice of buying votes and he mentioned a fifty year old newspaper picture of a group of candidates, including one of his relatives, standing on the marble stairs of a rural courthouse shaking hands as they solemnly agreed to run clean campaigns.  I googled the incident and came up with a picture of four stern-faced contenders over a caption describing their no-vote-buying agreement.

I consulted a number of search engines but never found out whether the candidates in the picture kept their word, but looking at their 1950’s clothing took me back to an era when Southern politicians often behaved like fictional characters.  White suits, big hats, kissing babies, and a little moonshine were gimmicks used to help the public remember each candidate.  It was a time before the media instantly reported blunders so candidates were less restrained in their public activities because there always was time, money, and flunkies to mitigate their messes.   My imagination took off.

Soon, I had written “A Political Cornucopia,” a story about vote buying and a 1960 election set in Mayberry-like Wahoo, Alabama told through the eyes of a young cub reporter.  A chance comment by a colleague, an old newspaper photo, my childish impressions of elections in the 1960’s acquired through newspapers and newsreels, my reading about Southern politics, my transplanted Yankee impressions of Southern towns and customs, and my love of mystery all came together to produce a work of fiction that Bethlehem Writers Roundtable enjoyed enough to make their featured November 2013 story.

When “A Political Cornucopia” was published, I shared the link for my made-up tale with the colleague whose comment was the seed for the story.  In my e-mail, I apologized for making my fictitious story more elaborate than the truth.  He sent me back a link to a much later newstory – one that almost mirrored where my imagination had gone.  Reading it, I shuddered.  I always thought fiction is stranger than truth, but is it?

                                                                                ~ ~ ~ ~
Debra H. Goldstein’s short story, “A Political Cornucopia” was the November featured story by Bethlehem Writer’s Roundtable.  Her debut novel, Maze in Blue, received a 2012 IPPY award and will be reissued in May 2014 as a Harlequin Worldwide Mystery.

Confessing Passions – Offering Fun

Debra H. Goldstein
Confessing Passions –
Offering Fun 

by Debra H. Goldstein
I confess to two sinful passions:  shoes and books.  I’m a sucker for any pair of shoes that fit
me.  Luckily, size six AAA flat feet that are only comfortable in low heels limit the number of shoes with my name on them.  This allows me use
my money to indulge my second obsession – buying books, especially
mysteries.  Consequently, how could I say
no to marrying heels and murder every second and fourth Friday through The
Stiletto Gang’s blog?  It is a perfect
match for me J.
But then I started to worry about you.  What engages you?  Obviously, prattling about my love of shoes
and books will quickly bore you. So, what to write about?
Describing me can pretty much be summed up in a few words:  judge, litigator, author, wife, mother of
twins, step-mom, civic volunteer, transplanted Yankee and a woman who hates to
be pigeon-holed.  My writings are equally
diverse.  That’s why my personal blog is
called “It’s Not Always a Mystery.” (http://DebraHGoldstein.wordpress.com
Spending a lot of words telling you about how Harlequin Worldwide Mysteries
will be issuing my 2012 IPPY Award winning debut novel, Maze in Blue, a mystery set on the University of Michigan’s campus
in the 1970’s, as its May 2014 selection seems a waste of time because you can
read about that on my website, www.DebraHGoldstein.com.  The same holds true for introducing you to my non-fiction pieces including “More Hugs Less Fear” that was published by More Magazine online, my short
stories like “Legal Magic,” “Malicious Mischief,” “Grandma’s Garden” or this
month’s Bethlehem Writers Roundtable featured
story “A Political Cornucopia” (www.bwgwritersroundtable.com
).

I could share funny anecdotes about having four children, a
husband whose blood runs Crimson, how I reacted when my book publisher ceased
operations the week I was on my first Malice Domestic panel and had speaking
engagements lined up for the next six months or balancing my legal career with
writing, but I’d prefer to know what interests you.  Whether something personal from my website,
my Tom Sawyer philosophy, or why I think networking is almost as important as
getting words on paper are all possible topics. 

Let’s make this fun – I’ll spend the next few
days thinking about shoes and books while you take a look at my website and stories and leave me comments on The Stiletto Gang Blog about your preferred topics. As an incentive, I will randomly pick a name
and theme from your comments and send that person a free copy of Maze in Blue
Check back on November 22 to see who won and what the blog topic turns out to be.

Contact: 
DHG@DebraHGoldstein.com
Personal Blog:  http://DebraHGoldstein.wordpress.com
or through website-DHG’s Blog
Twitter: @DebraHGoldstein    
Facebook: Debra Goldstein LinkedIn:  DebraHGoldstein