What a Week

Last week I posted a short excerpt from Black Ribbon Affair.  This week I have more news.
First, I received my author copies I mentioned last week in the post, and I actually held my book in my hand for the very first time.  What a thrill.  That three word sentence sounds so tame considering the [...]

Release Date Is Looming

Something really exciting happened this week.
I received an email from my publisher that I could pre-order my book, Black Ribbon Affair, as of that date.  I immediately did so as I have my first book signing scheduled in November. Of course, this email notice will pale in significance once I actually get my books in [...]

Risk Taking

I’ll be starting a new book in the next week.  That’s always a very scary time for me.  Well, one of several such times in the process of birthing a book.  Generally, I’m pretty much risk-averse in my personal life.  Or if I take a plunge I’ve pretty much tried to limit the bad places [...]

Just a Short One

Hi folks,
I’m taking a vacation this week.  In my office.  Working on a project.  My only distraction will be Oreo.
See you next week.  I’m sure I’ll have many words about something in my past once September is officially here.

Do-Overs

What’s a “do-over”? 
Could be many different things.  For me, it’s what I sometimes refer to a revision, especially when I’m layering in and filling out the personalities, background, quirks, flaws and virtues of my main characters in a manuscript.  
That’s what I’ve been working on in the past few weeks.  And I a thought hit me. 
My [...]

A Saturday Wedding

 
Summer.
Weddings.
Lakeside.  Historic Home. On the lawn. Happy couple.  Proud parents.  Surrounded by family and friends.  Perfect setting.  Right?
You could feel the love surrounding the young couple.  That emotion billowed outward.  When the ceremony began, ugly clouds threatened rain.  (I had my trusty rain preventer-the umbrella I carry in such situations and then it NEVER rains.) [...]

Some Peope Travel

Some like me, stay home and write.
However, I’ve been to Alaska several times since my son and his family live up there.  Anytime I can view photos or hear about someone’s recent trip there, I tell them. “Fire away.”   
Recently, my neighbor returned from a long trip up there. 
 She started out in Fairbanks, took [...]

Family Reunions, Reminiscing & Writing

Yesterday, I went to a Zero picnic.  In actuality, we were honoring my uncle who turned 90 this year.  Got it?  The zero concept?  But he’s NO zero in the lives of us who were there.  
Others there had a zero in this year: our anniversary year ended with zero; one of his son’s entered another [...]

Independence Day Memories

 July 4th. Hotdogs and chips. Parades. Fireworks. Beach parties and backyard picnics. Good times always.
 Celebrating July 4th involves that and much more for me.
 Watching fireworks from a hospital room is one. My second son, John, whom I’ve written about before in the December 2008 post “Remembering John,” was born a few days before the 4th.  [...]

An Alaskan Cabin

I’m revising a manuscript now which has my two main characters from Black Ribbon  Affair once again finding themselves in the midst of danger.
 Since they spend most of the book in Alaska, I’ve been going online daily and taking a look at the Anchorage Daily News.  They always have some of the greatest photos that [...]