In my quest to tie up knots and organize my in-transition life, lots of odds and ends today.

We found a house!  The house has passed inspection.  So even though we haven’t signed the final check and moved our stuff from storage in Maryland, (that’s where the mover stowed our accumulated junk) things are looking good.

We decided on Osprey, which is just south of Sarasota in Sarasota County and somewhere near Happiness Key.  We walked into the house and saw the most incredible view of a lake and birds and preserve.

Apparently we buy views, because to live there I’ll sacrifice a roomy office. However if I start to feel claustrophobic I can write out by the pool which looks over the VIEW. The rumor is that Danielle Steele is happiest writing in her laundry room.  Maybe she writes by her pool when nobody’s looking?

Next house? That’s right. We’re also in the process of renovating our 1895 summer cottage in New York. It’s misleading to describe our house that way, since the words call up visions of Victorian bric-a-brac, graceful furbelows and fabulous paint.  Our house has no bric-a-brac. In fact this week we learned it actually has no outside walls, just siding over, well, whatever. Beige vinyl siding, too, although I did paint the wood trim on the porch an outrageous purpley-blue, just because I could.

If you’ve been following the house saga, you know we had squirrels in the attic, squirrels in the walls. In case you thought I was exaggerating, enjoy this photo of what was found when the old dishwasher got its eviction notice. Those are hickory nuts among the wood shavings, and the least terrifying of two photos. Now does the renovation make sense?

I knew you’d see it my way.

On the writing front? I’m camped out across Florida thanks to generous friends who are letting my husband, Nemo and me house sit while they’re up north. Right now I’m working on an anthology that will debut around Christmas time 2013. My fellow authors Janice Kay Johnson, Sarah Mayberry and I have had fun coming up with the idea. We’ve never met or even spoken to each other, but I’ve been delighted at how much we think alike. There will be quilts, romance, Christmas. Doesn’t that put you in the holiday spirit way ahead of time?

Finally, I just received a lovely review this week from Publisher’s Weekly for One Mountain Away. True, the review is several months late, but I’m as delighted as I am mystified. The last sentence reads: “Richards creates a heart-wrenching atmosphere that slowly builds to the final pages, and continues to echo after the book is finished.”

Every author likes to think her words “echo after the book is finished.” Thanks PW.

Until next time. . .