Archive for December 2013
The Good Times Jar
I love holidays. I love having an excuse to hang out and do nothing, or do silly things I don’t normally have time to do, or be merry with friends. The celebration of New Year is a bit different. There’s no religious connection to speak of, nothing to decorate, no eggs to color, no tree…
Read MoreSunday Inspiration: “Make mistakes…”
“I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You’re doing things you’ve never done before, and more importantly, you’re Doing Something. So that’s my wish for you, and…
Read MoreFiction Friday: The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle
Welcome to Fiction Friday, my opportunity each week to post an excerpt from one of my own books or those of my friends, present-day or long-departed colleagues. Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories are still enjoyed far and wide, and this one is particularly delightful. The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle, first published in 1892, opens…
Read MoreThe Season of Giving Thanks
In an hour one of my favorite Christmas Eve traditions begins. Our local public broadcasting radio station will gift local listeners with the Festival of Carols from Kings College in Cambridge. I’m thankful that I will be able to enjoy this lovely choir right here in my own home. In fifteen minutes I will stop for…
Read MoreFiction Friday: A Kidnapped Santa Claus
Welcome to Fiction Friday, my opportunity each week to post an excerpt from one of my own books or those of my friends and colleagues. Today we have a special holiday treat, an excerpt from a short story written in 1904 by L. Frank Baum (beloved author of the Oz books). It’s a sequel to…
Read MoreWe Wish You A Merry Christmas: Booklover Carols Part Six
Booklover Carols have become a tradition here. Okay, stop groaning. You knew this was coming. Every year I create a new carol or two about the publishing world. This year is no exception. You’ll find links to my previous years’ tongue-in-cheek carols at the bottom. How drastically publishing has changed since I began this tradition.…
Read MoreSunday Inspiration: “Each night a child is born is a holy night.”
For so the children come and so they have been coming. Always the same way they come, born of the seed of a man and a woman. No angels herald their beginnings. No prophets predict their future courses. No wise men see a star to show where to find the babe that will save humankind.…
Read MoreFiction Friday: Buttoned Up
Welcome to Fiction Friday, my opportunity each week to post an excerpt from one of my own books or those of my friends and colleagues. Kylie Logan agreed to return this week after I begged. Her newest Button Box mystery, Buttoned Up, just came out, and with all the quilters who read my blog, I…
Read MoreA Goddesses Anonymous Christmas
This time of year I love to reflect on the past twelve months. A little soul-searching is usually in order, and the holiday season is a wonderful time to do it. After all, with the hustle and commercial bustle surrounding us, either we need spiritual sustenance more than usual, or we’re already more receptive to…
Read MoreSunday Inspiration: “No one is born hating another person…”
Nelson Mandela not only changed the world, but he changed human hearts. He taught us that love can conquer hatred and nonviolence can defeat the terror of violence. I hope we never forget the man or his message.
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