The Mistake by the Lake? Never! Falling in Love with Cleveland, Ohio
Some time ago author Casey Daniels, a long time friend, asked me to guest blog at The Little Blog of Murder. I decided then that since I’m a former Clevelander (12 winters of snow), and my own series, the Ministry is Murder Mysteries, takes place in a fictional small town somewhere in Ohio, blogging would…
Read MoreIn The Beginning–So Where on Earth Did that Novel Come From?
Ask any novelist what readers most often want to know about his/her work. I can almost guarantee he or she will tell you, “Where do you get your ideas?” Some authors–tired of this perfectly legitimate question–will answer “The idea store.” “And don’t we all wish it were that easy?” they ask. I’m here to pass on…
Read MoreTravels With Emilie–or Breakfast in the Middle of the Rhine
By the time you read this, I’ll be in Europe. As part of my husband’s sabbatical, we’ll be cruising the Rhine for two weeks, exploring countries we’ve always wanted to visit. Somehow in our travels we’ve missed Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. We have been to France, but only (only?) Paris. So now we’ll…
Read MoreParlez-vous français? Better than Emilie does, I hope
It’s truly amazing what I can find when I clean my study. For instance, today I opened one of the many boxes that I’d piled in the middle of the floor (you think I’m kidding, don’t you?) and look what I found. On the sixth of this month I announced a giveaway of the French…
Read MoreThe Dog Who Came to Stay
We celebrated Labor Day in Virginia’s Piedmont, surrounded by rolling hills and mountains. One night we sat in a screened-in pond house at sunset with wine and cheese and family, waiting for the night noises to begin. It’s not unusual to have all manner of animals tiptoe down to the pond for their own nightly…
Read MoreParlez-vous français? If so, you’re in luck.
Contests, we have contests, we have lots and lots of contests. . . Before I launch into the newest one, let’s review. As always, if you sign up for my mailing list, you’re automatically entered in my monthly autographed book giveaway. You never need to do another thing. Next you have until the end of September…
Read MoreAll That Walking and Four New Pounds–The Mysteries of Weight Gain
I love vacation. The chance to read all the novels that have piled high beside my bed or cluttered my eReader. The long walks with no real destination in mind. The fabulous farm stand with fresh corn and juicy ripe tomatoes that’s five minutes from our rental cottage. Before leaving home this summer I told my…
Read MorePatrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson and The Man Who Was Left Standing
There we were, listening to Thomas Jefferson (seen here in a download from the Colonial Williamsburg website) and Patrick Henry debate the merits of funding religion and religious leaders from a special tax levied by the state of Virginia. No, we aren’t time travelers. We were watching the fabulous re-enactors of Colonial Williamsburg here at Chautauqua…
Read MoreThe Mystery of Writing–What can be taught and what can’t
This past week I had the good fortune to teach Writing the Mystery Novel here at Chautauqua Institution in Western New York. I really wasn’t sure how many students would sign up. The offerings here are many, and this was fairly specialized. But the perfect number of students arrived, and we commandeered a room that…
Read MoreLife is a Porch, or Should Be
Full disclosure. This is not MY porch. In fact this porch belongs to the president of Chautauqua Institution, here in Chautauqua, New York. The little cottage I’m renting this month has a porch, too, although not nearly as scenic. In fact almost every house on the grounds has one, close to the street and easily accessible to…
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