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Just for fun
Too much rain this summer, but it’s stopped long enough for me to take a look at what it has done to the gardens. I found no fairies, but I did find this little critter below: The little fella (or gal) has loved the wet weather. This one is bigger than most slugs in…
Read MoreOne of my protagonists challenges you with a quiz
This weekend I was on a panel of mystery writers (Glenn Nilson, Libby Cudmore and myself) moderated by the police chief (Chief Douglas Brenner) of Oneonta, NY. Since all of us were cozy writers, it was interesting to talk about the differences between police work and the fictionalized work of amateur sleuths found in cozy…
Read MoreBlog Tour through the Florida Swamps
Well, you won’t really be touring the swamps, but my new book blog tour will introduce or reintroduce you to Emily Rhodes, another country gal who not only finds a home in rural Florida, but stumbles over dead bodies too frequently. The tour will feature two Big Lake murder mysteries: Dumpster Dying and Grilled, Chilled and Killed.…
Read MoreCozy mystery author Fran Stewart
Today author Fran Stewart is visiting us to talk about her new book, A WEE MURDER IN THE HOTEL and her use of minor characters in her work. “Minor Keys, Minor Characters” by Fran Stewart My son, now in his forties, has recently taken up the piano. And the accordion, too, but…
Read MoreA Library Book: Stories from Childhood
This past summer I wrote a series of blogs about growing up on a farm. The series was entitled “Tales from the Hayloft.” Many of you commented on the ways in which your childhood influenced your writing or your reading choices as an adult. One of my internet writing buddies did more than that. She…
Read MoreWriting Groups: What can you get from them?
This Friday, the last Friday of the month, is the day the Morris Writers’ Group meets, and, as they usually do, the members invited my husband and me to join them. While Glenn and I don’t belong to a writers’ group anymore, we have been members of many. I met my one time critique partner…
Read MoreGrandma and I go to the Big City
This story continues my Tales from the Hayloft, but it’s really a tale about the “big city.” My mother’s parents lived in Rockford, Illinois when I was a kid living on the farm. Visiting them was exciting. It meant getting the Sunday paper with the comics section, which included the Brenda Starr comic strip with…
Read MoreOur September Chuckle, Funny Man Steve Shrott
Our Guest this month is Steve Shrott. His mystery short stories have been published in numerous print magazines and e-zines. His work has appeared in ten anthologies—two from Sisters-in-Crime (The Whole She-Bang, and Fishnets.) “Lucky Man,” his newest story, will be in Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine #18. He has had two humorous novels published, Audition…
Read MoreSharing A Laugh
Some of you may remember Dr. Laura Murphy, the protagonist in my book Murder is Academic. Laura will soon appear in the sequel, Failure is Fatal, which I intend to release sometime this summer. I’m editing the manuscript now and, as I was reading it, I thought I’d like to share an episode from it. I think…
Read MoreA mystery in my own backyard
Today we were digging up some bricks and stone pavers to put in new pavers. Glenn was creating an area for me so I could have a potting table and some shelves. A table is handy for transplanting so I don’t have to bend over as much (yes, I am getting to be that age).…
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