Happy April!

 

Yes, I remembered to post today. Happy April everyone! And since it’s no longer April First, this isn’t an April Fool’s joke.

            What’s also not an April Fool’s joke is that CANINE REFUGE, the fifth and final story in my Shelter of Secrets series for Harlequin Romantic Suspense, has now been published. I’m letting people know, including holding a chat at Writerspace where I was interviewed. I think it’s available for re-playing but I’m not sure yet how to get it.

            But I’m still out there letting people know about CANINE REFUGE, including sending out a newsletter soon. And hey, I’ve mentioned it here!

            Unfortunately, my pup Roxie was sound asleep during my interview so I didn’t get a chance to show her off as I often do when I can online. My other pup Cari didn’t even show up while I was talking. Sigh.

            Anyway, I’m sorry to see the Shelter of Secrets series end, but I like the new one I’ve been working on, with K-9s and PIs. More to come about that as time goes on.

Bye Bye March

 

 Can March really be almost over?  Spring is here, but you wouldn't know by the weather today.  After several days of sun and warm temperatures, it has turned gray and chilly.  I was ready to put away my warm clothes, thinking it was going to be all short sleeves and stretchy capri pants.  

The blossoms are on the orange trees with their wonderful scent.  The count down has begun  for the release of  MURDER BY THE  HOOK.  The same day I'm going to be doing an event on the Facebook group  Cozies, Conversations  and More.  This is different than the takeover I did with another group.  That was all posts and me responding to comments.  This is going to be live with video.  I'm doing it with another writer, Karen Smith.  I think we are supposed to interview each other. We're still working that out.  She's going to be discussing her first book in a series called a Tomes and Tea Mystery.  The book's title is MURDER MARKS THE PAGE.

I'm going to be talking about DEATH AMONG THE STITCHES.  I assume we were put together since both books are first in a series and have places with tea rooms.  

I'm always self conscious  when I do Zoom things. I have my family going by giving me weird look while I talk to a screen.  I usually have earphones, so they can't hear that I am actually talking to people.

We all  went to see the Snow White movie.  You never know how things are going to turn out.  I thought I would be bored .  But I actually enjoyed it. In this version, Snow White can take care of herself--well, thee still has to be somebody to kiss her and break the magic spell of the apple.  It was kind of vague what her connection to the guy who kissed her was and why it would break the magic spell.

As for the others---they freaked out at the evil queen when she became the hunch back old lady who offered Snow White the apple.  Who would have thought it would bother them with all the stuff they usually watch?

What, It's Wednesday Already??

            Okay, I again lost track of time so I didn’t post this when I should. Sorry! But I’ve been working on even more ways to let people know about my April release, CANINE REFUGE, the fifth and final story in my Shelter of Secrets series for Harlequin Romantic Suspense. Sorry!

            Not much else to report here. I did do my talk at the Union Oil Alumni Association and really enjoyed it—letting some of my old compatriots know more about what I’d been doing since we all left Unocal. Fun to see them and to talk to them.

            But not much more to report at the moment. So, once again, sorry! Hope you’re all doing well, and feel free to scold me here for being late.

The Hookers' Weekend Scarf

 

 Another week gone by in a flash. Now that MURDER BY THE HOOK is totally done and up for pre-sale, I had to update my website which includes adding a picture of the crochet project in the book. I had made the squares for the scarf a while ago, but put off weaving in the ends and sewing them together.  I know I am not alone with putting off doing those things.  I'm not even sure why we all do it. It wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be.

Now, maybe I will get back to that kitten who is just a body waiting for a head, legs and tail.

Meanwhile, there is a special promotion for the audio of the last Molly book, KILLER HOOKS.  I didn't want to post anything about it at the same time I posted the cover of MURDER BY THE HOOK.  To easy to get confused.  And the audio of DEATH AMONG THE STITCHES is coming out soon.

My poor web guy always gets confused with all the titles with hooks and stitches in them.  Who could blame him.

 The event at the Agoura Hills library went well.  It was casual and friendly. No microphones or separation from the group.  We sat in sort of an oval of comfortable chairs.  The other author with me, Dorothy Howell, writes a series about sewing. It turned out that we both had books called SEAMS LIKE MURDER.  It was interesting to hear about her process.  She does an outline and then writes a chapter a day.  I wish I was that focused and could write that fast.

Peggy Rothchild was the moderator and she had come up with good questions for us.  It's always easier answering questions than to have to think of what to say. 

One of the questions was about the first thing we ever wrote.  I have a clear memory of that.  I was eleven and we were at our cabin or cottage--not sure of the best word for it.  We had a loaf shaped mail box that I imagined two fairies, Lily and Violet turning into a home.  There was a creek that ran through the 1,000 acre farm across the road.  A small bridge went over it and below the water made little water falls where the fairies would use walnut shell buckets to get water.  It was fun remembering it.