I’ve long been drawn to the alchemy of family. It’s where the emotional action is in life, and in fiction. When writing a romance series, grounding the series in family drama provides a rich and dynamic cohesive element in which romance readers become deeply invested. They care greatly about what happens to the family over… Read More
by Barbara Longley The sad news of Stephen Hawking’s recent passing made me think of my father, who was also a scientist. Dad had a Ph.D. in Biochemistry, and he was also a philosopher and a weaver of stories. I was close to my father, and we often sat at the dinner table long after… Read More
By Leslie Hachtel Apparently, a lot of people don’t read anymore. And they boast about it as if it is some kind of accomplishment. I find that hard to understand. I cannot fathom why people would rob themselves of the pleasure of reading a good book. The usual reason is: I don’t have time. Two… Read More
We live in a world where, with the flick of our thumb our phone, iPads, etc., can connect up to people half a world away. You can actually see the person’s face. Thousands of miles away! For some, the idea isn’t so farfetched. For many of us, the concept is still kind of mind-blowing. But,… Read More
By Ariella Moon Spring has arrived in Southern California. Blooming orange and grapefruit trees, still heavy with fruit, perfume the air. “Snowbirds” from the Midwest and Canada crowd local swimming pools and grocery store parking lots. And a tiny mother hummingbird has returned to nest in my patio. Mama Ava hummingbird (I’m a writer, and… Read More
I’m head over heels in research for my second Fanny Newcomb historical mystery (working title…FANNY NEWCOMB AND THE FRENCH QUARTER LAUDANUM LOVER). And I’m loving it! I’m investigating historic poisons, studying Italian immigration to New Orleans, and inspecting French Quarter Sanborn Fire maps online (courtesy of the fabulous Library of Congress). And here are some… Read More
Lyn Cote here-I know that’s not a question people ask you directly but many times they ask it indirectly with comments, intimating that they wouldn’t want to live where you do! I live in the far northwoods of Wisconsin. Lake Superior is just an hour an a half drive north of my house. And people,… Read More
I love to travel. I’ve been to five continents, many islands, experienced many interesting cultures, and tasted different foods. Over the years, mistakes and problems have led to some insight on things that make flying easier. Here’s a few: FLYING When flying on a plane for more than two hours, I always bring food. I… Read More
By Margaret Daley I’m starting a new series called Everyday Heroes. I finished a long series about Strong Women and had so much fun writing about women who went through difficult, extraordinary situations. I featured different professional women from a teacher to law enforcement officer to a woman running a rodeo company. … Read More
by Linda O. Johnston I blogged last month, and even in January, about the fast-approaching publication date for my first book of the year, Second Chance Soldier. And now it has been published! Its official print publication date was March 6, just a couple of days ago, and its e-version became available on March 1…. Read More
You’ll notice my blog this month is a variation on a famous back-to-school essay theme. While I can’t personally recall ever being asked to pen a “What I did on my Summer Vacation” essay during my school career, I hear it’s a common academic request. And I would have loved this topic! No one enjoys… Read More
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