“Sid Johnson and the Phantom Slave Stealer will go down as the best historical novel I have ever read.” Wow! A review like this one means a lot to a writer, even better, it is from Readers’ Favorite, a website that offers reviews by people who enjoy books but make no claim to being professional
Remembering the death of a cat, our cat. How do you deal with the death of a pet? 6-8 minute read. Luna’s obituary did not appear in The New York Times. Nor could you have found it in The Baltimore Sun or even in The Towson Times despite her long residence in the area. She
Tea and Biscuits from Betty’s I was very happy that my Silent Auction Basket at Malice Domestic went to someone who was delighted to win it. Not only will she have the fun of drinking tea from a reproduction of the Mimbreno china created by Mary Colter for the Santa Fe Chief trains, but she’ll
Mark Twain was a writer who loved cats, maybe better than he loved many people. When he was on vacation he rented kittens. The Clemens home was one where cats were welcome. 3 min. read, Kid Friendly.
“A cat has absolute emotional honesty: human beings, for one reason or another, may hide their feelings, but a cat does not,” Ernest Hemingway. Like many writers, famous as well as undiscovered, Hemingway liked having cats around. There is a special relationship between writers and their cats. 3.5 minute read. Kid Friendly
A Yankee living in the Bard’s World? Tradition and green spaces make Stratford-upon-Avon is a great place for a writer. 2 min read. Kid friendly
What is it about cats that tugs at the heart of writers? The relationship between writers and their cats is legendary. I’ve been away from my cats for half a year. Do they miss me? What’s a writer to do without her cats? 3 min read. Kid friendly.
The diverse history of the Great Westward Migration is illustrated in the life of James Pierson Beckwourth. Born in 1798 to slavery, Beckwourth was of mixed race. His larger-than-life story reached from the Crow Nation in Wyoming to the town named for him in California.
BSP and Learning to Celebrate my work are challenging. Nobody likes a braggart. But there are times when it is right to celebrate your work with others. Learning to self-promote is a critical part of the writer’s life. 2 minute read.
I have been really fortunate to have some wonderful experiences with people who are interested in The Last Crystal Trilogy. Meeting people is rewarding–especially the kids. People who’ve read my books have been encouraging. I’ve had some great reviews, too–not all of them from family, either! At the same time, I am keenly aware that The
I have better things to do than fill your inbox, but I will update you on news, such as Sid Johnson and the Phantom Slave Stealer’s nomination for an Agatha Award. It was one of five finalists–an incredible honor.
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