Posts Tagged ‘gratitude’
A Special Gift in the New Year
A little over a year ago, we lost our 17-year-old cat, Lucy. She was the most affectionate, loving cat we’d ever had and was especially attached to my husband. When we finally had to let her go because of her severe health problems, we both wept and felt her loss keenly. We decided to wait…
Read MoreReaders Make It All Worthwhile
I’m not sure whether it’s because I’m a writer or just generally a nosy person, but I read the acknowledgements that typically appear at the ends of books. I’m always curious about the folks who helped other authors on their journeys to publication. I spent yesterday reading a riveting debut thriller, A Flicker in the…
Read MoreI Can’t Use This for a Query Letter, But…
One of the first things you learn about query letters is that no agent or publisher is going to be impressed by your telling them that you’re sure they’ll want to take your manuscript on, since your mother and your husband absolutely love it. Not exactly unbiased readers! The same could be said for grandsons.…
Read More“All You Need Is Love” – John Lennon
I recently spent a week visiting my younger son and his family. They live in a teeny-tiny house in Denver that makes my husband’s and my first 900 square foot house seem positively palatial. But what their home lacks in size is more than made up for by its richness in warmth and affection. I’m…
Read MoreThat Subject No One Wants to Talk About
“It’s not the idea of death that bothers me; it’s the hours.” – Woody Allen I’m not a big fan of Woody Allen, but the guy has a point. It’s hard to think about the permanence of our own mortality or worse, the death of our loved ones. While it’s true that no one gets…
Read MoreCelebrating a Treasured Friendship
Yesterday, I traveled to Cincinnati to visit Connie, my dear friend of many decades. The drive was long, but I never mind making it. Connie and I met when we were teaching fellows in the dance department at the University of Michigan. She was so incredibly gorgeous that I was sure we’d never become…
Read More“The Boy Who Lived”
The other night, our son Joel was sitting outside on the porch with his eldest child, our grandson Cameron. Suddenly, a bolt of lightning landed dangerously close to them. The two raced to safety inside. Cameron turned to his father and said, “You know, Dad, we’re going to have to call you ‘the boy who…
Read MoreWriting May Be a Solitary Activity, but…
DEADLY SETUP came out on July 5, and I wasted no time ordering a box of books. I still get a thrill holding a copy of a new book I’ve written. And now I had 20 shiny new copies, both to send as thank you gifts to angels who helped me along the way and…
Read MoreThe Good News… and Not So Good News
Writing-wise, this was a lovely week. On Tuesday, DEADLY SETUP officially came out. Author Sarah Glenn hosted me on her blog where I wrote an essay, “Beyond the External Plot: What’s Your Book Really About?” in which I talked about the difference between DEADLY SETUP’s plot and its deeper themes. I’d love for you to…
Read MoreMemories
My mom’s memorial service is happening two weeks from today. We’ve delayed celebrating her life for more than two years due to Covid. But she is never far from my mind or my heart, especially now as I help plan the service. After a dozen years of working closely with my dad as his executive…
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