Thursday, June 1, 2017

June News


Mom's 88th birthday!

I'm thrilled to report that my mother is doing great (after a bit of a scare last month) and, in fact, she’ll celebrate her 88th birthday on June 18th! We spend a lot of time together and I thank God every day that I have her.

And, I’m slowly getting back to my regular writing routine, working on my next book. I have to admit that it's taking me some time to get re-acclimated after several weeks of being away from it. I had to re-read what I’d already written and to re-evaluate the plot. But, I’m getting there and I’m thankful for that too because my writing is so very important to me.

All of the above got me thinking about the connection between my personal life and my writing life. Because the two are definitely intertwined. True, one of the reasons I write (and read) fiction is to escape reality. But reality is at the core of my writing. Where else would the ideas for a novel (or a series) come from?

Family has always meant the world to me but family isn’t just the people who are related to us by blood. Family includes close friends and even ex-in laws. They say, “Blood is thicker than water,” but that isn’t always the case. Sometimes, family members chose to walk away from their family. I think that’s very sad but it happens. By the same token, I have so many people in my life who aren’t related to me but who will always be a part of my family. The novel I’m currently writing reflects that and so do my Malone mysteries.

Here’s an overview of the series:

“The Malone Mystery Series isn’t just about the mystery. It’s the story of Ann Malone Kern and her family and the struggles they face. As the series progresses, you will see Ann and the other characters change and grow as they deal with a multitude of problems and are involved in several dangerous, sometimes life-threatening, situations. But through it all, the underlining message in each book is one of Hope.”

If you haven't read my Malone mysteries yet, I "hope" you will. 😃


14 comments:

  1. So happy your mom is doing better! God is good!

    Hoping June keeps you happy and healthy!

    Sharon

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    1. Yes He is, Sharon! Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope June is good to you too!

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  2. Nice blog, Pat. I'm glad things are looking up for you and your mom. Can't wait to read your next novel.

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    1. Thank you, Evelyn! Actually, I'm taking my time with this book, savoring the writing rather than focusing so much on the publication date. I'm considering self-publishing it and I have much to learn.

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  3. I'm so glad to hear your mom is doing well. I hope she has a wonderful birthday celebration later this month. Thanks for the update!

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  4. Great news about your mom-happy birthday to her! And yes I agree, family means so many things beyond blood relatives. Keep on writing!

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    1. Thanks, Pamela! I couldn't stop writing if I wanted to - which, of course, I don't. :)

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  5. There's a saying: We can choose our friends, but not our relatives. I'm very thankful for good friends, such as yourself. I'm thrilled to hear your mother is doing so well, and I hope she has a wonderful birthday!

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    1. Good saying, Marja, and so true. I'm thankful for my good friends too, which definitely includes you!

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  6. Pat, Happy (almost) birthday to your mom. Family is a very complicated issue and many of us have ambivalent feelings. That's just the way it is.

    Have a great weekend.

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    1. Thanks, Maggie.
      What you wrote is very true. I like Marja's quote, "We can chose our friends but not our relatives." While I can't imagine a scenario where I would walk away from my family, I know people who have and, for the most part, they had good reasons for doing so. As I wrote, sad but true.
      Hope you have a great weekend too!

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  7. Your mom looks pretty good for 88. I hope she had a great birthday!

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    1. I think she did, Marja. And, this afternoon, I showed her my post on Facebook. She was thrilled with all the birthday wishes.

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