July News

Ah. The good ole summertime! Freedom! No coats, hats, boots, gloves, slippery roads. . . . Well, you get the idea.

Summer is the time when most people take their annual vacation. In my opinion, getting away from it all is crucial to a person’s mental health. Every day through the year each of us deals with a multitude of “challenges” and we need a break from all of that sometimes. Whether you prefer the mountains, the desert, the beach or another location, a change of scenery and daily routine is healthy.

For many years, I've looked forward to a vacation and, most years, my traveling companion and good friend, Jan, and I have gone to the ocean. Jan’s husband goes on golf trips with his buddies and Jan and I normally plan a “girls’ getaway.” But, this year for several reasons, it doesn't look like that will happen. We may manage a mini-vacation late in the summer but that's still up in the air.

So, what’s the next best thing to physically getting away? Escape into a book!  Let it take you places you’ve never been and, as you get involved in the lives of the characters, your own problems will disappear – at least until you reach the last page. Then, all you have to do is start reading another book and your "vacation" will be extended!

Imagine this: It's the Fourth of July and you're sitting on the beach watching the fireworks over the ocean. The crowd "Oohs" and "Aahs" as beautiful colors explode in the night sky. It's breathtaking!

Early the next morning, you go for a walk on that same beach and discover the body of a young woman in the sand. Once again, it takes your breath away.

Ann feels like she’s in Paradise as she digs her toes into the soft, white sand and gazes out at the ocean. She’s looked forward to this trip to South Carolina for a long time and all she wants to do is bask in the sun, resting and relaxing.

She and her two young children are enjoying their time on Fripp Island with Ann’s sister, Marnie, and Marnie’s elderly friend and former neighbor, Clara Brunner, a longtime resident with a vast knowledge of the island and the people who live there. At the Fourth of July fireworks, Clara introduces them to newlyweds Jenny and Mark Hall and their families.

But Ann’s plans for a peaceful vacation are shattered the next morning. When she goes for a solitary walk on the beach, she discovers the body of a young woman with the chain of a gold locket twisted around her neck and she immediately recognizes the locket as the one Jenny Hall was wearing the night before.

But things aren’t always what they appear to be.

Shocked and saddened, Ann is determined to try to find the killer and to see them brought to justice. She convinces Marnie and Clara to join her in conducting an investigation but, in the process, she places her own life in jeopardy.

http://tinyurl.com/j7m9b3k

Happy Fourth of July!

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 88^th birthday on June 18^th! 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. 😃