Louisa’s Vineyard Series

Dear Friends, Being surrounded by books is a happy state for me. I love it! Most of my books are in storage in another state with all of my major possessions. I miss the many books that are in storage.

Dear Friends, I have some treats coming for you! Later this month, I’ve invited Jane Rohde, a long-time writer, to be my guest columnist. Her writing ranges from children’s stories to steamy romance. Also, I’d like to share early details

The above title, from a carol I performed in chorus many years ago, popped into my head when I thought about what to wish people for the holiday season. I’m careful these days about not offending anyone with religious, sexist,

Traveling has always been a favorite pastime of mine. Meeting new people, seeing unusual places, learning about nature, customs, and lives fascinates me. When my husband and I set out on our adventure to find a new home on the

My historian husband commented that possibly some of the iconic Thanksgiving dinner story was a myth. After all, there were no journalists back then. Historians aren’t certain there was even a turkey on the table. He suggested we should be

No, I’m not a grizzled old wise man. Or an enigma like Yoda. Lately, I’ve been hearing mentions of being happy. But no one seems to be sure how to accomplish that. I don’t promise to provide all the wisest

I remind myself that I’m a fiction writer now, no longer a journalist reporting on non-fiction. If the improbable happens, it’s time for me to take notes and use it for raw material for my characters and their situations. But

When developing and writing about characters, I find myself conflicted about how bad to make the bad guy. Let’s distance ourselves a level and call the character the antagonist. The antagonist’s role provides tension, scary moments, and characteristics that give

Recently, I’ve been working on a final edit before A Vision of Home, Book 3 in the Louisa’s Vineyard Series, heads to my formatter and, finally, publication. It’s ironic that the book title foretold what would happen in my life.

On a recent Thursday, my husband and I set out on a new adventure. After over 20 years, we moved east, way back east. The temperature had climbed to 118° a few days before in our soon-to-be former home, but