The Rains Came Down and the Floods Came Up

The Rains Came Down and the Floods Came Up

  Many of us have been experiencing rain, rain, and more rain. And, flooding. Flood records are being broken as creeks and rivers overflow and dams are strained to capacity. What a wet month! A few years ago, when I was writing the fourth Darcy and Flora cozy, Grave Heritage, Tahlequah experienced the wettest July […]

Dirt on My Hands, Sunshine in My Heart

Why is digging in the dirt therapeutic? Maybe it isn’t for everyone, but for me, it is. Yesterday, I finally got out to the herb garden, dug out grass and weeds, and planted a few herbs, veggies, a hollyhock, and some peppers. When the sun is on my back and my hands are in the […]

Do We Speak the Same Language?

  Don’t you love it when you find someone who speaks the same language as you? I don’t mean language peculiar to any ethnic group, but people who have similar interests and enjoy talking about them. For example, history. I love history! Particularly, I love American history because America is my beloved country and I […]

The Cold Comes Creeping

The Cold Comes Creeping

  The morning is dark and gray. A silent, shivery mist hovers among the trees, settling onto the ground, bringing back the cold of winter. I pour my first cup of Folgers and ask Nemo if he’d like a cup, but he declines. He will come and sit with me while I write, but he […]

Meandering into Monday

Meandering into Monday

  It is cold and dark this Monday morning, but compared to tomorrow’s forecast, it is balmy. Once again, winter’s frigid breath will make its way down from northern parts and blow into Arkansas and Oklahoma. In talking with my brother in Minnesota last night, I asked about the below zero temperature. “Do you have […]

The Murderous Muddle in the Middle

The Murderous Muddle in the Middle

A couple of days back, we established that first lines of a story are important. But, what if a reader picks up a book, ruffles through, and reads one of those middle lines? What if she is looking for the exciting climax, the near-death experience of the heroine? Those middle lines are important too! This […]