One spring day many years ago, a farmer decided to build a fine log barn. First, he gathered large stones. He chipped and fitted them together for a firm foundation. The farmer cut many trees, chopped off limbs, and smoothed the trunks. Notch and groove, groove and notch, the logs rose straight and true atop […]
What’s Your Favorite?
·To the authors who read my blog: As you write your new book, do you find that you have some chapters you prefer to other chapters? To the readers who read my blog: As you read a cozy mystery, are there chapters that stand out to you? And then, of course, there are favorite parts within each chapter. […]

Red-Rumped Rodents
·Squirrels are cute, clever, furry, and a symbol of fall.However, spring is OK with them too and I have a feeling that now they are busily procreating. Squirrels flourish, no matter what the season. Squirrels are acrobatic opportunists who can be a real nuisance. For instance, they gallop across my roof sounding like a herd of horses. […]

Something on the Stairs
·I had stopped shaking by the time I reached home. In the comfort of my living room, normalcy began to return. Ulysses licked my hand, grinning a hound dog welcome, and Penny looked up from her cushion. I breathed a sigh of relief. I was safe. I was home, and now I could try to […]
Don’t Rock the Boat!
Do you ever feel like you’re in a boat, trying to make a safe harbor? “Don’t rock the boat” is a saying most of us have heard or used, meaning to just go along with the status quo, don’t say or do anything that might ruffle the waters. At times, this may be a wise […]