Hello, Transcriber by Hannah Morrissey

 Not only does Hazel Greenlee listen and type the crimes of Black Harbor for the police force, but she somehow gets involved.  As an aspiring author, this may help her out of the hole of a life she feels surrounds her.  

Being privy to the details, she gets tangled up with a crime and seduced by a detective.   Only one of these is willingly.

Nikolai Kole is a veteran detective with a past.  He fights crime unconventionally and loves women of many types.  When he encounters the new transcriber, he reveals secrets to Hazel.

Hazel doesn't reciprocate her secrets.  Yet, the chemistry is binding between them. One thing she pounces on is knowing a man involved in the selling of drugs to kids.  

Kole brings her on a covert mission to take down the drug dealer who's also a murderer.  

Through many close contact situations, a type of love festers and becomes physical in backseats and dark rooms.  

Is it a love that can outrun the hidden truths Hazel holds, and the forced deception of Kole?  Can their lives endure the danger and crime enveloping the dark city?

A contemporary, spooky love story darkened by crime.  Keep the lights on and keep reading.

Happy reading,

Dawn

   

 

The Bakeshop at Pumpkin and Spice by Donna Kauffman, Kate Angell, and Allyson Charles

 For the coming Hollow's Eve I've decided to  read sweet and witchy versus scary and bad.  

Three authors have put together a a bewitching bake-off on the corner of Pumpkin and Spice in a Maine village.  Sofia, the owner of the Bakeshop, creates delicious autumn and Halloween treats.  When necessary, she brews up her specialty cookies filled with a love potion.  

Three stories all centered around the goodness of the bakery match couples that need to be together.

The first tale finds a way to mingle Bree and Caleb, a young pair of bakers.  Granddaughter of Sofia, Bree fits right in with creating recipes for the café.  The trick is how to get Caleb to the bakery, pick the proper treat along with

 Bree, and then magic can take over.

The next story is a bit trickier.  Cassie already has her mind set on "boring and safe", yet Chip keeps saving her from falls and spills without her noticing his steady and exciting life.  For him to eat the specialty cookies, accidents are welcome.  

The third clip is my favorite.  Lara has a really bad day with the loss of her job, dumped by a dirt-bag boyfriend, and the coming loss of her apartment.  Sofia's embellished cookies are sorely in need by Lara and Jack, the town mayor.  During the matchmaking, a lonely, elderly lady also gets a sweet surprise, which touches my heart.

Always good to take the time to read simple, sweet, and tasty (recipes are provided) to make your day a little brighter and positive!  

Happy reading,

Dawn  

Saturday Chores

              Hello, gentle readers! Hope you are all well and staying safe!

           So, yesterday being Saturday, I performed my Saturday chores, which means, I spent the day cleaning…in my younger days, I used to be able to clean the entire house in a morning, but I’ve slowly come to accept that I can no longer do that and it takes me twice as long to do the same amount of work, but that’s what getting older will do.

Why do I do this every Saturday? Several reasons really.

There really isn’t time during the week, not with working full time then coming home to make dinner and trying to write, although the kitchen is cleaned every night and the dishes are done.

When I was a kid, this is what I did. No cartoons, no going outside to play until the house was cleaned (Mom and I did it together until I was old enough to do it myself). Old habits die hard. Sometimes, they don’t die at all.

More importantly, I hate a dirty house. Clutter makes me anxious. Things not in their proper place can drive me crazy (and this happens a lot when you live with your DH and two dogs, who seem to shed constantly…the dogs, not the DH). And of course, let’s not forget about the dust. I live in Phoenix so yeah, there’s a lot of dust (seriously, it doesn’t matter how often you dust...it always seems to be there). And since I will not pay someone to do something I’m perfectly capable of doing, I do it myself.

There are advantages to cleaning. I’m sure you’re asking what they are. I will tell you. A clean house (I like Mr. Clean, the Febreze scent…smells so wonderful). I can actually say that it soothes me to see things organized and shiny.

What’s the other, much more important reason? It helps with my writing. Yes, you read that correctly. I get the greatest ideas while I’m washing the dishes or polishing the furniture. Doing physical things like that (which really doesn’t require much thought) allows my brain to freely roam. And believe me, my brain takes advantage of that.

Case in point…while I was on my hands and knees scrubbing the floor yesterday, I came up with a great escape from the corner I’d written myself into the day before. My only problem? Hanging on the thought long enough for me to get up off the floor, dry my hands, and grab a pen and paper, which I was able to do (though, I’m not going to share what it looked like for me to get up off the floor…suffice it to say, even the dogs laughed!)

Hmmm, I think I’ll go do the dishes before I tackle my next chapter!

Stay well! Stay safe! And remember to spread kindness wherever you go!

Marie

Overcoming the Struggle

 

        Hello, gentle readers! Hope you are all well and staying safe!

Okay, I have to admit it….I’m struggling with my current work in progress. Last time I wrote to you all, I told you that I’d cut over 1600 words….and now, I’ve cut more.

I’m not sure why I’m struggling. Maybe because I’ve been working on this WIP for quite some time. I usually write a book a year (I’m a slow but steady writer). I had a nice flow going and then COVID hit and I found that I just couldn’t concentrate (plus I started working from home at that time which really messed up my routine…and as you all know, my life revolves around my routines!).

I didn’t write a blessed word for over four months.

After that period of time (where I found a new routine), I decided enough is enough. I love writing. It’s my passion. My joy. My sanity (it’s the only place I can really control everything). I enjoy making up stories and characters so I started working on it again (sometimes forcing myself) and once again, I was moving along at a nice steady clip. And then, I lost over 5000 words and had to recreate what I lost, which again, put me behind schedule.

I was ready to give up and just work on something else, but I couldn’t. My characters kept…well, badgering me is the only way I can say it. In my head. All the time.

I’m slowly turning it around though. I had a lovely conversation with my critique partner and we’ve pinpointed the problem. It’s not the story. It’s not the characters. It’s me and the self-appointed timeline that has always been my mantra, the one that keeps repeating over and over--one book a year. One book a year.

Well, this book is taking more than a year, but you know what? It doesn’t matter. So what if it takes two years? That’s okay. As long as the finished product is the very best I can do, that’s all that matters.

I think I’ll go write some words! Thanks for listening!

 Stay well! Stay safe! And remember to spread kindness wherever you go!

Marie

To Cut or Not To Cut?

 

           Hello, gentle readers! Hope you are all well and staying safe!

I…am a puzzler. I write scenes as they come to me, whether they are at the beginning of the story or the middle or the end and then I sorta puzzle them together, filling in information, scenes, etc., where I need them. In my current WIP, I’ve already written the epilogue as well as the three scenes before the epilogue even though I’m no where near that place yet, but I know that’s where I want to end up so there you go.

I’ve been writing this way…well, pretty much since I started writing. It works for me. I’ve tried writing from beginning to end in one fell swoop without jumping around, but can’t get my brain to stop. I’ve accepted that this is how I write. I don’t think I could change it if I tried, because, as I said, it works for me…

…most times.

I recently found myself trying to fit a scene into place between two completed scenes (like taking a puzzle piece and forcing it into the puzzle). No matter which way I turned it, no matter how hard I pushed, it just wouldn’t work. Switching POV didn’t work. Starting the scene over again didn’t work. Trying to fit the scene somewhere else didn’t work either.

So what did I end up doing?

          I cut―viciously (yes! Viciously!)—over one thousand words (it was 1,675 words to be exact).

Did it hurt? Oh yeah, especially knowing how long it took to write those 1,675 words. Did I want to cry? Yeah, I did (I didn’t though…I’m tougher than that).

I’m a slow, but steady writer….every weekday morning before the day job, whether I want to or not. That’s not to say I always meet my word count because I don’t. Some days I do really well, often exceeding my projected word count…some days, the words come but they’re not good words…and some days, the words don’t come at all and I end up staring at the blinking cursor (which just mocks me). You get it, I’m sure.

But you know what? Cutting those words freed me up and I was able to write the scene as it needed to be written, exactly where it belonged and I’m rather happy with it.

What’s the moral of my little tale of woe? Sometimes, you just gotta be brutal and get rid of words that don’t push the story forward. Hopefully, your story is better for it.

Stay well! Stay safe! And remember to spread kindness wherever you go!

Marie

The Klutz Quotient

 

        Hello, gentle readers! Hope you are all well and staying safe!

I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned this before….but I am a klutz (just ask my DH—he can tell you how often I’ve walked into walls or tripped over nothing to fall flat on my face). I am uncoordinated and unbalanced. Have been all my life. I didn’t play sports when I was young because, you know, that would require a certain amount of coordination and I, sadly, just didn’t have it. My mother, bless her heart, even put me in ballet classes, hoping I would acquire some grace. It was an utter failure and after four years, we both quietly accepted that I would remain a klutz.

This has not changed over the years (in fact, it's gotten worse) and I’ve learned to live with it (really, what choice did I have?). It doesn’t really bother me. So what that I trip going up the stairs (even though I hold on to the banister)? Who cares that I walk into walls or trip over nothing (though I will admit, it’s getting a little more difficult to get up when I fall to the ground).

Why am I telling you this? Well, because I recently discovered that the klutz quotient has increased and I am as uncoordinated as ever (and it was witnessed….thankfully by the dogs and not another human being).

I’m not really big into exercise, though I do like walking and Zumba (and yes, even with Zumba…well, I’m not going to tell you what it looks like when I do it…that’s only for me and my mirror to know), but I was looking for something else to try, something that would fit in with the time I have available (time is a big issue for me--just not enough hours in the day and it’s too darn hot right now to go walking outside).

        I thought maybe yoga so I watched a few recordings on YouTube and tried
some of the poses…yeah, no, that didn’t work considering my issues with balance. If yoga wasn’t going to work for me, surely there were other things I could try.

Back to YouTube and I find these S.I.T. exercise videos. There are some routines that are only seven minutes long. Perfect. Fits into my time crunch. So I started doing them. Okay, let me rephrase that. I started trying to do them. Needless to say, hilarity ensued. Not only did my klutz quotient come out in full force (oh my gosh, did it ever!), but the dogs (because I was on the floor for some of these moves) thought I was playing so I had paws and long, wet tongues in my face. I am grateful the dogs do NOT laugh out loud, because I’m definitely sure they were laughing (heck, I was laughing, too!)

Thankfully, sitting at my computer and writing does not require coordination. I think I’ll go back to my story. It’s safer.  

Stay well! Stay safe! And remember to spread kindness wherever you go!

Marie

 

         Hello, gentle readers! Hope you are all well and staying safe!

Well, I did it. Took me a long time to decide (I’ve been mulling this over for the past two months), but yeah, I finally bit the bullet and bought…a swing for my patio. I know this is not as momentous as say purchasing a new house or a new car, but for me, it was pretty big.

Why did it take so long? Two reasons.

Number One: I’m not one of those who feels comfortable spending money on things that are not necessary and really, a porch swing is not necessary, but in many ways, it kinda is. The DH and I spend a lot of time outside on the patio (even in this blistering heat).

And Number Two: I couldn’t decide between a swing or a glider. I kept going back and forth, back and forth, looking at the pictures, reading the reviews, reading the descriptions and I just…couldn’t decide (though I did promise myself—and the DH—that I would make my decision by Saturday, which was yesterday). There were advantages (and disadvantages, not to mention fond memories) to both. What finally made me decide on the swing as opposed to the glider?

It was on sale and if you know me at all, you know I love a good sale. Plus the swing had “cushier” cushions, whereas the glider did not. These old bones need cushion!

I loved swings as a kid…loved that feeling of almost flying, pumping my feet, trying to get ever higher, making the pole come up out of the ground on the swing set in my yard (the swings at the park were bigger, so you could go higher). It was freeing.

I never lost that love over the years, but I will tell you, as a responsible adult, I will no longer be trying to go that high. No, a nice gentle rocking is more my style now (I’m no daredevil and as I mentioned many times before, I’m not as young as I used to be).

Hmmm, I think I might have to write a swing into my current work in progress. I can already picture the scene in my head. Best get to it.

Stay well! Stay safe! And remember to spread kindness wherever you go!

Marie

Memorial Day Weekend

 

        Hello, gentle readers! Hope you all had a safe Memorial Day weekend.

The DH and I didn’t do much…just kinda hung out at home and binge watched Yellowstone (I’m a huge Kevin Costner fan!) and I made a huge batch of spaghetti sauce with meatballs and sausage (it came out really good, too. I’m never quite sure how it’s going to turn out because I don’t measure anything…it just looks and smells right while I’m adding the ingredients). 

In our younger days, we would take this weekend to head up to the mountains and rivers where it was much cooler than Phoenix and go camping (we had all the gear…tents, camp stove…you name it, we had it). It was our version of a vacation from the day to day. Our son and all the dogs loved it.

I admit, I enjoyed it, too. I always brought a book or two and several brand new writing pads and pens. Gently rocking in a hammock suspended between trees and listening to the stream rushing between rocks was the perfect place to think and dream and write. Looking at the star-studded sky was a big inspiration as well (though difficult to write by), not to mention the spectacular sunsets. I started many a story on a camping trip. It doesn’t take much to inspire me. A deer in the field when the sun is rising and mist is coming off the meadow. A hawk soaring through the clouds. The smell of a campfire and fresh brewed coffee. The sound of the wind whispering through the trees.

We don’t camp anymore and we’ve given away our equipment to someone with young children who will use it. The places we used to go have all been developed. I’m sure there are other places that remain like they were, but frankly, I don’t want to sleep on the ground anymore (heck, I don’t even want to sit on the ground. I want cushions). We’re not as young as we used to be, the DH and I, and I have such a hard time getting up (my knees sound like rice crispies after you pour on the milk). For my DH, it’s even worse (arthritis has not been kind). We did use an air mattress several times, but somehow, always managed to find a rock or develop a hole and ended up sleeping on the ground anyway.

No, now I want creature comforts. Maid service. Restaurants so I don’t have to cook over an open flame or that little camp stove. A nice soft bed and even softer pillows. Air Conditioning. Yeah. Or better yet, I’ll just stay home. I can always close my eyes and dream I’m writing next to a gently flowing stream.

Stay well! Stay safe! And remember to spread kindness wherever you go!

Marie

Family

 

          Hello, gentle readers! Hope you are all well and staying safe!

Well, here it is again. My turn to post my blog. And I have the perfect topic – family, whether related by blood or simply because you adore each other.

Yesterday, I met a dear friend for breakfast, which we have done at least once a month for the past several years (although over the past year, due to the pandemic, we weren’t able to…we’ve both been vaccinated now so our once monthly get-together is back on. We are responsible though and continue to wear our masks). As I was leaving her company, I told her that I loved her (as I always do) because over the years, we’ve become more than just friends. We’ve become family. She’s the sister I always wanted.

The mistress of this blogsite is also the sister I’ve always wanted. There are others, too—brothers and sisters of my heart (I am indeed blessed!)

After that amazing breakfast, my DH and I went to a small birthday celebration for the ninety-year old matriarch of a very special family. Again, neither my DH and I are related to this group by blood, but we are welcomed and loved as if we were nevertheless. It’s both humbling and exhilarating – a bond that is almost deeper than blood, an acceptance of who I am and the joy of knowing that I am loved for me and not because they have to. I feel the same about them. The hardest part right now is not being able to hug…we are making do with elbow bumps though (I miss the hugging…I'm a hugger by nature and this family gives the best hugs!)

I’ve noticed that in the stories I write, friends generally become family because, in life, that’s what we do. We gather people close and keep them close. I truly believe humans are not meant to be alone. We want company. We desire communication and touch—a hug, a kiss on the cheek between old friends, a pat on the back, the simple act of holding someone’s hand or helping them in some small way (as I did yesterday, when I had the privilege to help a very young at heart woman cross the street).

Some of us are quite lucky in that regard, whether our companions are other people or a member of the animal kingdom. I know I am and I’m thankful every day for the special “family” in my life.

Stay well! Stay safe! And remember to spread kindness wherever you go!

Marie

Two Stories At Once?

 

         Hello, gentle readers! Hope you are all well and staying safe!

Well, it’s a beautiful day here in Phoenix! I’m loving the weather right now. Not too hot yet. I used to be the girl who said anything over 80 is too hot, but here it is, hovering at around 89 degrees and it’s not too bad. Of course, I’m in the house in the air conditioning! Mornings, however, are lovely! I like sitting outside just as the sun is lighting up the sky (it’s only for a few minutes, but it’s enough to get the brain functioning to start writing…that, and coffee!).

Speaking of writing…I’m trying something new. I’m actually working on two manuscripts at one time, going back and forth, working on one one day then the other the next day. Not sure if this is going to work, but it’s worth a try. Have I gotten confused? Not so far, but there’s always a possibility. Why am I doing this? Quite simply, both stories are in my head…yes, at the same time. It’s almost like I’m switching the channel on the television. Words and scenes from one story one minute, then flip the channel, and it’s the other story. Not sure why it’s happening like this, but it is so my only choice, instead of trying to completely shut off one story (what if it doesn’t come back?) and just go with the other, I’m trying both. Is this the definition of insanity? Do other authors do this? Struggle with it? I’m sure they do.

On a side note, here’s something I realized today….I have been writing on this blogsite since 2010! Actually, I was a little shocked to realize that. It doesn’t seem that long. What surprised me more than anything else is that I have so much to say! 

That’s all for me. Time to start cutting up my veggies and making my salads for the week then make dinner (simple fare tonight, I’m making another of my mother’s favorites…baked macaroni. I probably shouldn’t. It’s high in carbs and I’m doing the low carb thing, but I’ve been craving it for weeks now and just couldn’t resist anymore).

Stay well! Stay safe! And remember to spread kindness wherever you go!

Marie

Drop Dead Gorgeous by Lauren Landish

 Drop Dead Gorgeous is probably not what you're thinking.  A good-looking man that woman fawn over isn't it, but rather Zoey Walker has a stigma.  She is beautiful and a coroner.  The people of the county are afraid of her because they think they'll "drop dead" if they associate with her.

This leaves Zoey talking to corpses and having a solitary life.   

Blake Hale is a trivia nerd and a happy-go-lucky life insurance salesman.  When one of his insured dies, he visits the coroner for a report.  All regular protocol for a claim.

Finding her talking to a corpse when Blake enters her morgue does nothing to make him turn-tail.  Her beauty stuns him and adds to the impressiveness of her work.  He's glad to need her for this claim.

Most men run when Zoey is near, so it's baffling that Blake continues to find excuses to talk to her.  Zoey thinks his insured dead man didn't die of natural causes.  Blake convinces her to collude with him in investigating the circumstances since the Sherriff's office has closed the case.

 Zoey pushes most people out of her life to reduce the level of antagonism.  Blake is a patient man and will do his best to prove to her that all the rumors and gossip mean nothing to him.  He treats her like a queen.

She's suspicious of any man sticking around for long, so will her walls tumble to let Blake closer and will this be for long term?

Lately, I've really enjoyed romantic comedy.  This story makes be giggle as I flip the pages, and a little laughter can help an ordinary day become something more!

Happy reading,

Dawn

Long Range Planning?

 

           Hello, gentle readers! Hope you are all well and staying safe. 

I have never been one to make long range plans. I’ve always been too busy just getting through the day, the week, the month (you know, one day at a time). That question they ask you in interviews: where do you see yourself in five years? Yeah, always had the biggest problem answering that because I just didn’t know. I never made plans that far in advance (although my standard answer was always: Hopefully here, doing my best work, which seemed to satisfy interviewers). The most I’ve ever done is a year, because you know, stuff happens…and the plans you made go by the wayside.

But I find lately that that has changed. I’ve actually set my retirement date. Granted, it’s
almost seven years in the future, but it was a revelation for me. With a definite date in mind, I, the woman who never plans more than a few months into the future, have begun to plan.

I’m not big on traveling (neither is my DH. Getting him on a plane is rather difficult), but there are a few places I’d like to go so those went on the list (mind you, they are not exotic, far away places, but there are several beaches I’d like to lay on and while away the hours, preferably with some fruity cocktail in one hand and a book in the other). Of course, there is visiting friends and family and I will do those before I retire as well as after, but still…it’s a long range plan, something I have shied away from all these years.

There are other things, but I’m still working on them so I’m not ready to divulge anything (the brain is busy figuring everything out—and it’s a difficult process because I’ve never done it before).

          Most importantly, I plan to write. I write now, but without the demands of the day job, I’ll have more time to do so. I say that, but I’ve heard from people who have retired that they are busier now than they’ve ever been and then there is the all important question – will I still have the words. I hope I do because there are, at this moment, twenty-seven stories in my queue. Between now and that magical retirement date, I’ll have a few already done (plus, I’m sure, many more added).

I keep telling myself these are baby steps. I need to go slow as this is such a radical change for me, BUT that first, all important, date has been set and I am ready.

Stay well! Stay safe! And remember to spread kindness wherever you go!

Marie

An Excellent Visit

             Hello, gentle readers! Hope you are all well and staying safe!

            My son and his girlfriend came to visit last weekend. It was the first time I’ve met her (we’ve chatted on the phone and texted) and she was as lovely as can be. I enjoyed getting to know her.

Being in lock down for the past year, only going to the grocery, the pharmacy, and work twice a week, I was unprepared (and out of shape) to go gallivanting all over creation (properly masked, of course, and physically distanced whenever possible), but it was worth it (I was able to recover after they went home). We went up to Sedona, which is lovely any time of year, but the weather was perfect for this spring day. Had lunch outdoors so we could look at the view…if you’ve never been to Sedona, Arizona, let me just say the view is spectacular. Breath-taking. The red rocks, especially when the sun is shining on them, is nothing short of awe-inspiring. I attempted to take pictures, but I'm not very good, although I will say, I got some fantastic shots of my thumb! This was definitely not taken by me (notice, no thumb). 

For just plain fun, we went to this little place out in Apache Junction called Goldfield’s Ghost Town. Took a train ride where the conductor pointed out the relics of the old mining operation and learned that the mine is still producing gold. Also took a tour of the bordello. Learned a bunch of stuff I didn’t know, which kinda surprised me a little. I’ve done a lot of research into the old west, but the tour-guide told me things I hadn’t read or heard of before. Which just goes to prove that research is never quite done (I always consider it a plus when I can learn something new). Of course, while I was there listening to this woman speak and seeing the inside of a bordello, I came up with yet another idea for a story (this is in addition to the one I came up with just a little over two weeks ago). It’s all good though. I jotted down some notes for when I’m ready to write it (during their visit, I still managed to write in the mornings…didn’t matter what time I hit the sack the night before, I was still up before the sun rose).  

We went up to Cave Creek, too, to shop for souvenirs and listen to some really good live music.

And we ate a lot (my son is a foodie). After a year of restricting my carb intake, I admit, I splurged a little. I had cake! I had bread! I had French fries! I even had an alcoholic beverage! I know! I was so bad! I’m not even upset that I gained back two pounds (well, that’s a lie…I am upset a little, but seriously, it was worth it…when you’re a self-described carboholic and haven’t had any of the things you love in over a year…yeah, it was worth it).

It was sad to see them pack up and go home, but I’m so looking forward to their next visit!

Stay well! Stay safe! And remember to spread kindness wherever you go!

Marie

A New Story? Now? Really?

 

         Hello, gentle readers. Hope you are well and staying safe. 

So here’s what happened. I’m going along at a steady clip, writing every weekday morning before the day job on my current work in progress when BAM! Out of nowhere comes the opening scene of another story. Now, I knew eventually I’d be working on it…it’s the fourth in a series (the first story is done but hasn’t been submitted to anyone as yet, the second is half-way done, and the third has been started) so why would my brain bypass the end of the second story, completely gloss over the third story and go right into the fourth?

I wish I knew the answer to that question because it seems to happen all the time.

Is it any wonder why it takes me so long to finish a story? Is it any wonder that I have (now) over fourteen manuscripts in various stages of progress (and that doesn’t count all the ideas that are percolating in my brain)?

Well, since that opening scene was in my head and wouldn’t go away, I had to write it. Had no choice really. The voice was persistent! Demanding! Totally unreasonable in regard to what I planned for that morning!

It was him. The hero. And he wasn’t whispering in my ear. He was yelling! I’m not fond of being yelled at so…in order to shut him up (at least for the time being), I did what I was told. That seemed to quiet him and he stopped shouting, but that hasn’t stopped the whispering. And I’m listening to all he’s telling me, jotting down plot points and back story as quickly as he’s giving me the information.

I’m hoping, once he’s satisfied, I can go back to my current work in progress before I lose that tenuous train of thought.

Wish me luck!

Stay well! Stay safe! And remember to spread kindness wherever you go!

Marie

Wild Irish Heart (Mystic cove Series) by Tricia O'Malley

 Get a book in the mail, and you never know what will happen.

Keelin O'Brien received a mysterious, old journal in the mail.  It was from her grandmother, far from Massachusetts in Ireland.  This must mean her grandmother, Fiona, had passed, or why else would she have parted with her secrets?

Keelin knew there was something special about herself, and now was the time to find out.  Also, Ireland would be a perfect place to study the ocean and prepare her thesis.  Mostly, she wanted to know about her grandmother. 

Keelin planned to spend the summer at her grandmother's cottage.  Not only did she walk into a great surprise upon arrival, but she also met several eligible bachelors that had no idea how to woo a lady.  That didn't matter because she preferred different, eccentric, unique, or whatever the Irish way was called. 

Flynn certainly fit all of those, and Keelin still didn't know what to do with him when she got a special feeling every time he turned up.  

No matter, she had more important things to figure out, including what to do with her magic.  Those things that were so different about herself didn't come from her imagination.  She had a lot to learn about how she can help heal the world, or at least the community around her.

Flynn acted as Fiona's handyman.  He was as gorgeous as silent.  Keelin had trouble reading his thoughts, but he popped up at all the right times.  The first indication that he wasn't an ogre appeared as a fury puppy as an  "I'm sorry" for  his distant attitude.

Was there hope for Keelin to finish her thesis, learn her magic, and break through Flynn's hard shell?  The cool nights, a mysterious cove, and the enchanting greenery of Ireland cast its magic on Keelin's visit.

Happy reading,

Dawn
  

What I'm Watching

 

          Hello, gentle readers! Hope you are all well and staying safe!

Well, it’s my turn to blog and guess what? Hahaha! Yes, you’re right. I do not have a topic. The days are flowing by just too darn fast. It’s March already! Wasn’t it just New Year’s Day yesterday? I guess what they say is true…the older you get, the faster the time goes.

Oh, I know what I can talk about…a new series on SyFy. It’s called Resident Alien and the people who write this show must be having a ball – the writing is just that terrific. And funny! The premise – an alien inhabits an earthling’s body and tries pass himself off as human – but with all the quirks of someone who just doesn’t know how a human should act. His actions aren’t quite on the mark, especially when he’s feeling things a human would feel (which, of course, is completely alien to him) and he doesn’t seem to have a sensor between brain and mouth (okay, sometimes, neither do I) so he says anything that pops in his head, no matter how inappropriate (in a very deadpan kinda way…which cracks me up or makes me want to cringe). We also get to hear his internal thoughts as he’s trying to figure out the world around him and the people he comes in contact with. There’s only one person in the whole town who knows he’s an alien. It’s a kid, so, of course, no one believes him. 

The actor who plays this alien turned earthling is fantastic and those that play off him do it with such flair, it’s easy to believe they are not in on the joke.

I will admit, the day he “tried out” his new body was hysterical. Learning how to walk, learning how to eat, learning how to sit in a chair. I laughed out loud (not a good thing…it was very early on a Saturday morning, around 5am, and I woke the DH). I am a fan of slapstick comedy (you know, pie in the face, slip on a banana peel) and this certainly hits the mark.

Back to the writers of this show. As I said, they must be having a great time with this (his actions, his words, etc, and how everyone plays off what he says and does). I ask myself over and over “How did they ever think of that”! and how do they make it so funny (as you know, funny is subjective…what I find funny...well, let's just say I'm a little quirky and leave it at that). 

As you know, I’m trying my hand at a rom-com. I’m hoping I can make that as humorous as this show. Wish me luck!

Stay well! Stay safe! And remember to spread kindness wherever you go!

Marie

How I Write

 

           Hello, gentle readers! Hope you are all well and staying safe!

Dinner is in the oven (I’m making one of my mother’s favorite dishes), salads are prepared for the week, fruit & veggies are cut up and in containers for the week as well, so I have a few minutes.

It’s been a busy weekend for me. In addition to my regular weekend chores, I cleaned my guest room and hung up new curtains. It looks nice in there. Since no one has come to visit for quite some time (my son surprised me last June), the room has become a repository for things that don’t have a permanent place so I put things away in their forever home. And while I was at it, I tossed a bunch of stuff and filled a couple boxes for the Salvation Army. 

And I finished doing my taxes. I am relieved that it’s over for another year. I do my own (I love TurboTax) and I like to do them early. No waiting until April 15 for me.

Doing my taxes so early frees up my time for more important things…like writing. That’s not to say that I write fast. I don’t. I write in the mornings, before the world is awake (from 4:45 to 6am) and I average between 300 and 500 words in that space of time (which, to some, I’m sure, is not a lot, but it is steady and I do it most weekday mornings before the day job).

Sometimes I struggle. A lot. Sometimes the blank page and blinking cursor are intimidating, but I always come back to “you can’t edit a blank page” so I persevere, even if it’s not good (yes, I have given myself permission to write absolute crap). Dialogue is definitely not my strong suit, and yet, when I’m writing a new scene, it’s always the dialogue that goes in first. Not sure why that is. Once the dialogue is in, I go back and put in my tags and descriptions. I’m sure others don’t do it this way and probably think I’m nuts, but it works for me.

The other thing I do, particularly if I’m struggling in the current scene, is jump ahead. I know! I’m definitely not a linear writer. I think if I was forced to go from Chapter One to the epilogue without jumping ahead, it would stifle me. For those who are linear writers, I envy you. I really do. I don’t think I have ever completed a story that way. It’s always been Chapter One, Chapter 10, Chapter 6, Epilogue, Chapter 2 until eventually all the chapters are in place.

Ah, the timer just went off on my oven…dinner is ready.

Stay well! Stay safe! And remember to spread kindness wherever you go!

Marie

Happy Valentine's Day

 

            Hello, gentle readers! Hope you are all well and staying safe!
            This coming Sunday is Valentine’s Day. For many, this is the day their spouses will gift them with chocolates in heart shaped boxes and red roses and romance--perhaps a special dinner at their favorite restaurant. Or a well-planned surprise weekend away.
            This is not the norm in my house and never has been. My DH’s idea of romance is doing an oil change or replacing the brakes on my car. His idea of romance is being home every night (he once turned down a job driving trucks cross country because he didn’t want to be from home (and me?) for that many days). His idea of romance is providing for the family.
             And you know what? I’m okay with that. I know he loves me and yes, he proves it every day (and seriously, there is a difference between romance and love). Maybe that’s why I read and write romances, because that sweep me off my feet romance is not part of my life. Truthfully? I don’t need to be swept off my feet. I’m too practical for that and while I love roses (preferably yellow) and chocolates, I would probably have a cow if money was spent on flowers and candy when the electric bill or the mortgage was due. I am happy with just a card (my DH is really good at picking out cards that make me go all misty-eyed). 
            Give me stability instead. Give me the fact that I know he’ll be home every night. Give me support in my writing endeavors. Give me laughter (which he does). Hold my hand when I’m feeling blue and let me know you’re there and always will be.
            We’ve been married 40 years now, been together 41. We’ve raised a son and sent him off into the world to make his own way, hopefully remembering the lessons we taught him. We’ve weathered many storms and upheavals—two hip surgeries and broken ribs (his), a cancer scare many years ago (mine), job losses and home repairs. There’s a wonderful scene in Yours, Mine, and Ours (the original version) where Henry Fonda is explaining to Lucille Ball’s daughter what love really is and you know, he’s right. It isn’t all candy and flowers and fireworks…it’s the every day things…dentist appointments and buying ground beef instead of filet mignon. It’s making compromises for your partner or your children. It’s knowing, at the end of the day, that special someone is there.
            Happy Valentine’s Day! Stay well! Stay safe! And remember to spread kindness wherever you go!
            Marie

Home Repairs and Writing

 

       Hello, gentle readers! Hope you are all well and staying safe!

I love my house. I really do (and it’s a good thing, too, because with the pandemic, the DH and I are spending more and more time at home). It’s the perfect size for us and our four-legged fur babies. We’ve been here for twenty-four years. But, it’s an older home (it’s actually my age) and back when they built it, we didn’t have some of the compliance rules we have now so when something breaks or isn’t working right or we try to do an update, we’re always in for a surprise. When we ripped up the carpet in the living room, we found lovely hardwood flooring…except it was only in one part of the living room…the extension that was added years later was just pieces of plywood fitted together. Plus, whoever laid the carpeting poured tar all over the hardwood to make sure the moisture barrier stayed in place. Really? Who does that?                   

Anyway, you may remember the saga of my old house and having most of my plumbing replaced last year. Well, the plumbing issues returned (in the places where it wasn’t replaced) and I realize, I should have had the entire house replumbed because we developed a leak…

In our younger days, my DH and I would fix these problems ourselves, but as with older homes, we’re not as young as we used to be and find we just can’t do it (heck, sometimes just rolling out of bed the wrong way makes us hurt for days! Can you imagine trying to twist ourselves into pretzels to reach a pipe? The leak was behind the kitchen sink!)

I am thankful that I have good plumbers. They come in (fully masked and with a ‘can do’ attitude), assess the issue, and fix it. No muss, no fuss. I’m also thankful I have a crawl space under the house which made the pipes easier for them to reach and replace.

As I sat here listening to the high-pitched whir of the drill (the pipe needed to be cut out entirely and replaced), it occurred to me that home repairs are a little like writing. You’re going along and everything is going smoothly until KABOOM—you develop a leak or write yourself into a corner. There are only two options at that point—you can try to write yourself out of that corner by patching it up as best you can or—and this is a big one—you go back to where you started writing yourself into that problem and delete those words. It may be only a few sentences or paragraphs or it could be pages and pages. Maybe even a whole chapter! In the end, you hope the fixes you put in place were the right ones.

Stay well! Stay safe! And remember to spread kindness wherever you go!

Marie

January 2021

 

Hello, gentle readers! Hope you are all well and staying safe!

It’s early Sunday morning as I sit down to write this. And I do mean early. It’s only 5am (and yes, I do have my coffee). The sun isn’t up yet (so you may ask, why am I?). Well, after years and years of training myself to get up early so I can write before the day job, I find that I can no longer sleep in. Really. If I make it to 6:30, I consider that sleeping in. The other reason I’m up so early? I love this time of the morning before the world wakes up. The house is silent (just the constant hum of the computer) and even the dogs are sleeping on the futon behind me (albeit, not so quietly…they snore).

The DH and I spent a quiet New Years…except for all the fireworks going off in the neighborhood. Some of them were really loud and felt like they were coming from right in front of my house. The dogs didn’t like it at all. Nothing like having a shaking, panting 87 pound German Shepherd try to sit in your lap…unless it’s having her shaking, panting and whining 110 pound sister try to sit there at the same time (unfortunately, my lap was not big enough…it didn’t stop them from trying though and at one point, they did manage). Yes, this was my life on New Year’s Eve, trying desperately to keep the dogs calm. I even purchased something at the pet store to help toward that end…the calming chews did not help at all, as evidenced by them both crawling into my lap. We did make it through the night, but it was uncomfortable at best. Poor things. Horrible to be so scared!

Well, this being the beginning of a new year, I have set some goals for myself (not resolutions—those don’t last, but goals…those are a horse of a different color).

Goal Number 1: I will attempt to finish at least one of the manuscripts that I have started.

Goal Number 2: I will maintain the weight loss I’ve managed and attempt to lose a few more pounds (easier say than done…my scale and I have had some major disagreements).

Goal Number 3: I will continue to practice being kind. This goal is ongoing, because there is always room for improvement, but this year, I’m going to try harder to be kind to myself (which is much harder than being kind to someone else. I admit, I lose patience with myself more than I do with others).

And that’s all for me. Happy New Year! Stay well! Stay safe! And remember to spread kindness wherever you go!

Marie