Kate Collins's Blog, page 26
September 29, 2019
I'VE GOT MAIL!
By Mary Kennedy
Dear Mary, I'm a very creative person. The trouble is, I'm too creative for my own good! I currently have 12 book ideas that I'm playing around with. I write a few pages on one, take a break, move on to another manuscript and jot down some plot changes and then go on to yet another project. This goes on and on.
In the last five years, I've started at least fifteen novels and haven't completed any of them. My friends tell me I'm lucky I have so many great ideas, but I don't feel lucky. I feel like I'm being assailed by a barrage of bullets! How can I concentrate when I have so many ideas bubbling around in my head. And why am I doing this?
If you have any advice or solutions for me I'd really appreciate it. I've always wanted to be a novelist. In fact, it's the only thing I really want to do and now that I'm retired, I finally have the time to do it. What's holding me back? Is it possible that I'm just too creative? Signed, Way too Creative
Dear Way Too Creative, well, first of all, I think you should stop talking to your friends about your unfinished projects. It saps the energy from them. I never talk about book ideas before the book appears in print. And no, it's not because I'm afraid someone will steal the idea, ideas are a dime a dozen. It's just that it really does seem to drain the energy and excitement from the creative project when you gab about it first.
That's one point. The other is that your friends are probably being kind when they agree that you're "too creative." No one is telling James Patterson that he's too creative and according to a recent NY Times article, he works on 23 projects at once! He has a big U-shaped desk that goes around the perimeter of a room and he walks along, making notes on manuscripts, adding a page or two, an idea or two as he progresses. Of course, he has co-writers, which certainly helps!
But to get back to your problem. There are a lot of reasons why you are procrastinating and I'd have to know more specifics to be helpful. However, off the top of my head, it could be based on fear. Fear of failing, fear of writing a book that doesn't set the world on fire, etc. Fear that you're wasting your time. I don't know what your expectations are. Fear and anxiety can lead to paralysis.
Another reason for procrastinating is perfectionism. I have a friend who insists she can't go forward with her novel (she's been on chapter three for a couple of years now) because she has to visit Charleston to see the dining room of an historic house. Really? That's insane. The section on the dining room will take up a couple of paragraphs at most and a lot of readers skip over descriptions. And she can see a photo pf the dining room online. How much detail does she really need?
A lot of people talk about writing. Not too many actually do it. As Jackie Collins said, "If it were easy, everyone would do it."
Why not write to me again with a few more specifics and I'll give you some tips on moving forward with one of your projects. And thank you for writing! It's always good to hear from fellow writers, no matter what stage they're at in the process.
By Mary Kennedy
Dear Mary, I'm a very creative person. The trouble is, I'm too creative for my own good! I currently have 12 book ideas that I'm playing around with. I write a few pages on one, take a break, move on to another manuscript and jot down some plot changes and then go on to yet another project. This goes on and on.
In the last five years, I've started at least fifteen novels and haven't completed any of them. My friends tell me I'm lucky I have so many great ideas, but I don't feel lucky. I feel like I'm being assailed by a barrage of bullets! How can I concentrate when I have so many ideas bubbling around in my head. And why am I doing this?
If you have any advice or solutions for me I'd really appreciate it. I've always wanted to be a novelist. In fact, it's the only thing I really want to do and now that I'm retired, I finally have the time to do it. What's holding me back? Is it possible that I'm just too creative? Signed, Way too Creative
Dear Way Too Creative, well, first of all, I think you should stop talking to your friends about your unfinished projects. It saps the energy from them. I never talk about book ideas before the book appears in print. And no, it's not because I'm afraid someone will steal the idea, ideas are a dime a dozen. It's just that it really does seem to drain the energy and excitement from the creative project when you gab about it first.
That's one point. The other is that your friends are probably being kind when they agree that you're "too creative." No one is telling James Patterson that he's too creative and according to a recent NY Times article, he works on 23 projects at once! He has a big U-shaped desk that goes around the perimeter of a room and he walks along, making notes on manuscripts, adding a page or two, an idea or two as he progresses. Of course, he has co-writers, which certainly helps!
But to get back to your problem. There are a lot of reasons why you are procrastinating and I'd have to know more specifics to be helpful. However, off the top of my head, it could be based on fear. Fear of failing, fear of writing a book that doesn't set the world on fire, etc. Fear that you're wasting your time. I don't know what your expectations are. Fear and anxiety can lead to paralysis.
Another reason for procrastinating is perfectionism. I have a friend who insists she can't go forward with her novel (she's been on chapter three for a couple of years now) because she has to visit Charleston to see the dining room of an historic house. Really? That's insane. The section on the dining room will take up a couple of paragraphs at most and a lot of readers skip over descriptions. And she can see a photo pf the dining room online. How much detail does she really need?
A lot of people talk about writing. Not too many actually do it. As Jackie Collins said, "If it were easy, everyone would do it."
Why not write to me again with a few more specifics and I'll give you some tips on moving forward with one of your projects. And thank you for writing! It's always good to hear from fellow writers, no matter what stage they're at in the process.
By Mary Kennedy
September 27, 2019
I LOVE LOLA (AND SO WILL YOU!)
By Mary Kennedy
What do you do when a secondary character practically hijacks a series? Well, when it's Lola Walsh, Dr. Maggie's movie star mom, there's not much you *can* do. Lola is a force of nature, as big and colorful as those giant balloons in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade.
Here are a few vital stats in case you're not familiar with the Talk Radio Mysteries.
Who is Lola? Lola is an aspiring actress, a woman "of a certain age" who still lists her age at 38 on her head shot. This is clearly impossible since her daughter, Dr. Maggie Walsh, the star of the series, is in her early thirties. Lola has moved to south Florida to be near her daughter and has even acquired a geriatric talent agent.
Why is Lola important to the plot? Lola adds a whole new dimension to crime solving and brings some great quotes and a wild sense of humor to any situation.
What book contains the most "Lola" scenes? That would have to be REEL MURDER, which takes place on a movie set in Cypress Grove. A Hollywood film company comes to shoot a flick in south Florida and Lola manages to snare a small part because she's an old friend of the director. And since it's a psychological thriller, Dr. Maggie is hired as a consultant. So Lola definitely propels the plot forward. And as a B-List (or maybe a C list!) actress, she brings a unique approach to life on a movie set.
Is Lola going to have her own series? So many readers have asked me that! And if it was up to Lola, the answer would be yes. It seems a lot of readers can relate to her warm personality, her style, her quirkiness and they want to see more Lola in the books.
What's the latest book in the series? That would be a novella called A Deadly Fundraiser. Lola, Dr. Maggie and Vera Mae (Dr. Maggie's producer at WYME-Radio) go to a fundraiser in a Florida mansion and discover a body in the basement speakeasy
Happy reading!! Mary Kennedy
What do you do when a secondary character practically hijacks a series? Well, when it's Lola Walsh, Dr. Maggie's movie star mom, there's not much you *can* do. Lola is a force of nature, as big and colorful as those giant balloons in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade.
Here are a few vital stats in case you're not familiar with the Talk Radio Mysteries.
Who is Lola? Lola is an aspiring actress, a woman "of a certain age" who still lists her age at 38 on her head shot. This is clearly impossible since her daughter, Dr. Maggie Walsh, the star of the series, is in her early thirties. Lola has moved to south Florida to be near her daughter and has even acquired a geriatric talent agent.
Why is Lola important to the plot? Lola adds a whole new dimension to crime solving and brings some great quotes and a wild sense of humor to any situation.
What book contains the most "Lola" scenes? That would have to be REEL MURDER, which takes place on a movie set in Cypress Grove. A Hollywood film company comes to shoot a flick in south Florida and Lola manages to snare a small part because she's an old friend of the director. And since it's a psychological thriller, Dr. Maggie is hired as a consultant. So Lola definitely propels the plot forward. And as a B-List (or maybe a C list!) actress, she brings a unique approach to life on a movie set.
Is Lola going to have her own series? So many readers have asked me that! And if it was up to Lola, the answer would be yes. It seems a lot of readers can relate to her warm personality, her style, her quirkiness and they want to see more Lola in the books.
What's the latest book in the series? That would be a novella called A Deadly Fundraiser. Lola, Dr. Maggie and Vera Mae (Dr. Maggie's producer at WYME-Radio) go to a fundraiser in a Florida mansion and discover a body in the basement speakeasy
Happy reading!! Mary Kennedy
The worlds least successful YouTuber
by Lorraine Bartlett / Lorna Barrett / L.L. Bartlett
LOL -- I admit it, I love YouTube. For a few years, I put up a video every once in a while. In truth, that means when I could convince someone to make one for me.
Okay, it would be a LOT easier if I felt comfortable in front of a camera. I don't. Therefore, I need software to help me put these things together. I tried several and settled on one called Animoto. It's pretty limited, and I mostly do slideshow videos for my books and my thrifting adventures.
Putting the videos together is easy. Takes less than an hour. Putting the slides together to make the videos can take from four to six hours. For example: Just taking a photo of an object is fast and easy. Taking that photo and isolating the object from the background is also easy, but not always 100% successful. That's when it might take me a half hour or more to go in and manually erase what the software didn't quite take out. I don't always have good lighting. That means taking the photo and messing around with the brightness and contrast.
So, is it actually fun doing this stuff? Not really, but I do like the end result (and hope you do, too).
Check out my playlists for my various series:
Booktown Mysteries
Victoria Square Mysteries
Life On Victoria Square
Jeff Resnick Mysteries
Lotus Bay Mysteries
Blythe Cove Manor
Come Thrift With Me
I hope you'll check out (and subscribe) to my channel. Find the home page here.
Thanks!
LOL -- I admit it, I love YouTube. For a few years, I put up a video every once in a while. In truth, that means when I could convince someone to make one for me.Okay, it would be a LOT easier if I felt comfortable in front of a camera. I don't. Therefore, I need software to help me put these things together. I tried several and settled on one called Animoto. It's pretty limited, and I mostly do slideshow videos for my books and my thrifting adventures.
Putting the videos together is easy. Takes less than an hour. Putting the slides together to make the videos can take from four to six hours. For example: Just taking a photo of an object is fast and easy. Taking that photo and isolating the object from the background is also easy, but not always 100% successful. That's when it might take me a half hour or more to go in and manually erase what the software didn't quite take out. I don't always have good lighting. That means taking the photo and messing around with the brightness and contrast.So, is it actually fun doing this stuff? Not really, but I do like the end result (and hope you do, too).
Check out my playlists for my various series:
Booktown Mysteries
Victoria Square Mysteries
Life On Victoria Square
Jeff Resnick Mysteries
Lotus Bay Mysteries
Blythe Cove Manor
Come Thrift With Me
I hope you'll check out (and subscribe) to my channel. Find the home page here.
Thanks!
September 25, 2019
Oh, The Things Cats Do!
by Karen Rose Smith
One of the advantages of having pets is that they can raise your spirits even on your roughest days. When I am not feeling well or having a bad day trying to rouse my muse to finish a chapter that has taken what seems like forever to complete, I simply need to look at the cats to find a reason to smile. They do the darndest things that, while not over-the-top funny, warm my spirit and lift my mood.
It may be something as simple as an unusual sleeping position or as mischievous as reclining on the kitchen counter with a stare that says, "Feed me."
Paddy takes solace on top of a wardrobe in my office, jumping there from the back of the sofa. She just enjoys the view of the room from that height. Freya, on the other hand, also jumps there on occasion and proceeds to eat the Pussy Willows in the urn.
Sometimes trying to hide under a table or in their cat cubes, parts sticking out, paint a humorous picture that is worth a smile.
Zander and Freya have adopted Beanie Baby stuffed cats (Zander's is a yellow tabby and Freya has claimed the gray tabby) that I gave them to play with when they were kittens, two years ago. I never know where I will find them. Zander mostly leaves his where he naps. But Freya... The gray tabby might be in the dining room when I go to bed at night and I might find it in the living room or kitchen the next morning. She particularly likes to play with it on a runner in the kitchen. One morning Freya had managed to crumple up the rug and bury the stuffed cat in the folds. Zander usually cuddles the toy along with my slippers in the bedroom.
Bonnie and Clyde, our outside cats, also add warming moments to my day. They must have been caught up in a TNR program before they were led to our yard by Sunnybud, a stray who passed on. It has taken 3 years for them to trust us and our property enough to consider our yard as home. Clyde can often be found sitting inside the basement door near the cat door, protecting his area and waiting for his sibling Bonnie to came in. Once in, they both go through antics of stretching and meowing while waiting for their evening meal. Occasionally, Bonnie takes longer than Clyde would prefer so he has to go out to look for her. She likes to nap on the deck outside my office. One day she caught sight of me watching her through the window and came over to greet me through the glass while Clyde waited patiently at the bottom of the steps for her to stop being social and head inside for the night.
Daily feedings, cleaning out litter boxes and straightening up rumpled rugs is more than worth the trouble, because the smiles, comfort and companionship that my felines bring to me on a daily basis is invaluable. They are my joy, my sunshine, my bright spots every day.
*************Of course, my sleuth is a cat mom as well as a mom of two teenagers. One of her cats is a tortie like Paddy and Bonnie and the other is a black tuxedo like my seven year old Zoie Joy. I chat about them a lot on my Facebook page ( KarenRoseSmithBooks Facebook page ).
NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER
In Pennsylvania’s Amish country, Daisy Swanson has a tea shop to run, a daughter to marry off—and a murder to solve . . .
Daisy’s worried one of her employees at Daisy’s Tea Garden may be in a spot of trouble. Lately Karina’s been loading up on soup and second-day baked goods at the end of her shift—and while the shop’s scrumptious treats may be hard to resist, Daisy suspects there’s more going on, especially since Karina has been seen hanging out in a rundown part of Willow Creek.
Planning her own daughter’s wedding is enough to keep her busy, but Daisy can’t help feeling a protective maternal instinct—and an instinct to investigate. It turns out Karina has been helping a down-on-his luck single dad who’s been making ends meet—barely—by selling antiques at a place called Pirated Treasures.
But when an employee at the antiques store is bludgeoned to death with a marble rolling pin, Karina’s new friend is suspect number one. Though the motives are muddy and steeped in intrigue, Daisy is more than determined to flush the real killer out.
MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Amazon
MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Barnes and Noble
One of the advantages of having pets is that they can raise your spirits even on your roughest days. When I am not feeling well or having a bad day trying to rouse my muse to finish a chapter that has taken what seems like forever to complete, I simply need to look at the cats to find a reason to smile. They do the darndest things that, while not over-the-top funny, warm my spirit and lift my mood.
It may be something as simple as an unusual sleeping position or as mischievous as reclining on the kitchen counter with a stare that says, "Feed me."Paddy takes solace on top of a wardrobe in my office, jumping there from the back of the sofa. She just enjoys the view of the room from that height. Freya, on the other hand, also jumps there on occasion and proceeds to eat the Pussy Willows in the urn.
Sometimes trying to hide under a table or in their cat cubes, parts sticking out, paint a humorous picture that is worth a smile.
Zander and Freya have adopted Beanie Baby stuffed cats (Zander's is a yellow tabby and Freya has claimed the gray tabby) that I gave them to play with when they were kittens, two years ago. I never know where I will find them. Zander mostly leaves his where he naps. But Freya... The gray tabby might be in the dining room when I go to bed at night and I might find it in the living room or kitchen the next morning. She particularly likes to play with it on a runner in the kitchen. One morning Freya had managed to crumple up the rug and bury the stuffed cat in the folds. Zander usually cuddles the toy along with my slippers in the bedroom.
Bonnie and Clyde, our outside cats, also add warming moments to my day. They must have been caught up in a TNR program before they were led to our yard by Sunnybud, a stray who passed on. It has taken 3 years for them to trust us and our property enough to consider our yard as home. Clyde can often be found sitting inside the basement door near the cat door, protecting his area and waiting for his sibling Bonnie to came in. Once in, they both go through antics of stretching and meowing while waiting for their evening meal. Occasionally, Bonnie takes longer than Clyde would prefer so he has to go out to look for her. She likes to nap on the deck outside my office. One day she caught sight of me watching her through the window and came over to greet me through the glass while Clyde waited patiently at the bottom of the steps for her to stop being social and head inside for the night. 
Daily feedings, cleaning out litter boxes and straightening up rumpled rugs is more than worth the trouble, because the smiles, comfort and companionship that my felines bring to me on a daily basis is invaluable. They are my joy, my sunshine, my bright spots every day.
*************Of course, my sleuth is a cat mom as well as a mom of two teenagers. One of her cats is a tortie like Paddy and Bonnie and the other is a black tuxedo like my seven year old Zoie Joy. I chat about them a lot on my Facebook page ( KarenRoseSmithBooks Facebook page ).
NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER
In Pennsylvania’s Amish country, Daisy Swanson has a tea shop to run, a daughter to marry off—and a murder to solve . . .
Daisy’s worried one of her employees at Daisy’s Tea Garden may be in a spot of trouble. Lately Karina’s been loading up on soup and second-day baked goods at the end of her shift—and while the shop’s scrumptious treats may be hard to resist, Daisy suspects there’s more going on, especially since Karina has been seen hanging out in a rundown part of Willow Creek.
Planning her own daughter’s wedding is enough to keep her busy, but Daisy can’t help feeling a protective maternal instinct—and an instinct to investigate. It turns out Karina has been helping a down-on-his luck single dad who’s been making ends meet—barely—by selling antiques at a place called Pirated Treasures.
But when an employee at the antiques store is bludgeoned to death with a marble rolling pin, Karina’s new friend is suspect number one. Though the motives are muddy and steeped in intrigue, Daisy is more than determined to flush the real killer out.
MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Amazon
MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Barnes and Noble
Pets teach us plenty
Things we learn from our pets...Just in case you think you have all the answers I’m here to remind you that your pet is probably wiser than you are. Okay, you can drive a car and get the jokes on Saturday Night Live and you can vote but when it comes to the really important stuff our pets get it way more than we do.I just have cats...Dr. Watson and Spooky, but my kids have dogs...Maddy, Sophie and Ginger. So what have I leared from these furry friends? Plenty! And it’s the stuff that’s counts in life.From Spooky and Watson I learned...-nothing beats a warm place to nap and that a place in the sun is the best place of all to spend time.-you do not have to eat all the food in front of you!-snuggling is fun-never trust a two-year-olds to stay out of trouble-fish is good for you-sitting and doing nothing recharges your batteries-you can sense things that aren’t visible-some healthy food really does taste like crap-make some noise when you’re happy-it’s okay to hiss when you’re not-napping is great-fuzzy blankets are the best-and...I am the boss and don’t you forget it
Things I’ve learned from my kids’ dogs...-you think you rescued me but I really rescued you-if I wasn’t around who would you blame for those farts-loyalty is everything-snacks are good for the soul-when feeling down having a BFF helps a lot-meat is good no matter what the doctors tell you-nothing beats coming home to a friend-getting left behind on vacation sucks-don’t trust everyone-don’t bite when a growl will do-there is never a bad time for a walk-play is good-falling asleep on the couch is the best sleep of all-don’t panic if the barber cuts your hair too short...your friends love you anywayThese are some things I’ve learned from pets. They simplify life, get to the root of what is really important and get rid of the clutter that occupies too much of our lives.So, what about you? What have you learned from a pet?
September 23, 2019
Who Are You People?
by Maggie SeftonFor those of you who are just discovering our Cozy Chicks Blog site, I'm posting a short descriptive piece that gives a good introduction to the cast of characters in the Kelly Flynn Knitting Mysteries---" Who Are You People" goes into background detail on the characters that populate all sixteen---yes folks, that's 16---Kelly Flynn Knitting Myteries. I'm well aware there are authors out there who have written over thirty+ mysteries in their series bestsellers.
My characters are a headstrong bunch and they let me know what's on their minds. And, Kelly let me know a few years ago that mystery #16 would be the last of the Kelly Flynn mysteries. She said quite clearly---our characters do that, you know---and told me that "The Gang and I are going to take a break, a rest, after #16."
I have absolutely NO idea if Kelly and the Gang have plans to resume sometime in the future. Believe me, if I hear anything, I'll be glad to share it with you readers. Meanwhile, here's a way to get a taste of the characters if you haven't already met them. :) You can find copies on Amazon.
September 22, 2019
ROUTE 66. FOLLOW THE ROAD, LIVE THE DREAM
By Mary Kennedy
A recent trip to Albuquerque reawakened a longtime desire of mine--to hit the road on Route 66. A quick poll of my friends revealed that a lot of them have a Route 66 trip on their bucket list. Maybe you have one on yours.
Why? Many reasons. The lure of the open road is one. The very name conjures up excitement, adventure and a sense of timelessness. The road seems to stretch on forever.
Route 66 has been written about, fantasized about and glamorized. Nowadays, many parts of it are in disrepair or have disappeared completely, but here's a quick look at the map and you'll see how many states are involved.
And some of you may remember the old TV show Route 66 from the 1960's. An idealized version of Route 66? Maybe, but what's Hollywood without dreams.
Route 66 today has a retro flair. You'll see some abandoned motels, torn up sections of roads and a few seedy cafes.
But you'll also experience a sense of freedom and open spaces in the great southwest.
Along with some quaint little towns that celebrate their connection with the famous road. Here's a vintage car show in a town you may pass along the way.
So as Chuck Berry sang, gas up the car, grab some water and snacks and "Get Your Kicks on Route 66." It will be a trip you won't forget!
Happy travels!! Mary Kennedy
A recent trip to Albuquerque reawakened a longtime desire of mine--to hit the road on Route 66. A quick poll of my friends revealed that a lot of them have a Route 66 trip on their bucket list. Maybe you have one on yours.
Why? Many reasons. The lure of the open road is one. The very name conjures up excitement, adventure and a sense of timelessness. The road seems to stretch on forever.
Route 66 has been written about, fantasized about and glamorized. Nowadays, many parts of it are in disrepair or have disappeared completely, but here's a quick look at the map and you'll see how many states are involved.
And some of you may remember the old TV show Route 66 from the 1960's. An idealized version of Route 66? Maybe, but what's Hollywood without dreams.
Route 66 today has a retro flair. You'll see some abandoned motels, torn up sections of roads and a few seedy cafes.
But you'll also experience a sense of freedom and open spaces in the great southwest.
Along with some quaint little towns that celebrate their connection with the famous road. Here's a vintage car show in a town you may pass along the way.
So as Chuck Berry sang, gas up the car, grab some water and snacks and "Get Your Kicks on Route 66." It will be a trip you won't forget!
Happy travels!! Mary Kennedy
September 20, 2019
Overwhelmed!
by Lorraine Bartlett / Lorna Barrett / L.L. Bartlett
I will admit it -- I'M OVERWHELMED.
Why?
Work. Work. WORK!
I'm currently juggling wayyyyyy too many projects. They are:
Booktown #14: A Manuscript for Murder|
Victoria Square #7 (not yet titled)
A women's Fiction book (resurrecting it. I started it before I sold Booktown #1)
A WWII story I write long before I was published, but reads pretty good today
Promo for Tea'd Off -- coming out October 4th
Still promoting A Killer Edition,
So, I'm working on projects for all three of my author names.
And -- and -- I'm contemplating finally finishing the 3rd book in the Tales of Telenia trilogy, which has been on hold for the past 3-4 years. (Why? Lack of sales. But it's BUGGING me to finish it, anyway.)
Instead of feeling elated, I'm feeling overwhelmed. I want to work on all of these projects, but I also worry I'm never going to be able to finish all of them before the end of the year. I have a firm deadline on one: A Manuscript for Murder, but I'm already behind because I should have submitted a synopsis long before now. (And because I didn't--I'm not getting paid.)
And still, while I'm overwhelmed, I'm also excited. There was a time, after I'd finished my fifth novel, I went through a period of writers block where I had no ideas. That was 27 books and and 38 short stories ago.
Mr. L often marvels...all this stuff came out of my imagination. Yeah, it amazes me, too.
Which of my series (or stories) is your favorite?
I will admit it -- I'M OVERWHELMED.Why?
Work. Work. WORK!
I'm currently juggling wayyyyyy too many projects. They are:
Booktown #14: A Manuscript for Murder|
Victoria Square #7 (not yet titled)
A women's Fiction book (resurrecting it. I started it before I sold Booktown #1)
A WWII story I write long before I was published, but reads pretty good today
Promo for Tea'd Off -- coming out October 4th
Still promoting A Killer Edition,
So, I'm working on projects for all three of my author names.
And -- and -- I'm contemplating finally finishing the 3rd book in the Tales of Telenia trilogy, which has been on hold for the past 3-4 years. (Why? Lack of sales. But it's BUGGING me to finish it, anyway.)
Instead of feeling elated, I'm feeling overwhelmed. I want to work on all of these projects, but I also worry I'm never going to be able to finish all of them before the end of the year. I have a firm deadline on one: A Manuscript for Murder, but I'm already behind because I should have submitted a synopsis long before now. (And because I didn't--I'm not getting paid.)And still, while I'm overwhelmed, I'm also excited. There was a time, after I'd finished my fifth novel, I went through a period of writers block where I had no ideas. That was 27 books and and 38 short stories ago.
Mr. L often marvels...all this stuff came out of my imagination. Yeah, it amazes me, too.
Which of my series (or stories) is your favorite?
September 18, 2019
A Golden Memory
by Karen Rose Smith
I can remember as a child, one of the perks of going to the grocery store with my parents was to choose a Golden Book from the revolving rack near the front of the store. I had quite a collection of them...from children's stories to classic fairy tales to career oriented topics. There were over 200 titles in the Little Golden Library to choose from and many of them are still in my personal library. In my recent cleaning out our cluttered closets frenzy, I came across the box and had to sit for a while to reflect on the childhood memories they brought back to life. Our son also enjoyed the books, although they were already somewhat dated by that time.
I also remember watching Roy Rogers, Sky King and Flipper every Saturday morning. Broadcast in black and white, they were great alternate viewing to Saturday morning cartoons. I also loved the Roy Rogers Tell-a-Tale books. He was one of my early heroes.
It was a special treat when I received a pop-up book as a gift. They were the equivalent of animation in today's ebooks for kids. Many of my pop-up books were holiday stories.
Since my mom was a third grade teacher, she kept me supplied in The First Book series that was also popular with her students. Our son enjoyed them too. These books were the way children learned facts out of their realm of experience before they went to encyclopedias. Recently I asked which books my son wanted me to keep and this series was among those he chose.
He also chose to keep the Hardy Boys series. I grew up with the Hardy Boys, as well as Nancy Drew. There is no doubt that these sleuths were the early inspiration for my cozy mystery sleuths--Caprice De Luca (Caprice De Luca Home Staging Mysteries) and Daisy Swanson (Daisy's Tea Garden Mysteries).
These books brought back many "golden" memories. Did you read them too?
********************************
MURDER WITH CUCUMBER SANDWICHES on Amazon
MURDER WITH CUCUMBER SANDWICHES on Barnes and Noble
I can remember as a child, one of the perks of going to the grocery store with my parents was to choose a Golden Book from the revolving rack near the front of the store. I had quite a collection of them...from children's stories to classic fairy tales to career oriented topics. There were over 200 titles in the Little Golden Library to choose from and many of them are still in my personal library. In my recent cleaning out our cluttered closets frenzy, I came across the box and had to sit for a while to reflect on the childhood memories they brought back to life. Our son also enjoyed the books, although they were already somewhat dated by that time.
I also remember watching Roy Rogers, Sky King and Flipper every Saturday morning. Broadcast in black and white, they were great alternate viewing to Saturday morning cartoons. I also loved the Roy Rogers Tell-a-Tale books. He was one of my early heroes.It was a special treat when I received a pop-up book as a gift. They were the equivalent of animation in today's ebooks for kids. Many of my pop-up books were holiday stories.
Since my mom was a third grade teacher, she kept me supplied in The First Book series that was also popular with her students. Our son enjoyed them too. These books were the way children learned facts out of their realm of experience before they went to encyclopedias. Recently I asked which books my son wanted me to keep and this series was among those he chose.
He also chose to keep the Hardy Boys series. I grew up with the Hardy Boys, as well as Nancy Drew. There is no doubt that these sleuths were the early inspiration for my cozy mystery sleuths--Caprice De Luca (Caprice De Luca Home Staging Mysteries) and Daisy Swanson (Daisy's Tea Garden Mysteries).
These books brought back many "golden" memories. Did you read them too?
********************************
MURDER WITH CUCUMBER SANDWICHES on Amazon
MURDER WITH CUCUMBER SANDWICHES on Barnes and Noble
What took you so long
If your pet could talk…In my Consignment Shop series I have a dog, Bruce Willis, named after the obvious. The rescue pup got this name because of his mangled ear and scruffy appearance. Bruce Willis just fit.
In real life have two cats Dr. Watson and Spooky and the other night I had a dream were Dr. Watson could talk. See, this is what happens when you OD on spice cookies. The thing is, my reaction in my dream wasn’t surprise like Holy cow you can talks much as What took you so long?I think his reply was Well up until now everything’s been okay.
So this got me thinking, what if your pet could talk? What would his story be? What would he say?Watson is a big gray long-hair cat. The jury is still out on the big part being genetic or from the fact that I give him too many treats because he is so darn cute. He is adorable, totally friendly to one and all.
When someone comes into the house he goes to greet them. He purrs and blinks his big green eyes. He is not a watch-cat so much as the welcoming committee. He loves ham…I think that’s because he is one.If he could talk this is probably what he would say…
Dr. Watson here with my staff, that would be Duffy Brown. I have her so wrapped around my little paw. All I do is look cute and she coughs up the treats. But life wasn’t always this great, I got dumped in a DQ parking lot. I made pitiful kitten sounds and looked pathetic and Duffy came along and gave me her cookie-dough ice cream cone. Talk about an easy touch. She named me Dr. Watson. Her license plate is Sherlock. Personally I think the girl needs therapy. Next week you’ll hear from Spooky,Have a wonderful SeptemberHugs, Duffy
In real life have two cats Dr. Watson and Spooky and the other night I had a dream were Dr. Watson could talk. See, this is what happens when you OD on spice cookies. The thing is, my reaction in my dream wasn’t surprise like Holy cow you can talks much as What took you so long?I think his reply was Well up until now everything’s been okay. So this got me thinking, what if your pet could talk? What would his story be? What would he say?Watson is a big gray long-hair cat. The jury is still out on the big part being genetic or from the fact that I give him too many treats because he is so darn cute. He is adorable, totally friendly to one and all.
When someone comes into the house he goes to greet them. He purrs and blinks his big green eyes. He is not a watch-cat so much as the welcoming committee. He loves ham…I think that’s because he is one.If he could talk this is probably what he would say…
Dr. Watson here with my staff, that would be Duffy Brown. I have her so wrapped around my little paw. All I do is look cute and she coughs up the treats. But life wasn’t always this great, I got dumped in a DQ parking lot. I made pitiful kitten sounds and looked pathetic and Duffy came along and gave me her cookie-dough ice cream cone. Talk about an easy touch. She named me Dr. Watson. Her license plate is Sherlock. Personally I think the girl needs therapy. Next week you’ll hear from Spooky,Have a wonderful SeptemberHugs, Duffy
