Edith Maxwell's Blog, page 200

Summer Reads 2017

It’s full summer in New England – sun-kissed tomatoes, sun-pinked skin from the beach, sunny yellow flowers abloom. So what are we reading, Wickeds and friends? Share your favorite kick-back-and-lose-yourself-in-a-story choices.

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Edith: I have the great honor of being nominated for a Macavity Award, the Sue FederMemorial Award for Best Historical Novel, along with Catriona McPherson, Ann Parker, James Ziskin, Lyndsay Faye, and Susanna Calkins (in no particular order). I’m reading each of their nominated books before I head to Toronto for Bouchercon in October. So far I’ve loved Catriona’s The Reek of Red Herrings and Lynsday’s Jane Steele. Next up is Ann’s What Gold Buys, which I’m eagerly anticipating.

Sherry: I’ve read a lot of great books over the [image error]past few weeks. First up was Identity by Ingrid Thoft. I love this series and have to keep myself from binge reading it. Second I was delighted to read my friend Kim Stockley’s YA fantasy A Shattered Moon the first in a trilogy with the concept: There is still an Eden but it’s no longer paradise. I read an early version and loved it even more now. Then I read Razor Girl by Carl Hiaasen. What a plot and full of his usual quirks. I just started Murder with Chicken and Waffles by A.L. Herbert who I met at an event on Saturday. When a book starts with cornbread you know it’s  going to be good.

Liz: I have so many books on my list! I just finished World Gone By by Dennis Lehane, and Spirit Junkie by Gabrielle Bernstein. Next on my list is Reservation Road by John Burnham Schwartz.

Julie: Diane Vallere and I were on a panel together at Malice. She mentioned that she will read through an entire series at a time–both to enjoy and to learn from. With that as an inspiration, and with a vacation coming up, I’ve decided to read Louise Penny’s series. She is a favorite of so many, and I am already glad I’m diving in.

Barb: I feel like a broken record, because I think every time we do this I’m reading William Kent Krueger. However, I am almost caught up to the present. Currently reading Manitou Canyon. Like Julie, I have vacation coming up. I’m planning to bring Paul Doiron’s latest, Knife Creek, and Bruce Robert Coffin’s second novel, Beneath the Depths. And, like every year, the last week in August, I’ll be at Sherman’s in Boothbay Harbor, picking up a copy of Louise Penny’s latest, Glass Houses this year, for my Labor Day weekend reading pleasure.

Jessie: I am currently reading Radha Vatsal’s A Front Page Affair and am enjoying it immensely! I recently finished Cold Comfort by Quentin Bates and Herbie’s Game by Timothy Hallinan. For non-fiction I am savoring Naturalists in Paradise: Wallace, Bates and Spruce in the Amazon by John Hemming.

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Filed under: Group posts, Uncategorized Tagged: A Front Page Affair, A Shattered Moon, A.L. Herbert, Ann Parker, Bruce Robert Coffin, Carl Hiassen, Catriona McPherson, Cold Comfort, Herbie's GAme, Identity, Ingrid Thoft, James Ziskin, john hemming, Kim Stokely, louise penny, Lyndsay Faye, Murder With Fried Chicken and Waffles, Naturalists in Paradise, Paul Doiron, quentin bates, radha vatsal, Razor Girl, Summer reading, Susanna Calkins, timothy hallinan, What Gold Buys, William Kent Krueger

Guest: Peg Cochran

Edith here, happy to welcome Peg Cochran, a fellow cozy author who also writes about murder related to farming! Here’s the blurb for her newest mystery,  [image error]Sowed to Death:

The county fair is the highlight of the year for the small town of Lovett, Michigan—especially for food-and-lifestyle blogger Shelby McDonald, who writes as the Farmer’s Daughter. She’s submitting jams and jellies she’s created from the produce she grows at Love Blossom Farm in hopes of harvesting a blue ribbon.  But the townspeople get more than just the excitement of hayrides, tractor pulls, and cotton candy when Shelby’s neighbor and volunteer fireman, Jake Taylor, extricates the body of Zeke Barnstable instead of a dummy during a demonstration of the Jaws of Life. The fact that Jake and Zeke were known to be at odds plants suspicion in the minds of the police. As evidence against Jake grows, Shelby knows she has to plow through the clues to weed out the true killer and save her friend.

Doesn’t that sound fun? And she’s giving away a copy to one commenter here today. Take it away, Peg!

An Agent by Any Other Name…

When I first starting looking into getting an agent for my work, I had a fairly limited view of what an agent does—they sell your book and make sure the contract isn’t entirely in the publishing house’s favor.

[image error]I was thrilled when agent Jessica Faust of BookEnds agreed to take me on, and I quickly learned that an agent does so much more than get you a book deal and vet your contracts.

An agent—a good one anyway—is a collaborator, editor, nag, supporter, career coach and someone who forces you to write the dreaded synopsis even when you don’t want to.

My newest series, The Farmer’s Daughter Mysteries, is a case in point.  It started with our annual “what are your plans for this year?” conversation (career coach) wherein I indicated a desire to take on a new cozy series.

From there, we tossed around possibilities (collaborator) and Jessica mentioned her idea for a cozy series revolving around a lifestyle blogger who lives on a farm. I liked the idea despite the fact that a) I’ve never lived on a farm or even near one and b) I can’t grow anything and can barely keep a plastic plant alive.

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Peg’s only plant

But I was game so I ran with the concept and put my own spin on it. I made the blogger a widow with two children, added a couple of possible romantic interests, complicated things with a brother-in-law who reminds my protagonist a little too much of her late husband, and then tossed in a dead body.

From there, I submitted three chapters, which I rewrote with Jessica’s subsequent feedback (editor) and then created the series overview and synopsis for the first book (synopsis enforcer).

Jessica was excited about the idea and occasionally emailed to ask how it was going (nag). Finally it was done and on submission. The first publishing house we approached turned it down, but Jessica assured me that it would find a home (supporter).

Jessica then did the two things I knew an agent did: sold it to Berkley Prime Crime and made sure the contract was in order.

I don’t know if I’m just lucky and Jessica is exceptional (which I suspect she is) or if this is the industry norm. Either way, I can’t imagine negotiating the tricky waters of a writing career without someone like her![image error]

Mystery writing lets Peg Cochran indulge her curiosity under the guise of “work” (aka research).  She put pen to paper at age seven when she wrote plays and forced her cousins to perform them at Christmas dinner.   She switched to mysteries when she discovered the perfect hiding place for a body down the street from her house.  

When she’s not writing, she spends her time reading, cooking, spoiling her granddaughter and checking her books’ stats on Amazon.  Peg resides in Michigan with her husband and Westhighland white terrier, Reg.  She is the author of the Sweet Nothings Lingerie series (written as Meg London), the Gourmet De-Lite series, the Lucille series, the Cranberry Cove series, The Farmer’s Daughter series, and the Reluctant Debutante series debuting in the fall of 2018 from Random House. You can find her at www.facebook.com/pegcochran, @pegcochran (twitter), pegcochran (Instagram), and www.pegcochran.com.

Readers: Have you ever lived on a farm and/or would you like to? Do you have a green thumb or a black one like mine? Remember, Peg is giving away a copy of Sowed to Death to one commenter here today!

Filed under: Guest posts, Uncategorized Tagged: Berkley Prime Crime, Jessica Faust, Peg Cochran, The Farmer's Daughter Mysteries

Wicked Wednesday: National Daquiri and Hot Dog Days

Another corny July Wednesday for you. Did you know today was National Daquiri Day AND National Hot Dog Day? Have you ever paired those two? Who has a favorite Daquiri recipe? And how do you take your hot dogs? Dish, Wicked and readers![image error]

Edith: Here’s a Daquiri recipe from the Food Network.

2 cups crushed ice, plus extra for chilling glass
2 ounces light rum
1-ounce freshly squeezed lime juice, strained of pulp
1/2-ounce Simple Syrup, recipe follows

Liz: I can’t comment on the hot dogs… but I do love daiquiris! I found the best recipe for  a blueberry mint daiquiri on Boulder Locavore. Perfect for summer!

Barb: Let’s see. I love hotdogs. I always have trouble at barbecues with the “burger or dog?” question. I’m also partial to Nathan’s when on the road. Mustard and relish, please. My warm weather drinks are margaritas and mojitos, so not so much on the daquiris.

Jessie: With the exception of caipirinhas, I don’t care for sweet cocktails. I much prefer very dry martinis or Scotch. My husband, however, loves all sorts of sweet drinks that come with umbrellas and fruit garnishes. Whenever we order drinks when we are out the server invariably hands us the other person’s drink. Apparently there is gender attached to beverages.

Edith: Right with you there, Jessie – those fruity drinks taste too good and I forget they’re alcoholic. Give me my maxi-proof  straight up every time. Well, except for caipirinhas, the first mixed drink I ever had. It was in southern Brazil at the tender and untested age of seventeen – and wow!

Barb: That is so funny, Jessie. A few nights ago, after a long day of packing, my husband I and went to a local watering hole. I ordered a bourbon milkshake and Bill ordered a shot and a beer. The server who brought our drinks was not the person who took our order. He approached our table cautiously, took a big, deep breath and gave me the milkshake and Bill the shot and beer. “What if it had been the other way around?” I teased. “I don’t like this gender stereotyping.” We were all laughing by the end.

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Photo by Aaron Gustafson from Hamden, CT, USA (Daiquiri) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons

Sherry: I don’t have a favorite daiquiri recipe. But one of my favorite places I ever drank one was in Aspen, Colorado. I haven’t been there in years, but loved sitting outside on a lovely summer day watching people pass and looking at the mountains. The air is so fresh there unlike the heavy summer air of the East Coast. I love hot dogs but don’t eat them very often. I like them grilled, slightly burnt, on a bun with as many toppings as possible.

Edith: Sherry, what a lovely setting. And funny , Jessie and Barb, about the gender expectations (or not so funny?). I grew up with fried hot dogs with yellow mustard. Despite a number of years as a vegetarian and recent years as a minimal red-meat consumer — give me a great grilled dog with mustard and I’m yours.

Julie: Not a daiquiri girl. I stick with beer and wine. But I do love hotdogs. Like Barb, Nathan’s on the road. But the best hotdogs? At Fenway Park, naturally. Not sure how they pull it off, but nothing tastes better on a warm summer night. Relish and mustard, please.

Readers: Tell us what you like!

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Filed under: Wicked Wednesday Tagged: National Daquiri Day, National Hot Dog Day

The Detective’s Daughter — Page to Screen

Kim in Baltimore enjoying the air conditioning and a cool glass of watermelon lemonade.

 

[image error]I’m going to do a dangerous thing. I’m going to read a book and then see the movie! What’s that you say? Don’t do it? I know, I know! I set myself up this way every time. Although most novels make a disappointing show on the big screen, a few have managed to capture the essence of the author’s story. I loved Practical Magic, the fabulous book by Alice Hoffman turned into an equally fabulous (in my opinion) movie starring Aiden Quinn. I  think Sandra Bullock was in it, too, but who knows once Aiden Quinn hits the screen! To Kill A Mockingbird and Gone With The Wind are two of my other favorites.

People are passionate over the books they love and are not forgiving when Hollywood botches up a story the reader holds dear. I am a great fan of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series. I was thrilled when I learned Ms. Evanovich modeled her character after Sandra Bullock. That was exactly who I saw as I read each novel. When there was talk of One For The Money being filmed, I was overjoyed. That fizzled fast enough when word spread that Katherine Heigl – not Sandra Bullock – was to play the lead role. I gave it a chance anyway. Who wouldn’t want to see Debbie Reynolds as Grandma Mazur? I was sorely disappointed.

[image error]This time will be different, though, I’m sure of it. While sitting in The Charles Theatre taking part in their weekly revival series, I saw the coming attractions for My Cousin Rachel starring Rachel Weisz. It looked good enough that I felt I’d be willing to pay for a full price movie ticket. I had read Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca several times and had seen the 1940 movie as well, but I’d never read My Cousin Rachel. I made haste to my local library and borrowed a copy. I was only halfway through the novel when I realized the movie was showing at my beloved Charles Theater. I was truly torn about going before I’d completed the book, but didn’t want to miss it’s run at my favorite movie house.

Just as in every great novel, my life had a major plot twist before I could make it to the cinema. My husband ended up having heart surgery on the very day we had planned to see the movie. He recovered at an amazing speed, but we have yet to see the film. I might need to wait until it’s on Netflix at this rate.

The book kept me company over these past weeks and the story now is as close to me as a dear friend. I’m counting on Rachel Weisz not to disappoint me.

 

Readers: What books do you think were turned into enjoyable movies? Which ones should have stayed on the pages?

Filed under: The Detective's Daughter

Murder in an English Village-Cover Reveal

Jessie: enjoying the salty breezes on the coast of Maine

[image error]As seems to be my habit, I am working away on a September 1 deadline. This year it’s for the second book in my new Beryl and Edwina mystery series. I am having a great deal of fun spending time with the two protagonists in this book. Every day when I sit down to my desk I am eager to get to work. It feels a bit like sitting alone in a restaurant eavesdropping on the fascinating conversation between the people at the next table.

The funny thing is, I’m not even sure where these two came from. They simply popped into my head and set up shop. They arrived full-blown with physical attributes, quirks in their personalities and partial back stories. I just love it when that happens.

The village where the series takes place evolved quickly too. Years of reading mystery set in England and a self-indulgent attitude towards Netflix binge watching have given me a good sense of which buildings ought to be there. The greengrocer, the church hall and the stationer come sweetshop are all present and correct. So are the winding lanes, rolling hills, and cottage gardens.

I have always loved mysteries set in England. It is such a delight to be writing one of my own.  I’m thrilled to be sharing the cover with all of you today.

Readers,  do you love books set in any particular foreign locations? Writers, is there a place you have always wanted to set a book?

Filed under: Beryl and Edwina Mysteries, Jessie's posts, Uncategorized Tagged: cover reveal, English mystery, Jessica Ellicott, Jessica Estevao, Jessie Crockett, village mystery

Bastille Day!

Edith here, enjoying full summer north of Boston. Today is the day when, well, I’ll let history.com tell you:

“Parisian revolutionaries and mutinous troops storm and dismantle the Bastille, a royal fortress and prison that had come to symbolize the tyranny of the Bourbon monarchs. This dramatic action signaled the beginning of the French Revolution, a decade of political turmoil and terror in which King Louis XVI was overthrown and tens of thousands of people, including the king and his wife Marie-Antoinette, were executed.”

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The famous Prise-de-la-Bastille painting by by Jean-Pierre-Louis-Laurent Houel

However, another history site gives a rather different take on the storming. “Back in July of 1789, France had already experienced a rough summer that included food shortages, high taxes (as a solution to King Louis XVI’s debts) and the militarization of Paris. Sensing distress, the king called upon the Estates-General—an assembly that hadn’t met in more than a century—to deliver a new tax plan. That resulted in the Third Estate, the non-noble/non-clergy portion of the assembly, breaking from the clergy and nobility, and demanding a written constitution from France….Weeks later, … fears that Louis XVI was attempting to quash any political revolution began to boil.

“That fear culminated on July 14 in a march to the Hôtel des Invalides to loot firearms and cannons, and a resulting (and far more famous) trip to the Bastille for proper ammunition. That hunt for gunpowder—not the hope of freeing prisoners—was the main reason for the storming of the Bastille. The events that followed—the freeing of the few prisoners that remained at the Bastille, but also a deadly battle and the brutal beheading of the prison governor and his officers—were more of a side effect of chaotic uprising, rather than its intent….A year later, France would host the Fête de la Fédération on July 14 to celebrate the France’s constitutional monarchy and to honor France’s newfound unity. “

Vive la Resistance! Every year two widely traveled friends of mine throw a Bastille Day party. They fill their back yard with tables and chairs and decorate with red and blue. They make a big Coq au Vin and all the guests bring French-themed side dishes or desserts. At the end of the evening we all stand to sing the “Marseilles” – yes, they pass out the words.

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My French salade composée (à la Julia Child) with a hundred percent locally grown ingredients.

Readers: Do you celebrate Bastille Day? If not, what’s your favorite revolution?

 

 

Filed under: Edith's posts, Uncategorized Tagged: Bastille Day, French revolution, Julia Child, La Marseilles

A Traveling Gal

[image error]In January we Wickeds discussed the planners we use in our lives. I had just invested in an Ink and Volt planner, which worked well, for a while. I used in in combination with a Bullet Journal that was less of a planner, more of a journal, a single place to capture notes, thoughts, ideas, and lists.  I love the bullet journal idea–analog in a digital world. I am not a visual artist, so it wasn’t beautifully laid out, but I tried. The “daily recap” habit also didn’t happen. But in January I committed to using a system for this very full year (writing, work, and life), so I had to move to a second bullet journal (actually a Leuchtturm 1917) in March. That’s when it all fell apart. I lost control of my index. I started jotting notes on post its. I had a mid year system breakdown. It wasn’t pretty.

A few weeks ago someone linked to this post by Kara Benz aka BoHo Berry, a bullet journaler I followed in Instagram. She announced she was moving to a Traveler’s Notebook. I read the post, watched the video, and sent a text to my best friend, Tracy. “I think I found the holy grail.”

Traveler’s notebooks are collections of individual notebooks that are all kept in one folder by elastics. Before I bought the folder in the picture (and indulgence that I LOVE), I took the system out for a trail run. I bought four A5 cahiers, some elastics, and used binder clips to hack a old notebook to see if I liked the system. One notebook was for work, one was for writing, one was for my personal life, and one was for a trip I am taking in August. I was sold, so I decided to take the plunge and get a nice notebook.

[image error]This system works is organized chaos, which suits me. In my personal notebook, I make lists, copy ideas, write quotes, keep track of my workout and meditation goals. In my writing notebook, I have been plotting, asking questions of my characters, fleshing things out, doing research, noodling ideas, building up steam in preparation for writing. Work is work–I’ve been using the bullet journal techniques to keep track of the dozens of projects we are working on in preparation for next season. And in my trip notebook, I’ve been writing down timelines, confirmation numbers, packing lists, agendas. On the trip I will journal, add ticket stubs and postcards, and have it as a keepsake.

The nice thing is that each notebook stands on its own. Once my trip is done, the notebook is removed. Plotting a new book–it gets its own notebook. I’m teaching a class in the fall–new notebook. I’ve also been exploring inserts. BFF Tracy sent me a link to this insert, a calendar that helps you learn Tarot. I mean, come on!

Now, lest you think I am the only person who bullet journals in a travelers notebook, or thinks about it, there is a Facebook group for us. Etsy enables us in a million different ways. And then, there’s Chic Sparrow…

Friends, have you ever tried using a traveler’s notebook? How are you on your planner journey mid year?

Filed under: Julie's posts, organization Tagged: J.A. Hennrikus, Julianne Holmes, Organizing, planners

Wicked Wednesday: National Simplicity and National Pecan Pie Days

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Edith’s 2016 pecan pie (and two pumpkin pies)

More in our National Wednesdays: today is not only National Simplicity Day, it’s also National Pecan Pie Day!

Wickeds, share your favorite pecan pie recipe or memory. And let us know what you do to incorporate simplicity into your life. Readers, please do the same in the Comments.

Jessie: Since I am allergic to nuts I don’t have any positive memories about pecan pies or recipes for them. I am not allergic to simplicity however and am trying to incorporate more of it into my life whenever possible. I think one of the places I manage it best is when I travel. I have gotten the art of packing down to a single backpack for trips as long as 11 days by simplifying my wardrobe and being really choosy. It makes travel so much more fun not to have to be responsible for lugging around excess.

Sherry: Jessie, even though you’ve shown me your magic packing techniques, I don’t think I could ever manage. I remember the first time I ever tried making a pecan pie. I had to cook it for hours. The recipe is so simple but the darn thing wouldn’t set up. So I guess my simplicity is to buy the pie or eat one out instead of trying to make one. And I also buy the pie crust already made.

Edith: Well, heck. I make a pecan pie every year for Thanksgiving but don’t seem to have a recipe anywhere. One year I made the pie with bourbon in it, and another year added chocolate somewhere. I confess most of the time I use the recipe on either the pecan bag or the bottle of molasses – but always with homemade crust. As for simplicity, it’s kind of a big thing with Quakers. It’s also tough to manage in our busy lives. I envy Jessie that packing thing! And isn’t it nice when you go to a vacation home or a hotel room and you realize all the stuff you don’t actually need? Here’s a picture of the ultra-simple – and beautiful – Amesbury Friends Meetinghouse. Yeah, that.

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Picture by Edward Gerrish Mair, used with permission

Barb: I love pecan pie. Our Thanksgiving dessert table groans with choices, especially pies. I bring the mincemeat and apple. I love pumpkin, but favor it for day-after-Thanksgiving breakfast. On the day, lots of people go the little bit of this, little bit of that route, but I give what room I have left entirely to the pecan. As for simplicity, I try to avoid unnecessary drama in my life. I think that counts, right?

Julie: Jessie is walking me through her packing techniques, and I am going to try and use them for a 2 week vacation in August. Even if I use a smaller suitcase it makes life easier. We shall see. Regarding simplicity–I aspire to it, but will confess, I have complicated systems that are simple for me. But then again, I’m a Virgo, so there’s that. Regarding pecan pie, my niece has nut allergies, so I haven’t made it recently, but one of my favorite recipes is Martha Stewart’s Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie.  It is very decadent, but so is pecan pie.

Readers: Pecan pie recipes? How you keep your own life simple?

Filed under: Wicked Wednesday Tagged: National Pecan Pie Day, National Simplicity Day, packing light, Quakers

Cover Reveal — Guest Debra Sennefelder

We are delight to welcome back Debra Sennefelder and share the cover of her debut book The Uninvited Corpse! It’s available for pre-order here. It comes out March 27, 2018 from Kensington Publishing.

Thank you Wicked Cozy Authors for inviting me to reveal the cover of my debut novel, The Uninvited Corpse. I’m beyond thrilled to here today and I’m so excited to have the cover my book. It’s truly a dream come true.

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Here is the back cover copy for  the first book in the Food Blogger Mystery series: Leaving behind a failed career as a magazine editor and an embarrassing stint on a reality baking show, newly divorced lifestyle entrepreneur Hope Early thought things were finally on the upswing–until she comes face-to-face with a murderer . . .

Hope’s schedule is already jam packed with recipe testing and shameless plugs for her food blog as she rushes off to attend a spring garden tour in the charming town of Jefferson, Connecticut. Unfortunately, it isn’t the perfectly arranged potted plants that grab her attention–it’s the bloody body of reviled real estate agent Peaches McCoy . . .

One of the tour guests committed murder, and all eyes are on Hope’s younger sister, Claire Dixon–who, at best, saw Peaches as a professional rival. And suspicions really heat up when another murder occurs the following night. Now, with two messy murders shaking Jefferson and all evidence pointing to Claire, Hope must set aside her burgeoning brand to prove her sister’s innocence. But the closer she gets to the truth, the closer she gets to a killer intent on making sure her life goes permanently out of style . . .

I had a blast writing The Uninvited Corpse. For as long as I can remember I always wanted to be an author. I had visions of spending my days writing scenes, chapters and hitting bestseller lists. Silly childhood dreams, right? I discovered mysteries beyond Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys, cozies in particular when I found the Miss Marple books. I was hooked.

Fast forward a few more years and I was browsing in the local bookstore of my new hometown after I married and I found the Faith Fairchild mystery series by Katherine Hall Page. Once I read The Body in The Belfry I knew what I wanted to write. Then I discovered Valerie Wolzien, Diane Mott Davidson, Claudia Bishop and so many other wonderful writers. Then life happened and I stepped away from fiction writing. I eventually started a food blog, The Cookbook Diva. In that space I was in control of everything – content, schedule, promotion. No one was editing me. No one was rejecting my work. I loved it. I enjoyed sharing my recipes, I enjoyed the blogger community and I really enjoyed spending time in my kitchen. But over time I felt that tug of something that was missing. What was missing was fiction writing. When I really thought about it I couldn’t see myself in ten years from then still writing a food blog but I could see myself as an author.

One weekend I decided to pull out my idea file (writers usually have thick folders of ideas for books) and I started thinking up plots and characters. I slowly got back into the writing community, found my critique partner, mystery author Ellie Ashe, and set forth to write a novel. I knew my amateur sleuth would be involved with food somehow. I considered several options and the one that seemed the best fit was food blogger. I had experience with that world and it was something different for the cozy world. Once I was well into the first draft of The Uninvited Corpse I made the decision to shut down my food blog and focus entirely on fiction writing. I’m so glad I did because I’m exactly where I should be writing novels.

Thank you for sharing my cover reveal with me today!

Readers: What is your favorite thing about culinary mysteries? Or what is your favorite thing about finding a new series?

 

 

Filed under: Guest posts Tagged: agatha christie, Claudia Bishop, Connecticut, Debra Sennefelder, Diane Mott Davidson, dream come true, Ellie Ashe, Faith Fairchild, Food Blogger Mystery series, Food bloggers, katherine hall page, Kensington Publishing, nancy drew, The Body In The Belfry, The Cookbook Diva, The Hardy Boys, The Uninvited Corpse, Valerie Wolzien

Good-bye, Old House

by Barb, amid the boxes

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The house

We’ve sold our Somerville, MA house. It closes (madly knocking wood) on August 3. There was a whirlwind one week period in which in went on the market, opened its doors for a broker’s lunch and three open houses and went under agreement. Now the real work begins.

People keep asking how I feel. I always answer, “This isn’t the house where I brought up my kids. It isn’t as emotional to leave it.” But even as I am saying the words, my chest tightens, my voice gets hoarse and tears spring to my eyes. Being a genius about my feelings, this gives me a clue that maybe I am lying.

But why should that be so? This house was a way station of middle age, neither the work-a-day family home, nor the retirement dream house. Then I realize that any place that forms the stage for more than a decade of our lives is going to burst with memories.

This is the house where we celebrated our first Christmas with our granddaughter and the last with Bill’s mother. It is the last house either of my parents will have ever visited me in.

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Viola’s first visit

It’s the house where our son brought his daughter when she was two weeks old. The place he came when he returned from California before he left to hike the bottom half of the Appalachian Trail, and the place he returned from the trail before he left for New York.

It’s the place we collected all the bits and bobs and clothes and shoes for my daughter’s wedding. The place where we celebrated her graduation with her BA and then her MFA. The place she returned to after college, after New York, and after London, bringing stuff with her each time. (Hey Kate, come and get your stuff!)

It’s the place our cocker spaniel escaped from and we spent a night looking for him in a howling storm while he slept soundly at a kind neighbor’s house before going off to animal rescue in the morning, where he was chipped and returned, dry and rested, while we…

It is probably the last house where we will ever have owned a dog.

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Christmas 2014, the happy chaos of the family Yankee book swap

It’s the place I moved into as a tech executive and left as a published author. The place my husband moved into as a political consultant and left as a photographer. The place we moved into as parents and left as grandparents. The place we moved into as someone’s child and left as orphans.

That’s a lot to pack into one little house.

Bill said yesterday, “Very few of our memories are tied to real estate.” He was right, of course. They’re tied to people. They’ll come with us when we go.

Readers: Tell me a moving story. Tell me it all turned out okay in the end.

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Filed under: Barb's posts Tagged: middle age, moving