🍁 Happy First Week of Fall, my very favorite season. There’s something about the cooler temperature that perks me right up. Not to mention snuggly sweaters, all the pumpkins, and everything Halloween. But perhaps most of all, it’s the Fall Foliage. Yes, it has to be capitalized like that because it is a thing on the east coast. People travel miles–even states–to see it. When I … Continue reading It’s Fall, Finally

One night seven years ago, I woke up in the dark completely terrified and–long story short–ended up in the emergency room. (The most memorable part of that experience was when, in response to the 911 call, several gorgeous firemen burst into the bedroom and carried me out to the ambulance. If I were writing a Rom Com, hello meet-cute!) Turned out to be the first in … Continue reading Surprise! Everything Just Changed

It’s true that I already recounted the Ikea Bookshelf Saga, but let’s ponder bookshelves again today. It’s just that…they are so versatile and present. They can change a room, make artistic statements. There’s a reason they are so often featured in home decorating shows. You don’t have to look very hard on the web to find pictures of bookshelves in all sorts of dramatic configurations … Continue reading Bookshelves I Have Known

There’s nothing quite like a random survey on a Monday to help us procrastinate for a few precious moments before the work week kicks in fully, right?  (For a variety of reasons, I have been asked the following questions at different times in life but don’t remember what I said previously, so it’s a new adventure, yay. Let’s go!) 1. What is your favorite word? serendipity2. What is … Continue reading Happy Monday Morning

Recently, I heard that many people were having trouble concentrating these days because we’ve been on high alert for so long. That definitely resonated with me. We all have much to handle, with global events and political tensions adding to the existing pressures of our personal duties and challenges. But this week has felt even more overwhelming and distressing than the previously heightened sense of being overwhelmed … Continue reading Pausing

Whee! It’s that time of year again, when no one seems to agree on when holiday decorations should begin to appear around town. Stores have started putting out displays earlier and earlier, and inquiring minds want to know: Does the sight of holiday decorations going up right after Halloween make you want to scream? Or does it make you want to run for your favorite … Continue reading Almost The Holidays…Or Maybe They Already Started!

With Bouchercon coming up in August, I thought it might be useful to share a few tips for anyone who is going for the first time…some things may be useful for mystery cons in general. (And experienced con attendees, please add your suggestions too.)  Panel Hop (It’s Fine). There are so many panels scheduled that choosing among them seems impossible. But at Bouchercon 101, the very … Continue reading Some Things to Know Before You Go

As a young reader, I tore through the different series featuring Trixie Belden, Nancy Drew, Bobbsey Twins, and Hardy Boys.  As a teenager, I favored mysteries by Phyllis Whitney, Agatha Christie, and too many others to count.  Yet I have no memory of reading a mystery for school (other than the mystery of math word problems).  Knowing at least the basic conventions of mystery is crucial for … Continue reading The Curious Case of the Classroom

Order item, which you need by Friday. Check online tracking service on Wednesday and see that it has already arrived in your city. Receive nothing on Wednesday.  Receive nothing on Thursday. Email customer service at store: explain that the item was in your city on Wednesday and was supposed to be delivered on Thursday but now it’s Friday and you haven’t heard anything. Receive no return … Continue reading How to Get a Delivery Appointment