As mystery readers and writers, danger is never far from our minds. Turns out, it’s never far from our homes, either. Our collective abodes are rife with hidden risks, like slippery bathtubs, defective wiring, or—if things get interesting—ice cream sprinkled with rat poison. But lesser-known dangers lurk in our lives, as well. Here’s a quick overview featuring my recent brushes with peril. Errant EmojisMaybe it’s … Continue reading Hidden Dangers

I’m going to be 10,000% honest—and please feel free to check that math: I’m a wee bit nervous about Thanksgiving. This is the first year in three decades that I’ll be spending it with different people in a different state doing different things. But with all of that differentness comes new experiences, a wealth of opportunities, and heaps of things for which to be grateful. … Continue reading Thanks a Little

This time of year, there’s a lot of talk about hauntings. Frankly, I’m jealous. Having cut my reading teeth on The Shining, I’ve always been fascinated by a possible rending of the veil between the material and spirit worlds, whether that rift is fueled by a burial ground disturbance, traumatic worldly departure, or a particularly salty bartender. So far… no dice. And no hauntings.   … Continue reading Old Haunts

I’m not exactly a globetrotter, but I have been doing a decent amount of traveling these days for business and pleasure. My takeaway: there are almost as many #traveltips as bags that won’t fit in the overhead bin. So I thought I’d share my carefully curated list of tips and tricks for successful travails—er—travels. Clean before you leave: Yes, yes you’ll arrive home to a … Continue reading Trippin’

There’s a slew of movies and TV shows in which dead people are dead wrong thinking that they’re alive. I recently discovered that just as the deceased don’t always know they’ve passed on, some of us don’t realize that the things we thought were typical…well… aren’t. Case in point: my garage door opener. Until just (mumbles date), I thought that I needed to preserve the … Continue reading Who knew?

As some of you know, I recently moved. Despite my copious complaining and a ridiculous amount of packing tape, it wasn’t the Herculean effort I made it out to be. I threw things in boxes, I occasionally labeled said boxes, and I rented and drove a moving truck for the very first time. The real excitement came after I moved in and started setting up … Continue reading Killer Décor

You know what they say…the more things change, the more we wish they didn’t. Or maybe that’s just me. I’ve never been a super-fan of change. In fact, I’m more than fine with same-old, same-old. There’s something comfortable in the predictable. Even the mundane. I once spent the better part of a decade having the EXACT same thing for lunch every day. Did I mind … Continue reading A chunk of change

Hello! Or should I say, HELLO!!!!!(??!!!) I’m moving today (yes, yet again), which is so exciting, I thought I’d reshare this post about my excitability about punctuation!!! (x a gazillion) My reality TV of choice is the true crime variety that airs on Investigation Discovery, the channel that features such inimitable classics as BrideKillas, Murder Loves Company, Deadly Dentists and Elder Skelter.  But every once in a while, … Continue reading Oh, exclamation point!