My life as an author has been pretty darn busy of late. But I’m not complaining—it’s busy in a very good way. You see, I’m currently working on/dealing with three different books all at the same time. First, I’m thrilled that Waters of Destruction, book two in my Orchid Isle series, has been nominated for a Lefty Award for Best Mystery Novel. The winner will … Continue reading Three Books at Once
There’s a meme going around Facebook these days showing a sign in a bookstore that says “Shoplifters will be forced to read James Joyce’s Ulysses.” I get the joke; really, I do. (Even Louise Penny shared the meme on her FB feed.) But I think bookstores, of all places, should know better. Because, the thing is, I adore Ulysses and think it’s one of the … Continue reading The Best Book Hardly Anyone Reads
I’m thrilled to announce that today, my second Orchid Isle mystery, Waters of Destruction, is being released as a trade paperback, at the new low price of $16.99! So if you’ve been waiting to buy the book until the price came down, now’s the time! Here’s the synopsis: After a vacation of a lifetime in Hilo, Hawai‘i, retired caterer Valerie Corbin and her wife Kristen … Continue reading Paperback Release of WATERS OF DESTRUCTION!
As I was pondering possible subjects for today’s post, I thought back to the wide variety of things I’ve talked about here over the past few years, including: the Earth’s mass, the word “gals,” my newest books, mystery conventions, the Mozart Requiem, life in Hawai‘i, life in Santa Cruz, favorite books as a child, the ups and downs of writing, and even the actor Anthony … Continue reading What Do YOU Want?
The biggest annual crime writing convention in the US (attracting some 1,500 attendees) is Bouchercon, named for the famed writer, reviewer, and editor, Anthony Boucher (rhymes with “voucher”). The first one was held in Santa Monica, California, in 1970. Little did I suspect as I started the ninth grade at Lincoln Junior High in Santa Monica that same year, that just minutes away was the … Continue reading Bouchercon Recap-Blood on the Bayou
I go on two longish bike rides a week, and to pass the time—and take my mind off my burning calves as I climb steep hills—I think about various things. Often, I use this time to brainstorm ideas for my books, and right now, as I try to come up with a plot for book four in my Orchid Isle mystery series, that’s largely on … Continue reading Massive Questions
I love the word “gal” and use it quite a bit in my speech. So it came as a bit of a surprise to be told recently by a friend that she would never use the word. In fact, she said, she finds the use of it to be improper and backward, as if one were to say “ain’t.” I looked up the word online, … Continue reading For Me and My Gals
Three weeks ago I had the honor of singing one of the most beautiful pieces of choral music ever written, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s glorious Requiem in D minor. our concert flyer Those familiar with my Sally Solari mystery series know that this composition holds a special place in my heart—so much so that the second book in that series, A Measure of Murder, centers on … Continue reading Sing Your Heart Out
My family moved to Oxford, England for a year in 1972 when I was sixteen. As a result, instead of doing eleventh grade at Santa Monica High School, I was enrolled in the lower sixth form at the Headington School. I did make friends. And I did greatly enjoy being served beer at the local pubs along with my classmates. But I was a bit … Continue reading That’s Sir Anthony, to You
Happy book birthday to Leslie Karst—for today her second Orchid Isle Mystery, Waters of Destruction, spouts into the world! Here’s the synopsis: After a vacation of a lifetime in Hilo, Hawai‘i, retired caterer Valerie Corbin and her wife Kristen have decided to move permanently to the beautiful – if storm-prone – Big Island. The couple are having fun furnishing their new house, exploring their new … Continue reading Happy Book Birthday to “Waters of Destruction”!
As you may know, the “Orchid Isle” is the nickname for the Island of Hawai‘i, where my new mystery series is set and where I’ve lived half time for the past seventeen years. a Big Island beach It gets its moniker, “the Big Island,” for two reasons: First, calling it by its official name, “Hawai‘i,” would be confusing, since that’s also the name of the … Continue reading 10 Things You Might Not Know About The Orchid Isle
My sister’s here in Hilo for two weeks, on what has become her traditional yearly visit. Laura is five years younger than me, so when we were little kids, although we shared a bedroom, we didn’t hang out together that much. I mean, why would a mature (in her eyes, anyway) ten-year-old girl want to spend time with her dumb five-year-old sister? an occasion when … Continue reading Sisters
Chicks on the Case 