It’s probably not what you think. My parents came of age on South Dakota homesteads during The Great Depression. Rounding up cattle to be shot and buried before they starved. Picking up bones of dead animals to be sold by the ton. They were steel-forged in the heat of the Dirty Thirties. They married in … Read more
A few years ago, my husband and I interrupted a burglar in our home. Screaming for help, my husband chased the young man down the street while I frantically dialed 9-1-1. The thief stopped, pulled a gun, and aimed it at my husband’s head . . . . This real life event serves as the … Read more
If you ever need an artery nipped out of your temple, have a plastic surgeon do it. My doctor was so deft, his sutures so neat, I’m not quite sure where to slather the antibiotic ointment. What’s going on? That’s the million-dollar question. January of this year was a strange ride for me, as it … Read more
In honor of Veteran’s Day, I offer you the free story below titled “Private First Class.” Long ago when I took “Private First Class” to my critique group, one member said it was “inane” while another proclaimed it the best thing I’d written. I’m sure this thinly fictionalized account of my dad’s World War II … Read more
[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”default”] On March 28th my second Covid shot finished marinating. To top off the day, I signed a contract with Mystery Weekly Magazine to publish my story “Try Again.” What a great experience. I submitted. A few weeks later, they accepted and that same day sent … Read more
Motives for murder have not changed over the millennium, the three common ones being the pursuit of money, sex or power. Methods, however, are a different matter. The modern crime writer has at his/her disposal a trove of new ways to kill off characters. The first that may spring to mind is Covid, but I’m … Read more
Back in April, I posted 10 Silver Linings to sheltering in place during the pandemic. As we drag toward the ninth month of not even leaving the county, it’s definitely more difficult to find blessings. Yet, the original list holds up. I’ve included it below. Here are a few additions: 11. Instead of just reading … Read more
With writers conferences, bookshop appearances, and the publishing industry grinding to a standstill the last few months, I feel very fortunate to have any events to announce. On July 3, at 5 p.m. (Pacific Time), I will be reading with other Santa Cruz Women of Mystery at a Bookshop Santa Cruz Zoom Forward event. You … Read more
I can’t say that there is a single positive to COVID-19, especially when I know people who have been quarantined and have lost loved ones. But the forced changes to our lives have not been all bad—at least not for me. These are some of the silver linings, listed in no particular order: Change is … Read more
On my last post, I pointed out that my books are not cozies, and that I’m not particularly fond of cozies. Yet, I read a lot of them. My own series starts with a murder in the kitchen of a restaurant, so one might think I’d be drawn to culinary cozies. Nope. I created baker … Read more