Although the sun hadn’t yet risen at 6:00 this morning, there was enough light for me to see the back patio through the sliding glass door. It was wet. I couldn’t detect any rain coming down, so when I stepped outside with my little dog, I was surprised to feel the soft drizzle on my … Continue reading Wet Paws and Morning Magic: Walking in the Rain
Paris
The Legacy Continues
When I am working on a novel, I have no time for recreational reading. Since I write historical fiction, I burn up many hours poring through source materials: newspaper archives, biographies, letters, memoirs, military records, insurance policies, genealogy charts, maps, history books, etc. My mornings and afternoons are consumed doing research and crafting prose, and … Continue reading The Legacy Continues
The Housewarming Gift
My house had only been on the market for a few days, when my realtor called and told me we had received multiple offers. A couple of them were over the asking price, and he made a recommendation that I accept one in particular. Before we had listed the property, I had done a thorough … Continue reading The Housewarming Gift
Then and Again
“Turn right on Highway 20, and go about a half mile. When you come to the Taco Bell, take a left.” My co-worker may as well have given me directions to Mars. What was she talking about? Taco Bell? Did our town have a Taco Bell? Although I had lived here for a couple of … Continue reading Then and Again
The Essence of Liberty and Love
Sifting through source materials in my quest to find meaning and cohesion in someone’s long-forgotten life is one of my favorite pursuits. I have traveled thousands of miles to sit in the quiet rooms of faraway libraries and archives, poring through antiquated books or binders filled with thick parchment pages. But there is nothing like … Continue reading The Essence of Liberty and Love
Memories and Montmartre
Last Saturday, a photo service emailed me a “memory.” It was a picture I took of tombstones in a Paris cemetery. The caption, “Bring your memories to life,” made me laugh. Six years ago, I had finished writing the draft of A Moon Garden and was becoming frustrated at my lack of success in finding … Continue reading Memories and Montmartre