First Love

I learned this week the guy who first stole my heart was killed in an accident. Now, before you start sending sympathy my way, you need to know I dumped him. And for good reason. Ended up we didn’t see things the same way when it came to monogamy. Still, the knowledge he’d died made me feel strangely sad. I …

Kids Say the Darnest Things

  My boys are raised now. One has his own son. Like many empty nesters, I hold memories of my children growing up deep within my heart. This morning, as I sat by the pool drinking coffee and listening to the birds sing, I pulled a few of those memories out . . . funny things I remember my little …

Fifty Shades of Black and White

I recently became aware of the popularity of the FIFTY SHADES OF GREY book series by E.L. James. Some report this novel is selling close to a million copies daily. Especially since media outlets everywhere are featuring the author and her work.   Normally, I do a happy dance any time I hear readers are buying and enjoying a new novel. This …

What Do You Delight In?

Recently, my husband and I had the joy of watching our fourteen-month-old grandson for the evening. Little Peanut is at that adorable “just toddling” stage. We took him outside and blew soap bubbles. I wish I could capture the wonder on his face in words. That little guy was just pure DELIGHTED! I had a little delight of my own …

The Things We Do For Love

Saturday night, I accompanied my husband to the Texas Motor Speedway for the NASCAR Sprint Cup races. Admittedly, this would not be my first choice for time spent with my guy (I much prefer a cozy restaurant). But, as many of you women know, sometimes we do a lot for the ones we love.  A real treat was the Foreigner …

Post a Teaser

Yesterday, Julie Kibler, author of CALLING ME HOME, St. Martin’s Press, 2013, invited me to participate in a Blog Teaser.  She said I had to do this: 1.  Go to the 77th page of your book. 2.  Count down 7 lines. 3.  Copy the 7 sentences that follow, and post them. 4.  Tag 7 other authors. So, here goes with …

Fixin’ to be Texan

I’ve lived in Texas for a couple of years now. But some days, I still have to listen carefully to understand what people around here are saying. Here’s an example from a conversation I could have overheard in the grocery store this morning (with a lot of exaggeration): Woman #1:  Boy hidy, y’all lost some pounds! Woman #2:  All it …

Seven Things I Learned in Yesterday’s Tornadoes

  As many of you know, the DFW area got a little wild yesterday with sudden (and multiple) twisters that had some of us running for our storm rooms. Like most traumatic experiences, the unexpected weather held a few lessons. Here are seven ways I was educated: A writer should take a shower every morning, just in case she finds …

Mothering Can be a Dirty Job

Our family recently celebrated a milestone, our baby grandson’s first birthday. Watching my son and his sweet wife parent that tiny boy over these past months has brought such joy, and rekindled so many memories of my own early days as a mother. One in particular. One afternoon, my boys took an extended nap which allowed me wonderful time to …