Last evening I drank too much caffeine and couldn’t sleep. I found myself clicking through channels on late night television and landed on an old favorite of mine. The Big Valley. The ABC series ran in the late sixties and portrayed a woman named Victoria Barkley (played by Barbara Stanwyck), a widow of a wealthy nineteenth century California rancher. Week …
When a Writer Cooks Breakfast
“Honey, do you want your egg yolks yellow as the sun and flowing like a river? Or, would you prefer your breakfast scrambled with emotion, clinging to a plate of security?” Husband grunts from behind newspaper. “If I had more time, I’d grapple with a richly complex frittata, ripe with contradictions where strong-willed yolks unite with timid artichoke and …
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 …
