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Published by National League of American Pen Women, Atlanta Chapter, Pen Graphs, May 2022 One moment I’m in the Chattahoochee River dancing with dogs and the next day I’m in a cave with my character, Myra, pregnant and alone. The collaboration with other dancers in the river for National Water Dance Day was profound forContinue reading “Highs and Lows of Creativity”

My sister makes exquisite quilts. At my pre-launch—I signed a contract for my first book party—she asked my supporters to write words of encouragement for me on pieces of material that she incorporated into a blessing quilt. I’m holding the quilt in my banner photo. When I think about giving up, I reread the thoughtsContinue reading “A Blessing Quilt for a Writer”

Owl symbols are everywhere I look this holiday season in bathroom plaques, ornaments, and gift ideas for book lovers. Many ancient people such as the Mayans thought of these animals as harbingers of death or illness.  The Early Christians believed they were symbols of wisdom. The mighty bird can transverse the darkness of night throughContinue reading “Owls Everywhere”

Photo by Dean Hesse It’s the season to give based on Saint Nicholas of Myra, an early Christian bishop, who gave secretly to people in need. According to the era, he would’ve worn simple robes of grey or brown, not the flamboyant bright red suit with white fur. The Santa Claus myth evolved and becameContinue reading “Tis The Season”

I can’t believe I bought that expensive bread in Avondale, Georgia. I am mindful as I pay over eight dollars a loaf for gluten free-bread at a bakery that I am in the minority of folks that have that option.  It is for my health because I don’t want to take antibiotics. I love whiteContinue reading “Mindfulness at Thanksgiving”

This historical novel was a freebie given to me by the author at the 2018 Bouchercon Literary Festival in St. Petersburg, Florida. The protagonist is based on New Jersey’s first female deputy sheriff in the early ninetieth century. The Kopp sisters, Constance, Norma, and Fleurette, were real people. Constance developed a probationary system for womenContinue reading “Miss Kopp Just Won’t Quit by Amy Stewart”

The narrator in Sacred Fount by Henry James, published in 1901, applies the theory that as one party to a relationship gains, either physically or intellectually, the other loses, is drained by the “sacrificer” until depleted; thus, the vampire effect. The characters in any story about obsession would fit into this framework. Dorian Gray in OscarContinue reading “The Vampire Effect Applies”

  Recently, I revisited my research on the spook light phenomenon in southwestern Missouri because I wanted to share a scary story based on some truth and folklore at a book signing. My mother told a story about seeing a headless miner in the area with a lantern walking down the road toward her andContinue reading “Hometown Spook Light”

Primers and quilts go together to me. The SunBonnet Sue drawings have quite a history, and quilts are on my mind as the air grows cooler in the mornings. I’m thankful to the women who made the quilts in collaboration with other women and passed them on to me. I am reminded a formal artContinue reading “Who Drew SunBonnet Sue?”