Red and Green by Liz Flaherty

Mom at 12. 

I was thinking of my mom this morning. She's been gone since 1982, but I still think of her every day. Most of us do that, don't we, even if the relationships weren't ideal. I think of my mother-in-law, too, who left us in 2016. I miss them both. 

But, this morning it was my mom who settled into my thoughts. I was thinking that here it was December 20th and we've only received a few Christmas cards. And I haven't sent any. Not one. 

Mom, who lived through the Great Depression and World War II and a few other wars, was not a lover of Christmas. She and Dad lost a child, 3-year-old Christine Ann, on December 21, 1941, and the season was never the same for either of them again. 

We were poor, and Mom was astonishingly frugal. Except that she had a long Christmas card list. Well, long to me. I imagine it was around 50 people. She would buy the bargain boxes of cards, probably after Christmas, and I'm not sure when she'd start filling out the envelopes, but it was likely Thanksgiving weekend, although the cards didn't go out until at least the 10th of December. 

Because she wrote a note in every one. Every single card. In either green or red ink. I don't know what she wrote, but it usually took up at least a full page of the lined paper she used for letters. She probably wrote on the back, too, because, you know...waste. I don't know how often she bought stamps through the year to make sure she had enough. She also put Boys Town Seals and Red Cross Christmas Seals on each envelope. She sent them each a $1.00 donation. At Easter, she sent Red Cross another $1.00 for Easter Seals. 

I still have a soft spot for the Red Cross. 

She got cards from almost everyone she sent to. If she got one from someone she hadn't sent to, she hurried to send one out to them the next day. She would sit in her chair with the mail in her lap and open each and every one with a letter opener. She'd read the note and laugh, shake her head in disappointment when there was no note included, and go through the stack that sat beside her. I think she looked at all of them every day. She loved the pretty ones, the expensive ones, but she never bought them. Ever.

I'll get mine sent soon--nowhere near as many as I used to send. I'm not doing a letter this year, because I don't have the heart for it, but I have a Christmassy notepad I'll write notes on. Thinking of the people I'm writing to, praying for some of them. Thinking of Mom and the red and green ink.

It's been a year, hasn't it? Not for everyone, and I'm glad for the ones for whom it has landed gently, but for some of us...for me...it's been hard. 

But here I am. I have a beautiful granddaughter getting married this weekend to the man she loves. Most of my kids and grandkids are here or will soon be in the same place. Noisy and funny and...well, noisy. The guy in the other recliner and I have full hearts. 

My mom's life wasn't easy--I'm sure I couldn't face her losses and challenges with as much grace as she did--but she still sent her cards and wrote her notes of cheer and affection in red and green ink. Whether she felt like it or not.

Because of her, because of these blessed memories, and this weekend's full heart, I can do no less. 

Merry Christmas!

Celebrate the Music of Christmas by Joan Reeves

It's nearly Christmas, and I've had a lot of happy days decorating, watching Christmas movies, and singing along to Christmas music.

I especially love the music of Christmas—carols old and new as well as the rock and pop Christmas songs.

MUSIC OF CHRISTMAS

A few years ago I bought a couple of books aboout the stories behind the best-loved Christmas songs. These two books are delightful and tell the history of the stories. I put them out every Christmas for guests to peruse.

Stories Behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas by Ace Collins, a Christy award winning author, comes in Kindle, Audio, Hardback, and Paperback.It tells the stories behind all the Christmas songs you learned as a child from Jingle Bells to Silent Night. 

"Each song in its own way expresses a facet of God’s heart and celebrates the birth of his greatest gift to the world—Jesus."

This is truly a wonderful book, and so is the sequel to it, also by Ace Collins, More Stories Behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas.

This book with the origins of 31 famous Christmas songs from Handel's Hallelujah Chorus to Auld Lang Syne also comes in Kindle, Audio, Hardback, and Paperback. and reveals the history of 

I love Christmas music so much that I used one of the most popular songs of the season as the premise of a book.

LAST CHRISTMAS

"LAST CHRISTMAS, a heartwarming and steamy small town romance that will have you laughing, crying, and falling in love all over again!"

As the song goes, Last Christmas she gave him her heart.

He gave it away, or as Annabelle thinks, he stomped on it.

This Christmas they meet again, and she decides to make him pay for breaking her heart.

This tale of heartbreak, revenge, second chances, and redemption is on sale for 99¢ until after New Year's Day.

Merry Christmas to you all. I hope you find Joy and Happiness and spread love and good cheer wherever you go. See you next year!

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Christmastime is Here by Bea Tifton

Christmas is almost upon us. I haven’t gotten anything done. It’s one of those years when it just crept up on me. It’s going to be scaled down, anyway, for a variety of reasons. But I will find time for decorating, gift wrapping, and Christmas light viewing.

Christmas was easy as a kid. We actually got to do Christmas things at school, singing Christmas songs, doing Christmas art projects, and having the annual party. And as soon as the Sears Wishbook came out, it was time to circle, hint, and hope.

My most distinct memory came on a late December afternoon when I was about five. I had been firmly indoctrinated into the “He sees you when you’re sleeping. He knows when you’re awake” camp, and one day I was playing in our living room when I saw a small bearded face look into the window. I ran to my mother and yelled, “I just saw one of Santa’s elves!” Mom listened politely to the entire recap and said, “Oh, that’s nice,” as she walked calmly to the phone to call the police. The entire neighborhood had been abuzz about a peeping Tom and I’d just had a sighting.

As a teacher, I was fortunate to teach just as the tide was turning on holidays and letting children do something enjoyable once in a while. Now the poor teachers have to do so much test prep most of them are forbidden to take time for anything considered to be frivolous time wasters. Poor kids. But we would do art projects, learn about holiday customs around the world, and read Christmas and Hanukah stories. One church coordinated an angel program with the district in which I taught and I always participated in that, running the presents to the parents after we got loose on the last day of school before the break. The organizers were smart enough to make sure the teachers were assigned a family from another school. I loved how excited my students got about bringing the money and I always let them view the presents before I wrapped them. It was a low wealth school but the parents were so generous with what they could spare.

Even though Christmas is different as an adult, it can still be fun and meaningful. But if I see one of Santa’s elves peeking at me through the window, I’m calling the cops.

Whatever you celebrate, I hope your holiday is peaceful and memorable for all the right reasons.

Photo Credits:
Wikimedia Commons- Karen Arnold "December 25 Calendar Sheet"
Pexels.com
Vo Van Tien "Young Girl Enjoying Christmas Indoors in Hoi An"
Boris Hamer "Child Writing Letter to Santa"
Gary Spears "Close-Up of Christmas Decoration Hanging on Tree" 

Kristin Vogt "Women's Zip Up Hooded Jacket"

The New Matlock- Sherri Easley

Between my ADHD and my many craft and writing projects, I don’t have much time to watch television. Occasionally, when I am worn out or tired, which has been more since I broke my arm, I have indulged a bit more.  

One of my new favorite shows is the New Matlock- starring Kathy Bates. Ms Bates is an exceptional actress who portrays retired lawyer Madeline Kingston returns to practice seeking justice for the death of her daughter Ellie in the opioid epidemic.

Kingston gets a job, using the alias of needy widow Matty Matlock, at the law firm she believes hid evidence that could have saved her daughter's life. To gain the firm's trust, she must first apply her intellect to help her colleagues with other challenging cases. In true historical Matlock form, cases magically seem to solve themselves.

The elderly attorney is cheered on by her grandson she is now raising and her husband as she seeks a mother’s revenge.

The best part of the show is that Bates uses the fact in life that many women become invisible as they age. In addition, she is wicked smart and always one step ahead of all the cast. Most of all, she uses her grandmotherly southern charm to get her way.

The genius of the show is that many of us women of a certain age feel invisible. I know I often do but now we can follow the premise of the show to use Bate’s wily tactics to our advantage.

If you have time to watch TV over the holidays, check out Matlock. 

MY FAVORITE TIME

By Caroline Clemmons

 

We have entered my favorite time of year—the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve. There seems to me more smiling people, more anticipation, more happiness. Oh, maybe that’s just me. <g>

The Christmas season brings wonderful memories for me. I love selecting gifts for family and friends. As I’ve grown older and our family decreased, we have a much smaller number of gifts to choose.

When I was younger, I made special ornaments to go on the package of children’s presents we mailed. Bows get smashed. I can only remember a few: a hand puppet—cowgirls for girls and cowboys for boys; a five-inch Christmas stocking ornament; and a felt stick horse with a candy cane as stick with the crook in the horse’s head.

In addition, I deliberated over the selection of wrapping paper so that all the gifts coordinated for each family. I don’t remember why this seemed important. Well, it did look lovely.

Times and I have changed. Now a gift bag is easy, with a few sheets of tissue stuffed in over the gift. We no longer mail any gifts, which makes me kind of sad. All the nieces and nephews are grown and the extended family adults no longer exchange gifts.

Another thing I miss is making up ten or twelve plates of cookies and candy and a small loaf of zucchini bread to deliver to friends and neighbors on December 23rd. Lately, I intend to prepare the goodies but never get them made.

That reminds me of a funny story. The middle of December, I made large batches at a time of various cookies and froze them in Tupperware containers. One year I took the containers of chocolate chip cookies from the freezer. When I opened them, one was empty. My Hero stood near me looking sheepish.

He said, “You know, you’d be surprised how fast those cookies thaw in the microwave.”

Happy Holidays!

Fall Vibes Only by Laura Hunsaker

 Today at work we changed out the Thanksgiving/Fall decorations for Winter/Holiday decorations, and I have to admit, it made me sad. Even my neighbors have put their decorations up earlier this year.

I don't think I'm ready for winter yet! In fact where I am, we've barely had our autumn, let alone winter weather. So I decided to keep up my fall decorations. At least for the next few days.

It made me wonder why I love fall so much when I'm really a summer girl at heart. I really think it's less that I love fall (although pumpkin spice everything is my jam), and more that I love the break in weather, and the last slow days before the crazy busyness of the holiday season starts. I'm enjoying the nice weather, I'm enjoying not having to be everything everywhere all at once. I'm enjoying the last of this year. I'm not quite ready for the end of the year yet. 

So for now, today, it's still fall for me, and my desk. At least until Fall becomes Fall-la-la-la time.

What is your view? Are you ready for the Winter holidays? Or are you dragging your feet and in denial like I am?

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Kate Landry is soon to be Kate Donovan, if only the groom would show up.


Maid of honor Cara Nguyen wants everything to go smoothly for her best friend's wedding, yet almost immediately, the wedding turns into a fiasco. Kate and Kyle deserve to have the wedding of their dreams, and Cara wants to make it happen. It’s hard to do when the flowers are delivered to the wrong location, the groom is missing, and the lovely sunny day has become a sweltering hot mess. She definitely doesn’t have time to get distracted by a sexy groomsman in a kilt.


Kyle Donovan is ready to marry the love of his life, but first he has to help some stranded guests…


Dash Helms is in the small town of Chester, California for his friend Kyle’s wedding, when he is immediately tasked to help. A caravan of wedding guests break down on their way, one of the groomsmen misses his flight, and the beautiful maid of honor is the only thing he can concentrate on. When Dash is asked to step in at the last minute as a replacement groomsman, of course he says yes. But the striking brunette he’s walking down the aisle wants nothing to do with him.


With everything seeming to go wrong, what can go right?


In this wedding short story written for Kate and Kyle from Dark Past, the cast of the Fatal Instincts series comes together to celebrate their friends. With everyone in the same place at once, and romance in the air, can this small town handle them?

Someone to Hold Your Coat by Liz Flaherty

John Steinbeck wrote a book called The Winter of Our Discontent. In all honesty, I don't think I read it. Steinbeck's writing voice depressed me. I put him and Hemingway and a few others all onto one library shelf of the mind I never approached--it's probably very dusty. Because, although I have always been an avid reader, I have always read purely for entertainment. I am a lightweight. 

But I'm digressing already. Didn't take me long, did it? I brought up the title of Steinbeck's book because that's where I am. Quite seriously, I thought I'd left this kind of angst behind in my teenage years, way, WAY back in the last century. 

I don't want to overdo politics here, other than to say they are the reason I'm where I am. I have never particularly feared being old or even dying--well, being dead; dying might not be fun--and yet now I'm resentful of the next four years of my life being taken up with feeling like I do now. 

Silenced. 

But last night, we had a writers' group meeting. The Black Dog Writers have been around for five years or so, maybe a little more. We meet on the third Tuesday of each month. We share things we've written, indulge in a little cathartic conversation--or a lot--and ... we care about each other. We encourage, we worry, we offer rides, we laugh a bunch. 

We hear each other's voices. Not just what we're saying, but the nuances that slip in between the beginnings and the ends of sentences. 

What several of us read last night had pain splintering between the lines. We had wet eyes sometimes, grieving with one, high-fiving others on stories well told, getting lost in poetry--read that stanza again!

What I read was strictly a free-writing stream of angry consciousness begun at 2:26 PM for a 5:00 meeting. It was inspired by a picture of a house Valerie shared. I read it to my husband and while he liked it okay, I think he worried about me offending people in the group.

My sister used to say that if the guys in her nine-student graduating class had decided they were going to rob a bank, she and the other girls would have held their coats. 

None of us robbed any banks last night, but our friends did indeed hold our coats. I am so grateful.

All of our meetings aren't exercises in catharsis. Sometimes our writing isn't what we wish it was. We don't all always have something to say. But sometimes, it's a couple of hours of gold. Especially when we need that gold. When we are worried ... or silenced ... or unable to find hope in our sad places. 

I hope it gets better for those of us in the same place of discontent. I hope we don't give up, that we don't remain silent, that we remember we have stories to tell and people to care about.

Have a great Thanksgiving. Wishing you happy.

Great Pumpkin Horde Smashed Into Pumpkin Pie by Joan Reeves

Photo by Vlada Karpovich

Pumpkin season kicked off in October with Halloween, but never fear. It's not over yet.

The great pumpkin horde rises then get smashed into Pumpkin Pie, Pumkin Bread, Pumpkin Cheesecake, Pumpkin—well, you get the picture.

As if all the pumpkin desserts weren't enough, there's Pumpkin Latte, Pumpkin Eggnog, and, I fear, so much more.

Love all those orange beverages and desserts? Unfortunately, I don't. I've never been a fan of the pie made from this giant orange gourd.

 To be honest, I don't know if it's the pumpkin or the overload of spices because I do like pumpkin bread when I make it in my kitchen.

WHO DISCOVERED THOSE BIG ORANGE GOURDS?

I was surprised to discover pumpkins were first cultivated in Central America around 5,500 B.C.. When Europeans arrived in the New World, pumpkins were one of the first foods they brought back to Europe.

In Europe they were first mentioned in 1536. Within a couple of decades they were grown regularly in England. The British called them pumpions which came from pompon which was what the French called them because of their round shape.

Photo by cottonbro studio
Is it the brownish color that deters me?

The English were already well-versed in pie making so it's no surprise that they started using pumpions for pie filling.

BACK TO AMERICA

When the Pilgrims came over on the Mayflower in 1620,  some of them probably were familiar with pumpkins just as the Wampanoag tribe who helped them survive that first year were. 

The next year, the 50 surviving colonists were joined by about 90 Wampanoag for a 3-day harvest celebration—what we claim as the very first Thanksgiving.

Pumpkin was probably served in some form because this useful vegetable can be used in many ways.

Add it to flour, thus decreasing the amount of flour needed, and make bread. Roast it and season with salt, pepper, and some kind of fat and serve it as a vegetable.

Cook it and season with something sweet and spices for—Pumpkin Pie!

By 1654, Edward Johnson, a Massachusetts ship captain, wrote that New England had prospered and  people could now make apple, pear, and quince tarts rather than their former Pumpkin Pies.

By 1705, Pumpkin Pie was firmly established as the pie to serve at Thanksgiving, an established New England holiday.

Photo by Diliara Garifullina

After the Civil War, the popularity of Pumpkin Pie spread beyond New England. In the South, I imagine they made Sweet Potato Pie before pumpkin was popular.

To me, Sweet Potato Pie tastes the same as Pumpkin Pie, perhaps because the same spices are used in each pie.

TO PUMPKIN OR NOT TO PUMPKIN?

I think the brownish color is what makes Pumpkin Pie look unappetizing to me. I might try a fancy crust with pastry cutout leaves like this photo shows. Pretty isn't it? 

Do you have a favorite pumpkin recipe? Leave a comment and tell us all about it.

BEST WISHES FROM ME TO YOU

I wish you the happiest Thanksgiving with family and friends and lots of delicious food. Make some wonderful memories!

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NEW AUDIO RELEASE!

By Caroline Clemmons

More wonderful things are happening for the Pinkerton Matchmaker Series books. This series is tremendously popular. Barr26 Publishing has acquired the rights and given them new covers and listed them at numerous retailers.

The books I wrote for this series are among my favorites. Each took considerable research, but I loved writing them. I hope you won’t think I’m vain when I confess I’m pleased with the resulting stories.

The latest thing is, they are being narrated for audio, mine by by narrator Chris Kemsworth. I’m so pleased with my three, although the third is still in production. The two of mine that are now available in audio are AN AGENT FOR MAGDALA and AN AGENT FOR LYDIA.

According to the publisher’s spokesperson, it takes from 10-14 business days for the audio version that was uploaded on November 5^th to appear on various retailers. Currently, the audio version is available at Barnes and Noble. If you enjoy listening to a talented narrator read an exciting historical western romance, please give these two audio books a try. I believe you’ll enjoy listening to them as much as I did.

 

 

She craves adventure, but this may be too much…

His job means the world to him…

Capturing jewel thieves will test them…

 

Magdala leaps at the opportunity to become a Pinkerton agent. Learning the position requires a paper marriage shocks but doesn’t deter her. Maggie plans to get an annulment before her unusual family learns of the situation. She’s determined to prove she has the grit to be an excellent investigator. But, why does she have to be partnered with the one man who has been rude to her?

Douglas “Cloud” Ryan loves being a Pinkerton agent. Otherwise, he’d never go along with his boss’ crazy plan to marry him to a female agent. He’s certain women have no business dealing with criminals. After barely surviving the stagecoach trip from Denver to San Antonio Maggie needs to stay in the background and let him solve the case. He has reasons to distrust women, especially women like Maggie.

Can Maggie and Cloud catch the jewel thieves plaguing an historic San Antonio hotel without becoming victims? Will they take a chance on the love growing between them?

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/an-agent-for-magdala-caroline-clemmons/1132839154?ean=2940193348184

 

When Lydia Wood is left at the altar, she believes something beyond her groom’s control has happened. Two years with no word have hardened her heart. She has to get away from her parents’ constant urging her to choose an acceptable husband and wed. Becoming a Pinkerton agent suits her plans.

Pinkerton Agent Jake Hunter has recovered from injuries that put him in a coma and a long convalescence. He realizes Lydia would have been injured had she been with him. He vows to distance himself from the one person who means the world to him to protect her. 

When they are paired for an investigation of bank robbers they must follow the trail to a dangerous hang out of men on the run. Can the two successfully pull off their charade and capture the robbers or will this trip confirm Jake’s worst fears?

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/an-agent-for-lydia-caroline-clemmons/1144462164?ean=2940179333944 

Thanks for stopping by.

Kindness Still Matters by Bea Tifton

Kindness. It’s so important. So vital to our very existence. Some tiny kindness is like a butterfly fluttering its wings and causing a chain of events that lead to a hurricane. But in a good way. We hear “Pass it on,” but do we? In the isolation of social media and working  at home, entire days might pass without seeing another human being. Or those people become names on a screen and the comments section is open hunting season.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

I remember a little boy in one of my classes when I taught fourth grade. He was not a hard worker. Not a mean bone in his body, but no gumption or sense of responsibility. I talked to his mother several times that year. She was a dear woman and tried her best to light a fire under her son. On Valentine’s Day, I saw him in the hall with a huge teddy bear. His mother had him give it to me when she saw me. He was very grumpy and upset. I thought he was just embarrassed. Then later when we were having the Valentine’s Day party he said, “I wanted everyone to see that I got the biggest present so they’d be impressed.” It wasn’t about being kind. It was just a status thing. Suddenly, I really didn’t like that bear.

Don’t do something kind just so everyone can see you. When we do something kind for someone, our body actually releases endorphins.

And we’ve made a person's or some furry being’s life a tiny bit better. People like to pay for the next person’s coffee or fast food order. That made my week once! But maybe go to a school and offer to pay off some child’s outstanding cafeteria bill. Or donate to an animal shelter. One of the big box stores (you know which one) has affordable little blankets on sale this time of year. The dog isn’t going to care if his comforting blanket has Christmas trees on it, I promise.

Open the door for someone. People don’t smile at each other in stores anymore. Make a concentrated effort to smile and say, “Good morning” to people.

You may think one person can’t make a difference. First of all, you know you are doing whatever you can to be a kind person. That’s important and it’s okay to feel good about that. And you never know. One day I saw a homeless lady. She apologized for being in my way (she wasn’t) and shuffled away. I took her hands and said, “Bless you. You are a child of God. You matter.” She began crying and sobbed, “No one has ever told me I matter.”

What if someone had told her years ago?

 

 

Photo Credits: Pexels.com
Debadutta "Close Up Photo of Monarch Butterfly on Top of Flower"
Gerardo Manzano "Woman Sitting on the Sidewalk Embracing a Big Teddy Bear"  
Dmitry Ovsyannikov "Touching the Nose of a Dog Lying in a Cage"
MART PRODUCTION "Homeless Elderly Woman Holding a Placard"
Jill Wellington "Silhouette Photo of Woman Against During Golden Hour"

TALE OF THE UNCOOPERATIVE BALLOT

 By Caroline Clemmons

Dear Readers, 

Because my husband, Hero, was scheduled for surgery on October 30th, we thought it advisable to vote early. So, on the 29th, we went to the sub-courthouse nearest us to cast our votes. A lot of others had the same idea and the polling place had a steady stream of people.

by Norman Rockwell

I checked in, showed my ID, and received a ballot. I chose one of the many voting machines and our youngest daughter chose the one beside me. I have "low vision" and was probably the slowest voter ever. When my daughter tried to help me, an election judge came immediately to investigate. After she'd observed that our daughter was not trying to usurp my rights, the judge observed a few moments and went her way to help someone else. 

Once I'd finished voting and my ballot printed my selections, I went to the machines which accept the ballots. Except, it wouldn't accept mine. A lovely woman behind the table leaned over to instruct me. Still didn't work. She came around the table wearing a smile, but her eyes said "You idiot." The ballot wouldn't go into the machine for her either. She tried a second time then confessed she didn't know what to do. She went to ask for help.

A couple of nights before, we had watched the cute comedy movie "Swing Vote." Our daughter and I looked at one another, said swing vote, and giggled. We amuse ourselves (but not many other people). 

The lovely lady returned with the woman in charge. She had a new ballot and a new ID number for me to use with the voting machine. After giving them to me, she asked me to use the same machine and vote again. She cautioned me to vote for the same candidates as I had the first time--as if I'd suddenly change my mind. Of course I voted for the same candidates, and went much faster this time. With trepidation, I approached the final step, submitting the ballot into the machine that records the vote. This time I was successful. Relieved, I took my "I voted" sticker and left.

Voting is important in any election, but we feel our vote is especially important in a national election. Since Hero is still in the hospital, I'm glad he was able to vote early. His pacemaker surgery went well, but he was so weak before the surgery that he is simply not strong enough to come home. He will probably have to go to rehab for a few days. We are on tenterhooks awaiting a definite decision and release date. Of course, Hero wants to come home now. He says he can't get any sleep in the hospital because someone is always poking him or checking on him.  I think that's a good thing, don't you? That's their job, but I know whenever a person is sick he wants to sleep at home in his own bed.

I hope if you haven't already voted early, that you will vote on November 5th, especially if you're voting for my candidates. <g> 

Thanks for stopping by. 

Halloween Spirit by Laura Hunsaker

With Halloween fast approaching I was thinking of reading a couple of Paranormal Romances to get in the Halloween spirit (not to be confused with Spirit Halloween lol). 

My favorite Paranormal Romances usually have a lot of action, or even a Romantic Suspense plot. So while I was scrolling my library, then Amazon, because my TBR is never ending, it got me thinking that I do have a preference in the sense that I don't really want bunny shifters, or hummingbird shifters. I don't know why I don't like that, but it's not my jam. I want vampires, werewolves, and depending on the world, other large predators. (And all of this is of course just my faves, not saying it's right or wrong or the only way. In fact I love both the Kate Daniels series and the Pride series by Shelly Laurentston which does have bunny shifters. I'm just generalizing). 

So when I came across this meme:

All I could think of was, um yes. Accurate. LOL I think this is why I want a monster romance. 

In my books. I want a monster hero in my books. In real life? Ehhhh...yeah I don't know if I could do that. I mean, thinking of the cryptids that are out there: Bigfoot? Skunk ape? Yeti? Chupacabra? Loch Ness Monster? I don't know.

But if werewolves and vampires were real, if well, Nessie and Bigfoot were real? I guess it would depend on the circumstances? Maybe? I'm not saying yes, but I'm not saying no... I mean, the Mummy? The one with Brendan Fraser? just saying, every single one of the those characters was beautiful, and that Mummy Imhotep was in love. His love transcended death. I mean, I'm not mad at that. 

So how about you? Are you a Paranormal Romance fan? Are you open to all? Or do you prefer the originals, vampires, witches, werewolves, etc?

And since I mentioned Spirit Halloween, I wanted to share this funny (fake-I snagged it from Instagram) costume that I feel we all can appreciate:

And if you want one of my Paranormal Romances, my vampires are $.99 right now ;)

Highlander Reborn (Amazon affil link)

The Broken Highlander (Amazon affil link)

Gifts of October by Liz Flaherty

My day to blog sneaked up on me without so much as a "pssst..." of warning, so I hope you'll forgive one from somewhere else in another year. The book it features is still a favorite and still available!

October is my favorite month of the year, except for when it's May. (I keep throwing that disclaimer in everywhere, because I'm fairly certain I'll be chirping about May in six or seven months.) I love the deepness of October's colors and the range of its sounds. Its scents and textures lend comfort to virtually every circumstance in which I may find myself. I embrace the fact that it's a forever parallel for living life (and writing books) in layers. Therefore creating textures. And depth. And range.

Speaking of depth...and range, I just read a blog post about mature love versus infatuation by Jenny Crusie. In the middle of it was this quote: "...they both know that their love can be beaten to airy thinness and will not break, it’ll become the air they breathe, always bringing them back to each other."

I read the quote and read it again and realized that was my gift for today. It touches and wraps gauze around long relationships, exposing not only their longevity but their frailty, too.

That's another thing I love about October, the fact that it showers us with such gifts. If you're a farmer, as many are where I live, you will spend days on end in fields, reaping the rewards of seeds sown in spring. The weariness will find its way to your very bones, and you'll spend the month with droopy eyes, but you will find satisfaction in the gifts of harvest. You'll be reminded of why you do what you do. At church this Sunday, as we exchanged joys and concerns, one of the farmers said, "The beans are in," and we all felt the depth of his joy. The range. 

It is salad time for me, not only because I know the holidays--and the obligatory annual five pounds--are coming soon, but because of all the tastes and smells that are around every sensory corner at this time of year. It's when my heart goes back to Keep Cold Orchard, in Nice to Come Home To, and I am reminded that setting is one of the most important characters in a book.

October seems to do that for me. It establishes my setting and gives me a kind of peace I don't always have. It leads me into November, the month of gratitude, and sets the table of blessings for the rest of the year.

This post is even more scattered than usual. Just pretend it's a jigsaw puzzle that will be something beautiful when it's put together. Another gift of October.

Buried Under Book Covers by Joan Reeves

Image created with AI by Joan Reeves

I do apologize for missing my blogging date yesterday. I blame Artificial Intelligence for that.

Actually, I must take some blame too. It all started last week when I completed all of the  Facebook Ads training tutorials. I was pumped and ready to get going.

There was one thing holding me back. My book covers. I learned that the most successful book ads had cover art featuring men. 

Having a woman on the cover art gets men clicking but not to buy the book.

I wrestled with that intel until Monday when I decided to "just do it" and change out the book covers in question.

OMG! DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE

After more than a week of trying to come up with cover art featuring an attractive male that organically represented the theme, story, etc. I'm ready to throw in the towel. Agh! So I waved the white flag of surrender and called my daughter the graphic artist for help. We meet tomorrow.

UNEXPECTED BENEFIT OF LOST TIME

One positive of this exhausting week was that I learned how to use an AI graphics program. Well, more or less learned. In many ways, it was harder than I expected and easier than I expected.

Harder? Because it requires far more hours of time and endless trial and error to create an image suitable for a book cover, i.e. an image that looks "real" and is specifically tailored to an element of the book.

Easier? Because with just a little effort you can create an interesting graphic good enough for marketing purposes. The image at the beginning of the post is one I made in about 5 minutes time. Of course, it took me about 4 hours of learning time to be able to make the image.

LAST THOUGHTS

I've always been willing to try new things and learn something new. However, I have conflicting emotions about using AI. I'm sure there are photographers and musicians who are also upset that AI is being used to create images that look like photographs and music that doesn't come from a real person.

I know I hate the thought that unscrupulous would-be writers will use AI to write novels. They're already doing it.

I will never do that. In fact, I think I'm going to put something in my book blurbs that goes something like this: "The content of this book was created entirely by the author, Joan Reeves. No artificial intelligence was used to create any part of the text."

I've heard other authors are inserting that into their blurbs and into the book's front matter. Do you think this is a good idea? As a reader, do you want to know that a real, live human created the book you're reading?

Image created with AI by Joan Reeves

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Trick or Treat by Bea Tifton

Yesterday at the grocery store I pondered that oh, so important question, What Halloween candy will we buy? We really don’t need to buy any, because we don’t have any trick or treaters. I don’t think many kids even go door to door now. When I was a kid we did. We planned our costumes carefully and greeted the holiday with anticipation and excitement. We would go door to door. If we knew the people, we were allowed to take cookies or the ultimate fun Halloween homemade treat, popcorn balls. Word quickly traveled when one house had particularly good candy. Some people I knew piled into a parent’s car and drove to the wealthy parts of town, but to my friends and I that was cheating. It was a neighborhood thing. We would go door to door, escorted by our parents when we were very small, then allowed to go on our own. When we got tired, we would come home and gorge ourselves. Mom and Dad would pick through our haul to get their favorites as well.  After a few years people began to circulate rumors of razor blades or candy poisoning, and while we still got to trick or treat, Dad would buy our candy from us. It wasn’t quite the same but as an adult I understand. (Hey, at least we got money to replace the candy if we wanted.) 

Now I see elaborate Halloween yard decorations, but I think most kids go to Trunk or Treat celebrations instead of going door to door. I think those are nice but not the same as the neighborhood celebrations. It’s a little sad. Today’s kids don’t know what they’re missing, but I do. And my father really misses opening the door on Halloween. He loved the little ones the best because they just looked so cute in their costumes and the proud parents would be hovering nearby.

We have a new routine where we buy some candy “just in case” and order pizza for Halloween. We watch the original “Ghostbusters” and “Practical Magic” and snack. I enjoy it. Last year I had choir rehearsal on Halloween night and we did the pizza thing the day before, but it wasn’t the same. This year, the way is clear for pizza and candy on Halloween night. I may even put a Halloween shirt on the dog.

 

Do you have trick or treaters? Do your kids do something for Halloween?

  

Photo Credits:Pexels.com
Terrance Barksdale "Pile of Halloween Sweets"
Yuting Gao "Group of Children in Halloween Costumes"
Charles Parker "Little Girls in Halloween Costumes Standing on Stairs"
Sam Lion "Small Dog Sitting in Light Studio"
Kaboompics.com "A Room with Halloween Decorations"