books
British Gentlemen and Their Umbrellas
Jude Knight joins us this week with some facts behind the fiction in her novel, A Gift to the Heart. One of the iconic television series of my youth was a British espionage television series called The Avengers, staring Patrick McNee—bowler hatted, in a smart business suit, and armed with an umbrella, which he uses […]
Names Names Names
This weekend I began working on a made-to-order story that I plan to give to my newsletter subscribers in December. At the start of any story one of the challenges is naming characters, titles, and places. For historical romance they should be authentic, attractive, and, especially in the case of titles, wholly fictional. Christian names […]
Curveballs
Life throws things at us. Sometimes we don’t see them coming. Sometimes we swing and miss. Last week was like that. I have known for a while that my old version of Word for Mac was aging. It had not received an update in a year or two. I decided it was time to upgrade. […]
Shorter Days, More Reading
The time change fell on us last weekend. Either I need to hit the ground early every day or learn to work in my office after dark. Why don’t I usually work in the evening? I have to close the blinds on the nine windows that surround me, and I miss the light and view […]
Beginnings
Is this crisp weather we’re having here in the urban wilds the end of summer or the beginning of winter? We went from one to the other rather abruptly. Meanwhile, Bluestocking Belles and Friends are looking at the very end of a project, the day Love’s Perilous Road is launched into the hands of readers […]
A Lion in the Museum
Courtney McCaskill joins us to day to give us surprising facts from her novel One Bed for the Bluestocking Kit emitted a high-pitched scream as the Upper Museum’s most popular resident strolled over to greet them. He grabbed Nathaniel’s arm, pulling him toward the door. “Mr. Sterling! Run! There’s a lion!” While researching the University […]
Progress!
We had a productive week here in the urban wilds—with a little help from my friends. The big news is that Merry Belles is now up for preorder! I will go live December 20. I think you’ll like my little holiday homicide, “The Angel’s Announcement.” It begins, “They found the shepherd eight days before Christmas. […]
Moving Ahead
Carefully. The big lesson of the month is “don’t rush!” I’ve read through the first of the books in the Great Rewrite Project. With the help of Caroline Warfield’s Fellow Travelers I am close to a series title. This week I plan to send the first for cover specs to the artist. Covers will motivate […]
Not So Fast
Is it Monday? No? TUESDAY??? Oh dear. You may suspect things have been peculiar. Just as a reached a sense that I am back and my writing is in a groove, I fell. Details unneeded, except to say nothing is broken/no permanent damage. What are a few days in the hospital, follow up appointments, home […]