Now that The Gate House is to be re-released, I have been thinking about how that book came to be. I had always enjoyed writing, and had a few small things published, but didn’t take myself seriously as a writer. And like many people, I had it in the back of my mind that IContinue reading “And a Full Scottish Breakfast”
Author Archives: headywriting19
Grocery Tourist
One of my favorite things to do when I am traveling is to visit grocery stores and food markets. I love looking at the different foods that are available, how they are displayed for purchase, the differences and similarities with foods I am used to at home. I notice differences in grocery stores even inContinue reading “Grocery Tourist”
Browsing in a Bookstore — Yes! Really!
Is there anything more pleasurable than browsing in a bookstore? I have always loved the feeling of turning my head sideways to look at the books on the shelf in a bookstore or library. And how about this? Half an hour with the bookstore to yourself to browse to your heart’s content, after you putContinue reading “Browsing in a Bookstore — Yes! Really!”
Chasing Art Thieves
All my novels in the Nara series, including the newest one, deal in some way with crimes involving art. Hotel Saint Clare refers to the art collection of the hotel owner for whom Nara works after leaving her teaching job. In The Gate House, centuries old pieces, including stained glass windows stolen from local churches, are hiddenContinue reading “Chasing Art Thieves”
A Bookstore a Month
I started out with a grand plan to visit a new bookstore or library each month of 2020. We all know how that worked out. My bookstore for January was McIntyre’s in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, a lovely independent bookstore with a huge mystery section. I was even able to participate in an author’s eventContinue reading “A Bookstore a Month”
Is It Breakfast?
This is a “taste” of what’s to come in my next novel, tentatively titled Sacrifice. In her first breakfast in Spain, Nara Blake enjoys a chocolate croissant and café con leche for breakfast. Maybe not what super health conscious people would consider a good breakfast, but she is on vacation. Sort of. That’s about theContinue reading “Is It Breakfast?”
Loving Art Museums
In my newest novel featuring protagonists Nara Blake and Alex Collier, they work at the Tate Britain, one of the foremost art museums in London. This is a natural and fun setting for me, since I love visiting art museums. I overdid it a bit on my last trip to the Netherlands, and visited fourContinue reading “Loving Art Museums”
My Life as a Reader
I remember my mother telling me when I was about seven, “You can read any book in this house.” The books in our house were my dad’s history and science related books from Book of the Month Club, and my mom’s books about having and raising children and lives of saints and other holy people.Continue reading “My Life as a Reader”
Reading about the Hard Things When You are Young
I just finished reading Ashes to AshevilleAshes to Asheville by Sarah Dooley. It is a Young Adult novel dealing with the “hard things.” It is told from the point of view of Fella, a twelve year old girl whose mother has recently died of cancer. That is, one of her mothers. Mama Lacy andContinue reading “Reading about the Hard Things When You are Young”
30 Minutes of Quiet
Often the most difficult part of writing is allowing myself to slow down and listen for the ideas. Although writing ideas can come from news items, conversations, and experiences, a story still requires some quiet contemplation to develop. At least for me it does. I’ve been trying a new technique recently that I call “sprintContinue reading “30 Minutes of Quiet”