Sequel to “The Gate House”

I just got the news today that I will be offered a contract for publication of the sequel to “The Gate House,” tentatively titled “Lydia’s Story.”Nara Blake, the main character from “The Gate House,” moves on to new adventures in the next book, when she is given the diaries that belonged to her great-grandmother LydiaContinue reading “Sequel to “The Gate House””

My Boring Neighborhood

My neighborhood is boring. I live in a suburb of a major east coast city. We have an excellent school system, low crime, residential streets with nicely manicured lawns, and it’s boring. Our homeowner’s association requires certain standards to keep the appearances uniform — and it’s boring. I didn’t know the area when we moved here,Continue reading “My Boring Neighborhood”

One Out and One on the Way

Now that “The Gate House” is available again, as both as e-book and in print, I am turning my attention the my next book, tentatively titled “Lydia’s Story.” The manuscript is finished, and I am hoping to have news about a publisher soon. I describe “Lydia’s Story” as a sequel/prequel to “The Gate House.” ItContinue reading “One Out and One on the Way”

Is it good to take a break from writing?

I traveled to Chicago last week-end to be involved in one of my other loves — singing. With rehearsals close to eight hours a day, there was little time for writing. I managed a few lines in my journal before gong to sleep, but that was all. But did I forget about writing? No. IContinue reading “Is it good to take a break from writing?”

Time to Write; What to Write

If you haven’t got an idea, start a story anyway. You can always throw it away, and maybe by the time you get to the fourth page you will have an idea, and you’ll only have to throw away the first three pages.- William Campbell Gault There have been probably thousands of blog posts, articles and evenContinue reading “Time to Write; What to Write”

A Good Book I Read Lately

“Nobody reads a mystery to get to the middle. They read it to get to the end. If it’s a letdown, they won’t buy any more. The first page sells that book. The last page sells your next book.”                          MICKEY SPILLANE I am a sucker for a good mystery, especially one set in Italy. BesidesContinue reading “A Good Book I Read Lately”

Where Do I Set My Story?

“There is no happiness in love, except at the endof an English novel.” (Anthony Trollope in Barchester Towers) The passage through Dover Castle at the right just can’t help sparking my imagination. How Does an Author Choose a Setting Why did I set The Gate House in England? The simple answer to that question isContinue reading “Where Do I Set My Story?”

Solving Mysteries at the Library

I spent yesterday afternoon hanging out with the reference librarian at Haverford Township Free Library in Pennsylvania. Although spending time at a library is not a new experience, this was a special event. As a member of Sisters in Crime, an organization that promotes writers and readers of quality crime fiction, I participated in thisContinue reading “Solving Mysteries at the Library”