Happy New Year!
Clicking Our Heels – Our Special Holiday Traditions
Linda Rodriguez – Before the pandemic, we used to gather at my house–in later years, my sister’s house–for a feast and extended-family get-together. We haven’t started anything back up since. I suspect my youngest son, who now lives 3 minutes away, will spend the holidays with us.
Bethany Maines – Panic about presents and then nap in protest of winter? I’m not sure those are traditions so much as simply what happens repeatedly.
Joyce Woollcott – I’m Canadian, so we don’t celebrate Thanksgiving as much as our American neighbours but Christmas Eve, when our daughter was young, we listened to Dylan Thomas reading a Child’s Christmas in Wales. And we still do, all together, with the addition of one son-in-law and one little grandson. So lovely.
Debra H. Goldstein – Enjoying family time.
Paula G. Benson – This year, I’m looking forward to returning to a tradition of working with my church on a holiday musical to be presented in early December. We have not been able to have one since the pandemic.
T.K. Thorne – Recuperating.
Lois Winston – For most of my adult life, my family and I spent Christmas Eve with very close friends. Unfortunately, life got in the way, people moved out-of-state, and the tradition eventually came to an end.
Kathryn Lane – On Christmas Eve, we invite friends to join us for tamales and Christmas punch.
Dru Ann Love – This year, I’ll be recuperating from knee surgery replacement, and ever since my mom passed away, we don’t have a family tradition anymore.
Lynn McPherson/Sydney Leigh – I’m Canadian so our Thanksgiving comes this year in early October. We like to go to pumpkin patches, enjoy large family dinners, and go for beautiful walks in the fall.
Barbara J. Eikmeier – I hang a dog and cat garland with all the dog or cat tags of our past pets including their rabies tags (because they have the county we lived in). We have an angel ornament for each animal and this year will be adding our dog Holly who passed away in April.
I also do a little happy dance in celebration of Winter Solstice and have been known to host a party. Once we’re past the Winter Solstice, even though Feb, our coldest month in KS, is yet to come, I feel like summer (my favorite season) is almost here.
Mary Lee Ashford – My family gets together on Thanksgiving for a very large (40 or so people) celebration and I always look forward to that. Although we live close, we’re all so busy that we don’t get together as much as we should. For Christmas it’s just the immediate family – two sons & daughter-in-laws, and six grandchildren. However, the past several years the grandchildren have spent New Year’s Eve with us while their parents went to dinner or to a New Year’s Eve get-together and I love that time with the grands. We munch on leftover holiday goodies and hot cocoa. At midnight we toast with sparkling cider, toot our noise-makers, and watch the ball drop in Times Square. I’m glad the neighbors are tolerant as I’m pretty sure we get a little louder each year. There was a time when the grands were young enough that I could convince them that it was the New Year when the clock turned over in New York City, but now they’re older and they’re on to me. Such great memories!
Writing Is Messy
Happy December! It’s the most exciting time of the year. And for me, it’s the messiest time of the year because I’m finishing up the first draft of the next Food Blogger Mystery. My goal when writing the first draft is to take what I’ve plotted and turn it into something that is readable and entertaining.
It’s also during this process that I decide which recipes to include in the book and I begin developing and testing them. So far, I’ve made the scones that will be included three times. Actually, four times if you count the time when I measured out too much milk and I didn’t realize until I’d mixed it into the dry ingredients. It was definitely a baking fail moment.
Back to the actual writing. It’s not unusual for there to be lots of question marks in place of words because while I was writing, I couldn’t come up with just the write word. It’s also pretty common to have sections highlighted because I need to refer back to my series bible or do some more research online. And it’s pretty typical that I’m short thousands of words. My first draft is very lean compared to my second draft. It’s during that draft that I fill in all the missing pieces and add in all the extras like a more vivid description or maybe a twist that I hadn’t previously thought about. I let my first draft sit for two weeks so that I can put some distance between me and the manuscript. This separation allows me to think about the first draft and lets my subconscious to do its thing so that when I return to the manuscript, I’m energized to dig in and I have some more content to add. So that when I’m done with the second draft, it’s all fluffed out and ready to go to my editor.
I’m looking forward to tackling the second draft and that will happen in January. Once I finish this current draft (and I’m so close to finishing it) and I will step away from it and focus on a new story idea along with the holiday season. Speaking of the holiday season, remember that books make great gifts. And the Stiletto Gang has so many books to choose from.
I think my June release, HOW THE MURDER CRUMBLES, would make a lovely gift for the reader in your life who loves their mysteries with a side of cookies.
I hope you have a wonderful holiday season and I look forward to catching up with you in January! Happy Holidays.
Debra Sennefelder is the author of the Food Blogger Mystery series and the Resale Boutique Mystery series.
She lives and writes in Connecticut. When she’s not writing, she enjoys baking, exercising and taking long walks with her Shih-Tzu, Connie.
You can keep in touch with Debra through her website, on Facebook and Instagram.
Land Of Fire and Ice by T.K. Thorne
Last month, I promised a report on my trip to Iceland. Did not expect that they would be waiting for an imminent volcanic eruption from an area we were just visiting!
As of this post, one area has sunk and the other risen, and a crack three feet deep appeared in the road in a small southern fishing town near where weeks ago we were splashing around in the Blue Lagoon’s blissfully steamy waters. The heat rises from the volcanic activity beneath it—we just didn’t know how active!
After thousands of earthquakes, some of which were going on (unfelt) while we were there, the town is evacuated for the most part and no one knows exactly what will happen, which is nerve racking and not just for the humans. Our very wonderful guide says her dog’s name, Kivka, means magma. Kivka is very nervous and confused at having his name spoken regularly from the TV!
Iceland is the land of Fire and Ice, although the ice is melting fast. One glacier has completely disappeared, and others have dwindling significantly in the lifetimes of current inhabitants. This is not good news for the planet or for Iceland.
Glaciers threaded with volcanic ash
The flow of water is important to the country’s production of power (20% hydropower) and of course, their water supply. And 60% of heat is produced by pipes (insulated with spun rock), carrying water heated by geothermal energy. Geothermal energy is abundant (see paragraph one). In fact, we ate bread in one area cooked underground.
Unique technology returns carbon dioxide produced by the power plant back into the earth where if eventually turns into stone.
Most of the homes are heated by water heated naturally under the earth. Swimming pools, as well. Where people in the US might go to a bar or the gym to relax after work, heated pools are the thing in Iceland. Along our travels, I visited a heated outdoor swimming pool with four additional smaller pools, three heated to different levels, and one ice pool. (I did all but the ice pool.) A surreal experience, as it was simultaneously snowing.
I knew the Vikings named Iceland and Greenland (the truly frigid island north of Iceland) to keep Iceland free of tourists or invaders, but I was startled by the beautiful colors and pastureland. Actually, my first startle was the alien landscape that greeted us on the way from the airport to the capital city, Reykjvik. (I still have to look up the spelling but can now spit out the pronunciation.)
The natural beauty of this land is stunning.
Iceland sits on the conjunction of two plates, the Eurasian and North American plates and on top of a “hot spot” called the Icelandic plume, a swelling of hot rock deep underground, possibly between the earth’s core and its mantle. Basically, the entire island is hardened black lava. In some places, only moss grows on the rock with an occasion mass of low blueberries (crimson in October) and a yellowing shrub flower I never figured out. In other places, enough moss has grown and died to create soil, although the lava itself is poor in nutrients (unlike in other parts of the world with volcanic activity). In those places grass grows, supporting the herds of sheep and small Icelandic horses (don’t dare call them “ponies”).
The Icelandic horse is a descendent of ponies brought from the early Norse settlers. They are a passion of the Icelandic people. Our guide owned a horse farm of forty! Tough, double thick haired to weather the winter, they are the only horse in Iceland. Imports are not allowed to protect them the horses from diseases, and once an Icelandic horse has left the country, they are not allowed back. All foals must have a “proper” Icelandic name and be approved by a naming council.
I had the wonderful experience of riding one (whose name also happened to be Kivka). They have five gaits, one of which, the tölt, is a four-beat gait like a Tennesse Walking Horse’s run walk. You could indeed drink a fine whiskey at this gait without spilling a drop (unless you drank a lot of fine whiskey). Pictured below is myself on Kivka, wind blowing, hands freezing, and rain in my face, along with a gob-smacked smile that did not stop the entire two hours.
Video not uploading, so check it out on my FB Page:
Food was delicious and … interesting. The former included a lot of fish. The latter (the “interesting”) category included traditional hákarl, fermented shark meat. It’s poisonous until it rots for about four months, during which time it gives off a strong (and I mean strong) ammonia smell. Having read a fascinating novel about a neurodiverse man who carries on the family tradition of hunting and preparing hákarl (Kalmann by Joachim B. Schmit), I braved a taste and was grateful for the shot of local spirit afterward (also traditional). I can honestly say that was a once in a lifetime experiment.
There was other excitement, like being blown several feet in a winter storm, amazing waterfalls, a crazy jeep ride along a black lava beach, and ice glaciers swirled with volcanic dust. In the middle of everything came the horrors of October 7, 2023. We had been asked not to talk politics, but the Jewish among us clung together, trying to process what we were hearing. Being so far from home made it surreal or maybe it was the stunning details that trickled in. Now, from home, we watch the war unfolding, always hoping something better will come from this pain for so many, yet afraid it is but another cycle, like Iceland’s continuous dance with death from fire.
I meant for this to be an upbeat travel piece, but it would be less than honest not to include this, as I will always remember where I was on that date. I will also always remember the non-Jewish person who broke the “rules” to offer her pain for my pain and the pain of the Jewish people. She didn’t really know me, and reaching out was a risk. Her small act of humanity eased me in a way I can’t explain. I hope it will inspire someone to reach out, even when unsure what to say. It does make a difference.
T.K. Thorne writes about what moves her, following a flight path of curiosity, reflection, and imagination.
Making the most of a wonderful setting….
I was featured in an article a month or so ago in the Belfast Telegraph. I’m Belfast born, and the reporter asked me to talk about my books and why I had chosen to set them in Northern Ireland, a country beset by The Troubles. Was it because I had a history there and was familiar with the landscape, or did I want to feature those famous Troubles as a background for my books?
Yes and no.
I’m not the person to write in depth about The Troubles. I lived through part of them and that was enough for me. It soured my teenage years with fear and anger, restricted my life and saw a beautiful city bombed and shattered. It maimed and killed countless people. No, I did not want to feature that history in my books. I’ll leave that to the historians and perhaps people who can explain and justify violence for any reason. And that continues now, all over the world, does it not?
If you get a moment please have a look at my article, it can be found here…
At work…
I write police procedurals. I love to read them, love the careful examination of clues, that moment when the detective gets it, sees the vital piece of the puzzle, solves the crime. I like a bit of light relief too, not all gloom and doom. And I do enjoy a great setting, usually dark and desolate—a little gloomy. The perfect place for a crime. I know that place, the province of Ulster.
But they have crimes too. So, I chose to set my books there, in that great little country, with wonderful characters, funny and kind and fiercely intelligent. Did you know that at least seventeen American Presidents are descended from the North of Ireland? It’s on Wikipedia.
I have two books now in my Belfast Murder Series featuring Detective Sergeant Ryan McBride. While obviously they contain the themes of murder and violence, most of that is off the page. I also try to add depth of character and a fair dose of humor to my stories. And there’s that wonderful setting of course… rain and wind and grey skies.
Book One: A Nice Place to Die.
The body of a young woman is found by a river outside Belfast and Detective Sergeant Ryan McBride makes a heart-wrenching discovery at the scene, a discovery he chooses to hide even though it could cost him the investigation – and his career.
The victim was a loner but well liked. Why would someone want to harm her? And is her murder connected to a rapist who’s stalking the local pubs? As Ryan untangles a web of deception and lies, his suspects die one by one, leading him to a dangerous family secret and a murderer who will stop at nothing to keep it.
And still, he harbors his secret…
Book Two: Blood Relations
Belfast, Northern Ireland: early spring 2017. Retired Chief Inspector Patrick Mullan is found brutally murdered in his bed. Detective Sergeant Ryan McBride and his partner Detective Sergeant Billy Lamont are called to his desolate country home to investigate. In their inquiry, they discover a man whose career with the Police Service of Northern Ireland was overshadowed by violence and corruption. Is the killer someone from Mullan’s past, or his present?
And who hated the man enough to kill him twice?
Ryan and Billy once again face a complex investigation with wit and intelligence, all set in Belfast and the richly atmospheric countryside around it.
Glens of Antrim
For more info, please visit my website.
https://www.jwoollcott.com
This is my last post and I hope you enjoyed it.
And if you’re a writer, keep writing, if you’re a reader keep reading… life is short.
Love-Hate Relationship with English Grammar by Saralyn Richard
Love-Hate Relationship with English Grammar
by Saralyn Richard
Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash
I taught high school English for many years in the days when students had to write ten mandatory papers per quarter, or forty papers per year. According to my estimates, I’ve graded over seven thousand papers, not counting major assignments, where I graded several drafts of the same paper. I graded papers day and night in every location you can imagine. With all that practice, I became a walking encyclopedia of grammar, able to recite every rule, chapter and verse.
Here are a few of the most common mistakes my students made:
- Run-on sentences or comma splice
- Pronoun disagreement
- Mistakes in apostrophe usage, especially possessives
- Lack of subject-verb agreement
- Misplaced modifiers
- Sentence fragments
- Verb tense inconsistency
- No clear antecedent for a pronoun
When my son was in ninth grade, his English teacher offered five points extra credit whenever a student could find a mistake in the “real world,” take a photo of it, get the person in charge to change it, and photograph the correction. You wouldn’t believe how many errors came to light. My son even had the local park district take down and redo a huge sign at the entrance to a nearby subdivision, costing taxpayers approximately nine hundred dollars.
Today we have online (AI-based) grammar tutors, and we are still plagued with grammar infractions everywhere we go, including in edited and published media. As a reader, I find mistakes distracting, but I no longer carry the weight of responsibility for marking each one in red ink and making sure the writer knows better for next time.
As a writer and editor, I’m not let off the hook so easily. While I recognize there is no such thing as a perfect piece of writing, I can’t let go of wanting anything with my name on it to be as clean as possible. For me, an error-free, clearly stated, well-ordered paragraph practically sings from the page.
How about you? Do you have a love-hate relationship with English grammar, too?
Saralyn Richard is an educator and the writer of six mystery novels and a children’s book. Connect with her at http://saralynrichard.com and subscribe to her monthly newsletter for interesting and fun content and opportunities.
Holiday Reflections in Advance
Holiday Reflections in Advance by Debra H. Goldstein
The holidays are about to overwhelm us. The TV will be taken over by warm and fuzzy advertisements. Catalogs of things I must have or give will fill my mailbox. At my local CVS, one staff member was moving Halloween candy to a sale rack and packing up the store’s pumpkin decorations while another was putting out Christmas Santas. I’m not ready for this!
Maybe I’m a grinch? I like peace and quiet. The reality is that I’m not going to find that for the next six weeks. First, there will be Thanksgiving – the entire family is dropping in this year. (I’m thinking of giving those who have little kids the house and moving to a hotel – I’ve done that in the past and really enjoyed it). Even though I’m sure there will be moments I want to retreat somewhere (that hotel sounds finer by the moment), I will enjoy seeing our kids, their cousins, and friends interacting. When they leave and I finish doing laundry, I’ll collapse.
But, not for long. There will be Chanukah and Christmas presents to buy, wrap, or send (think gifts cards might be appreciated this year?) for family, friends, and the people who are kind to me during the year. Once I clean up the mess from wrapping and make sure everything is delivered – and share a slightly quieter set of meals with family and friends, it will be time to see in 2024.
Those plans are already made. We see the year in with a group of friends we truly enjoy — especially since the women all agree that the new year is here when the ball drops in New York (we’re on central standard time, but why wait another hour?). Oh, the men, they think the evening is over when the football game ends.
What about you? Holiday Plans? Like them or want to flee?
The Joy of Seasonal Reading: Why It’s Never Too Early to Dive into Christmas Books
The other day while I was on Facebook, I saw a photo in a reader’s group of the member’s newest haul and they were all Christmas books. And with Hallmark and GAF airing Christmas movies since the middle of last month, it’s feeling a lot like Christmas. And there are a few compelling reasons why it’s never too early to embrace the joy of Christmas reading.
- Extended Holiday Magic: One of the most delightful aspects of seasonal reading is that it extends the holiday season. Instead of limiting the celebration to just a few weeks in December, starting your Christmas reading early allows you to savor the magic for a more extended period. From the heartwarming tales of love and hope to the adventures of characters navigating the holiday hustle and bustle, these stories bring the spirit of Christmas alive throughout the season.
- Anticipation and Excitement: There’s something special about the anticipation and excitement that builds up as you dive into Christmas books ahead of the actual holiday. You can begin your journey long before the tree is decorated and the carolers start singing, creating a sense of joy and excitement that lasts until Christmas day. The pages of these books serve as a delightful countdown, filling your heart with the same warmth and joy you experience during the holidays.
- Stress Reduction: The holiday season can be a hectic and stressful time for many. Reading Christmas books in advance can serve as a welcome escape from the chaos. These tales offer a tranquil refuge from the demands of holiday shopping, cooking, and preparations, allowing you to unwind and relax while getting lost in the enchanting world of fiction. The characters’ journeys and their triumphs over various challenges can inspire and motivate you during a time when you need it most.
- Tradition and Togetherness: Reading Christmas books together as a family or with friends can become a cherished tradition. Whether it’s snuggling up by the fire to read aloud, sharing book recommendations, or even participating in a book club, it’s an opportunity to bond over the love of storytelling and the holiday spirit. These shared moments create lasting memories and strengthen the sense of togetherness that defines the holiday season.
- A Plethora of Choices: The beauty of Christmas reading is the sheer variety of books available. From classic tales like Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” to modern romances and mysteries set during the holidays, there’s a book for every taste. Whether you prefer heartwarming stories of redemption, thrilling mysteries, or humorous accounts of holiday mishaps, the extensive selection ensures you’ll find the perfect book to suit your mood.
There’s no wrong time to begin your Christmas reading. The magic and joy of the season can be experienced through the pages of a book, and the earlier you start, the more you can savor the spirit of the holidays. So, don’t hesitate to pick up a Christmas book and let its enchanting tales fill your heart with warmth and wonder, regardless of the date on the calendar. After all, the love of reading and the celebration of the season go hand in hand, creating an unforgettable experience that you’ll treasure for years to come.
Now, if you’re not ready to pick up a Christmas book just yet, maybe you’ll be interested in an autumn themed book with a reportedly haunted house, a deeply buried family secret, a and a couple of yummy recipes. Last month. A CORPSE AT THE WITCHING HOUR, the sixth book in the Food Blogger Mystery series was released. I had so much fun writing the story and testing the friendship between Hope and Drew and also throwing Hope a life curveball. So. Much. Fun. Oh, yeah, there’s the dead witch outside of the haunted house who may or may not have been following Hope for a couple days.
What are you reading now? Are you ready for holiday stories? Or are you a reader who doesn’t read by season?
Debra Sennefelder is the author of the Food Blogger Mystery series and the Resale Boutique Mystery series.
She lives and writes in Connecticut. When she’s not writing, she enjoys baking, exercising and taking long walks with her Shih-Tzu, Connie.
You can keep in touch with Debra through her website, on Facebook and Instagram.
CLICKING OUR HEELS – What We’re Reading and What We’d Recommend
Dru Ann Love – I’m reading UNDER THE COCOON MOON by Kathleen Bailey. It’s the third book in her Olivia Penn cozy mystery series. I like her work and writing.
Lynn McPherson/Sydney Leigh – I’m reading A FATAL GROOVE by Olivia Blacke. The Record Shop Mystery series is so much fun!
Kathryn Lane – THE AMERICAN PROMETHEUS, the Pulitzer Prize winning novel that the Oppenheimer film was based on. I highly recommend it!
Lois Winston – My Stiletto Gang post on September 27th was all about the books I checked off my TBR pile while dealing with my own bout of Covid. Since then, one book I’ve enjoyed is LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY by Bonnie Garmus.
Saralyn Richard – Recently, International Thriller Writers hosted a first line contest, and I entered the first line of my book, BAD BLOOD SISTERS. I was delighted when it won, and the prize was a critique of my next book’s opening pages by mystery writer, Clare Mackintosh. I loved her critique and read her latest, THE LAST PARTY, which was a fun read.
Bethany Maines – I’ve been on a rom-com bing lately and I can tell you a couple NOT to read. When you pick books based on Facebook ads, I suppose there are bound to be a couple of duds. I just started Debra Sennefelder’s MURDER WEARS A LITTLE BLACK DRESS and I’m loving it.
Linda Rodriguez – I’ve just finished reading Thea Harrison’s AMERICAN WITCH and am just starting Catriona McPherson’s THE MIRROR DANCE. I would recommend the first, and I’m sure I will recommend the second, because I love her books.
Debra H. Goldstein – I recently read and enjoyed Ann Patchett’s TOM LAKE and Bonnie Garmus’ LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY.
Joyce Woollcott – I’m reading an advanced copy of Lou Berney’s DARK RIDE. Fantastic. He is simply wonderful. I have just finished Charlie Donlea’s book, ‘THOSE EMPTY EYES.’ He’s a great mystery/suspense writer. And any of Kate Atkinson’s Jackson Brodie books. I reread them constantly.
Barbara J. Eikmeier – I’ve been on a roll with reading great books. DR. TAN’S CIRCLE OF WOMEN by Lisa See is excellent and stayed with me long after I finished it. I also enjoyed HANG THE MOON by Jeannette Walls, I love her unapologetic style of writing. And, although they creep me out a bit, I recently flew through two of Lucy Foley’s books: HUNTING PARTY which is set in Scotland and WEDDING GUESTS which is set on a remote Irish island. I can’t put Lucy Foley’s books down but I also can’t read them when I’m home alone!!
Mary Lee Ashford – I’m loving The Thursday Murder Club books and looking forward to the new release in that series. At the moment I’m reading VERA WONG’S UNSOLICITED ADVICE FOR MURDERERS by Jesse Q. Sutanto and really enjoying it.
T. K. Thorne – Just finished ALABAMA AFTERNOONS by Alabama journalist and novelist, Roy Hoffman. The book isa collection of interview-portraits of remarkable Alabamians, famous and obscure. I felt I had actually met these engaging people . . . and was much the better for it.
Paula G. Benson – I’ve been reading short story collections. In particular, I found EDGAR AND SHAMUS GO GOLDEN to be very interesting. It contains an Anthony nominated story by the author of the Lupe Solano mysteries, Carolina Garcia-Aguilera, as well as stories by Doug Allyn, O’Neil De Noux, John Floyd, Lia Matera, Art Taylor, and Martin Edwards.
Who are We?
Who are We?
Nothing was more tedious for me as a student than the requirement to memorize dates and events of the past. What’s so important about the past, anyway? As an avid reader of science fiction, I was much more interested in the future.
No one has been more surprised than I, here in the latter part of my life, that I have written two history books.
Events of the past, I have decided, are important, but they are the surface of history. Depth of understanding what happened comes with examining the people of the time, the decisions they made, the actions they took or didn’t take, and the situations/beliefs that formed them.
Events are sterile. We are hard wired to care about people.
The people of our past are stories that we can identify with and connect to even across time. We need to understand what made them who they were. Hearing their experiences, their wisdom, and even their mistakes teach us what is important and possible.
Women’s stories are particularly valuable because women seem to slide through the cracks of history. A circle of women in Birmingham’s 1960s braved their fears and the intense pressures of society to break through racial barriers and effect real change. They were not the power players in their world. It was (and to some extent, still is) a man’s world. Learning how they created leadership roles inspired me. Today, women are again being constrained. It is especially important that young girls, struggling to understand who they are and who they could be, hear these stories.
Both of my history books are about civil rights days in Birmingham, Alabama. Writing and researching them has changed me in profound ways I can’t articulate yet.
But it has become too clear that I am living days that will be studied by future historians. Already, many books have been written. But the historical events and the people influencing them are still in play. And we have no idea what will happen.
Too many people have not heeded the warning that ignoring history dooms us to repeat it. That we are repeating it seems very clear.
The past is echoing.
Loudly.
Heartbreakingly.
Right now.
Deciding who we are in this moment is difficult because things are (as usual) complicated.
But we will be called on to decide anyway. This moment is tenuous (or exploding if you live in Ukraine or the Middle East), but even here in the US, the place that is supposed to be safe and a refuge for all, we must decide who we are and who the terrorists are.
Our president recently said, “You can’t give up what makes you who you are. If you give that up, then the terrorists win. And we can never let them win.” –
So, who are you? Who are we?