Tag Archive for: Clicking Our Heels

Clicking Our Heels: Creativity

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Creativity – what a magical word. The Stiletto Gang examines when
and where we get our creative ideas.

Dru Ann Love – Sometimes while
sitting on the train I’ll come up with a great blurb to put in one of my musings,
and I try to remember it, but I never do.

 

Julie Mulhern – I get my best ideas
walking or in the sower – places where I’m without a pen and paper.

 

Juliana Aragon Fatula – Full moons
wake me in the night. I write until I fall asleep. Other times, I have a memory
that sparks an idea. Or a song lyric, or a painting might inspire me to think,
what if …

 

T.K. Thorne – They seem to flow best
when I am in the car-which is why my husband won’t let me drive when we are
together….

 

Robin Hillyer-Miles – My ideas come
from my dreams, from random events that occur to me and around me and from
talking with people. A seed of an idea will be a gateway to a story. It doesn’t
take much to get my imagination going.

 

Debra Sennefelder – Everywhere.
Anytime. Just the other day I was finishing up the final edits on a Resale
Boutique manuscript before sending it to my publisher and an idea for a scene
in my next Food Blogger book popped into my head.

 

Kathryn Lane – Growing up in Mexico,
at a time when the country had an important story telling tradition, gave me a
head start in creativity. Life was difficult in Mexico, and escaping into a
fantasy world of storytelling gave many people an outlet for their
frustrations. I benefitted from hearing the tales invented by my grandmothers
and other women in the community.

 

Debra H. Goldstein – Out of thin
air. I hear a phrase and the words jump me into a new place to write.

 

Shari Randall – I get a lot of ideas
from those free shopper magazines that you find in a rack by the door at CVS.
Calendar sections with articles about locations, history and culture are rich
sources of inspiration.

 

Lynn McPherson – My creative ideas
come at random moments throughout the day, often when I’m doing something completely
unrelated.

 

Paula Benson – They often seem as if
they come from everywhere, but truly I think they come from the spark that
makes me question “what if?” I can see something that intrigues me, but until
my imagination takes that next step [for instance: Look at that slope of rocks
down to the creek. What if there was a body there? How did it get there and who
found it?] it’s just an interesting fact.

 

Sparkle Abbey

Mary Lee Ashford – Often
a spark from talking with someone, reading a news story, or the
fragment of a thought. More than likely nothing comes of the initial spark
but then another something will come along that when you put them together,
viola! You have a story idea. 

Cathy Perkins – Walking, riding in a car, anything that lets my mind wander and allows my creativity to slip the leash. But a random comment at a party or a snippet of a song may also make me think, Hmm, what if…

Anita Carter – Ideas are
everywhere. The news, books, songs, people’s personal stories, conversations.
The hard part is REMEMBERING all the ideas. That’s why writers always carry
notebooks and pens. If you dumped out my purse right now, you’d find at least
two notebooks and 3 or 4 pens.

 

Clicking Our Heels – Dream Locations For Writing

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Clicking Our
Heels – Dream Locations for Writing

Every writer
harbors a dream of the perfect place to write – today, the Stiletto Gang lets
you into our secret desires.

Sparkle Abbey:

Mary Lee Ashford – For me, a dream
location for writing would be a spot close to water such as a beach
or a lake, but I also need to be close to books. And coffee. So, maybe
a cottage by the sea within walking distance of a coffee shop
would be perfect! 

Anita Carter – Dream location would be anywhere near a
beach. It would be amazing to live in an oceanside cottage for a few months
while working on a book. I can hear the crashing waves right now!

 

Lynn McPherson – My dream location is in a small seaside town, somewhere with a
small desk by a big window that opens up, overlooking the ocean and allowing
the salty breeze to flow through.

 

Shari Randall – My dream location is a cabana on the beach of a Greek island,
fully stocked with cold drinks and snacks, a sunset to look forward
to every night, and a catamaran on call. A girl can dream!

 

Juliana Aragon Fatula – A beach view in a five-star hotel with nice
sheets and pillows and room service, free wifi, off season with no other
guests, quiet, peaceful, comfy.

Dru Ann Love – Just a nice corner with little distraction, beside the TV on in the
background.

Julie Mulhern
– There’s
an enormous picture window with a great view.

Robin
Hillyer-Miles – I
am a spoiled woman. We have an in-ground pool with a birdcage enclosure
surrounding it. I tend to write better while sitting by that pool. 

T.K. Thorne – Like a remote tropical island close to the ocean, or the
top floor of an old house on the bay, or a luxurious condo somewhere high
overlooking the ocean.  Give me water!

Kathryn Lane – It’s
a cabin in the mountains of northern New Mexico, near Taos. As long as the
cabin is warm, cozy, and I can periodically peek at the beautiful view, my
writing juices flow.

Paula Benson – Oddly enough, I’ve always imagined a dream location for
writing as an office building. Growing up, I imagined working for a movie
studio and having an office to go to for my work. Going to work at an office
where you get paid for your fiction writing. That’s my dream location

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rejection – Pain or Gain?

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Rejection
– Pain or Gain?

Writers
tend to be over-the-moon when they receive acceptances, but how do they feel
when the response is a rejection? Here’s what members of the Stiletto Gang say:

Debra
H. Goldstein – In the beginning of my writing career, I’d go into a blue
funk for hours or days and wasn’t the nicest person to be around. Now, I go
into a milder state of depression but immediately start thinking of how I can
improve the piece and what other market it might be right for. In both
instances where my books, which were intended to be the first in a series were
orphaned, I decided they were standalones and started writing something else.

Juliana Aragon Fatula – Being orphaned, literally took me a few years
to adjust to being the grown up and not the kid. I struggled with rejection in
the same way I dealt with auditions when I was acting. I looked at it as an
experience, a learning guide to grow from and never expected to get cast,
published, etc. so I would be thrilled if I was accepted and not destroyed if
rejected. I coped.

Dru Ann Love – I
just move on when an author does not respond to a musing I personally sent
them. Let’s me know not to do a musing for them again.

Debra
Sennefelder – Rejection is so
hard. I’ve learned that it’s okay to feel all the feelings that rejection
brings, so I give myself a short period of time to deal with the rejection.
Then I analyze what happened and see what I can learn from it.

Sparkle Abbey:

Mary Lee Ashford – I think for me all the years of rejections
before selling helped me toughen up. It’s hard, no doubt. But it happens and
you have to take a deep breath, figure out what’s next and keep moving
forward.   

Anita Carter – I won’t lie or play it down, rejection always hurts. That said,
I try to just take a day or less to work through whatever feelings I’m
experiencing and then push forward.

Paula Gail Benson – Much better in hindsight than when they occur. Rejection always
stings, but usually my stories that have been rejected end up in a better place
than the one where I originally submitted them.

 

Lynn
McPherson – Rejections are tough but if I like what I’ve written it usually
doesn’t faze me too long.


Shari
Randall – My reaction to rejection is to keep pitching. I channel the
mantra from Galaxy Quest, Never give up, never surrender! Then
I cry into a gallon of chocolate chocolate chip ice cream and a big ol
glass of red wine.

Kathryn Lane – Not good
with rejections, but I’m learning to take them more philosophically.

T.K. Thorne – I have a
stuffed legal folder of rejections. My way of handling the negative emotions
that go along with them are to immediately get to work on something. But now
that I am published with several books out, my skin is much thicker, and I quit
feeling that a rejection is a commentary on my talent or ability.  Most of the time….

Robin Hillyer-Miles – As a graphic designer for years, I’ve learned that sometimes
rejections mean you need to take a fresh look at your work. Maybe even put it
away for a bit so you aren’t so attached.

Julie Mulhern – Rejection is
part of the job. And it’s not personal. I don’t like sushi. You could take me
to the best sushi restaurant on the planet, and I wouldn’t like the food. That
preference has nothing to do with the quality of the raw fish (yuck). Not
everyone will like what I write. It has nothing to do with the quality of my
books. If someone likes angst-ridden, steamy romance, they won’t like Ellison
or Poppy. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clicking Our Heels – Dreams

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Clicking Our Heels – Dreams
Today, members of the gang admit whether they think things
through in your dreams or are you a concrete thinker?
Robin Hillyer-Miles – In my dreams I see vivid colors and
words and numbers. I trained myself to lucid dream at age eight. I can go into
a dream, tell myself I am dreaming, and direct the dream to create a better
story, change the entire dream to my liking, and write entire stories while
asleep.
Julie Mulhern – A little bit of
both. Answers to plot problems frequently show up in my dreams.
Dru Ann
Love – I’m probably a little bit of both.
Juliana Aragon Fatula – I dream while
sleeping, while awake, while eating, while driving…
Debra
Sennefelder – I like to plan but I know life is unpredictable, so I like to be
flexible. 
Kathryn Lane – Ideas
for some of my short stories have come from dreams. One story, titled Behind
the Murals, came from a dream about a painter who created murals on all the
interior walls of his house. For my mystery novels, I tend to be a more
concrete thinker since I plan out twists and turns, and surprises.
Debra H.
Goldstein – I work out problems in my stories or novels in my dreams, but I
rarely get a new story idea while sleeping though I regularly dream.
Shari Randall – That time upon waking,
halfway between sleep and full consciousness, is a great time for dreaming
a story.
Lynn McPherson
– I’m
a concrete thinker.
Paula Benson – I’m more of a concrete thinker. However, I don’t overlook
insight that comes in dreams.
Sparkle Abbey:
Mary Lee Ashford: I sure wish I could. That would be awesome! If
I’m having a story problem I often have to talk it out. So, I’ll call
Anita or one the other people in our critique group and talk through
the problem and potential solutions. But sorting it out in my dreams, not
so much. 
Anita Carter: If I’m thinking about my story before I fall asleep,
I’ll dream about it or I’m able to work through a problem, but that’s not
very often. I’m more of a take a shower, fold laundry, or take a walk kinda
girl when I need to ponder an idea or problem.
T.K. Thorne– My
dreams are often bizarre and rarely relate to what I am writing (that I can
tell) but the best ideas come, like sleep, when I am daydreaming and not trying
too hard.
Cathy Perkins: Some of my best story ideas come from daydreams. 

Welcome to the Holidays!

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We here at the Stiletto Gang love our readers and hope that you’re all healthy and happy this holiday season. We’ve put together a list of our recent works to inspire you during the gift shopping free-for-all of Black Friday.  Aside from some fantastic sales many of the gang are offering giveaways and free books. So do a little shopping, but don’t feel guilty if you snag a few presents for yourself as well!


Thank you for being our friend! 





Julie Mulhern

 CONNECT AT: www.juliemulhernauthor.com

Fields’ Guide to Abduction
Poppy Fields is a Hollywood IT girl with big problems. Bodies are popping up like daisies, the Mexican police have taken her passport, and, when she runs for the border, a cartel makes her their unwilling guest. Surrounded by trained killers, Poppy will need charm, intelligence, and a killer Chihuahua if she hopes to escape. #FREE on your favorite e-reader
GET NOW: Amazon

Paula Gail Benson

 CONNECT AT: www.paulagailbenson.com
Love in the Lowcountry
These 14 tales by members of the Lowcountry Romance Writers take place in Charleston, S.C., during the winter holiday season. My story, “Wisest, Swiftest, Kindest,” is about Mel, an English graduate student who is better at literature than life. She is unexpectedly thrown back in time to 1936, where she meets the subjects of her thesis, Dorothy and DuBose Heyward. What she doesn’t anticipate is for her fellow grad student Will to follow her. Can Mel and Will make it back to present day Charleston in time to spend Thanksgiving with Will’s young daughter?
BUY NOW: Amazon

J.M. Phillippe

 CONNECT AT: www.jmphillippe.com

The Christmas Spirit
Charlene Dickenson didn’t think that some minor stalking of her ex-boyfriend would lead to her untimely death. And she really didn’t think that because she died in a Christmas-related accident, she would end up in the Hall of Christmas Spirits. But a Christmas death means that Charlene must discover if she has what it takes to be a Ghost of Christmas Past, Present, or Future—helping mortals transform their lives like Ebenezer Scrooge—or end up like Jacob Marley and spend the rest of her existence in chains.  Only Charlene has no intention of letting unknown forces control her life…death… after-life.  Charlene figures that with a little ingenuity and pluck, she can surely figure a way out of this situation.  But finding out how to win may just mean giving up everything she loves.  Stuck in a place where the Christmas music never ends and the holiday treats will never make you full, Charlene is going to have to figure out how to let go of her mortal life and embrace the Christmas Spirit.
BUY NOW: all locations

Barbara Plum

 CONNECT AT: www.barbaraplumauthor.com





Crazy Daze & a Knight
Hop off the fast track. Buy a boat. Write the great American novel.
Forty-four-year old Susanna Walker knows about taking risks and dreaming big. Mother of two grown kids. Former CEO of a Silicon Valley PR firm. Ex-wife of a still present, former compulsive gambler, Susanna ignores their objections to her life and refuses to accept she may be perimenopausal. As with all well-laid plans, hers quickly derail when the hunk from the boat next door drops by and invites her to supper on his vessel, Camelot. The boat’s name, his boyish appearance, and the medieval armor leave Susanna a bit dazed.
Against all reason, she agrees to inspect the armor more closely whle he puts the touches on fresh pasta, shrimp, and a cheeky Chardonnay. When she wakes the next morning, her clothes neatly folded on the chair next to her bed, she’s butt naked. And mad. He suckered her with his knight-in-shining armor disguise. But does he think he can steal her underwear without consequences? Unfortunately, the Bold Knight rejects the consequences and issues his own challenge.
BUY NOW: Amazon

Bethany Maines

 CONNECT AT: Goodreads

The Second Shot
A drunken mistake in college cost US Marshal Maxwell Ames the affection of Dominique Deveraux and six years later, he’s determined to fix the slip-up. But there’s just one tiny problem—someone wants the Deveraux family dead. Dominique Deveraux never expected Max to reappear in her life, let alone apologize, but as Dominique investigates the mysterious attacks on her wealthy family Max quickly becomes far more than her one time college classmate. Now, Max and Dominique must dodge mercenaries and bullets as they try to make sure that they’re the only ones who get a second shot.
BUY NOW: all locations

GIVEAWAY: Get a free Christmas ebook at…
http://bethanymaines.com/free-e-book/

Kay Kendall

 CONNECT AT: www.AustinStarr.com

After You’ve Gone During
Prohibition a small Texas town’s deadly secrets are revealed by a sheltered, yet enterprising young woman. Plus puzzling disappearances and lethal grudges, twenty-three-year-old Wallie MacGregor uncovers it all. Evils of the outside world change her life when her father’s rum-running brother Rory lands on the MacGregors’ doorstep. Absent for decades, Rory says he’s fleeing enraged bootleggers. His tales of adventure—and the natural charisma of a born ladies’ man—charm Wallie. Yet, this long-lost brother appalls her father, a respected judge. Soon a family tragedy gets deemed an accident by the local sheriff. Yet Wallie believes she sees a crime scene showing foul play. Annoyed that no one agrees with her, she sets out to prove her theory. She snoops into her family’s past and finds gangsters, flappers and floozies. When her daring lands her in danger, she wonders if she’s really meant to be a female version of Sherlock Holmes, her literary hero. Then again, she knows she must persist.
BUY NOW: Amazon

GIVEAWAY: Win either a paperback or E-book copy of After You’ve Gone.
Enter to win by commenting on & liking the author’s page at
www.facebook.com/KayKendallAuthor

Sparkle Abbey

  CONNECT AT:  www.Sparkleabbey.com and www.MaryLeeAshford.com

Two #Giveaways – Latest Books – The Dogfather (Sparkle Abbey) and Risky Biscuits (Mary Lee Ashford)

Who knew the world of designer purses could be such a dog-eat-dog business?

When a local, designer handbags store owner is found dead, the police first believe it’s an unfortunate accident. But the evidence doesn’t lie. Before you can say “wiseguy,” Bow Wow Boutique owner, Melinda Langston’s, former fiancé and undercover FBI agent, Grey Donovan, is the prime suspect. Now the two are working side-by-side to prove Grey’s innocence— nothing personal, just business. Or is it? Suspects are piling up, family secrets are exposed, and no one is who they appear to be, including Mel’s newest employee. Time’s running out. Mel better sniff out the killer before she and Grey end up sleeping with the fishes.
The Dogfather BUY NOW: Amazon
Risky Biscuits BUY NOW: Amazon
GIVEAWAY: Winner’s choice of any print or e-book Sparkle Abbey book AND a Mary Lee Ashford book.  To enter simply sign up for either Sparkle Abbey OR Mary Lee Ashford’s newsletters.
www.Sparkleabbey.com and www.MaryLeeAshford.com

Cathy Perkins

 CONNECT AT: www.cperkinswrites.com
In It For The Money
Holly Price traded professional goals for personal plans when she agreed to leave her high-flying position with the Seattle mergers and acquisition team and take over the family accounting practice. Reunited with JC Dimitrak, her former fiancé, she’s already questioning whether she’s ready to flip her condo for marriage and a house in the ‘burbs.       

When her cousin, Tate, needs investors for his innovative car suspension, Holly works her business matchmaking skills and connects him with a client. The Rockcrawler showcasing the new part crashes at its debut event, however, and the driver dies. Framed for the sabotage, Tate turns to Holly when the local cops—including JC—are ready to haul him to jail. Holly soon finds her cousin and client embroiled in multiple criminal schemes. She’s drawn into the investigation, a position that threatens her life, her family and her increasingly shaky relationship with JC.

Debra H. Goldstein

 CONNECT AT: www.debrahgoldstein.com
 

 Two Bites Too Many
Things are finally looking up for Sarah Blair following her unsavory divorce.  Settled into a cozy carriage house with her sassy Siamese cat, RahRah, she has somehow managed to hang on to her law firm receptionist job and – if befriending strays at the local animal shelter counts – lead a thriving social life. For once, Sarah almost has it together more than her enterprising twin, Emily, a professional chef whose efforts to open a gourmet restaurant have hit a real dead end…

 When the president of the town bank and city council is murdered after icing Emily’s business plans, all eyes are on the one person who left the scene with blood on her hands – the twins’ sharp-tongued mother, Maybelle.  Determined to get her mom off the hook ASAP, Sarah must collect the ingredients of a deadly crime to bring the true culprit to justice. But as neighbors turn against her family, can she pare down the suspects before another victim lands on the chopping block.
BUY NOW: Amazon • Barnes & Noble

One Taste Too Many

For culinary challenged Sarah Blair, there’s only one thing scarier than cooking from scratch—murder!

Married at eighteen, divorced at twenty‑eight, Sarah Blair knew starting over would be messy, but things fall apart completely when her ex drops dead, seemingly poisoned by her twin sister’s award-winning rhubarb crisp. Now, with RahRah, her Siamese cat, wanted by the woman who broke up her marriage and her sister wanted by the police for murder, Sarah needs to figure out the right recipe to crack the case before time runs out. Unfortunately, for a gal whose idea of good china is floral paper plates, catching the real killer and living to tell about it could mean facing a fate worse than death—being in the kitchen!
BUY NOW: Amazon • Barnes & Noble

GIVEAWAY: a print copy of One Taste Too Many to U.S. readers sign up for my blog via www.debrahgoldstein.com

Shari Randall

 CONNECT AT: Facebook
Drawn and Buttered is the third book in a wonderfully satisfying cozy mystery series set at the Lazy Mermaid Lobster Shack in coastal New England.

The Lazy Mermaid’s business has slowed to a snail’s pace—until a monster lobster claws his way onto the scene…

With high season behind them, ballerina on-the-mend Allie Larkin and Aunt Gully are finally lying low. But then an unexpected guest arrives at the lobster shack: a crustacean so huge he’s dubbed Lobzilla around Mystic Bay and on social media. Soon, with everyone showing up for a peek in their tank, Allie and Aunt Gully have more on their plate than they can handle. Meanwhile, another local establishment finds itself in hot water. In exclusive Rabb’s Point, a strange burglary breaches the elegant home of Royal Parrish. Allie takes it upon herself to help with the investigation but, before she can get to the bottom of the case, another alarm sounds: the Lazy Mermaid’s Lobzilla has gone missing and is on the loose! And bodies are beginning to pile up. . .

“Delightful…Full of New England coastal charm…and clever sleuthing [that] will keep you turning the pages.”—Krista Davis, New York Times bestselling author of the Domestic Diva mysteries
BUY NOW: Amazon

T.K. Thorne

 CONNECT AT: www.tkthorne.com
House of Rose
When rookie patrol officer Rose Brighton chases a suspect down an alley, she finds herself in the middle of every cop’s nightmare—staring down at a dead body with two bullet holes from her gun . . . in his back.

He’s dead and now she has to explain it, which is going to be a problem because what happened was so strange, she doesn’t understand it herself. Rose must unravel the mystery of what happened and who she really is—a witch of the House of Rose. If she doesn’t figure it out fast, there will be more bodies, including her own.
BUY NOW: all locations

Clicking Our Heels – Conferences We’ll Be Attending

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Clicking Our Heels – Conferences We’ll Be Attending 

The Stiletto Gang is on the move! Here are some of the conferences we plan to attend.


Mary Lee Ashford (1/2 of Sparkle Abbey) – I attended Left Coast Crime in Vancouver and Malice Domestic in Bethesda this spring. And I’m planning to attend Novelists, Inc. in Florida and Bouchercon in Dallas this fall.

A.B. Plum – Going to Denmark for the summer this year.

Debra H. Goldstein – I was at Killer Nashville in August and I plan to be at Bouchercon, Sleuthfest, and Malice Domestic. Sadly, I have a conflict and won’t be able to make it to Left Coast Crime in San Diego, but I will be at the Southern Book Festival in October.

Lynn McPherson – I’m going to Thrillerfest in New York in July. I’m am extremely excited and can’t wait!


Bethany Maines – Yes, but I don’t think the National Public Works conference is quite what you had in mind.

Kay Kendall – In March I attended Left Coast Crime in Vancouver, Canada, and come October I will

be at Bouchercon50 in Dallas, Texas.

Shari Randall – I’ll see everyone at Bouchercon in Dallas! I’m packing my red boots!

Dru Ann Love – Yes, I’ll be at Malice, Bouchercon and New England Crime Bake.

T.K. Thorne – I went to Left Coast Crime this year for the first time and had a ball. Possibly Bouchercon this year, but not sure.

Judy Penz Sheluk – Signed up for Left Coast Crime San Diego.

Linda Rodriguez, Julie Mulhern, J.M. Phillipe, and Cathy Perkins are on conference hiatus in 2019.

Clicking Our Heels – Summer Flowers

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Clicking Our
Heels – Summer Flowers

It’s summer
and the flowers are blooming. We all have different favorites – and some of us
even have a reason behind our choices.

Lynn McPherson – I like
lilies–all sorts. They bloom every year and produce big, colorful
flowers–can’t beat that!

T.K.
Thorne – Black-eyed
susans because they make me smile.

Bethany Maines – Hydrangas.  No particular
reason.  I just love their giant poofs of color and their ability to
change color if you adjust the soil pH.

Kay Kendall – To survive in
Houston’s summer heat, a plant has to be tough. Of those types that can take
it, my favorite is the zinnia. Its flowers attract butterflies and
are excellent for cutting. Zinnias come in shades of red, orange,
pink, yellow, and white and bloom from spring through fall.

J.A.
Phillippe – Birds
of paradise (not sure if they are a summer flower) have a special place for me,
as well as starburst lilies. 

Dru
Ann Love – I’m
not much of a flower person – especially since the smell causes me headaches.
But I do like the look of them all.

Debra
H. Goldstein – Yellow Roses and Daisies because I like the contrast of the
power of the rose

and the delicacy of the daisy.

Judy
Penz Sheluk – Lilacs
because I love the smell. Lupines by the side of the road at our camp on Lake
Superior because they thrive despite the harshness of the winters there.

Julie
Mulhern – I
love the pop of bright red geraniums.


Cathy Perkins – I have to pick just one? I love flowers, but one of my current gardening challenges is the deer eat everything. So I’ve decided I absolutely love lavender. Although the deer are also leaving the day lilies alone. 
Shari Randall – I’m very partial to lilacs.
There was a giant, old lilac in my childhood home’s backyard, so big that there
was a space inside it just big enough for a few friends to fit inside. It was
the secret clubhouse for me and my neighborhood pals. The scent always brings
me back.

Linda Rodriguez – I
love peonies and the plain old ditch lilies that all of the fancy daylilies
come from. I’m a huge flower lover so it’s difficult to pick a favorite. There
is also Rose of Sharon, the American hibiscus, that hummingbirds love, and
naked ladies, the American Amaryllis. I suppose I could just go on and on, but
I’ll stop there.


Mary Lee Ashford (1/2 of Sparkle Abbey) –   My
all time favorite flower is the Bird of Paradise but I’ve not been able grow
them here in the Midwest. These exotic flowers are bright orange and blue
and I love the contrast of the colors and the elegance of the plant. 

 

Clicking Our Heels – Reliving a Moment or Time from Our Pasts

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Clicking Our Heels – Reliving a Moment or Time from Our Pasts

Although we often talk about recent things in our lives and
writing, the Stiletto Gang members recently contemplated what one moment or
time in our lives we would want to relive.
Judy Penz Sheluk – I’d love to go back to high
school, knowing what I know now, and knowing that all kids probably felt as
lost and nerdy as I did. And I’d write stories down, instead of keeping them in
my head for 30 years.

Dru Ann Love – My first day at college – it was so unreal
and new to me. I was the first in my family to go to college so it was a big
deal. Meeting different people from all socio-economic status and this from a
shy person. The very first person I met at college is still my friend today, in
fact I just met up with her before a book signing I was attending.


Linda Rodriguez – The years when my
children were very small. That time of babies and toddlers and preschoolers
goes by so fast, even though at the time, it felt like it was taking forever.

 Shari Randall – Putting aside big, important emotional
moments like weddings and the births of my children, I think I’d like to go
back and relive a research trip I took to the Boston Ballet. I toured their facility
from top to bottom, seeing things only the dancers get to see – the dance
library, the costume shop, the shoe room. Then I was invited to sit in during
company class – an hour long workout with dancers people pay to see, except
they were doing a private performance just for me. Magic. It was the fulfillment of a childhood dream.

Kay Kendall – I would like to be 20-something
and spend time with each of my four grandparents and my father. I would
ask them all the questions about their lives that I have now that I am older
that I didn’t think to ask them back in the day.
Bethany
Maines – There are a few moments in time
that I feel like I botched and wish I could do over, but to just relive them as
they happened?  I’m not so sure I would want to do that.  I think I’d
rather concentrate on making the coming moments great.
Lynn
McPherson
– I spent a lot of time travelling
solo when I was younger. I’d probably go back to that time to do and see even
more. Thailand, Indonesia, and London were some of my favorites.


Cathy Perkins – Sure there are a few oops when I’d like a “do-over,” but if I could go back and relive a time, it would be spending a day with my mother. Even better, if I could teleport her into the future, I’d introduce her to the wonderful men my daughters married that she never got me meet. But I really think we’d sit by the river and simply enjoy the moment. 
J.A.
Phillippe –
Oh man — when I was 21, my family went on
vacation to Hawaii for a family friend’s wedding. It was sort of the last time
we would all be together like that as my brother would pass away later that
year unexpectedly. I’d love to go back and relive and enjoy it even more.
Julie Mulhern – There are a few moments of absolute
happiness that would be fun to revisit. The call from my agent telling me about
multiple offers for The Deep End comes to mind.
T.K. Thorne – Galloping my horse up a hillside, sharing
his power and simple joy of running.
Debra H. Goldstein – Selfishly, I’d love to relive every moment
of my life – good or bad because I feel like it is passing too quickly. That’s
why, I’d go back to a day when I was sent outside to play for an hour before I could
come in and read again. It was the longest hour of my life, but now I would
enjoy time taking that long to pass.

Clicking Our Heels: animal Lover? Our Pets Over the Years

/in /by

Clicking Our Heels – Animal lover? Our Pets Over the Years.
Monthly Clicking Our Heels Giveaway:


To enter for a chance to win the first three books of the Sparkle Abbey series or AB Plum’s The Boy Nobody Wanted (2 winners will be selected this month) comment below on the blog. Good luck and happy reading!
— winner will be announced next Wednesday on The Stiletto Gang Facebook page
– https://www.facebook.com/stilettogang 

Paula Gail Benson – Yes, I grew up with dogs and cats, all of them dear to me. My
and work and travel keep me from having pets now, but I miss them.

Judy Penz Sheluk – I love animals. As far as pets, I’ve had 5 dogs: a Golden mix
as a kid, and four Golden Retrievers as an adult. My current Golden, Leroy
Jethro “Gibbs” is three.

J.M. Phillippe – I am definitely an animal lover. My cat Oscar (who passed away
last year) was always the first to hear about all my plots and ideas. I think
writers do better when they have an animal to talk things out to.

Debra H. Goldstein – After having had guppies and gold fish, my first serious pets
were three turtles who I named Turk, Durk, and Lurk. Lord Silver Mist (Misty),
a toy poodle and Casey (a bichon fries) won my heart and ruled the roost later.

Bethany Maines – I do love animals, but I’ve only had 2 dogs in my life. When I
was a kid we had Chips, the Chocolate Lab. And now we have Kato the Rottweiler
mix. Kato is such an adorable guy and such a big mama’s boy that I don’t know
what I will do when it’s time to say goodbye. I think that’s why I haven’t had
more pets – I’m afraid to sign up for the heartbreak.

Kay Kendall – I’m wildly allergic to cats, although I have survived living
with a few during my early

married years. As I’ve aged, my allergies have
worsened so bye-bye kitty cats. I was raised with dogs and find them more
congenial anyway. I was horse crazy as a kid but couldn’t have a horse because
I was allergic to their danger and hay. For the last two decades my husband and
I have rescued abandoned house rabbits. Turs out I am also allergic to them too
so gradually he has taken over their care. Bottom line, to me my house would
not be home unless there was one dog and at least one bunny in it.

Cathy P. Perkins – I’ve always had dogs – love their antics, their unconditional
love, and their simple joy in life.

Juliana Aragon Flatula – I love all animals but especially cats and dogs. I’ve had
several pets and they live to be old pets and that is the saddest part of being
a pet parent when you have to let them go.

Julie Mulhern – I love dogs and horses and have been fortunately to have both
in my life. I am currently catering to the needs of a Weimaraner who takes all
that is provided for him as his due.

Dru Ann Love – I love animals, but allergies dictate that I can’t have one in
my home. We grew up with cats though.

AB Plum – My parents gave me my first dog at age 18 months. Losing a
birthday-cocker spaniel gave me a story for my first university Creative
Writing class (Too maudlin for the
prof and earned me a C).

TK Thorne – Animals have always been part of my life – dogs, in particular,
but also cats and horses,

at one time parakeets and fish. I really can’t
imagine living without a dog. I believe dogs co-evolved with humans and that we
affected each other. Without dogs in our development, we might be different
(and worse – yes, really) creatures.

Shari Randall – When I was a little girl my family had three pets. We had a
parakeet named Herbie – yes, he was named after we saw the movie, Herbie the
Love Bug. After Herbie died in the middle of dinner one night, a neighborhood
friend gave us an all black kitten my sister named, unimaginatively, John. John
must have been a martyred king in another life – he suffered regally and
without complaint three littles girls who loved to dress him up like a doll. Our
last pet was a rescue mutt named Teddy, a high energy Weimaraner mix. He was a
little too high energy for my mom, however, and went to live on a farm. I love
cats especially, but my children have allergies, so we haven’t had any pets in
years.

Linda Rodriguez – I have had dogs and cats for most of my life, always rescue
animals since I have been out on my own. When I was a small child, I also had
rabbits, a mynah bird, an ocelot, and a Komodo dragon as pets, because my
father was into exotic animals. The mynah bird and ocelot were fine, but the
Komodo dragon was vicious. I still have a soft spot for him, though, because
I’m an inveterate animal lover.

Clicking Our Heels: Rainbows in Our Lives

/in /by

Clicking Our
Heels – Rainbows in Our Lives


Monthly Clicking Our Heels Giveaway:


To enter for a chance to win Linda Rodriguez’ Every Last Secret and the Dark Sister comment below about the rainbows in your life.  Good luck and happy reading!
— winner will be announced next Wednesday on The Stiletto Gang Facebook page
– https://www.facebook.com/stilettogang 



2019 is here!
We hope for everyone it will be a wonderful year, but the reality is that
sometimes there will be cloudy days. Talking among ourselves, we wondered what,
on a cloudy day, would bring a rainbow into each of our lives?

Linda Rodriguez – My husband’s smile. A silky fiber to spin in a beautiful
colorway. My goofy dog. My great kids. Good friends out in the cyber world and
here in my own town.

Bethany Maines – My dog, Kato. And chocolate. And yeah…OK, my family. They’re
pretty cute too.

Shari Randall – A hug from my husband. A call from my kids. The hundreds of
small pleasures that surround us every day – the smell of coffee brewing,
birdsong, a message from an old friend, laughter. And Calvin and Hobbes
cartoons.

TK Thorne – Smiles from my husband, a cuddle from our pug, and writing
something. Today I woke up and wrote a poem about the Parker solar probe
launch. It’s a good feeling to have created something that might touch others. Even
if it doesn’t, it is still a wondrous act to make an ephemeral thought into
something “real.”

Paula Gail Benson – Having the opportunity to read a good author, drink a fragrant
cup of tea, and

indulge in a rich dark chocolate!

AB Plum – Brian Andreas, the genius behind amazing stories on greeting
cards, posters, prints, etc. always brings a rainbow on those days when I need
one most.

Dru Ann Love – Looking out the window and seeing a rainbow lets me know that
more adventures are out there for the taking.

Judy Penz Sheluk – A good book. A walk with my dog. Writing without interruption.

JM Phillippe – Simple pleasures can always be found. I have been enjoying
little things, like sitting down to a well-prepared meal, seeing a funny
picture of a friend’s child or pet, or hearing something funny from people
passing by my house-little moments of joy and laughter are pretty easily had.
It’s sometimes hard to see them though in the midst of dark days.

Kay Kendall – Talking to friends always makes me happy. I am not picky about
the way of doing it either. Face to face, on the phone, by text, email, or
Facebook-any method of communication is fine with me. I will go with whichever
my friend prefers since I love them all. I get rainbows in my life by reaching
out to connect. I try to do that in my fiction writing as well.

Cathy P. Perkins – My husband and kids can always make me smile. Others? Walking
through our

woods, listening to the river mummer and the birds sing. Watching the dogs romp.
Opening the kiln on a glass experiment. Sitting with friends, sharing good food
and wine. Looking for the rainbow rather than the clouds.

Juliana Aragon Flatula – Helping someone and then years later they remember how you were
there when they needed help and they tell you thank you. Thirty years ago I
helped my son’s friend, Donovan, fill out financial aid papers to enroll in
college. I spoke with him on the phone recently and he told me how much he
appreciated my help and how it made a difference in his life getting a college
education. That made my day.

Julie Mulhern – I am blessed with very few inclement days. When the clouds do
roll in, I need only look at my family for a rainbow.

Debra H. Goldstein – Watching a child reason; seeing a smile shared; loving and
being loved.