Tag Archive for: Marilyn Meredith

My Relationship with Cars

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I’ve never had much feeling one way or the other about automobiles except that I want them to start when I get in them and I’ll get to wherever I need to go.

When I was a kid growing up we always had a Chevrolet–I remember a Chevy coupe, then a larger Chevy sedan, but my dad during those years was definitely a Chevy man.

Then I got married. Our first car was some old clunker that died while we were on our way from Norfolk VA to Cambridge MD. No one in hubby’s family was willing to come and get us, so we rode a bus. Someone stole the car and all hubby’s tools. (Because of the fact no one would help us, hubby helps anyone who gets stuck anywhere, whether we know them or not.)

One of hubby’s favorites was an old Cadillac. Along with our four month old daughter, we drove it from Maryland to California. It broke down two or three times along the way and when we finally rolled in to L.A. and my parents home, the car died–literally. All four tires went flat and there was a big crack in the block. Hubby and my dad put another engine in the Caddy and it made several more trips across the U.S.–but not with me or the kids in it–just hubby driving to wherever he was stationed.

Not sure when it happened, but hubby began a life long love affair with Fords. In the beginning they were second-hand station wagons that he always had to work on.

Somewhere between 3 and 4 kids, I got an MG–an old one with the steering wheel on the right hand side. Oh, how I loved that car. Driving with the top down I could forget I had a houseful of kids–except when I had them crammed in with me. Remember, there were no seat belts back in that time.

Finally, I totally outgrew that darling car, or I should say the family outgrew it, and we sold it. The replacement was a VW bus. All the kids fit in it just fine along with half the neighborhood kids. Still no seat belts. We even drove that bus on a cross country camping trip pulling a little trailer filled with our camping gear. The big draw back to that VW was half the time it wouldn’t start which meant all passengers had to get out and push. It didn’t take much of a push, and I could pop the clutch and it would start. Great fun the night I took my lady friends, all dressed up in evening gowns to some sophisticated function and every time we stopped, they had to get out and push.

From there we moved up to a Ford truck and camper. That was a much better solution for all our camping trips. Since that time we’ve had Ford vans, Ford station wagons, Ford sedans, and a Ford Windstar and now I’m driving a Ford Edge–and hubby an old Ford truck with dual wheels, something he’s always wanted.

I’m glad I have the Ford Edge because it doesn’t look like all the rest of the cars. Nowadays, except for VW bugs and PT cruisers, almost all the cars look alike. When I had the Windstar everyone seemed to have one the same color as mine–I tried to get into more cars that didn’t belong to me.

I love the Edge, not too many people in our area have one, and it helps that I have a big magnetic sign on the back that has my website in big letters.

But really, it doesn’t matter, all I’ve ever wanted was a car that started when I got in it and took me where I wanted to go.

Marilyn Meredith

Today is My Eldest Daughter’s Birthday!

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When I tell you how old she is today you’re going to realize she’s older than all of you youngsters who post regularly or guest post–and possibly even read this post.

My first baby girl is 58 today! I can’t believe it. It was only a short time ago that I was that age. Or at least it seems so. Poor child, except for doing a lot of babysitting when I was a kid, I really had no idea how to take care of a baby. When Dana was born I lived 3000 miles away from home in my husband’s home town in Maryland and barely knew my in-laws–and there were lots of them. Instead of asking for advice, I raised my newborn using a Good Housekeeping Baby Book. (I still have it.) At the time, hubby was stationed in Virginia and only got home on some weekends.

She lived through it all and actually thrived. By the time her sisters and brothers arrived she knew far more about mothering than I did at 19 when she came into my life. As the oldest child she also was the one who did all the things she was supposed to, excelled in school, and we had a great time together.

When she was a junior in high school she fell in love with Mike. He rode a motorcycle, skipped school and not at all what I’d hoped for for my Dana. The August after her high school graduation she married Mike. The wedding was nothing like Chelsea Clinton’s. Dana made her own wedding dress and a couple of the bridesmaid’s dresses and the flower girl’s dress. We picked daisies out of our neighbor’s yards to fill the baskets the girls carried. The wedding was performed by a Navy chaplain in the chapel on the Seabee base where my husband was stationed.

The reception was in our family room and backyard and I made all the food. A neighbor made the beautiful wedding cake. (This was the first of many wedding receptions that I prepared all the food for.)

Dana and Mike have been through a lot. Mike had a motorcycle accident during a race the day after their wedding. He was almost killed in a bizarre truck accident on the job and spent nearly 6 weeks in the hospital with Dana staying by his side nearly the whole time. I took care of their two kids.

They now have five grandkids, both are retired and love to travel all over in their motor home. We’ve gone with them a couple of times.

A lot has happened since that darling baby was born 58 years ago–but it doesn’t seem all that long.

And the point of this story? Enjoy each day to the fullest, because it goes by far too fast.

Marilyn
http://fictionforyou.com/

How Much Of You is In Your Books?

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I’ve been asked over the years if Deputy Tempe Crabtree is me–and I always wonder why people ask. After all, Tempe is an American Indian, in her late thirties and is a deputy sheriff. Anyone who knows anything about me knows that I’m not an Indian of any kind, much, much older and have never been in law enforcement.

But–and it’s a big one–there is a lot of how Tempe thinks and figures out things that’s very much like I am. And since I’ve written so many books about her, I probably know more about her than I know about any of my friends or my relatives. I know exactly how Tempe thinks–something I don’t even know about my husband of nearly 59 years.

When it comes to what Tempe encounters in her books, I have to admit that a lot of what happens are taken from incidents that I’ve experienced or come across in my life. That’s one of the advantages of having lived a long, long time.

In Dispel the Mist, the latest in the Deputy Tempe Crabtree series, a residential care home is licensed in an upscale community and the some of the neighbors are not happy. We owned and ran our own licensed care home and though we got along fine with our neighbors, we had friends in the business who weren’t as fortunate.

One of my friends told me about the murder of one of her cousins and it became the seed for the murder in Dispel the Mist.

And of course, the Hairy Man, is the Big Foot counterpart to the Indians on the reservation near me that closely resembles the Bear Creek Reservation in my books. No, I didn’t see the Hairy Man, but I talked to people who knew about him and knew people who’d seen the Hairy Man. The closest I got was to view the pictographs of the Hairy Man and his family in a hidden rock shelter on the reservation.

In my other books, I draw from people I know and events that I’ve heard about or may even have experienced–but when I write about them, they are fictionalized.

What about you? How much truth is in your fiction?

Marilyn
http://fictionforyou.com

Don’t Listen to Movie Stars’ Opinions About Much of Anything

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When I was a kid I loved movie stars. I cut their photos out of movie magazines (that’s what we had back in my day) and taped them to my closet doors. (Only place mom allowed me to do it.)

Our family went to the movies every Friday night. Sometimes I went to matinees with my friends.

My father worked for Paramount and loved to tell us how awful different stars we liked really were–how they acted on and off the set, how they treated anyone they thought a bit lower in status than they were, lack of morals and so on. At that time, I didn’t really care–and probably thought my dad was exaggerating.

In case you misunderstand, I do believe everyone has a right to their own opinion. But what galls me is to hear a big name movie star speak out on TV like he is an expert about–you name it, politics, global warming, religion, family, the economy, how to fix whatever our problems are or he or she thinks they may be.

Thanks to all the magazines we have now, we know that my dad was right, most of these people don’t behave on or off the set, and have an alarming lack of morals. Frankly, I wonder about some of their intelligence. Just because someone has a beautiful face, body, talent that doesn’t necessarily equal brains. (If you want to know the truth, I feel the same way about most of the politicians.)

For instance, what right does someone who lives in a big house (and probably owns more than one) with who knows how many big screen TVs and other appliances that use up all kinds of electricity and drive and own multiple cars, and maybe fly his or her own airplane wherever they want to go, to tell me or you that we need to conserve, start walking instead of driving, well you get the idea.

None of these folks live in the real world–the world we all live in. They have no understanding of the problems the rest of us face in our day-to-day lives.

I’ve gotten it off my chest and I feel much better.

Might as well let me know what really bugs you.

Marilyn

Who Tampered with Time?

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Or a subtitle could be, who shortened the days?

Honestly, 24 hours used to be so much longer than it is now.

When I was a kid, summer days went on and on. I had time to ride my bike everywhere. I organized clubs and even wrote by-laws for them. I put out a magazine for my friends and charged a nickle a copy. (This was in the days before copy machines. I used something called a hectograph or jelly pad. With every page, the jelly had to be melted down and allowed to dry before a new original could be put on it for printing.) I wrote plays and neighborhood kids performed in them.

I went to the library once a week and checked out 10 books at a time–and read them all. We did fun things with our families, picnics at the park, made ice cream when the relatives came over. We went to the movies every Friday night.

After I grew up and married, during the summer months the kids and I would quickly do all the chores, pack a lunch and drive to the beach where we stayed until time to come home and make dinner.

Even when my family kept increasing, I did the laundry nearly every day, kept the house clean, had a Blue Bird group that turned into a Camp Fire group and then a high school Horizon Club. Over the years I also had a lot of jobs–worked for the phone company between and during pregnancies and still managed my home and family. Hubby was in the Navy and was off in many different places including three tours of duty in Vietnam during the war.

I took kids here and there, served in many offices in PTA from newsletter editor, secretary and four years as president. And yes, I even did some writing besides the newsletter, plays for my Horizon Club girls to perform in.

Finally we had five kids, hubby was retired after 20 years of service and went to work for Sears. Youngest boy went to kindergarten and I taught at a school for developmentally disabled pre-schoolers in the mornings and went to college at night. And that’s when I started writing my first book.

Children grew up. I planned weddings, cooked food for the receptions, took care of grandkids, still did all the house things and worked. And yes, I wrote every chance I got.

We moved and hubby and I took over a home for six developmentally disabled women. We cared for the women, I did lots and lots of laundry, cooked many meals, took our ladies to the doctor, to the movies, to church, bowling–and did lots of required paperwork. And I wrote. My first book was published during this time.

We also provided a home for different grandkids over the years and did all the school things required for them. My mom lived next door. We had all sorts of family celebrations including a big party for her 80th birthday and over 100 people came. I planned and fixed all the food.

Now we’re retired. Have another adult grandson living with us. I don’t have to do all the things I did when we had our residential facility. I still get up early. I don’t have to do nearly as much laundry. I only clean hubby’s and my bedroom, bathroom and my office as my son and daughter-in-law do the rest.

We try to go to the movies and out to eat once a week, but we don’t do anything very exciting except promo events.

Now here’s the problem, I don’t have near the time to write as I did all those years I did so many other things. What happened to the time? I should have lots more than I did back then.

Anyone have a solution for me?

Marilyn
http://fictionforyou.com

Eclipse, the Movie

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Spoiler Alert! I don’t think I give away anything, but just in case I want to warn you I’m going to talk about my opinion of Eclipse, the movie.

Hubby reluctantly went with me to see Eclipse, the third in the Twilight movies. We’d seen the first and second together, and he wasn’t keen on seeing another.

First, let me say he didn’t go to sleep once, so it wasn’t boring. (He often falls asleep in a movie if it’s too slow, and even snores. A jab to the upper arm usually wakes him.)

I can’t say I loved it, but I did enjoy it. I can certainly see why so many women are crazy about the story. What a triangle: a hunky young Indian who has lots of muscles, Jacob. Who cares if he turns into a huge wolf at times? Bella, an ordinary looking young woman who wears little make-up with a wardrobe that mainly consists of hoodies, T-shirts and jeans, who is love with Jacob, but loves Edward even more. Now, Edward, he’s really something. He’s got a wonderful head of hair and a great profile–but his pallor resembles someone who has a terrible blood disease. Oh, I guess he does–he’s a vampire. However, he’s a good vampire who gets his blood by killing animals, not humans. (For those of you who like the old-fashioned kind of vampire, there are plenty of those–the villains.)

Oh, and did I mention, the young people in this triangle are all seniors in high school?

Sexual tension abounds as you would expect from this age group–but except for a lot of kissing and heavy breathing, nothing much happens in the sex department, except everyone watching the movie knows what the main characters are wishing for.

Hubby watched a little more intently when the fighting began–and there was a lot, bad vampires against good vampires who teamed up with the huge wolves. Plenty exciting.

Did I enjoy it? Sure, it’s a great fantasy with plenty of mystical atmosphere in the form of rain and mist rising from the sea. I’ll go to see the next installment, I want to find out if Bella is going to finally wed Edward as she promised and turn into a vampire or choose Jacob, who has a good argument as to why she should pick him.

Marilyn

How I Celebrated the Fourth, Then and Now

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Going way back, what I remember most about celebrating the Fourth of July was playing with sparklers in our front yard.

Another year, I remember organizing all the kids in the neighborhood, helping them decorate their bikes, trikes and wagons with red, white and blue crepe paper and having our own neighborhood parade. (This was during WW II.)

Someone was impressed enough that we got a write up in the newspaper–pretty good since we lived in Los Angeles.

Jumping ahead to when I had my own houseful of children, on the evening of the fourth, we’d all climb on the roof of the patio to watch the fireworks from the harbor. This worked well, except one year when it was too foggy to see much of anything.

Of course there have been many barbecues and big parades to watch on the Fourth of July since then.

For two years in a row, I had a booth at a Fourth Celebration in the park of a nearby town–but it was far too hot, so this year I headed to the Channel Islands Harbor for another Fourth of July Celebration and joined lots of other folks who had booths set up with their wares, crafts, jewelry and food–and as seems to be the case, me with my books.

This year I didn’t have to worry about being too hot because the day started out with a light fog which burned off for a few hours during midday–but it never too warm.

People watching is probably the most fun at something like this. Maybe I should say, people and dog watching, because there were lots of varieties of both.

Of course I enjoyed talking to people about my books–many are surprised that a “real” author would bring her own books and sell them at a place like this event. Some were thrilled to meet me and buy a book.

Most exciting was a 90 year-old-fan who had heard I would be there, who had her son bring her down so she could see me and buy my latest book, Lingering Spirit.

I also met a lady who lives in a city close to me but also has a home at Channel Islands Harbor she escapes to when the valley heat gets too much. She belongs to a book club and asked if I’d come and visit with them sometime–and I’m sure you know the answer to that–I’d love to.

We stayed with our youngest daughter and her husband while we were in the area and had a great time visiting with them too. (And they helped us set up our booth and take it down.)Another plus was having some great conversations with my seventeen year old granddaughter.

And that’s how I spent my Fourth of July this year. (And no, I didn’t see any fireworks though everyone else did–I was too tired and went to bed.)

Marilyn

Switching Gears

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Known as a mystery writer, it seems really odd to be promoting my latest, a romance with a supernatural touch. Actually, I wrote this book long ago because of a tragedy that happened in our family–I think I did it as part of my grieving process. It was only available as an e-book. My publisher wanted to make it into a trade paperback and who am I to argue?

So it is now available in all the usual places. Anyone who wants an autographed copy can order it from my website; http;//fictionforyou.com

My publisher sent copies to the Public Safety Writers Association conference and I really didn’t think it was the type of book that would appeal to cops, FBI and others in the law enforcement fields since it deals with the death of deputy sheriff and what happens after with his wife and kids–but it sold way better than the two mysteries I’d brought.

So, for the next few weeks I’ll be promoting Lingering Spirit while writing the next in my Rocky Bluff P.D. series.

Marilyn

Murphy’s Law

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The Public Safety Writers Association had their annual writers’ conference in Las Vegas this past weekend. This conference is for anyone who writes fiction or non-fiction about or for any of the public safety fields–which includes mystery writers. I’ve worked all year as the program chair for this event.

Right before we left for the conference, I learned that one of the board members who also serves as the m.c. for the conference had been bitten by a spider and had a terrible infection and couldn’t come. His wife is the treasurer of the group and the one who takes care of book sales and of course she stayed home to care for her hubby.

My hubby, poor put upon soul who always helped the treasurer, stepped up to the plate and worked his you know what all weekend taking care of all the money that came in for books, extra lunches, and extra days at the conference. (He was too busy to fall asleep, something he’s done on past occasions.)

The president of the group m.c.’d and did a great job.

I took lots of pictures–and yes, some of the women who participated, but then my iPhone died and I couldn’t send them to my computers.

Two of my panels had to switch times because of a speaker having to leave early to catch a plane.

Other than that the conference really was terrific. The photos are of best selling author, Simon Wood, who was our keynote speaker and told us all about how to create suspense in our stories whether they be mysteries or thrillers. Simon also has the most wry sense of humor and is super friendly.

The other fellow is Kregg Jorgenson, who besides being Vietnam war hero, also has been in about every law enforcement organization there is including Homeland Security and the Border Patrol. He talked about how to sell articles to any kind of magazine. Terrific!

Sunny Frazier gave a presentation on how much sex is too much in a mystery–and she’d asked a lot of authors and the general consensus came down to whether or not the sex moved the plot along. Needless to say she held her audience’s attention.

Michael Black gave us a demonstration on how to plot a book in an hour that was terrific–complete with all kinds of colored post-it notes.

Morgan St. James gave a terrific presentation on POV. Retired FBI agent, Mark Bouton, gave us a demonstration complete with pictures about how to tell if someone is telling a lie.

We had lots of panels on all sorts of writing topics from using supernatural elements in our books to writing for trade publications.

Unlike many writing conferences, this one has one track and almost everyone stays for the whole day despite the call of the slot machines.

I told my husband it sure was a lot more fun to go to a conference where you never know what went wrong then to be the one who had to solve all the problems.

Despite all this, everyone had a great time and as soon as I recover, I’ll start working on next year’s program.

Marilyn

The Month for Graduations/New Beginnings

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As most of you know, I have a big family and come graduation time I’m deluged with graduation announcements, not so many actual invitations.

My great-grandson, Aaron, invited us to his 8th grade graduation at our little school up here in Springville. We’ve attended many graduations there and this was one more. Outside with the audience facing the graduates–and the sun–the ceremony never begins until the sun disappears behind the hill.

The clothing worn by the graduates is interesting. The girls wear dressy dresses, some short and some long, and one had an evening gown with a train. A girl in a darling short dress, wore cowboy boots in a matching color. My grandson had a white shirt, tie, and slacks and tennis shoes on his feet. Most entertaining.

This particular great-grandson was one of two really short boys in the class. I’m hoping he’ll have a growth spurt this summer as he really wants to play basketball in high school.

I received announcements from a great-granddaughter who has moved with her family to Missouri and one from a great-niece in Las Vegas. I hope I find out what they plan to do now.

A great-granddaughter in southern California graduated from fifth grade. Seems their middle school goes from sixth to ninth. My daughter was kind enough to send photos.

I’m really proud of this young lady. At birth, she stopped breathing for a long enough time to scare everyone. For much of her pre-school years everyone feared she was autistic. She hardly ever spoke, but when she did it was a long sentence with big words that had very little to do with anything.

She began school in special education classes, but soon was changed over to the regular ones as she did so well. She excels in track and field events. She and her older sister both do shot put and discus–and win awards.

All of these graduates are on the threshold of new beginnings. And really, even though most of us have experienced our own graduations–mine were long, long ago–don’t we each find ourselves at the end of one part of our lives and stepping into new beginnings at times?

Over the years, there have been many of these occasions for me: marriage, many moves to new places, the birth of children–and then grandchildren–and great-grands, getting published–and it goes on and on. New beginnings face us at many stages of our lives.

Marilyn