• 8-Sentence Sunday

    Weekend Writing Warriors are busy on new stories and because I am a warrior, here’s another snippet from Novel 4 in the Women of Willow Bay series. Continuing from where we left off last week, we’re still in 1933 with Captain Frank McGuire… It’s not like an extra day or two was going to make or break Todaro. Hell, the man had more money that he could ever spend in several lifetimes. Besides, it was probably the last trip he’d ever make if Roosevelt did as he promised and signed the Twenty-First Amendment next month. Maybe Todaro was worrying about losing this source of income, trying to get in a…

  • 8-Sentence Sunday

    It’s time again for a snippet from my current WIP. This time I’m switching to a scene from the fourth Women of Willow Bay book–yeah, I’m working on two at once and no, neither one has a title yet. This one is a little different in that it contains a bit of suspense. Setup is 46-year-old Sophie Russo has always been a summer resident of Willow Bay, coming up every summer of her life with her grandfather who owned two cottages on the Lake Michigan shore. Sophie is a quiet, shy freelance editor, who has been caring for her sick grandfather for the last two years. Her beloved  Papa Leo…

  • 8-Sentence Sunday

    Can you believe it’s a new 8-Sentence Sunday? Where is the time going? I’m deep into Book 3 of the Women of Willow Bay series–Sarah’s as-yet untitled story. I’m open to suggestions by the way. Setup is the same as last week–Sarah is closing up La Belle Femme, the resale shop she manages at a women’s shelter in Chicago. A mysterious limo has been parked outside each evening for the past couple of days and she and Mack, the nightwatchman are wondering… “Yup,” Sarah returned the smile—Mack was a sweetheart. She switched off all the lights except the can lights over the front window and locked the register as he…

  • 8-Sentence Sunday

    Annnndddd…we’re back with a new Weekend Writing Warrior’s 8-Sentence Sunday post. I’ve decided to take you all along as I start my new Women of Willow Bay novel, so who knows where we’ll end up. This week, I’m giving you the first 8 sentences of the new book. So here’s the setup: We met our heroine in Sex and the Widow Miles–she’s Sarah Everett, the woman who ran the Chicago resale shop in the battered women’s shelter where Julie volunteered. Remember tough little red-headed Sarah, who went toe-to-toe with a gun-toting abuser? Six years ago, she escaped her abusive husband and ran away to Chicago, where she now manages the…

  • Big Doings!

    Great stuff going on this week! I had a blast talking to the amazing Lani Diane Rich over at StoryWonk this week. Our interview is here. Grab a cup of coffee and come on by for a listen. The chat starts about 20 minutes into the podcast, but start at the beginning because Alastair is always fun and interesting. In other news, I’m guest blogging at Lynne Marshall‘s blog today–a like-minded author who also writes older heroines. Come by and check out both our books and join in the conversation about whatever happened to Baby Boomers and jeans.

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  • I’m All Over the Internet!

    Okay, so not me exactly, but my books! Today I’m guest blogging at the amazing Kieran Kramer’s blog. We’re talking about love and sex after 50, and there’s a giveaway for one lucky commenter! Come on by and chat with us for a chance to win! And to make my day even more wondrous,  Sex and the Widow Miles is the featured book at Awesome Romance Novels! How totally cool!  

  • Mushy Mind…

    …and wow, is it bad right now! I have a very bad case of mind mush—my ability to focus and function is seriously out of whack. I’m not sure if it’s because the weather is changing or that I’m finally sleeping again or the poison ivy that’s driving me crazy or allergies or what, but for some reason, my brain is muddled. My grandmother used to say she was muzzy—isn’t that a great word? I’m muzzy. Example 1: I went back in the house twice this afternoon before I finally took off for my errands. Once to make sure I’d unplugged all the hair stuff in the bathroom (I had)…

  • Weekend Writing Warriors 8-Sentence Sunday

    Sunday’s here and so are the Weekend Writing Warriors! Continuing the scene in the coffee shop between Carrie and Liam in Once More From the Top, they’re finally face-to-face after 16 years. She’s determined to maintain her cool, even though inside, she’s a wreck, but his cool is making that impossible… “Mind if I join you?” She shook her head since he was already pulling out the chair opposite hers. When she was finally able to speak, her voice was raspy. “What are you doing here?” “Getting coffee?” She gave an exasperated sigh. “I mean what are you doing in Willow Bay?” “Vacation… with a little work thrown in.” He…

  • I’m Being Interviewed!

    In anticipation of the release of the first two (count ’em, two!!) novels in The Women of Willow Bay series, I’m answering questions from Liz Flaherty over at Word Wranglers.  Come on by and talk to me!

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  • Weekend Writing Warriors 8-Sentence Sunday

    It’s Sunday and you know what that means! Time for another snippet from one of my novels. So we’re still with Carrie in ONCE MORE FROM THE TOP, and she’s still reeling after discovering that the man who’s haunted her dreams for so long is suddenly  in Willow Bay. In this scene, she’s sitting in the local coffee shop reading the paper a couple of days after seeing Maestro Liam Reilly for the first time in sixteen years. Of course the big news in the Arts and Entertainment section is…you guessed it… The headline jumped out at her as she shook the Record-Eagle open to the Arts and Entertainment section,…