When last I posted, my husband's retirement was imminent. Now, we're two months in and both of us are alive and well and still like each other. All good. I took advantage of having him around by taking a trip to New Mexico in September, leaving Kensi and her pills in his (somewhat) capable hands. She wasn't happy, but he did succeed in getting the pills down her throat. Meanwhile, I had a lovely escape and a nice visit with my dear friend, Leta. It was a relatively short stay and we didn't do a lot of exploring, but we ate out several times including some of the best fish and chips I've ever had. Yes, fish and chips. In Durango, Colorado. Don't judge. I also had chile rellenos and quesadillas in Aztec, New Mexico. I just forgot to take pictures. After a month of retirement, Hubby decided to go back to work. Parttime. Now, I have the house to myself for two days each week, which is working out well.  I took two road trips earlier this month, again leaving Kensi w...

"The only constant in life is change." - Heraclitus I like to think I'm pretty flexible regarding detours and changes in life. An event gets canceled? Oh well. An appointment has to be rescheduled? Fine.  But I'm facing a BIG change within the next few days, and I confess, I'm anxious. At the end of this week, my husband will retire. We've been together for a long time. A long long time. He's gone through various employers and work schedules, but for the last decade, he's worked at the same place, steady daylight shift, Monday through Friday. He leaves at the same time every morning and is home at (mostly) the same time every afternoon. It's been easy for me to set my writing schedule around his work schedule. Kensi and I have the house to ourselves all day. We enjoy the quiet. That's about to end. Okay, Hubby and I have had a few times where we've been at home together 24/7. When he had surgery for a torn rotator cuff, he was off for SIX M...

My goal was to complete the messy first draft of Honeywell #4 over this past weekend. I kinda sorta did. But not really. There's one more scene needed to wrap it up, but as I stared at the page yesterday, that scene wouldn't reveal itself. I understand why.  This will be the scene that wraps up any loose ends, explains any pesky questions that may not have been answered fully during the action of the story, and (hopefully) sets up the next book.  The problem arises from my not knowing what I've left unexplained...and knowing that one thread needs to come out. I had good intentions for it, but it never went anywhere. So it must go.  I've decided to leave that final scene alone for now. I'm starting over. Draft 2. It will give me a chance to make notes about details I forgot about. Stuff that should go into that final scene. And I can cut anything referring to that incomplete thread.  I did much the same thing when I wrote Helpless . Only that time, I did write a fina...

I just realized I didn't further update everyone on Kensi's visit to the cardiologist. It went really well. I mean, REALLY well. Short of being told her heart had miraculously been repaired and she would live another 14 years, the news was as good as possible. She's stable. Nothing is getting worse. One of her symptoms wasn't evident at all during the echocardiogram. We're to keep on doing what we're doing. And unlike our regular vet, the cardiologist said she didn't need to lose weight, BUT she shouldn't gain any more either.  As for the gakking following the visit to the regular vet, I did my own research and learned the antibiotic shot she gets for her upper respiratory wheezing lists stomach upset and nausea as a side effect. How did I miss that the dozen or so previous times she's gotten it? The cardiologist told me to give her a quarter of a Pepcid pill for her stomach as needed. So far (knock on wood) it hasn't been. She had one hairball i...

I've had a couple of rocky weeks with Kensi. She'd been doing well as far as tummy issues were concerned. Then I took her to the vet for a checkup. She'd been sneezing and wheezing, so I knew an antibiotic shot was in order. Plus, she has an appointment with her cardiologist at the end of this month, so I wanted bloodwork done. (If they do it at the cardiologist appointment, the same test would cost twice as much). All was well except for her heart numbers, which was expected. What wasn't expected was the extreme bout of nausea and all that entails, which happened last Saturday. And again on Wednesday night. No real fainting, but one very sick and unhappy kitty. I spent a few sleepless nights, worrying over her. Then, last night, she started gobbling down her dry food (and kept it down) AND she started acting frisky again. Well, as frisky as a 14-year-old heart murmur kitty who's carrying a little extra fluff can be.  I slept well last night for the first time in a ...

Let's catch up from my last post. The Greater Pittsburgh Festival of Books was fabulous despite some inclement weather. My panel was indoors, and the rain didn't start until my signing beneath a tent was wrapping up. Photo courtesy of Martha Reed My "fellow thriller writer" panelists were awesome. The quotation marks are because I felt like a fraud being labeled a thriller writer, not because of the two gentlemen on the panel. They were legit. And kind. They made me feel like I belonged there.  I made it to my second appearance that day with time to spare. I did not, however, remember to take photos or ask anyone else to. The Pennwriters Conference was amazing as always. I spent some quality time with my fabulous friend, Hank Phillippi Ryan, who helped me brainstorm plot twists for a future book.  More recently, I participated in a local author book event in Waynesburg, PA, and officially launched What Comes Around at Mystery Lovers Bookshop. Next up is Noir UNDER th...