As I write this, it's chilly and rainy outside. But for a few days AFTER the dove family moved off my porch and BEFORE the weather turned ugly, I jumped in and got some outdoor work done. We lowered the porch swing and power-washed it, the porch, and the other outdoor furniture. It looks good if I do say so myself! I also hit the greenhouse and bought some herbs and veggies...and a few flowers.  The gutters had fallen off our old horse barn. Rather than scrap them, my husband and I came up with the idea of using them for my herb garden. We spray-painted them copper and nailed them up on the framework of the side porch. I planted oregano, thyme, dill, cilantro, parsley, and two kinds of basil. I need to get more dirt to finish filling the gutter/planters, but so far, so good. In my cold frame, the lettuce is about ready to be harvested and the spinach will be ready in a few more weeks. My husband planted tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, peppers, onions, and beets in the regular garden...

During a warm spell last month, I decided to get my front porch ready for outdoor living. We always load our outside furniture onto our oak porch swing up for winter storage and hoist it all up to the porch roof. When I stepped outside one spring day, a mourning dove made a dramatic exit from that stored furniture. Closer inspection revealed not only a hastily thrown-together stick nest but two eggs.  Well, crap. I couldn't very well disturb them. Even simply coming and going through our front door sent Mama screeching off the nest.  We started using the side door. Not really a hardship. It's closer to the garage anyway. And the spring weather gave way to a resurgence of winter and rain, so it wasn't like we were missing out on lovely evenings on the porch swing.  I kept an eye on the nesting mama bird, and she kept an eye on me.  The eggs hatched without my knowing, since I was trying to avoid scaring the skittish dove. Next thing I knew, there was a baby bird! But ...

It's finally here.  Over the last few years, I've averaged a book release every 8 or 9 months. The time from story concept to publication has been reasonably short. My first published novel, Circle of Influence , took seven years to make it from me typing "Chapter One" to finding a publisher to hitting the bookstore shelves.  Death by Equine has languished for SIXTEEN years. I wrote it a couple of years before Zoe and Pete hatched in my brain. I signed with an agent for it. It didn't sell. The agent and I parted company. I put it aside, started, and completed Circle . Another agent expressed interest in Equine (although it was called something else back then. Even the title has been on a twisty path to publication). Zoe and Pete were shoved to the back burner while I revised Equine . Still nothing happened publication-wise. I put it away once again, found a publisher for Zoe and Pete, and never looked back. Sort of. Every so often, someone who'd read and/or ...

The arrival of THE box of books--the first bulk order or the first shipment from a publisher--is always a reason for celebration.  Death by Equine is my eleventh novel, but this part of the process never gets old.  The official release date is less than a week away. If you haven't registered for my launch party, hosted by Mystery Lovers Bookshop on Zoom, you should do so now . You can order a signed or inscribed copy there while you're at it.