One of my ministers once said she could tell what people really valued by looking at their checkbook and their calendar. Of course, that was almost thirty years ago when most of us still felt some sense of control over either one. Is it still true now? I don’t know … Read More
Let Your Light Shine Bright
This holiday season I’ve been thinking a lot about the darkness closing in during the month. Here in Montana, we only get about eight and a half hours of daylight on December 22, the shortest day of the year. The darkness and cold definitely increase my desire to hibernate! But … Read More
The Thoughtful Thanksgiving
As did most of you, I grew up with the traditional stories and feast of Thanksgiving: the turkey, the Pilgrims and Indians, giving thanks for the bounty we had, even if we kids were already creating shopping lists for Santa. I raised my kids the same way, joining with my … Read More
The Joy of Lifelong Learning
As many of you know, I do substitute teaching. I have to admit that I get a tad frustrated by kids who don’t want to learn. The first grade teachers tried to address this by showing the movie, On the Way to School, which is about four students trying to … Read More
Advent of Kindness Calendar
If you’ve spent any time on Facebook, you may have seen the Advent of Kindness calendar that’s making the rounds. What a wonderful idea! Here is a version of it I found that was made available: Whatever version you use, the idea is the same. Practice random acts of kindness … Read More
Hope for the Future — Working Together
Like many Americans, I am a bit stressed at the moment. The lack of ability to have a civil discourse, and the lack of respect for others is getting to me. When that happens, I need news about what IS working. So here is a bit of news about people … Read More
The Taste of Summer for Lunch
Enjoying the taste of summer is easy–local produce is available, even in Montana. Because I lived a long time without insurance, and given the constant instability of the insurance market, I make an effort (not always successfully–Cheetos are my downfall) to eat organically and make my meals from scratch. To … Read More
What Does a Romance Reader Want?
There has been a great deal of uproar in the romance author community lately. If you are not a big fan of conflict over what is or is not proper in a romance novel, this might be a post you want to skip. WARNING: This post discusses sex, racism, and … Read More
Release Day! Second Chance Christmas Is Available!
Today is release day for Second Chance Christmas. As is appropriate after Thanksgiving, I am thankful for many people who have collaborated in the creation and publicity for this book. Julie Sturgeon and Tara Gelsomino from Crimson Romance (an imprint of Simon & Schuster) have been stalwarts for a long … Read More
Country Music Romance
I never thought I’d be a fan of country music, or of the mushy country music romance embedded in its lyrics. Although I watched Gene Autry and Roy Rogers as a kid and loved the music, the twangy sound of most country music was something I simply couldn’t get past. … Read More