Family

As most of you know, along with my many, many talents for losing my phone, tripping over imaginary steps and forgetting… umm… whatever it was I have just forgotten, I also write Victorian crime fiction books for a living. Read More

I’ve been single for well over a decade now. Like most older women who have gone through a divorce, I have a bit of a love / hate relationship with being single.

80% of the time, I am able to celebrate my independence. I genuinely appreciate having the freedom to pursue my passions without compromise. I even love getting up in the morning and being able to eat breakfast whenever I want and with whomever I want. Does any of this sound familiar? Read More

Have you ever noticed that everyone seems to have marriage advice for newlyweds, even if they haven’t had a successful marriage themselves? Read More

A few years ago, I was walking in the park with my granddaughter, when she spotted an ice-cream shop, just a short distance away. Her eyes sparkled and her mouth worked itself into a cheeky smile as she prepared to convince me why we should pay the shop a visit. Read More

I was only a teenager when I lost my mom to cancer. At the time, the emotions that I felt were sharp and hard, like crystal being thrown against a wall. Read More

Will I go or will I stay? I found out last November that my first grandchild was on the way. As I shared the news with close friends, they were quick to ask, “Will you move back?” Family members in the U.S. wanted to know the same thing…

My mother’s last journey on earth was in the fall of 2014 as her casket was carried from the Presbyterian Church to the cemetery. As we drove behind the hearse through the village of Wendell, Idaho, I recognized the three-mile trip as a snapshot of her life. Read More

Growing up we lived several miles from the nearest town. I wandered the woods and rocky cliffs along the Mississippi River. At six or seven years old, Mother sent me with an empty honey pail to pick wild strawberries in the meadow or blueberries in the marsh. I never thought to be afraid. Read More

As a native-born Texan, my Daddy was geographically and culturally predisposed to be a storyteller.

Since everything is supposed to be bigger and better in Texas, it was sometimes hard to separate the fact from the fiction in his tales. Like the beginning of this short story about a popular game of the time he played with his brothers, sisters, and friends. Read More

As a grandparent, there’s nothing greater than spending time with your grandkids.

There’s something just so amazing about watching those youngsters grow up, while you get to share precious time, stories and experiences with them. Read More