Success

On Saturday, the weather gods were kind to us. The day was sunny, and the temperature was relatively mild—in the mid-60s. Off to southern Maine we went to join Shannon and Mike at Stonewall Kitchen and have lunch at their cafe.

Stonewall is such a pretty place.

And while the day was a bit chilly, we wore jackets and were able to eat outside.

I chose my favorite—grilled brie with fig jam and homemade chips on the side.

And a whoopie pie for dessert.

As always, we had a wonderful time talking and catching up. Because of our schedules, Covid, and the weather, the last time we got together was in June for Father’s Day. We, of course, text regularly, but it’s not the same as meeting in person and having a good chinwag, as our friends across the pond might put it.

All too soon it was time to head home—south for Shannon and Mike, north for me, Dee, and Clif. And with the trees glowing in their fall finery, what a beautiful drive it was.

Next birthday: Dee’s at the end of October.

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Gotcha Day

Sunday, October 4 was Gotcha Day for our two cats, Fern and Kai. Hard to believe it’s been a whole year since we adopted them. They have settled very nicely into our routine, and I can’t imagine the household without them. So many cats are given up to shelters, lots of kittens and lots of adult cats. (Kai and Fern were two when they came to live with us.) Poor creatures, totally at the mercy of humans, who are not always merciful. For folks who love cats (and dogs), adopting one or two from a shelter and giving them a good home is such an act of kindness.

Anyway, here Fern and Kai will stay until they cross the rainbow bridge. Happy gotcha day, Fern and Kai! So glad you are with us.

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A Short Break

In November, my fifth book, Darcy Dansereau and the Missing Children, will be published. My first four books revolved around a mysterious place called the Great Library, involving good librarians and bad librarians. Darcy Dansereau takes place closer to home, in Waterville, Maine. There is some magic—I can’t seem to write a story without it—but it’s primarily a slice-of-life novel, a coming-of-age story,  a portrait of an artist as a young girl. (This is a gentle nudge for those who don’t read fantasy. You just might like this one.) As the title suggests, the book is also a mystery involving missing children that Darcy and her friends must solve.

Here is a rough draft of the cover. It still needs some work. Either the leaves on the trees must go, or the white on the sidewalk, which looks like snow, must go. I think maybe my name should be moved to the right of Darcy. Anyway, Clif is working on it. But the image below gives a basic idea of what the cover will look like.

Over the next month or so, there will be a lot of work getting the book ready, and this entails many fiddly things. Therefore, I’ll be taking a break for a few weeks to get the book ready for publication.

When I come back, there will be a giveaway contest for the book, and I’ll send it to the winner anywhere in the world, from Maine to South Africa.

See you in a few weeks!