Yay!

While perusing an issue of Writer's Digest magazine the other day, I saw the list of winners in their annual contest results so I began reading them to see if any of the names sounded familiar to me and wouldn't you know, I found one! Not only that, the name I recognized was that of one of my critique partners! She never said a word. So modest. So humble. I'm sure I would have been yelling it from the roof-tops, had it been me.

So, congratulations to Suellen Wedmore for her fourth place listing in non-ryhming poetry in the November/December 2011 issue of Writer's Digest!

Meet Rosalie!

Rosalie Chandler is a woman of a certain age. When she boards a cruise ship with her husband, Stanley, for their long-awaited cruise through the Eastern Caribbean, she has no idea how much her life is about to change.

Feeling a little depressed over her fifty-something birthday, and, oh-by-the-way, that twenty or so extra pounds that seems to have crept up on her over the last few years, Rosalie is fairly certain that her life has begun to wind down. That is, until she meets six women only a few years older than her own daughters, who welcome her with open arms into their newly formed clique.

When the group decides to gather their wits and set out to solve the mystery of a missing crew member, they, and Rosalie (dubbed, "Rosie"), by her new circle of friends, realize that she has a knack for all things investigative which makes the group look to her not only for motherly advice, but for clues and insight into the disappearance as well.

Rosalie Chandler is funny, smart and heartbreakingly fragile in this story of a woman looking for her place in the world when she doesn't seem to fit anywhere, anymore.

Cruising to a Murder

A new story means a new notebook. Oh, but wait. It has to have a matching folder. Here’s what jumped out at me.

My new story, “Cruising to a Murder,” is about seven women who meet on a cruise ship and solve a murder that the crew is trying to cover up. They become life-long friends and find themselves in some pretty funky situations in the years to come. They’re funny, smart and sometimes, a little complicated. Getting to know them has been a blast for me and I’m finally ready to write their stories. My writer friend, Karen, and I have made a pact to have our first drafts completed by Crimebake of this year. Making that commitment to each other has been a good motivator to keep it going. Thanks, Karen.

Next, I’ll find a little something that I think Rosalie, my protagonist, might carry around with her. It might be a key ring charm or a healing stone. Not sure yet as to what that might be, but I’ll know it when I see it, and I’ll keep it with me to remind myself to try and experience things from her point of view.

My friend Margo’s characters keep a journal. What a great idea. It’s a terrific way to stay in tune with all the characters, even when you’re only writing about one. And you know what? You never know what might come out on the pages of those journals.

My Favorite Blogs

I've just enrolled in an online blogging class with Gotham and it made me start thinking about my favorite blogs. One of the first things that attracts me to a blog is the visual. I love a colorful, wildly busy page where I don't know where to look first.

Of my favorites, two stand out for me, partly because I love to ride a bicycle and the other reason is, I love NYC!

www.sherylyvette.com, "A Neurotic Glamour Girl's Weight Watcher's Experience and Fitness Adventures, is by far, my favorite. Sheryl, or Bitchcakes, as she's otherwise known, blogs about her struggle with weight loss and body image. Hers is a truly inspiring story of strength and optimism. She's had an incredible journey and I only know what she's written about. She's a tiny little thing with a great, big spirit.

The Julie Blog is written by a young woman who is cute and funny and fashionable. She even has a cute husband and a cute dog. Julie bikes to work every day! In the cold! In the rain! In NYC! I especially love the pictures she takes of herself in Central Park.

Both of these women love riding their bicycles. In fact, they've named their bicycles. I follow them as though they were my own friends. From Sheryl's weekly beer and waffle fries to Julie's latest fashion designs, I love keeping up with them.

Like the two of them, I love to ride my bicycle, although I haven't yet ventured out into 28 degree weather to do it. One thing I've learned from Sheryl and Julie is that I don't have to wear sneakers and capris to ride my bike. I can wear whatever I want. These women have their own style and they wear it well!

I also have my favorite writing blogs. www.jungleredwriters.com is a good one, exercise blogs, with my daughter's being my absolute favorite of those, gettingitdoneontherun.blogspot.com and, of course, my mosaic blogs. Soon, through this class, I would like to create a mosaic blog of my own where I can post pictures of my art and hope to update this one.

Onward!

Flash Fiction

It's FLASHWORDS time! I didn't think it was going to happen this year, but I got the e-mail about 15 minutes ago. Contestants have to write a compelling crime story in 150 words or fewer, using at least ten of the title words from novels and stories by our guests of honor at Crimebake this year, Nancy Pickard and Barry Eisler. The top three stories will be read at Crimebake. I'd LOVE to be one of them. So, I'm on a writing frenzy.

I'm still under the weather. Actually, I feel worse than I did last week. I'll have to call the doc tomorrow. I know I can take something for this, I've had it before. Hate to say it, but I think it takes longer for us to fight these things with every passing year. Nice way to spend my birthday week. Sigh.

Almost time to pack for my week-end with Lisa. Ahh... North Conway is so beautiful this time of year. After that I'll have two days to pack for Key West. Oh. My. God. Beaches, bikes and Key Lime pie. Yippee! Back to Hemingway's Key West house I go. It was thrilling to peek into his writing studio. Naturally, we'll be on bikes. As you can tell, I am not even enterTAINING the idea that it could rain and wash out our biking plans. I'll need some cute biking clothes and little Keds.

The only bad thing about a Kindle, I've discovered, is that I can no longer read in the bathtub. I used to do a lot of reading in the bubbles. Now, I'm too afraid to drop it. Wahh…

Hmm...I wonder if I could use these cute flip-flops in a crime?

That's the way my brain works, folks. Are ya scared yet?

My new bike!

Kenny and I went to L.L. Bean the other day to check out the sales. I love their sweaters and was hoping to get a couple more of the ones I LOVE in different colors. We walked in the door and I spotted a gorgeous bike. I HAD to have it! It's sort of a creamy, light aqua color - just beautiful. It's a hybrid, so I won't be riding over grass to pass people. Anyway, I took it for a test ride, had them put an odeometer on it and now I'm shopping for a helmet. We've gone out to Salem, twice. We had to walk the bikes down Essex street, because of the crowds. It IS October, after all. But we rode on to Salem Willows for our chop suey sandwiches and egg-rolls and our popcorn. No more ice cream, as I'm Vegan, but Kenny doesn't get any, either. Ah, yes. Summer on the North Shore, or, should say, Autumn It doesn't get any better than this.

I wore white capris (formerly known as pedal pushers), a cobalt blue linen shirt with 3/4 sleeves and my black flats with the silver beading.
LOVE these shoes! Kenny would prefer that I wear sneakers, as I've broken 4 bones in the last few years, but I put my foot down. hee! I do draw the line at flip-flops, though.

Next week I'll be away with Lisa. Yay! We'll be up in North Conway eating, reading, shopping, walking and, did I mention eating? Yeah, Bellini's!

Two days after that, Kenny and I will be back where I broke my left wrist - Key West. Yippee! We've already rented our bikes. They'll be at our hotel when we get there. No beach bikes this time. I don't do well with those. Hence, the broken left wrist. We'll rent kayaks and just relax. Can't wait to ride up and down Duval St again. Too bad we have to fly to get there. Waah...

Just completed a Christmas story. That was fun. I love typing The End. I've been anxious to get this story out of me. I'm pretty happy with it. Onward...

My Sister's Bike!

My sister bought a bicycle the other day. A cruiser. Yeahh... She was going to cruise around her little town of Marblehead on it - until she fell off trying to get out of the way of a poor guy just trying to get out of the parking lot. The poor guy felt so bad! Because she's a woman of a certain age, she thought she could just buy a bike and ride it - uh uh... You need to LEARN HOW, first.

All kidding aside, I'm so happy she has a bike. Now, we can ride to Salem Willows together and eat chop suey sandwiches, ride along the beach AND get our excercise at the same time. We'll get cute clothes to ride in and we'll search far and wide for cute helmets. (Is there such a thing)? I'm sure there is.

We'll be Biker Chicks!