Mike Duncan has a new album coming !!

Mike Duncan - Please Love Me

1ST SINGLE OFF THE NEW ALBUM 'AM I HERE'

Goodbye, Mrs. Peel

 

When one gets to a certain age, you start watching your childhood heroes die.  One by one.  The passing of Diana Rigg hurts more than most.  At a time a little girl was expected to be a housewife, a nurse or secretary, Emma Peel came onto the scene of The Avengers, filling the roll Honor Blackman held before her as John Steed’s partner, his equal.

 She gave little girls a role model that wasn’t the stereotypical female of the 1960s.  She drove fast sports cars, could take care of herself, was talented, smart, a British agent…savvy, beautiful and able to fight like a man.  She made a young girl realize there was an independence out there…

if only you have her daring.  

 And did I mention she wore leather jumpsuits?  WOW.  Her saucy, slightly arrogant attitude saw her through many a situation.  I loved her dearly.  I wanted to be her.  So, this one hurts.

honoring the anniversary of Morgan Galloway's birth

I went to place flowers on Morgan Galloway's grave today. It was odd experience, in someways a distant one since he died before I was born. Only my mum knew and cared for him. I had known about him, how handsome he was my whole life. That he died tragically when he was only 41 years old. This year will mark the 70th year of his death. So tragic that he died at that age. I was surprised to discover he died and was buried just blocks from where I now live. I had a feeling mum would like if I placed flowers on his grave. I took the flowers, a small arrangement I made, not sure how I would feel. I think mum would approved of me honoring him. She always went my grandfather's grave and put flowers there, when the rest of the family hadn't been there is 50 years. I am glad I went. No one else did. There were no flowers on the family headstone. None at the graves of his mother, father, son or his second wife. The stones are showing age as no one comes to scrub them clear. No one cares. It made me wonder if anyone would place flowers on my grave in 70 years. So melancholy was the prevalent air. Yet, I am glad I went and honored him on his birthday.

Book review: A Cat in Jackboots by Deborah Macgillivray

 

Blurb:

He is a hunter...despite being a scion of one of the most respected families of the ton, he enjoys solving the mysteries that life presents...at a price. And he is hot on the trail of a burglar robbing the titled members of London society.

She is saddled with a scatterbrained, matchmaking Grandmother and a retired battman for a butler...and a black cat named Romeo...and carries a world of secrets. One slip and it will cost her everything.

Neither is seeking romance...only sometimes love happens when you least expect it....

My review:

(just gotta throw in here.... doesn't that blurb just give you the feel-good anticipation shivers?  Gotta say, it totally delivered and then some!)

Mighty stories can be found in small packages, and A Cat in Jackboots is a perfect example of this!  If you want a shorter story you can absorb in one setting, but yet close the last page feeling like you're walking away from a full-length story that lingers, this is one to pick up!

I adored everything about this story - from the bit of intrigue and the games played, to from the sparks that flew and the surprises that had perfect timing, to the laughter and the happy sighs, they all weaved together into a delightfully easy and engrossing story - which is just perfect for life lately.  

It's been a long, long time since I've read a regency-era story, and just like with her medieval tales, Deborah Macgillivray delivered an amazing story that I fell hard into and didn't want to leave.  

Purchase link:

an echo from the past....

Sunday was the anniversary of my mum's birthday. 

Since I lost all my photos in the house fire, I was only a few pictures of her to cherish.

A cousin posted them one.  I had never seen it before.  It was a picture of her with me, and being photobombed by gran.  Three generations all in one shot.  Take in 1987, this was six months before she died a liver cancer.  Take at my second cousin, once removed - Dee Dee's wedding.

So it was so wonderful to find this picture taken what seems like yesterday, yet so many years ago.

There is a day that passes I don't miss her.

shots of my porch

Happy Solstice to all

Happy May Day!!

Hoping you are stay safe at home.  The day was beautiful, a fitting welcome to the first day of May.

wishing all a safe and happy Easter

A writer's life during Covid 19

How are you doing during this social distancing?  I am doing fine, but then I was ahead of the curve.  I have been wearing a mask since October 2018, when my husband was diagnosed with Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer.  After his death, I stopped wearing them last summer, but again masks would come into my life.  I went back to them in October 2019 because I was going to have surgery on my jaw to remove a ameloblastoma.  I got a really nifty one, washable and with filters, that makes me look like Winter Solider...lol.  No one says we cannot deal with such things in style.

I was surprised, however, how people react to others wearing masks.  I recall sitting in waiting room with my husband, and there were about a dozen people sitting, waiting, too.  They sneered or chuckled at hubby and me for sitting there in our masks.  UNTIL...after about 10 minutes, one of the orderlies wheeled out an elderly man and "parked" him until his ride could come get him.  A few minutes later, he started coughing and gagging, then finally he spewed vomit about four foot away.  It reminded me of Baron Afanas in What We Do In The Shadows 

after he ate a Pizza Pie full of garlic.  People close to the man literally jumped in the air, dance along the backs of the sofas to get away from him.  They glanced over at us still across the room with our masks, and suddenly, they GOT IT.

Another instance was in a store just as the virus was starting to hit.  Candy Thompson and I were out shopping.  I gave her a Winter Soldier mask, too.  She has heart problems, asthma and is in the target range of most vulnerable.  So this young man was checking out in front of us.  He gets a cause of the sniggers over our masks.  He even leaned to the cashier and said, "Some people are taking this virus thing to the extreme."  She knew I heard, so she blushed, but she giggled and agreed with the guy.  Well, enough is enough!  I learned toward them and said, "I am not protecting me--I am protecting YOU."  Then I managed a really good hacking cough.  Suddenly, they lost the snide comments and looked like they wanted to jump up on the conveyor belts.  I had a feeling they had a new view on face masks!

As to the social distancing, I live alone since my husband passed last year.  Candy lives alone.  We get our groceries through Walmart Pickup.  They put them in the car for us.  We wear our masks and when handling the groceries we wear disposable gloves, then wash hands.  We are both rather isolated.  Neither of us will see other people.  I go over and help her take out her trash, feed her a lunch to make sure she is eating well.  Not very hard to do at all.

As a writer, I am conditioned to be alone for long stretches of time.  NANO is having their Camp Nano...so I am pushing to write 50,000 words this month.  Perfect timing.

My Page

So I am doing okay.  Please stay safe.  You have computers, phone and television to entertain you.  And don't forget the books.  You could escape to go visit my Montgomerie Sisters, or go back in time with the Ogilvie Women and the Men of Challan.  They would appreciate the company.

Remembering the Anniversary of the birthday of Dawn Thompson

portrait done from Dawn's last photo

We were so close, it's hard to think we never actually met.  Dawn Thompson breezed into my life, the belle of the ball - or so everyone thought.  Despite losing her eleven years ago, she lingers, still very much alive in my thoughts. 

And she gave me her sister Candy to watch over, to be my pal and constant companion.  I am facing losing another person dear to me--my husband--and Candy is right there at my elbow, giving me strength and support.

There is so much of Dawn in her novels.  I have discussed this with Candy--was she aware of how much of her was the fabric of her tales?  We both agree Dawn was totally unaware of these elements.  I recall our shared editor, Hilary Sares, saying she cried when she read the scene of the trees that were alive in Lord of the Deep.  A tree that ached to be a part of life, but with limbs rooted to the ground.  Or the angel in Lord of the Dark -- a poor thing couldn't sleep because his wings wouldn't retract.  Again, only to someone who knew Dawn closely would that make sense.  Dawn had the hardest time getting into bed every night, hard time sleeping because of the legs that no longer worked, the pain that dogged her every moment.

Dawn's high school portrait

Never have I known someone so valiant in the face of adversity, never have I heard someone laugh at all that life flung at her.

I miss you, Dawn Thompson, but you “gave” me your sister.  Your last words to me was "Do not forget me."  How could I ever forget such a bright light in this sad sorry world?

Happy Birthday, special lady.

  

 

  

  

 

  

 

 

Coming Soon for her fans

Happy Friday the 13th