July 30, 2008

The placemats got made, the bags got packed and here I am in San Francisco for the RWA Convention. San Francico is such a lovely city. However, I have to admit I'm a little confused by the odd mix of social norms here.

Last night, I took a quick walk to do some shopping in the Union Square area. I went to the drug store to buy granola bars and mascara, but discovered that you can buy hard liquor there too. Hmmm. A little different from Connecticut where blue laws still prevail and if you want to by anything other than beer you have to go to the package store, and if you want to buy any kind of alcohol on Sunday you're just flat out of luck.

Later, as I was walking back to my hotel, I found myself following a well-dressed businessman who was openly smoking marajuana. No one but me appeared to find this unusual. However, I did notice that there are some laws that the people here seem quite dedicated too. I didn't see a single person jaywalking. You certainly wouldn't find that in New York. I guess, in spite of the franchising of American culture, there are still a few touches of regionalism in our country. I find this oddly comforting.

July 27, 2008

Yesterday afternoon, I got to take care of something that's been bothering me for a good long while. 

A couple of months ago, there was an incident involving my husband (who is a wonderful man but not a gardener) my roses and lavendar, and some insecticide that basically turned the plants in my patio flower bed black and shriveled.  We took them all out - I'd really been thinking about getting rid of the roses anyway, they were rugosas and I found them too unruly - and since then I've been staring at a stone wall and and empty flower bed every time I go outside. 

Saturday was so beautiful here, eighty degree and no humidity to speak of, so hubby and I went to the nursery and bought 3 limelight hydrangeas, some shasta daises, echanacia, asters, butterfly bush, and sedum.  There were about twenty plants in all, most fairly large.  I went to work right away, working several bags of compost into the soil and then planting all the flowers. 

Now, an hour before church, I'm so sore I can barely move but the garden looks just beautiful!  It was definitely worth the sore muscles and sunburned nose, but I'm very glad today is the sabbath.  I could use a day of rest!

July 23, 2008

I'm a pretty optimistic person.  Most of the time, that's a good thing.  But every now and then my optimism gets me in trouble.  Now is one of those times.

Next week, I'll be joining thousands of my sister (and a few brother) writers and the annual Romance Writers of America conference.  This will be my third year attending and I'm really looking forward to it. One of the highlights of the conference is a special dinner party thrown by my publicist, Nancy Berland, for her authors and several leaders in the publishing industry.  It's always an interesting group and a very informative evening.  As a way of thanking our guests for attending, each author presents them with a small gift - nothing huge, just a little remembrance.

Well, this year, I decided that because my next book, A SINGLE THREAD, is set in a quilt shop, I'd make my gifts.  I settled on a pair of quilted placemats for each guest.  At the time, it seemed a brilliant idea.  I found a pattern I loved and was excited about being able to use various fabrics from my stash. After all, my optimistic self reasoned, it would only take a couple of hours to make each set...four at the most.  

Of course, it's turned out to be the farther end of the time spectrum and when you multiply four hours times twelve guests...well, I think you can see where I'm headed here.  They are turning out beautifully and I'm still glad I decided to go this route but am I going to finish in time?  Right now it's anyone's guess.  So if you're on a flight to San Francisco next week and you're seated next to a woman who is mumbling to herself as she whip stitches the borders on a pile of placemats, that'll be me.  Be sure to say hello and while you're at it, feel free to grab a needle and lend a hand!

July 15, 2008

Oh dear!  Has it truly been eleven days since I blogged?  Well, time does fly when you're having fun and I have been having fun - editing a book (not quite finished yet) AND sewing a new quilt!  

If I seem excited, it's only because I am.  My next book, A SINGLE THREAD, will be released on October 28, and it marks a whole new day for me.  This will be the first in a new series, the "Cobbled Court" novels, which take place in the fictional town of New Bern, Connecticut, the home of the Cobbled Court Quilt Shop, which serves as the anchor for all the characters in the book.  I'm very excited about this new series because it combines the things I love best, writing and quilting!  

And, as a gift to my Reading Friends who quilt, I'm going to be offering a free quilt pattern, Broken Hearts Mending, that is based on one of the quilts in the book!  It's not ready for downloading yet, that will have to wait until the book comes out, but I just finished the "test" quilt and it came out even better than I could have imagined.  See? 

July 4, 2008 

It has come to my attention that some of you who read ON WINGS OF THE MORNING first are now wanting to go back and read my first novel, FIELDS OF GOLD, but are having trouble locating copies.  Amazon.com and Barnes&Noble.com appear to be out, but you can still get copies through my favorite local bookstore, The Hickory Stick Bookshop in Washington, Connecticut (and you can even order autographed copies through them) and it looks like BooksAMillion.com still has copies too.  There are links to both sites on this page, over on the right side.  

Just wanted to let you know.

 The weather in Connecticut today was not what you'd hope for, very gray and drizzley,but my family enjoyed the holiday just the same.  We went to two picnics today, the second at the home of dear friends, Fred and Lisa Ketcher, and it was great.  We ended up staying twice as long as we'd intended so I didn't get to any editing today but what the heck - it IS a national holiday.  

The first picnic was organized by our local church.  This one has a special place in my heart, not just because we get a chance to visit with all the members of our church family, or because the ladies in our church are fabulous cooks (and they are!) but because this picnic has been held every July 4th for more than 100 years,and in the backyard of the same home for the last 70!  It is a grand and glorious tradition and a beautiful way to spend a grand and glorious fourth!

I hope you holiday was just as special and that, like me, you'll be saying a prayer of gratitude for those who have gone before and sacrificed for the cause of liberty, as well as a prayer for protection and grace all those who defend it today.