Hey there happy reader,

As I’ve mentioned many times in this newsletter, every six weeks or so I spend about ten days in Los Angeles visiting our son, daughter-in-law, and oldest grandson.

I do love it when I’m there – I enjoy being the one to pick up our grandson from pre-school at the end of his day and the wide smile he gives me on my arrival, lazy breakfasts with my family and fun dinners.

But getting there from New York? That’s become another story.

On a good day, it’s a bit of a hassle to get from point A to point B in the airport. 

New York’s JFK is big, and somehow my gate is always the furthest point from the security checkpoint. I get my steps in, that’s for sure. But at a time when a partial government shutdown has basically crippled an already fragile system, it’s chaos.

Without getting political, I think we can all agree that the TSA workers are being unfairly punished. 

I don’t have to travel, I choose to travel, but they are showing up for work every day without a paycheck at the end of the week. These people are not the 1%. They live paycheck to paycheck, and this is wholly unfair.

I’ve written to my senators and congressmen, letting them know that I believe that they can do better and come up with a solution to this mess. And let’s be honest. The politicians get paid whether they end this crisis or not…

All of this leads me to where I got the original idea for “From Below the Horizon.” (Stick with me. This TED Talk takes a minute!) 

My husband and I made a side trip to England in 2022, after our older son and daughter-in-law’s wedding in France. On a whim, we went to Stonehenge for the day. I was so taken by the female energy I felt there that the basis for the story was born.

I theorized that there was a chance that the population living on Salisbury Plain, the people who put the stones in place, were led by a group of strong women. No one knows the truth, because the history of that civilization has been erased. Without a written account (these events pre-date the Rosetta Stone or any other formal recorded language) we might never know, and that’s why fiction can make this so interesting.

A writer (like me) can imagine what might have happened and spin a story around whatever she thinks transpired.

But I’ve also been influenced by current events. In the last four years I have been increasingly disappointed by the people we’ve elected to run this country. The men in charge are doing a lousy job – in my opinion – and I think that if women were at the helm, we wouldn’t be in this mess! I mean, we outnumber the male population, we’re smarter (who organizes your household?) we’re tougher (do you think a man could birth a ten-pound baby?) and we would think twice before sending our sons into battle. So why do we let the patriarchy have its way with us? I’m over it!!!

So, in response, in my new novel, I’ve created a world ruled by smart women.

They know the threat that the men pose to their society and are determined not to allow the male population to dominate them. They find a way to live in a matriarchy, and when you read this book, I hope you’ll find them as interesting as I did.

Last August, The New York Times ran a feature piece about a group of women in Texas who decided to retire together. They formed a community called “The Bird’s Nest.” They built tiny houses, pooled their shared skills, and came up with a way to happily live out their lives surrounded by supportive and interesting women. Since women generally outlive their husbands, it’s a way to maintain companionship—with a side of mahjong, canasta, sewing circles, book talks, and communal meals.

Sounds like a little slice of heaven to me… what do you think?

Hey there happy reader!

My work-in-progress, “From Below the Horizon,” is in what I like to call the “slash and burn” phase.

This is when I go back over the entire manuscript with a fine-tooth comb before sending it to my editor (and having her double over in laughter at all my mistakes!) 

It’s not an easy part of the process. I have to ask myself what stays and what goes… it’s a little bit like moving from a house you’ve lived in for thirty years. You don’t want to pack up your kids’ trophies from middle school as you downsize – they have their own homes already and your garage needs to be clutter-free! But a big part of you has trouble letting go.

I liken this to the five stages of grief for writing.

You start with “umm… I have an idea.”

You move on to “let me just put it all on the page.”

Once that’s done, you check the manuscript for extraneous words or phrases, plus, you delete all those pesky adverbs.

Then it’s the “why did I write this novel and think it was important” stage.

Finally, you throw your hands up in the air and ship the whole bulky thing off to your editor for her to deal with your mess. It’s not easy…

Luckily, I have my writing gurus, the people I look to for help. 

(After all, Mr. Rodgers’ advice is always true. When you find trouble, he said, “look for the helpers.”)

Some of my helpers I know personally, like the four members of my writer’s group – we’ve been together for over thirty-five years. I’d trust them with my life. Then I have my newly formed Guatemala Girlies – the women I met a year ago at Joyce Maynard’s workshop. They are all accomplished, thoughtful and wonderful writers who are generous with their time and their enthusiasm.

Finally, I have two women who I don’t know, but I faithfully follow their writing advice – Anna Quindlen and Anne Lamott. Both have books on the craft that I refer to repeatedly. As a matter of fact, Anne Lamott’s new title was published this week! (And I just love that Anne calls her co-writer and partner her “current husband.” Hysterical!)

Once this manuscript leaves my hands and digitally appears in my editor’s inbox, I’m going to be looking for beta readers. 

If you are interested in an advance copy of this title in exchange for a careful read-thru and a future review left on Amazon, I’d be happy to add you to my growing list.

You can email me at hilari.mpp@gmail.com.

I would so appreciate your honest opinion…

And like those sweet flowers poking up through the dead leaves, I have hope that this book will be worth the wait. 

It took me four years from concept to completion… in that same time both of our sons were married and we became grandparents — twice! I wish I could say I was distracted, but the truth is that I’m just a slow writer, lol.

In the coming weeks I’ll tell you about why I wrote “From Below the Horizon.” It’s interesting that this historical novel got its start in current events…

Hey there happy reader!

Last week I was able to share the first cover of my newly renamed series, The Seasons of Us. Now, I can show you the rest…

I love them! I love the new series name – The Seasons of Us – as well. 

I think the combination of the bright colors, the very “now” portrayal of the main protagonists, and the interconnected titles truly represent the stories inside. I am hopeful that these books (formerly named “The Gypsy Moth Chronicles”) will appeal to a whole new set of readers who may have passed over them before.

Weigh in. What do you think of these covers and titles? I’d be interested to know!

This is a big release week for one of my most favorite romance novelists, Lucy Score.

The second book in her Story Lake series, “Mistakes Were Made” is out now. 

I loved the first of the series, “The Story of My Life,” which was about a romance novelist with writer’s block. (Just a little bit meta, right?) The thing about Lucy is that she writes with such joy and irreverence, and I love that for her.

Plus, when I was starting to work on The Seasons of Us series, I wrote to her and asked for advice. At that point in her career, she was a mildly successful indie writer. She took the time to write back with constructive ideas on how I could improve my marketing and broaden my audience, and she was right. Lucy Score went on to become a New York Times bestselling author, now published and partners with EL James, the founder of Bloom Books.

And, we all can acknowledge how EL James changed romance novels forever with her wildly successful “Fifty Shades” franchise. Lucy and EL together are quite the blockbuster team. I’ve already downloaded Lucy’s new title to my kindle – I will always support her books as she helped me on my path when I truly needed someone to outstretch a hand…

And as I head into the homestretch of my current work-in-progress, “From Below the Horizon,” I am starting to imagine what that cover might look like. 

There are elements in the book, aside from the obvious stone circle, that figure prominently in the story. Perhaps the most important is an amulet, worn by Maya (the first woman leader of the tribe on Salisbury Plain) passed on to her daughter Marah, and which then disappears for centuries, only to turn up during World War II in a most unexpected way…

Here’s a description of it from the story:

Maya was preparing to give her daughter all her jewelry. Some of the pieces had been passed down from her grandmother, others from women who’d lived centuries before her; precious stones inlaid within silver bracelets, disc-shaped earrings with intricate etchings in their center and an amulet of pure gold, a large amethyst in the center, all sitting on a heavy, beaded chain. These special ornaments marked her daughter as the royalty that she already was and were befitting of the leader she would become. Maya had worn this jewelry with pride; she hoped that Marah would do the same.

The jewelry in this novel is an important piece of my imaginings of the mystery of Stonehenge. I think that when history leaves us unanswered questions, it’s the job of a novelist to fill in the blanks. I hope that when you read this book, you’ll agree!

For today, spring is truly hinting that she’s about to make her grand entrance. If you can, take a walk outside. I did and it made me feel so hopeful to see small, green shoots peeking up beneath the last remnants of our snowy winter. Can the daffodils be far behind? Treat yourself to a bit of sunshine!

Hey there happy reader,

As you know, I am now represented by Vinci Books, a London-based publisher who is committed to putting my books out into a much larger world than I could have ever imagined doing by myself. When I signed on, they let me know that they would be changing the covers of all my titles, starting with “The Gypsy Moth Chronicles” series.

What I didn’t realize when this all began, was that they would test everything – the art, the titles, and the series name.

(Where it started)

They changed the art first and I loved the way they made the covers look like vintage postcards.

(Where it went next)

But they weren’t done researching the market, defining my readers and paying attention to the small details.

For example, the word “chronicles” confused the audience. It implies an historical novel, not a contemporary one. Plus, the image was too “old-fashioned” and not current enough to catch the attention of those we were trying to reach.

So…

(Where we are now)

A full re-boot! Not only did they design an entire new set of covers – the rest will be revealed next week – we worked together to rename both the series and the books.

Welcome to “The Seasons of Us” – a collection of five novels. I am very excited about all of this…

Of course, Vinci will let buyers know that these books have been renamed, so that if you bought the originals, you’ll know you’ve already read these stories. 

But to attract a whole new audience, I think this is the way to go. The cover art is very much in fitting with the trends in the contemporary romance marketplace and because this series is about a group of friends who become a family, I think the new titles make sense. I hope you’ll agree.

And, coincidentally, yellow is my all-time favorite color, so it feels like a good omen that the first cover is bathed in this happy shade.

All I can say is that I can’t wait to see what happens next!

I am so close to finally finishing “From Below the Horizon,” my Stonehenge saga. 

This book has taken me FOUR YEARS to complete, from initial concept to completed manuscript. I don’t know about you, but it feels like it’s taken over my life!

I dream about the characters, and I solved a plot mistake in my sleep. Seriously. I knew I had an unresolved plot hole, and I was wrestling with how to fix it when I shot up out of bed at four in the morning with the idea that solved the problem. Crazy, right?

Finally, I think this writing thing might have some strong genetic links! Our three-year-old grandson wrote his very first poem. His mom is a wonderful writer (the poem is reprinted from her Substack) and his Gigi dabbles a bit, lol!

Here it is:

But I don’t need to repeat it. Ever.

Hey there happy reader,

This is the winter that will go down in the record books as the most annoying of all time. Just when my lawn was starting to peek through the dense layer of ice that’s been there for almost a month, BOOM! A blizzard hit us, and it hit us hard!

We had two feet of snow drop on us over the course of twenty-four hours. 

The wind was incredible – at the far east end of Long Island, it was clocked at seventy-five mph! It was whistling around my house on Sunday night, and I feel so lucky that we didn’t lose any trees as some of my neighbors did.

And the worst isn’t over – it’s predicted that we get another round of snowfall today and tomorrow. Will it ever end?

The snow is beautiful if you don’t need to deal with it, but unfortunately, I do. 

I’m now watching every step I take when I’m walking outside, careful to look for black ice before moving from place to place. Parking lots are a mess! If you’re not cautious, you might find yourself upended on the asphalt!

There was one positive aspect of this natural disaster. 

I know I’ve mentioned before that I live behind an actual castle. During the storm, it looked like it was trapped in a snow globe, and even now, the setting is picturesque!

Speaking of castles, since I was stuck inside, I caught up on my latest obsession, “The Traitors.”

It takes place in a Scottish castle, and the incomparable Alan Cummings is the host. The aim is to not be “murdered” by one of the designated “traitors,” whose identities are kept secret from the other contestants. It’s an over-the-top experiment in trust… I can’t get enough of it (or of Alan’s fantastic clothing!) If you’re in the mood for high drama, I highly recommend this addicting and bingeable show!

Luckily, my husband was at home with me during this storm and I did a lot of cooking for us. 

It was nice to have the time to prepare a meal without rushing through it. Thankfully, I have a full set of Ina Garten’s cookbooks, so the sky was the limit. I made her yummy coq au vin, which was perfect for a cold, snowy night.

But now that we’re shoveled out, it’s time to get back to work. I’m days away from sending “From Below the Horizon” to my editor. That means it inches closer to being in your hands…

Hey there happy reader,

There are small, hopeful signs that spring is on the way! The snow is melting (just a little bit) as the daytime temperatures here in the northeast have risen above the freezing mark for a few days in a row. Training camp is open for professional baseball players and, most importantly, there are aisles of Easter candy in my local CVS.

It’s Peeps season!

With the weather improving a bit, I spent a day in Manhattan with some friends to celebrate one member of our group’s birthday. We went to the Neue Gallery, home of the very famous painting, the “Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer” by Gustav Klimt, otherwise known as “The Woman in Gold.”

Housed in a Beaux-Arts mansion, this painting was the subject of a film – it had been stolen by the Nazis during WWII and a descendant of the woman in the painting petitioned the Austrian government to have it returned to her family. After a protracted hearing, she won the prized portrait back and it now sits proudly on display in New York City for all to enjoy.

When you stand in front of this magnificent piece of art, you are immediately drawn in to this woman’s soulful eyes. 

Klimt mimicked her eyes in the pattern of her dress and maybe knew somehow that the world would be watching her for centuries to come.

The opulence of her diamond studded necklace could not protect Adele Block-Bauer from the meningitis that killed her in 1925. 

And unfortunately, the necklace was looted by Hermann Goring during the war – there are pictures of his wife wearing it. It has never been recovered.

When people ask me where my ideas come from, it’s stories like this one that inspire me. A diamond necklace, captured in a portrait, but lost in a war, never to be found? Was it buried in a safety deposit box and forgotten? Was it dismantled and sold in pieces? Does someone have it but not want to be identified as a relative of a war criminal?

Left alone long enough, I can pretty much come up with an entire story… suspense novel, anyone? I’m going to file this one away for future use!

What inspires you? A new recipe? A knitting or needlepoint project? There’s an inner artist in all of us – we just need to give ourselves permission to unleash our hidden talents!

Hey there happy reader,

I’m currently on the west coast, visiting my older grandson (oh yes – my son and daughter-in-law live here too, lol!) and it’s a wonderful respite from the cold temperatures in New York.

It does always seem, however, that when I come to California, it rains! Not that I’m complaining. They absolutely need rain here to prevent the kind of fires that leveled Altadena last winter. But I’m holding out for a little bit of sunshine during my stay…

My older grandson turns three on Monday. 

He loves airplanes, so we’re spending the day on Saturday at a small, regional airport so that he and some of his friends can watch the planes land and take off. It’s amazing the things that toddlers like to do. As an adult, I dread the airport and the expectation that it will be a crowded, germ-filled, chaotic mess. Children have a much better way of looking at life…

This is the book that is being read on repeat while I’m here. We’re all about big trucks and airplanes right now!

Valentine’s Day is Saturday, so I thought that it might be nice to share a little excerpt from my work-in-progress, “From Below the Horizon,” with you! 

As you know, this book moves forward and backward in time. The following piece focuses on our modern-day protagonist, Miriam, and her search for the truth about the people of Stonehenge.

She’s studying at Oxford, trying to establish a link between some of the jewelry found at the site and the women who lived there centuries ago. She’s met a man – a professor – who is linked to the history of the University and has offered her access to a private library filled with rarely viewed papers, stored there for academic research…

Watching Spencer approach, Miriam couldn’t imagine that he could look more like a British college professor. He was wearing thick brown corduroy slacks, a tweed blazer with an open collared, starched white shirt and an oversized Burberry raincoat. She felt severely undressed in her simple black leggings and bulky grey cable-knit sweater, but she didn’t come here to win any fashion awards. As he approached, he smiled broadly.

“How’s the head this morning, Miriam? Feeling well, I hope?”

“If you’re asking if I’m hung over, the answer is no. I was drinking tonic water, remember. I’m not sure how you and your friends did this morning, however.”

“Well, there’s always tonight for you to try that G and T,” he said with a wink.

“There’ll be no tonight if I don’t get some work done today,” she said in a serious tone. “Now, what’s this ‘secret’ library you were telling me about?”

“Secret? I never said it was a secret. I said it was private. You need a key to gain entrance.”

“Can I see your key?”

“I thought you’d never ask,” he smirked, causing a blush to rise across her cheeks.

The way he replied sounded more intimate than she expected and she hadn’t been prepared for it. Get a grip, would you please? she admonished herself. She watched as he reached into the front pocket of his pants and pulled out what looked like an ancient gold key. It was longer than a modern key, with an ornate head of swirls of gold, tapering down to what looked like two weird hooks on the bottom.

“That’s unique,” she quipped. “How many of those are there?”

“A few dozen, I suppose. No matter, though. We have this one, and that’s all we need. Let’s carry on.” He put his hand on the small of her back to guide her further down the path and even through her thick sweater, it heated the skin beneath. It made her feel both uncomfortable and turned on all at the same time.

At the main library steps, he stopped. “By the way,” he said. “If the librarian asks, just say you’re my fiancé. This section of the building that I taking you to is off limits to the public.”

Her eyes widened. “Your fiancé? That’s a stretch.”

“Do you want to see these old books or not?” he asked.

She nodded her head. “Fine. But if she asks when we’re getting married, please do me a favor and tell her we haven’t set a date. I don’t want to feel pressured to walk down the aisle just yet.”

“Oh, so you do have a sense of humor,” he smiled. “I was beginning to think that you were a humorless Manhattanite.”

“I am. I have a deadline, and it can’t be moved. My entire future career depends on me proving this theory I have about Stonehenge. I know that I’m right, that women had an enormous role in that place. I just have to figure out what it was.”

“Oh, so then, an easy task then, right?” he asked sarcastically. “I mean, just because you think it, doesn’t make it true.”

“Alright, if you’re so smart, tell me why recent digs at the site have turned up so many ornate pieces of jewelry. Why would ordinary women own elaborate gemstones?”

“Are you truly basing your entire dissertation argument on the discovery of some jewelry? Please tell me you have more. Here at Oxford the committee would rip you to shreds with that flimsy theory.”

“No, I’m hoping to find more,” she said, her anxiety rising. “That’s why we’re here.”

“Right.” He raised an eyebrow as if to question whether they were wasting their time or not. “Let’s go.”

They continued to climb the stairs, but his doubt was gnawing at her. She really didn’t have much to go on, and she did have a lot to prove. She shook her head as if to clear it of the panic that was beginning to rise. C’mon, Miriam, the voice inside her head said in a shaky voice. You’ve got this. She repeated those words over again in her mind as he led her through the main reading room, with its elaborately carved deep wood bookcases lined with titles, some stamped in gold leaf, to a wrought iron spiral staircase off to one side down an aisle. They stopped in front of an archway with a heavy door at its center. He lifted the key and fit it inside the lock, then turned the handle. With the sound of a latch being undone, Spencer opened the door, leading her into a world that time had seemed to ignore.

The first thing Miriam noticed was the smell; it was a combination of musty paper and worn leather. The entrance was dim, but as her eyes adjusted, she could see an older woman, hair in an elaborate bun on the top of her head, sitting at a large desk in the center of the space. As they approached, she looked up from whatever it was she was reading, removed her cat-eyed shaped glasses and smiled at Spencer.

“Why Mr. Aldworth. I haven’t seen you here in quite some time. How can I help you today?”

“Well, Mrs. Brighamton, I’m here with my fiancé, Miriam. She’s from America, teaching here for Michaelmas and researching the origins of Stonehenge. I was hoping you’d extend her the courtesy of using this section of the library while she’s visiting with us.”

“I’m sure that can be arranged, Mr. Aldworth, if you’ll be bringing her by. You know that the key is not transferrable, I’m sure.”

“Of course. I’ll be with her when she’s working.”

Miriam stared at him. She didn’t need a study buddy. And it was too much of a time commitment to expect that he’d accompany her to this place for hours on end. “Oh,” she began. “Thank you, Mrs. Brighamton, but would it be alright if I came in on my own. I don’t want Spencer to have to give up his free time to sit with me.”

The older woman looked at Miriam, as if she was deciding if the American was a security risk. “Well, if he lets you in, I might be able to look the other way if you’re quiet and tidy. And no food in here. It’s a strict policy.”

Miriam nodded, even though she noticed a cup of steaming tea on the woman’s desk. “I promise to be respectful of the materials I use. You won’t have any trouble from me.”

The librarian softened. “When’s the wedding?” she asked, as if she was going to note it on her personal calendar.

Miriam opened her mouth to reply when Spencer chimed in. “We’re looking at a few dates in May and June, Mrs. Brighamton. We’ll let you know once it’s set.”

The woman smiled at that news. “And do tell your father that he’s stayed away too long, Mr. Aldworth. I’d love to see him and catch up.”

“Of course. I will tell him.”

“There’s a quiet corner in the back. I suppose you should sit there, Miss…”

“Buckley. Miriam Buckley.” She put out her hand for the older woman to shake.

“It’s a pleasure,” Mrs. Brighamton said. “Any woman marrying Mr. Aldworth is welcome here. I’ve known his family for a long time. Ask if you need anything.”

Spencer placed his hand in Miriam’s and led her over to the table the librarian had indicated they should use. Once out of hearing distance, Miriam whispered, “May or June? What happened to not mentioning a date?”

He looked directly into her eyes and replied, “A man can dream, can’t he?”

Intrigued? I hope so. Miriam and Spencer’s story gets pretty twisty along the way!

Hey there happy reader!

Brrrrr.

That’s all anyone needs to say. It’s not just chilly here in the northeast. It’s brutally cold!

I cannot remember a winter like this one, with subzero temperatures for days on end. 

Just getting ready to go outside takes forever. Layer upon layer, gloves, hats, scarves… I think I’m ready for it to be over. If the Winter Olympics weren’t starting this week (I do love the figure skating competition) I think I’d consider getting into bed and not coming out until April, lol. But then again, we’ve had snowstorms as late as the onset of spring here. Let’s hope that’s not the case this year!

Here’s an update on my publishing plans with Vinci Books…

After five months of testing the advertising for my “Gypsy Moth Chronicles” series, the marketing department has decided that the new covers aren’t working.

While I love them, I understand what they mean – the cover art doesn’t reflect the content well enough, and they look too “sweet” for my targeted audience, so… we’re heading for a redesign.

Not only will the covers have a new look, but the titles and series name are about to be changed as well. We had a long brainstorming session and have come up with a new approach to these small-town beach books. I’m happy with the result and as soon as the art is available, I’ll post it here first.

The best part about having a publisher to partner with is exactly what I’d hoped it would be. Marketing was never my strong suit, so I’m more than happy to have someone else make the big decisions about how to position my books in the marketplace. I’m excited to see what the art department comes up with next…

It’s almost Galentine’s Day! 

Time to grab your bestie and do something fun. For me, February 14th has become a celebration of my female friendships. I have so many strong women in my life and I couldn’t live without any of them.

What about you? What will you do this year?

I highly recommend calling a few of your gal pals and getting together for a coffee, a glass of wine, or a piece of delicious chocolate cake! Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be about romantic love… it can be the one day a year we let our nearest and dearest know how much we value their presence in our lives! And in the spirit of that idea, let me remind you that I appreciate each one of you…

Hey there happy reader,

What a crazy week I’ve had. I was in Los Angeles to stay with my older grandson while his parents traveled to Salt Lake City. My son produced the short film, “The Oracle,” which opened this year’s Sundance Film Festival. It was exciting for the team that made this wonderful short movie and even more exciting for me to have my grandson to myself for a few days.

We went to the playground, we baked blueberry muffins, and we played endless games concocted from our imaginations. A good time was had by all…

However, the warning bells had been rung about the snowstorm that was gathering strength in the mid-Atlantic states and was aiming for the northeast. 

Being the seasoned and proactive traveler I’ve become, I immediately rebooked by flight to go home twelve hours earlier than I had originally planned. I was relieved to get a seat on Jet Blue’s red-eye flight back to JFK and happily paid the change fee.

Then things got strange…

I got to LAX and immediately noticed that I was the only person being dropped off by an Uber outside the terminal. Once inside, it was like a ghost town… I could hear the sound of my heels reverberate against the floor as I made my way to security. There was no line. As a matter of fact, I WAS THE ONLY ONE THERE!

So many flights had been cancelled, but mine was leaving on time – a miracle! 

I think the main reason my plane was going to fly was because Jet Blue had to move their crews to their hub in New York. It seemed like every other seat was occupied by a Jet Blue employee, which turned out to be a good thing.

As we made our descent into JFK, the weather had picked up and ice pelted the plane. When I realized that the employees weren’t concerned, it went a long way toward keeping me calm. When our wheels touched down on the runway, a large cheer went up – the pilot’s co-workers were rooting for him!

Mission accomplished… but then of course, I had to take a car service home on an untreated highway. We slid all the way to my house, Thankfully, there were very few other cars on the road and we made the trip unscathed!

We ended up with over a foot and a half of snow and with the brutally cold air that is expected to hang around until mid-February, we’re going to be living with this frozen cover for quite a while longer. 

And of course, we’re gearing up for yet another snow storm this weekend. Winter is certainly making a statement this year!

I don’t mind being inside writing and I am recovering from some minor oral surgery, so I guess it’s a good time for me to spend an afternoon binging something on television. I’m sure there’s a rom-com or two I’ve missed…

For today, stay warm! Curl up with a good book and a cup of tea and read! Winter offers us the perfect opportunity to take a few hours for ourselves – and we deserve it!

Hey there happy reader!

Brrrr! That’s all I can say about the weather here in the northeast. It’s been so cold and icy that I’m happy to stay indoors and hibernate.

Luckily for me, I’m about to escape to the west coast this weekend. 

Our older son is a film producer and has a short film entered in the Sundance Film Festival. It’s exciting for him, the director and his producing partner, but it’s also exciting for us! My husband and I get to go to LA and spend some time with our older grandson while my son and daughter-in-law head to Utah. Nothing better!

And these are going along with me in my suitcase. 

Our grandson loves books and is starting to recognize words on the page. Nothing is more thrilling to me than having grandchildren who love to read. He loves to sit and read by himself – he’s got so many books to choose from!

Hopefully we’ll get a small break from the cold for a few days in California. 

I think that sixty degrees will feel like a heat wave! And I always take my work with me. That’s the beauty of being a writer… all you need is pen, paper, and your imagination to get the job done. Speaking of which, we’re inching closer to me sending off my completed manuscript for “Below the Horizon” to my editor.

One of the women in my writer’s group – I couldn’t live without this invaluable and talented bunch – suggested I should call this book “From Below the Horizon.” I’ve been giving that a lot of thought. The simple addition of the word “from” does add a bit of depth. Plus, “From Below the Horizon” is the direction of the sunrise, which, if you think about Stonehenge, makes sense. Thousands of people still gather there for both the winter and summer solstice to experience that event and to watch the sun peek along the horizon and then shine brightly as it rises between the stones. I think it’s more visual with the extra word.

Do you agree? Reply to this email and let me know!

This is the perfect time of year to hunker down with a good book. 

I just finished “Queen Esther” by John Irving. It’s about a young girl, Esther Nacht, who is dropped off at the orphanage at St. Cloud, which was the setting of “The Cider House Rules.” It tells the story of this child’s life and her fight against antisemitism. I found it compelling and extremely relevant…