Wedding at the Happy Valley Motor Inn and Resort is now available on Amazon for Kindle, Kindle Unlimited, and in paperback form. Yippee!
I’m going to celebrate the launch of this, my third book, by staying in bed with a cold. I’ll toast with hot tea instead of champagne while enjoying eucalyptus cough drops instead of canapés. But by golly, I’m celebrating.
Peace, people.
GUESS WHAT?! The sequel to Mayhem at the Happy Valley Motor Inn and Resort should be out on Amazon one day this coming week. Yay!
I apologize for being so vague, but once the book is uploaded to Kindle Direct Publishing it might not go live for a few days. My editor, Rachel Carrera, and I plan to upload the book, Wedding at the Happy Valley Motor Inn and Resort, sometime tomorrow (11/22/21) if we can get our schedules synced.
How am I feeling, you might ask? Excited and anxious. The first novel has done so well, and so many readers have asked about a sequel, that I feel the pressure. It’s a great feeling. I just hope readers will enjoy Wedding as much as they did Mayhem. I know I had a blast writing it.
If you haven’t yet read book one in the series, here’s the link: http://Mayhem at the Happy Valley Motor Inn and Resort https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08PDRH2Q9/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_4RXBPAX4BJN8GYY1ABRW
Peace, people!
Well, it was bound to happen, I finally did something so stupid that I don’t want to write about it. Let’s just say that depilatories, even the gentle ones, don’t belong on some portions of the anatomy.
Peace, people.
When it comes to dancing, it’s hard to beat a good waltz. I learned how to navigate a waltz with my high school and college friend, Roy. Even though I believe he was gritting his teeth every time I pulled him onto a dance floor, times when he could have been dancing with a more capable partner, he never turned me down. Roy was a good man, and I doubt I’ll ever have the pleasure of dancing with a better dancer than he was. I hope he’s waltzing in heaven.
So, back to waltzes. I’m not talking about a Viennese waltz; although, I think I’d enjoy that, too. I‘m referring to the country version of the dance. Songs like, “Love on a Hot Afternoon,” and “Waltz Across Texas.” There’s just something about that three-quarter time that makes me need to get up and move.
There are two waltzes on my playlist now, one older, one newer, that give me great pleasure. My cat, not so much, as she acts as my reluctant, and often dangerous, dance partner. She doesn’t like it when I try to lead. She’s light on her feet, but those claws are a real menace. Trust me—you do NOT want to step on her toes.
The older waltz is “Alibis” by Tracy Lawrence. https://youtu.be/chdGKsc2UGM.
The newer one is “Sunrise Tells the Story,” by the band, Midland. https://youtu.be/tVxJhq6M9Jo
I don’t know what it is about a waltz that gets me every time, and maybe I’m better off not over analyzing it. I should just relax and let someone else lead me around the floor.
Peace, people and one, two, three, one, two, three.
I’m not ready to say the C word, (That’s Christmas, you filthy animals) but I couldn’t help but notice that the Yule time holiday is taking over before Thanksgiving 2021 is even in the books.
Esposito’s in Tallahassee goes all out on holiday displays, and I had no choice but to take a few photos.
Look what I found dozing among the tree skirts and stockings. Neither creature was stirring as shoppers invaded their space.
I’ll have to make another visit as I begin to get in the mood for that holiday.
Peace, people!
As an addendum to my earlier post, here are a couple of actual E.F. Hutton advertisements.
This one is cute.
The ads must’ve had a pretty good run, spanning at least a nine year period.
FYI, this post is in no way an endorsement of E. F. Hutton, but I did like their commercials.
Peace, people!
Remember the old E.F. Hutton commercials? They usually featured a collection of well-heeled folks standing around at a cocktail party or gathered ‘round a campfire chatting away until someone in the scene said, “Well my broker is E.F. Hutton and he says…” Once those words were uttered, all conversation ceased and everyone leaned in to listen. I kind of have the same effect on people. I might just be the new E.F. Hutton.
Last evening I decided to stop by Sweet Pea Cafe for dinner. Studly Doright was out of town and I had an appointment that ran late. Sweet Pea was on my way home and I knew there’d be a friendly face or two to say “hi” to before I went home to the cat.
The place was hopping. As I entered the cafe to place my order there was a group of college-age women ahead of me. They were so lively. So spirited. So indecisive when it came to ordering. One of the young ladies noticed me and said, “Why don’t you go ahead?”
I knew exactly what I wanted and apparently I spoke loudly enough that everyone in the place, and on into the next county, knew my order, as well. Literally everyone stopped talking when I ordered. I’d have quipped something about being in an E.F. Hutton commercial, but literally no one in the crowd would have gotten the reference.
I have this uncanny ability to become a human megaphone at times. Studly Doright always knows just what to say to tone me down when my volume gets turned up: “Shh!” I sure could’ve used him last night.
PEACE, PEOPLE!!!
No one has ever accused me of being a perfectionist. My mother had perfectionist tendencies and I try so hard to be like her. But even when I believe I’ve dotted every i and crossed every t, a few will rear their undotted and uncrossed heads and I’ll realize I’ve fallen short again.
This is one reason why I’ll never be tempted into a life of crime. I know I’d never be able to pull off the perfect heist. I’d be the thief who’d leave a business card with my name, phone number, and address at the scene of the crime—probably with a map and bright red x to mark the spot. I’d use fingerless gloves and my prints would show up all over the place.
Is there a MasterClass in the art of perfection? if so, I’d likely screw up the instructions. Pour me a beer; I’m feeling inadequate tonight. #Revising
Peace, people.
This poem came up in my Facebook memories today. I’d completely forgotten about it, but I think it has merit. As I recall I’d written a part of the poem, but felt like it was half-baked. Days went by and I had an epiphany that allowed me to continue the thoughts that first compelled me to write this. Now I’m not certain if this is two poems or one poem in two parts. I just know I like it. Maybe you will, too.
https://nananoyz5forme.com/2015/11/12/broken-people
I’ve only been at this writing thing for a short time. The mistakes I continue to make are still quite amateurish in nature. My first draft is peppered with way too many shrugs and sighs, smiles and frowns, laughs and nods, and it’s agony reading the manuscript aloud and crafting new ways to move the story along.
Wedding at the Happy Valley Motor Inn and Resort is in the final stretch of editing and revising, but I still have to ferret out all the overused words. It’s too bad there’s not a random word generator that would automatically substitute a more unique or seldom used word into a work in progress. (Note to self: “use ferret occasionally.”)
Action beats, such as “Paula folded a dishrag and slung it over her shoulder,“ work well in place of shrugging and sighing and smiling, etc., but the caveat there is in not crossing over into stage direction and/or telling vs. showing. I have to confess, I’m a teller. Showing is so hard.
I seem to take two steps backward for every step forward. I blame my background in teaching and training. So why do I keep writing? For the joy of screwing up, I guess.
I’m on my second read aloud pass through. The number of smiles is declining; however, I’ve noticed that grins are on the uptick. Coincidence? I really doubt it.
Peace, people!
Praying for Eyebrowz 