New Editions

 While there is a threat of more snow and a bomb cyclone on the East Coast, the weather has turned warm and dry here.  But it comes with winds that always feel a little ominous--particularly after all the fires that January.  

    My book news is that the trade paperback of DEATH AMONG THE STITCHES came out on Tuesday.  And my agent's foreign rights people are submitting DEATH AMONG THE STITCHES and SCONED TO DEATH for editions in other languages.  I'm  not sure if anything will happen with them, but I had to set aside the next Yarn Retreat manuscript to put in some corrections the PDF files I have of each book.  It's a whole involved process of turning the PDF into a Word file and then trying to locate the errors.  I have a list with page and line numbers of them from  when I originally went through the first pass pages and it would be easy except that the Word file is almost like the PDF, but off enough that it takes patience to find the mistakes.

But it's a cool thought that my books might be translated into another language.   We'll see.

And January Continues

            Not much new going on since last week. Yes, I’m still working on rereading prior stories to inspire and remind me of contents so I can make the next book in my upcoming Harlequin Romantic Suspense K-9 Crime Solvers series serious, sexy and fun—including with dogs, of course. I’ve now got another brace for my injured wrist so I can type a little better, though still awkwardly.

Still hard to believe that next time I post here it’ll already be a new month in 2026. But I’ll draw closer to some more of the enjoyable things, as well as deadlines, awaiting me this year. 

Hope all of you are doing well, especially those of you who live in the areas of the country where the weather continues to be challenging.

Weaving Everything Together

 Last week  I talked about being finished with SCONED TO DEATH, but I spoke too soon.  There was an email with queries from the proof reader and I had to make some more changes.  But now, it really is off my plate.

As soon as I sent off the email with the answers to the queries, I went back to the Yarn Retreat book with the uncertain title other than it's going to have Looming in it.  Yesterday I finished the draft and now am ready to start rewriting.  I have gotten to know all the characters more as the manuscript progressed  and while I went back made changes and put in notes, now I have put it all together and make sure it makes sense and things happen in order.  Thanks to making the potholders, I have derails to put in.  It was interesting to see the difference between making the first one and making one after I was more experienced.  I am so happy that I gained a new craft.  It also has added to my feelings about the trip to Cambria at the beginning of December.  And when I use the potholders I made, I will be reminded of the trip and the book.  

I keep reading about terrible weather predicted for a lot of the country this weekend.  I shiver remembering what it felt like to live in a place where January was cold and bleak.  The weather here changed from sunny days with temperatures in the 70s to some light rain and cooler temps, but nothing like the arctic blast that storm is supposed to bring.  It already is feeling like spring.  A tree in the back of the yard is covered  in white blooms.  The daffodils have gone from green stalks to blooms about to open.  The rain has turned everything a velvety green.  I am so grateful to be able to go outside without having to bundle up and feel the sting of the cold on my face.

Weather definitely affects my mood.   

Inspirations for the Next Manuscript

            I can’t avoid considering new ideas for mysteries and romantic suspense. I’m always plotting, in my head if not otherwise. Using things I see or hear, or wish I did, as  inspirations.

But at the moment I’m holding off a bit on plotting, and am re-reading the first two books in my upcoming Harlequin Romantic Suspense K-9 Crime Solvers series, since I’ll soon have to start working on the third one—and it’ll help if I recall as much about the first two that I can. Besides, that’s a good excuse for reading more than writing—although the cast is off my wrist and I’m able to type a bit more on the computer. Still a bit painful, though.   

Time is marching on though, as usual. It’ll be February soon. Valentine’s Day is approaching! And I do tend to have romances in my stories.

Hmmm. Another inspiration. And then there are my pups lying beside me, also being inspirational.