Today I renewed my vow to raise a bunch of money for the American Cancer Society. I’m ready to hit the ground running! Team Check ‘Em Out is poised to break our record this year by building our team, trying new ways to fundraise, restaurant nights, dessert sales, percentage donations, and good old fashioned bowling-alley-panhandling! Hey, we’re not proud!

Well, actually, we are. We have a great team of dedicated, passionate and motivated members, each with a personal reason to fight this horrendous disease. Sadly, our Reasons to Relay still grow with each coming year, but we remain confident that our efforts will be rewarded someday.

Planning will soon begin for our SIXTH ANNUAL wine tasting,

POP A CORK FOR A CURE!

This awesome event will be held in early May, date TBD — but you can bet we’ll let you know. In the meantime, I’m humbly accepting donations at my Relay page. Donations of $100 or more will get you an autographed copy of my latest book–but I’d take just your Starbuck’s money for a couple of weeks, too!

Who’s with me?

As they say in the market, it was rather “flat.” That being, some good, some bad, all balances out. Certainly business for Valdata Services declined as I saw three clients close their doors, one being my largest long-term customer. Sad, indeed, and I will miss these great people I interacted with on a daily basis. I wish them all much success (and stability) in the coming year.

Another downer was my inability to get any writing done; that is, if you don’t count the nineteen essays I wrote for school. After a negative experience with a neurotic and overtly rude correspondent, I lost some ambition which is finally beginning to return.

I probably gained 13 pounds this year, and my school obligations discouraged me from getting to the gym, which I subtly abandoned in August. (They actually called to see where I was!)

On the upside, school was great and I’m 9 units away from my degree. The tutoring job I took at the college was rewarding and enlightening. I met lots of wonderful people this year, writers, teachers, high school alumnus, cancer warriors, mountain dwellers, and a few brave souls still working in escrow. I moved to Android this year, and my 6 year old Highlander is still running like new. My brother survived a life-threatening illness. My sons are both working, my grandson is happy and healthy, my daughter is a beautiful, talented and resourceful teen, and my husband realized his dream of building a mountain home. I am incredibly blessed and thankful.

What for 2012?

I have plans, nothing earth-shattering. I need to get back to the Y. I’ll return to my tutoring job in the spring, along with taking 6 units. I’ll complete at least one novel—hopefully the third lighthouse mystery set in Los Angeles. I’m going to try to re-release a couple of my backlist novels soon. Will continue to work with both the SCV Education Foundation and the Circle of Hope*. I hope to do some public presentations similar to one I did on California lighthouses for the library this past January. Three more units in the fall will finish my degree in English.

Some of MURDER WE WROTE, 2010

I really love this event. Very casual, laid-back, beautiful park grounds setting. It was here, a couple of years back, where my author pals and I met the venerable Ray Bradbury! This year, we will be rubbing shoulders with the very popular, best-selling author of SHANGHAI GIRLS, Lisa See. I can’t wait.

Just as important, I’ll be meeting up with a fine group of mystery authors. Yes, MURDER WE WROTE is getting the band back together! Joel Fox, Jenny Hilborne, Gayle Carline, Jeff Sherratt and Teresa Burrell will be joining Alyssa Montgomery and I for some dark, devious planning that just might involve criminal intent. We might even sell a few books at the same time.

If you’re local (or loco) and looking for a really fun afternoon with some really fun people (REALLY fun, I mean it!!) then head on out to Westminster Gardens in Duarte on Saturday, October 8th, from 10 am to 5 pm. It’s free to get in, free to park, free to enjoy the fresh air. Yeah, the books cost money, but they are still one of the best entertainment values around (you can buy two of mine for the price of one night at the movies!)

More info can be found here. Come on down!

Pam & Kwei

To lighten the tone after my last cranky post, here’s a snapshot taken yesterday at Barnes & Noble, Valencia, California. Kwei Quartey is the author of the Inspector Darko Dawson Mystery series, the most recent of which is CHILDREN OF THE STREET. Kwei is a delightful guy and I’m always glad to see him. He periodically sends me lighthouse photos he snaps while traveling, most often from Ghana, his home country.

Big thanks to Jackie Vick and Sisters in Crime/Los Angeles for setting up our panel discussion. Also to Lori Christian of Barnes and Noble, a most gracious and knowledgeable hostess! We’re hoping to put together a lighthouse discussion in the future.

If you missed this event, all of our books are available at Barnes and Noble, as well as that other big online bookseller you might know about.

Our city's flag stash. These go up along one of the man drags every patriotic holiday.

North on Interstate 5 passing Pyramid Lake

Saugus Speedway; closed to racing but open to swap meeting. Has aged with character. These stands were already second-hand when installed in 1950.

Vintage Bug; I doubt its owner will mind.

Normally, I would blur out the license plate number, but this Beetle owner probably loves his vanity plate, and with good reason. I only snapped off one shot as I was strolling the swap meet, but you can see by the gleam that this little ‘buggy’ is in pristine condition. Makes me miss my ’69 Karmann Ghia, which was not a convertible but a fine ride nonetheless.

Next weeks pictures will be shot with my better camera.

These blustery autumn days are blowing in something new. Winds of change. Life it taking another turn, as someone very close to me is about to give birth to a precious new baby boy, a blessing, a grandson. As she waits, anxious and uncomfortably round, I muse–thinking back to those days almost 29 years ago when I carried her husband inside of me…waiting, anxious and uncomfortably round.

Am enjoying my history class more than I thought possible. I think it’s a crime when a child (me, many moons ago) has a teacher that makes a could-be worthwhile class about as exciting as a box of starch. Mr. “L”, my high school history teacher, was also the school detention teacher, which I think he preferred to history. The most interesting thing about Mr. L was his summer vocation. When school was out, he drove an ice cream truck by day, and tended bar at night. Think on that for a moment.

People who bought my books at my two wonderful launch parties are beginning to write with their thoughts. Everyone loves the stories, complete with the editing hiccups that slipped into the first release copies. Oops. Perhaps my books are like Native American blankets. Not allowed to be perfect, for only the Great Spirit can be perfect. As humble humans, we–and our creations [books and blankets?]–cannot be without some flaw. Do I stick with that story?

I found a book on eBay about HOT TODDY: The Mysterious Death of Thelma Todd. Except for the cigarette smell, the book is nearly new and I am enjoying the unfolding of a mystery I’ve thought about for many years. We all know how it ends, but the how/whodunit will forever remain a secret.

One more bit of news. I cooked parsnips for the first time in my life. Along with carrots, butternut squash (another first) and brussel sprouts, these made up my roasted vegetable platter, served along side some garlic mashed potatoes with crumbled bacon and chives. I’m actually cooking again. I’ve discovered I can do this, if I remove myself from the keyboard long enough.

It’s been less than a year since I paid $259 for my nook. Next month, the color-touchscreen-backlit model debuts for $249. Am just a bit peeved. Will talk about that at length in the future.

This time of  year always brings to mind the late Dan Fogelberg, who sang of the “end of October, the sleepy brown woods seems to nod down their  heads, to the winter…” — from “Old Tennessee.”

Thank you, Dan. Rest in peace, troubadour.

May I have a drum roll please? Contest time! Jeepers, I had a lot of entrants. Have written all the names down on tiny fortune-cookie-sized papers and folded them up. Have dropped them into the beautiful ceramic bowl my son made in high school. Have stirred them. Have woken my teenaged daughter from her after-school nap and made her dip her fingers into the bowl. Draw one please?

But wait! No, I’m thinking I’m feeling very generous today. Pick THREE. Yes, dear, pull out three and then go back to bed.

WINNER #3 – DEIDRE DURANCE

WINNER #2 – CAITE MAIRE

and (drum roll quickens, ascends, ceases!)

WINNER #1 – SUSAN GRISCOM! Susan, you’ve won your choice of a $25 giftie card from everybody’s favorite big box book bin, Barnes & Noble… or 5 ebooks of your choice from Echelon Press!!

Deidre and Caite each win a copy of one of my books!

Well done, bloggers!!

And thanks ever so much to Karen for hosting me today! In the words of our immortal governator, “I’ll be back!”

Later today I’ll be drawing the winner’s name in my Blog Tour contest! Yep, everyone who went to my excerpt page and posted a comment about CAPE SEDUCTION, and those who commented along the way in my blog tour will be in the running for free books!

Stop over at the Echelon Press blog for another chance to win. Tell Karen I sent you and she’ll give you a good seat.

Nonetheless, I embark on another sort of tour Monday, where I will begin my “trip” with author Sean Hayden! Sean has taken the time to ask me some new and interesting questions, and will share them on his blog at Sean Hayden’s blog.  Do stop by!

Same day, I’m guesting at The Romance Studio, talking about whether books with lotsa sex and lust sell better than those considered “sweet” = plot that suggests intimate relations but doesn’t give the play-by-play. Help me out with your comments.

Don’t forget about the contest! All you have to do is read the CAPE SEDUCTION excerpt and leave me a relative comment—you’ll be in the drawing for FIVE Echelon Press eBooks of your choice, downloaded onto a really cool 2GB flash drive! (Or a $25 gift card to B&N, your choice.) Drawing will be on my last blog tour stop.

To make this more interesting, you’ll get an additional chance to win for every comment you leave at my tour stops! Whoa! Dude! So here’s the sched:

Monday, Aug 30:  Sean Hayden’s Blog

Monday, Aug 30:  The Romance Studio Blog

Tuesday, Aug 31:  Legendary Lighthouse

Wednesday, Sept 1:  Enjoying the Waves

Thursday, Sept 2:  Beth Fish Reads

Monday, Sept 6:  JFHilborne’s Blog

Tuesday, Sept 7: Mysteries and Margaritas

Wednesday, Sept 8:  A Writer’s Jumble

Thursday, Sept 9:  Lighthouse Musings

Friday, Sept 10:  Echelon Press

So, come on down!!

Chicago 2007

It’s been three years since I last attended Printers Row in Chicago. It was hot but pleasant. Hoards of people. There I met fellow Echelon Press authors J.R. (Jenny) Turner, Luisa Buehler, Robert Goldsborough, Marc Vun Kannon, Margot Justes, Mary Welk and of course our fearless leader, Karen Syed. This year, we’ll be joined by Norm Cowie, Nick Valentino, Sam Morton, Joel Fox, L.J. Sellers, Beth Solheim, Kieryn Nicholas and Marlis Day.

Here’s the press release for my appearance this year.

I’m not packed. I’m leaving the house at around 6:30 AM tomorrow. Mentally, I have my list:  bookmarks, postcards, banner; stickers, pens, Altoids. My standard signing kit, which includes sunscreen, scissors, granola bars, change, lip balm, more pens. Bookstands—new ones this year.

Technology-wise, I’ll have my laptop. My Blackberry. My nook. My iPod. Numerous AC adapters. I’ll be wired for sound.

Also toting some new things. A very pretty necklace with a USB drive hanging from it. Some mini-coloring books with pictures of lighthouses. A hat. Yes, I am wearing a hat.

And I will be seeing my new release for the first time. CAPE SEDUCTION will “pre-release” in limited quantities at this event. I’m so excited about that! I love this book and can’t wait to see/hear the response. Official release will be in August. Ebook is a few days delayed, but should be online for purchase any day now.

Technology slows things down. Yes, that’s what I said – new formats take longer to prepare. We’ve waited this long, a few more days won’t matter!

Come by booth #FF if you’re in town. If not, hang out and read the excerpts while I’m gone.

Will report in when I return. This is going to be a great weekend, thunderstorms and all!