Snowbound

We’re still in the middle of that promised snowstorm.

Can you see the deer in the woods there? Poor things. I’d invite them inside except:

  • I doubt they’d accept
  • With two dogs and a cat? Chaos.

Can you imagine? (Actually, I can imagine—I see them gathered around a table, like dogs playing poker.)

This week, I discovered that you can scrupulously brush and floss, see the dentist twice a year, and still need a root canal. In my case? According to my dentist, possible childhood trauma—the sort where one’s mouth meets the metal bars of a circa 1970s play structure. Apparently, this sort of injury can linger for years (even decades) and suddenly decide to abscess.  

So, I have that on my social calendar for this week.

The reason for my subscriber-only post yesterday was to test its functionality. Does it really work? Does the text end up in the RSS feed, either on WordPress or over on Goodreads, and so on?

It does work!

Here’s what I’m thinking of doing:

A read-along for The Pansy Paradox in the run-up to the release of The Marigold Miracle.

I need to review Pansy anyway before I dive into the full revision of The Marigold Miracle. But I wanted to do something as a thank-you for everyone who has stuck with me for all these years, both here and on my email list.

I could simply offer up the e-book for a limited time. But I wanted to do something fun, provide some behind-the-scenes writing-related content, and the like.

Of course, I have no idea if anyone will read along. That’s the risk of this.

So, this week, I’m going to assess the feasibility of a read-along. If I determine that it’s sufficiently fun for me, then I’ll go for it. In the same way that Booking Through Thursday is, and The (Love) Stories of 2020 was.

But today, I think we’re going to hunker down and hope the power doesn’t go out.

Booking Through Thursday: required reading

Welcome to Booking Through Thursday, a weekly bookish meme about books and reading for everyone who loves both. Booking Through Thursday was first hosted by Deb. With permission, I’ve restarted it in 2026.

This week’s prompt:

Whether it was middle school, high school, or college—or maybe even a book club—did you ever encounter a book from a required reading list that you dreaded, but ended up loving?

Or simply appreciating it, if love is too strong a word. Let us know in the comments below or on your own blog.

What book from a required reading list did you end up loving (or, at least, appreciating)?

How to play:

  • On your blog: Copy the question/image for your blog, answer it there, and post a quick comment here with a link or trackback to your post so we can read it.
  • On social media: Copy the image, answer the prompt, and post a quick comment here with a link.
  • Right here: Answer in the comments and start the discussion here. No need to have a blog to play.

Note: If it’s your first time here, your comment may end up in moderation. (My spam filter is aggressive.) I’ll be in after my writing sprints to set it free.

P.S. The prompt is always open, and you don’t have to play on Thursday. Comment whenever you like!

Dishes and DST

Oh, y-a-w-n. It’s everybody’s favorite time of year, when we lose an hour. I feel as if I should go look for it; maybe it’s hiding in the basement.

Or not.

I do know that in a week or so, I’ll be grateful for the extra daylight in the evenings. I won’t feel as if I should be hibernating.

Last week, late Saturday/early Sunday, my daughter arrived home after another international adventure, this one in Australia and Italy. We spent most of last week catching up, figuring out groceries for two, getting her car squared away, and watching the Frost Giants play.

Also? I’ve been mystified by how an extra person in the house exponentially increases the number of dirty dishes.

On the writing front, I’ve been heads down working on The Marigold Miracle. I like where it’s going, but I do worry a bit about the length. It’s going to be longer than the first book. Although, since I’ve added a point of view, maybe that’s expected. Then again, it’s fantasy, so I feel like I have more word count to play around with.

In any case, I hope to have this draft wrapped up by the end of March so I can let it rest all of April before diving back in.

Also, I have all of March’s Booking Through Thursday posts ready to go. You can look forward to:

  • March 5: Favorite format for reading
  • March 12: What did you end up loving (or appreciating) from a required reading list
  • March 19: Spring break/vacation reading
  • March 26: Does your reading change with the seasons

Hope to see you on Thursday!

Booking Through Thursday: favorite format

Welcome to Booking Through Thursday, a weekly bookish meme about books and reading for everyone who loves both. Booking Through Thursday was first hosted by Deb. With permission, I’ve restarted it in 2026.

This week’s prompt:

In honor of Read an Ebook Week, let’s talk about formats. Do you have a favorite?

Do you have a favorite format—be it paper, electronic, or audio—for reading? Does it depend on when and where you’re reading? Or are you a single-format-only reader?

How to play:

  • On your blog: Copy the question/image for your blog, answer it there, and post a quick comment here with a link or trackback to your post so we can read it.
  • On social media: Copy the image, answer the prompt, and post a quick comment here with a link.
  • Right here: Answer in the comments and start the discussion here. No need to have a blog to play.

Note: If it’s your first time here, your comment may end up in moderation. (My spam filter is aggressive.) I’ll be in after my writing sprints to set it free.

P.S. The prompt is always open, and you don’t have to play on Thursday. Comment whenever you like!

It’s read an ebook week (and you know what that means)

Yes, it’s that time of year again: Read an eBook Week.

You know what that means? It means Smashwords must be having a sale.

All my titles are 50% (but, you know, not the free ones … those are still free).

Welcome to March and happy reading!

Booking Through Thursday: let’s get physical

Welcome to Booking Through Thursday, a weekly bookish meme about books and reading for everyone who loves both. Booking Through Thursday was first hosted by Deb. With permission, I’ve restarted it in 2026.

This week’s prompt:

Are you a collector? Do you love those special editions with the fancy sprayed edges and ribbon bookmarks? Do you collect first editions or autographed books from your favorite author(s)? Let us know!

Do you collect physical books?

Sorry for this week’s oblique 1980s reference, especially those of a certain age who may have an earworm of an Olivia Newton-John song.

How to play:

  • On your blog: Copy the question/image for your blog, answer it there, and post a quick comment here with a link or trackback to your post so we can read it.
  • On social media: Copy the image, answer the prompt, and post a quick comment here with a link.
  • Right here: Answer in the comments and start the discussion here. No need to have a blog to play.

Note: If it’s your first time here, your comment may end up in moderation. (My spam filter is aggressive.) I’ll be in after my writing sprints to set it free.

P.S. The prompt is always open, and you don’t have to play on Thursday. Comment whenever you like!

So, maybe Monday check-ins?

I’m starting to think I need to move my weekly check-ins from Sunday to Monday. It wasn’t Jane Eyre that distracted me this time, but my book club. And writing. Not going to lie, I spent plenty of time Sunday morning working on the manuscript and then didn’t have time to blog before meeting with my book club.

We read My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite and had a great discussion about the book.

Also, I have suddenly found myself in another book club. Not quite sure how I went from zero to one book club, then a slow read, and now another book club, but here we are. We are currently contemplating the four (!) books we want to read.

In other news, I still need to clean (more) of my house. I’m still writing in the very early mornings, and that’s working out so well. I’m almost to the point of having a draft that I consider a “real” draft.

Wishing you all a good week. Take care and be safe.

Booking Through Thursday: re-reading books

Welcome to Booking Through Thursday, a weekly bookish meme about books and reading for everyone who loves both. Booking Through Thursday was first hosted by Deb. With permission, I’ve restarted it in 2026.

This week’s prompt:

To read or re-read? That’s this week’s prompt. Do you ever go back and re-read books? Only occasionally? Just favorites? Maybe those in a series when a new release comes out? Let us know!

Do you ever re-read books?

How to play:

  • On your blog: Copy the question/image for your blog, answer it there, and post a quick comment here with a link or trackback to your post so we can read it.
  • On social media: Copy the image, answer the prompt, and post a quick comment here with a link.
  • Right here: Answer in the comments and start the discussion here. No need to have a blog to play.

Note: If it’s your first time here, your comment may end up in moderation. (My spam filter is aggressive.) I’ll be in after my writing sprints to set it free.

P.S. The prompt is always open, and you don’t have to play on Thursday. Comment whenever you like!

Tropical February

It’s that part of February where we get a classic warm spell. Fifty degrees Fahrenheit yesterday with lots of sun, and we’re looking at that for today as well. Yes, it’ll get colder again, but considering that a month ago, the highs were below zero, we’ll take it.

In fact, I saw people out shopping in sleeveless shirts yesterday. They looked so happy.

In writing news, I completed the new opening of The Marigold Miracle. There’s a lot of revision to be done on the existing draft. Even so, I’m pleased. I feel more confident in saying that I can publish the book this year. (Lord willing and the creek don’t rise. I’m always hedging my bets.)

Today is Sunday, which means it’s Jane Eyre day. I’m going to listen and clean my house a bit. It’s getting to the point where someone might question whether I have ever cleaned my house.

Wishing you warm weather and plenty of sunshine.