What a beautiful morning. sparkly, sparkly --like diamonds, my favorite kind. Working on THE MERMAID DID IT-- endeavoring to create a friendship between a couple of my characters and make it as real as possible. Hmmm--just how do friends treat friends? What do friends expect from one another? Honesty--how does that play in friendships? Well, it's a work in progress--the characterization.

QUOTE: "To throw away an honest friend, as it were, is  to throw your life away." Sophocles

WRITING TIP: every pencil has an eraser. every keyboard has a delete. Sometimes people are not what they appear to be.

A beautiful sunset--always, on Topsail Island. The search for the right picture for the cover of PELAGIC continues. Wasn't sure I wanted a surfboard in the photo, but low and behold as I was snapping away, a young surfer with the absolutely correct surfboard walked by--long story short, he let me use the board for a few minutes--thank you Kyle the surfer--he was surely an omen.

QUOTE: "Learn to recognize omens, and follow them," Paulo Coelho

WRITING TIP : I find that trusting "omens" justifies my gut feelings--this works great when writing--it reassures me that I should go in a particular direct. Yes,  it works very well until I get another gut feeling that I should go in another.

February 24, 2018 Sugar Island Bakery will be hosting an author signing. Five local authors will be attending. (More info on the authors will be posted shortly)This should be an outstanding event with. authors answering questions, telling you a bit about their books and sharing the writing experience. Hope you'll be there to enjoy the ambiance with a warm drink and one of the bakery's yummy desserts.

Hmm---how'd that happen?  At least I still have my arches. Oh yes! this is a blog about writing--Started my new book THE MERMAID DID IT (the fourth in the murder series). Learning lots of stuff.
PELAGIC--the love story-- is at the editor's. Hopefully it will be out the end of this month. Got  my fingers crossed.
 I was reminded, as I wrote the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT  page for PELAGIC, of how much I learn when I write a book. So many people offer ideas and info, even inadvertently, I am always learning.
We do nothing on our own, sometimes others carry us, hold our hand, point a direction or stimulate us in some way.  Isn't that like, WAY COOL.

QUOTE: "A wise man can learn more from a foolish question than a fool can learn from a wise answer." - Bruce Lee

WRITING TIP: Never think you do it alone--research and listen.

The pelicans are out and about, love watching them glide through the sky. I still think they look like prehistoric pterodactyl creatures. Makes me think about time and exactly what it is.

QUOTE: "Time is like the ocean, always there, always different-" Ogden Nash

WRITING TIP: often when I write I lose track of time and before I know it hours have passed and I haven't even noticed. I love those times when there is not time, when I am lost in my art. This is the goal.

Obviously it was a frigid night. But what a beautiful morning as I awoke to all the snow. Hope it hangs around for a few days, it is so beautiful. Sharing a few pictures I took while walking on the beach this morning.

too pretty for words

snow angel

little sandpipers, their feathers puffed out for warmth

not much traffic.

HAPPY NEW YEAR Y'ALL.  Hope 2018 brings good health, modest wealth (too much money corrupts) bluer skies, slimmer thighs, good mental state, less hate, support from above and lots of love.

This photo was taken in '66 --geez that was so long ago. I vaguely remember sticking my tongue out at my sister as she snapped the photo. Rarely did I take the bathing suit off and my bed was always sandy. Momma used to get mad about that; I never understood why, the sand didn't bother me at all.

QUOTE: "It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happinesss"-Charles Spurgeon

WRITING TIP: you have to truly love writing to put yourself through the emotional torture of it.