Blessings and Birds

I'm sure that by now your shopping is done, gifts are wrapped, cards are in the mail, cookies are baked, and your home is decorated inside and out. Or, not. At any rate, my wish for you is that you take time amid all the hustle and bustle of the season to enjoy friendships, listen to music (here's a song for you that I wrote and my son-in-law Curtis Willey recorded: Mary's Christmas Curtis Willey/Linda Loegel ) , read a good book (there are so many out there), or simply linger over a cup of tea and count your blessings.

While you're at it, please take time to stop and think about the real meaning of Christmas--the baby boy that was born in a humble barn and grew to become Savior of the world. How great is that?

I'm celebrating Christmas in my new home and loving every moment of it. I'm hosting Christmas Eve for Cyndi and Bill and their family. If you're going to decorate, isn't it nice to have someone over to see your handiwork? Then, on Christmas Day, Cyndi is holding an open house that I'll be going to. Have I mentioned lately how glad I am that I'm on the East Coast and near family? Family is worth far more than year-round warm weather.

Speaking of warm weather, we had a couple of days this week in the high 60s - low 70s. I still have enough New England blood in me to say, "But it's December!" I took advantage of one of those days and put up five bird feeders. I can see three from the kitchen window and two from the living room window while I'm at the computer. Today the birds discovered them! They seemed to enjoy the seed, but probably not as much as I enjoyed having them stop by to visit. I have two bird houses yet to put up somewhere before nesting season starts. This is a view from the kitchen window; there's a bird on the right feeder. You may not be able to see him, but he's there.

I wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a healthy and stress-free 2018.

Quote of the Day: Then pealed the bells more loud and deep/"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep/The wrong shall fail, the right prevail/With peace on earth, good will to men. I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.

A Loving Tribute to a Godly Man

I am now home from Connecticut where I’d been for almost three weeks, staying with my sister, 78, while my brother-in-law Joe, 83, was under hospice care for his final struggle with Parkinson’s Disease.  I rode up with Cyndi and Bill, making it from Angier, North Carolina to Fairfield, CT in one day.

I can’t say enough good things about hospice. Joe had round the clock care with nurses, male and female, who were caring, efficient, people of faith. One male nurse even made breakfast for my sister one morning because he wanted to make sure she ate and kept up her strength. Another nurse came to the funeral to pay her respects.

The funeral service was the epitome of honor, respect, dignity, and love.  Joe was a Marine, then a Fairfield policeman for years. The day started with a member of the police force coming to the door to say he’d be guarding the house while we were at the viewing. Then the police honor procession carrying the flag-draped casket drove slowly past the house while we all stood outside and watched them go by, their lights flashing.

In the viewing room, two uniformed policemen stood at attention by the casket. The guards changed with a white-gloved salute every fifteen minutes. Joe was laid out in his sergeant’s uniform and badge. People came in droves to pay tribute to this godly servant and to my sister, another godly servant. 

The service itself began with bagpipes leading the more than fifteen family members into the sanctuary and ended with a Marine bugler playing Taps. In between, Tammy and Cyndi and other family members spoke from the heart about the impact Joe made on their lives. My son-in-law Curtis sang Amazing Grace. Joe’s grandson, in full Navy uniform, handed the folded flag to my sister while barely being able to contain his own grief. A reception followed where people could mingle and renew acquaintances. People had come from California, Florida, Vermont, New York, North Carolina, and other states to say “Goodbye, Joe.”

Now I’m home and able to resume my life that’s been put on hold for a few weeks while my sister learns to cope without her husband of fifty-nine years. I am more than thankful that I’m now on the East Coast where I could be there for her. Cyndi and Bill were a Godsend, making sure her every wish was carried out before she even knew what it was she wanted. In the days since, my sister has started to relax as she sheds the heavy caretaker’s mantle she’s worn for so long. Her voice is stronger than it’s been in years; I know she’s going to be alright. And at this moment, Joe is most likely asking St. Peter how he can be of assistance since it’s never been his nature to sit idle for very long, especially if someone needs help.

Goodbye, Joe, we’ll see you again one of these days.

Thought for the day: Come home! Come home! Ye who are weary come home! From the hymn, Softly and Tenderly, Jesus is Calling. This hymn was playing at the moment Joe was received into Heaven.

Here We Go Again!!

What I thought would never ever happen again, is happening.

I'm moving. Saturday. Yikes!

I was sure that when we moved here four years ago, the only way I would leave this house would be in a pine box. Well, I'm leaving and thankfully, not in a pine box but on my own two feet.

New Home

Current Home

Because of extenuating circumstances, I'm moving from the town of Garner to Angier, a little town southeast of here. It's funny, I moved across the country from San Diego to be closer to my kids. Now my move will get me even closer to Cyndi, by about half an hour. If she doesn't watch out, I'll eventually be sitting in her front yard!

I picked up the key today to the new place, a house rental on over one acre of land with a view of a meadow, pond, and trees. I'll have a covered front and back porch (now I have uncovered porches so I'm sitting in the hot sun), an airy kitchen, large office, a mud room, storage shed in the backyard, and glory be--two bluebird houses! For all this, I'll be paying less than I'm paying now each month. The downside? I'm moving out of a beautiful town with lots of conveniences into--the Middle of Nowhere. Truly.

Right now my house is crammed with boxes everywhere waiting to be loaded Saturday onto trucks. Deja vu from four years ago. I'm getting way too old for this! Thank heavens for family and friends who are more than willing to help me.

Back of House

Looking Across Street at Pond
and Meadow

My address will be: 1854 Oak Grove Church Road, Angier, NC 27501. Please make a note of it. I'm also having a landline installed so if the cell tower goes down or power goes out, I can still make phone calls and not worry if my cell phone has enough charge in it. I'll get you that number when I get it. In the meantime, my email address and cell phone number remain the same.

The next time I write to you will be from my new abode. Assuming I can find my desk, and supplies, and and and . . ..  Oh, how I hate to move!

Kitchen into Living Room

   

Looking Toward Backyard

Kitchen

Saving Lou Takes a Village to Launch

Last month I wrote to you about the launch of Tammy Sue’s book, Wounded Song, Today I’m happy to tell you about the launch of my own book, Saving Lou, held Saturday, September 23. It would have been impossible to hold an event like this by myself, so I want to give kudos to the wonderful people who made it all possible.

Barb, Maryalice, Cyndi, Bill, Clint, Edria, Jim, Marilyn, all stepped up to help with set up, sign in, picture taking, cashiering, chairs, raffle prizes, and so much more. I could write an entire blog just on the wonderful contributions each person made.  

We started with a trivia quiz with eleven questions pertaining to the ‘30s and ‘40s. No one could answer all of them, but one woman won with eight correct answers. Then four members of my writing group each read portions of my book.

Barb read from 1934, when Lou is 11. Here is an excerpt: Lou pulled out a fresh sheet of paper, held it close to his face and began to write. Dear Mom and Dad, I’m real sorry I put salt in the sugar bowl. Anna and Emma would never do that. And if Larry had lived instead of me, he probably wouldn’t have done it, either. I’m sure you wish my brother was the one who survived and not me. He wouldn’t do the stupid things I do and you’d all be happier with him than you are with me. I hope you’ll forgive me. Louis

Nancy read from 1935 when Lou is 12 and working in his dad’s dealership garage with Gus, the mechanic. Lou’s second week on the job had him working in the showroom surrounded by gleaming new Cadillacs arranged invitingly on the mirror-finish floor. Gus outfitted him with a bucket of suds and a mop and exact instructions on how to wash the floor without splashing any water on the expensive cars. . .. Lou started dancing between the cars with the mop as his partner. One moment they were bowing and twirling and the next moment Lou slipped on the wet floor. The mop went in one direction and Lou slid into the bucket of water, knocking it over and splashing water in every direction. The bucket crashed into one car and Lou crashed into another.

Ellen read from December 7, 1941 when Lou is 18 and an announcement comes over the radio that Japan had just bombed Pearl Harbor. From that moment on, all regular radio broadcasts were discontinued in an effort to keep listeners up to date on the news from Hawaii. On Monday, President Roosevelt made the sobering announcement that Congress had met and the United States had declared war on Japan. He said, “Yesterday, December 7, is a date which will live in infamy.” Three days later, while the country was still reeling from the Japanese attack, Hitler declared war on the United States. Now the country was fully involved in war on two continents.

I read a portion from 1942 where Lou, 19, having completed basic training at Great Lakes, is assigned as an aviation mechanic on the USS Hornet. After its first mission, the Hornet sails to Hawaii and Lou steps out on land to survey the devastation of charred buildings and ships and oily debris scattered across the beach. Lou thought back to when he heard the news of the Pearl Harbor attack on the radio. At that time, he was sitting safely in New Haven, now he was standing on the spot where it had happened. The full import of the event hit him that what he was looking at was more than a news item, it was tangible evidence of evil.

Jim gave the last reading, from 1945 when Lou is 21. Lou is stationed on the USS Enterprise and a kamikaze pilot is heading for the ship. Hearing a louder than usual engine noise, Lou looked around and saw a zero on course to hit the deck just a few yards away from where he was standing. For a moment, he froze as he made eye contact with the pilot, seeing fear in the young pilot’s eyes as he realized he had just seconds to live. Then Lou saw Danny standing in the plane’s path, fire hose in hand. He’s too close, thought Lou. He’ll get hit. Lou rushed over and tackled Danny, pushing him out of the way a split second before the crash. They both landed on the deck, dazed for a second, then Danny rose and scurried away to help put out the plane’s fire while Lou remained on his stomach on the deck. Suddenly a deafening boom sounded as pieces of metal and human bodies shot into the air. Lou heard cymbals crash next to his head and felt his body lift and come back down with a thud. Then everything went black.

Now for the commercial announcement. Saving Lou is available on Amazon in both print and Kindle. It’s a story for people young and old and everyone in between.

My sincere thanks to everyone who came to support and encourage me in this book launch, making it an event to remember!

Quote of the Day:The only limits to the possibilities in your life are the buts you use today. Les Brown

Wounded Song Meets Dark Chocolate

Dear Friends,

Today I have the absolute pleasure of interviewing my daughter, Tammy Sue Willey, about her memoir Wounded Song. Considering where we were a few years ago in our relationship and where we are now, it's nothing short of a miracle that we're now sitting together, able to talk on a deep and honest level about her book. Disclaimer: I love Tammy dearly so I do this interview with just a tad bit of bias!

Hi, Tammy. Let's hear a little about your current life.

I've lived in Manchester, Connecticut for the past 25-years. I’m happily married to a wonderful man, Curtis Willey, who not only is a great husband, but is a seasoned singer-songwriter who brought music back into my life.

(I love him, too.) How about a brief synopsis of Wounded Song?

I was a child born in the 1960s who grew up in a tense household that grew physically abusive over time therefore straining personal growth and family relationships.  The 1960s were on the heels of an era where you weren’t supposed to embarrass or bring shame to your family and you certainly weren’t supposed to air the family’s “dirty laundry.” Wounded Song is my personal journey of a little girl who begins to sense fear and shut down before she has the words to describe why she’s feeling uneasy. It’s about a teenager who questions if she is really being abused. It’s about a young adult who makes poor choices because of negative messages she received growing up. It’s about a woman who is determined to make sense of her past and determined to put it behind her so that she is not forever stuck in her wound. It’s about a woman who perseveres with God for a better outcome to get away from the messy hand she was dealt. It’s a journey that finds a way to forgive again and again and as many times as it takes so that the enemy doesn’t win. It’s about restoration. I decided to embrace hope because Hope will have its way, if I let it.

What prompted you to write this book?

A long, long time ago, some friends said I should write my story. I hesitated because first of all, I’m not good with proper English. Second, abuse isn’t original, so I thought who would care. Third, I had no interest in writing a book as I wouldn’t know where to begin and I didn't feel I was qualified.

Long story short, I had a conversation with myself and asked what might my story look like if I wrote a book? I know the poignant memories, but when I thought about how I would share my story, I always got stuck in my head. Finally I decided to review my journal and miscellaneous notes from over the years and I started typing out my timeline. Unlike trying to sort it out in my head, I found that as soon as I started typing, creativity flowed through me in an unblocked manner. It felt like Divine intervention. I was encouraged by the burst of energy I had so I kept going until I actually wrote a book.

How long did it take you to write it?

I began taking my story from my head to computer and started typing in February 2009. I was making such exciting progress that I set a goal for myself to be done by the summer of 2012. However, 2012 had a series of unexpected life interruptions which intercepted my plan. Some of those events added a new dimension to my book which meant I wasn’t yet done. In addition, my husband and I were affected by the economy, suffering three layoffs between us. So…I started typing in February 2009 and I hit the publish button in July of 2017. I had a book launch for August 18, 2017 where we celebrated victory over abuse!

Do you have a favorite line from the book?

It’s hard to say what is my favorite because I have found that I actually like a few lines. Because of the topic of abuse, if it’s okay, I would like to share two of them.  

“We may be stuck with our wounds, but we don’t have to be stuck in them.”

“And we don’t discover the root unless we are willing to get our hands dirty and dig.”

How can my readers get a copy?

I’m proud to say I self-published through Createspace! If your readers don’t have an account or prime shipping with Amazon, they can buy directly from the Createspace eStore. Here is the link: https://www.createspace.com/7309877

For those that prefer Amazon, go to amazon.com and put in the title of my book, Wounded Song,  by Tammy Sue Willey.

What do you do, Tammy, besides write?

I'm a special education secretary in the public schools. I also enjoy hiking and taking walks with my husband. I like to sit on our patio with the string of summer lights on and watch our backyard birds. And somewhere in the mix, there is always dark chocolate!

Do you have advice for would-be writers?

To believe that their story is unique and important! I believe that we were all designed for a purpose and while our story may not be an original topic, it is original in how we will tell it because everyone’s voice is different. Our story will be filtered through our individual experiences. It may take a long time, but don’t get discouraged and don’t give up! It takes as long as it takes until you’re satisfied it’s good enough. And at some point, let it be good enough because it will never be perfect and your story needs to be told.

Also, the other thing is to listen to your own heart so that your story is authentic and in your voice. Nobody else can tell your story but you.

What do you wish you knew when you started your book?

Grammar! Sentence structure! Where to put a stupid apostrophe! But seriously, I didn’t know those things and I still wrote a book! So don’t be discouraged. Learn along the way. But I would say, hide the red pens from your husband and stock up on dark chocolate!!!!

Success!

I honestly don’t know how to answer this. I think if I knew how long it would take and how painful the editing and rewrite process would be, and that I would get laid off during it, that my laptop would die midway through my book draft (thank God I had backed up), and that my cat would get kidnapped, and the many other life things that happened, I don’t think I would’ve started. I guess it’s why people give birth to a baby and not a 9-year old.  I also decided God and my editor were out to get me. However, I had gone to my first writers conference in 2013 (four-years after starting my book), where I heard good advice. One of the authors said to be prepared to be alone a lot. That writing is solitary and you have to say “no” to a lot of things, events, the beach, the party, etc. I did that more and more. I found that advice to be helpful because at times I thought I was going insane by spending too much time alone and at other times I thought I was stupid for writing this book. But then I’d remember her words about it being solitary, so I realized I was right where I needed to be.

What’s next for you?

I started blogging in 2014 to see if my voice, my way of telling stories, would resonate with anyone. Because I received so much positive feedback, it encouraged me to keep blogging and keep going with my book.  Now that my book is finished, I’d like to get back to blogging. Also, I’m considering starting a support group. I might even use my book and follow the questions that I put in the back of the book to help readers think about their own journey.

Tammy, I know that writing this book was difficult, having to dredge up the past, but the fact that you and I are close today and that many other people have been affected by your story, is proof that it was all worth it. 

Thank you, Mom for cheering me on through my book project and for your amazing support and courage throughout my journey!

My pleasure!

Thought for the day: ...not till the wound heals and the scar disappears, do we begin to discover where we are. Thoreau

A Book Launch Tammy Sue Style!

Tammy Sue With Her Book

On Friday, August 11, I hopped in my car and drove to Connecticut. My purpose for going (besides seeing the rest of my family while there) was to be present at the launch of my daughter’s first book, Wounded Song, nine years in the making. Her book is about growing up in a family with an abusive alcoholic father and a mother, me, who stood by and allowed the physical and verbal abuse to continue. Although I don’t come across as a saint or even a very good mother in her book, I have supported her in this endeavor since day one. (It helped to know her story has a good ending!)

Tammy's Touch 

Tammy worked on her book launch for months, planning every little detail, and, trust me, all her hard work was worth it. In one room of the church where it was held, she had lights strung around the room for ambiance, fresh flowers here and there for beauty, and all around the room were pictures from her childhood. She had a guest book, raffle tickets for free prizes, and two banners proudly proclaiming the name of her book. In another room, she had tables nicely set for refreshments.

More of Tammy's Touch

Tammy Reading

The launch of her book was held in the sanctuary where over eighty people joined her and took a seat to await her presentation. And what a presentation it was! Tammy explained the various stages she went through over the years to bring her book to fruition—from a few random thoughts, to a few written pages, to a whopping thirty pages, to finally a full-size book. She led us through her tears, joys and frustrations throughout the process to which any author can relate!

Mike, Cyndi, and Me with Tammy

Curtis, Tammy’s husband, entertained us with songs on his guitar, then Tammy had her sister Cyndi, her friend Dawn, and Curtis read passages from Wounded Song. Cyndi and Dawn then each read something they’d written to honor Tammy Sue and during a lull, my son Mike got up and said a few heartfelt words about his sister. Tammy read a passage from her book, then it was time for me to read what I’d written. When I finished, Tammy and I hugged. Then I saw that Mike and Cyndi had come forward to stand with me and we had a group hug that lasted quite awhile. When I looked up, all the guests were on their feet giving us a standing ovation.

I mention this to say that, like the book, the book launch was a testament to how a family can heal and love one another as family members should love one another. Tammy’s theme for the night was, “Hope will have its way if you let it.”  

Cyndi, Me, and Tammy With my
Award the Next Day

Loving Family Surrounding Tammy

Afterwards, Tammy Sue presented me with a treasured “Mother of the Year” award she’d lovingly created, then people lined up to get their books autographed. Because of Tammy’s book, many people came forth and spoke to me honestly about whatever situations they were in that needed healing. Wounded Song touches people's hearts and prompts open conversations and will continue to do so for as long as the Lord desires.

Stay tuned for an interview with Tammy Sue Willey about her raw, emotion-filled, book, Wounded Song. 

Quote of the Day: To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1

What it Was Wasn't Football, It Was Mayberry

How many of you remember Andy Griffith and Mayberry? Of course, you ALL do. His show is a mainstay of Americana. But did you know Andy was from Mt. Airy, NC and modeled the fictional town of Mayberry after his hometown?

Barney's Cafe

Last week Cyndi and Bill and I took more than a day trip to Mt. Airy, we took a step back in time to when life was simpler and people were friendlier. Being in Mt. Airy was like being on the set of the Andy Griffith show. We started the day with lunch at Barney’s Cafe where pictures of Deputy Fife adorn the walls. We all had a “Barney Burger” and it was hands down the best bacon cheeseburger I’ve had in a long time. We topped lunch off with ice cream at another shop. I had chocolate chip mint while Cyndi and Bill had moonshine ice cream. This is the South after all!

Russell cutting Andy's hair

We then stepped into Floyd’s City Barber Shop, formerly owned by Russell Hiatt, a barber who used to cut Andy Griffith’s hair and is now run by his son, Bill. Bill, at 71, isn’t a barber but he employs barbers so it’s still a barber shop. “Two chairs, no waiting.” Bill talked with us for nearly 45 minutes, cracking jokes and taking our picture as a memento of our visit.

The icing on the Mayberry cake was a 

tour of the town in a black and white ‘60s era squad car. We saw the house where Andy lived for nine years and is now owned by a hotel and rented out for overnight visitors. His parents bought the house in 1935 for $600. We saw the Baptist church where Andy worshiped and the school he attended. We started the tour at Wally’s garage with the siren blaring and ended back at Wally’s, again with the siren blaring.

Next to Wally’s was a replica of the courthouse and jail with Sheriff Taylor’s desk on one side and two jail cells on the other. One cell was plain—a cot and a sink, the other had a TV, rocking chair, table and lamp, and a sign indicating it was Otis’ cell. So much fun.

Even though no episodes were ever filmed there (they were all shot in Burbank), you can easily imagine Andy, Barney, Opie, Aunt Bee, Gomer, Otis and all the rest walking the streets and going in and out of the buildings. Betty Lynn, who played Barney’s girlfriend, Thelma Lou, is now 91, lives in Mt. Airy, and goes to the Andy Griffith Museum once a month to sign autographs.

Shows come and go, but I’m here to tell you that the town of Mayberry lives on, not only in our hearts but also in a little town called Mt. Airy, North Carolina.

Thought for the Day: The days may come, the days may go, but still the hands of memory weave the blissful dreams of long ago. George Cooper

God Visits the Patent Office

Once upon a time, many years ago, I worked for two patent attorneys at Union Carbide in Danbury, CT. During my two years there, I became familiar with the formality of patent jargon which led me to wonder what would have happened if God had had to apply for a patent before making humans. Here's the lighthearted result of my musings. Let me know what you think.

IF GOD HAD TO APPLY TO THE PATENT OFFICE

IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE

Hon. Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks

Washington, D.C. 20231

WOMAN

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to the manufacture of a homo sapien of

the female genus.

PRIOR ART

The principal object of this invention is to provide an improvement over

the prior art which consists of U. S. Patent No.1, which teaches the

manufacture of a homo sapien of the male genus.

As can be seen by the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the present invention, showing a considerable

improvement in the overall lines, contours and curves of the No.1

invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear view.

FIG. 3 is a front view. It will be obvious to anyone skilled in the art that

considerable changes have been made over the prior art.

In addition, it should be noted that in the present invention, the

shoulders are narrower and the hips are wider than in the prior art,

allowing for a major improvement in that the invention possesses the

capability to contain within itself an exact duplication of itself, or of the

male genus of the prior art, albeit on a smaller scale. This capability

also affords the advantage for the shape of the instant invention to

increase or grow in size over a period of nine months.

It should be further noted that the present invention has one more rib

than the previous invention, thereby increasing the strength and

stability of same.

BEST MODE OF THE INVENTION

The best mode of the subject invention is to present an improvement

over U. S. Patent No.1; to provide a complement to the No.1 patent;

and to provide a means for reproducing itself, either in kind or similar to

the genus of the No.1 patent.

CLAIMS

What is claimed is:

1. A homo sapien of the female genus possessing reproductive

capabilities.

Applicant respectfully requests that this application be favorably considered,

allowed and passed to issue at an early date.

Respectfully submitted,

GOD

EEK, It’s Murder!

Today I’d like you to meet my friend and mystery writer, Ellen E. Kennedy. She’s not only a compelling author, she’s a wife, mother, grandmother, and retired commercial copywriter, living in the Raleigh, NC area.

Welcome, Ellen! I'm excited to do this interview with you. Let’s talk about your writing career. How long have you been writing books?

Roughly seventeen years, when I began writing the first book (Irregardless of Murder) in the Miss Prentice Cozy Mystery Series, about a high school English teacher. It was first published around 2001 and then re-published in 2012, followed by Death Dangles a Participle, Murder in the Past Tense and Incomplete Sentence.

What type of writing do you normally do?

I always recommend that new writers write in the genre they most enjoy. I love cozy mysteries, a la Agatha Christie. I’ve also written Christian romance and a couple of Christian suspense novellas.

Tell us exactly what a cozy mystery is.

A cozy mystery, in my opinion, is one set in a small community where all the characters know each other well. The murder, if there is one, occurs offstage, so to speak. There is a minimum of sex and violence and little or no police procedure. Some have said a cozy mystery needs a “hook” of some kind, such as a knitting theme, or coffee, or a bakery. If that’s the case, my cozy series’ “hook” is that my character, Amelia Prentice, is an English teacher and her thoughts and speech reflect her profession.

How many books are in your series and how do they relate to each other. Introduce us to Amelia Prentice.

Amelia’s story starts in Irregardless of Murder, when she trips over the corpse of a former student in the public library. The aftermath of this incident changes her life, which is that of a single, forty-something teacher who has taught at least half the local population.

In Death Dangles a Participle, two of Amelia’s students are accused of a particularly brutal murder and she sets out to clear them. There are many side plots, including a strange lunchbox and a mysterious illness that plagues Amelia.

Murder in the Past Tense is centered around a flashback, when Amelia and her husband Gil remember the summer they worked together in the local summer theater. I especially enjoyed making up a musical, complete with lyrics, for the actors to perform. The strange disappearance of a young woman and the enigmatic life of an Adirondack hermit are intertwined.  

Give us a brief synopsis of the third book in your series, Incomplete Sentence.

Incomplete Sentence is about a ruthless killer who was found guilty of the brutal murder of his girlfriend fifteen years before, but has eluded the law, hence the title. Amelia becomes acquainted with the father of one of the victims and when she and her friends are stranded in her family B&B during an unexpected blizzard and another victim is found, she fears that the killer may be among them.

Folks, I’ve read this book and it is a page turner! Ellen, how long did it take to write this thriller? 

I worked on Incomplete Sentence for about a year. Most of the books have taken about that long.

Do you have a favorite line from the book?

I love the character of Hugh Channing, the elderly law professor and father of one of the victims. He reminds me of my own dad. Here’s a favorite quote: “Die. You can say it: die. It doesn’t frighten me. Don’t say ‘pass.’ I hate weasel words. I’ve heard my share. Lawyers use far too many of them.” He goes on to say, “The Bible is the ultimate law book. Everything stems from it, or should.”

Is it published and, if so, when and by whom and how can my readers get a copy?

Incomplete Sentence was published by Sheaf House Publishers on 2016. You can buy it or any of the other Miss Prentice mysteries from the publisher, from CBD (Christianbook.com), Amazon or B&N. It’s available in Ebook or paperback. 

What do you enjoy doing besides writing?

Until they came along, I had no idea how much I would enjoy having grandchildren. We have five and my husband and I take every opportunity to spend time with them. Another joy is the writers’ circle I mentor every Friday morning. It’s made up of some extraordinary people who turn out remarkable work. It’s a highlight of my week!  

Do you have advice for would-be writers? 

People should write whatever it is they want to read themselves. If you love science fiction, that’s what you should write. The same for romance or mystery. If you like biography, do that. It’s important to learn the basics, but don’t spend all your time learning how. Just do it, as the Nike slogan says!

What do you wish you knew when you started your writing career?

I wish I knew how hard promotion is. I thought that part would be easy, because I have a background in advertising, but it’s much more difficult in my opinion than the actual writing, which is a joy and agony by turns. But writing is well worth it, even if you’re never published. 

What are you working on now?

Earlier, I mentioned writing novellas. I’m working on a story for an anthology now, to be called I’ll Be Watching You, and one for another anthology, Christmas at the Cactus Café. Barbour is going to re-publish—for the third time—my Christian romance novella The Applesauce War, the plot of which is based on one of my favorite musicals, The Fantasticks. The novellas have proven much more lucrative than my full-length novels, but mystery novels are still my first love.

Sometime soon, I hope to finish book number five in the Miss Prentice series. The title will be The Village Idiom.

Folks, I have one word of advice for you. Don’t read this book if you plan to pick it up and only read for a few minutes. You won’t be able to put it down and before you know it, your few minutes will have turned into an hour. I know. It happened to me.

Thank you, Ellen, for a good interview and a great series of cozy mysteries. They are just the thing to take to the beach, take on vacation, or curl up by a fire with.  (I hope I didn't just dangle a participle or something!) Trust me folks, Miss Amelia Prentice is a character you won’t soon forget.

Quote of the Day: There will be time to murder and create. T.S. Eliot

Validated by Spencer Tracy

It’s been four months since the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The USS Hornet sails from Alameda, CA toward Japan on a secret mission. The navy carrier has a special unit on board—Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle accompanied by his men and their planes. Their mission: bomb Tokyo in the first retaliation for what the Japanese did to America. 

When the Hornet came within 700 miles of Japan, Col. Doolittle and his raiders climbed into their planes and roared off the flight deck toward Tokyo. The carrier that aided the successful mission was kept secret for a year, known only as Shangri-La.

So why am I dredging up history? Because to me, it’s not history. It’s what I’m absorbed in every day as I write my latest novel, Saving Lou. I’ve done a lot of research to make my book as historically accurate as possible. Over the weekend, I watched a 1944 movie, Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo, with Spencer Tracy, Van Johnson, and Robert Mitchum. Spencer Tracy played the part of Col. Doolittle. As I watched the movie, entranced, I could see my book come alive on the screen. Like seeing your baby for the first time, after feeling it for nine months.

My main character Lou Dyson joins the Navy in January ’42 and, after boot camp, is assigned as an aviation mechanic on the Hornet. In April, Col. Doolittle comes aboard to prepare for his mission. I mention this in my book and take a bit of poetic license by having a brief encounter between Lou and Doolittle. I write about getting lost in the huge ship and voila, the movie shows three of the army airmen getting lost in the bowels of the ship. Watching the movie, I could almost see Lou on the deck of the Hornet mingling with the airmen. This movie, made while the war still raged on, validated my writing and my research, and that’s a mighty good feeling.

My book isn’t finished yet, it’ll be awhile before it is, but for now, Lou and I spend time together every day. I help him come to grips with the internal conflict he’s carried within him all his life and he helps me see World War II up close and personal. I hear the bombs burst and see the skies fill with smoke. I look into the fearful eyes of the young kamikaze pilot as his plane swoops toward Lou's carrier and then I feel the heat from the explosion.

Just as Willard Manor, Leaving Mark and Finding Gary, have a connection, Saving Lou carries on that connection. I’m having a good time populating the city of New Haven, CT with my characters. I’ll let you know when the book is published.

Quote of the Day: What air is to the body, to feel understood is to the heart. Stephen Covey