Mexico’s Rainy Season is Here
Are you suffering through a heat wave? I sympathize; ours came in June and now the beloved rainy season has come to cool things off. Afternoons are still very warm, but mornings and evenings are…
I Am Not A Story Genius
This is not a review. It is a personal reaction to Story Genius by Lisa Cron. I am on page 245 Chapter 5 “Stories Grow in Spirals.” I started reading this book on approximately August…
The Holidays, Moving, and Buying a Car or How my Life Went Crazy
Moving day was January 5. First of all, my mover had moved. Apparently. Who knows where. I hired another mover for about three times as much. Then I checked with the real estate agent to…
Christmas in Mexico
Christmas is much different in Mexico than in the United States. Of course, different people celebrate differently in the States, as well, often depending on their religion. In Mexico, though, people are mostly Catholic, but…
Day of the Dead, Cohetes, and the Dogs
Day of the Dead is not on Halloween; it’s on November 1 (children) and 2 (adults). People create shrines and celebrate those who have passed. They offer food and drink for their journey to and…
My Writing Retreat and Cruise
Several months ago, I was thinking Bouchercon or Killer Nashville? Then I listened to a podcast called Writing Excuses, and I saw an ad for a Writing Cruise. “Yes! That’s it!” I forgot about other…
The Saga of my Ramshackle House
I live in a gringo-infused area of Mexico called Lake Chapala. Both beautiful and ugly, new and old, with art everywhere and cobblestone streets, Ajijic is still a real Mexican town. An added benefit–a low…
New Writer’s Block Super Fear
Listen here: Read here: Just when I was getting to the point where I thought I had it beat—I could jump in and write without a lot of delay and drama and house cleaning—I got…
Let the Rains Begin!
Thunder is rumbling, and a light, pleasant rain is falling. The rainy season has begun in Ajijic. Most residents say this is their favorite season. The preceding months are very hot, dry, and dusty. When…
How to Stop Editing a Novel—I Have No Idea
This is the last time. This is definitely it. This has to be the end. Some say when you start changing things back and forth, you’re done. I’m far beyond that. Big problem: I still…