Elizabeth Varadan's Fourth Wish

Elizabeth Varadan's Fourth Wish Has Moved - And Corrected the Link: "HERE" should take you there now.

2023-01-15T02:42:00.002-08:00

Please come visit me on my blog, HERE

I'll be blogging about travel, art, writing, at my new location and would love to see you at the new site.

Meanwhile, Victorian Scribbles will still continue, so if you are interested in the Victorian Era or The Gilded Age, please visit that site as before.

THE NIGHT AFTER CHRISTMAS . . .

2022-12-27T04:03:00.001-08:00

'Twas the Night AFTER Christmas

And all through the town

EVERY person was stirring - 

Even a clown!

We took our evening walk last night and the historic area was jumping!

Outside A Brasileira, a popular cafe
The clown. 

Does Braga ever sleep? Everywhere was so lively. Shoppers, tourists, locals, families . . . Luckily, it wasn't raining, so the outdoor tables were packed, and there were few empty tables inside cafes and restaurants. This city comes alive at the drop of a hat!

I love the Christimas lights in all the main streets. These are along Rua do Souto, a major shopping street with cafes and stores and often street musicians, although we didn't see/hear anyone last night. The beautifull young dog you see in one picture is a Czech wolf! We had a chat with the owners. He's very friendly, has a really sweet disposition. 

Later in our walk, we went to a café bar we like for a glass of wine - Patio da Sé. (Outside, the patio/pedestrianized street dead-ends into the Sé Catedral, a national monument). That place was packed, too, both downstairs and upstairs, where we found a table. 

Our Christmas this year was on the quiet side, although on the 26th and yesterday (Boxing Day), thanks to the wonders of WhatsApp, we were able to talk to relatives and godfamily in the US and India. Earlier in the week we met with our "Portuguese family" and other friends here, which made for a contentful season in our new home.

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas, wherever you are, and will have a wonderful 2023, full of peace and happiness and all good things. If you are in the U.S., I hope you are out of the path of storms that have been sweeping through America on the east coast and midwest. 

Take care, and let me know how you are. 

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

2022-12-21T03:03:00.000-08:00

Wishing you all a happy Christmas season and/or whatever other holidays you celebrate instead.

In Braga (and all over Portugal), the wish is Feliz Natal e Feliz Ano Novo, or Boas Festas (Good Holidays.)

Here are a few shares from the main plaza areas to brighten your week.

This is the main Praça República tree

Yes, a street full of Santas my husband saw on his walk.

And the university students, who are not in classes during this time, form groups called "tunas" that put on little performances around the historic area. Enjoy

May your days be full of love and peace and happiness, and may the new year bring more peace in the world, which we greatly need at this time.

See you all after the 25th.

With love and hope, Elizabeth

Meanwhile, Now That We're Back In Braga . . ..

2022-12-09T03:22:00.005-08:00

It's wonderful to be here. The Christmas season is upon us, and it's being celebrated brilliantly (i.e., with lot's of lights and window displays.)

Roasted chestnuts on
a cold night.

The tree at Praça República

Closer to the tree. Isn't it
beautiful?

These two pics were part of the same window display

I have always liked window displays, miniatures, and animated scenes. All these little scenes were animated. I was entranced.

Then last evening we were doing one of our walk-abouts — in the rain, no less — and the rain didn't seem to daunt anyone else, either. Rain or shine, tourist come and locals turn out to shop and then have a drink or a bite in one of the many cafés, bars, and restaurants.

And on a previous afternoon, when it wasn't raining, so many were sitting at outside tables and some were eating ice cream cones. But it is amazing: What once would have struck me as weather too cold to get out and about in now seems just . . . invigorating.

But never too cold for a parade! In Braga, any time is a time to celebrate, and there is a fabulous drumming group that comes out for all these celebration. We followed them around for a while, and what struck me was how musical drums can be. They even seemed to change key at times. I got only a photo or two and one short video, but you can see the little girl skip-dancing to the beat as the crowd follows the drummers around the corner.

The drummers and
crowd.

I have to confess, Christmas is my favorite holiday, and the Christmas season is my favorite time of the year. (Well, I love fall - which is also very beautiful here):

How about you? Do you like animated miniatures? What is your favorite holiday and season?

The Poet, Seamus Heaney

2022-11-30T02:19:00.005-08:00

Recently, while mulling over my next mystery to write, I've been reading a lot of poetry. A couple of weeks ago, I stumbled on this beautiful collection of Seamus Heaney's poems—100 of them over the course of his publishing life, compiled by his children and wife.

This is a picture of the cover shown on the book I bought at my favorite bookstore here in Braga, Portugal (Centésima Página), but you can go to Amazon to get a copy if you are a poetry lover, and especially if you are a fan of Heaney's poetry.

I love poetry and have read it off and on, quite haphazardly, through the years, so I've encountered his name. Also, a former writing teacher quoted one of his poems often—the first one in this collection, as a matter of fact: "Digging." Beautiful language and lingering images. But I had never settled down to read more of his poetry until I got this collection.

I am simply spellbound! His poems paint portraits that come alive, tell stories in scenes that put you right there. He retells history. He was an Irish poet and has that magical, musical way with words. (I have always been a W. B. Yeats fan for the same reasons.)

I purposely have been reading these poems just a few at a time, so as to savor them and not let them all run together in a mishmash. And I highly recommend this book for a soothing entry into places that beckon on a cold, rainy day—which is what we've been having off and on lately in Braga.

How about you? Are you a poetry lover? If so, who is your favorite poet? (I'm always interested in recommendations.) Have you read Heaney's poetry before?

Back In Braga, for Good This Time. And Some Book-Related Shares . . .

2022-11-26T03:17:00.001-08:00

It's great to be back. It's raining here, which Portugal needs, although the drought areas are mainly in the south and Braga is in the North. But the first few days of rain, it was a warmish springlike rain, and it's always so pretty to see what rain does to the colors everywhere. In the top left picture, the beautiful gardened area of Avenida da Liberdad near the Praça República is sporting begonias. (They plant different plants each season, and each year, so it never seems redundant.) The picture on the right is on Avenida Central, near the hotel where we stayed.

Then the Saturday after arrival, we went to Monforte in Galicia, Spain, where we rent a small apartment, to get some dishes, pots and pans, and some grains and spices we had stored there, as well as the car we had in a garage. We traveled up to Monforte — about 2 & 1/2 hours north of us by car, but we traveled by bus and train and then drove back after a few days, resting up and visiting only a couple of friends, saving our social visits for the future.

While we were there, the teacher at the Escola da Idiomas EOI Monforte invited me to talk about my books, especially the mysteries set in Braga, and about the writing process. She did a beautiful job of displaying all my published books and especially the Braga mysteries.

I enjoyed the experience so much. All the students were adult, learning English (and many were quite fluent). I always loved teaching the elementary grades when I was a full time teacher, but this experience made me realize I might well have enjoyed teaching adults. It's a very different experience.

For one thing, one of the students took notes! (That doesn't tend to happen in 6th grade, lol.)

But I also had a nice writerly experience before we left Sacramento. A woman we met at one of our open mic nights at Fox and Goose - no, not Karioke, but musicians showing up with their guitars to play and sing blues and folk and rock and country every Monday night. We were listeners only.

Anyway, a week before we left Sacramento I was interviewed by Donnella Fraser Fradkin (a terrific singer of country and blues) for her Vlog, BookMeUp. You can see it at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-2XcvMJg9I

YOUTUBE.COM

Elizabeth Varadan - What Makes A Writer Write?

I enjoyed this interview so much because it was so relaxed and in such a conversational style. Donnella is an excellent interviewer. I hope you will go take a peek and leave a comment. Meanwhile, it makes for a very happy memory before departure.

But - we are here to stay. Whew! What a year. What a two years, in fact!

On Our Way - and a Book Review and Interview with Michele Drier

2022-11-02T08:49:00.006-07:00

We are in a hotel for two days before we leave first for Pittsburgh (tomorrow) to visit Rajan's brother and family, and then for Portugal (Saturday, arriving Sunday.) We are excited to return, and yet we treasure the time we've had here meeting up with friends and family, visitng favorite places like Pacific Grove above, and of course, I was happy to meet with writers and poets and have a bookstore signing. We even squeezed in three visits to Crocker Art Museum. But we are ready to go home.

While we were packing up and cleaning out things, getting ready to go, I did get a chance to read and re-read a terrific mystery by Michele Drier, Tapesty of Tears. It's the second book in her Stained-Glass series, and I wrote a review of it, which I'm posting here, as well as some interview questions she was kind enough to answer.

The Review:

Tapestry of Tears is Book Two of Michel Drier’s new Stained-Glass Mystery series, featuring Rosalind (Roz) Duke., an internationally known stained-glass artist.

Rosalind, a widow, moved from LA to a quiet beach town on the Oregon coast, hoping to resolve her grief and the unanswered questions about her husband’s death. But death seems to stalk her. In Book One (Stain on the Soul) Roz becomes a reluctant sleuth when a neighbor is killed with one of her tools. In Tapestry of Tears, Roz travels to England and France to study how she might translate portions of the embroidered Bayeux Tapestry to stained glass form, capturing colors used in medieval glass. While visiting a small church in England, she encounters a dead body and soon finds herself the target of the killers.

This book has so many layers for a reader to enjoy. 1. The mystery itself: Who was the dead body and why was he killed? 2. Believable, three-dimensional characters: Roz is sympathetic and likeable, as are Hal Fitzroy (the local Detective Inspector) and Liam (Roz’s friend in Portland who is currently dog sitting.) And the villains in this piece are truly villainous. 3. Richly textured settings in coastal England and in France, as well as a dip into the history of the Norman Invasion. 4. Good plotting that keeps the pages turning. There is more than stained-glass involved, and soon Roz is cooperating with DI FitzRoy who, in turn is working with Interpol to track down a human trafficking ring. 5. A peek into how countries work together to solve international crime. And 6. Fascinating explanations (that are so well woven into the unfolding story, they never distract) of how stained-glass windows and art pieces are crafted.

This is the kind of book that is pleasurable to read more than once (as I have), and I highly recommend it.

The Interview

1. Your protagonist, Rosalind Duke, is an internationally famous stained glass artist, a unique choice for a sleuth. How did you decide on her profession?

I wanted her to have a unique career and reflect my own selfish interests! I’ve always had a career, even as a single mom, so her passion underlays all her other relationships.

2. Did you know much about stained glass before you started writing this series? Or is your information mainly based on research?

A mishmash. I’ve always been stunned at the beauty of medieval stained glass but am having to research the manufacturing methods. I’m trying to track down exactly what made the light through medieval stained glass so nuanced during the day

3. If the latter, have you been tempted to do any stained glass work yourself?

Yes, years ago. In the 60s I was chipping away at GE requirements and took an Art History class. We could write a paper or do a project and, even though I was a reporter for the San Jose Mercury News and wrote every day, I decided on a project, a Celtic Cross in stained glass. Not very refined, nothing like Roz’ work, but I learned the rudiments and enjoyed it.

4. How did you happen to choose the Bayeux Tapestry for Rosalind’s project?

So much of Roz’ career choice is centered around religious motifs, I wanted her to have meaningful beyond-commercial designs and work. I’m a history buff, and her work is in a decidedly medieval discipline that centered on religion, so this was a challenge.

5. The historic aspects of the tapestry and the events leading up to the Norman invasion added so much to the story. Are you a history buff? If so, have you been particularly interested in this part of history?

Yes, I’m a history buff, primarily medieval European and I’m gaga for Gothic architecture, art, glass. It probably comes from having spent a lot of growing-up time with my grandmother in her apartment on Nob Hill, watching the final touches (and glass) being put on Grace Cathedral in San Francisco.

6. Rosalind’s plight as a widow with unanswered questions about her husband’s death makes her a particularly sympathetic character. Did she just come to you as a character (some do, I know), or did you have to do a lot of work puzzling her out?

I knew I wanted her to be an off-beat cozy protag, but her backstory of her husband, Winston, being murdered in LA gave her an edge. She needed motivation to uproot her comfortable life in LA and take on a life alone, so as I began to think of her, her vulnerabilities and her coping strategies, she came to me as a whole. At the end of the first book, Stain on the Soul, Winston’s murderer is caught, but Roz still has questions about why he was at the place of the drive-by shooting.

7. Reading the book, the settings seem so visual and immediate, the flow effortless. Have you traveled a lot to England and France? LA and Portland?

Yes and no. I’ve been to England and France, not nearly as much as I want! I’ve spent time on the coast of Kent and seen the Tapestry so all the settings are real, places I’ve been. Even the Dymchurch Railway and the castle and church at Lympne. I lived in Southern California for several years, although not right in LA, and have relatives in the Portland area.

8. What is your writing routine? Do you write regularly? Now and then? Special time of day?

It’s been sporadic this year due to health issues, but usually I try to write at least 4-5 days a week. On good days, when I’ve cleared my calendar and am in the groove, I can write about 3,000 words a day, but I’ve eased off a bit and now shoot for 5,000 words a week. Because I’m a news junkie and always have some contemporary events in my books, I spend a couple of hours each morning reading online news sources (NY Times, Washington Post, CNN, Reuters, Axios, Politico, CalMatters). I try to recap the WIP to date before lunch then put in writing time from about 2 to 5 p.m.

9. How do ideas come to you? What is your writing process?

I read pretty widely and voraciously so I clip, save, make notes on weird or interesting things I run across. The basic plot for Tapestry grew from a small story about some 30,000 pieces of medieval stained glass found in the attics of Westminster Cathedral during renovation work. That factoid lived on a sticky note for a couple of years before I had a chance to use it.

10. Plotter or pantster or somewhere in between?

Pantser. I’m the one who, in school, wrote the paper THEN outlined it. I guess my mind goes for the whole then I fill in the pieces.

11. Are there many more adventures planned for Rosalind Duke? Or do you just think in terms of the next one, and then the next one.

The third Roz Duke story, Resurrection of the Roses, is in the writing stages now. I have about 15,000 words. Resurrection takes Roz and Liam (with Tut!) to France where she’s been invited to give a presentation on medieval stained glass at the Sorbonne. She’ll spend time in French cathedrals and Liam will research and write about French wines. After that? We’ll see what she has up her sleeve.

12. Any advice for budding writers?

Read, read, read. And write, write, write. This is storytelling and it doesn’t matter if your work is character-based or plot-based, the story is the most important factor. And don’t get too wound up in the dos and don’ts of writing, this is communication and you’re writing stories for others to enjoy, learn from, savor.

Most important: READ, READ, READ.

Michele Drier is a fifth-generation Californian and spent better than 20 years as a reporter and editor at California daily newspapers. She writes traditional mystery series (The Amy Hobbes Newspaper Mysteries and The Stained-Glass Mysteries) and paranormal romance (an 11-book series, The Kandesky Vampire Chronicles) as well as a stand-alone medical thriller, Ashes of Memories. She is the past president of Sisters in Crime chapters, Capitol Crimes and the Guppies, was the co-chair for Bouchercon 2020, the world’s largest and oldest mystery fan convention and is currently the president of the NorCal chapter of Sisters in Crime.

The Book:

The Author

Visit her webpage, www.MicheleDrier.me

Or her Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/AuthorMicheleDrier

Or find her on her author page at http://www.amazon.com/Michele-Drier/e/B005D2YC8G/

Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08P41FKJY\

How about you? Are you interested in stained glass? Have you ever had class that later gave you the inspiration for a book? Have you ever seen the Tapestry? (I sure would like to.) Do you like mysteries that take you to faraway places?

I Have Not Disappeared

2022-10-30T11:47:00.002-07:00

Just packing, taking trips to Goodwill, hiding out during house showings, and finishing up goodbye visits and doctor visits.

I've been finishing reading a good book, too, that I want to review soon.

We leave Sacramento November 3rd, go to Pittsburgh to visit Rajan's brother and wife, and then on the 5th leave for Portugal. We move out of the house into a hotel on November 1st to finish emptying the house. We already voted earlier and had our ballots acknowledged. I'm hoping to get my review done before we leave - maybe at the hotel. Then I may have to go dark for another week while we arrive in Braga and acquire WiFi in the flat. I'll be online until November 3rd and will try to peek in on your sites.

Meanwhile, HAPPY HALLOWEEN TO YOU ALL.

The Crazyness of Our October

2022-10-22T12:19:00.003-07:00

The long silence this time is due to the crazyness of our October - shown in this calendar:

We've crammed in visits with friends, doctor appointments, poetry meetings, house showings with our real estate agent, etc. 

It started off with a bang with my book signing on October 8th at Avid Reader. There was a nice turn-out and I sold some books, but the biggest pleasure was seeing family and friends again. Here are a few samples below:

My husband took some pictures, and my grandniece's husband took some. (The flowers are from this lovely family.) Many friends came whom I hadn't seen since before Covid lockdowns. 

The Book Signing:

Meanwhile: This Sunday night I'm pleased to be reading again for the Chapparal Poets at 4 pm, courtesy of Rick Costa, who invited me to a reading from Portugal last year. I will be reading from my as yet unpublished chapbook, Dreaming of Galicia.

Then Monday, I'll be interviewed by George Cramer about Deadly Verse on his super blog at https://gdcramer.com/ . I'm really excited about this. An author himself (Robbers and Cops; The Mona Lisa Sisters, published by Russian Hill Press, all available on Amazon.com), George Cramer interviews well-known authors in great depth. A couple of weeks ago he interviewed Terry Shames, one of my very favorite mystery authors! So I feel quite honored to be interviewed by him. 

Please do drop in Monday and say hello. (See above link.) Drop in today, too, to learn more about him on today's blog post: the tables were turned and he was intervied!

As for pictures of our get-togethers with friends, sadly, I get so involved in the conversations these days, that I forget to take pictures. However two astute friends recently did whip out their cameras, so we have a couple of visual memories to take back with us: On the right, earlier this month we got together with Nancy Herman and her husband Tom. Nancy and I originally were in a writing group together - and still are, although it's gone mainly online in the form of manuscript exhanges. On the left, our friends and neighbors Alice and Bill Welborn wined and dined us Thursday for one of the most relaxing afternoons and evenings we've had in ages. They were babysitting a cute dog named Riley, who was quite sociable, as you can see. I am looking forward to more relaxing days like this when November unfolds . . . .

How about you? Does life ever get too busy for you? Do you ever get so involved in conversations that you forget to photograph a special get-together? Do you keep in touch with friends from afar? And . . . do you babysit pets for friends? Are you a pet person? If so, dog or cat? (Hubby and I are both.)

So Here Is What Has Been Happening . . ..

2022-09-30T15:02:00.006-07:00

So here is what has been happening that has kept me too busy to post, but not too busy to read and relax from all the hustle and bustle: One big thrill is my book signing coming up. But here is bigger thrill (for us):

Rajan and I are moving back to Portugal. I know this is a surprise, but we find we miss the European lifestyle and the slower pace of life, and we would like to finish our days in Braga. Life here in the states is too intense, too stressful, way too expensive (for us). And, since we aren't downtown anymore, to go anywhere for any reason (grocery shopping, bank, doctor appointments, coffee with friends, eating out, whatever) requires lots of driving. When we were in Braga, we could walk to all of these things. (Luckily, we still have our flat there, as we canceled the sale.)

True, we worried earlier that in the future one of us may have to have medical procedures that take one to a different city and there might be transportation problems. Well, since we now are in a suburb and not in Midtown or downtown, we are in the same plight here: It's a sweet neighborhood with nice neighbors, AND . . . it's a suburb. Once we can no longer drive, we'll be stranded. Our other worry had been whether we can become fluent in Portuguese: Well, that's on us. We have the time if we take the time, and we had (and will have again) a very good tutor.

One good thing is that we've been able to visit some family and several friends - something we couldn't do when we left California before, because everything was still in lockdown. Now that we have gotten some very important visits in, I think we'll be able to "let go". I was able to attend some poetry group meetings and I have the book signing coming up on October 8th, but . . . our hearts really are in Portugal.

We are leaving on November 3rd. I'll be posting before then because a lot of things have been taken care of. Meanwhile, wish me luck for a good book reading/signing on October 8th (2 pm, The Avid Reader on Broaday, 1945 Broadays, if you are in Sacramento. And if you are not, you can learn more aout the book HERE.)

Question: Have you ever decided to reverse a poor decision? Or did you just stick with it and hope you would soon adjust to it?

But actually . . . .

2022-09-28T09:54:00.002-07:00

There are additional reasons I've been too busy to post, but I will be back soon, posting away.

Too Busy To Post Because . . ..

2022-09-17T09:43:00.002-07:00

I've been on a reading binge. Oh the pleasures of reading a good book!

A HAPPY COINCIDENCE

2022-09-03T10:03:00.001-07:00

I subscribe to "Poem-a-Day" at Poets.org and the site sends . . . a poem a day. Some I like and save in a folder, and some I don't and delete. I saved this one. (Check out the site by clicking the link.)

Naturally I loved today's poem, a sonnet by Luís Vaz de Camões, the famous Portuguese Renaissance poet who figures so prominently in my mystery, Deadly Verse.

I seriously doubt this was the sonnet in my book. The sonnet of my mystery is handwritten, original, and never-before-published. (And therefore worth a lot of money and worth killing for.) But it was exciting to get a poem by Camões in my inbox! Since it is in the public domain, I'll share the English translation here: (No, I did not tranlate it - alas, my Portuguese is not that good. It was translated by an Irishman back in the day, Viscount Strangford.) The Mondego of the poem is the river of Camões's beloved city of Coimbra. Here is the poem in English:

Sonnet VIII

Mondego! thou, whose waters cold and clear Gird those green banks, where fancy fain would stay, Fondly to muse on that departed day When Hope was kind and Friendship seem’d sincere; —Ere I had purchas’d knowledge with a tear.—Mondego! though I bend my pilgrim way To other shores, where other fountains stray,And other rivers roll their proud career, Still—nor shall time, nor grief, nor stars severe, Nor widening distance e’er prevail in aught To make thee less to this sad bosom dear; And Memory oft, by old Affection taught, Shall lightly speed upon the plumes of thought, To bathe amongst thy waters cold and clear!

And here is a little blurb bio about Camões:

"About this particular sonnet, Strangford writes, 'The earliest and happiest years of [Camões’s] life were passed at Coimbra. The walls of that town were bathed by the river Mondego, to which this beautiful Sonnet is addressed.”'

I can't say Camões is my favorite poet because I have so many, but I will say that after reading about him and reading translations of many of his sonnets, the sonnet is growing on me.

How about you? Do you like poetry? Do you have a favorite poet or poem? A favorite poetry form? And have you had any happy coincidences lately?

HAPPINESS IS:

2022-08-31T16:18:00.002-07:00

So these came this week!

Now I'm getting ready for a book signing on October 8th. (Stay tuned.)

Meanwhile, we had lunch today with old friends, and that made me happy, too. We hadn't see them since before Covid.

Happiness is always great to share. Share your happiness this week.

A Humorous Mystery Writer Answers a Few Questions

2022-08-21T10:26:00.000-07:00

Some time ago I posted a review of Cindy Sample's latest cozy mystery, Birthdays Are Murder, which is the start of her new series: (You can revisit the review HERE)

Ever since then, I have wanted to interview Cindy to find out more about what inspires her humorous tales. But she is one busy lady, so I had to wait a little. Here are a few questions she answered for me. More than anything, she appears to value having fun as part of her writing process.

Enjoy:

1. How long have you been writing? And how long have you been writing mysteries?

My first mystery was written more than a half century ago and was an immediate literary success—Cindy Parker and the Haunted Mansion received an A+ from my third-grade teacher. That success inspired me to finally start writing my eight-book Laurel McKay Humorous Mystery series.

2. You’ve had great success with your Laurel McKay mysteries. What prompted you to start a new Sierra series?

Sierra Sullivan is Laurel’s cousin and was first featured in Dying for a Diamond when she served as the cruise director for Laurel’s honeymoon cruise. It was fun to create a spinoff series in a new location and with a totally new cast of characters. Definitely more work but still fun.

3. Formerly Sierra worked as a cruise director, singing and dancing in productions. In Dying for a Double, Laurel is recruited from movie extra to filling in for the star, who’s gone missing. Have you had acting and singing experience? Or did you rely solely on research.

The experts say to write what you know which is what I did with the Laurel McKay Mysteries. I have zero acting and singing experience and zero talent although I love watching musicals, plays etc. This would be a case of write what you want to learn more about.

4. Are any of your characters inspired by people you have known?

My characters are completely fictional. They walk into my books without any help from me.

5. I know characters can become real for an author, in that you can get attached to some of them. Have any of your characters become “favorites?”

Laurel’s co-worker and good friend, Stan Winters, who also has a love of performing, is a crowd favorite. And her grandmother is a true scene stealer.

6. Once you get an idea for a story, about how long does it take for you to write the book?

I am a very slow writer and in the past few years have dealt with a myriad of medical issues. I have a very vivid imagination though, so there are plots galore that still need to be turned into new books. If only my fingers could type faster or dictation software could understand what I’m saying.

7. Can you describe your writing process?

My writing process is erratic at best. Some weeks I binge write very successfully while other times I’d rather read or watch BritBox (I refer to that as research). Once the first draft is done and the beta readers have shared their comments (which can be all over the place) I begin my revision process.

8. Do you ever write in other genres?

My goal is to entertain readers and put a smile on their face so I’m sticking with writing humorous mystery series.

9. Any advice for young or new writers?

Never give up. Learn everything you can about writing craft. There are wonderful books and workshops, many that specialize in a particular genre. Take your time absorbing all the elements in writing a great book. Join online or local writing groups. Networking can be immensely helpful on your journey.

For those of you who would like to know more about Cindy Sample and her books, you can visit her Amazon Author Page or her website, where you can also contact her.

How about you, blog readers? When you read, do you read for fun or for other motivations? What kind of book do you like best? If a mystery, what kind of mystery do you like best?

THE ROOSTER OF BARCELOS

2022-08-11T09:32:00.000-07:00

This cute little fella was a gift from a friend we made at a bar/restaurant in the Burgus Tribute and Design Hotel in Braga. We often walked there to have a glass of wine and a bowl of some of the most delicious pistachios ever and chat with the wait staff, Sara and Ricardo. Burgus also makes delicious omelets and a few times we had dinner there. The evenng before we left Braga, we walked again to Burgus to say goodbye. Sara wasn't in, but left this rooster with Ricardo as goodbye gift, and while I have it on the mantelpiece now in our furnitureless livingroom, eventually it will have pride of place on a special shelf when our shipping arrives.

The Rooster of Barcelos is a famous folk tale in Portugal, and thanks to its fame, in almost any tourist shop, you can find dishtowels, potholders, statuettes, refrigerator magnets, whatever, all imprinted with the rooster. It has become an icon or symbol in Portugal.

Here is the folk tale: There are varying versions, but they all add up to the same story: (It is also told by one of the characters in my new mystery, Deadly Verse.)

A man was passing through Barcelos, and stayed at an inn. In some versions, he is a Galician pilgrim on a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostelo. In Barcelos, some silver was stolen, and the pilgrim - a stranger in town - became the suspect. He was arrested and condemned to hang. But he begged to be taken to the judge, and it so happened the judge was getting ready to eat a cooked rooster. The pilgrim, protesting his innocense, told the judge that the moment he was hung the dead rooster would begin to crow. Well, the judge lost his appetite, but didn't change the verdict. And, as the pilgrim predicted, the moment he was hung, the rooster stood up and began to crow. This made the judge realize his error, and he rushed to the gallows. As luck would have it, the noose had been tied with a defective knot and the pilgrim didn't hang after all.

You may wonder about the strange shape of the rooster statue in this picture. It's in the shape of a Portuguese guitar, because Sara knows how much Rajan and I both love Fado, that distictive Portuguese song form like no other. In traditional Fado, the singer is accompanies by two musicians, one on acoustic guitar and one on Portuguese guitar. The Portuguese guitar has a distinctive sound similar to the sound of the strings on a Greek bouzouki, which we also love.) So this little guy has a double pleasure and sentimental value for us.

Speaking of music, Monday evening we met our friends Alice and Bill at the Fox & Goose to hear some great playing (and singing). It was open mic night, hosted by two fabulous guitar players who took us back to music of the 60s & 70s, bluegrass, country western, blues, folk, folk rock. Other people often come to sing and play, too. The woman you see in the photo on the right sings and plays a terrific violin.

How about you? Do you have any favorite folk tales to share? Do you have a favorite kind of music you like to listen to? Is there an open mic evening in your area?

Deadly Verse is Live, and Two More Shout-outs.

2022-08-06T09:46:00.002-07:00

Today Deadly Verse went live in paperback at Amazon. You can check it out HERE. Needless to say, I'm excited to see this finally in print.

The Shoutouts: I love how many of these bloggers all know each other and are part of such a supportive community:

1. Today, Mark Noce posted a nice highlight on his blog at Mark Noce Stories. You can click on the highlight "blog at".

Mark wrote two acclaimed historic mysteries about a Medieval Celtic Queen Branwen in Wales. Gripping reads, both of them, and he has more on the way. He has a terrific blog and highlights other authors and their books. Do go check it out.

2. Yesterday is the day Sandra Cox's shoutout went live: Do visit it. Some of you are already familiar with her super blog: It's always a fun read and it's terrific. She posts about quite a range of things from inpirational memes to funny ones and always has great thoughts for the week-end. She also writes best-selling romance novels (paranormal, western, time travel). You can see a nice selection of them on her blog.

Back to the book rlease and shoutout, she posted an excerpt from the book and got my confession on some foolish things I've done for the sake of a scene in one of my books. You can see her blog HERE  . Have a great week-end. 

Some Nice Shout Outs from Great Blog Sites

2022-08-03T08:35:00.003-07:00

Recently four blog friends have given my new book shoutouts on their blogs, and there are more to come. I would like to share their blogs with you for other reasons, as well. All are accomplished writers, and all of them post interesting articles about writing that I'm confident you would enjoy:

Here are the links: Just click on the name of the blog to go to the site.

Vicki Lane Mysteries - A wonderful blog by a mystery writer who also teaches writing and who wrote the marvelous historical novel, And the Crows Took Their Eyes.

Rosi Hollinbeck - The author posts about MG and YA fiction as well as sharing terrific book reviews and offering giveaways in those genres. A wealth of information at this site. In this particular post, mine is the second book mentioned.

Geri Schear - Schear is an award winning author of Sherlock Holmes related stories and novels and has written the delightful Sherlock Holmes and Lady Beatrice series. Her articles offer excellent writer advice.

Denise Covery and Silver Tree - Denise write contemporary and paranormal romance novels and addresses a variety of writing issues on her blog. Her shoutout today deals with the question of how travel influences writing.

All of thse are great sites to visit, so I was more than pleased to be able to be part of their posts. (And more are coming! Stay tuned.) One of the great pleasures of the Internet is the community of like-minded friends one meets. I have made many writing and art friends online from all over the world.

What is one of the things you enjoy most about the Internet and blogging?

Galicia - Timeless in Our Hearts.

2022-07-25T03:36:00.004-07:00

We are in Galicia right now, "resting up" from all the last intense days of preparing for the shippers to come and pack up in Braga and to prepare for the move itself (i.e., clean the flat, say our goodbyes for now, etc.). We came up to the little apartment we rent in Monforte, a charming small town with a castle, no less, and we have been visiting friends here - saying more goodbyes until next spring.

Why next spring? We had really hoped to come back in October, but the tentative date for the shipping to arrive in Oakland is September 28, and then it will take a few more days for it to reach Sacramento, so that wipes out any fall trip. We'll need the time to place furniture, unpack things, find new places for pots and pans and dishes. Whew! I hope this is our last move ever!

Meanwhile, it's lovely to be in Galicia again. Above are pictures showing what a walk by the river looks like at night. And while the heat has been suffocating, in the evening it does cool down enough with a soft breeze that the air is quite pleasant. So we took a walk to the park that edges thte river and then sat on a bench and talked for a while.

We just finished having the perfect week-end, too. Saturday we went back to our beloved village of Trasulfe where we had a house for so many years and grew so fond of our neighbors. Many of them are gone now - one by one, they have passed on. Earlier in the week we had met out previous neighbor Miguel at the Feria in Escairon for pulpo - our first Feria in three years. Here are two picture from earlier days: They drizzle the pulpo bites with olive oil, give you a loaf of bread already slashed for tearing into bits to dip in the juice and a bottle of red wine. Heaven.

Miguel was our immediate neighbor across the lane and used to bring us coke bottles full of his home made wine and sometimes full of aguardiente. The feria was just as remembered in a poem I wrote - so much community! Everyone greeting everyone and catching up on news. And the two daughters (and one of their husbands) of our dear neighbors, Manolo and Eva were there, so we caught up a little with their news, too.

Then Saturday we returned to visit neighbors at the farm down the road - Maria Elena and Antonio. Neighbors from afar, as we used to call each other. (Even though we were in Sacramento, they were still our neighbors.) Maria Elena has health problems now, and walks with a cane but her personality is as sweet as ever. And Antonio is as full of life as ever. It did our hearts good to see them again.

Here is a picture from a few years ago — when I was still taking pictures of everyone.

After our visit with them, we went across the road and visited a with other neighbors, Jesus and Milagros — whom we met again yesterday in Monforte for lunch at a pulpo restaurant. (They have a flat in town where the spend evenings, and then they stay at their original home in Trasulfe during the day. They have quite a large farm and a dog to take care of.)

After we left them, we drove into Tuiriz, planning to go to Escairon for lunch. But we passed the home of Julio and spied him in the yard, so we stopped to visit with him - and his neighbor, Pepe. Before we knew it, we were in the bodega, enjoying a glass of homemade wine, a slice of terrific cheese, and a slice of bread. (So we considered that lunch!) But it was so great to see them all again. What wonderful memories the day brought back - days of walking the dusty roads and taking pictures, stopping to talk with those we encountered. A lovely day altogether.

On another note, here is a link to the trailer for my new mystery, Deadly Verse, set in Braga, Portugal, as was the first book. Just click on the title. This is a promotional video my publisher put together, and I think they did a really good job. Deadly Verse will be released August 4th (the very day we are flying home! Isn't that weird?) Enjoy. Comments about the video are welcome, and if you are motivated to buy the book when it comes out, reviews are always welcome, as are opportunities to guest post or be interviewed. 😍 Right now, a blog friend has a nice shoutout on her blog, Vicki Lane Mysteries. She is a mystery writer, teaches writing, wrote a terrific historical novel, And the Crows Took Their Eyes, and shares good photos of the countryside where she and her husband live in western North Carolina. Well worth a visit.

Meanwhile, how about you? Do you have a favorite food that you only have now and then in special settings? Are you nostalgic about places you've lived? Do you keep in touch with neighbors even after you move?

Shipping & Packing and The Feira do Livro (Book Fair) in Braga

2022-07-07T02:40:00.002-07:00

What's on my mind? Packing and the Feira do Livro (Book Fair). The packers (7 of them!) arrived this morning at 8:30 and have been busy since. They are scheduled for two days, but they are so efficient, it could be over this evening. We have rented a room, since we won't have any furniture. It will be sstrange to see the flat so empty. 

Meanwhile, the Book Fair has stalls all along Rua Dr. Justino Cruz,   Rua Francisco Sanches, and Largo São João do Souto, where the stage at Artesan Square is being used for author readings, musical performances, poetry readings, panel discussions. I tried to get a picture of one of the discussions, but it didn't turn out. I did get pictures of the events schedules, and here is the link to tell you more about the fair - all in Portuguese, but Google does wonders. (https://www.feiradolivro.cm-braga.pt/apresentacao )    

            The picture of young musicians dressed in what looks like Renaissance attire we took on Avenida Da Liberdad just before Praça República. We think they were university students because school is out and the students do all kinds of performances around town. But they also might have been one of the Book Fair performances. Enjoy.

How about you? Do you enjoy book fairs? Have you ever gone to one?

At Last:

2022-06-24T07:58:00.004-07:00

I know I have been silent on this blog for quite a while, but two big things were going on: My publisher was putting together a promotion video for my new book, and I was posting events of the Sao Joao Festival in Braga on Facebook. Quite a festival - 10 days - and quite a video. I'll share the festival posts later, but here is the video. Please do watch. I'm thrilled with it.

Let me know what you think.

PS: I would welcome opportunities to guest post and have interviews if anyone is interest.

My Own Cozy News

2022-05-02T02:40:00.002-07:00

My other news is that my new cozy, Deadly Verse, will be released in June. The build up begins this month, but my publisher told me to feel free about splashing the cover around, so here you are:

Who is this man dressed up in Renaissance garb who looks like he is winking? Luís Vaz de Camões, a Portuguese renaissance poet and some say Portugal's greatest poet, who is famous for Os Lusíadas, his epic poem about Vasco da Gama's voyage to India.

Why does he look like he's winking? He lost an eye when, as a soldier, he fought the Moors. As was not uncommon, back in the day, he was a soldier and wrote poetry. His sonnets are considered on a par with Shakespeare's, Dante's, etc.

What does Camões have to do with a cozy mystery? Well, someone in Braga, Portugal, claims to have an original manuscript of one of his sonnets, possession of which leaves a trail of death. And, you guessed it: Carla is a suspect.

How the heck do you pronounce Camões? Hah! When the book comes out, you'll have to read it to find out. 😊

Gave you read any cozies lately? If you do enjoy cozies, do you prefer mysteries with a travel angle? Historic? Contemporary?

Another Book Review for Those Who Like Cozy Mysteries: Birthdays Are Murder

2022-04-28T05:00:00.004-07:00

I'm an afficianado of cozy mysteries, which is why I write them instead of thrillers or suspense, etc. So recently I read this delightful cozy by Cindy Sample, Birthdays Are Murder:

It’s always fun to discover a mystery full of both suspense and humor, which is why I like Cindy Sample's earlier "Dying" series. (Dying for a Double, Dying for a Daquiri, etc.) In the first book of her new mystery series set in Spindrift Cove, Birthdays Are Murder, Sample offers ample doses of both.

Protagonist Sierra Sullivan, aging actress and longtime widow, has moved to Spindrift Cove a small coastal town in the Pacific Northwest, to be near her married daughter. Formerly a cruise ship director who sang and danced in productions at sea, Sierra has taken a gig performing at a children’s birthday party to make ends meet. After the party, still in costume, Sierra discovers the body of the host. Soon after, Sierra discovers she is a prime suspect. To make matters worse, her daughter works for the police department. To make matters even worse, a new corpse turns up while Sierra is sneakily trying to find out who killed the first one.

It is hard to say more about this delightful book without dropping spoilers at every turn. And there are turns aplenty, as well as a colorful and well-rounded cast of characters. An added bonus is the wry humor that permeates Sierra’s observations as she tries to track down the killer without becoming the next victim herself.

You can get a copy of Sample's book HERE . It's available in Kindle and in paperback.

THE AUTHOR

I am hoping to get an interview with her later, but you can learn more about her on her WEBSITE.

In a future post I have news about a cozy of my own that is going to be published in June. Stay tuned.

Meanwhile, how is your own reading going? Do you have any cozies to recommend?

So Here is What Has Been Happening . . . .

2022-04-19T03:41:00.002-07:00

Dear friends: 

            So here is what has been happening that has kept us so busy: Difficult and wrenching as the decision is, we are going to move back to Sacramento in August. We LOVE Portugal. Living here has been a wonderful experience. And we love our friends here. If we were only feeling homesickness (and we do, despite how much we love it here), we would stay. 

             But we have to be honest with ourselves and our capacity to become truly proficient in the language. We are making progress and MAY become conversationally fluent (we plan to keep learning Portuguese.) But we probably never will be proficient enough to read through documents and papers and forms without hours and hours of  translation efforts, and even then we may not get it right. (After 13months, we still are not able to fully use our oven; and we can’t make head or tale of the customs forms – I have lost a birthday present and a book by clicking the wrong information.)

	What daunts us, though, is the future: We are having a great time now, because the two of us can share everything. The day will come when there is only one of us and having to navigate everything alone in a sea of not understanding is scary. The medical care we have received is outstanding. We have only used private health insurance and a private hospital so far, because our SNS (national health) clinic and the SNS hospital are a good distance from our flat. But the hospital we go to doesn’t perform major operations, deferring cardiac surgery, for example, to a hospital in Porto. (Rajan does have a cardiac condition.) SNS may do the surgeries that could come up, but eventually, one or both of us will not be able to drive. In emergencies that require an ambulance that whisk a patient off to the hills or another town, one’s spouse is not able to ride in the ambulance. Visits to the patient would be problematic. 

	We know friends would help if they could – but they have parents and relatives of their own they to take to doctor appointments, hospitals, visitations, etc., all around a full work week with long hours. They are not retired. 

	If we were about 20 years younger, with time to become throughly immersed in the language and the system, assuming we could figure out the transportation part when frail, we would risk staying; I can’t stress enough what a high point in our lives it has been to be here. But we are not 20 years younger. That's the reality.

	On another note, my next book will be coming out soon, which I’ll save for a later post. The publisher sent me a mock up of the cover, which I love, but I'll wait for the cover reveal.
        In the meantime, I’ll be posting a lot about our beloved Braga and Galicia for the remainder of our time here. This is the season of fiestas and festivals in both places. No pictures today, but there will be soon.

A LOT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW

2022-04-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

I don't mean to be unsociable, but a lot is happening right now. Good stuff, but a lot. See you soon.