Meeting Kimi

I recently re-edited and republished the six Aspen Grove romance anthologies. I loved re-reading all of them since I have always loved the series. I especially enjoyed Directions of Love, the winner of the 2011 EPIC eBook Award. My novella in this one contains a great deal of our personal characteristics and family stories.

I was reminded of a very special event related to this book.

In November of 2010, we were on vacation with friends in Hawaii. We decided to do some sightseeing, and one day, we went to Queen Emma’s Summer Palace. It was close to Honolulu, and our friends had never seen it. (BTW, it is a lovely way to spend a day on Oahu.)

It was a slow day, and we were the only tourists there. Each couple was assigned a different docent for the home tour. Our friends went first since we wanted to make sure they saw everything.

Then our docent appeared. She took my breath away.

At the time, I was working with the editor on the final changes to the manuscript for Directions of Love just prior to publication. I took my computer on vacation with me specifically so I could complete the book.

This young lady was the personification of the protagonist in my novella, “Finding Love in Paradise.” Kimi McGuire was half Irish and half Hawaiian. She was raised in our fictional town of Aspen Grove, Colorado, but went to Hawaii to attend college at the University of Hawaii.

After staring at her for a while, I finally apologized and told her about Kimi. I had described her as tiny with long straight, dark hair, dark eyes, and fair skin. There she stood in front of me.

After I described my character and we began to talk, the similarities became even more striking.

Our docent shared Kimi’s ethnicity: Irish and Hawaiian. They both attended UH at Manoa, and both studied anthropology. Kimi worked at the Bishop Museum in Honolulu, and our docent volunteered at the Queen Emma Summer Palace while attending college. Both were interested in their own Hawaiian heritage.

I don’t remember much about the tour, but our conversation with our docent remains vivid.

I wrote down her name somewhere. (I lost it shortly thereafter.) I gave her one of our author cards and wrote the name of the book on the back. I asked her to email us so I could let her know when the book was published. I never heard back from her.

I often base my characters’ appearance on other people: friends, movie and TV stars, etc. This was the only time I wrote a fictional character and then met the personification of the character in person.

I really wish she had contacted me or that I remembered her name. (It was unusual.) But I’ll never forget this lovely young lady.

Out With the Old—In With the New

A new year. A new decade. A new start.

But first, a look back at the holidays.

We picked up Savannah the afternoon of the 26^th of December at Long Beach Airport. Then, we joined her aunts, uncle, cousin and her mother’s best friend for dinner. Everyone—including us—was so happy to see her!

We made it an early evening because we had to get up early the following morning to go to Universal Studios. Savannah’s mom’s friend, Liz, spent the night with us.

We left the house at 5:00 a.m. and made the very best time ever—one hour, door to door! Our friend, Kit, got us passes. Such a wonderful gift!

We were early enough we even had time for breakfast at a terrific waffle house near the park. Then on to Universal.

It’s hard to believe it’s been nearly twenty years since we worked for Universal Studios. How the park has changed! Gone are E.T, Backdraft, Terminator 2, Back to the Future—most of the attractions we worked on.

We headed first for the Harry Potter area. The theming on the castle and queue area is fabulous! We were all Harry Potter fans, so we truly enjoyed being in the environment.

We boarded the ride, but it stopped immediately. A woman behind us fell. It took nearly 45 minutes to get her onto a gurney and get her out of the building. They restarted the ride, but unfortunately, they left all the work lights on, so the effects were compromised. Larry loved being able to see all the mechanisms, but the storyline was lost.

We went by later to try it again, but the ride was shut down.

We did get on the tram ride and enjoyed it a lot.

Liz and Savannah went on Transformers while we located a table for lunch. (They were very hard to come by.) When they got off the ride, they joined us, and we all ate.

Next, they went on the Mummy ride—after a two-hour wait! We went on Transformers and the Mummy the last time we were in the park, so we chose to sit them out.

We finished with the WaterWorld show. Still the best live-action show in the world.

Then we went to Citywalk and had crepes for dinner.

Along the way, Savannah collected a few keepsakes.

We returned home, dropped off Liz, and returned to John Wayne airport to pick up Kim. She arrived from Dallas on a late flight. Then home and to bed.

The next day, the 28^th, was the big family dinner party. Members of Savannah’s family as well as ours came—about 24 altogether. I loved seeing our big table filled along with the “kids’ table.” Kim and Carrie wanted to sit there, but Savannah, her cousin Vlad, and Carrie’s boys, Eli and Asher, staked out the table early.

The four of them had a great time together. Eli and Savannah are the same age and share many of the same interests. It helps that they are both off-the-charts smart! Asher and Vlad also hit it off. They are both younger than the other two.

Asher and Eli brought their laser tag equipment, so a rousing game began. Even Savannah’s uncle Chase joined them. As it got dark, we watched the lights move up the back stairs, up and down the waterfall, and through the trees in the backyard. They tracked in a bunch of mud and grass, but they had such a great time, it was worth the mess.

The next morning, we went down to the Outlets at San Clemente. Both the girls had gift cards to spend, and Mom felt like shopping. (This is code for she’ll buy them a few things if they find something they like. Kim and I do it every year after Christmas. This year, Savannah joined us.)

We started with brunch at Ruby’s, followed by shopping. Kim got some new items, and Savannah got several sweaters.

The girls enjoyed spending time together. Kim has adopted Savannah as her little sister.

The next day went by far too quickly. We watched several movies, and ate at the Northwoods Inn at Kim’s request. She had to leave the morning of the 31^st. Her trip was far too short, but we enjoyed seeing her for the little time we had her.

Vlad spent one night with us. His dad brought him down. We intended to go to the show, but the movie we wanted to see was sold out when we got to the theater. So, we all went to Islands for a late lunch and then came back to the house where the kids played games.

The next day, they played some more, watched a movie, and Vlad’s mom picked him up. We ate dinner here before they went home.

All too soon, Savannah’s visit came to an end. We took her back to Long Beach and put her on the plane home after a wonderful time.

We spent several days un-Christmasing the house. As much as I look forward to Christmas, I always feel good when everything goes back to normal.

Now, we’re looking forward to the new year and whatever it holds in store.

Wishing everyone a fabulous 2020!

My Favorite Gift of 2019

This morning I am so excited. You see, this afternoon I get to pick up my very best Christmas gift for the year. Our great-niece, Savannah, is arriving for a ten-day stay!

She moved to Reno over a year ago to live with her father. We got to see her in August when we visited there, and her dad agreed to let her come during her winter break from school.

Savannah is the author of A Wolf’s Magic.

She wrote the book when she was ten and eleven! We published it on her twelfth birthday. And it is a really good young adult fantasy. She is a naturally gifted writer.

She has changed quite a bit since we took her “author” photo. She is now thirteen and still adorable. We continue to encourage her to write.

So, when we had the chance to spend time with her, we jumped at the opportunity. We simply adore this young lady.

We were happy to get to know her dad while we were in Reno. He is a wonderful man and a terrific father. She is in a good place, and we are grateful.

On Saturday, we are hosting a post-Christmas party for the whole family—ours and hers. The tables are set, the ham is in the refrigerator, everyone is bringing a dish to share, and we can’t wait!

Christmas is a bit like my birthday—I spread it out as long as possible!

What was your best gift this year?

Santa Pictures – Part 2

Last week, I posted some of my photos with Santa. This week, I’ll show you the rest of them.

This was taken when I was five. I’m wearing the same dress I wore on the first day of kindergarten. I loved Santa, but I don’t look thrilled here. I assume my brother, Ron, has a separate picture. He would have been two. (I gave him all his photos years ago.) 

My mother loved bonnets on me. I hated them. Here, I'm wearing another one.

The next one was also taken when I was five. Apparently, I liked this Santa better, or maybe my cousin David (six-years-old) gave me more courage. (This is a better-looking Santa than the other one.)

Note the scrape on my leg. I was painfully clumsy as a kid and fell down a lot.

At age six, I look happier with the guy in the red suit. (He looks like the same one with me in the first five-year-old photo.) I still don’t know where my brother was.

When I was seven, I finally took a picture with my brother (aged four).

This one is bittersweet. By the next Christmas, my father was dead. (He passed away the following February.) This is the last real Christmas of our childhood.

I took Kim to see Santa when she was little (as well as the Easter Bunny a couple of times). I have the photos to prove it. As I recall, she generally liked Santa and looks happy in her photos.

These pictures represent the best times during my childhood. Do you have any of these? How do you feel about them?

Santa Pictures – Part 1

I have noticed many encounters with Santa no longer offer formal photos. I keep seeing signs for “Selfies with Santa,” where you can take your own pictures on your phone.

When I was a child, the formal photo with Santa was a required ritual of the season.

My mother loved these photos. My dad and grandfather both worked at the Broadway Department Store in downtown Los Angeles, so our Santa photos were always taken there. My first one was taken when I was sixteen months old.

I look at this photo and can’t believe I was this age when my grandfather stood me up on my grandparents’ dining room table on Christmas Day, where I recited A Visit From St. Nicholas. You probably know it better from its first line: ′Twas the Night Before Christmas. I raced through the whole thing, taking a deep breath following each couplet. Sixteen months old! And I know it happened since my mother recorded it in my baby book and often told the story. Besides, I actually remember looking down at my patent leather Mary Janes throughout the whole thing.

The next one is when I was twenty-eight months old.

My grandfather died two months earlier. He was the most important person in my life. In November, the month before, we moved into our new house in Alhambra, California, so my whole world had recently changed. I don’t look too thrilled, do I?

When I was three, my younger brother was a baby. He isn’t in this photo because he was too little (just over six months old).

I am always surprised to see photos of myself at this age because my hair was quite light. It was dark when I was little. It lightened until I was three. Then it grew dark again. I look as though I was forced to get the photo taken and was trying to escape.

By four, I was a veteran at taking these photos.

My hair was growing darker again. Note the curls. Not natural. Mom believed in permanent waves. They probably made dealing with my thick hair easier for her. I had a sensitive scalp, so it hurt every time she tried to brush or comb it. This is about as short as I ever wore it. (Note the skinned knee. It was a semi-permanent condition of my childhood.)

Ron would have been about a year-and-a-half, and I think he had his photo taken, too—by himself.

Next week, more Santa memories.

Did you have your photo taken with Santa? Do you still have yours?

Holiday Traditions

Most families have holiday traditions. Often these have been passed down from generation to generation. We are no exception.

In our family, one special tradition began several years ago when decorating the tree became a chore. When Kim was little, I looked forward to doing it. I have hundreds of ornaments, and each one has a story. We have no plain or generic decorations. Each one represents memories.

For many years, our daughter invited a friend or two to help put them on the tree. We had hot chocolate and cookies as a reward. Of course, the best part was spending time with Kim and her friends.

Even when we moved here to Dana Point, Kim still came over to help. But when she moved to Texas fourteen years ago, it became more and more daunting.

For a few years, I hired our friend’s teenage kids to help, but they grew up and had lives of their own.

Enter our neighbors and their kids. Their property adjoined ours in the back yard. We first met them when their little boy—aged six—broke our window. Before long, we fell in love with the whole family. Since we have no grandchildren, we became surrogate grandparents—even though they have four wonderful grandparents already.

About eight years ago, I asked their mother if I could “rent” the kids (at the time there were five) to help decorate our tree. They were excited to do it. The first year, I learned to put the most fragile ones on the tree before they arrived. I wasn’t as concerned about broken decorations (things are to use and enjoy) as I was about one of them being hurt.

Now there are six of them, and yesterday, the tradition continued. Their mother brought all but one, who had a game, and they swarmed in to finish the job for us.

I took me two days to put on about a third of the ornaments. They put on the rest in less than an hour. Thank goodness.

Over the years, I have given them some of my ornaments each year. Now all the duplicates are gone as well as the ones without an emotional attachment. I have also given them most of my Christmas books. Several of them went again this year, including a new copy of my favorite, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.

Another part of the tradition is cookies. Ahead of time I bake several batches of cut sugar cookies. Once the tree is completed, the kids sit down and decorate them.

I put out icing and sprinkles and turn them loose. This year, Larry found eyeballs, and he couldn’t resist. The kids loved them! The youngest child decided to make “monsters” with multiple eyeballs.

Once they have decorated all of the cookies, each one chooses their three favorites to take home. (Of course, they eat few along the way.)

Before they leave, they always have to climb the back stairs and play in the back yard. They have now moved away, so one of their “jobs” is to check out their yard to see what has changed. (The family still owns the house.)

I know that some day in the not-too-distant future, they won’t want to come and do this every year. The oldest will graduate from high school in June, and the rest will follow behind.

But for Christmas 2019, we have a beautiful tree and cookies to serve during the holidays—along with the story of how they were decorated.

What special holiday traditions does your family observe?

Giving Thanks

 A few years ago, I began a practice of gratitude. I’ve always been aware of my blessings, but this was different. Each day, I looked for something specific to be grateful for. And I have posted this on Facebook each day—with very few exceptions.

After all this time, I can assure you it makes a difference.

Sure, I get frustrated and angry just like everyone else. But by forcing myself to “count my blessings,” as the song says, I am able to find the balance in life. No matter how bleak things look, there is ALWAYS something to be thankful for.

I believe we humans are stewards of all the earth. What is a steward? According to the dictionary: someone who manages or looks after (another's property). Whose property is the universe? Bottom line, I believe EVERYTHING belongs to God. We are only temporary caretakers.

How does this play out in real life?

In 1984, we purchased a condo in San Juan Capistrano. We used it on the weekends, but for the first year, it sat empty during the week. (After her high school graduation, Kim lived there and attended Saddleback College. We still came down for the weekend.)

One of the first things we did after we moved in was to invite our friends in the area for brunch and a “house blessing.” How did it work? The pastor went from room to room and asked God’s blessing on all those who visited there, slept in the beds, ate at the table, cooked in the kitchen, etc.

It truly became a place of peace and rest for many―including us.

• ·         My mother and her sister and a couple of her friends spent days there enjoying each other’s company and exploring the area.
• ·         A young couple (friends of Kim’s) became pregnant and married suddenly. They had no money for a honeymoon, so we handed them the keys. They spend several days enjoying a real honeymoon they never expected.
• ·         Several friends needed a place to get away, and the condo became their retreat.
• ·         The choir director needed a place to shower and change his clothes after he ran. He lived too far away to go home. We gave him a key.
• ·         Our neighbors in Arcadia had their parents here for a visit. They had never seen the ocean, so, of course, it was on their agenda. We invited them to take the family to the condo. They were able to go to the beach every day. One evening the grandparents babysat, and the parents went to Swallows Inn for dancing. They had a ball!

In 1987 we bought our current house in Dana Point. Of course, we had a house blessing here as well. Our friend, Tony, grew up in Japan. Buddhists believe salt repels evil spirits. The same in the Shinto religion. During their housewarming ritual, salt is usually sprinkled in front of the house to keep evil spirits away. So, Tony spread salt on the threshold and repeated some words of blessing in Japanese.

Then we entered, and the pastor repeated his blessing of every room. Afterward, we enjoyed brunch.

In 2007, we tore out our whole yard and redid it—including adding a waterfall.

Once again, we held a blessing ceremony. The yard is now overgrown, but the sound of the waterfall is still soothing and joyful.

I have always loved the idea of a mezuzah, the Jewish holder for a blessing placed on the doorpost. It serves as a reminder of the blessing of home. I found one with and angel. (My house is filled with them. I have collected them since I was a child.) When we replaced the front doors, I forgot to remove it. But a few years ago, I found another. It is back in its place next to the door.

Once again, as we approach Thanksgiving, I am convinced we should give thanks every day. We have much to be thankful for.

Wishing you and yours a blessed Thanksgiving Day.

The Joys of Republishing

I am currently in the process of republishing the six Aspen Grove Romance Anthologies, co-written with Sherry Derr-Wille, Luanna Rugh, Christie Shary, and Cheryl Gardarian. Along with re-editing each of them and adding new covers (which Larry created—and they are gorgeous), I have had to create new video trailers.

I do these myself using PowerPoint and Moviemaker. These aren’t the slick productions some authors create for their books. We don’t have the budget. I like to think they are homey and appealing. And they might draw interest to the books. (I hope)

The first one republished was An Aspen Grove Christmas, number four in the series.

This one is Len Rugh’s favorite of the six anthologies. Larry also likes my novella, “Mistletoe Magic.” (He has reread it several times.) Here’s a link to the new video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTPxAgXH2r8

Next, I tackled the first book in the series, Snowflake Secrets. I have always loved this story since it takes the reader from 1958 to 2007, the year it was published.

This is the new video for this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cW449L67E2g. I had to redo it three times. For some reason, the first one looked fuzzy. Don’t know why. The music I chose for this one is a guitar piece by our good friend Dan Gilson. I hope you like it as much as I do.

Jean Ruda Habrukowich, the same producer who recorded …And a Silver Sixpence in Her Shoe, is currently recording this one. So far, we are thrilled with the results.

I just finished republishing …And A Silver Sixpence in her Shoe, the last of the six in the series.

This morning, I uploaded the new video for this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lFxeYSB0UE.

Jean Ruda Habrukowich did a great job recording this one when the first edition came out. https://www.amazon.com/Silver-Sixpence-Her-Shoe-Aspen/dp/B013V6RNF4/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=and+a+silver+sixpence+collins&qid=1574095934&s=books&sr=1-5. I sent ACX the new cover art, and they will replace the old cover on the audiobook soon. (If you would like to hear this one, let me know. I have a few free codes.)

My novella, “Something Old” features a story inspired by the wedding dress my mother wore. She was married during WWII, and she borrowed it from a friend. I have always loved it. (The photo at the beginning of the novella is actually my mother in the dress which inspired the story.)

If you love romance, please check these out. And if you love Christmas stories, the first two are perfect!

I am now starting on another in the series and hope to have all six completed very soon.

Audiobooks

I just finished working with the producer (voice actor) on the audiobook of our book, Murder...They Wrote (Agapé Jones Mysteries). We are awaiting approval from ACX on the release. It should be available soon.

Now, nine of our books are completed. The producers (voice actors) don’t just read the books. Instead, they act out the characters to bring them to life.

I worked with Paul Janes-Brown on a Hawaiian anthology I edited several years ago, Paradise, Passion, Murder: 10 Tales of Mystery from Hawaii. He did a great job on that one, and I was thrilled when he agreed to do this one. He lives in Hawaii and knows the Hawaiian pronunciations. He also enjoyed Agapé. All proceeds for Paradise, Passion, Murder go to Read Aloud America.

I also worked with Tracy Arlene on the audiobook for Savannah Angel’s A Wolf's Magic, published on Savannah’s twelfth birthday. Tracy had the perfect young voice for this YA fantasy.

I just started working with Jean Ruda Habrakovich on the romance anthology Snowflake Secrets, the first book in the Aspen Grove Romance Anthologies series.

She recorded ...And a Silver Sixpence in Her Shoe (Book 6 in the series). I loved her voice on this one, and the sample she recorded for Snowflake Secrets is dynamite.

We have some codes for free audiobooks on Audible. If you’d like to know more, let us know.

Guest Blogger - Marilyn Meredith

Today my dear friend and favorite mystery writer, Marilyn Meredith, is my guest. We met at EPICon in San Antonio, Texas in 2006 when our first book, 31 Months in Japan: The Building of a Theme Park was one of two nonfiction finalists. We arrived a day early. The gal who was supposed to be in charge of the book room had emergency surgery, so they asked for volunteers. This was where Larry and I met Marilyn and her husband, Hap. We hit it off right away and spent several hours getting to know them. We attended other EPICons in Portland, OR, Las Vegas, NV, and a couple of others in San Antonio in addition to the ones Marilyn mentions below. When our mutual publisher died, Larry and I re-edited an republished twelve of Marilyn's books--including a couple she had forgotten about (like her cookbook). When the publisher of her Deputy Tempe Crabtree series closed its doors this summer, we again re-edited and re-published all new editions. She now owns them all and will never lose her rights again. She and Hap are very dear friends, and I am pleased to have her here as my guest.

FRIENDSHIPS

Today is my 68^th wedding anniversary. If you find that hard to believe, so do I. My husband has not only been the love of my life, he’s also been my best friend. We’ve been through all sorts of problems and wonderful experiences. The secret to the longevity of our marriage? Never giving up.

Today, I want to expound on another friendship, the one I have with the hostess of this blog, Lorna Collins. I have no idea how long we’ve been friends but I have some great memories shared with her and her husband.

An early one was at an EPICon in Virginia Beach in the dead of winter. We were in a great resort hotel with no one there but the members of our group.

Many of our times together were spent at EPICons, and I remember two special ones in San Antonio Texas, as well as in Oklahoma and other places. We had a wonderful time in Monterey for a Left Coast Crime.

However, my favorite memory is when my husband and I traveled to visit Lorna and her husband, Larry, at their home in Dana Point. It was a most special time.

Lorna and her husband are the ones who rescued my Deputy Tempe Crabtree series when the publishing house closed its doors. Lorna re-edited each one and put them up on Amazon, and her husband redid the covers.  I can’t thank them enough.

One other big link between Lorna and me is the fact that we celebrate our birthdays on the same day. Over the years, we’ve discovered we share many traits. Often I’ve called her my daughter from a different mother. Not everyone is as fortunate as I am to have a friend like Lorna.

In my latest book, Bones in the Attic, which Lorna edited for me, there are many important friendships—those between the police officers who work together, and the ongoing friendship of two teens, who both have seen trauma in their lives.

I bet Lorna can remember other places we’ve been together.

Marilyn

The discovery of a skeleton, a welfare check on a senior citizen, and a wildfire challenge the Rocky Bluff P.D.

Buy link: https://tinyurl.com/yxpd8mxy

Marilyn Meredith, who writes the RBPD mystery series as F.M. Meredith, is the author of over 40 published books. She once lived in a small beach town much like Rocky Bluff, and has many relatives and friends in law enforcement.

Webpage: http://fictionforyou.com/

Blog: https://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marilyn.meredith

Twitter: https://twitter.com/marilynmeredith/

And she’s a regular on these blogs:

2^nd and 4^th Tuesday: https://makeminemystery.blogspot.com/

4^th Monday of the month: https://ladiesofmystery.com/