Times my pets made me question their intelligence (or mine).

Times my pets made me question their intelligence (or mine).

Meet my friends Haley, the border collie on the left and Daisy, the German shepherd mix on the right. I love them like family, but sometimes can’t help but wonder if they’re actually geniuses in disguise or just the universe’s way of keeping me humble. Whether it’s a dog that seems to have mastered the art of selective hearing or the other who stares off into space  like they’ve unlocked the secrets of the cosmos, these girls have a way…

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The joys of getting older

The joys of getting older

Image by Vilius Kukanauskas from Pixabay As my 68th birthday looms on the horizon like a cake topped with far too many candles (seriously, do fire extinguishers come as standard with those things now?), I’ve found myself reflecting on the curious passage of time. At least, I assume that’s what we’re supposed to do as a milestone birthday approaches, right? Reflect? Contemplate? Ponder the mysteries of life? I’ll get right on that… after I’ve spent an hour or two feeling sorry for myself,…

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A writer who doesn’t?

A writer who doesn’t?

Image by Steve Johnson from Pixabay I’m an author, or at least that’s what I tell people who ask what I do with myself since I retired. That’s true, if you care to stretch the definition almost beyond reason. I have published thirteen books and coauthored one, all of which are available for purchase on Amazon, in case you’re interested (nudge, nudge, wink, wink). I published my last novel, “If Not for the Entail”, October 15 of last year. With that complete and…

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Travel Destinations with a Golden Touch

Travel Destinations with a Golden Touch

Image above by Joe from Pixabay In keeping with the name of our site and the fact that summer is coming to an end, I thought I’d inflame your wanderlust and highlight some destinations known for their golden hues, whether it’s sandy beaches, golden architecture, or iconic sunsets. Here, in no particular order, are a few that embody the allure of the lustrous metal. Santorini, Greece, and it’s Golden sunsets over the Aegean Sea: Image by nadajj64 from Pixabay Santorini is know for beautiful sunsets,…

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Tuesday Tunes – The 80s

Tuesday Tunes – The 80s

I am a child of the 80s. Though I was born at the tail end of the 60s, a month to the day after Armstrong first walked on the moon, my formative years with popular music all occurred with 80s music, which I love to this day. The 80s a decade of interesting, upbeat, and often kooky music, and it was also the decade where music videos became truly widespread, from Michael Jackson’s Thriller to the music videos of Duran…

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Regency oddities and amusements

Regency oddities and amusements

Image by Francesca M from Pixabay In my struggles to complete this post last night, I came across and article about Londoners’ obsession with pig-faced ladies. I kid you not, in 1815, it seems the entire city was caught up in the rumors of people catching glimpses of a woman, either wealthy or not, depending on who was relating the story, whose face bore a striking resemblance to that of a common pig! Now, rather than try and paraphrase the entire article, I…

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Saving Anne de Bourgh – Release Announcement and Excerpt

Saving Anne de Bourgh – Release Announcement and Excerpt

Now seems like a propitious time to do a post about the release of Saving Anne de Bourgh, which goes on sale tomorrow. The release of Four Days at Netherfield was a little under a month ago, meaning I will have two new books out in a short time frame. Usually I would not do this, but Saving Anne de Bourgh is also an audiobook release, and I did not have any control over the release date. It was unfortunately delayed a couple…

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The Olympics, what else?

The Olympics, what else?

Aah, the Olympics, the spectacle held every four years so countries can brag about their athletes’ prowess and look down on competitors’ countries. What a display! Forgive my cynicism but for me, the games lost their appeal years ago. From doping to propaganda to other, more reprehensible actions, my sense of wonder and appreciation for these contests went out the window. Nevertheless, I thought it would be fun to present a few bits of trivia regarding this athletic spectacle: Revival…

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Funny Friday – humorous videos

Funny Friday – humorous videos

Image by Raphael Silva from Pixabay   I don’t spend much time on YouTube, but short amusing videos can be found on the site. Here are a few that you might enjoy. None are side-splitting, but they are amusing.   And to wrap this up, a classic from Ronald Reagan: I hope you enjoyed seeing these. Have a good Friday!  

Cover Reveal – Saving Anne de Bourgh

Cover Reveal – Saving Anne de Bourgh

As promised, here is the second cover reveal this week. Saving Anne de Bourgh is a full-length novel I wrote last year, and unusually, I wrote the bulk of it, or probably about 84-90% in the space of about three weeks. I usually take much longer to write anything, but for whatever reason, the words continued to come hard and fast; many days I was writing three chapters a day. Most of the major action happens in one day, so that…

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