On a chilly day in April, we visited downtown Washington D.C. the day before Malice Domestic was to begin. It was so exciting to descend deep into the ground on a steep escalator, to join the hustle and bustle of people rushing to and fro, and to hear the rumble of an approaching train. When … Read more
Day 7, December 14, Tuesday, Emerald Princess 10 Day cruise to Southern Caribbean BONAIRE We had more time on this island than Grenada and I would have liked less. It’s 112 square miles with a population of 14,000. The land appeared relatively flat and sparse with little vegetation. It didn’t look as populated as the … Read more
Day 6, December 13, Monday, Emerald Princess 10 Day Cruise to Southern Caribbean GRENADA The day dawned bright and sunny and warm. Clouds hovered over the distant mountain ranges as we approached the famed “spice” island. I spotted a fort up on a hill, a clock tower in town, and a multitude of pastel buildings, … Read more
Day 5, December 12, Sunday Emerald Princess 10 Day Cruise DOMINICA We approached Dominica, a mountainous, long island of 298 square miles with a population of around 73,000. Clouds hovered over the green-coated land. White buildings clustered along the coastline like blobs of bird poop (not the nicest image, but this popped into my mind). … Read more
EMERALD PRINCESS 10 Day Cruise Southern Caribbean Day 1, December 8, Wednesday ALL ABOARD We boarded the Emerald Princess at Port Everglades. The terminal doors opened at noon. It was our first time as Platinum members of the Captain’s Circle (repeat cruisers), and I was grateful for the Preferred Check-In line that allowed us a … Read more
EMERALD PRINCESS SHIP REVIEW THE CABINS First off, note there’s no deck 13. The decks go from 12 to 14. We stayed on Baja deck 11 and it was a great location. Our balcony cabin expanded the view and prevented us from feeling closed in. The balconies are very comfortable with a soft rubbery covering … Read more
How can you make your characters sound stronger when they speak? Think of the ways authoritative people talk in terms of their word choices and tone of voice. Choose one of each: 1.A. “I think we should hit the beach at dawn. That way, we’ll probably be able to avoid the patrol boats.” B. “We’ll … Read more
As per our annual family tradition, we attended the Epcot Food & Wine Festival last weekend. The weather was perfect, delightfully cool in the morning and warming into the 70’s in the afternoon. World Showcase opens at 11am so we arrived by lunchtime, turning left toward Mexico. For those of you not familiar with this … Read more
We finally got to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal’s Islands of Adventure in Orlando. The weather, cool and sunny, was a delight and perfect for entering Hogsmeade with the “snow-covered” rooftops. The village is quaint like in the stories. The tall buildings have slanted roofs with fake snow and chimneys and … Read more
“Brainstorming on the Beach” Conference with Novelists, Inc. Here are my notes, keeping in mind this is what I heard and my interpretation. This panel was geared toward Harlequin Enterprises. Writing for Worldwide Distribution with Marsha Zinberg, Executive Editor, Harlequin Enterprises and Author Vicki Lewis Thompson Marsha: A breakdown on what’s popular with readers shows … Read more