This past weekend I had the privilege of speaking at the “And the Women Gather” Annual Literary Event in Deland, FL sponsored by Desert Sage, a lifestyle wellness company. We left the house early to arrive in plenty of time for the book event, especially when I saw there was a Tuesday Morning store along the way. After shopping for autumn-themed goods, we headed into the historic downtown. Our first stop was The Muse Bookshop which is a wonderful bookstore to browse in for an afternoon.

We lunched a De La Vega, a Latin restaurant with a pleasant interior and an interesting menu. Here is my avocado stuffed with shrimp for the entree and flan for dessert.

Next, we headed a few doors down to the Museum of Art where the event was taking place. Guests came from all over Florida for which I was grateful. Our host, Lorna Owens, started off the event with a general introduction.

James Ryan, a guitarist, followed with a medley of popular songs.

Following him was UCF Professor and Author Celilia Rodriguez Milanes, who discussed her works and read excerpts.

Next it was my turn to talk about my mystery series. I mentioned how I got started in the publishing business and what led to my going indie with my latest books.

On the drive home, we stopped at Stonewood Inn for dinner and to celebrate another successful book event.