Tucson is beautiful. Something is wacky with the weather because I travelled from downcast Los Angeles to sunny Tucson and still returned to a rainy SoCal. Really, though, the hotel setting for Left Coast Crime (LCC) was so surreal and pretty! Majestic mountains, fluffy floating clouds, and impressive cacti surrounded me! I even saw a cactus with a rose growing on it! Of course, I didn't go for the secluded location. I went to see people--and they didn't disappoint either! It's … [Read more...]
Busy, Busy Bee
March 14, 2023 Leave a Comment
Hey all, This week will be packed! Today, I'm off to celebrate the anniversary of The Bookish Hour podcast. Come join me!It'll be two nights of Mystery March Madness with great authors. I'm on for tonight: March 14th stream: https://youtube.com/live/vVGTmYYzE4AMarch 16th stream: https://youtube.com/live/9hi9pFuKnQ8 Also, I'm flying out to Tucson for Left Coast Crime soon! I'm nominated for a Lefty Award for Death By Bubble Tea, and I'll be on two panels and busy with multiple … [Read more...]
Foodie Friday: Taro Mochi Bun
March 10, 2023 Leave a Comment
The first time I ever saw a taro plant was in Hawaii. I think I re-read the sign twice to check the name placard. I didn’t realize that the plant had such huge, broad leaves! I guess I mainly thought of taro as that nutty but sweet root vegetable. In my life, I’ve heard ube and taro get swapped around a lot. But they’re different root vegetables. Ube is much sweeter and richer. While they both have dull brown exteriors, ube often has purple flesh. This vibrant color adds much pizzazz to … [Read more...]
Book Review: Promophobia
February 23, 2023 Leave a Comment
5 stars Genre: Non-fiction Promophobia An extensive collection of informative essays from Sisters in Crime members that really dive into book promotion, particularly for mystery writers. Filled with many tips and individual case studies, showcasing success…and failure. An invaluable guide for authors who want insight into marketing their work. Find more of my book ratings and reviews here. … [Read more...]
Too Much To Read!
February 15, 2023 Leave a Comment
Before I became a writer, I was a reader. An avid one. I still love reading, but I've been in a bit of a slump lately. This could be because I'm reading (or trying to!) two non-fiction books, an advance reading copy, and another novel for fun. Maybe I need to concentrate on one book at a time? It feels like I'm stuck, and I really want to replenish my pile of Goodreads reviews. Reading generally helps me gauge how I'm doing in life. If it's been a good week, I get the down time to read. When … [Read more...]
Foodie Friday: Bò né
February 3, 2023 Leave a Comment
I'm a breakfast gal. Sometimes I'll even swap another meal with breakfast. I mean, there's brunch...and then there's brinner, right? I like a good fan tuan rice roll for breakfast, but recently I also tried Vietnamese Bò né. I didn't know what the dish was, but it sounded cool. Apparently, it's steak and eggs done Vietnamese-style. Bò né means "dodging beef" because the steak comes out on a piping hot skillet--and you'd need to dodge the butter or oil. Of course, it's been tastily … [Read more...]
Agatha Award Nomination
January 27, 2023 Leave a Comment
I grew up on Agatha Christie--I mean, after I read stuff like Encyclopedia Brown and Nancy Drew. There was something transportive about puzzling out a mystery. The Queen of Crime was great at stumping me. Later on, as a writer, I appreciated her skill at varying scenarios and clues (unreliable narrator, anyone?). My mom also loved Christie and was the one who first introduced me to her. That day, I wasn't sure what to borrow at the library, and the beginning of the adult section was right behind … [Read more...]
Lefty Award Nomination!
January 18, 2023 2 Comments
Have you heard of Left Coast Crime? If you’re a crime fiction fan and live West-ish (western US, Canada…), you might know of it. This exciting conference for fans brings together readers and authors for a wonderful time of connection. Every year, it changes locations. In 2023, it’ll be held in Tucson in March. I’m really excited about LCC since my book, Death By Bubble Tea, has been nominated for a Lefty Award in the Best Humorous Mystery category. Find me listed next to Ellen Byron, my … [Read more...]
Book Review: Before and After the Book Deal
January 11, 2023 Leave a Comment
5 stars Genre: Non-fiction Before and After the Book Deal Amazing stuff. I loved this book and wished it had been published when I was just starting out. It answers all the questions you want answered and veers into those unvoiced or even unknown musings. I particularly appreciated the dive into scenarios and experiences that might relate to your identity. It was also wonderful to get different perspectives and quotes from agents, editors, and writers. A marvelous book bursting … [Read more...]
Time to Restart
January 3, 2023 Leave a Comment
I've given up on resolutions for years now. I like to do a one-word focus for every new year instead. This time around the sun, I'm aiming to RESTART. To me, this means having a fresh perspective on things and concentrating a lot on forgiveness. For others. But maybe even more so, for myself. One tiny example of this: On New Year's Eve, I didn't have the planned fun festive celebration I had anticipated. Our family get-together got derailed by sickness (colds--though I, thankfully, … [Read more...]
