My friend Leslie Karst is blogging about holiday traditions in Hilo, Hawaii, which reminded me to share about the traditions I enjoy here in SoCal. One thing I appreciate is the sparkling of twinkly lights. A lot of them are wrapped around palm trees, and some of those trees get decorated (in a fun way) as candy canes. Then we have other twinkling sculptures like this whale with a Santa hat in Dana Point: I also like a nicely decorated Christmas tree, but I love the different creative … [Read more...]
December Already?!
December 14, 2022 Leave a Comment
How can it be December? The calendar must have sped up. I’ve conceded to this time warp, though, by beginning to listen to Pentatonix music. For some reason, as a kid I used to really like “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” Maybe it was the fun repetition or countdown of numbers. (Modern update: My nieces and nephews now do coordinated hand motions to the song.) I also like reflecting over the year as it closes out, so here’s my writerly spin on the List of Twelve: 12 Drafts DraftingMaybe … [Read more...]
Season’s Greetings from a Younger Me
December 18, 2020 Leave a Comment
We have a group post on Chicks on the Case. See our fun holiday postcards with baby pics of us! https://chicksonthecase.com/2020/12/18/happy-ho-ho-holidays-2/ … [Read more...]
Book Friday
November 27, 2020 Leave a Comment
My fellow 2020 Debuts authors are hosting a festive #BookFriday this year! Join us on The Write Review and Linda's Book Obsession as we share our suggested book and gift ideas, talk holiday traditions, and get merry! We'll be broadcasting from 10am to 3.30pm ET, with lots of fun holiday chat and BOOKS!!Watch Herehttps://www.facebook.com/Thewritereview/posts/2326151514197127 And download the 2020 Debuts Holiday Gift Guide here: https://2020debuts.com/holiday-gift-guide/ … [Read more...]
Talking about Comps
October 30, 2020 Leave a Comment
I'm on the Chicks on the Case blog today talking about comparing books and stories to other works! Drop by: https://chicksonthecase.com/2020/10/30/the-art-of-the-elusive-comp/This is also release week for Festive Mayhem, a holiday anthology with nine other diverse crime writer voices. Find it at your favorite e-retailer...AmazonAppleB&N … [Read more...]
Christmas Socks
November 16, 2015 6 Comments
"It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice." Growing up, my aunt had this tradition of giving us clothes for Christmas. We knew which presents were hers--those telltale lightweight rectangular boxes! The worst was getting socks. I mean, did we really need socks every year? But nowadays, I like having fresh, fuzzy socks to wear. And it looks like I'm not alone. Seniors also like having toasty feet. In fact, there's a nonprofit called Socks for Seniors. (Check them out and … [Read more...]
Simple Holiday Treats
December 12, 2014 8 Comments
*Special Winter Edition* I've participated in annual Christmas cookie exchanges before, but never online. Thanks to an invitation from Patience Brewster, an artist who makes handmade ornaments and gifts, I'm involved in an exciting virtual cookie exchange. Through the Internet, I can connect with other foodies and find lovely holiday recipes. In the past, I've baked tangy lemon bars or sculpted popcorn balls to bring to parties. This year, though, I'm lazy. If you're swamped like me, here … [Read more...]
A Twist on Traditions
December 23, 2013 Leave a Comment
"A tree has its roots, a stream its source." -Chinese proverb Everything has origins. We love family traditions because they're a source of comfort, rituals that have been passed down from one generation to the next. I'm here to offer a twist on some annual traditions: Instead of hot cocoa this year, try teh tarik (milk tea): Looking for a quick way to wrap presents? What about a take-out box? One year, I found this and other beautiful designs at Target: Get a free calendar for next … [Read more...]
