The Road Trip by Francesca Quarto

The vacation was well-planned, down to the snacks and number of possible rest stops.  The big Dodge Ram truck was stuffed like a Christmas turkey on wheels.  Suitcases, coolers, electronics totes and sundry items needed for the man's hunting foray, were jammed into every available crevice and secured for an adventure covering almost four thousand miles, round trip.
As they pulled away from their suburban home, the wife sat in the front seat, dreamily thinking of beautiful vistas and enchanting small towns, along the roads from Indiana to San Antonio, Texas.  A week there and then on to Laredo and up to the wild Texas foothills, for another week.
The trip would include a stop in Arkansas at the Diamond Crater State Park, known for the discovery of the rare gems, by any keen-eyed bloke and the occasional youngster kicking dirt clods out of boredom.  The wife was prepared to dig for her own diamond and already thinking of ring settings for the one carrot sparkler.
They drove into Arkansas commenting on the lovely scenery, but also noting a paucity of Rest Areas along their road.  Worse still, there seemed no exits off the seemingly endless highway leading deep into the black Arkansas night. 
Driving for several hours, bladders screaming for relief, they finally spotted lights off in the distance.  Civilization!
A small cluster of buildings constituted the town, a village really, on the outskirts of the famed diamond grounds.  Pulling into a motel called "Paradise Rest", the husband secured a room from the owner, a large-boned woman, wearing shorts likely belonging to a granddaughter and a not-too-friendly look.  The couple were told to "park behind our  motorcycles"  sitting like giant black beetles, two feet from their motel room door.
On an early morning walk, the wife discovered a menagerie of twenty parakeets stuffed into an undersized cage near the motel office.  They screeched like witches pleading for mercy before burning, adding a somber feel to an over-cast morning. She hoped it wasn't an omen.
Later, when the husband jumped into the shower, the water ran as cold as a mountain stream, inspiring a hasty scrub and rinse and many muttered profanities.  This occurrence was greeted with a blank look when reported to the floozy running the place.  Evidently, showers were not a significant part of their daily routine, though their bikes looked clean.
Off to the diamond hunting grounds! The two had purchased a small shovel and rented a sifter and other accoutrement, so they could pan for their gems. They came prepared to hit the jackpot, but ill-prepared to dig in the broiling sun.
No hat for the wife, no water, no gloves, knee pads, sun screen.  After three hours of slogging over deeply rutted ground and through muddy channels, where the gleaming treasure supposedly poked out of gray dirt clods, they quit!  Dehydration sucked them as dry as over-cooked chickens. Heat stroke was a real possibility, whereas, finding her diamond was not.
Back on the road, the wife did have a new T Shirt, reading Diamond Crater State Park and the husband a new shovel. 
Many long hours and state highways later, they crossed into the Lone-Star State.  Another night on the road before hitting San Antonio, Texas, where they could board with relatives while they explored the fabled Alamo.
The Alamo was a Mission Fort in its time and offered a rare look back to the formation of Texas.  It seemed to exude a kind of solemn serenity, considering its bloody history. Entering, the wife and husband noted how the big city surrounded the small Mission like the troops of Santa Anna had, in its historic last days.
Onward to Laredo, a city reflecting the warm colors of Mexican tradition, language and faces.  The food was traditional, the antacid liberally employed by the husband.  Visiting another willing family member afforded them the chance to relax between meals, shopping and more food. The wife resolved to diet upon returning home, her husband swore off Mexican sauces in future.
During the quick return trip to San Antonio, before heading back to Indiana, the couple toured another Mission Fort favored by the Spaniards, centuries past.  The wife voiced her objection to using a religious facility so blatantly as cover for the true purpose of the Mission; fortifying Spanish interests and wealth.  The priests proselytized, baptized, and generally ruled over the indigenous peoples with their own brand of "God."  The Indians were housed at the Mission in small, stone quarters, sharing outdoor brick ovens with other families.  As semi-wards of the Spanish, they were expected to plant and garden, helping to provision the population of the Mission along with any garrisoned soldiers.  Proving yet again to the wife and husband, the arrogance of one race over another, long pre-dated modern times, but was no less deplorable.
Homeward bound, on the road for ten hours each day, the couple had a clearer view of what it meant to be a "road warrior."  They had faced travel-monsters along the way.  Heavy road traffic, horrific looking accidents and rubber-necking, beds that sag, food that rearranges internal organs, weather that ranged from sweltering, to near flood stage overnight.
In spite of the challenges, they did learn more about this wonderfully diverse country of theirs.  They felt like foreigners at times, visiting a new land with a vastly different subculture. 
And for the wife, well, she loved the accent!  Bye Ya'll!

A Dessert for Romance Readers (& Writers)

I love that many of us have been sharing holiday recipes this month. I am a big fan of food. It's very important in my life and to my happiness and well being. Lol. The recipe I'm sharing today isn't one that has to wait for holidays either.

You may not want to share the name with friends (blush), but it is the perfect recipe for a romance reader (or writer).

BETTER THAN SEX CAKE

Ingredients

• 1 box chocolate cake mix (even better if it's German chocolate cake mix)
• Any ingredients (eggs, veggie oil) for the cake mix
• 1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 bottle caramel sauce (can be ice cream sauce)
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 bag crushed toffee/chocolate (Heath bar) topping (you can find it in the chocolate chips section of the grocery store)

Instructions

Step 1 - Prep
Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with nonstick spray.

Step 2 - Cake
Prepare cake mix according to package directions, using milk instead of water. Pour batter into prepared dish and bake according to directions on box. Let cake cool completely.

Step 3 - The "Sauces"
Use the end of a wooden spoon to poke holes all over cake.
The more the better to absorb the liquids. I do rows of holes.

Pour sweetened condensed milk over the cake, making sure to fill the holes.
Pour the caramel sauce over the cake. (If it's the ice cream sauce, be sure to heat for 10-15 seconds in the microwave first. NOT in a metal container though.)

Step 4 - Whip
Whip heavy whipping cream on medium high speed with an electric mixer. With mixer running, add powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Whip until stiff peaks form.

BTW--Yes you can substitute Cool Whip or any other ready-made whipped cream for this step to save yourself some time. I just love homemade whipped cream so much better though.

Step 5 - Top
Spread whipped cream over the cake. Dribble more caramel sauce over the top. Finish by sprinkling with the crushed toffee/chocolate (Heath candy). The more toffee topping the better in my opinion. This is not the time to be stingy. 

I highly recommend you refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. 


Honestly, I love this cake even better the next day. WARNING: This cake will be a bit soggy, like Tres Leches, but it's so tasty, that's part of the joy.

Do keep refrigerated.

Here's a fun video showing you how in speedy-time from My Recipes!

Not Another Boring Turkey Casserole--Thanksgiving Leftovers that Rock! by Elizabeth Alsobrooks

My hubs love, love, loves Thanksgiving dinner. Loves it and eats it multiple times a year.  We regularly have a turkey in the freezer. He’s so obsessed with it from his childhood that he makes his mom’s special secret stuffing recipe and makes a special basting sauce. He only lets me make the gravy, deviled eggs and salad.  Yes, I’m his sous-chef de Thanksgiving cuisine. I’m not even going to pretend I don’t think that’s super dandy.

However, when it comes to leftovers, he’s strictly a heat it up a couple days and then toss it kinda guy. Keep in mind that he, “talked myself out of getting the 20 lb as I knew that was too big for just the two of us” (my kids live out of state). “That’s good, hon. So what size did you get?” “I just got an 18 lb one.”

So now I am already thinking about leftovers, and I am not a huge fan of leftovers, but I’m also not a huge fan of turkey.  I mean, I like it okay, but I’m not a die-hard fanatic like hubs. I’m also not a fan of throwing out half a turkey.  That mean, unless I want to eat turkey soup or chili or lasagna of casserole a la boring, I have to get creative. 

For those of you who are tired of the same old thanksgiving leftover recipes, you’re in luck. I think I found some good ones!  Take a look and let me know what you think!

THANKSGIVING LEFTOVERS STROMBOLI

https://betsylife.com/thanksgiving-leftovers-stromboli/#_a5y_p=4609939

Turkey-and-Spinach Wraps with Cranberry-Walnut-Cream Cheese Spread

https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/turkey-spinach-wraps

Turkey Milanese

Leftover turkey breasts are fried to a golden crisp and topped with leftover turkey gravy and mushrooms. Make it a complete meal by serving it with a side salad of arugula and blue cheese.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/turkey-milanese-recipe-2011946

Grilled Turkey, Brie, and Apple Butter Sandwich with Arugula

The ultimate next-day comfort food: turkey, brie, arugula and apple butter are sandwiched between two pieces of rye bread to create a grilled cheese sandwich you'll crave year-round.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/grilled-turkey-brie-and-apple-butter-sandwich-with-arugula-recipe-1943206

Turkey Waldorf Salad--Which Would be Good with Cranberry Dressing, too!

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/turkey-waldorf-salad-recipe-1956316

Have a HAPPY THANKSGIVING everyone!

And don't forget to get my BLACK FRIDAY release of 

The Young Adult Writer's Journey

The Kindle will be having some special treats from 

Nov. 23-Dec. 3

Click to View on Amazon

The Very Best Stuff: Holiday Shopping for Readers and Writers by L. A. Kelley

Readers and writers on your list? Take the stress out of holiday shopping with my ideas for fun stuff.

Personalized Stuff

How about personalized luggage tags with a book cover instead of a picture? Two-sided luggage tags come in two sizes. Use two covers or a book cover on one side and a business card or address on the other. $5

Every Christmas gift list includes a dull, boring mug with some stupid inspirational saying. Instead, choose a handmade mug with room for a short log line from a book. $25

Imagine wearing your book cover or blurb.

Personalized scarves are more fun when you use a book cover and blurb. $37 

Why stop at a just a t-shirt? Check out the rest of the Bags of Love site and choose from among beanies, caps, sarongs, socks, sunglasses, belts, bandanas, ties, aprons and more. Prices range from $34 to $56. 

Housewares and Home Decor Stuff

Add a book cover to a wall mural or the tag line from your favorite book mounted on the wall. Prices start at under $20 for something small and go up from there.

Can’t put down that book even if you’re gross and smelly? Use the bathtub book holder in the tub. $35.99 

Ever dream of having your own bookstore? Now you can build one. The bookstore kit comes complete with book, shelves, ladder, paintings, even electric lights. $39.95

Need some inspiration for your next fantasy novel? Cozy up to your laptop in a crocheted mermaid tail blanket. In small and large sizes, choose from a multitude of colors. $13.85

Books look cooler propped up between katana sword bookends. $39.99

Who knew book shelves could bring a smile.  Check out the wondershelves  and bookends by Artori Design, most under $50

Eat your vegetables and learn your grammar. Grammarstuff plates are $12.50 each.

The composition notebook bottle will keep beverages hot or cold. $59.99

For the true book fan - a true

book fan. The folds are made from vintage books. $14.95

Do the best ideas come just as you drift off to sleep? Jot down a few notes on the doodle pillowcase. It comes with machine washable fabric markers. $19.95

Have a book cover printed on the surface of a light switch for $12.95.

Yeah we’ve all been there. Check out the writer's clock. $26.95

The book rest lamp holds your place and gives off a soothing light. $60

This book light give off a gentle light and looks cool with any decor. $50

Even if you love the people around you, sometimes they just need to go away so you can get your work done. Hang this cheeky Do Not Disturb sign to make the point. $12.99

A puzzle book box will hold secret treasures, once the recipient figures out the trick to opening it. Recommended for people you don't like, but owe a gift. $54.99

Use literary soap to wash the naughty bits with some of your favorite authors. $3.95

Extra Stuff

What obsessive writer doesn't need quotation mark earrings? $28.80

A book handbag for the fashionable bibliophiles on your list. $99

Yeah, I got nothing to say about this except perfume that smells like a paperback is just plain weird. Prices range from $4 to $40.

When inspiration strikes in the shower use Aqua Notes. $10.81

Can a grammar book be fun to read? Yes, if it’s Eats, Shoots& Leaves by Lynne Truss. A delightful book with cheeky wit and grammar how-to’s.  By the last page you’ll be declaring your undying love for the semicolon. It’s available in ebook, paperback, hard cover, and audiobook. Prices range from $6 to $42 depending on format.

Know a writer who is odd? Boy, is that a loaded question. How about one who likes to figure out plot points while strolling down the street? Get the poor dear a PORTOCAM to talk into so people don’t stare. It records and even takes pictures. $67.88

Why just sign your books when you can emboss them, too? Prices for this personalized embosser run from about $50 to $150.

And Finally…Butt Stuff

Writers and readers tend to spend time on their butts. An under the desk elliptical machine for $249 is just the ticket to keep in shape and you don’t even have to stop writing or reading.

L. A. Kelley writes science fiction and fantasy adventures with humor, romance, and a touch of sass. Keep your mitts off her stuff.

Houston Robot Brothel

Houston is surprised and the Mayor is already on his soapbox about Houston’s debut robot brothel. I’m surprised that the Toronto chose Houston of all places. I just left Houston, and I remember it as very traditional and not very liberal. So, I am amazed.

Last week, a Toronto businessman announced the opening of the establishment by the end of

September or early October. Not giving authorities much time to close the joint. Now, I’m all for

robot sex dolls. (Aside: they do come in male models, but even if I could afford one, I wouldn’t buy

myself a man). He already operates such a brothel in Toronto.

Houston’s brothel is the nation’s first. (I can’t believe it! Did he do his research?) I bet Joel Osteen

will be on this fast.

At the brothel, the patron can either pay to rent a doll or purchase one. Here’s a YouTube video on the

dolls, including what they look like.

I found out about the dolls on Facebook. A friend of mine in Texas messaged me. She said, “Love or 

Sale.”  My book Love For Sale is about sentient androids totally indistinguishable from human,

who’re programmed as loving companions. Oddly enough, Love For Sale is set in Houston. Go

figure. I’m psychic!

BLURB:

March Morgan believes in true love, but her faith in finding her soul mate is slowly fading.

She’s been married but never in love.  So, it’s a miracle to find that fantasy exists on the last page of a women’s journal.  Mayfair Electronics, Ltd., in a glossy black and white ad, offers Love for Sale.  The London firm has engineered sentient androids indistinguishable from human.  She flies to England and meets the man she has been searching for her entire life.

Christian requires no programming to love March at first sight.  He’s handsome, cultured…absolutely perfect…and a little different from the other androids.  He has an unexpected independent streak.

March signs on the dotted line, buying her dream man.  They return to Houston, but soon her past and his future threaten their Happily Ever After—indeed their lives. (Available in audio, eBook and print).  5-Stars  and available on Amazon.

EXCERPT:

Motionless, she watched the parade of beauty, but none of them struck the special chord that would make her heart sing. They can be customized, March reminded herself.  Still, it took more than looks to make her fall in love.

Then he strode through the door, and her heart did a double back flip. She inhaled a soft gasp.  He was perfect, no customization needed.  The only programming required was a sense of humor and an intense libido.  Lord, she wanted to touch him, run her fingers through his hair and kiss that luscious mouth.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."  His voice defined musical and played that special chord she'd dreamed of.  "I was on the phone."

The Special Editions had gathered around her.  The auburn haired woman whispered a laugh.  "Is there any need for more than one introduction, Ms. Morgan?"

That someone was speaking barely registered.  March didn't respond.  She was speechless and couldn't peel her gaze off the most beautiful man she'd ever seen.  His eyes were crystalline blue, his hair wheat colored.  She'd wanted sparks.  She'd gotten fireworks!  No way in hell was she leaving London without him.

Spellbound, March was drawn one step toward perfection, her willful eyes traveling over his body, pausing at his zipper, sliding down his long legs.  The wasted years looped through her memory, regret stinging her eyes.

Melissa squeezed her hand.  "Ah, you like our blond."  She beckoned.  "Come, Christian."

In tight jeans and a tux jacket with plaid cummerbund and bow tie, her dream man paused in the light of a crystal and gold chandelier.  His shoulder-length hair shone like silk.  Mischief sparkled in his eyes.  Full lips parted on a smile, his teeth white and even.  March loved a beautiful smile, and everything inside her melted.

~~~~~~~~~

Morally, I don’t see the robot brothel degrading machines when compared to human women being

degraded in similar circumstances. As to men becoming addicted, are they not in danger of becoming

addicted to human establishments now in operation in this country?

On the news front, Happy Wednesday, Linda.

Should We Call E.T.? by Diane Burton

With the exception of a few movies (e.g., Star Trek: First Contact), aliens have invaded Earth mostly for the same reason—invasion and destruction of humankind or we have something they need (like water in Oblivion). If we’re able to make contact with aliens, will they be “good” aliens who want to help us further our exploration of space? Or will they be “bad” guys who want to destroy us?

That presumes we’re capable of contacting aliens. Scientists are trying to figure out a way. A study announced earlier this month by MIT proposed that laser technology would be used to announce our presence in this part of the universe. 

On one of our trips home from Arizona, we stopped near Socorro, New Mexico to see the Very Large Array, a field of twenty-seven 25-foot radio telescopes that are used to investigate the heavens. At the same time, we’re taking in information, we’re also letting E.T. know that we’re home.

While standing near those huge telescopes (that remind me of satellite dishes), I was filled with excitement as I remembered the movie Contact when Jody Foster’s character discovered signals from an unknown world while working with SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Institute at Aricebo, Puerto Rico.

Having seen too many science fiction movies where the aliens resemble giant insects or lizards, I want to know where are the aliens that are humanoid? Like in sci-fi romances? I wouldn’t mind if they have pointed ears (like the Vulcans in Star Trek) or are warriors like the Klingons. In my sci-fi romances, my aliens are not creepy. But, what if in real life, they are creepy? Disgusting looking? District 9, anyone? Okay, I know I shouldn't judge any being by its appearance. How that being looks is no indication of its intelligence, ethics, or purpose.

What if they don't come in peace? What if they don't want to be friends? What if they only want our minerals and the heck with the inhabitants? Do we really want to transmit signals that say “hey, guys, here we are”?

Something to think about.

Infinite Monkey Theorem by Jane Kindred

Do you hear that sound? That clickity-clacking, cicada-like buzzing permeating the air? That’s either the sound of a thousand monkeys accidentally typing Shakespeare’s complete works or the sound of a million completely mental writers plunging into NaNoWriMo. That’s National Novel Writing Month, for those not in the know, when writers pledge to write a 50,000-word novel in
30 days, racing to beat their own word-count records.

For some writers, completing a novel in 30 days is an average month. I am not one of those monkeys—er, writers. My usual pace is 1,000 words a day when I’m in the groove, and it takes me about three to four months to write a full-length novel. In an average year, I write three. This year, I have written exactly zero novels. The Shakespeare monkeys are gaining on me.

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I finished up a series early in the year and had a long dry spell where I couldn’t manage to put down a single word. In June, the words finally started flowing again, but the pace has been extremely slow, thanks to my aging cat who can’t cope with not sitting on my lap. I’ve been writing on the weekends at a café, but I’m determined to get this thing done this year, so I figured NaNo would be the perfect opportunity.

I had close to 50,000 words written by the end of October, which is about half the length of what I expect this book to be, so I made sure I got to the 50,000 mark exactly by Halloween night so that I could commit to writing 50,000 in November. At midnight, my NaNo counter began at zero.

I wasn’t sure I had it in me to write steadily after dithering about for so many months. I knew I couldn’t write at my desk without the cat screaming bloody murder, and I can’t afford to go to the café every day, so I decided to write on my iPad with the external keyboard—while sitting on my bed with a cat commandeering my lap.

It’s working, so far. I have to put the iPad off to the side and twist myself in half—and my neck and spine are not appreciating it—but I’ve kept up a steady pace. I’ve logged 12,000 new words in the first six days, which, at the pace I’ve been going all year, is more than a month’s worth of writing. I’m hopeful that I’m actually going to finish this thing—and hopeful that it won’t be a giant steaming pile of monkey funk when I’m done.

I need to get back to it, so I’m going to wrap this up. But here’s a little peek at the fruits of my labor:

Excerpt from the novel tentatively titled The Blood Court:

When her fingers relaxed in mine and her cries tapered off into wistful moans, I released her, sitting back on my heels and spreading my skirt around me. “I believe I have fulfilled the terms of our current bargain, have I not?”

“You cheated.”

She was pouting, her cheeks flushed pink and her swollen lips, crimson with increased circulation, belying her professed unhappiness. With her damp hair tumbled about her head against the silk and the brightness of pleasure in her eyes, she was, for the moment, the encapsulation of pure, unadulterated beauty. Which was not to say that Queen Arania, Consort of the Ruling Hand of Yliastr, was not beautiful in her own right, but the haughtiness and unhappiness that normally spoiled her complexion were temporarily absent. And her borrowed coloring enhanced the effects of her unguarded delight.

It was the flush and heat of my Salamand-touched blood—Freya’s vitality lent to me through a single kiss—that granted Arania her momentarily exquisite beauty. I hated her for being the undeserving recipient of my Freya’s gift. But I could not deny that I had enjoyed bestowing it. I tucked the ache of the guilt of that betrayal away. I would punish myself for it later. Right now, it was a price I was willing to pay.

And now it was time to spoil the purity of the queen’s pleasure. I regretted it just a little.

How I Took a Chance with Not a Chance

By Maureen Bonatch

Hello, my name is Maureen and I’m a panster. Most writers will recognize the term that causes readers to frown and assume it’s just another indicator that writers can be a little unusual. 

Most stories I write by the seat of my pants, instead of the most sensible, logical way. You know by starting with a plot and a plan for the story in advance. 

Believe me, it surprises me as well, because I’m an organized logical person. I’ve tried to force myself to plan and plot the story first, but alas, so far, it’s like putting a square peg in a round hole.

 Although I’ve found out there are some good things that come from writing in this manner. I mean besides the whole roller-coaster ride that I get to enjoy along with the reader as I discover the characters and write the pages to find out what comes next. 

That’s Not the Story 

Not a Chance is book #2 in The Enchantlings series. Book #1, Destiny Calling, was named after one of the triplets in the story. My original intent was to write a trilogy with each book highlighting the story of one of the triplets. Well, that didn’t happen. Not because I changed my mind, but because my character did. Hope kind of insisted that she continue to be the one to tell the tale into book #2. That was fine. I still intended for the story to mainly focus on her brother, Chance. 

But when you write by the seat of your pants, you’re taking the chance that the story isn’t going to go in the direction you originally planned—and it didn’t. We took a whole detour into the woods and then some to create a whole different story line.

The Reader’s Benefit When Authors Take that Chance

By not being set on the story, it enabled me to really listen to some of the feedback from readers of Destiny Calling. The characters they liked, what they thought might happen, what they wanted to see happen next. Since the story wasn’t completely structured, I was able to implement some of the suggestions I thought would fit into the story well. Plus, when you write paranormal and fantasy, you can bend the rules a little sometimes. At least in my book, you can. 

So, I took multiple chances with Not a Chance in my efforts to make the story better and engage more with readers. Because as a reader myself, I fall in love with certain characters and they become like dear friends to me. 

I can’t wait to see what happens next in their life, and I usually have an idea of what I want to happen. It's so wonderful to see how the story comes to fruition.

Have You Ever Taken a Chance on a Story?

Author Bio: Maureen Bonatch grew up in small town Pennsylvania and her love of the four

seasons—hockey, biking, sweat pants and hibernation—keeps her there. While immersed in writing or reading paranormal romance and fantasy, she survives on caffeine, wine, music, and laughter. A feisty Shih Tzu keeps her in line. Find Maureen on her website, Facebook& Twitter

Be the first to know about Maureen’s book sales and new releases by following her on BookBub, Amazonand/or signing up for her newsletter

On Why I Haven't Been Writing This Month by Sorchia DuBois

Sometimes it's hard to write. Life happens and things get hectic. Sometimes--that's an excuse, but for me, the last part of 2018 isn't turning out to be particularly productive as far as writing goes for some pretty good reasons.

For one thing, I made my first trip out of the US. The trip took me to Iceland, Ireland (only for a layover,) and then to Berlin. I'm writing this from an apartment in what used to be East Berlin and that is mind blowing for someone who grew up on Cold War movies and books. Trouble is I haven't had time to do much sightseeing because of the other event--the one that called me to Germany.

A couple of weeks ago, my daughter delivered my first grandchild--Lily Ada Kay--a life-altering presence who guarantees adventure and excitement for years to come. She's taken up most of my sightseeing time--and honestly, that's just fine. She was two weeks late and the labor wasn't easy. Then she got a little infection and had to stay in the hospital for a few extra days. It was nothing serious, but a round of antibiotics for a newborn is a scary thing for the new parents and the granny with an overactive imagination. All is well, and Lily is at home now, gaining weight, and getting all the attention.

So--no--I haven't gotten much writing done in the past couple of months.

The last week of my stay might allow for a few side trips to a museum and a park or two.  But I'll be heading home in a few days--another grueling day of navigating airports and car rentals and finally a long drive back to my house in the woods. It will be a steady dive back into seclusion--Crowded airports in Berlin to St. Louis and then a de-escalation from ten lanes to four to two and finally to the narrow dirt road I fondly call a driveway. Back to the cats and the owls and the peace of an autumn in the Ozarks.

Then, after a cup of tea--maybe warmed by a splash of Laphroaig--and an afternoon getting reacquainted with my husband, my cats, my house, my woods--I'll sit down at the computer and write. I already feel a backlog of words like a flooded river temporarily clogged by a dam of debris. Once the dam breaks,  the words will spill out in no particular order making no particular sense until the water runs clear again.

But you know what they say--even if you aren't writing, you're writing. Everything counts as writing fodder and next month, I'll share a more coherent account of the adventure. Right now, I've got a baby to look at.

The Thinning of the Veil

This is my favorite time of year. In San Francisco, it’s the tail end of summer. We generally only have three weeks of it, starting in mid-September, but with global warming, it’s been extending well into October and even November in recent years. Still, the light has changed to autumn gold, with long shadows and harsh angles, and the nights are cooler. Not yet crisp like in parts of the world that have true autumn, sadly, but damper, with more reliable fog. (And isn’t fog the most paranormally perfect setting? I forget to include fog in my books, which is a shameful oversight on my part, living where I do, but perhaps I’ve just gotten so used to it that it’s like air. At any rate, it’s marvelous for setting a spooky atmosphere.)

My annual tradition at this time of year is watching horror movies. I start watching them on October 1 and watch as many as I can throughout the month. My favorite are ghost stories. Among my recent finds on Netflix are I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House, Lavender, 1922, The Conjuring (attributed to demonic entities, but seems ghostly all the same), and the excellent series, The Haunting of Hill House. I’ve also rewatched favorites like Crimson Peak and Ghost Story. I’m saving one of my all-time favorites, The Others, for Halloween night.

So what is it that makes us crave being spooked at this particular time of the year? It’s not by accident that Halloween—All Hallows’ Eve—falls when it does. This descent into the darkest days of the year for the Northern Hemisphere has affected our psyches since we crawled out of the swamps. All around us, living things are dying. In Celtic tradition, the veil between the living and the dead is thinning.

But it isn’t only the Celts who felt this way. The Mexican tradition of the Day of the Dead follows closely on the heels of Halloween on November 2, but the timing is still thanks to Celtic influence, via Catholicism. As with many Christian holidays supplanting pagan ones, the Catholic Church established All Hallows’ (Saints’) Day and All Souls’ Day as a means of subsuming the Celtic celebration of Samhain.

The Norse tradition, too has a “day of the dead” around this time of year, known as Álfablót, or a sacrifice to the elves. Perhaps it’s a bit of a stretch to call this a day of the dead, but there is some evidence that the concept of elves encompassed the souls of the dead. At any rate, in Nordic lands, by this time of the year, it probably seemed as if the world itself were dying, as almost every living plant returned to the realms under the earth. Another Norse celebration, Dísablót, followed, held during the “Winter Nights,” commemorating the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter and in honor of the female spirits, such as underworld goddesses Freyja and Hel. This is also when the Wild Hunt, or Odin’s Hunt, begins to ride (which sets the stage for my book, The Dragon’s Hunt, in case that tickles your fancy).

Regardless of its cultural origins, some sensitive folk believe they can feel this seasonal thinning of the veil. People who believe in ghosts report more ghostly activity and visitations at this time of year. And although the jury is still out for me on the existence of a spirit that lives on after the body dies, I’ve always felt some “ghostly” energy around this time. Around my house recently, out of the corner of my eye, I’ve begun to see what I at first take to be my cat. But then I realize he’s outside or in another room. The “cat” shadow slips about at foot level and between rooms, and I find comfort in thinking my other cat, Urd (named for one of the Norse fates), who died last year, is visiting me.

My Urdie is probably the only “ghostie” I’ve ever really encountered (if you can call a fleeting glimpse of a shadow cat that). Though I did feel my late husband’s arms around me shortly after he died, and a few years ago at RT Book Lover’s convention on a “ghost tour,” I swear an invisible child pulled my hair. I’ve also experienced a feeling of some kind of lingering energy in certain places—once at Alcatraz and once in an old graveyard I visited in the middle of the night in Arizona. I can’t say I truly believe in ghosts, but maybe, like Fox Mulder, I want to believe.

Are ghosts on your mind this time of year? Do you watch scary movies? Or maybe hold a good, old-fashioned séance and commune with a spirit or two?