Musings
Here we are approaching the new year! Many of us are looking forward to 2019, and the rest of us are looking back. (If you are looking forward and backwards at the same time, you have a talent that needs explaining.)
I’d like to mention all my “last” things of 2018.
Read More
I don’t know about you, but this time of year can be tough to manage. I’m not talking just financially but timewise. I have a book in editing, another one in process, and I have this long list of tasks to perform to get ready for the holidays.
Read More
I get asked frequently which character in the Haunted Series is most like me. I really can’t pin one down, but there are aspects of me in all of them. I draw from my experience, strengths, and insecurities to develop my characters. I also use my observations of how people react to create, hopefully, realistic scenes in a fictional world.
In The Hauntings of Cold Creek Hollow, I introduce you to Mia who is bitter at the way the town treats her; yet, she’s their handy person, dogsbody if you will. Her language is crude – according to Murphy, it’s from a parental lack of soap application. The evolution of Mia over 24, now 25, books is amazing. She goes from being a leaf in the wind to being the wind. But, occasionally, she still could do with a little bar of soap.
Read More
I love trees. My editor is a tree hugger. I have pictures of her hugging a willow in Regents’ Park, London. Trees house and support insects and wildlife. They keep soil from eroding and, depending on the tree, protect us from wind, rain, snow, and excess sunlight. Stephen Murphy used many trees to make his home. He now plants, prunes, and nurtures them.
I’m inspired by trees. The sounds the wind makes going through them is comforting. The creaks and groans they make are unique and eerie. At Ravens’ Rook, we named the trees we planted. Ruler is the red maple in the front yard, and Old Timer is the ginkgo in the back garden. I have adopted a massive oak that I can see from my office window. I call him Harry. Why? He looks like a Harry. He is the tallest of the mighty trees east of my house. He has so much personality. Am I nuts to find more there than bark and leaves? Only a fellow tree lover could tell you for sure.
Read More
It’s a rainy day here at the top of the mitt. My joints are creaking. I suspect they learned of my love of the sounds of squeaky door hinges and are trying to do one better, ouch. Rainy days have always been wonderful reading days – thunderstorms, not so much. There I am, focused on the book, and CRASH! My arteries are cleared of plaque and my tea is decorating the sofa.
Writing on a rainy day can be problematic. I can use it to create a dreary mood, but the muted lights make me drowsy. Napping on a rainy day is bliss times ten.
Read More
Greetings!
This is my vacation postcard to you. If you missed it, I have released the 24th novel of the Haunted Series, Book of Souls. If you’re wanting a great read in between trips to the beach, getting your kids back to school, or just something to keep you company during the dog days of summer, this is the book for you.
Read More
I thought I would give you an update on where I am with the next book release. Book of Souls has been delayed. Health concerns of my editor and a recent death in the family has pushed the release date back to the first week of August or sooner. I hope you understand.
Read More
Yesterday the Blue Angels arrived. Yup, during my nap. The house shook as they went overhead. I got up and looked first outside and then at the calendar. I wonder if other authors lose time like I do? I used to keep up with the seasons by writing my books in real time. Now I try to push ahead a bit. Book 25 takes place in autumn in the Haunted Series.
But July is almost here. The National Cherry Festival is about to descend upon us, and this year I’m caught up on my work, so I’ll be attending. It’s going to be hot this weekend, so I’ll watch the air show from the deck outside my office window, drink icy cold drinks, and ruminate on what the next book will be about.
Read More