While on a walk, we spotted three Great Horned Owls in a tree. These birds are huge. I was slightly terrified. 

They seemed content to just observe the passing walkers on the trail. They had probably just eaten someone's poodle, and were too stuffed to fly away.

​I learned from this article that what appear to be horns on the large owls are feathers called plumicorns.

I was prepared to run if they launched off those tree branches. My husband laughed, but considering they have a five foot wingspan, I don't think my sense of alarm was unjustified.

The police are out. The barricades are up. Motorized vehicles are banished from the Garden of the Gods for a few precious hours. It's Motorless Morning. 

Walkers, runners, skateboarders, roller bladers, dogs on leashes and babies in strollers or backpacks all enjoy a morning in the Garden without motor traffic. Straw bales slow down the speed demons. 

Two motorless mornings a year have become the norm. Some of us wish for more. The Garden of the Gods is best seen on foot, in my opinion.

My article on writing conferences appeared recently on the Pikes Peak Writers blog Writing from the Peak. I reminisce about past PPWC conferences.

Could attending a conference benefit your writing? The answer is a resounding yes. I explain why as I share my writing journey.

"Over twenty-five years ago, my world was small. The PPW Conference kicked in doors and opened windows I hadn’t even known existed."

Out walking last week, we saw a beaver in the creek. This is in the middle of town. I'm happy to see wildlife in the city, but concerned about the amazing speed with which the beaver is damming the creek. I hope this indiscretion will be overlooked.

​I was not quick enough to get a photo of the beaver. But I did see it in the water.

I'm pleased to announce I received a contract for my short story Claire's Cabin from Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine. While short story pay isn't exactly in the king's ransom territory, it certainly beats the novel royalty statement I posted last week.

AHMM is one of the premier mystery magazines. The pay for a short story is less than ten cents per word. Writers compare notes about the length of time it takes from story submission to acceptance by AHMM. Here are the stats for Claire's Cabin.

Idea for the story - fall 2018.
First viable draft of Claire's Cabin - fall 2020.
Submitted to Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine - 5/10/2021
Accepted - 3/4/2022
Contract - 4/13/2022
Appearance in AHMM - ?

Almost ten months from submitting the story to learning it was accepted by editor Linda Landrigan. Then the wait until it appears in the magazine. It's worth the wait to me. 

Claire's Cabin will be my tenth story to appear in AHMM. And yes, I am still working the day job.

People are curious about how much money their author acquaintances make. Didn't J. K. Rowling purchase her own private island? 

The reality is harsh. Most writers will never make a living off their short stories and novels. I had dreams of quitting the day job after my first novel publication. Then the publisher went belly up.

So I was surprised to receive a royalty statement from them this week. Our business relationship had ended several years ago.

I thought I'd dispel some myths about the lifestyle of rich and famous authors by sharing this stunning royalty statement. Okay, this isn't a good representation. They don't sell my books anymore. This stunning sum is left over from some long ago sale. They don't write royalty checks for less than $50, so my 31 cents will float around for the rest of eternity.

My new publisher is doing quite a bit better. But it's definitely not quit the day job money. If most struggling authors are like me, they are writing for the joy it, not the anticipation of wealth. We have stories to tell.

Melting snow looked like Snoopy, the Peanuts character.

Flowering house plants are making me happy while I wait for outdoor gardening. We have lots of vegetable seedlings. While I'm itching to set out plants, we have several hard freezes yet before May 15th, our typical last freeze.

I may be able to plant hardy vegetables this weekend. Kale, lettuce, beets. Whether indoors or outdoors, gardening offers life lessons, if you listen to the earth and the plants. 

• “Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul.” Luther Burbank

​Here's a link to more gardening quotes.

Eccentric Circles is an excellent way to sample a variety of genres and writing styles. Published by Encircle Publications, the anthology features short stories by their authors writing everything from thrillers to historical fiction to mysteries and more.

My story Cindy's Storm is about Rock Shop Mystery secondary characters Cindy and Herb Lyons. It's a departure from my usual mystery short stories. More of a romance, it gives the backstory for rock shop employee Cindy and her flock of half a dozen children. 

I'm reading my fellow authors' stories, and adding their novels to my TBR (to-be-read) pile.

Whether you're seeking your new favorite novel author, or simply enjoy short stories, Eccentric Circles offers a collection of twenty-five tales with  appeal. Available here.