I hate to admit it, but I have not finished reading the May/June issue of Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, and the July/August issue just arrived. I only have two stories left in the earlier issue. This happy problem means I still have plenty of great reading material. 

This year has been difficult. That may be why I gravitated toward an appreciation of the lighter stories. Don't get me wrong. Every story is stellar, and well worth reading.  

Buck Solves the Case, by Parker Littlewood, is told from the point of view of a cowboy's crime solving horse. A little romance, plenty of humor, and a mystery make this an entertaining read.

In Shanks Saves the World, by Robert Lopresti, mystery author Leopold Longshanks sets out to solicit a donation to repair the roof of the World Theater. He befriends a former record producer, some of whose bands performed in the old theater, in the process of seeking funds. Before he can secure a donation, the producer goes missing.

The Wolf and Lamb, by Joslyn Chase, was an exception to my quest for humor. This story of a sheltered young woman in 1888 London forced by her parson father's death to work in her uncle's tavern was a nicely written and compelling read. A killer stalks London, preying upon women who ply their trade from The Wolf and Lamb.

Sleepy River, by Michael Bracken, was a fun read about two teenage girls in a southern hamlet who long for adventure. They soon regret the realization of their summer day dreaming.

Drama in the grocery aisle unfolds in Mark Thielman's The Case of the Cereal Killer. The protagonist is a representative of the Potato Advisory Board, and peddles spuds in stores while dressed as a russet, Kennebec, or other potato variety. He stumbles onto a body in the cereal aisle, and must solve the mystery to save the lovely store manager.

Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine never fails to provide an interesting variety of stories, from humorous to frightening. 

Silent Knife is my entry in the Annie's Mistletoe Mysteries series. Faith and her detective cat Watson are caught in the middle of a deadly rift as Castleton Manor hosts a family reunion. 

The murder mystery opens with a sleigh ride and ends on the knife edge of disaster. 

I used to dabble in photography. I still have the camera my father gave me when I was in high school. It uses actual film. Nothing digital about it.

Unfortunately, I have gotten lazy. I only use my cell phone camera. It's an older model phone, with a poor quality camera. 

The specks in the mountain pasture are elk. Although based on the quality of the photo, I could as easily claim they are a family of Sasquatches. You'll just have to take my word for it. They are elk.

Stopping to smell the roses means slowing down to enjoy life, especially if you've been spending too much time in the fast lane. I've been talking in my last few blog posts about pausing to celebrate writing success.

During these COVID-19 days, I've also been spending a lot of time outdoors, walking and hiking. Many scenes from nature distracted me from the tension of a world gone crazy.

I enjoyed admiring these delicate pink and yellow flowers. Smelling them meant getting a little too close to the spines. You might stick your face into a rose flower to inhale its delicious scent, but cactus flowers demand social distancing.  

Climbing mountains is a process. You prepare, you plan your route, you hike until you're certain you haven'y got any more to give, physically. You keep going, and eventually reach that peak. The return trip is only easy in comparison to the climb up.

Writing a novel is much the same process, but it's an entirely mental game. 

I love the process in both situations. Reaching the top of the mountain is an amazing experience, but hiking the trail through forest, field, and tundra is what appeals most to me.

The journey of creating a story is what I enjoy when writing a novel. There is great satisfaction in facing a blank page and filling it with a story. I even enjoy the revision phase once the draft is completed.

I don't linger when I achieve the goal. This is a character flaw I'm working to change. I have come a long way since my first novel publication in 2013. I need to remember where I began, and recognize where I'm at now.

Today is a celebration of my write-to-hire experience. This was a new mountain to scale, writing stories to fit into an existing story world. The Secrets of the Castleton Manor Library is an adorable cozy mystery series. I was privileged to write two novels in the 24 book series: Ink or Swim, and A Thorny Plot.​

Annie's Publishing trusted me with their story. I had a blast writing about Watson the cat and his human companion Faith Newberry. 

I'm excited to be interviewed in the national newsletter for Mystery Writers of America, The 3rd Degree. I share the stage with short story authors R. T. Lawton and Manuel Ramos. The interview was conducted by award-winning author Suzanne Proulx. 

If you're a member of MWA, you can read the article in the May 2020 issue.

My husband and I went for a 6 mile hike on the Santa Fe Trail, a setting that inspired my first published novel. The mystery today is not in my story. We've noticed a gate, detached from any fencing, standing solo in a field. It has been there as long as I remember.

What's new is the addition of a lock. And then another lock. Over a dozen random locks. 

Locks on the gate to nowhere. 

I probably won't write a story about the gate. The image is visual art, offering a moment to reflect and ask, WHY?

My day job is with a company that encourages employee wellness. We took a voluntary Optimist Test. I tried my best to answer honestly, and not outguess the intent of the questions. The results were interesting.  

​I fell almost exactly in the middle of the scale between optimist and pessimist. That felt accurate. I tend to get caught up in the process of growing the flowers rather than stopping to admire them. 

In light of this personal insight, I realized I need to reflect on my publishing journey. The process is what I live for, but I need to enjoy the fruits of my labor as well.

In 2013, the first novel and the first short story I sold were both published. Seven years ago. Since then, I have sold eight more short stories and five more novels. 

Today's post celebrates the publication of my Rock Shop Mysteries. The three novels are available in e-book and paperback formats. The terrific covers are the work of artist Deirdre Wait. To learn more about her career as a graphic artist, check out this blog article. To learn more about my novels, go to the Rock Shop Mystery Series tab on this website.

I went for a walk-run Friday - about five miles. Lots of folks were out on the walking trails. Some were pushing strollers. Other walking dogs. Kids were running and riding bikes. 

​I saw a hawk of some variety, circling near the creek. I wonder what it was hunting?

It appeared much closer in person. Shockingly large. My cheap phone camera does it no justice.

Then this morning I saw the hawk soaring over my house. It swooped from tree to tree. I've noticed a lot less bunny rabbits in the neighborhood this spring. A coincidence? I think not!

I believe if you have a choice to laugh or to cry, opt for laughter. People have gotten creative with COVID-19 humor.

Don't argue with me about whether it's okay to make jokes about a deadly virus. I write humorous murder mysteries. I've already solved that conundrum to my own satisfaction.

This cake caught my eye. My husband and I were shopping for groceries, surrounded by people wearing masks of all styles and colors. Prominently displayed in the King Soopers bakery was this, and another COVID themed cake. Kudos to the baker who was bold enough to bring laughter to shoppers' days. We didn't purchase the cake. We're both on low-carb diets, made more necessary by the stay-at-home orders. I'm determined not to gain the "COVID 15," the fifteen pounds people are expected to pack on by fighting a war while reclining in front of the television. With snacks. And adult beverages.

Speaking of laughter, author and artist Mario Acevedo has an adorable series going on Facebook he calls Cats Under Quarantine. You can find him on Facebook, or follow his Instagram, to see how the cats are coping: Cats Under Quarantine.