I'm so excited. I'm attending Malice Domestic for the first time this year. Until last year, I didn't even know it existed and now just the thought of being in the same room with some of my favorite authors has me goosebumpy and giggling like a school girl. Amazing to me!

Hopefully, while I'm in the room with the likes of Margaret Maron, Carolyn Hart, Cathy Pickens and so many others, their muses will shake an accusatory finger at mine and asked about that sorry work ethic of hers.…

I have been following all the updates on the news coming out of Virginia Tech since this horrible thing happened. Even though I don't know anyone personally who attends VT, this has still left its mark on me.

Events like this should only happen in fiction. No one should ever have to feel so dispirited as to see no other escape than to die and take others with him.

The fact that the doors were chained shut from the inside to prevent escape makes me cringe. It makes me want to…

I found out through a cozy discussion group that one of my favorite authors, Elaine Viets, is very ill. She was scheduled to be the Toastmaster at this year's Malice Domestic next month. I was very excited at the thought of meeting her. Now I'm just sad that she is ill and I'm praying her condition improves completely and swiftly. Her doctors are saying she has a long road ahead, but should recovery. That's great news!

To post a 'Get Well' message for Elaine, go to:…

Ya know what has become quite a mystery to me over the last five years? Girl Scout cookies--more specifically, why people order them and then refuse to pay for them? Over the last five years the kid unit has been with the Girl Scout organization, we have steadily decreased the number of people we ask to order cookies each year. And each year, there are new folks to add to the list of 'Those We Won't Ask Next Year Because They Didn't Pay This Year." It's strange to me!

One thing I…

Writers are a funny lot, aren't we? I was asked recently why I bothered to write if I didn't try to get published. My answer seemed reasonable to me at the time. I said, "I'm not published because I'm not polished enough yet. I just need more time and practice." As I said, seems perfectly reasonable, does it not? Then another question was lobbed at me that has my head still spinning. With all the sincerity in the world, this sweet little librarian said, "But how will you know when you are…