I think I'll just stay here for a while and enjoy the Music :)

So Carol, how goes the writing? Last time you mentioned it, you were doing 11-hour sessions. You were an inspiration, although four or five hours a day for me is a lot. My brain stops working.

Love the puppy pics, Carol - thanks for sharing! Jools

Acutally my hero is a male, who works out of the police department of Hopewell, Virginia. But I use a lot of my own experiences I accumulated as Deputy Sheriff.

Well, you know anything north of the Mason-Dixon line, we consider as being Yankees. I do love "Gone with the Wind." I read it every four or five years. So much of the book was left out of the movie. If you go to Atlanta, there is Gone With the Wind memorabilia everywhere. Margaret Mitchell's house is a museum. My son lives in the town where the fabeled mansion "Tara" was supposedly located. I also have a neice named Scarlett. So you see, I'm a true Southern gal from Georgia. As they say, "American by birth, Southern by the grace of God." We retiredto southwest Florida a few years ago, and I get teased about my accent all the time. At first, I wondered, "What accent?" But Florida has a lot of "snowbirds" as we call them; people who live down here in the winter, and they apparently were amused at my accent. I never got asked about my accent until we moved down here. But.... I like being different.

I write darker suspense, so black works for me. Personally, I'm a color lover and I love the colors you picked for your page. Very unusual and cheery. Hang in there, babe. Keep writing ... and keep growing!

Thanks for your comment on our ITW Debut Authors page (CJ's article on beating the slush pile). It does come down to writing the damned book and you have to love the writer's journey enough to still pursue it even if you never get published. I had gotten to that point when I sold. You just never know. The main thing is to keep growing, learning the craft, and putting yourself out there. Best wishes on your journey.

Hi, Carole! I get a LOT of research from the LA Public Library website (www.lapl.org)--where is your novel going to be set?

I'm not sure you'd find my two P.I.s hard boiled enough but they're not your usual types. I have two series. One with Lauren Laurano and one with Faye Quick.
Thanks for the invite.

Dear Carole,
It may have been a sign though I didn't know it for several years. Now, I think it was. The event chaned my life. I never would have written that first novel and now I am about to turn in my 5th. So... perhaps.
Megan is a spectacular writer, who has revived the noir genre and made it her own. I've read everything she's written!
Good luck with your book!
Best,
Jonathan

Yes we did, with corn on the cob and sour creamed cucumbers instead of potatoes. If Chuck hasn't made off with it for his lunch, I plan a cold meat loaf sandwich and salad for before my massage lady comes!
(It's Lean Cuisine for lunch alas)

The puppies look so sweet! I'm such a sucker for puppies!

Thanks for the invitation AND the compliment :o) My dad loved to cook and passed it on to me. My sister on the other hand loves to clean...not sure where that came from. My main passion (other than writing) is baking. You should see my kitchen during the holidays! On the other hand, Chuck is a mean hand at the barbeque!

Did you see BRICK, the film noir in an American high school? If not, see it.

Yes i write mystery novels and that stuff.
You and I love the same films.

Congratulations on the puppies! Hurry with the photos!!!

So nice to get the good news and they're almost on schedule! How many puppies? Awaiting the pics! We're on the beach in Homer and finally the rain has stopped and we're getting spectacular weather. I'm working on the B'con program tho, but hubby and son are roaming the sands and chasing the sandhill cranes who fly by daily, and simply soaking it all up before son's school starts Tuesday.

In case you hadn't checked, my novel CROSSHAIRS is also available in the UK but there appears to be a long delay in delivery if you order through your book stores. Probably faster via Amazon. Cheaper too.

By the way, I also like your music. I used to play the trumpet myself and Miles was one of my favorites. Mostly his ballads. The most sensitive, heart-wrenching sounds ever. The man simply cried through his horn.
Russ

Hi Carole,

Thanks much for the invite. I hear music...?