Another PUParazzi Day...

Everything But a Dog

By now, most of you know Ethel Merman and Ella Fitzgerald, my dogs who also served as the inspiration for Curie and Clara in Everything But a Dog.  There's a bit of a buzz in USAToday's Happily Ever After Blog, today.  And according to a certain daughter, the dogs and I might be having a bit too much fun with it!

Holly

Sunday Shorts

13 Weeks

I started my career writing short stories.  I loved looking at a  small clip from a couple's relationship. This last year, I've been using my "Sunday Book" time to go back to my roots and write some short stories and a couple novellas. These are my Sunday Shorts!  I've had a blast returning to my roots!

In Labor Day a couple tells their daughter about how they met...and while it was over the Labor Day holiday, that's not the only reason for the title. (And after the short story came out, there was a story in the news that echoed it.) In There He Was, a Myth Buster's episode inspired me.  A minor explosion forces the heroine to look at exactly what love looks like.

This October, I have a novella, 13 Weeks, that's available for pre-order now.  A traveling nurse, by definition, travels.  Doran has spent most of her life moving from one place to another.  When she comes to Erie, PA (where else?) she meets Paul.  He's a man who has roots as deeply planted as the old elm in his backyard.  Helping them discover what really matters was so much fun.

I hope you enjoy all three of my return-to-my-roots!!  There are a few more coming out soon!

Holly

Labor Day

There He Was

Everything But a Groom's a Top 101 Romances of the last 10 Years!

Everything But a Groom is the first book in my Everything But... Series.  I found out today it made Booklist's Top 101 Romances of the Last 10 Years list!  I'm so jazzed!  I'll confess, I loved this sweet little romance about a Hungarian grandmother who accidentally cursed her family to bad weddings.  After she broke the curse at the end of the first trilogy, I missed her and it turned out, so did readers.  So I went on to write a second trilogy where Nana Vancy tries her hand at matchmaking.

Since then she's had cameos in my Nothing But...short story trilogy, in Christmas in Cupid Falls and even Carry Her Heart.  She's a reader favorite and she's one of mine, too!  So on behalf of Nana Vancy and myself, thank you Booklist!  And thank you to all the readers who've fallen in love with my slightly offbeat Hungarian grandma!

Holly

They're Playing My Song...Well, They're Playing My Book's Song

Music has always played a part in writing. Beth recently wrote me and said that Sarah McLachlan's Full of Grace reminded her of Just One Thing.  (Thank you again, Beth!!) I loved that she made that connection because not only did I agree, but I do that kind of thing all the time.

For instance, in August's Her Second-Chance Family Sister Hazel's song, Concede really struck me as the song for the heroine's battle to reach her foster daughter...



In My Valley Ridge series, the third book, A Walk Down the Aisle has a couple who was meant to be together but thinks they're over.  I loved As You Turn Away as the heroine's theme song.  I could see her listening to this and crying as I wrote her book.

And Same Time Not Summer Keri Noble's Piece of My Heart really fit. I really love the imagery of the song...

So it comes as no surprise that November's These Three Words has an inspiration as well.  It is the strongest one yet.  When I was young, Dad took Mom to NYC and they saw They're Playing My Song.  Mom bought the album (yeah, I know, I'm dating myself! LOL)  Robert Klein and Lucy Arnaz in a Neil Simon, Marvin Hamlish and Carole Bayer Sager show.  I mean, come on.  Even as I kid I recognized the magic of those people and that show.  (And really, really, really I want a revival of this one.  I'd get front row tickets for it!!)  One song in particular always really touched me, Fill in the Words.  When I started writing These Three Words, I realized early on that this song could be my hero's theme song.  He's a man of very few words, but a very big heart.

How about you?  Do you ever read a book, then hear a song and think, yes...that's it??

Holly

International Literacy Day

International Literacy Day

It's #TeaserTuesday and it's International Literacy Day.  I touched on this issue a few years back in Homecoming Day.  It seemed like an appropriate teaser for today!  The stat in the teaser isn't fiction and it truly breaks my heart.  I'm someone who grew up in books...I can't imagine a world without them!

Homecoming Day

I know you said you didn’t know much about reading problems, that you were an art teacher.  You know basket weaving not teaching reading, wasn’t that it?"  

She smiled and nodded.  “Come in.”  

He’d loved that phrase.  And as he stepped into Laura’s hallway, he was struck by how non-Spartan her home seemed.

It was the opposite of his apartment.  It was warm and inviting.  There was a coat tree standing next to the door.  A long, skinny table next to it.  It had a small bowl with keys in it, and a small ivy-ish looking plant.

Maybe a plant would make his sisters feel better about his house?

“Seth?”

Sorry.”  He stopped worrying about his unadorned apartment and concentrated on JT.  “Anyway, I Googled it.  Did you know that about a fifth of high school seniors can be considered functionally illiterate?  They suggested these.  They’re easy readers for older readers.  I thought they might help JT.”

Pawpaws

I love pawpaws...though I've never tasted one.  To be honest, I hadn't even heard about them until a few years ago when I read Paradise Lot by Eric Toensmeier.  I so enjoyed reading about their urban garden, but when I read about pawpaws was hooked.  I bought these from their  Food Forest Farm and planted them here at home, thinking eventually I'd transplant them to camp.

From personal experience I already know that they seem to be very hardy.  The one on the left was broken by a young boy I love despite the fact he steps on my plants.  It came back from the small twig it that was left to a smaller than it's sister, but doing fine little tree.  So I went ahead and ordered a couple more to plant this fall from FFF.

Oh, and there's a new book out that's feeding my pawpaw love...Pawpaw (aptly named) by Andrew Moore who lives in neighboring Pittsburgh.  Yes my fascination with this native tree is growing.  It might be that I'm a bit too excited...a few friends have had to listen to my geeky gushing over them.

So here I am with a couple pawpaws at home and a soon-to-be baby pawpaw patch at camp...and I've never tasted one of the creamy banana custardish fruits.  Rumor has it I have a few years to go before I get to.

I normally feel I can learn anything by reading a book.  And I have learned a lot about pawpaws and native plants by reading.  But alas, reading can't really let me taste one...and thus my waiting continues!!

When I first mentioned them to my husband, he remembered a pawpaw song from scouting (he was—is—an Eagle Scout) so, here's a YouTube version...with a real pawpaw in the background!

Holly

PS. Yes, I know, you're all shocked that I'm so public with my wild, wild ways!  LOL

What does a writer do to celebrate??

 Yesterday, I heard that Carry Her Heart was a finalist for a Golden Leaf Award.  I was so jazzed that I decided to celebrate...I made a basket.

Wait, you don't think that's a wild and crazy celebration?  Well, don't you worry.  I really went nuts and went to watch a sunset on Presque Isle, here in Erie.  I set so many of my books in Erie and use our peninsula for scenes so often because it's just this beautiful!!

Holly...aka that wild and crazy writer!