Happy Birthday to my Dad!

"Nothing on earth can make
up for the loss of one who
has loved you."
--Selma Lagert

I lost my Dad in October of 2009, just as Lorna was starting to see some success.  He never knew most of the Lorna triumphs.  Hitting the New York Times bestsellers list--not just the extended list, but the REAL list (so far three times).  He never saw the third book in the series.  He never knew it was nominated for an Agatha for best novel of 2009. He never knew I sold another series under my own name -- the one he gave me.

Yesterday I learned I hit the New York Times bestsellers (extended) list for the first time under my own name for The Walled Flower.  And guess what, I hit higher than Lorna did on her first time. #25.

Yesterday would have been my Dad's birthday.

Happy Birthday, Dad.

Not that you asked . . .

I love Romantic Homes magazine.  And one of my favorite features is the "At Home With . . . " column at the back of the issue.  Here they ask different guest designers the same questions every month.  So, what if I interviewed myself with the same questions (you can try it, too!)?  Or should I have Lorna ask Lorraine these questions?  It doesn't matter.  Here they are:

The last thing you worked on?
A short story when I should have been working on Victoria Square #3.

Your current inspiration?
The events going on in my life.

First place you'll go tomorrow?
To my mother's house.

The color you most often use?  (See, I told you these questions were for designers.)
Purple.  I guess I never outgrew it.  (As a child I asked my parents to paint my bedroom a deep lilac.  I love purple pens and my husband indulges me at Christmas (in my stocking) and Easter (in my basket). That said, blue is my favorite color. (But pink is creeping up there.)

Your best trick when entertaining?
Order pizza.

Favorite collectible?
Now that's a tough one--I collect SOOO many things.  Made-in-Japan (1950s-60s) Christmas figurines.  Hand-painted plates, lambs (I have a whole flock), royal family memorabilia (mostly china cups and mugs), greeting cards from the 1950s.  The list goes on and on.

Most valued possession?
The carved Santas my father made for me.

The last thing you bought for the home?
Lace curtains.

What's left on your wish list?"
For my Jeff Resnick books to find the same kind of success that my Booktown Mysteries have found.

So . . . what's on YOUR wish list?

Me, me, it's all about ME!

I get asked to do a lot of interviews and stuff for blogs.  I like that because it's easier to answer questions than to come up with something new and fresh.  Heck, it's difficult to come up for something new and fresh six days a week for this blog and the Cozy Chicks on Saturdays.

Today I'm guesting on my agent's blog:  Bookends LCC - A Literary Agency.  This is "speed dating for authors'" where she asks her clients 5-6 questions and you answer them.  Fun!!  (Well, it's supposed to be.  I don't know that I came across particularly funny/witty.  Anal old me, I tend to answer questions in a pretty straight-forward fashion.)  But I'm grateful for the exposure and hope someone will be inspired to read on (or more) of my books.

Monday I'm to be the first Guest Host on the Berkley Prime Crime-Signet (that's my publisher) THE CRIME SCENE Facebook Page.  It's a great place to talk about cozy mysteries on Facebook.  The page has just gotten off the ground and they'd like to have 2500 LIKES by March 14th.  I'd like them to have 2500 Likes by March 7th -- That's Monday -- when I'm the guest host.

I'll be hosting from 11 a.m. until noon (MONDAY, MARCH 7th, Eastern Daylight Time) and you can ask me any question on my writing, cozy mysteries, whatever.  (Ask me about Star Trek even -- but not Deep Space Nine.  I never got into that version.)

I'm the first one to host the page and I'm worried that nobody will show up and that I'll be sitting here at my computer staring at the screen and nothing will happen.  (My editor will be sitting there watching his screen, too--which makes me doubly nervous.  I feel like a school kid who wants to make her teacher proud.)

So, if you're not doing anything on Monday, PLEASE come and visit me on the Crime Scene Facebook page.  (I'll give a reminder on Monday, too.)  They'll be giving away books!!!!!!!!!!!!

And I will be eternally grateful!!!

Thank you!

(P.S.  That's me and Fred, my tiny son.)