This and That
Celebrating awesome fictional fathers
It’s Father’s Day, a day to celebrate all the great dads in our lives. I’ve got some pretty amazing fictional fathers in my novels, too — the kind who offer unconditional love and support. Have a look!
Do you have a favorite fictional dad? Please share!
Have a great day, and happy reading!
Darlene
Getting that summer feeling!
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Who’s Feeling Lucky?
Do you enjoy discovering new authors? Have you ever been hesitant to try a new author? Maybe your budget doesn’t allow you to try all the authors you’d like. Well, here’s a super opportunity for you! While this weekend might be all about shopping, here’s one thing that won’t cost a dime––enter for a chance to win eight books from a group of Kansas City authors. It’s a multi-author, multi-genre opportunity!
One lucky reader (U.S. only) will win all eight books. The books will be mailed in December after the close of the contest. Keep them for yourself, or give them as gifts! You can visit the Of Books and Nooks website to check out the individual authors and their work.
While we all write individually, the group has teamed up to offer you a glimpse into the lives of writers, travel adventures, recipes, book reviews and more! Come along and follow us!
Don’t miss this opportunity.
Good luck and happy reading to all!
Darlene
Holiday Giveaway
A Pretty Fall After All!
A few weeks ago, I was concerned we would have a lackluster fall because it’s been so dry. Some wind took down leaves too early, but overall, it’s pretty out there!
In Kansas, we don’t have the beautiful expanses of fall color you see in places like New England. I miss the falls in the Finger Lakes region of New York why my daughter went to college. The colors are stunning.
Even so, we do have some fine specimens that include trees and shrubs around here. I have a maple in my yard, but I can’t remember the specific kind. I wish it turned a brilliant red, but, alas, it turns orange. Still a pretty sight!
I’ve been out with my camera this week, so here’s a sampling of lovely fall colors!
Hope you are having a good autumn wherever you are!
Darlene
Wildflowers spread their cheer
I love flowers. I like them in my yard. I like them as gifts. I like wandering through botanic gardens and arboretums when I travel. And I like photographing them. So today, I have a photo collection of wildflowers to share.
Wildflowers make me happy. It’s so fun to stumble across them. So often I struggle to grow flowers at home. To give them the right amount of sun and water and the right soil. To keep the rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks and insects from devouring them. But these little guys, they just pop up and thrive!
These are all images of wildflowers that I spotted along the walks and trails during a recent visit to Colorado. Except the little blue one—that one I grew from a seed! I’m hoping there are a lot more the next time I visit!
Hope you’re having a fabulous summer surrounded by the things you like best!
Darlene
Happy New Year to All!
Wow! That was a fast year! For me, it was full of ups and downs, but mostly ups. My daughter got married, and my son got engaged! We had showers and a bachelorette get-away and a fabulous wedding and reception. Lots of special memories were made.
I published a holiday novella with The Wild Rose Press and finished a full-length romance novel that’s now in the editing phase. Just completed the rough draft of a short story for an anthology, and getting back to a women’s fiction novel I started a few years ago. It promises to be a busy year ahead!
Of course not everything was rosy in 2021. I lost a brother-in-law to cancer. And we didn’t end the pandemic. We didn’t get to travel freely. To kick off the new year, I’m supposed to go on my first ever cruise this month. Sadly, that might not happen. While it’s frustrating, I’m trying to do my part to follow guidelines and science and get through this.
Come on, 2022! Let’s make it a good year!
Wishing you all a peaceful, prosperous and happy new year with books to read and time with all your favorite peeps in all your favorite places! Cheers!
Darlene
That time I didn’t win Mom of the Year
Sometime you just have to laugh.
Ever have one of those brain cramp/senior moments? You know what I’m talking about, right? Now think about those in terms of Mom moments. Here’s one for you
—It was kind of a silly sad incident, but it’s also provided a lot of laughter over the years.
One morning in all the rush to get everyone to work or school on time, I breezed into the kitchen to help manage the chaos. Every day we packed a lunch for my son, who happened to be the World’s Pickiest Eater. This kid ate peanut butter and jelly, or honey, every day of his life for YEARS. Even when we went out to eat, which was often, we’d pack a sandwich and take a little bag with us.
Anyway, on this particular morning, I saw the day’s sandwich sitting on the counter, so I grabbed a plastic bag, shoved the sandwich inside and completed the lunch bag with a juice box and whatever else went in that day. Done. Move along. Chop, chop.
Well, later that day…my son opens the bag at lunchtime only to discover his “sandwich” is actually two slices of bread. No peanut butter. No jelly or honey. You can imagine his surprise! Yum!
In my defense, it looked like a sandwich! This little incident, while trivial, has become an example of my (not too many) failures in the Mom department. He survived. And I can handle being laughed at a little. We’re not perfect. Things happen. And it’s little shared memories like this that bond us and keep us real. 🙂
Is there a little incident that kept you from winning Mom Of The Year? 
Enjoy the day!
Darlene
Petals, posies and blooms, oh my!
Happy May Day! It’s been a gorgeous (but slightly cool) spring. The flowering trees have been stunning, and the perennials are bursting with color. And all I can say is Yay, Spring! It’s such a relief when the cold is behind us and we can get outside again. My husband and I took our first walk of the season the other day. It’s fun to get out see people and peek at everyone else’s yards. There’s something about the warmer temps and sunny skies that just makes me feel better! Hope you are enjoying the blossoming of spring. Here are a few snapshots that capture the color and mood!
Might be a great day for a book and a glass of iced tea on the patio!
Darlene
A Little Shot; A Very Big Deal!
A year ago today the Covid-19 crisis cut short my spring break trip to see my sister in Dallas. I’m so happy to report that I marked the anniversary of that date by getting my first Covid vaccine!
While inklings of disaster were just beginning this time last year, I stuck to my plan and drove from Kansas City to 
Dallas. Spent a beautiful day at the Dallas Arboretum, where there was plenty of room to spread out and avoid others. But the next day, we attempted to do some shopping, and everything felt weird. So, after only two days, I packed my bags, turned around, and drove nine hours back home.
By then, the Big 12 basketball tournament and the NCAA tournament—the big dance—had been cancelled. For a KU grad and Jayhawk basketball fan, this was huge. News reports were bad, and things were not looking good.
It was a terrible year. The pandemic messed up milestone birthday celebrations for me, my mom, and my daughter. No book signings or author events. Restaurants shutting down. People out of work. Vacations cancelled. Holidays without family. People dying without loved ones at their side. One of my brothers died in 2020. No family was present, and we were unable to have a memorial service.
It’s heartbreaking that so many people were lost. I’m so grateful for the scientists and medical professionals who worked tirelessly to save lives and bring us an effective vaccine.
It’s such a relief to see light at the end of the tunnel. I was a little apprehensive to get the shot today. I’ve been known to pass out during a blood draw. Turned out it was just a little prick. No big deal. But, actually, it’s a very big 
deal. It’s a shot of hope. I feel as if I’m getting my life back. Five more weeks—and I’m counting down the days.
All of a sudden my blank calendar is filling up! So far, yesterday and today I’ve made several long overdue appointments— hair cut and color (Yikes! It’s been a full year!), teeth cleaning, and a mammogram. Most exciting of all, I booked flights for an author/reader event in Connecticut in July. That just happens to coincide with a bridal shower for my daughter. Her engagement was the one bright spot in this tedious, awful year. We now have so much to look forward to. Let the fun begin!
Happy spring to all. Hopeful that you, too, are seeing light in the days ahead.
