Researching the Bits

This is one in a series of blog posts (without spoilers!) about the writing process for The Lantern’s Dance. Sometimes, I go into a book knowing a fair amount about the setting and situation. Other times, I just know enough to know it’s interesting—but there will be work involved to flesh it out. The Lantern’s…

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The inspirations of travel

I recently had The Conversation with my editor.  You know, the one about, What comes next? And the answer was tough because, well, my last trip to Europe gave me two books and a short story, but for the next one, I’ll need to travel again and…. So anyway, we’re working around the possibilities, but…

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Travel and Monte Carlo

Remember travel? Remember getting in the car and going to the airport and walking onto a plane and sitting down SHOULDER TO SHOULDER WITH STRANGERS and breathing their air for hours and blithely drinking things you took from the ungloved hands of the flight attendants and— (Okay, calm down, breathe now, just maybe pull up…

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Exotic Settings

(Added note:for a few days, Dreaming Spies will be $2.99 on Nook and Kindle. in the US.) I always find it interesting to look back at a book I’ve written and reflect on what it turned out to be about, and how it fits into the rest of the series. While I’m actually writing the things,…

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Beginnings event at the Poisoned Pen

Tomorrow will be my one and only event for Beginnings, which we self-published last month. Where else to hold it but my beloved Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale, AZ? Please come and see me and/or order books here to be signed at the event. Looking forward to seeing you and revisiting Kate Martinelli together!

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A woman’s wrath

Interesting to look at some of the images that have caught my eye in this past week, wandering through a series of European museums. There seems to have been a theme of some kind. For the life of me, I can’t figure out what that might be. Or why. Can you?

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The Serbian Beekeeper (‘s Apprentice?)

The other day I went on a wine- and honey-tasting expedition outside of Belgrade, at a place called…well, here: It had examples of old-style bee skeps: It had an illustration of the development of bee-keeping technology: It had a very decorative (if not entirely practical) beehive, since even Apis Mellifera might wish to worship in…

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Bulgarian Sunset

Sunset, shortly after we passed from Romania into Bulgari. And where, ironically, the massive communication tower glimpsed over the hilltop signalled an almost complete loss of shipboard wifi.

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Eastern sunrise

We moored at the tiny eastern Romania village of Fetesti before sunrise this morning, and the sun came up…followed by the mist.

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Revelations in Romania

One travels for a lot of reasons. For the scenery— And the insight into other ways of life— To learn things— And see castles— with dragonic downspouts— (And don’t forget the companionship— or the art— Or even the occasional frisson of danger [click photo to see the roof repairs]—) But I hadn’t expected to find…

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