Merry Christmas!

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas!

Over the years, our own Christmas traditions have changed. Because one of our daughters is an airline pilot, we vary our celebration depending on her schedule. Sometimes we have Christmas on December 26 or 27. This year, the turkey goes into the oven mid-afternoon, and we will open our gifts later tonight.

We have learned flexibility. Christmas is not a specific date. It is a time for celebration together, whenever and wherever that time may be.

Happy holidays!

Joining a Festive Tradition

Jefferson Tree viewed from the stairs MMSikes

For well over 100 years, people have celebrated Christmas in style at the Jefferson Hotel. I joined the Richmond Branch National League of American Pen Women at the historic hotel for lunch and enjoyed seeing the women I've known for many years. We used to have a much larger group and we met every month except in the summer. Now the group has grown older in age, and we only meet four times a year. In recent years, we have gathered during the Christmas season to celebrate together.

The Jefferson was beautiful and very, very crowded.  On one side of the tall, lavishly decorated tree sat three temporary tables filled with young children. As I watched, three of the little girls, each wearing a red and green velvet holiday dress, escaped from their seats and danced about near the giant sparkling tree. The quaint scene made me wonder how many other little children have danced and played in the Jefferson lobby over the years.

I noticed that the elegant Lemaire Dining room was closed for a private party. The largest gingerbread house I've ever seen sat by the restaurant entrance, cordoned off for protection from the crowds by thick velvet cords.

While I waited to go into TJs, I watched a large group of ladies dressed in their finest line up. For many of them, this must be a yearly tradition that has gone on for decades.

Alligators Remembered MMSikes

As I observed everything happening all around, I was glad that our group has become part of the Jefferson tradition. We enjoyed our little piece of Christmas history. Even as we departed, we found decorations everywhere, including in the mouth of one of the alligator bronze statues that greets visitors at the valet parking entrance.

Who Are Our Heroes? The View of a Romance Writer

Who are our heroes? As a romance writer, I want happy endings. As I work, I strive to create characters who are heroic and provide happy endings for my readers. Although most characters start out a little flawed, they grow and become better heroes as the story develops.

When I first started writing romance, one of the rules for category was no sports heroes.  I wondered why. I also wondered why the big New York houses frowned upon heroes and heroines from the art world which was where I often wanted to go with some of my characters.

Of course, with the coming of age of e-books, everything has changed. There are fewer rules; the lines are grayer for what a writer can and cannot do. Perhaps there are no lines at all.

As I ponder about my experiences as a writer and as an observer of people, I believe the heroes in our world today are the teachers. They are the ones guiding and instructing for the future. The profession is not filled with the glamour and glitz some other jobs might hold. Teachers are not paid $48 a minutes even when they are sleeping. Yet, they are the unsung heroes.

One of my next books will feature a teacher as the heroine.

Who do you consider the heroes in today's world? I would like to know.

Heroes can be musicians who share their gifts with us. Petersburg Regional Art Center Open House 12/9/11

Greed and Gluttony - What Will the Children Think?

It was will great disappointment and anger that I observed the Albert Pujols fiasco unfold. Greed and gluttony, what will the children think? That was my amazed and traumatic reaction. After all, I have watched Albert Pujols during at least five spring trainings in Jupiter, Florida and have thought he cared a lot about the children who followed him as great and growing fans.

He did not.

In the end, nothing mattered as far as loyalty was concerned. He did not care about the children. He was not a role model. He was not a hero. He cared about money. How much money does one man need?

As someone who has worked with children for many years, I know they need role models to follow. They need heroes.

Albert Pujols is neither of these. He is a fallen hero.

It is sad because he could have followed in the footsteps of Stan Musial.

He did not.

So sad to see a lost opportunity.

Greed and gluttony...what will the children think?

I hope the St. Louis Cardinals soon will give out number 5 to another player. We do not want to keep bad memories of the player who has dishonored that number this week. Perhaps a new number 5 will grant us good memories as St. Louis Cardinals fans!

Fallen heroes do not.


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Busy, Crazy, Insane Weekend and a New Book

Holiday Marketplace at Tides Inn

Combining a book signing with an art event is trying, cumbersome, and exhilarating. For as long as I can remember my first love has been both, and try as I might I can't seem to change that. The love of color and form is far too strong to separate myself from art, and my love of words is equally compelling. It has reached the point that when I didn't still have the painting that became the cover art for Jungle Jeopardy, I had to create a new painting to show with my book. There it is, far left, in the photograph.

Earlier this week, I received the first copies of my latest book, A Rainbow for Christmas. This is my first western. It's a sweet romance set in 1869 on a wagon train traveling from Missouri to Denver, Colorado. During my research I read the dairies of many women who experienced the hardships of crossing the prairie amidst all types of challenges. I was intrigued and lost in the journey of my heroine as she careened along a rough wagon train trail learning to drive a team of oxen along the way. It was thrilling to sign the first copies of my book in the middle of a festive room at Tides Inn filled with artisans of all kinds, including jewelry-makers, painters, potters, and two writers.

Crazy, busy! I love the excitement. Art and writing. I live for the confusing mixture of the two!