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31 August 2018

Flashback Friday | Birthmarks, Tattoos & Treasure Maps




Flashback Friday takes place on the last Friday of the month. The idea is to give a little more love to a blog post you've published before that maybe didn't get enough attention, or is something you think is still relevant or even a something that you really love and want to share again.

Many thanks to Michael d’Agostino for starting Flashback Friday and inspiring me to go back and revisit some of our earlier blog posts.

* * *

A while back, at one of our Taco Tuesday get togethers, the gang started talking about some really random things like whether or not panda bears are actually bears, who starred in some old TV shows, the birthmark on my arm, and treasure map. I had this vague notion that I might have actually written a blog post about my birthmark and treasure maps once upon a time. And, lo and behold, I did - way back in September 2015. You can find the original post here.  

When I looked back at this post, two things came to mind: (1) I think about weird stuff and (2) give people enough tacos and beer and they talk about weird stuff too.


* * *

Over the past week, I've been busy cleaning out our boat, moving stuff around, digging through hard to reach cubbyholes and inventorying everything. I'm not really looking at my best with all of this work - frizzy hair, sweat dripping down, cuts, bruises and dirt everywhere.

The other day I was on deck trying to sort out my musty v-berth cushions when one of my dock neighbors at the marina stopped by for a chat. He took one look at me and said, "Hey, watch out, you've got a bunch of grease on your arm." I looked down and didn't see anything. It was probably the only place on my body that wasn't covered with grime. Then I realized that he was looking at my birthmark.

When he realized his mistake, he kind of got a little embarrassed (he's such a sweetie). I'm not sure if he was embarrassed because he mistook my birthmark for grease or if he was embarrassed for pointing out my birthmark. Some folks aren't too happy about having birthmarks. Personally, I love mine. I think the one on my arm looks like a deserted island. What do you think?



I told my dock neighbor my theory. "One of these days, when Scott and I are out sailing, we're going to find the island that matches my birthmark and we're going to lay claim! The birthmark proves its mine!" He chuckled and said that what would make it even better was if we found buried treasure on our island. Then he had brilliant idea - get a tattoo for X marks the spot on my birthmark. 

I was thinking I could go for something like this.

 
I can only imagine the look of horror on Scott's face as he reads this blog post and worries that I'm actually going to go through with this whole tattoo thing while he's away. And he thought the fabric I've picked out for curtains and throw pillows was awful. Wait until he sees my tattoo. That'll teach him for being gone so long.

On another note, I'm heading off to Portland today to visit my family. I think we're making our way up to Washington State this weekend to look for Bigfoot. Keep an eye out on our Facebook page, I'll post a picture of Bigfoot if we spot him.

Do you have a birthmark? Do you like it? Do you have any tattoos? If so, what are they of and where are they located?

Thanks for stopping by our blog - we love it when people come visit! We're also on Facebook - pop by and say hi! 


Murder at the Marina - a lighthearted & humorous cozy sailing mystery - available in ebook and paperback format at:

Amazon (US) | Amazon (CA) | Amazon (UK) | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Apple iBooks | Google Play | Book Depository | Books-A-Million

Find out more at ellenjacobsonauthor.com   

29 August 2018

Wordless Wednesday | Starfish




Wordless Wednesday is supposed to be about posting a photo(s) without any words. But, I'm a rule breaker, so here are a few words:

1 - I want to be a starfish when I grow up. Well, maybe not completely, but the idea of being able to regenerate my limbs is awfully appealing.

2 - I have this weird thing on one of my fingers and Scott told me it was probably leprosy and then proceeded to do a Monty Python bit. ("Half a shekel for an old ex-leper?") Now, each morning, I count my digits. So far, so good - twenty every time.

3 - Starfish don't have to worry about this kind of things. And, if they did, they'd only have to count up to five. How lucky are they?

What words does this picture(s) bring to your mind when you look at it?

For more Wordless Wednesday fun, click here

Thanks for stopping by our blog - we love it when people come visit! We're also on Facebook - pop by and say hi!


Murder at the Marina - a lighthearted & humorous cozy sailing mystery - available in ebook and paperback format at:

Amazon (US) | Amazon (CA) | Amazon (UK) | Amazon (AU) | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Apple iBooks | Google Play | Book Depository | Books-A-Million

Find out more at ellenjacobsonauthor.com 

27 August 2018

What Will Sailing Be Like In 100 Years?

 

Do you ever wonder what life will be like 100 years from now? Or do you want to know more about what happened 100 years ago? If someone offered you a ride in their time machine, would you go forward or back in time?

These are the types of questions I ask myself over my morning coffee. I also ask myself why anyone would have a peanut butter sandwich without jam. Then my mind works its way back to wondering what life will be like in the future and, on this particular morning, what sailing will be like.

People have used the wind to power their boats since the dawn of time. Sure technology has played a role in modern sailing, but the basic principle is the same - take a piece of fabric, hold it up, and let the wind push it.

It's kind of neat to think that at its core sailing probably won't change that much over time, but the experience of sailing might. Will there be more people out on the water, either voluntarily embracing a nomadic lifestyle or because they were forced to abandon life on land due to economic and other pressures? What will the oceans look like from an environmental perspective? Will the kraken get tired of all of our boats and take back the sea?

What do you think life will be like in 100 years? What do you think will change? What do you think won't?

Thanks for stopping by our blog - we love it when people come visit! We're also on Facebook - pop by and say hi!


Murder at the Marina - a lighthearted & humorous cozy sailing mystery - available in ebook and paperback format at:

Amazon (US) | Amazon (CA) | Amazon (UK) | Amazon (AU) | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Apple iBooks | Google Play | Book Depository | Books-A-Million

Find out more at ellenjacobsonauthor.com 

24 August 2018

An Assortment Of Oddities | Magazines, Whale Readers & Feeling Frumpy


I've got a random assortment of oddities to share with you today cause it's feeling like one of those kinds of days.

Let's start off with magazines. As part of my Amazon Prime membership, I have access to a number of free digital magazines. Although they can be fun to leaf through, I rarely buy print magazines anymore - they're so expensive for what you get. So sometimes I download a woman's magazine full of tips about how to keep your house clutter-free, despite the fact that I don't have a house or own many possessions. Other times, it's a food magazine full of gorgeous looking photos of exotic dishes that I drool over while I'm eating a PB&J, but which I'm never going to make.

Lately, I've been having a closer look at what's on offer. There's a magazine for pretty much any interest or hobby you might have or lifestyle you aspire to lead.

"Enjoy page after page of stunning photos of snakes, lizards, turtles, frogs and more in REPTILES!"

"Lost Treasure is the NUMBER ONE selling treasure magazine in the world...help make your next treasure hunt more successful whether you're hunting for lost coins or sunken treasure."


I skipped Lost Treasure, but I did download Reptiles. After all, a small family of lizards has taken up residence in my cockpit. Maybe I'll pick up tips on reptilian home decor to share with them.




Next up, >>whale readers<<. I've heard people use this term to describe voracious readers. You know, the folks who read a lot of books, sometimes even one or two a day. There's probably a magazine out there dedicated to whale readers.

I thought I read a lot (74 so far this year), but then I saw a blog post from Amy at Out Chasing Stars. She's read over 260 books in the past year! I love the picture of her reading on her catamaran. Fascinating post on what she likes to read and where she sources her ebooks. {Ebooks are so important when you live on a boat or in an RV - space is at a premium.} She's trying her hand at writing romance. Can't wait to read her book once it's published.



Finally, our Facebook page is looking a little frumpy. I haven't changed the banner image on our Facebook page probably since the day I set it up. My to do list is looking a little boring, so I think I'll procrastinate ticking life's little chores off in favor of looking through old photos and giving Facebook a new look.

What's the last magazine you bought? If you're a reader, how many books do you get through a year? If you have a Facebook page, how often do you update your banner image?

Thanks for stopping by our blog - we love it when people come visit! We're also on Facebook - pop by and say hi!


Murder at the Marina - a lighthearted & humorous cozy sailing mystery - available in ebook and paperback format at:

Amazon (US) | Amazon (CA) | Amazon (UK) | Amazon (AU) | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Apple iBooks | Google Play | Book Depository | Books-A-Million

Find out more at ellenjacobsonauthor.com 



22 August 2018

Wordless Wednesday | Cap'n Crunch Cereal



Wordless Wednesday is supposed to be about posting a photo(s) without any words. But, I'm a rule breaker, so here are a few words:

1 - I was tempted to buy a box of Cap'n Crunch the other day. It's probably my favorite not-good-for-you-but-oh-so-delicious cereal. I used to eat it far more often than was good for me in college.

2 - These days I usually have a bowl of oatmeal in the morning. Not nearly as delicious. Unless, of course you sprinkle mini chocolate chips on top. Not that I would ever do that.

3 - Did you know that you can do more with Cap'n Crunch than just dousing it with milk? I actually found a recipe for Cap'n Crunch chicken. It sounds rather odd. I think I'll stick with just eating mine the old fashioned way in a bowl.

What words does this picture(s) bring to your mind when you look at it?

For more Wordless Wednesday fun, click here

Thanks for stopping by our blog - we love it when people come visit! We're also on Facebook - pop by and say hi!


Murder at the Marina - a lighthearted & humorous cozy sailing mystery - available in ebook and paperback format at:

Amazon (US) | Amazon (CA) | Amazon (UK) | Amazon (AU) | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Apple iBooks | Google Play | Book Depository | Books-A-Million

Find out more at ellenjacobsonauthor.com 

20 August 2018

Raise Your Hand If You Think Raccoons Can Read

Image via The Graphics Fairy

I've been slightly obsessed with raccoons lately.

Hang on a minute - do "slightly" and "obsessed" go together? Isn't an obsession a full-on thing? Hmm...not sure, but let's go with "slightly obsessed" because a full-on obsession with raccoons sounds kind of weird. A slight obsession just sounds a bit kooky.

So, anyway, back to the raccoons. I have a bit in the current draft of my next cozy mystery, Bodies in the Boatyard, which talks about teaching sign language to raccoons. I mentioned it on Facebook last week and immediately got an email from my mother which said, "Raccoons can read."

Now, how many of you think raccoons can read? Go on, raise your hand if you do. Make sure to hold it up in front of the camera on your computer so I can see.

1, 2, 3...Sorry I lost count. But I do know some of you didn't have your hands up. Sounds like you need some convincing. So here you go, proof that they can read.

Once upon a time, we had a bunch of raccoons hanging around our house causing trouble, as only raccoons can do. It got a bit tiresome, so we wanted them to get out of dodge.

{This is where my mother comes in. I bet you were wondering if we'd get back to that.}

So my mom typed up a recipe for raccoon stew and taped it up to the sliding glass window. She made sure to put it at raccoon-level height so they could read it easily. Which they did, cause they stopped coming around after that. Would you hang out someplace where they prominently displayed a recipe for human stew? Of course not. Raccoons aren't stupid either.

If you ever wondered where I got my sense of humor from, I think it's safe to say that that question has been answered now.

By the way, does anyone know what do you call a group of raccoons? A herd, a pod, a troop, a gang, or something else? My mom wants to know.

Thanks for stopping by our blog - we love it when people come visit! We're also on Facebook - pop by and say hi!


Murder at the Marina - a lighthearted & humorous cozy sailing mystery - available in ebook and paperback format at:

Amazon (US) | Amazon (CA) | Amazon (UK) | Amazon (AU) | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Apple iBooks | Google Play | Book Depository | Books-A-Million

Find out more at ellenjacobsonauthor.com 

15 August 2018

Wordless Wednesday | Kashi, The Forgtten Cat





Wordless Wednesday is supposed to be about posting a photo(s) without any words. But, I'm a rule breaker, so here are a few words:

1 - While I was on my blogging break, I posted pictures of random cats (and one dog) to keep you all entertained. Turns out my mom's cat, Kashi, was deeply offended that I didn't include any pictures of her. "Why did you forget all about me?" she asked with a plaintive meow. So, here you go, pictures of the cat who secretly wants to be an internet star.

2 - To be honest, I'm not even sure this is my mom's cat. She's rarely seen, preferring to spend most of her time sleeping under the bed covers. She pretty much hates everyone except my mom, and that's only cause she's the one who makes sure her food bowl is full.

3 - Did you notice how she's trying to file herself next to the ABCDE folder. She knows C is for cat.

What words does this picture(s) bring to your mind when you look at it?

For more Wordless Wednesday fun, click here

Thanks for stopping by our blog - we love it when people come visit! We're also on Facebook - pop by and say hi!


Murder at the Marina - a lighthearted & humorous cozy sailing mystery - available in ebook and paperback format at:

Amazon (US) | Amazon (CA) | Amazon (UK) | Amazon (AU) | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Apple iBooks | Google Play | Book Depository | Books-A-Million

Find out more at ellenjacobsonauthor.com 

13 August 2018

Sea Turtles & Other Creatures At The Florida Oceanographic Society



There are a lot of fun aspects to being a writer.

There are some not so fun ones as well. Learning how to format books and marketing come to mind.

But let's get back to the fun ones, because that's more. . .fun.

And let's talk about a super-duper fun one that involves sea turtles and other creatures, because turtles are the ultimate in fun.

A friend and I visited the Florida Oceanographic Society in Stuart, Florida as part of my research for my next cozy mystery, Bodies in the Boatyard. One of the characters is a marine biologist specializing in {drum roll, please} sea turtles!

We had a blast and we learned stuff too. We also sweated a lot because it's freaking hot in Florida in the summer, but it was worth it.

Here, let me show you how awesome it was.

First off, we fed stingrays. I have to confess that I made a little yelping sound when the ray swam over my hand and ate the piece of fish I was holding between my fingers.


I love how the girl on the left is wearing a top with sharks on it. Perfect fashion choice for this place.


We got to see baby sea horses. So adorable!


We went for a walk out to the beach. Because I'm not too bothered by snakes (which may surprise some of you), I was in charge of keeping an eye out for any slithering across the path.


While looking at the water is pretty, being out in the Florida sun is torture in the summer. 


Did you know that oysters can help purify polluted waters? Volunteers collect shells from local restaurants, put them in bags, and place them back in the water in strategic locations to create artificial reefs and clean the bad stuff out of the water.


And of course there were sea turtles - four of them, in fact. Turtwig, Lily, Hank, and Anna Belle, all swimming around in a large salt water lagoon along with sharks and big game fish. These turtles can't be relocated to the wild and are happily living out their lives at the oceanographic society. 




Do you like sea turtles? What's your favorite marine wildlife?

Thanks for stopping by our blog - we love it when people come visit! We're also on Facebook - pop by and say hi!


Murder at the Marina - a lighthearted & humorous cozy sailing mystery - available in ebook and paperback format at:

Amazon (US) | Amazon (CA) | Amazon (UK) | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Apple iBooks | Google Play | Book Depository | Books-A-Million

Find out more at ellenjacobsonauthor.com 

10 August 2018

Three Annoying Things That Start With "P"

I was working on a blog post last night when the power went out. It would have been a great post. At least, I think it would have been. But I can't be sure.

You see when the power goes off here, I'm never quite sure when it will come back on. So I close up my computer to conserve the battery just in case we have an outage that lasts longer than a few hours.

When the power did come back on and I opened my laptop back up, the post had vanished, along with any desire to try to recreate it.

So instead you get this sub-par post about three things that start with the letter "P" that bug me.

1 - Power outages - No surprise there.

2 - Plot holes - I'm battling a multitude of these in my current work-in-progress.

3 - Punctuation - Specifically hyphens. I never know where to put them, so-I'm-just-going-to-start-putting-them-everywhere.

And now for an apology. I've been so busy lately with #2 on my list and trying to get Bodies in the Boatyard ready to sent out to beta readers that I've been TERRIBLE at replying to blog comments and visiting all of you lovely people on your blogs. Hopefully, things will get less busy here in a week or so and things will return to normal.

What are your favorite things that start with "P"? Least favorite ones?





08 August 2018

Wordless Wednesday | Florida Beach


Wordless Wednesday is supposed to be about posting a photo(s) without any words. But, I'm a rule breaker, so here are a few words:

1 - A few weeks ago, some friends and I had a girls day out complete with lunch at a restaurant on the beach at Hutchinson Island in Florida.

2 - It was stinking hot out, but people were still lounging out on the beach soaking up the sun. I stayed in the shade near a fan.

3 - I feel like I shouldn't admit this, but I'm not a big fan of beaches like these. I kind of find the long expanses of sand boring. I much prefer beaches that are nestled in coves, or next to craggy hills, near interesting rock formations etc. Anything to break up the monotony of the endless beach. Anyone else feel this way?

What words does this picture(s) bring to your mind when you look at it?

For more Wordless Wednesday fun, click here

Thanks for stopping by our blog - we love it when people come visit! We're also on Facebook - pop by and say hi!


Murder at the Marina - a lighthearted & humorous cozy sailing mystery - available in ebook and paperback format at:

Amazon (US) | Amazon (CA) | Amazon (UK) | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Apple iBooks | Google Play | Book Depository | Books-A-Million

Find out more at ellenjacobsonauthor.com 

06 August 2018

Five Decidedly Unfrugal Things | August 2018


From time to time, I post about five frugal things we're doing to save money and keep our cruising kitty happy. {By the way, that's not the furry kind of cat, but rather what sailors call their savings. So cute.}

Those posts are inspired by Katy at The Non-Consumer Advocate who regularly posts about five frugal things she's done. Some things are big, some things are small, but they all help keep her spending down and her savings up.

Today, I thought I'd shake things up and share five decidedly unfrugal things I've done lately. Embracing a frugal lifestyle is about making conscious choices regarding where you spend your money. Sometimes those choices involve "splurging" on something.

As you read my unfrugal things, keep in mind that what might be a splurge for one person is a normal expenditure for someone else and vice versa.


1 - Coloring Books & Markers

Someone gave me an Amazon gift card and rather than spend it on something practical for the boat, I bought a couple of coloring books (one of them has an outer space theme!) and some new markers. It's shocking how much good markers cost.

Adult coloring books is one of those fads that some of you hoped was long gone by now, but I find it really relaxing. Kind of like arts and crafts for those of us who aren't very artistic.

2 - Buying a Book

While I don't consider buying books to be a splurge - it's an essential, much like groceries, in my opinion - I did recently buy a book that I normally wouldn't of in order to support a fellow author.

3 - Girls Day Out

I went out to lunch and the movies with some friends a while back. While I do go out to eat occasionally (often to Taco Tuesday cause it's pretty cheap), I usually only go to the movies once or twice a year when a Star Wars or Star Trek movie comes out. Otherwise, I wait until it comes out at the Redbox or on Amazon Prime. I just can't justify spending money on a ticket, popcorn, and soda for just any old movie, but in this case it was a fun outing with the girls.

{By the way, we saw Ocean's 8. Cute, but not something I would have normally gone to the theater to see.}

4 - Tossing Food in the Garbage

The electricity at the marina often cuts in and out when there are storms (which there usually are during the summer), but one day, it kept cutting off for long periods of time. So I turned our fridge off because our batteries are in a really sad state and I didn't want to completely drain them. Then I forgot to turn it back on later that night.

There were some things that definitely needed to be tossed, but there were other items that I could have salvaged. However, I just wasn't in the mood to cook, so tossed it all in the trash, and ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich instead. While this doesn't count as a "splurge," it was a lazy, unfrugal thing to do, not to mention wasteful. But sometimes you just have days where you take the easy way out.

5 - Writing a Book

If you're going to self-publish a book, then you need to invest some of your own money upfront (think editors, cover design, printer paper and ink, proof copies, ISBNs etc.). Maybe one day I'll break even, but in the meantime, this has got to be one of the world's most expensive hobbies. But, it's fun, so there's that.


If you're interested in seeing how much we spend each month, our Five Frugal Things posts, and other musings on money matters, check out this page

What do you "splurge" on? What are some ways you save money?

Thanks for stopping by our blog - we love it when people come visit! We're also on Facebook - pop by and say hi!


Murder at the Marina - a lighthearted & humorous cozy sailing mystery - available in ebook and paperback format at:

Amazon (US) | Amazon (CA) | Amazon (UK) | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Apple iBooks | Google Play | Book Depository | Books-A-Million

Find out more at ellenjacobsonauthor.com 

04 August 2018

Saturday Spotlight | "Numbers Never Lie" By Diane Burton

In addition to the usual blog posts every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday about our eccentric travel adventures and day-to-day life living aboard a sailboat, I also occasionally post on Saturdays, focusing on things related to writing such as cover reveals, book launches, reviews, interviews with authors etc. So if you're a bit of a book nerd like I am, check in on Saturdays - you never know what might pop up.

* * *

Today I'm featuring Diane Burton and the release of her romantic suspense book, Numbers Never Lie. I love suspense and I'm a sucker for romance, so this sounds like a great read.




Thank you so much Ellen for inviting me to your blog. I’m hoping to meet Simon the Time Traveling Cat. Is he around? [Editor's Note: Sorry, Simon isn't here today. He's off chasing lizards. I'll tell him you said hi.]

Ellen and I are members of the Insecure Writers Support Group that meets on the first Wednesday of each month. We can write about our insecurities and successes, ask or give advice. Each month we have an optional question, in the event we can’t think of something. This month, I wrote about Life changes—how Life can throw you a curve and set you on a path you didn’t expect and probably didn’t want to be on. It happens. How we deal with it is more important.

On Monday, I was on Maureen L. Bonatch’s blog and talked about this very thing. Not to repeat a post, I’d like to touch on a slightly different aspect. When the stresses from family and/or the paying job get you down, when you had your path all planned out, suddenly everything changes. You try to handle everything. After all, you know authors who get up at five in the morning to write, you know or have read about writers who keep going no matter what Life throws at them.

Some of us just can’t do it all. Stress can keep us from sleeping. So while we’re dealing with family issues, a spouse losing her/his job, whatever, we find we can’t write. Your creative muse went on vacation without you. You don’t have the energy to do it all.

That’s when guilt sets in. You should be writing, but you can’t. You’re beyond tired, you’re exhausted. “What’s the matter with me?” Others can do it, why can’t I? Here’s a news flash: you aren’t other writers. None of us know what they’re going through and what sacrifices they are making. You are you. Put guilt aside. Don’t worry about the unfinished manuscript. If you’re under contract, talk to your editor. They’re understanding. They’d rather know sooner than later. If the deadline is one of your own making, do yourself a favor and postpone it. Most importantly, shove guilt out the door. The story will be there, even fifteen years later.

Does it sound like I know about this first hand? It should. And I had the guilt that accompanied all that stress. But, as I just said, the story will be there. Fifteen years ago, I started NUMBERS NEVER DIE, a romantic suspense. Life threw me one of those curves. No, make that three nasty curves. The story had to be set aside—no energy, creative or otherwise. This winter, I dragged that story out of floppy disks (remember those?) and finished that story. I think it’s even better than it would have been fifteen years ago.

NUMBERS NEVER LIE
A Romantic Suspense
By Diane Burton
Release Date: July 9, 2018
Length: approx. 80,000 words
Available at Amazon http://a.co/gUmO9wZ
Free with Kindle Unlimited

BLURB

A shocking secret brings danger to Jack Sinclair and his sister Maggie.

As kids, they were the fearless threesome. As adults, Jack's an accountant; Drew, a lawyer; Maggie, a teacher and camping troop leader. Upon returning from a weekend camping trip, Maggie receives horrifying news. She refuses to believe her brother Jack’s fatal car crash was an accident. If the police won’t investigate, she’ll do it herself. Convincing Drew Campbell to help is her only recourse.

Drew Campbell was too busy to return his best friend’s phone call. Too busy to attend a camping meeting important to his teen daughter. Too busy to stay in touch with Jack. Logic and reason indicate Jack’s accident was just that--an accident caused by fatigue and fog. Prodded by guilt, he’ll help Maggie even if he thinks she’s wrong.

A break-in at Jack’s condo convinces Maggie she’s right. Then her home is searched. What did Jack do that puts Maggie in danger?

EXCERPT

During lunch, Jack asked about the camping equipment in the garage. “I thought your camping days were over when Trish moved away.”

As it often did, Maggie’s eyes teared up at the thought of Trish Morrow. They’d been best friends since kindergarten. A natural born leader, Trish could get anybody to do anything—like conning Maggie into helping with the group of pre-teen campers. Last summer, after eight months of unemployment, Trish’s husband took a job in Denver. Trish and the kids followed, and there went the leader of the group.

“We’ve been meeting,” Maggie said around the lump in her throat.

“Suck-er.” Jack grinned. “How many volunteer jobs do you have now? Little League umpire, peewee hockey ref, high school girls’ baseball coach—”

“I get paid for that one,” she interrupted. “Can I help it if the girls wanted to get together to talk?”

“From the camping equipment you were loading into your SUV, it looks like you’re going to do more than talk.”

She shrugged. “They still want to go to Isle Royale. Their theory is if they practice camping all summer and into the fall, Trish will come back for the trip next summer. We’re going on an overnight camping trip tomorrow.”

“You got another mother to help chaperone?”

Maggie grimaced. “Not exactly.”

He dropped his sandwich. “You aren’t taking the girls by yourself? That’s crazy.”

“Add in irresponsible, brother dear. Which I’m not. I’d never take kids on a trip without another adult.” She eyed him with an appraising expression.

Jack held up his hands. “Don’t look at me. I’m up to my eyeballs in work.”

“Don’t worry. I wasn’t going to ask you, although it did cross my mind.”

“So, who’s helping you with the troop?” Jack pulled a couple of grapes off the stems and popped them into his mouth.

“Ellen’s dad.”

Jack started to choke. She jumped up ready to do the Heimlich until he laughed. She considered whacking him on the back on general principle.

“Drew? Drew Campbell? The guy whose idea of casual is loosening his tie?”

At least, Jack’s tired expression was gone. She tapped her short, no-nonsense fingernails on the table. “I’m so glad I could provide entertainment with lunch.”

He continued to laugh—almost braying.

“I’m loaning him your sleeping bag and backpack.” She worked hard not to smirk.

“What! You’re loaning out my camping equipment?”

“He’s your friend. I didn’t think you’d mind.”

Jack started to laugh again. “Oh, God. I wish I could be there to watch.” He went off again, laughing so hard tears formed until he wiped them away. “Drew Campbell wimped out of Cub Scouts.”

Numbers Never Lie is available at Amazon.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
 
Diane Burton combines her love of mystery, adventure, science fiction and romance into writing romantic fiction. Besides writing science fiction romance, she writes romantic suspense, and cozy mysteries. Diane and her husband live in West Michigan. They have two children and five grandchildren.

For more info and excerpts from her books, visit Diane’s website: http://www.dianeburton.com







Connect with Diane Burton online at Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest

Sign up for Diane’s new release alert: http://eepurl.com/bdHtYf


Do you like romantic suspense? Are you going to pick up a copy of Numbers Never Lie? What have you been reading lately?

Thanks for stopping by our blog - we love it when people come visit! We're also on Facebook - pop by and say hi.

03 August 2018

July In Numbers

Clockwise from upper right - A day in the life in July: (1) checking on my Sims over coffee; (2) unclogging a drain aka fun science experiment with baking soda and vinegar; (3) editing; (4) checking for packages up by the marina office; (5) procrastinating with some toenail painting; and (6) making dinner chock-full of vegies.

July was a very focused month. Focused also means boring. Not much happened on s/v Tickety Boo other than working on writing-related projects. I even took a "blogcation" during the month, only posting the occasional cat picture here, not really visiting other blogs, and trying to limit my time on social media. My sole focus has been on trying to get a draft of next book in my cozy mystery series, Bodies in the Boatyard, ready to go out to beta readers. Of course, ugly plot holes and defiant characters made this challenging, but I'm hopefully getting closer to the finish line.

So here are the rather random and boring things that happened last month in numbers:
  • 12-18 months - How long it takes a mama manatee to wean her offspring. Four manatees paid us a visit in the marina and some friends swore they saw one give birth right near my boat. Very cool!
  • $2.64 - How much a medium iced coffee at McDonald's costs. When you live in Florida during the summer, hot coffee just isn't that appealing. Iced is the way to go. 
  • 4 - How many sea turtles there are at the Florida Oceanographic Institute. A friend and I had a fun outing there to do some research for my book. One of the characters is a marine biologist.
  • 2 - Number of days I had sugary treats. I was trying not to eat any during the month of July, but a friend sent some delicious homemade chocolate chip cookies down to me. How could I say no? But I did do fairly well the rest of the month.
  • 6 - Number of books I read. My fave was Terry Prachett's Going Postal - hilarious! I also beta read a fascinating sailing memoir. Can't wait to see this one published.
  • 2 - Number of new coloring books I bought with a gift card someone gave me. Plus some new markers! It's like I'm five years old again. All I need is a box of crayons and my life will be complete.
  • 17 - How many Sims I have. One of my latest time wasters if The Sims Free Play. It can be a total time suck if you're not careful. 
  • 2 millimeters - How big the ants are on my boat. They're so tiny that they really don't bother me, but I have been debating whether or not to put down ant traps as they're getting more numerous. Oh, how powerful I feel in control of whether my Sims and tiny ants live or die. {No, I didn't really measure them. It's a total guess.}
  • Nil - How many hurricanes we experienced in Florida. Yes, it's hurricane season again which means regularly checking the National Hurricane Center forecast. It's still really early in the season, but fingers crossed we don't get a doozy like we got last year.
  • 3 - Number of paperbacks of Murder at the Marina that the Portland, Oregon library system purchased. The Los Angeles library system also bought an ebook on Overdrive. I love the fact that you can find my book at a library! {BTW, if you want to suggest to your local library that they get a copy, you can find the details here.}

In case you missed them, here are some of our favorite posts from last month both here and on my author blog:

Cost of Cruising & Living Aboard a Sailboat
Validation & Smiles
Release of Murder at the Marina & Thank You

How did last month go for you? What are you looking forward to this month?

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Murder at the Marina - a lighthearted & humorous cozy sailing mystery - available in ebook and paperback format at:

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