Award-winning author
Unusual times, remarkable places

The "Standard of Ur" from ancient Mesopotamia

The "Standard of Ur" from ancient Mesopotamia

27 March 2014

Interview

I'm interviewed today at Dawn's Reading Nook hereStop over there to find out what my guilty pleasure is, what song I'm currently listening to over and over again, where I prefer to write, and what I'm working on now. There's also an excerpt from my forthcoming historical romance novel, Claimed by the Enemy.

A cactus in my yard full of tunas and new leaves

19 March 2014

Guest blogging today

Walters Art Museum (Public domain)

I'm guest blogging today about cosmetics in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia at Sarah Johnson's "Reading the Past" blog at http://goo.gl/Y0dO7P .


Kohl—made from crushed lead oxide—was the first cosmetic and is still widely used today, some 5000 years later. At right is an ancient Egyptian tube for storing kohl.

10 March 2014

Book release updates

Ice Magic, Fire Magic (fantasy) will be delayed until fall 2014 because of the illness of Hadley Rille Books' publisher, Eric Reynolds.

Claimed by the Enemy (historical romance) will be delayed until spring 2014 because I have been increasingly droopy and drained since fall due to worsening anemia. I received two iron infusions this month and should be much better in four to six weeks.
Enervated me with alert and perky Clarion friends Edward Gauvin and Nicole Taylor at Poor House Bistro, San Jose

Hadley Rille Books is putting out its books as audiobooks, starting with the earliest books. Like Mayflies in a Stream (historical fiction), a 2009 release, is expected to come out in audiobook format on Amazon.com and Audible.com in June.

HRB's efforts inspired me to produce my novelette "The Hunt" as an audiobook as well. It should be available in April. I really like what my narrator, Melissa Epp, is doing with it so far.

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My appearance at Lady Jane's Salon in Orange County to read from and sign Claimed by the Enemy has been moved from April to July. I'll be there Monday night, 14 July; the salon will feature four authors reading and signing between 7 pm and 9 pm.

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Writers: Amtrak is offering residencies for writers. If you are accepted, you will be provided a sleeper cabin—free of charge and equipped with a desk and outlets—to ride an Amtrak train to a distant destination and back. To apply, go to http://blog.amtrak.com/amtrakresidency/. (Be sure to read the rules and conditions here.)