I’m working on my next book in the Caitlyn Jamison Mystery Series. For this series, I use current social, economic, or environmental issues as one of the plotlines. When I decided on one that I am especially passionate about, I realized that three of the five books have an environmental issue as part of the storyline. I wonder: do we ever learn anything about protecting our environment? Contemplating how to proceed, a book published in 1970 came to mind. I’ve posted this on Facebook and LinkedIn, hoping that people will think about what we are doing to our planet. As I read about the environmental protection laws that are being overturned, [“EPA eliminates rule limiting greenhouse gas emissions from power plants.” NPR, September 15, 2026], and this is only one of many laws that have been overturned, I thought about a book I read to my children in the early 1980s, The Wump World by Bill Peet. The book made a big impression on me then, and today it is even more relevant. So relevant that I had to reserve it from a local library and read it again. The book starts with: “The Wump World was mostly grassy meadows and clumps of leafy green trees with a few winding rivers and lakes.” Then the Pollutians from the plant Pollutus arrived in large, loud, metal airplanes. They brought giant machines that started “gobbling up trees and grinding them to bits.” Soon, the land was covered with concrete, and large buildings and factories were built. The air became so polluted that even the Pollutians couldn’t breathe. The Pollutians went to their chief, ironically dressed in an orange robe with a tall orange and yellow hat, to complain about the polluted air. Having destroyed The Wump World, the Pollutians left The Wump World to live and destroy another planet. The population on Earth does not have the option of another planet. It is up to all of us to take care of our own. Climate change is not a hoax. The environmental protections have to be reinstated, and the United States needs to partner with other countries so Earth doesn’t become another planet of Pollutians.

I hope Bill Peet’s children don’t mind if I illustrate this plea for environmental sanity with two photos from his book.

Horse Latitudes

Can you tell how excited I am to announce that my good friend and writing colleague, Andrea Zimmermann, has published her book, Horse Latitudes, a Martin Sharp Mystery? This has been a long time coming. She worked at navigating the agent/publisher maze, but found that path was way too crowded. Knowing it would take years for this intriguing story to be enjoyed by readers, she decided to self-publish. Andrea is also a talented artist, and she drew the boat that is pictured on the cover. A meet-the-author and book-signing event is planned for June 27, 2026, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. at the C.H. Booth Library, Newtown, CT. I'm looking forward to the event.

851 Kitchen and Cocktail Bar Event

On Saturday, June 13, 2026, I’ll be at the 1851 Kitchen and Cocktail Bar in Cromwell, CT from 12:00 t0 4:00 p.m. I hope to meet new friends and author colleagues. The menus look delicious. Come and try out this new place. This event is sponsored by Nutmeg Litfest. A note after the event - I heard from author colleagues who were there that the food was delicious. But that was pretty much the saving grace for them. The venue was in a separate room from the main restaurant, perfect for a private party. But not the best setup for authors. The 25+ authors were crammed into the space, with me and others having to share a round table. My table mate and I were placed at the very back of the room. If that wasn't bad enough, there were less than a handful of customers. No signage at the end of the sidewalk to tell people about the local authors. The other downside was a most beautiful very warm day when Route 9 was bumper to bumper for miles heading south to the beaches. It's the details that make or break an event, and some, like weather we have no control over.

Sometimes I Wish I Had Staff

Sometimes I think - if only I had staff like the big guys – Grisham, Baldacci, Penny, King—you get the idea—I could put out books a lot faster. But that’s just not going to happen. So, I was pleased, a few weeks ago, when I was at my son’s house, someone showed interest in my work. We are still negotiating a contract, haggling over how many Greenies a day I need to provide. In the meantime, I continue chipping away on the fifth Caitlyn Jamison mystery, Uncharted Drift. Chapters five and six will be critiqued on Monday evening during our Fiction Critique meeting, which is through the CRRL in Fredericksburg. An earlier post showed how I used the erasable whiteboard to work out the plot and how the characters were connected. That graphic was transferred to paper so I can use the whiteboard to try out various plot scenarios. Ideas often come when I am not at my computer, so this way, I have the whiteboard on my lap and can brainstorm away. When chapters are polished and ready for critique, I fill out Post-it® notes, color-coded for each character. It’s a way to manage the plot lines and track when the characters appear. Before I can start Chapter 7, I need to spend time on the whiteboard, figuring out what’s next. And so goes the life of a writer.

Nutmeg Lit Fest

I am fortunate to live in Connecticut,for a number of reasons, but also where a group of four dedicated authors started a Facebook group called Nutmeg LitFest. These four individuals travel around the state and find venues to host local author events. On September 12, I was invited to be at the Crystal Ridge Winery in South Glastonbury, Connecticut. It was fun to meet other local authors and readers. The view of the Hartford skyline and the setting sun over the hills to the west was amazing.

The fun began when our town's First Selectman, Michael Pelton, decided he wanted to pretend he was the author!

The next morning, I was back on the road to Manchester, Connecticut, where local authors lined two blocks of Main Street to discuss their books and meet readers. My next stop is October 12, when I will be at Priam Vineyards in Colchester, Connecticut. If you are local, I would love to see you there.

Planning the next book - "Uncharted Drift"

– A book needs characters the readers care about. A book needs a plot line (s) that keeps readers turning pages. Easy, right? No. I’m writing my sixth book and working on developing interesting characters and plot lines. Since this book is a spin-off of my fourth book, Deadly Secrets, the characters are coming easily, with maybe too many interesting characters. I have several plot lines in mind, and now I need to determine if they all work and how they come together at the end. I am trying a new way of plotting this time. Because ideas come to me at the times when I’m not at my laptop, nor do I want to get it fired up, I purchased a small wipeable board that I can easily access anytime to develop characters and outline plot ideas. The board is easily erased as changes are made. In the meantime, I have to write bios for all the main characters. It’s a time to dig deep into each character to capture what they look like, their mannerisms, how they think, and what baggage they carry. Where they find joy and what causes them anxiety. Because a writer likes to get right into the story, it’s easy to put the bio descriptions off, but I’ve learned it is better to take the time to do this, because I’ll be sorry mid-story if I don’t.

An Unexpected Death

This summer, I decided my first Caitlyn Jamison mystery book, An Unexpected Death, needed a new look. My graphic designer at Six Penny Graphics in Fredericksburg, Virginia, did a great job in capturing Caitlyn as she sets out on her first investigation. When Caitlyn arrived in Upstate New York for her cousin’s funeral, the last thing on her mind was investigating his death. But Caitlyn has a strong sense of justice, and she was determined to find out who caused the death of her cousin. Against the wishes of the local sheriff, Ethan Ewing, she persisted in being involved. At first, she was a thorn in Ethan’s side, so to keep her from going off on her own, he reluctantly accepted her help. He asked her to listen and read the body language of those he interviewed. The result—with her creative mind, Caitlyn became a valuable resource for Ethan. An Unexpected Death is where the adventure begins!