The Big Question

On Saturday, October 3, 2026, I hosted my first Zoom meeting. As secretary of the Manatee Genealogical Society, I volunteered to start a Beginning Genealogy SIG (Special Interest Group) to help those interested in learning more about their family history. I drafted a step-by-step presentation to help new family historians get started without overwhelming them. Since this is a three-month trial to evaluate interest, I had also prepared November’s presentation. So, what does this have to do with writing? The Big Question family historians have to ask each time they start a search is: What do I want to know? We have to be specific, i.e., where was my grandfather born? Writers also have to ask the Big Question: What is this story about? This question catches me every time. When I start a book, I develop the characters and figure out plot lines. I’m excited to be with my characters. I’m off and running. Each day I’m anxious to get through the to-do list so I can be with my “people.” But then, as the story develops, I start to get lost as to where the story should go. It is then that the light bulb goes off. I have not asked the Big Question. What is THIS story about? The Beginners SIG was a needed reminder for me to ask my current project, Uncharted Drift – What is this story about? I am at the deciding phase now, so stay tuned.

AI and Creativity

A lot of conversation is happening now around the use and dangers of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Although it has been around and in our lives for a long time, I feel the presence of AI has accelerated at a high rate over the last two years. The subtle changes we’d experienced before are now becoming bothersome and worrisome. As an author, I’ve had concerns about AI for a while. I’m concerned about those using AI writing software and allowing it to rewrite sentences. I’m concerned about those using ChatGPT and other AI websites to develop storylines, and even write scenes. We can’t allow AI to take away our creativity and our voice. That is what makes each book different and special. I do a fair amount of research for my books, as well as looking up information on other topics. What used to be an easy task now takes time and a little digging to get to a reliable source. The artificial assistant keeps crowding in to provide information that may or may not be correct. It hallucinates and will provide information whether it is correct or not. AI wants to please you. AI has many positive uses, and I am thankful for those. So, this post is specifically sharing my concerns and frustrations for those in the creative arts. Keep writing!

What is the best way to connect with readers?

Authors in Connecticut are blessed with a volunteer group called the Nutmeg Lit Fest. Their mission is to locate venues where local authors can meet readers and sell their books. Venues include town festivals, wineries, breweries, restaurants, and even Barnes and Noble. The group has also started a book club and a mobile bookmobile stocked with books by local Connecticut authors. I was fortunate to be invited again this year to participate in the Manchester (CT) Book Festival. I love going to the Manchester event because the town is so welcoming. Volunteers greet us as we line four or five blocks of Main Street. At midday, the volunteers pull a wagon carrying bottled water to keep us hydrated, and then at the end of the event, they come by to thank us and say next year will even be better. I enjoy talking with readers, and with my neighboring authors, but at the end of it all, I wonder: do I want to be a road warrior? This is my conundrum. If I want readers to enjoy my books, I have to connect with them. Being “on the road” is one way to do that. I suspect this is a question many authors think about. What is the best way to connect with readers?

Grammie Sally and Browns Head Lighthouse

I love to support local authors, and am especially excited to share information on my good friend's newest children's book, "Grammie Sally and Browns Head Lighthouse." I've worked closely with Sarah Elliott-Caratasios on Portland's America 250 Committee for the last year and a half. Sarah is director of Portland's (CT) senior center was well as raising four great kids. I don't know how she does it all plus writing books. Last year she published "When Love Becomes Care," a guide for the sandwich generation. This year Sarah published a children's book which is two books in one. It's the story of Lily who spends the summer with her grandmother in Rockport, Maine. During her visit Lily learns the importance of kindness, and how the smallest kind act can mean so much. The second half of the book is filled with suggestions on how to share kindness, as well as a wonderful history of the lighthouse. The watercolor illustrations by Bivenne Staiger are beautiful.

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.