Hi and welcome to my first blog. I haven’t done this before, but I have “logged” countless times. Journals, notebooks, diaries, calendars … paper, paper, paper. I have tons of experience with paper. Now it’s time to get with the 21^st century.

Thanks for keeping me company on this leg of the twisty journey I call my life. It took me a fair bit of time to get to my happy place, and I’ve traveled some winding roads and hit quite a few bumps along the way. Despite that I feel full of hope and promise.

“Isn’t that a wonderful beginning?” Anyone a fan of The Princess Bride? I love that story, both the book and the movie. I love stories of all sorts, and I especially love telling them. Which brings me to the point of this blog and the website.

I wrote a story.

Woo hoo, anyone? Bells and whistles and sparkles and what not? Right, like who hasn’t written a tale or two in her day?

Yes, millions of people write stories. I’ve written way over three myself. (Does sarcasm translate here? Probably not, until you get to know me better.)

Things are a bit different now, though. I’ve written an adventure-mystery novel, Emerald Obsession, and it’s being published next month, September 2015. Real “wooo hooo!!” please.

I’m so excited to have reached this point in my trek. I’ve told stories for so long and have dreamed of publishing a novel that people would enjoy. When I began writing, at around four or five years old, the publishing world was completely different. It’s been a challenge for me, a non-tech, non-connected, old-fashioned kind of person to make the leaps necessary to enter this new arena. I’m both scared out of my gourd and proud of how much I’ve accomplished.

I’ve come too far to let the fear of failure stop me.

If you’re like me, you also have dreams and goals, a hectic life, a drive to do something mindful and useful in this world. You have a need to create relationships with other like-minded folks, people who crave connection and relevance, people who live by their emotions, people who are buoyed by a good story, a little levity, an inspiring and thoughtful break from the everyday.

My stories offer a diversion. I’d like them to bring enjoyment to your day. A smidge of escapism. A mini vacation from the worries, stress, anger, fear and everything else less-than-ideal in your life.

Life isn’t always a box of chocolate, a bowl of cherries or a cuppa tea.

I’m a bit of a joker. My novels are full of murder and mayhem, but in reality, I love to make people laugh, often at my expense (it’s so darn easy). I am a flat-out believer in “laughter is the best medicine.” I say that having experienced my share of doctors, the terminal illnesses of dear family and friends and too much wasted life. I believe that, because I know the vital-ness of a strong spirit and how laughter and hope are part of the remedy. I’ve seen how important those feelings are to living the best life possible, for however long we get to live it.

For me, a good mood makes dealing with people and situations and life far easier. I hope that reading my books, stories and blogs transport you to your happy place.

The sky is enormous blue, the air balmy and the salt-tanged sea a crashing cobalt in my world. Come join me. And did you see the comment section below? The one waiting for your words? Please take a few minutes to let me know what your happy place looks like. I’d love to visit with you.

Thanks for the read. You can find out more tidbits in my next blog “How Did I Get Here?” And please look for my first novel, Emerald Obsession, available this fall at Amazon and Smashwords.