Updates



June 15, 2008

Hello Folks,

I am still riding high after the Romance Slam Jam 2008!!! It was fantastic!!! I gave my Keynote Speech and got a standing ovation after I finished!! (I refuse to believe that it was done out of courtesy and respect. ;0) )

You readers are awesome!! It is humbling to meet so many people, who didn’t know me, who bought, not just one of my books, but others as well.

Next year the Slam Jam will be in Los Angeles so plan on a good time with like-minded people.

I am dealing with the cold weather. I’m thinking two things about this:

Summer forgot us and 2. I left Florida too soon. I had taken my winter jackets and long-sleeved tops to our storage room on the third floor, but had to go pull them back into service. It has rained every day this week and a couple at the end of last week.

But, when I start to complain about the weather, I think about the people in China dealing with the aftermath of the earthquake, the people in Myamar suffering the results of the storm that hit them and the people in other parts of this country and the world who would love to exchange our problems for theirs, and I think of the song, "I Won’t Complain".

I have a bit of good news: my first book Snowbound with Love is now available through book stores & on-line through Amazon. The new ISBN is as follows: 978-0-595-50041-3. It got great reviews and ratings when it was first released.

Keep on reading & I’ll keep on writing.

Alice


April 18, 2008

Folks, Happy After Income Tax Day. :0(

We are back from Florida and playing catch-up. We were away for over three months and I thought WARM Spring would be here, but did I get fooled. For three nights this past week I turned on the electric blanket. I had pulled out my long-sleeved shirts so I could store them.

Yesterday I put them back in my closet and I wore one.

Several exciting things are happening. I met with a fantastic book club here in Philadelphia. I really enjoyed myself. Times like that make the writing worthwhile.

Another bit of news: I will be interviewed on CN8 on Monday on the Comcast Newsmakers. It will air on CNN Headline News throughout parts of Southeastern Pennsylvania at 24 or 54 minutes after the hour for one week during the month of May or June. (I’m a board member of the Philadelphia Writers Conference and this is in conjunction with that.)

By the way, this is a great conference and I’m not just saying that because I’m on the board. I attended the conference for about ten years before I was published and I credit the workshops with playing a big part in that. This year it will be held June 6, 7 & 8th at the Holiday Inn at 4th and Arch here in Philadelphia. It’s a lot of work, but I still look forward to it.

I will also participate in a special radio interview by a host who is spotlighting authors attending Romance Slam Jam in Chicago. I'll be live on a radioblog. The Slam Jam will be held May 1st. through the 4th. (I hope the airlines have themselves together by then. I’m on the program at 2:30 and I don’t want to be late.)

Speaking of the Slam Jam, it’s right around the corner and I’m really, really nervous about giving the Keynote Speech. Maybe I’ll do like Miles Davis and turn my back to the audience while I talk. That would certainly give them something to talk about, right?

The last good news is that Snowbound With Love, my first novel, will be re-released in a very short while. Should be early May. It will be available through I-Universe and can be ordered through some book stores as well as through Amazon.com. I’ll do the same with Dream Wedding when I obtain publishing rights.

My three completed contemporary novels have not found a home yet, but that hasn’t stopped me from working on another romantic suspense. My agent is looking for a publisher. I wonder how many novels I’ll write before I realize that nobody’s interested? Guess I’ll have to see.

Let me know if anybody is reading this.

Keep on reading & I’ll keep on writing.

Alice


January 2, 2008

Hi Folks,

I hope you brought in the New Year the way you wanted to. As for me, I’m in sunny Florida and I’ll be here until the end of March. (I left orders with my family for winter to be over by the time I get back.)

I ushered in the New Year by watching that idiot on TV jump the length of the football field on his motorcycle. (Now that I think of it, I’m not sure which one of us was the idiot. He probably got paid and I wasted almost an hour of my life time.)

Anyway, I got some very good news. A member of my RWA Chapter congratulated chapter members on being honored and my name was one of them. I had to ask her what she was talking about. It seems that I was nominated for a career achievement award by Romantic Times Book Review!!! Wow!!! Whether or not I win, the recognition lifted my spirits. I have been down because my agent has three completed manuscripts and she hasn’t sold one. I had been re-thinking this whole writing stuff. I had started to question if anybody was reading my books any more. (Of course, with the changes made by Harlequin with Kimani only the latest book, Ready to Take a Chance, is still available.)

Keynote speaker for Romance Slam Jam and now this!!!

I guess now I’ll have to get back to the novel I started THREE times. It’s another suspense. This one deals with a Homeland Security prisoner escaping.

I also regained the publishing rights to Snowbound with Love, so that it will be released through I-Universe. I’ll tell you more later.

Talk to you later. Stay warm, if that’s your thing.

Keep on reading and I promise to keep on writing.

Alice


October 2, 2007

Hi Folks,

I know, it’s been a long time. My agent STILL has three completed manuscripts, but I STILL don’t know when, if ever, they will find a new home.

I’m in the process of obtaining the publication rights for Snowbound With Love, my first novel. Once that’s done I intend to re-release it on my own.

On September 1st we joined Cush City’s one week cruise out of Orlando. I was one of the authors being featured.

I’m seriously considering setting a romantic mystery on a cruise ship so I’ll be doing research about the layout of the ship; what is where and how accessible everything is.

I have several workshops scheduled for the Fall as well as participation in the annual Poetry Festival in Media, PA. This event is held in conjunction with the Media Food Festival on the first Sunday in October and features about 40 poets each reading for about five minutes. If you’re in the area, plan to attend. It’s great hearing different poetry styles and subjects.

(If you know of anybody who is interested in scheduling a writing workshop conducted by a seasoned author and a retired teacher, please let me know - I work cheap.)

We’ll be spending January, February and March of 2008 in the Orlando area of Florida. We sold our house in the community of Vista del Lago, but will be renting a house in the same complex.

After some near-record high temperatures, we will have temperatures struggling to get out of the 70’s for the next few days. My theory is that, when people who do that kind of stuff look at a year’s temperatures, it will average out to be normal.

Nothing else to report except that at this time of year I’m glad I’m RETIRED from teaching.

Keep on reading and I’ll keep on writing although I don’t know when you’ll see anything new.

Alice

PS: If you’re interested in back titles, I have most of them available. Alice


May 21, 2007

Hi all you folks out there in "Computerland", I know it’s been a long time, but I’ve been busy as usual. I just finished my second novel about agents in the border patrol stationed on the Texas-Mexican border. The first is Border Danger, Border Love and the second is Love will Make it Better. (I’m sure that title will be changed because it’s so long.) Those two plus a third, Reunion, are in the hands of my agent so I don’t know who or if a publisher will pick them up.

It looks as if this will be the first year since Snowbound with Love was released that I won’t have a book out. On the positive side, I won’t be rushing all over during the Christmas holiday doing book signings every weekend. Another positive, I don’t have to rely on royalties to pay my bills.

Speaking of Snowbound with Love, I’m in the process of getting publishing rights for that as well as for Dream Wedding, Home for Christmas, Trust in Me, To Love Again, Escape to Love, Kindred Spirits, Aloha Love and Perfect Wedding. If I decide to publish them myself they will be available once again.

I’m working on our annual Philadelphia Writers Conference (PWC) which will take place June 8, 9 & 10 here in Philly. It’s a great conference and is one of the best bargains for a three day conference. (Visit the site to check it out: http://www.pwcwriters.org/ . That’s my commercial for this time).

I’m also looking forward to the Cush City cruise the 1st week in September. It has been years since I’ve been on a cruise. I hope to see some of you there. More good news: I have been asked to be a keynote speaker at Romance Slam Jam in Chicago in 2008. I really feel honored. This will be the first time I’ve been given an honor like this. I’m looking forward to it even though I know I will get stage fright. Maybe I can pretend I’m talking to a class of school kids. That I have done many times. :0)

I don’t know what my next novel will be about, but I’d like to do another romantic suspense. I have to look through my news clippings to see what I have. I’m not motivated right now. I feel as if I’m starting over. I’m a little discouraged. What if I spend all that time writing and can’t find a publisher? I really don’t like the idea of self-publishing because of the problem with distribution. Bookstores won’t handle them so the author really has to hustle to sell copies. Oh well, c’est le vie.

My church is sponsoring our second annual Walkathon. This year the money will go to sickle cell research. I donated blood for years and, because I’m O negative, it went to Children’s Hospital and usually to sickle cell patients. I don’t donate any more. I fainted two out of last three times that I donated so I took that as a sign that my body was telling me something. So-o, I’m going to walk. Its four and a half miles. As if that isn’t bad enough, it’s mainly uphill. Wish me blessings and strength. The first walkathon was a march from our old church building to the new: four and a half miles away. That’s the reason for the uphill climb and the distance. Thousands of dollars were raised and a different charity received the money from that one.

I’ll really be climbing up the rough-side of the mountain, but, as a minister once pointed out, you can’t climb a smooth side because you’d keep sliding down. I‘ll probably be the oldest walker, too, but that’s fine. (It takes place a week before my 70th birthday.) I can’t believe I’ll be that old. I never dreamed that 70 could feel this good. It’s a blessing from God. He led me to do things good for my health. When I finish writing this, I’ll go eat my oatmeal and then go to the gym. (I go five days a week and spend an hour on the treadmill. I usually cover three miles. I’m going to increase it gradually so I can cover the 4 ½ miles of the walkathon.)

I hate to end on a sad note, but we lost one of our authors. Katherine D. Jones died of a heart attack. She was an extremely nice, likeable young woman. I will miss her smiling face at the Next Slam Jam.

That’s it until the next time.

Keep on reading and I’ll keep on writing and hope I’ll have a way to get my novels to you.

Alice


March 27, 2007

Hi Everybody,

It's been a while. I'm in sunny Florida and have been here since the 10th of January. We've had a few cold days, but nothing compared to you folks up north. I've been eating oranges and grapefruit right from the trees. (I'm not bragging. Really. I'm not.)

On a serious note, we have been blessed in other ways. One of the tornados that set down here in Florida hit about 25 miles from here, but we didn't even get rain from it.

I do not have a contract yet for either manuscript that I mentioned. But, I'm not letting that stop me. I'm close to finishing another romantic suspense about the Border Patrol branch that is stationed in Brownsville.

We leave here March 10 & will spend two weeks in Hilton Head. I hope that by the time we get home, it will be WARM!!!!

I MISS MY FAMILY, especially my 6 year old granddaughter who informed me that I am her best friend. :0)

That's it for now. Keep on reading and I'll keep on writing.

Alice


November 20, 2006

Hello Everyone,

It’s been a long time since I wrote an update. A lot has happened over the summer, not all of it good.

After a great time at Romance Slam Jam in Shreveport, Ike and I went to Winter Garden, Florida to put our house there on the market. We were there for about two weeks and had barely gotten home when we received terrible news. Our middle son, Randy, was found dead in his house in Tallahassee. He had battled chronic lymphocytic leukemia for eight years. He had been in remission and didn’t tell us when the illness recurred. He also made his friend promise not to tell me because I “would worry”. We had to turn around after being home for less than a week and go back to Florida. This was in early July, but, of course, we’re still dealing with it.

On the writing front: my tenth book, Ready to Take a Chance, will be released by Harlequin under its Kimani Arabesque line. I don’t have a new contract as of yet, but I have two other manuscripts completed that my agent is shopping around. I am anxious for the first one, Border Danger, Border Love, to reach the market because it is so timely. (I started it more than two years ago, before the border controversy hit the news.) The main characters are members of the Border Patrol stationed in Texas on the Mexican border. Border Danger, Border Love is romantic suspense. (With that title and that setting how could it be anything else?)

The second manuscript, Reunion, is based around a high school reunion, but it has a serious element to it. I had fun with it because I recreated the Rankin, Pennsylvania where I grew up, complete with little theater and nothing but “mom and pop” stores. I think people who are not familiar with a small town would enjoy it.

Right now I’m not working on anything else, although there is a strong possibility that a historical I wrote, Hannah’s Freedom, might finally make it to the printed page. Hannah’s Freedom is based a little on my father’s family history. When it’s scheduled to be released, I’ll tell you a little more about it.

Keep on reading & I'll keep on writing.

Alice


May 27, 2006

Hi folks,

The weather has finally warmed up and things are looking great for this solemn holiday weekend. Things have been pretty quiet here; I guess I'm still recovering from being away for almost 3 months. I've also been playing catch up and spending quality time with my three grandchildren.

I don't usually do booksignings this time of year, but I have participated in several conferences already & led workshops for RWA chapters.

I've also met with a few book clubs and taught writing workshops for several other groups.

In between I've been putting the finishing touches on/polishing up Border Danger, Border Love. I hope it sees daylight before the immigration news dies down.

I'll also be attending the RWA conference in Atlanta at the end of July. A booksigning event to benefit the literacy program has been scheduled and I'll be signing as part of that. There's also a possibility that a group of us will be having a group signing at a local bookstore.

I have another road trip scheduled. If you are in the Dayton, Ohio area, I'll be teaching a writing workshop at the Pen to Paper Symposium which will be held on October 6th & 7th. (For more info visit them at the following:) http://www.penofthewriter.com/ A booksigning session is included.

As for my obsession also known at writing, as usual, I spend a few hours writing EVERY morning as I enjoy my morning cups of tea. (Yeah, I know I killed the sound board in my last laptop, but I guess I'm a slow learner. And I'm VERY careful. besides, I can't function without that tea.)

Short and sweet,

Keep on reading & I'll keep on writing.

Alice




May, 2006

Hi Folks,

I have been waiting for Spring to get here, but Winter doesn't seem to want to let go. We have had FROST for too many nights this past week. Last year I promised myself that I would enjoy our porch this year, but so far I have only sat out there one time and it was too COLD to stay!!

I am hard at work on my new book, Border Danger, Border Love and reached page 248 this morning. It was slow going and I stopped and started three times, but I'm finally satisfied with the beginning. I'm making good use of the research I did while we were in Texas from January through March. I can't believe how much immigration and undocumented aliens are in the news. A lot of what has come out is information I discovered while conducting research. Of course, I uncovered a lot of information that puts a different slant on things. When I think of how flimsy the border is and of the great potential for serious trouble I wonder how we let things come to this.

Anyway, I have a lot of trips planned related to  my writing: later today I go to Cheyney State University, (My alma mater), to help screen the Miss Cheyney contestants. Next Saturday, May 6th, I'm speaking at a big event at the Barnes and Noble bookstore in Exton, PA. The following weekend I'm going home to the Pittsburgh area to participate in a literary event at the Homewood Library on May 12th & 13th.

I go to Long Island for a quick trip in June. I might do a short series on writing at a small college there in the near future. I also have trips planned to Atlanta for the annual Romance Writers of America Conference in July. (I might participate in a group booksigning at a store there.) I am also scheduled to go to Virginia Beach to conduct a workshop in September and to Dayton, Ohio to participate in a literary event in October.

Before I know it, it will be time for my annual rounds of booksignings between Thanksgiving weekend and the Saturday before Christmas.

Wow. I'm already at Christmas and Summer hasn't come yet.

Keep on reading and I'll keep on writing. (I don't have a choice. These pesky characters won't leave me alone.)


February, 2006

Hi folks,
I am still flying high from the Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl win!!! I didn't have a Terrible Towel with me so I had to use my yellow tee shirt. Evidently it worked!! The Steelers took The Bus home!!! All Right!!! I'm glad they finally got one for the thumb!!

Last year we were hoping for an all-PA Super Bowl, but it didn't happen. Maybe next season the Eagles will have it together without the distraction of we-know-who. But enough about my favorite sport. (I hope those of you with other favorite teams are still with me.)

I have been in sunny, warm (at least during the day), Texas since Jan 13th.

At first, when I saw the warm temperatures at home in Philadelphia, I wondered why we travelled one thousand miles to get here. Then I got nervous & was afraid Mother Nature was being diabolical & saving the cold & snow until we get back. Never mind that it will be almost April. You never know what she will do. Anyway, now I see the temperatures are seasonal.

Right now I'm in Brownsville, getting ready to return to Galveston for a week. I'm trying to do research on the Border Patrol. My heroine, Dani Johnson, is going to become an agent. She will make it even if I have to MAKE UP THE DETAILS of the program!!! Mitch Sawyer, the hero, is already an agent. As you might suspect, I'm doing another romantic suspense.

Even though I'm having trouble getting info, I'm asking a lot of questions so I guess the FEDS have a file on me. They might even be tapping my phone. After all, how do they know that conversations are threatening unless they listen in on other people?? Okay, let me get away from politics.

I'm going to try to set up enough speaking engagements to make it worthwhile for me to come back to this area next year. I can escape winter & work on an historical I have in mind.

If anyone reads this, I hope to see you at Slam Jam.

By the way, did I mention that the Steelers won the Super Bowl???

Bye 'til next time.

Keep on reading & I'll keep on writing.

Alice


January, 2006

Hi Everybody,
I hope your holiday was great. I should have written before but, like most folks, I got so busy. I had booksignings every weekend between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve as I always do. This year I had my new book, Perfect Wedding, to autograph along with the other releases. Thankfully my daughter-in-law and my son fixed Christmas Dinner so all I had to do was enjoy it.

Then I had to get ready for my husband’s 70th birthday. He is the first of 13 to reach that milestone so we went all out with family and friends. We had over fifty attend.

I let the pre-schoolers run wild up and down the stairs. (My granddaughter, Claire, dressed in her princess outfit and carrying a mailing tube as her scepter, was the ringleader.)

Tomorrow morning, Wednesday January 11, we’ll be heading for Texas for two months. We’ll be in Montgomery (outside of Houston), for four weeks total and in Galveston and Brownsville for two weeks each. From there we go to Shreveport for the fabulous Romance Slam Jam Conference. We’re leaving here to escape the cold, but except for about a week of cold weather before Christmas, we have had beautiful weather here in Philadelphia. I hope the snow doesn’t wait for us to get back here before it shows up.

On the writing front, I just submitted my next manuscript, Ready to Take a Chance, today, but I don’t have a publication date yet.

While in Texas I’ll be working on a new story. It will focus on Brownsville, Texas which is only a short walk across the little bridge over the Rio Grande and into Mexico.

Gotta go now.

Keep on reading & I'll keep on writing.

Alice


Thursday, September 15, 2005

Summer is gone, but you wouldn't know it by the 90+ degree temperatures we have. I guess nobody told the calendar. I'm not complaining, though. After what the people in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi have been going through, I realize how truly blessed we are.

I have been busy as usual. Maybe I'll slow down when I get old.

I was notified that the publication date for Perfect Wedding has been moved up to December, so add it as part of your holiday shopping. (Chapter one is posted elsewhere on this site. Check it out and see what a mess girlfriend is getting herself into.)

I have been sticking close to home for a while; the operative word  with this humidity is 'sticking'. I do have a few signings scheduled, though.  I'll be autographing books at the Waldenbooks Store in Christiana Mall in Christiana Delaware on September 24th from 12-2. On October 1st I'm participating in the big literary event in Largo, MD. This almost all day event is sponsored by Borders and will  include a lot of authors.

I am busy with my writing as usual. I write every morning and am about a third of the way through another book, for Old Times Sake which is a second chance romance.

I still haven't given Nate, from Aloha Love, his story and I can feel him getting impatient for being pushed to the back of the line. Again.

I am also trying the South Beach Diet. I need to lose weight, but I want to keep from having to take cholesterol-lowering medication.

For the first few days I was ready to kill for a slice of bread and butter and a chocolate chip cookie. The diet warned of the cravings and they were right. I'll bet it's as bad as the desire for cigarettes that smokers experience. Phase One will really test you.  I reached Phase Two which is more lenient, but I came off for my 45th wedding anniversary and went to Red Lobster. Yes, I ate those scrumptious biscuits; two of them. They should be declared illegal. They are already considered sinful.

Two days later I came off again for my granddaughter's 5th birthday. Cake and ice cream never tasted better. Then I jumped back into Phase One. My cravings surface from time to time, but I've been able to handle them.  But enough about my diet. You skinny folks won't understand.

We are having a new bathroom put in. Because there wasn't one on that side of the house before, it involved major pipe installation.  It also gave a glimpse into how these old houses withstand the passing of time. (It's a Victorian built in 1885.) I don't think anything except intentional demolition could take it down.

Now I get to decorate it. My granddaughter already looked in and put in her two cents worth: "We need to paint this," she said.  "Yellow." "I was thinking blue," I said naming my favorite color. "No, yellow. It's sunny. Blue would be too dark," she announced before she walked away. I looked at it and I think she's right, but I'll use a pale shade. I hope that meets her approval. Did I mention that she doesn't even live with us?

Guess I'd better get back to my life. I have to go to the gym for my daily exercise. The later I wait the harder it is for me to go.

Until next time. I'll try not to wait too long.

Keep on reading & I'll keep on writing.

Alice


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