Number 20

Just returned from cruise # 20. Had a great time and have lots of piccies to share.

This cruise departed from New Orleans, so here is Aunty ready to sail away down the mighty Mississippi. No, we did not go under that bridge. The ship was too tall, plus that was UP river. The captain had to turn the ship around when we were ready to leave.

First stop: Belize! Okay, I know I'm hopelessly dating myself, but back when I studied geography, it was called British Honduras. They were preparing to celebrate their 30th anniversary of independence on Sept. 21st.

We took a shore excursion to some FABULOUS Mayan ruins called Atun Ha. They are still excavating and restoring the pyramids at this site, which they've dated back to 250 B.C. YAY! Something older than Aunty!

Here I am standing in front of the largest of the partially restored pyramids. This one is dedicated to the Mayan sun god.

The DH climbed to the top of the pyramid (even though we were advised not to because it was threatening to rain) and took this great piccie of the view of one of the smaller pyramids.

Yes, those tiny little figures are people. It was a loong way up! An estimated 10,000 people lived in this area back in the day.

Next stop: the island of Roatan, which belongs to Honduras.

Here's the DH standing in front of the map at the Visitors' Information Center. As you can see, Roatan is a long, narrow barrier island. In other words, built a lot like my DH!

We docked at Mahogany Bay and took a taxi ride into the nearby town of Coxon Bay. On the way in to town, we saw groups of school children practicing their marching. Our taxi driver told us there was a big parade planned on Sept. 15th for Honduran independence day.

Meanwhile, back at Mahogany Bay, Aunty put on her Bandita bucket boots and took a pot shot at this scurvy knave, who claimed to be related to the Lair's Golden Rooster!

Last Stop: Cozumel, which is also an island just off the Yucatan and belongs to Mexico.

The waters off Cozumel are the clearest and prettiest I've ever seen! You can get a bit of an idea from this piccie, but trust me, it is much more gorgeous in person!

Here's a picture of one of the downtown plazas with a HUGE Mexican flag. There were tons of flags flying everywhere and a carnival in one of the main plazas because (wait for it)... They were celebrating Mexican Independence Day on Sept. 16th!

What IS IT with Central American countries declaring independence in September? Aunty can only conclude that there was something "revolting" about September back in the 1800s (and right up to the 1980s in the case of Belize)!

Finally, back 'home' in New Orleans, the DH and I took a walk through the Vieux Carre or French Quarter as we tourists call it.

Here's a shot of the DH on Royal Street with one of the beautiful wrought-iron balconies for which the city is famous. New Orleans is probably the most European-feeling city in the US and I ADORE visiting there. And of course, I brought back a strand of Mardi Gras beads!

So there, in a quick encapsulation is Aunty's Cruise #20!


Have you ever visited New Orleans? What about the Caribbean? Which place have you been to that has the prettiest, bluest water?

Sailing and Celebrating

SHHHH! I'm not really here.

By the time this post comes up on the blog, I'll be sailing the high seas on cruise #20.

This time, the DH and I are doing something different. We are sailing out of New Orleans a short way down the Mississippi River and into the beautiful Gulf of Mexico. I hope our timing is right and we manage to miss the latest tropical storm (not yet designated a hurricane) spinning out in the Gulf. In addition to seeing Cozumel, Mexico, we will be visiting Roatan, Honduras and Belize City, Belize. I'm excited to add two more countries to my growing list! Plus I've already booked us an excursion to a Mayan pyramid, which I'm really looking forward to seeing.

So much for the sailing portion of this post. As for the celebrating... I'm setting this to post on Sept. 14th in honor of the fourth anniversary of the day I received "The Call." On Sept. 14, 2007 at 8:30 in the morning, an editor called with an offer to publish my book that eventually became The Wild Sight. Of course I said yes!

That call changed my life. In one sudden swoop, I went from unpublished and aspiring writer to the lofty ranks of about-to-be published author. I knew my writing was at a professional level, but it was another thing altogether to have someone in the publishing business validate that belief. Basically, I was still the same person with the same capabilities, but that phone call changed everything!

At the 2006 RWA National Conference, Christina Dodd gave a wonderful speech in which she described all writers as moving along the same sidewalk. The sidewalk represented our writing journey and it was different for each person, but in some ways it was the same too. We all move along at a different rate, but we have similar milestones and cross-roads. Sometimes a writer trips, or falls off the curb, but most get back on the sidewalk and keep moving.

After publishing three books in three years, I reached a cross-roads of sorts. Or maybe it was more of a stumbling block. But I've been trying to crawl back up on the sidewalk. This month, I will finally make it, I think, when I release my novelette, The Sidhe Princess.

This is a part of the writing journey that none of us really anticipated back in 2007, but I'm excited to forge ahead on this next phase of my own journey and bring my stories directly to my readers in electronic format. I hope you will join me on this new venture. I plan to have The Sidhe Princess available before the end of the month.

But first I have a pyramid to see... and a boatload of wonderful food and entertainment to enjoy!

Do you have any travel plans in the weeks ahead? If you could cruise anywhere, where would you go?

Lucky September

I can't believe another month has gone. Summer is almost gone. Heck, the YEAR is almost gone! I'm barely used to writing 2011 when I date things, and now it is September already. Actually I'm glad because September has always been a lucky month for me.

• My paternal grandmother was born in September.
  
• I quit my Dreaded Day Job in September, 2003 to pursue my dreams of travel and writing.
  
• On September 14, 2007 I received "The Call" every writer dreams about, an editor called and offered to publish my novel, The Wild Sight.
  
• In September, 2009 the book of my heart, The Treasures of Venice was released.

You can see why I feel like September is my lucky month! And I hope September, 2011 will continue that streak of good fortune. I plan to release my novelette, The Sidhe Princess later this month. It will be available electronically on SmashWords and Amazon Kindle.

I'm still undecided on whether I will have a print version because it is very short and would probably be a very slim volume. I will share the Amazon link here as soon as it is available.

Do you have a favorite month? What makes it your favorite? And do you have any plans for September?

Winner! Winner!

BIG THANKS to everyone who turned out yesterday to support my FABULOUS CP, Jo Robertson in the release of her debut novel, THE WATCHER!

I really appreciate your support and Jo was overwhelmed with your wonderful, positive responses.

As for the winner of a free download of Jo's romantic thriller, THE WATCHER...

CONGRATS KATHLEEN O!

Please contact Jo at:
jo.lewisrobertson AT yahoo DOT com to arrange for your FREE book!

Jo Robertson and The Watcher

Today I'm happy to welcome a special guest, my fantastic critique partner and fellow Bandita Jo Robertson! We're going to talk about her debut book THE WATCHER and give away a free ebook to one lucky commenter.

JR: First, Aunty Cindy, thanks for inviting me to blog with you today. You are my CP extraordinaire!

AC: Thanks a bunch for being here, and for your wonderful critiques of my work! But, tell us about your current project.

JR: I'm very excited that THE WATCHER, my Golden Heart-winning book, is available on Amazon, both in paperback and as an electronic download.(Just click on the title of this post to go to the kindle page on Amazon!)

THE WATCHER is the first book I completed that didn't have to be stuffed under the bed never to see the light of day again! It's the story of forensic psychiatrist Kate Myers and Deputy Sheriff Ben Slater who work together to solve a serial murder crime. Both Kate and Slater are struggling to leave the dark places in their lives. As they take this dangerous journey to capture a killer, they must learn to trust and rely on each other.

Here's the back blurb:

Forensic psychiatrist Kate Myers believes the killer of two teenage girls in Bigler County, California, is the same man who savagely murdered her twin sister over fifteen years ago. Working with a single-minded tenacity, she sets out to prove it.

Deputy Sheriff Ben Slater hides his personal pain behind the job, but Kate's arrival knocks his world on its axis. He wants to believe her wild theory, but the idea of a serial killer with the kind of pathology she proposes is too bizarre.

Together they work to find a killer whose roots began in a small town in Bigler County, but whose violence spread across the nation. A Janus-like killer, more monster than man, he fixates on Kate. The killer wants nothing more than to kill "the purple-eyed girl again."

AC: THE WATCHER has an unusual kind of villain. Where did you get the idea for him?

JR: Actually, I got the idea when I was taking a Women's Psychology course at our local college. I was fascinated by one of the true cases our professor told us about. I took that concept, tweaked and twisted (really, really twisted) the idea until I came up with the very unusual kind of serial killer in THE WATCHER. Since the book's a romantic thriller, I don't want to spoil anything!

I get many of my ideas from TV shows or movies, classes I've taken, lots of administration of justice class which are really fascinating, or books and magazines. It only takes a kernel to spur a writer's imagination.

AC: I completely agree about ideas coming from everywhere. Why do you write romantic suspense?

JR: The two genres I most enjoy reading are historical romance (preferably with a daub of mystery) and romantic suspense. Everyone's saying the RS market is soft right now, but I figure that's what I like to read and it's the easiest for me to write.

This particular book definitely came out of the psychology case I mentioned earlier. I won't say too much, but I will say that the crux of the mystery involves the idea that sexuality isn't the fluid kind of thing psychologists once thought. It's much more complex than that, and sometimes a person's genetic makeup is in opposition to his/her real sexuality.

AC: I loved this story and I'm thrilled to have this book released so that everyone can read it. What's next for Jo Robertson?

JR: The second book, THE AVENGER, in this loosely connected trilogy will be available on Amazon in September. It's another serial killer book and involves two childhood sweethearts who are tragically separated and then meet again to solve a current case. We'll see Sheriff Ben Slater return in this one as a secondary character.

I've also completed two historical suspense stories and most recently a young adult paranormal, which made the first cut in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Contest.

AC: I'm lucky enough to have read THE AVENGER and it is another GREAT read! Plus we get to see Ben Slater again -- YIPEE! I've read Jo's other work too (Being her CP has definite perks) and enjoyed all of them. I'm sure readers will be just as happy as I am to have these books available!

Thanks so much for joining me today, Jo. Now get back to work on THE AVENGER!

Jo was inspired by her psychology class. What was your favorite class when you were in school?

Jo will be giving away a free download of the electronic version of THE WATCHER to one lucky commenter. Also, if you'd like a postcard of either THE WATCHER or THE AVENGER, or even a postcard of Aunty Cindy's THE SIDHE PRINCESS send your snail mail addy to: cindymm18 AT gmail DOT com

5 Landmarks

August is winding down and here in Nor Cal so are vacations. As mentioned in a previous post, we took an early vacation this year to Mackinac Island and had a fabulous time. But then, I seldom have a bad time on vacation!

I love to go and see new places and I've been lucky enough to visit so many of the wonderful places I read about as a child and young adult. All this led me to thinking about some of my favorite landmarks that I once studied in school and got a chance to see for myself up close and personal.

Here then are my Top 5 Landmarks In the USA:

1. The Grand Canyon -- Truly lives up to all the hype. I've been to it several times -- even got food poisoning there once! -- and am always awestruck.
2. Mount Rushmore -- Ever since I saw the movie "North by Northwest" when I was a kid, I wanted to see "the faces" as my DH calls them. We finally made it there about ten years ago and it was well worth the trip! I found the film about how the carvings were done every bit as interesting as Rushmore itself.
3. The Washington Monument -- As far as man made landmarks go, this is a BIGGIE in my opinion. On my very first trip to Washington DC back in the mid-1990s, I found the Washington Monument way more impressive than either the Capitol or the White House.
   
4. Old Faithful -- I'd seen a gazillion photos, films, even cartoons about the famed geyser, so of course, it was the first place I headed on my first visit to Yellowstone Park. The whole park is full of fantastic sights, but Old Faithful truly is the crowning jewel. I had to sit around waiting for 45 minutes, but once the geyser actually erupted it was spectacular!
5. The USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor -- Being a history buff, I'd read and seen tons of info on the memorial built over the sunken battleship. Since WWII was before my time (and even before my parents' time) I didn't think visiting the memorial would be such a moving experience. I was wrong. I've gone back every time I've been on Oahu because it truly is that compelling. I even took my then-15-year-old nephew once and he was equally moved.

I had a really difficult time narrowing down my list to only five! So please, tell me what are some of YOUR favorite landmarks? And you don't have to stick to the US.

The Sidhe Princess Blurb

Next month I plan to release my first attempt at Indie publishing -- my paranormal novelette, The Sidhe Princess.

Here's my GORGEOUS cover, created by the lovely and talented Kim Van Meter (see more of her covers at
http://bit.ly/pbVV45 )

And here is a first look at the "blurb" for the story:

In the rural Northern Ireland of the 1960s, sixteen-year-old Moira Mullins is newly released from her second stay in a mental institution. Her problem is that she can't seem to escape the notice of the other-wordly inhabitants of the wild lands bordering her family's farm. Creatures nobody else can see or hear.

When one of these beings, a fairy princess called the Maid of Ulster, offers to foretell the future, Moira jumps at the chance. But the Maid has ulterior motives that could have tragic results for Moira, who learns the future is sometimes better unknown.

I'll be sharing more details about when and where you can purchase The Sidhe Princess when I know them.

In the meantime, if you'd like a post card of the cover, email me (via my website, link on the sidebar) your snail mail addy and I'll be happy to send you one!

WTH HAPPENED?!?!?!

You may have noticed that all the pictures have disappeared from my blog.

ME TOO!

WTH?!?!?!?!

Okay, I'll admit, this was partly my fault. A couple of weeks ago, I volunteered to be a beta tester for a new Google online community. Why not? Sounded like fun, and it was for a few days. Then, to my HORROR, I logged onto my "profile" in this community and discovered that in addition to the photos I'd downloaded, ALL my photos-- personal, family and vacation shots, the works -- were sitting there on my profile just waiting for someone to come along and... ACK!!!

I admit, I freaked out more than a little and rushed to delete those "photo albums" that I had not downloaded. No, I did not read the fine print. I was too flustered. But Google, in its infinite wisdom, also deleted those pictures from ALL Google products. Since this blog is a "Google product" (on a Google platform) --

CHOP! CHOP!

I've filled out their customer service forms, but to no avail it seems. And I'm too old to possess the time or patience to go in and add pictures to over four years worth of blog posts.

So... as of today, I'll be starting again to include pictures in my blog... HERE!

Olde Analyst Seeks Hard Data

I write stories.

It's what I've always done.

It's what I need to do, because I've discovered that I'm not really happy unless I am writing. And the absolute BEST thing about writing stories, is having people read and enjoy them.

However, back in the "not-so-good, old days" when I slaved away at a Dreaded Day Job, I worked for many years as an analyst. I learned how to gather data, study and manipulate it, and make some assumptions and conclusions based on it. Over the years I actually became quite good at my job. But just like lots of things in different parts of my life, my analytic tendencies carried over from my professional realm into my personal, and you know what they say about old habits.

When I quit my Dreaded Day Job and started writing with an aim toward publishing novels, I figured my analytic days were done. After all, two complete opposite sides of the brain were involved in these two activities -- the logical side and the creative side.

But the Olde Analyst in me refused to go quietly. Before I sold my first book, the Olde Analyst insisted I look at data from each editor and/or agent before I sent out a submission. Exactly what kinds of books were they acquiring? Not just length, sub-genre, and setting, but also frequency, and ratio of new to existing authors. Yes, crazy I know, but it did help divert me from all those many rejections.

However, once I did sell, and more than one book, Olde Analyst became obsessed with a new mission: What makes a reader buy a book?

Believe me, Olde Analyst is full of theories! Do blog tours sell books? Print advertising? Reviews? Book signings? Giving away swag? Tweeting? But she can't seem to reach any conclusions because there is a shocking lack of hard data!

I mean, there's plenty of ANECDOTAL info... Everyone has an opinion, after all! But where are the actual numbers? Sadly, there aren't any. Or none that are reliable (meaning I can verify them).

I FEEL that the more often readers see my name (like on blog tours), the more likely they are to seek out and buy my book.
I FEEL that the two print ads I placed in Romantic Times Magazine resulted in more sales (I know they resulted in those books getting reviewed by the magazine).
I FEEL like good reviews help (and bad reviews hurt).

But I can't find any numbers to back up my feelings.

As for book signings, swag, tweets, and a whole host of other things -- I have absolutely no idea! And that drives the Olde Analyst bonkers.

So tell me, dear readers, WHAT MAKES YOU BUY A BOOK? Do blogs, book signings, tweets, or reviews matter? And if they don't then what does?

Have mercy on the Olde Analyst and give her some numbers to crunch!

I DO NOT Talk to Recordings!

It happened again this morning -- the phone rang at 8 AM.

This was the third time in a week, and yes it woke me up. Not from a deep sleep, the dogs did that at 7:30, but I always take a lovely little snooze for about an hour after I let them out. But sleep is sleep and I do NOT like my lovely little snoozes interrupted.

Because we had a family emergency last week, when the phone jangled me awake, I leaped up to answer, fearing the worst. I pressed the button and squeaked out hello, only to be treated to that annoying robotic voice: "This-is-an-im-por-tant-mess-age-for..." and then mispronounced my name. I'm sure I uttered a most unladylike expletive as I hung up the phone.

If this mess-age is so very IM-POR-TANT, then have a LIVE PERSON call me! I am sick and tired of companies using automated calling systems. Nine times out of ten, if I press the number the recording tells me to, I'm put on hold for several minutes. If it is so very IM-POR-TANT, why do I have to WAIT?!?! And once I do get a live person, they usually ask for someone I've never heard of, but who has my last name (which they always mispronounce). Since when is it logical to assume that I know every person who has the same last name I do? Or that they ALL live with me and share the same phone? Brilliant logic in place there -- NOT!

More than once I've been connected to YET ANOTHER recording telling me to call a completely different number (NO WAY until I know WTH this is about!) or to call back "during our business hours."

EXCUSE ME?!?! It's okay to disturb ME during NON-business hours but not you? I won't even dignify that with a non-expletive laden response.

I've signed up for every Do-Not-Call list I can find, but apparently it doesn't matter. If my telephone number is listed in the phone directory, I'm fair game for every so-called business that can buy an automated calling device or service.

MAKE IT STOP!!!

I'm sorry to say that on the rare occasions I DO actually get a live person, I am NOT polite to them. But what do they expect? I tend to be downright cranky when I'm awakened for a recording that has nothing to do with me! I'll also confess to sometimes being so frustrated that I shout at the recording. Aggravation will do that to a person, especially when it is the third time in as many days.

So as of this morning, I've made a vow: I WILL NOT RESPOND TO ANY RECORDINGS!

Have a live person call, or you won't reach me! Oh, and if you don't know how to pronounce my name, then you don't know me and I am not talking to you!

Okay, rant over for today... until the next phone call.

How do you feel about automated phone calls? Do you respond? Hang up? Get annoyed? (Please don't tell me I'm the only one who rants and raves at recordings!)

Ideas From The News

Writer get asked about ideas a lot, as in "Where do you get them?" The snarky answer is to say, in full out serious mode, "From the idea store."

Yes, I admit, I've said it a few times.

But the truth is that ideas (at least for me) come from EVERYWHERE! And yes, I do keep an "idea file" where I jot down interesting tidbits that might someday find their way into one of my stories. Or even become an entire story. I never quite know.

For example, the local news last night had two pieces that could easily be turned into books. Now I'm talking just my local area, not international news where something like a major corporation was found to be wire tapping all kinds of famous people's phones. Or even national news like the mother who was exonerated for killing her toddler even though she blatantly lied to authorities about the child's whereabouts. These two stories were equally tragic, but involved people who live only a few miles from me.

First was the newlywed couple who were on their honeymoon in the Bahamas. They were in a double parasail and the harness broke. She was killed and he was seriously injured. How sad, but also great fodder for characters.

Second was the charter fishing boat that sank in the Sea of Cortez in the middle of the night in an unexpected storm. There were twenty-seven people on board and as of last night six were still missing. There were several local men on that boat who survived the harrowing ordeal. One man was interviewed on two different local news stations. He survived by grabbing the lid of an ice chest and floating on it for several hours. Then he swam five miles to some rocks jutting out of the water, climbed on them, and waited until daylight to be rescued by some other passing fishermen.

The part that really stayed with me about this man's story was how he described being flung into the water as the ship was struck by a huge wave. He said when he got back to the surface and looked at the ship, it's bow was underwater and the stern was sticking straight up in the air "...like the Titanic" and then it sank.

Truth really is stranger than fiction, and nothing drives home that point better than watching the news! I don't know if I will ever use either of these real-life happenings in a story, but they are definitely going into that "idea file."

What about you? Have you heard or read any story worthy ideas lately? Please share them with all of us!

Picnic Time!

Here in the US, we are enjoying a long holiday weekend. Our Independence Day happens to fall on Monday this year, so we are taking three days to celebrate. The 4th of July has always been a day for picnics and/or bar-be-cues because the weather is usually warm and most businesses close for the holiday.

What could be more perfect than a summer picnic?

So based on a totally unscientific survey of my friends and family, here are the top 5 foods that will be served this weekend at neighborhood bar-be-cues or picnics:

1. Hamburgers (I happen to like them juicy with ketchup, mustard, and lettuce.)
2. Hot dogs (These tend to give me indigestion so I generally avoid them.)
3. Watermelon (Melons don't 'agree' with me, but I do LOVE watermelon!)
4. Ice Cream (GIVE ME A SCOOP! Any flavor will do.)
5. Potato salad (Make mine with hard boiled eggs, please!)

What about you? Are you having a picnic or bar-be-cue this weekend or in the near future?

What are your favorite foods to eat at a picnic?

Stepping Back In Time

Recently the DH and I took a step back in time... well, as close as you can come to going back to the 19th century without forsaking all modern conveniences. (I want my hot running water and electric appliances, thank you very much!) We made a brief visit to Mackinac Island.

For those who don't know, Mackinac Island (pronounced mack-in-naw) is a quaint little island of about 500 inhabitants located between Michigan's upper and lower peninsulas in Lake Huron. Here is a piccie of part of the "old fort" walls overlooking the harbor and what is now Marquette Park (used to be a common grazing area).

One of the most notable things about the island, besides it's numerous fudge shops, is that the only means of transportation is bicycle or horse-drawn carriage. Here is what a traffic jam looks like on one of the two main streets of the town. Even taxis are horse-drawn!

I'm sitting in the front of our carriage and the black horse directly in front of me is Glen. Most of the horses are Percherons, and the teams are matched for size and color.

We took a carriage "tour" of the island and here is our three horse team: The beautiful grey in the center is Jenny, the black on the left is Eddy, and the black with the white blaze on her face is Addie. The carriage held 35 people not counting the driver, so these are incredibly strong horses!

I enjoyed the leisurely pace of the horses and it was lots of fun imagining what life was like back in the 1890s. I wish we could have stayed longer.

Have you ever been to a place that made you feel you'd stepped back in time? Please share your experiences!

New Story New Cover

Lately it seems that when two or more writers get together (online, in person, on the phone, where ever!) the talk inevitably turns to E-books and self-publishing. I've been reading and listening with great interest and I've watched the use of Kindles, Nooks and other e-readers grow by leaps and bounds in the past few months.

I'm afraid didn't get my nickname Cynical Cindy from nowhere. But in the past year, I've changed from being outright skeptical of e-publishing in general and self-publishing in particular, to realizing that this is a viable new option for writers to connect with readers. I became a believer when the sales of all three of my books took off after The Wild Sight was offered as a free read on Kindle!

So I've decided to take the plunge and self-publish directly to Amazon. I'm going to start small with a novelette that is a prequel to The Wild Sight, set in Ireland, of course. Also, since one of the most exciting parts of releasing a new book is seeing the cover, I went ahead and commissioned one from my friend and professional designer, Kim Van Meter. I think she did a fabulous job (THANK YOU, Kim!) and I'm thrilled to share it here!

I hope to have The Sidhe Princess available for sale sometime in July. I'll be sharing more details as soon as I know them!

Meanwhile, I'd love to know your opinion of e-readers: Love them? Hate them? Which one do you like best?

And I hope you love my new cover as much as I do!

5 Landmarks

I've noticed in lots of movies that they will include a glimpse of a particular landmark to instantly give the audience a 'sense of place.' It's a simple technique but particularly effective, in my opinion.

Of course that started me thinking (always a scary proposition) about which landmarks are the most familiar to audiences (and I'm talking man made objects, not natural wonders). What can you immediately recognize with just one quick look?

Here are the first five that sprang to my mind:

1. The Sphinx -- virtually every movie set in Egypt has a shot of this icon structure. They even use it in cartoons!
2. The Great Wall of China -- anytime I see that sinuous structure winding through the hills, I get a thrill-ripple down my spine. The Great Wall has fascinated people for centuries!
3. The Eiffel Tower -- that open framework silhouette is unmistakable! Has there ever been a disaster movie made that didn't include a shot of the Eiffel Tower?
4. The Golden Gate Bridge -- There are lots of famous bridges, and maybe I'm a wee bit biased (being a native Californian and living close to San Francisco), but this bridge is the granddaddy of 'em all!
5. The Parthenon -- I had a hard time choosing between this one and the Taj Mahal. But even as a child, I remember seeing pictures of the Parthenon (even if I didn't know what it was) and I was a young teen the first time I saw a piccie of the Taj Mahal (yes, it was new construction then ).

I could add more but I'll stop for now and give you a chance to comment or give me your own list. Hmm, I just realized that I've actually been up close and personal with four of the five landmarks on my list!

Okay, your turn: Did you recognize all of my landmarks? Are there others you think are more easily recognized? Remember, these are man made structures. We'll save the wonders of nature for another post.

Number 19

Just got home from cruise number 19 and I still feel like I'm onboard the ship. In other words, I can still feel the floor swaying under my feet and I'm 'listing' from side to side. ACK!

Yes, it was a fun time, even though the seas were somewhat rough on our last day coming home (no doubt why I'm still 'listing). This was the ship we were scheduled to take in January, but engine repairs took longer than expected and we were forced to reschedule.

Yes, we went to the Mexican Riviera yet again. People ask me why I keep going back to the same ports, but honestly the destination is secondary to the cruise itself. What's not to love about having someone serve you, clean up after you, and unlimited access to GREAT food?!?!

Besides, there's always something different to see. This time we spent two days in port in Cabo San Lucas, which we'd never done before. Here's a photo I took of the lights of Cabo at sunset.

Most of the other ships who depart from California ports go to Alaska starting in May, so we were the only cruise line in western Mexico and had the port's of call pretty much to ourselves. However, in Puerto Vallarta we shared the marina docking area with these two "pirate" vessels.

There's always plenty of 'wildlife' to see along the way. I didn't see a whale, but several other passengers told me they did. And there's always a pod of dolphins that like to race along with the cruise ships near Cabo.

Then there are the towel animals that the room stewards leave on my bed at night. Here are a couple of my favorites from this cruise:

This cute little elephant was chill-axing on the end of the bed while I worked on my laptop on my WIP. I'm happy to report he was very quiet.

So was this adorable bunny, who decided to take a snooze on my pillow.

They offered a class to teach passengers how to make some of these adorable towel creatures, but I decided not to take it. My collection of towels is pretty rag-tag at best. Plus, I don't need to have one more way to procrastinate!

Have you resisted learning something new because you didn't want yet another way to waste time?

What vacation plans do you have on your horizon?

Spare Time Projects

Yes, I did write the "Spare Time" in this title with my tongue firmly planted in cheek. I don't have a lot of that elusive thing. But on those rare occasions when I do sit and veg out in front of the TV (watching Netflix!) I almost always have to keep my hands busy. My preferred activity is knitting or crocheting. I learned to do both so many years ago that they are more like a self-soothing exercise than anything else. Plus, I've discovered that while I can't read in a moving car (gives me a horrid headache every darn time) I CAN knit or crochet! So when we have to make a long car trip and the DH is barreling down the freeway at 60+ mph (100+ kph), I can sit in the passenger's seat happily knitting or crocheting away.

I've never been a fan of projects that required me to sew a lot of little pieces together in order to complete. I much prefer to make one or two large pieces and then I'm DONE! That means I make lots of scarves and lap throws or afghans. One of my favorite patterns uses a long stitch that makes the piece look something like the old hound's tooth check fabrics of the 60s. I made four in this pattern in various colors for Christmas presents for my four nieces.

Here are a couple of my recently finished projects...

My son has been a HUGE fan of the New York Jets since he was a little boy. So I crocheted this afghan for him in Jets' colors -- black, white and green. Turned out great and he loves it. One little problem is that our fawn colored Pug Wa-wa's hair really stands out on the black and green. She loves this afghan too!

Here's my current crochet-work-in-progress. It's just about at the halfway point, and I'm afraid I don't know yet what its fate will be. But it is going in the car with me for a trip to SoCal very soon...

Meanwhile, back to one of my favorite patterns, the gigantic Granny Rectangle (as opposed to Granny Square). I love to use this pattern for baby afghans. It's easy and turns out so pretty. See what I mean?

This pretty little throw is for a special friend's newest grandson.

I've heard from several sources that "needlework is becoming a lost art." I hope that's not true! It may not be cheaper than buying a blanket or throw at the local discount store, but there's something very special about a handmade item.

What do you think? Hand made or store bought? Do you have a crafty vocation?

Brenda Novak's Online Auction

It's that time of year again.

Every May, Brenda Novak holds an online "auction" to raise money for diabetes research (click on the title of this post to go to the site). This is a cause very near and dear to me and I've donated things for the past three years.

This year, my Banditas and I decided to have our very own listing on Brenda's sidebar. You can see it here under Romance Bandita: http://bit.ly/lpl5rN

We have things for readers:

A gift "basket" with ten different books by various Banditas (including a copy of The Wild Irish Sea), a mug and some chocolate

Autographed Advance Reader Copies (ARCs) of books by
Jeanne Adams,
Kate Carlisle, and
Christie Kelley.

For writers we have critiques by
yours truly,
Jeanne Adams,
Donna MacMeans,
Beth Andrews,
Tawny Weber,
Tricia Mills,
Christine Wells, and
Anna Sugden.

For everyone we are offering:

A Romance Bandits T-Shirt

Golden Rooster cookie cutter and TimTams

and Golden Rooster earrings and brooch

I also have an autographed copy of The Wild Irish Sea in a "basket" of books donated by my local RWA chapter the Sacramento Valley Rose.

The auction has tons of great stuff from jewelry and gift items to vacations. I hope you'll stop by and check it out and maybe bid on something since it is for such a great cause.

Lots of things are great bargains!

You still have plenty of time because the auction doesn't end until May 31st.

Cinco De Mayo

Today was Cinco de Mayo, which we celebrate vociferously here in California. Actually, I think if asked most people here in NorCal have no idea what Cinco de Mayo represents other than a good excuse to drink lots of tequila and Mexican beer.

If asked, a few might come up with Mexican independence day, which it is not. Cinco de Mayo actually celebrates the Battle of Puebla in 1862. In spite of being outnumbered almost three to one, the Mexican forces emerged victorious over the occupying French.

Considering we Americans were a bit preoccupied in 1862 with our own Civil War, I suppose we can be forgiven for being ignorant of a day that many Mexicans have considered one of the most glorious in history. But I can't help but feel a little sad that the true meaning of yet another holiday is lost to a crush of advertising.

Of course, I'm not sad enough to pass up the chips and salsa! Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

Did you celebrate today? Or have you even heard of Cinco de Mayo? Any other holidays you'd care to share with Aunty?

Fan Mail and Andorra

Ever since The Wild Sight was offered as a free download back in March, all three of my books have experienced an upsurge in sales of their ebook versions. I'm thrilled, of course, because that means more readers are finding and enjoying my stories.

This is the reason I write -- to entertain readers!

A nice benefit of gaining new readers is receiving fan mail. Hearing from readers really does make all the other hassles that go with being a published author worthwhile! When someone takes the time to send me a note to tell me they liked one of my stories, I am so very gratified!

NO! I never get tired of getting fan mail as one reader asked not long ago. While it is true that I don't receive lots of mail, I can't imagine a time when I wouldn't be excited to hear from readers. For example, last week I got a post card from Andorra!

I've wanted to visit this tiny country on the mountainous border between Spain and France for years. I first learned of Andorra's existence when I was a young teen and read Mary Stewart's book Thunder on the Right, which is set in the Pyrenees near that area.

Well, one of my readers went on vacation there recently and she took a copy of The Wild Sight on her Kindle to read while on her holiday. And she was nice enough to send me a post card while she was there.

So BIG THANX to Hidi! And to everyone who has taken the time to write to me and let me know that you read one of my books and liked it! I truly appreciate your support more than I can say. Please keep those cards, letter, and emails coming!

What is the last out-of-the-way place you visted? Or maybe there's one on your list of places to see? Please share with Aunty and the rest of us!