Daffodils

My daffodils are up and saying Spring is coming.

70 Years

70 years ago today, Russian troops liberated Auschwitz. In our local newspaper, a survivor was on the front page. Marta was 10 years old when she was liberated.

When I was writing The Last Truth, my heroine's family was sent to different camps for hiding her father's partner, who was Jewish. Having to learn about each camp, know what was done, burdened my heart. I can only admire the survivors and those who lost their lives.

This is my tribute to you.

Christmas Eve

I want to wish all a wonderful and blessed Christmas. It the midst of the hustle and bustle of the season, take a moment to think about the holiday were are celebrating--Jesus birthday. Let the quietness and peace of that event rest in your heart.

If your heart is in pain, rest in His peace.
If you heart is rejoicing, feel Him smile with you.
Above all, have a wonderful Christmas.

December 7

Yesterday went unnoticed by many Americans and I didn't see it mention on the news, but for many in the Greatest Generation, my parents generation, they knew what yesterday was. It was the day Pearl Harbor was bombed and the US was plunged into WWII. I read in the newspaper in Japan Dec7 isn't considered a memorable date. Just one more date in their struggled to become a super power. They wanted to capture countries that had oil and other natural resources, so they could emerge as a super power. But for my parents generation it is the defining moment, where America turned outward and instead of following isolationist policy, they all pulled together to support the war.

Since I just put out a book set during WWII, I researched the times, The Last Truth. My heroine, Linette Van Linder is Dutch. Her parents and good friends are taken  away to different concentration camps since her parents hid their best friends and business partners, who were Jewish, from the Nazis. Linette sees her fiance standing in front of her house, dressed in a Waffen SS uniform, laughing and joking with the other SS soldiers. She's spotted and runs away. In her desperation, she runs into an American reporter who helps her escape Amsterdam. A marriage of convenience--no a marriage of desperation was born.

As the story progressed, I learned about things that happened during the war that I wish I didn't know, but I had to know the ugly reality to write the book. But my admiration for the men and women who stepped up to the plate grew. They did what they had to do. I've never heard anyone from that generation complain. They did what they needed to do, and came home to create a new America. That is greatness.

 

Veteran's Day

Mom

I want to wish a Happy Veteran's Day to all the veteran's around me. Both my parents and my husband are veterans.  All army. I appreciate your service.

My dad

The husband

Buns and Roses Literacy Tea 2014

This last October, there was a Literacy tea for Richardson Adult Literacy Center or RALC to raise money for adult literacy. 24 authors drove to Richardson to host tables where Tea was held.
http://www.bunsandroses.org/author-hosts.html.  This tea has been an annual event for the last few years. RWA is also a big supporter of literacy and they do a signing at their annual conference.

 This is this year's Bear. Each year there is a bear.

The Authors

Most of the authors wear hats. I do look a bit clueless, don't I?

After the tea we sign our latest books, which the attendees buy from Barns and Noble.

Hostess gifts for the attendees.

Have you ever seen Romancing the Stone? Well I just lived through the opening scene of that movie. My latest book was due 8/15, which I didn't make.  (I have to thank my editor for suggesting 8/15 for the due date instead of 7/15.) I did nothing for the last week and a half but write and proof. My husband did the shopping and cooking, but when he didn't go to the store, we ran out of nearly everything. Soured milk, no bread, nothing to eat unless we bought it.

Well, I was doing the happy dance after I copied the book on my flash drive and dumped it back in the little dish where I keep it. When I added something to the book, I looked for the drive and didn't find it. I kept looking and looking for the drive and found it in my cup of tea beside my computer. I raced into my husband's office and told him what I did. Put it in a bowl of rice to let it dry out was his advice. I ran out of our regular rice and had to use my husband's expensive sticky rice which he uses to make mushubi (sp). (That's spam, rice, wrapped in seaweed.)

Well, the husband was right. My drive was okay, but I didn't need that excitement. And I got a new back up flash drive.