Debbie's Blog
And the Winner Is . . .
Congratulations to the winners in all the categories in this year's Romance Writer's of America RITA Award contest, held on Saturday. It was a fun-filled evening and seeing so many friends in this yearly gala was a thrill. I didn't win in the category in which my book, 20 WISHES, was entered, but the competition was steep. I'm delighted to announce Rachel Gibson is the winner in the Best Contemporary Single Title Romance with her book NOT ANOTHER BAD DATE. Way to go, Rachel!
RWA Conference
Wayne and I are flying out to Washington, D.C. and will be away ten days. While I attend the annual Romance Writers of America National conference, Wayne and our Florida friend, Gary Roche, will be touring Civil War battlefields in Virginia.
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Motorcyle Momma
My beautiful, blond, blue-eyed daughter has turned into a motorcycle momma. I kid you not! Last week Jody took a motorcycle riding class in order to add the endorsement to her driver’s license. Wayne and our two sons both ride and Jody said she felt it was time for a female in the family to show them how it’s done. Jody is just the one to do it, too. She’s got the boots, the gloves and the attitude. Go get ’em, girl! Read more
An Addiction?
My oldest son, Ted, stopped by the house yesterday afternoon. Wayne had set a heavy box by the basement door, and Ted offered to take it downstairs for him. I noticed he was gone a good ten minutes.
When he returned he came to me and said, “Mom, we need to talk.”
He was so serious I was immediately concerned. “What’s the problem?”
“It’s your yarn, Mom.”
“My yarn?”
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Bad Boy, Bogie!
Bogie destroyed Wayne’s new sandals yesterday afternoon. These weren’t cheap ones, either. They were his Father’s Day Clarks. The thing is, Bogie was so pleased with himself for all the hard work and effort that went into the destruction. He dragged the shoe out to show me, head held high, tail wagging. “Look what I did, Mom! Aren’t you proud of me?” Wayne’s sandals now join the heap of Bogie’s other conquests: the flip flops I wear to and from swimming, Wayne’s old belt (he neede Read more
Two Ripe Avocados
This probably doesn’t come as a surprise to anyone—I love to cook. So it makes sense when I tell you that I also love to eat. I’ve lost count of the number of cookbooks I have. In case you didn’t know, I even have my own cookbook that is due on the stands in September, so you’ll understand that I often fiddle around with recipes. Well, I have a recipe for you that turned out so well I’ve been telling everyone about it. It’s for cold avocado soup. I was looking for something fun and easy to whip up for dinner last week and had these two ripe avocados. Read more
Fond 4th of July Memories
I’ve always loved The Fourth of July and the way the community got together to celebrate our Independence Day when Wayne and I were newly married and raising our family. Some of my happiest memories are of taking the children to celebrate by watching the parade and the fireworks display. Our oldest son, Ted, was about five when he saw his first marching band. He was mesmerized by the sights and the music and seemed enthralled with the man in front with the big baton. When I asked him if he wanted to march in a band one day, he nodded eagerly. Read more
Let ‘er Rip!
The time I have to knit is so precious, and it seems I have less and less of it. (That, however, doesn’t mean I have decreased my yarn buying habits!) Last Sunday offered five uninterrupted hours of knitting as Wayne and I drove home from our Washington State wine tour. I was in knitter's heaven. I’m working on a vest and managed to finish up the body and one entire side, when I realized, to my horror, that I had made a mistake in the first row I knit after we hit the road. A really big mistake. This is the kind of error that c
Happy Birthday, Shirley!
I played hooky from the office yesterday afternoon. My cousin, Shirley, was in town, and we celebrated her 70th birthday with a movie (The Proposal with Sandra Bullock), along with plenty of buttered popcorn, followed by ice cream cake. We both paid for our bad behavior later, but it was so worth the movie and all the giggles. Unfortunately, I don’t have a sister, so I count on my cousins for those special family relationships. Thankfully, I’ve been blessed with several. Happy 70th Birthday, Shirl, we’ll have to celebr Read more
Wine-Tasting Weekend
Wayne and I are off today for a weekend wine-tasting tour with friends. (This is our reward for the six-week book tour.) For those of you who might not be aware, Washington is the second largest wine-producing state behind California. We have some exceptional red and white wine varieties.
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A Knitting Prayer
A reader, Lola, from Tiffin, OH, recently mailed me this anonymous Knitting Prayer. It was so good I wanted to share it with all of you.
Life is like knitting:
God gives me the wool and the needles and tells me
“A stitch is a day on the needle of time”.
After 12 rows of knitting, I have 365 stitches,
And in 10 years, 3650 stitches.
Some are purl, others are knit.
Some stitches are lost, but I can pick them up. Read more
Happy Birthday, Dale!
Today is our youngest son’s birthday. Thirty-four years ago Wayne drove me to the hospital after my water broke and labor began. Although it was late afternoon, Wayne was hoping we could wait until after midnight so we wouldn’t be charged for a full day’s hospital stay. Because money was tight in those days, I tried my best to wait. Needless to say, Dale foiled our cost-cutting plans. Truth be known, we were fortunate to make it to the hospital in time. With Dale we completed our family—two girls and two boys. Happy Read more
How an Author Relaxes
I spent three days home last week recovering from a simple medical procedure. I wasn’t so much in pain as I was uncomfortable and physically drained. So what did I do?
Curl up and read a book? I tried but fell asleep after a couple of pages. Knit? Well, some, but the rows just seemed so long and boring. Did I watch movies? It was too much effort to figure out how to work the DVD player. (I need a grandkid to figure it out even now.)
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The Smell of Chlorine in the Morning.
Oh my, how I love the smell of chlorine in the morning! I’m back into my regular routine of swimming in the morning and heading for the office around 7:15 a.m., where my latte is waiting for me. While I always enjoy meeting my readers and visiting other parts of the country, I have to confess I’m loving every minute of settling back into my life as I remember it. Naturally, that includes spending time with the grandkids, and playing fetch with Bogie. In the evenings, Wayne and I often sit in the yard with a cup of coffee or an occasional g
Home Again
The last city of my spring tour was Knoxville, TN. It was a delight to participate in the Book Junkie Book Club event and meet with the knitters at The Knitting Nest in Maryville. Thank you, one and all, for coming to signings on this year’s tour. I have phenomenal readers!
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Louisiana
Thank you once again to all the wonderful readers who have taken the time to greet me in Louisiana. I loved meeting you, and love the state. New Orleans was fabulous and is the place to be for Cajun food, and I do enjoy Cajun food! Even though there was thunder and lightening and I was deluged with rain, I still had the chance to do a little antique shopping and wandered the French Quarter and Chartres Street. I’m taking home wonderful memories.
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On Time in New Jersey
I was gifted with Divine intervention at the Tallahassee airport yesterday. At the very last minute I was able to change my previous departure, which had a too-tight connection in Atlanta, to an earlier flight. This allowed me just enough leeway to make my connecting flight and to arrive on time for my New Jersey signing. I would have hated to disappoint the over 200 people who were waiting to greet me there. And if you know me at all, I hate to be late for anything (and rarely am). When things like this happen, I know God is looking after me Read more
Happy Memorial Day!
I was overwhelmed with the reception I received in Savannah last night. Read more
Savannah, GA
Although I’m technically on a book tour, Wayne and I are continuing our own personal restaurant tour of the south. Here we are in Paula Deen’s Savannah restaurant called Lady and Sons, enjoying our lunch. I had fried green tomatoes and crab soup, and it was fabulous. Wayne had the buffet—three times!
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Charleston, SC
Wayne and I are en route to Charleston, SC. I am still overwhelmed from the special gift I was given today at the Sam’s Club signing in Columbia, SC. Delores and Ben, a young military wife and husband, came to the signing to give me a coin called Operation Iraqi Freedom. I am so honored and touched to receive this special coin. My friend, Leslee, who was with me and considers herself a hard-nosed New Yorker, was close to tears.
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Driving instead of Flying
After a restful break at home in Port Orchard for Mother’s Day, Wayne and I boarded a plane for North Carolina. Also aboard the plane was Bruce Crandall, Medal of Honor recipient (and our friend), along with four young women and two young men headed toward marine boot camp. It was a thrill to give them a standing ovation and let them board the plane first.
Tour Adventures
I have completed the fourth city of my tour and have been doing quite a bit of TV. (Personally, I feel a lot thinner on radio!) Yesterday morning in Fresno, I joined the two anchors on the FOX affiliate for the morning newscast and was seated with them. Five seconds before air time the producer asked me to raise the level of my chair. Attempting to comply, I touched the bar and immediately sank to the point my nose was level with the table top! There was some furious maneuvering as the cameras switched around to focus on the one anchor. I Read more
News from the Road
Signings in both St. Louis and Denver have been incredible and it’s been wonderful to meet my readers there. If you missed me, I did leave behind several signed books in the stores where I signed, along with a small gift.
In addition to signings, I managed to squeeze in visits to two yarn stores and loved seeing new knit projects for future knitting.
On the Road Again!
I'm humming that Willy Nelson song. Yesterday was the first stop of my 2009 book tour for SUMMER ON BLOSSOM STREET, in my own back yard of Vero Beach, FL This evening is the second stop, Des Peres, just outside of St. Louis, Missouri. I'm a people person, so do come and see me if you're in the area. I so enjoy meeting my readers.
On the Set of Mrs. Miracle!
I spent the weekend on the set of Mrs. Miracle with the Producer, Dan Wigutow, Caroline Moore, Co-producer, and Director Michael Scott. Doris Roberts is an absolute delight as Mrs. Miracle! All these wonderful people are bringing Mrs. Miracle to life in the most charming way.
Doris is even funnier in person that she is on the screen–witty, personable and a force of life. Doris and I had a photo shoot and were interviewed for an electronic press kit, which I learned they call an EPK.