IT'S ALL ABOUT THE BOOK.

It's all about the book. That's what I heard today at a book signing I was part of. There were about 20 authors at the Hastings Book Store on the South Hill, in Spokane, WA. As book store customers stopped by to chat, they wanted to know about the books we wrote. I was able to talk to some authors I've known for a while and met some for the first time. In every case the talk was about the book, the one we had published and were hoping to sign and sell or the one we were working on and even the one we were dreaming about and hoping to write. Yes, authors think about writing, we dream about writing. The subject of our books vary. My books are cozy mysteries, cozy murder mysteries. Therefore I think and dream and write about murder.

I have to confess! I have committed murder! Yes, I am a serial killer. My first murder was a little Red Hat Lady, I killed her with her hat pin. Killing her was a mistake, so I tried to kill again. You can read about it in my book: THE HAT PIN MURDERS.  After that I swore I'd never kill anyone unless they deserved it. Of course in a murder mystery somebody has to get murdered. 

In my second book, THE HAT BOX MYSTERY, it's only the bad guys that get killed. Yes, I confess I have committed murder, but only on the pages of my novels that I call THE HAT MURDER SERIES. All my books are about a bunch of Red Hat Ladies doing what we do best, that's having fun, that is all except the part about murder.

I have already planned another murder, I'll be writing about it in my third book, A HAT TO DIE FOR. So you see it is all about the book.

Good Friday morning to all of you.
    We have had our share of thunder and lightning storms this week. My poor little dog, Jake, has been tramatized by the loud thunder and the lightning that lights up the night sky. I'm thankful that last nights storm didn't knock out our electricity as the one several nights ago did.
   I'm finally settling into my normal routine after my long stay in California. However, my three months worth of bank statements still haven't been balanced. Yes, that could be a problem!
   I've been trying to work on my novel which I started before my California trip. With the death of my dear mother I completely drew a blank when it came to writing. I now feel I might be back in the mood for more murder and mayham. I finished the first five chapters of A HAT TO DIE FOR and that is where it all stopped. This morning I feel like I've had a break through. One of the most difficult things for me in writing a murder mystery is coming up with a character that will do murder.
   I usually don't have a problem killing off one of my characters. Some need killing and some just don't have a future in the story, and some must die plain and simple. But to create a character that kills another human being, now that takes a lot of planning. As I began to write in a note book, pen and paper, another chapter began to unfold. Suddenly I knew WHO DONE IT! Now to bring all the characters, clues and craziness together and maybe I'll have another cozy mystery. I'll let you know how things progress next time. Thanks for reading.
  

Mom's Gone Home

   I've just been reading some of my past posts. I'm always surprised when I read what I've written. My last post was in June when I came to Sacramento to help with my ailing mother. Well I'm saddened to say that Mom went home to be with the Lord on June 28th. Thankfully she was only sick for a few weeks and I was able to be with her. We had a wonderful memorial service and many family members were here to celebrate her life with us. Since then I've been helping my sister, Jane, get settled in her new apartment and getting Mom's house ready to sell.  
   I don't recommend picking up and taking off with only a days notice and staying gone from home for 3 month. There are so many things that should be planned out and one days notice isn't time enough to do that. Crazy, but some how things are working out alright, I just hope I've paid all the bills on time and haven't let any laps so my credit rating will fall into the ''Oh my goodness, my credit is shot zone!" I'll be in Sacramento until August19th, I'll be attending a Red Hat convention here and hope to sell my books to the 300 some Hatties that attend at the Double Tree Hotel. I hope when I get back home I'll have more to say, so until then,  love to all you bloggers and goodnight Mrs. Calabash where ever you are.
  

Hello Bloggers,
   It's been a long time since I've been on my blog spot. I'm here in Sacramento, California with my sister,Jane, and my ailing mother. Mom is 99 years old and is very independent even though she isn't able to get around on her own and needs watching 24/7. She has seen our country through the great depression, many wars and how many presidents, I'm not going to try to name. She buried 2 husbands, a son, 2 step-sons and too many grandchildren. I can see how wonderful a long life is but it also means the pain of out living those you love most.I'm thankful that I can be here for her now.
   I'm blessed to have a God fearing mother that taught me right from wrong and all the good things I've learned I learned from her and the bad things, well, I guess I learned them on my own.
   I'm spending a little time working on my 3rd book, so far I'm calling it A Hat To Die For. I sure wish I'd started this writing process a long time ago. Writing is hard work and I'm not inclined to hard work at my age. So bloggers that's my story for today. God bless us everyone.

      What a beautiful summer morning! Things are going well here in my little world. I've been doing a little yard work, weeding, and I planted zucchini squash yesterday, from seed.  I can hardly wait for the lush yellow blossoms to appear, that means the squash isn't far behind. Yes, I love zucchini.
       I'm slowly working on my 3rd book in my Hat Series, I keep saying that but it is truly a slow process. I try to create a fictional atmosphere of murder and mayhem but I could never create in fiction what is happening in our world in real life. I'm sure if I were to write a fiction novel about what I've seen on the news this past two weeks, you would say it is ridiculous, that would never fly. Yes, truth is stranger than fiction. I will keep trying to write a nice cozy mystery that is very believable and have a little fun with it.
       I'm also working on another story about a young boy, The Bike Story, growing up after WW2. It's kind of a John Boy Walton story. I started it many years ago and drug it out recently and started adding to it. Of course it's not a murder mystery.
       Getting back to this glorious summer day, the dandy lions are taking over the lawn. My late husband, George, couldn't stand to see them in the lawn. He worked tirelessly digging them out and neighbors would stop by to admire the beautiful yard he so lovingly cared for. I'd rather be reading a good book, a mystery, or writing one. You are right, I don't like yard work. So much for the wonders of a beautiful summer morning. I hope all of my blogger friends are enjoying a beautiful summer too.

Hello out there in Blog land,
  It's raining today here in Cheney and the news on the T.V. makes for a very gloomy day. My heart goes out to those people in Boston and the tragedies they are facing. God be with them.
   So to brighten my day, I shall write about murder and mayhem.  I've been working on my 3rd book, A Hat To Die For. I'm also working on a couple of children's books.
    I'm a member of a group we call Authors 4 Authors (A4A) we met on Wednesday evening at Frankie Doodles Restaurant in Spokane, hoping to help each other promote our books to get them out there to readers.  Yes, writing is hard and lonely and most authors would rather sit at their computer and write. Book signings and promoting our books is even harder and not as much fun.  Writing is a place I go with my  imagination, spending time in an imaginary world. Promoting, selling and book signings are just plain hard work. Moving on .....
   I will be attending a weekend retreat, next weekend, with 10 other Christian ladies. We will talk about writing.  Write, probably do a lot of eating, write some more and when a bunch of girls get together, I'm sure we will laugh a lot. The reason for the retreat? To write, write and write in a calm, quiet setting. I thank God for this group of ladies, that encourage each other about the thing we all love to do, write.
  

I'm my momma's little girl !!

   How many of us are blessed to have someone we know and love that has reached the age of 100? Well this blogger has a mother that will be 100 years old in September of this year. Yes, she has a difficult time hearing but somehow when you whisper, she has a way of hearing what you said. That must the mother in her. I think my mother is still as beautiful as she always was, her hair is white but I'm always impressed at how thick it is, no bunny pink scalp for her. My mother tells me I haven't changed a bit, I'm still her little girl. I guess all of us mothers feel like our children are still our babies, doesn't matter how old we are or how old our babies are. Mom is Mom and you had better listen to her.
   I dedicated my first book to my mother. I think she liked it a lot and she reminds me of it everytime I come to visit. My mother instilled a good work ethic in me and so at 72 years old, well next month I will be, I'm determined to write my 3rd novel.  I know they are not great literary works and will never be on the N.Y. Times Best Sellers List, but I get great satisfaction in writing and my family and frends seem to enjoy reading and knowing this very un-famous author.
   I'm working on the 3rd book in my Hat series. Right now I'm calling it,  A Hat to Die For. I have a feeling that title will not stick but it sounds good for now. Some of the same characters and a few new ones show up in Sommer, Washington again.
    Nora McGill and her daughter Ali are shocked when Ali's father, Sean, shows up after a twelve year absense. Where has he been? Why hasn't Ali heard from him in all those years? Why is he back now? Author, Chancy Goodnight is being threatened by some unknown stalker who thinks the main character in her book is based on him. Chancy insists all her characters come from her imagination.  Milo and Lisa are planning their wedding, or not. Of course it has to be a murder mystery! Someone has to get murdered! Who should it be? After the first one I swore I'd never kill off another Red Hat lady. I always have a hard time trying to decide who to kill, and even a harder time trying to decide who does the killing. Any suggestions? I need to get busy and write the story so you will find all the details when the next book comes out. In the mean time, I'm having a nice visit with my dear mother.
Hugs to you all. Spring is here and murder is in the air. haha.

Spring is on it's way!

   I'm watching the Gonzaga Bull Dogs play basketball. Oh, these guys are good! And I really like Harris's new hair-doo. But lately their games have really been boring because they just win by so many points I have to start rooting for the other team. ( Well not really).
   Looking outside I see the snow has melted away and there is nothing but ugly brown grass. Which means the weeds will start sprouting and of course they will be bright green. My dog, Jake, is so happy the snow is gone and the temp is up, he doesn't want to come inside.
   I am definitely missing my grandchildren. They are all so busy with their studies.  Families just seem to scatter these days. But I'm proud of all of them and know they will have wonderful productive lives. Of course, since everyone is so independent I am free to pursue dreams of my own.  I don't suggest that being widowed is a dream of mine but I'm not feeling sorry for myself. My husband George and I had a great life together for almost 44 years. He loved to hear about the exploits of the characters in my books, he encouraged me and gave me valuable information about cars, namely the 1966 Mustang in my first book and a few other man things.
   I'm working on book # 3, so far I'm calling it, A Hat To Die For, but who knows that may change before it's over. My mind is going in a number of different direction on this one. After all it is fiction and the characters seem to want to take it and run away with it.
   Praise God, spring is on it's way!

IT IS A VERY COLD WINTER

IT IS A VERY COLD WINTER.  Yes, it is a very cold winter here in Cheney, WA. The snow is still knee deep and the crazy fishermen are out on the lake with their ice saws and fishing poles. brrr....

 I just had a very nice lunch with my Red Hat friends at LindaBee's Diner in Medical Lake. They always treat us very well and even put out the purple table cloths in the back room.  Their cheezy broccoli soup is to die for and they always have huckleberry ice cream. It's never too cold for ice cream.

 Now about my 2nd book, THE HAT BOX MYSTERY.  Since I self published the book, things are a little different then with the first one, THE HAT PIN MURDERS. I'm so thankful to Russ Davis at Gray Dog Press, even though I self published this one he is doing all the work for me.  The book is on Amazon as an e-book and he is jumping through all the hoops trying to get it on their site so you can purchase a paper book from them soon. Any of you wanting the paper book can get it from me and I will autograph it and the shipping is free.  Just go to my web-site, joycecaudelmysteries.com, or see me on FaceBook.

 And how about that cover, I loved the first one with the bright red hat. Yes, it is my very own hat, one of my favorites. The hat box cover is also my very own hat box and the purple hat inside is the hat I wear on my birthday.  So if you have read my books you will already know about the wearing of a red or purple hat. A girl just can't have too many hats, and yes I have too many.