6/16/25 It's An Author's Life

Sometimes life just throws you a curveball, and boy, did it throw me one yesterday. After going through all the hundreds of pictures that I received last summer when my mom went into assisted living, last week I shipped one box back to her with the ones she asked for. Then yesterday (Sunday), when she went through them, she decided she wanted some others back. So instead of going through all those pictures again this morning, I shipped a 23# box filled with photos and albums back to her. Now, I know that at some point in my life, I’ll get these all back, but for now, she wants them. And the fact that she knew exactly which ones she wanted is amazing and a blessing that she remembers them. And yes, the specific ones were there just as she described them. I’m happy that getting all her pictures back makes her happy.

Happy 30th Birthday to my eldest granddaughter, Courtney. Although several states and miles separate us, my love for you is as strong today as it was the day you were born. I love you always and forever.

I’ve just been working on my next book, doing promo for the book that released last Friday (6/13/25), and preparing for the heat of summer that is on its way to Oklahoma. I’ll be going into what I call my “winter mode” soon, which means I won’t be sitting outside to write and will be staying indoors most of the time until fall. So, the a/c is on for the next several months until I can open up windows and let fresh air in the house in the fall.

That’s it for now. Have a great week!

I can never thank you enough for continuing to read these snippets into my life as an author. I hope I haven’t bored you too much with them. 😊 After all, others’ lives are never as glamorous as we may think.

May your Kindle or bookshelf overflow with great books to read!

Maxine

 

6/9/25 It's An Author's Life

It’s hard to believe that my youngest granddaughter is going to be 18 this weekend! This girl, who is growing into a young woman in her own right, was born with several health issues ranging from having open heart surgery at eight days old to finding out she has Hirschsprung Disease to other issues she deals with daily, including losing her mom last summer to Huntington’s Disease. Looking at her, one wouldn’t know there are internal physical issues at play. She’s a great student, intelligent, and is a young lady full of her own opinions, and boy, does she express them! My son has raised her the same way I raised him…speak your opinions, but be respectful about it.

Thirteen Reflections releases on Friday the 13^th! If you are one of the lucky people to read it, I hope that you enjoy it. I haven’t written a paranormal in several years, so I may be a bit rusty. Be sure to check out the other Friday the 13^th stories that are available in KU on Amazon. This group, releasing on Friday, is the 7^th group of stories, so if you like scary or paranormal reads, be sure to grab a few. Links were posted in the May 26th posting.

It was rainy most of last week, making it gloomy outside. Like a growing plant, I thrive on sunshine and being outside. However, once the rainy season is over, the summer heat will arrive, which means spending most days indoors. And while I hardly got any writing done this past week, it was still productive with doing promotional stuff. With a self-inflicted deadline of September 1, I need to crack the whip and get to it!

I attended a small local writers group last Wednesday at Shakespeare Wine Company, which is one of my favorite places to go to and relax. While there were only three of us in attendance, it was nice just to talk about writing without an agenda. Not to mention the wine and appetizers are always great at Shakespeare!

That’s it for now. Have a great week!

I can never thank you enough for continuing to read these snippets into my life as an author. I hope I haven’t bored you too much with them. 😊 After all, others’ lives are never as glamorous as we may think.

May your Kindle or bookshelf overflow with great books to read!

Maxine

6/2/25 It's An Author's Life

As I start a new week and reflect on the past week, a lot of what I do is wash, rinse, and repeat. Yet, don’t we all do the same in some aspects of our lives? Certain days are meant for certain daily tasks. Like Saturday may be the day you clean your house. Or you do one room a day to give yourself more time on the weekend for playtime. For me, it’s getting up in the morning and turning on GMA, having my youngest granddaughter walk in the door around 7:40am, and then it’s on the computer with other tasks sprinkled in during the day. Such is the life of this author. 😊

The book club I belong to, Chapter Chat, met last Monday. The theme was American Historical/Gilded Age, and one of the participants did two of my books! I was braced for some bad news because we all know not every book is every reader's cup of tea. But she surprised me and said she enjoyed them; they were easy to read and well written. And she liked that she felt as if she learned bits of history while reading. It pleased me to have someone choose them to read last month.

It has rained off and on all last week, and the trend continues this week as well. Right now, as with every morning, the windows are open to let the fresh air in. If it gets really humid, I’ll close up the house and turn the a/c on, which I really try not to until July or August when the summer temps peak.

I have the story idea for my November 2026 Friday the 13^th story! I also have the covers done as well. All I can say is I’ll be watching a lot of pirate shows once I start writing it. This is what is planned for 2026:

That’s it for now. Have a great week!

I can never thank you enough for continuing to read these snippets into my life as an author. I hope I haven’t bored you too much with them. 😊 After all, others’ lives are never as glamorous as we may think.

May your Kindle or bookshelf overflow with great books to read!

Maxine 

5/26/25 It's An Author's Life

A moment of silence in memory of those men and women who fought for the freedoms we enjoy today. They were/are the true heroes we sometimes forget about.

It has been several days of stormy weather, yet again here in Oklahoma. With all the high humidity, I’ve had to keep the A/C on. Hopefully, humidity will decrease along with the temps once we are out of the stormy season. At least until the heat hits in a month or two.

This weekend is also the official start of the camping season. I know my family in Wisconsin are always gone this weekend to their favorite spots. If you are camping, I hope you have had a safe and great time. There’s nothing like the smell of a campfire.

Miss M’s (youngest granddaughter) last day of school was Thursday. She got all her exams taken and is more than happy to be out for the summer. The plan is for her to help me get my office and what my craft room, aka Simon’s room, in order and organized. It’s a long time coming.

Thirteen Reflections has been completed, edited, and uploaded onto Amazon. It has been several years since I wrote a paranormal story. I watched a lot of Kindred Spirits as research for this story. It will be available in both ebook, including KU, and print on June 13. Here is a sneak peek:

On the night of Friday the 13th, in the eerie halls of the infamous abandoned Firestone Manor, a dead body is found in front of an antique mirror, shattered into countless jagged shards.

Because some mirrors don’t just reflect the world. They trap souls. And once you look in... something else might be looking back.

Ravenclaw Manor

Friday the 13th

Late 1800s

 

E

ighty-year-old Felicity Firestone dipped the tip of the brush into the watercolor for the last time, smiling at the reflection in the mirror. The tear slipping down her cheek reflected the lie of her smile. Nothing would ever be the same now that love had broken her heart for the last time.

Like the others before Samuel, Felicity only had to look in the mirror to see the reflections of those who broke promises of loving her forever.

“You’re all mine forever and no woman will ever come between us again,” she chanted repeatedly with each brush stroke.

As the last bit of color on Samuel’s image glided across the tarnished surface, the antique gold mirror crackled into thirteen pieces, each broken section a reflection of one of the twelve man who had broken her heart.

The well-used horse-hair brush slipped from her fingers and Felicity’s soul faded into the thirteenth broken piece, her reflection alongside those she loved and were betrayed by.

KU / 99¢ : https://bit.ly/3EO7W4Z / Print Coming June 13, 2025

13Stories13Authors#7: https://bit.ly/45kabaP / Add to Wishlist: BookBub / Goodreads

I am back to working on Deceptive Promises. It’s coming along nicely, and I am looking forward to having it ready in time for Christmas. I also saw several who had done animated covers, so I asked one where she did it. After she told me, I decided to try it and this was the result. I think it looks pretty good.

In addition to DP, I have a cozy mystery set in Wisconsin, and another Friday the 13th story for November is planned for 2026. I have a story idea for the cozy, but am still mulling over the 13^th story. I think I will be emptying a lot of ink from pens and wearing out my fingers.  😊 

That’s it for now. Have a great week!

I can never thank you enough for continuing to read these snippets into my life as an author. I hope I haven’t bored you too much with them. 😊 After all, others’ lives are never as glamorous as we may think.

May your Kindle or bookshelf overflow with great books to read!

Maxine 

5/19/25 It's An Author's Life

I am writing this post as we prepare for a severe weather day today. Hopefully, it will wait until after school is out and the kids are home safe and sound. The prediction is tornadoes and hail up to softball size that could start after 2:00 p.m. (CST). Right now, the humidity is so thick out there that you could cut it with a knife.

I am late in posting as this morning I attended an award ceremony at the high school. My youngest granddaughter received an award for English II! I am so proud of her and all her accomplishments recognized or not.

As for last week, I attended the monthly CROW lunch and meeting in Edmond on Saturday.  Cameron Sutter, the creator of Plottr, did a presentation on the software. It is a tool authors can use to keep their stories organized, especially good to use as a series bible. Cameron also said it is good for both plotters and pantsers (which is what I pretty much am). There is also another tool called StorySnap, which when you upload your completed manuscript it will sort out all the beats, etc., and the results can be downloaded to either Plottr or as a Word document. I’m on the fence as to how it would work for me, but I might try the 30 day free trial to plan my next book.

That’s it for now. Have a great week!

I can never thank you enough for continuing to read these snippets into my life as an author. I hope I haven’t bored you too much with them. 😊 After all, others’ lives are never as glamorous as we may think.

May your Kindle or bookshelf overflow with great books to read!

Maxine 

5/12/25 It's An Author's Life

I hope you had a great Mother’s Day, whether you’re a people mom or a fur baby mom. The weather here was beautiful, and the day was pretty quiet all around. I sent my HMD wishes to my sisters-in-law and my mom. It was the first Mother’s Day without my DIL, and while my son had to work, he still felt it. The first holidays after the death of a loved one are always hard, but with time, things get easier.

I’ve delved back into the book I put down to write Thirteen Reflections. And I also am scheduled to do another Friday the 13^th book in November of 2026, plus I am in a series called Lilac Lane Mysteries set in northern Wisconsin. There are around 20 authors in the series and I *think* the first one comes out in January 2026. My contribution, The Art of Deception, is scheduled for April 2026. More on that as it gets closer.

My youngest granddaughter, Miss M, will start summer vacation at the end of next week. I know she is looking forward to the break. I remember when I was in school, I was always looking forward to summer vacation, but by the time it was over I was ready to get back to school to see friends I missed over the summer.

I’ve been taking advantage of the beautiful weather the past several days and will continue for most of this week. Been writing outside, the windows are open, and the screens on the doors are lowered to let the fresh air in. Once the heat of summer hits Oklahoma, the a/c will be on.

That’s it for now. Have a great week!

I can never thank you enough for continuing to read these snippets into my life as an author. I hope I haven’t bored you too much with them. 😊 After all, others’ lives are never as glamorous as we may think.

May your Kindle or bookshelf overflow with great books to read!

Maxine 

5/5/25 It's An Author's Life

I have the best friends in the world here in Oklahoma. After getting several phone calls, and both text and FB messages from friends and family in Wisconsin, I celebrated my 70^th, yes 70^th, birthday on Friday at my favorite place, Shakespeare Wine Co. (DJ and Cheri are the best) with seven girlfriends and three of their hubbies. We laughed so hard at times, drank the best wine (3 or was it 4 bottles we emptied) around, ate way too many appetizers, and engaged in a ton of girl talk around the table; it was great. I also got a portrait of Simon, my cat, my friend Dana painted for me. Also, I received a beautiful thermal cup, a glamour key chain, hand lotion from Carlotta, a handmade pen set from Amy, a wine glass from Anna, a gift card to Starbucks from Angie and Doug, and fabulous cards. Not to mention the band and customers sang Happy Birthday to me as I was getting ready to leave for the night. I love these ladies and the crew at Shakespeare; they made walking into another decade a blast!

I finished writing Thirteen Reflections Saturday afternoon. That night, the birthday fun continued with attending the play “Parlor Games” with Carlotta and Amy. Another friend from church, Terri Sutton, played the female lead. It was so darn funny. It was another great night of laughing with friends.

Come Sunday morning, I was done with peopleing (is that even a word 😊). I slept in, missed church, grabbed lunch from Braums, used my Starbucks card, and drove over to the local park where I chose a parking spot by the water and started giving Thirteen Reflections a final read-through. As more families started to arrive to fish, etc., I left and came home, where I went out into the backyard and finished the read-through. After sending the final draft to my editor, I spent the rest of the day vegging with Simon.

So, what’s next on the writing agenda? I’ll be reading the draft of Deceitful Promises to get back in the story so I can finish it up. My target date to send to the editor is August 31. There is another story in the hopper that will come out in 2026, that I’ll be working on setting up after DP is written.

And for the next decade? Have fun and to keep surrounding myself with the love of family and friends. And to keep bringing fabulous stories to life for you to experience.

I can never thank you enough for continuing to read these snippets into my life as an author. I hope I haven’t bored you too much with them. 😊 After all, others’ lives are never as glamorous as we may think.

May your Kindle or bookshelf overflow with great books to read!

Maxine 

4/28/25 It's An Author's Life

WOW! I don’t know about where you live, but here in Oklahoma, we are definitely in the wet zone. My lawncare person has me on the list to do my yard as soon as the weather gives us a few days to dry out, and believe me, it might take some rather warm days to do just that. While my yard is green, the back is 50% weeds right now.

I’m sitting on the front porch this morning writing today’s post. Usually, I sit on the back patio, but since it faces east, the sun is always shining on my glass top table, and the umbrella isn’t big enough to block it out. So, I have decided that I’m going to write on the front porch from now on because it’s covered. The only downside, which is minor, is that I don’t have electricity out here to plug my devices in should they need them. I think I might have to fancy up the porch a bit more with some silk greenery and maybe some hanging items if I’m going to work out here. The only thing is that the front of my house faces the west, and the wind coming in from that direction can be a bit much, not to mention the wind from the south as well. But air movement is better than none.

I have about 1200 words left to finish my Friday the 13^th story. Once I get it done, I’ll give it a read-through, make sure there are 13 chapters, and then send it off to the editor. Then I will get back to finishing the writing of the historical cozy I had been working on.

While the week didn’t start out ideal – flat tire on Monday and then a brake light out on Friday – I am truly blessed to have people around me to help with such things. My former pastor and his brother-in-law came out and changed the tire for me as my son was working, then my son changed the brake light bulb on Saturday for me after the rain stopped.

That’s it for this week, and I think I might have to go put a sweater on if I’m going to sit out here to write this morning. Unlike the back patio, the front porch doesn’t have a windbreak, and it’s a bit cooler than I thought it would be out here, even with the humidity at 88%.

I can never thank you enough for continuing to read these snippets into my life as an author. I hope I haven’t bored you too much with them. 😊 After all, others’ lives are never as glamorous as we may think.

May your Kindle or bookshelf overflow with great books to read!

Maxine 

4/21/25 It's An Author's Life

I hope you had a wonderful Easter.

We had several days of rain and storms last week, and this week is going to the same. Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

I did attend a writer’s luncheon and meeting on Saturday. Lunch was yummy, and the meeting speaker was great and informative! I always look forward to being around my writing tribe each month.

It was good for me to go and be around people because that day happened to be the seventh anniversary of the passing of my late-husband. Yes, it gets easier and the pain lessens each year, but it doesn’t make it any less sad, and the feeling that special someone is gone.

On a brighter note, my book is coming along, and I should be able to meet my May 1 deadline.

That’s it for this week.

I can never thank you enough for continuing to read these snippets into my life as an author. I hope I haven’t bored you too much with them. 😊 After all, others’ lives are never as glamorous as we may think.

May your Kindle or bookshelf overflow with great books to read!

Maxine

4/14/25 It's An Author's Life

 Last week had been quiet after so much going on the week before.

The weather has been beautiful, and I’ve been sitting outside mid-morning to write. I love sitting on my back patio and creating. Even though we are expecting storms this coming weekend, I’m going to take advantage of the weather while I can.

I am excited that I am closer to finishing my Friday the 13th story due to the editor on May 1. Yep, I’ve been writing, sleeping, eating, writing, sleeping, eating, etc.

I’m sure you’ve heard the Old Wive’s tale that if it rains on Easter, that it’ll rain every Sunday for the next 7 weeks. Is it true or not? We are expecting rain here on Easter, so I will be keeping an eye on the weather for 7 Sundays after Easter. Read more Spring myths here: Spring Weather Lore Sayings You May Not Know! - Farmers' Almanac - Plan Your Day. Grow Your Life.

I hope that your Easter basket is filled with blessings and lots of love and goodies.

I can never thank you enough for continuing to read these snippets into my life as an author. I hope I haven’t bored you too much with them. 😊 After all, others’ lives are never as glamorous as we may think.

May your Kindle or bookshelf overflow with great books to read!

Maxine

4/7/25 It's An Author's Life

There’s nothing more precious in this world than the birth of a baby. My second great-grand arrived with a bang last Wednesday (4/2). 

Little Nolan Douglas weighed in at 10# and 21 inches long. Big sister Addy is thrilled to have a baby brother, and mom (my granddaughter) and dad feel blessed to have their sweet family complete.

There’s no way to top that off, but here’s how the rest of last week went.

My book club, Chapter Chat, met last Monday night. I bragged up the book I had read and found out that one of the members had seen my posting on it and read it for herself. We both really loved it. Check out my review under the Simon’s Book Treasures and Review tab above.

I got an unexpected surprise on Friday. A friend, who is also my PA/editor, was passing through town with her hubby and mom. They were heading back home to Florida when they decided to come see the Leg Lamp (yes, THAT leg lamp), do a little shopping in the boutiques, and grab lunch. It was so great to see Maria again. We both decided that the last time we’d seen each other, even though we do talk on the phone, was at RWA-Denver almost seven years ago.

My youngest granddaughter, Miss M, spent the week with me as her dad (my son) was working second shift and training a new assistant manager. So instead of picking her up at 1:00 am, she just stayed overnight, and I took her to school in the morning. Even though she’s old enough to stay by herself, she doesn’t like being alone in the house for an extended time, especially at night.

My newest WIP is moving along. I’ve a little over 8,000 words to go now and will be starting chapter 5 today. Means I only have 8 more chapters to write before the May 1^st editing deadline. Lots of coffee and late nights have arrived.

Just when you think the heat in the house can be turned off for the rest of the year, Mother Nature laughs in your face. Over the weekend, it was in the 30s overnight, storms, and even some snow, making my 1950s-built brick house damp and cold inside. Yep, you guessed it. The heat came back on. The 70s and 80s are predicted as the week goes on so I’ll be able to turn it off and open those windows back up!

Whew! That was a lot of information for you today.

I can never thank you enough for continuing to read these snippets into my life as an author. I hope I haven’t bored you too much with them. 😊 After all, others’ lives are never as glamorous as we may think.

May your Kindle or bookshelf overflow with great books to read!

Maxine

3/31/2025 It's An Author's Life

It was a beautiful week here in Oklahoma, aside from a hailstorm late in the week. I was able to sit outside one morning for a few hours before coming back in due to the wind picking up. I think that it was on Thursday. In contrast, I had to turn the heat back on in the house this morning, so I’m sitting here in sweatpants and a sweatshirt posting this. Gotta love spring when it is warm one day and chilly the next, and with a rainy week predicted, I don't think I'll be writing outside much this week.

Tuesday night I had an arts council meeting. It’s always nice to be around artistic people, and this group has a variety to be sure. Upcoming events were discussed, and the reopening of the Arts Shop is very close. I'm looking forward to it being open again and having a few of my books for sale there soon.

Chapter Chat, the library book club, meets tonight. I finished my selection for the month this time. The theme was/is gardens. I loved the book I read, and recommend it if you remember old Hollywood. If you are interested, you can read my review at: Simon's Book Treasures

I have a new re-release coming out tomorrow (April 1)! The Queen is a paranormal story of love lost then found, and is part of a collection of stories of ever-after love. You can purchase this amazing 12-author collection at: Ever-After: Volume One | Universal Book Links Help You Find Books at Your Favorite Store!

That’s about it for the past week. There wasn’t much time for anything fun and exciting between writing, promo, meetings, and church. It looks like April could be the same as I work to finish this book on time.

I can never thank you enough for continuing to read these snippets into my life as an author. I hope I haven’t bored you too much with them. 😊 After all, others’ lives are never as glamorous as we may think.

May your Kindle or bookshelf overflow with great books to read!

Maxine

3/24/25 It's An Author's Life

Man, what a crazy end to last week. There were several reports that Meta (Facebook, etc.) has been using author’s books for A.I. training. And guess what!? Two of my books were on the list!!! I’m not the only one. Some authors had several listed including any foreign language ones. Unfortunately, there’s no way to have them taken down. Fortunately, I joined a class action suit. Now it’s a waiting game.

So, I have changed how I do any promo to avoid having anything quoted from any of my books on Facebook, Instagram, or Threads (Meta sites). If you look at the tabs above, you’ll find one that says “BookQW/Book Promo.” This is where all my promo that I would normally post on the aforementioned social media sites will go. At least until the class action suit it settled. I apologize ahead of time if this causes any inconvenience, but I have to protect my books from being manipulated.

Then to top that off, I found nine of my books on a pirate site called Z-Library. After working on DMCAs all weekend, I have finally gotten that taken care of. They are still listed but there is a disclaimer indicating that due to copyright infringement they are no longer available for download. Where in the world do these toads come from? I can’t image how much in royalties I may have lost. Writing is a supplement to my income and no matter how much it is, that income helps keep me afloat.

How was the rest of the week before the A.I. mess? Miss Makenna was with me all week since it was spring break. She assured me that I could still write even if she was here. I just smiled knowing she always has good intentions. She is a thinker so if something is going on – especially when it involves the White House – she always has an opinion and voices it. Even when watching a movie or documentary, she is commenting and then you miss something and have to rewind to the point where she started commenting. As frustrating as this is, I love that she is this way and isn’t afraid to speak up around me or her dad.

I finished writing a chapter last night, which is a weekly goal of mine. One a week will have to change if I am to get this book done by May 1. So, it’s on to chapter 3 today.

I hope you had/have a great spring break with your family.

I can never thank you enough for continuing to read these snippets into my life as an author. I hope I haven’t bored you too much with them. 😊 After all, other’s lives are never as glamorous as we may think.

May your Kindle or bookshelf overflow with great books to read!

Maxine

3/17/25 It's An Author's Life

It’s not only St. Patrick's Day, but it is also the first day of spring break for Miss Makenna! Even at 17, she dislikes being home alone, which is fine with me. 😊 Now let’s see what kind of mischief I got into last week, shall we?

I decided to add a new feature here on my blog over the weekend. I’m going to post reviews of books I’ve finished reading and then on the first of the month post ten books that are going to be released that month. I hope that you’ll check out the Simon’s Book Treasures and Reviews tab above for my first book review.

Here in Oklahoma, we were under a fire warning last Friday. We also had hurricane-force winds which blew in dust from the west. I did lose a couple of shingles and am waiting for the roofers to get back to me on when they can come out. The town I live in was placed on voluntary evacuation for about an hour or so for a fire that wasn't far from my son's place; thankfully the fire department got the blaze under control fairly quickly and lifted the evacuation. As of today, we are once again under a red flag fire warning with high winds and dry conditions for the next few days.

I have turned the heat off in the house until at least December. Yes, it’s a bit chilly in the morning but nothing sweats and a blanket can’t handle. Oh, and a nice cup of hot coffee for me and hot chocolate for Makenna.

I took some time for myself and played bingo Thursday night at our local golf club. It was nice to get out of the house and around a few friends and away from my laptop. I won a box cutter, which I gave away. I didn’t win the jackpot, which is fine. The point was to get out and about for a few hours.

Speaking of sitting in front of the laptop. I have only 11,000 words to write to finish my Friday the 13^th story by May 1. Need time to get it to the editor, then formatted, and finally upload it onto KDP (Amazon) in time for the June 13 release. I have a few errands to run this morning, but after that, I’ll be working on that story.

Have a great week and open those windows to let the fresh air in when possible.

I can never thank you enough for continuing to read these snippets into my life as an author. I hope I haven’t bored you too much with them. 😊 After all, other’s lives are never as glamorous as we may think.

May the luck of the Irish bless your e-reader or bookshelf with an overflow of great books to read!

Maxine