Fun Stuff
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Beach Read Authors
I’m going to the beach and I want you to join me! I’ve joined a unique group called Beach Read Authors. You can read my introduction HERE.
Beach Read Authors is a group of women authors who write stories you love to read on that beach vacation or wherever you go to escape and relax. It’s not your average author collaborative, in that we focus on quality, diverse genres, and varying heat levels. Here are the other authors in the group:
Kim Hornsby (founder & overall genius, as well as Romantic Suspense author)
Christine M. Fairchild (co-founder & site designer, as well as Romantic Suspense author)
Alexa Grace (best-selling Romantic Suspense author with sizzling heroes)
Rebecca J. Clark (hot new Contemporary Romance author)
Lisa Costantino (award-winning debut Women’s Fiction author)
Lori Leger (Cajun Suspense author extraordinare)
Alicia Dean (Gossip Girl & Vampire Diaries fan fiction author for Amazon’s Kindle Worlds Platforms)
Pat White (Comedy screenwriter & author of Contemporary Romance with a sports twist)
Diana Layne (Award-winning author of historical romance and suspense)
I hope you’ll stop by!
A visit to Savannah
One of my favorite ways to celebrate a special event–oh, say a birthday–is treating myself to a trip. I recently visited Savannah, one of my favorite cities because of its southern charm and rich history. Walking tours or ghost tours are a great way to discover the tales and myths surrounding Georgia’s oldest city.
Savannah Walks is one such company that specializes in educating tourists about Savannah. Here are a few high points about the city:
Savannah was established in 1733 as a strategic port during the American Revolution.
The original town plan was designed by James Oglethrope.
Savannah’s cobblestone streets, shaded by tall oaks draped with Spanish moss, showcase prime examples of Gothic revival, Regency, Greek revival, Queen Anne and even Sears Roebuck architecture.
The homes in Savannah are distinguished by features such as wrought iron detailing, “embracing arms” staircases (women entered separately from the men to avoid exposing a stocking ankle) and rounded porticoes.
Savannah is notorious for its active phantom activity. Haunts and ghosts include Civil War soldiers, Indians and pirates.
Have you visited Savannah? What’s your favorite part about this beautiful, historic city?
Happy Mother's Day Wishes...a few days early!
This blog post brings special Mother’s Day wishes to all my female readers! I believe all women play a role in nurturing and raising children so take time to honor yourself and celebrate your role as a mother, mentor, guide, teacher and role model!
What is your favorite way to spend leisure time? What activities invigorate your spirit and soul? Is it curling up with a good book? Preparing a large meal for family and friends? Girls’ night out?
I am fortunate in that I am able to pursue several interests that fuel my passion and zest for live. Storytelling is one. Gardening is another. During this time of year, the outdoors are a vibrant collage of colors and scents and textures! These are a few of the flowers that greet me when I enter my garden.
I’m also inspired by the young children I meet on the Pike Place Market tours I guide. But my first love was and is the performing arts. I trained as a jazz singer and dancer during my youth and have performed many roles with the Seattle Opera Company and Pacific Northwest Ballet. In April, I performed in the PNB’s production of Swan Lake.
Wishing you a happy Mother’s Day filled with friendship, love and relaxation!
Fun facts about St. Patrick's Day
Saint Patrick’s Day is one of those holidays where everyone is an honorary Irishman (or Irishwoman). You might be interested to learn a few fun facts about this international celebration and its namesake.
- Saint Patrick’s color is actually a light blue. The green now associated with the holiday came about after the Irish movement for independence in the late 1800s.
- Saint Patrick was British, not Irish. He came to Ireland in the year 432 to introduce Christianity. And his birth name was Maewyn Sucatt; he changed it to Patricius after entering the priesthood.
- The NYC Saint Patrick’s Day parade is one of the world’s largest, with more than 250,000 marchers. No floats or cars are allowed in the parade.
- The phrase “Erin go Bragh” is a derivative of Irish Éirinn go Brách, which translates to “Ireland Forever.”
Happy St. Paddy’s Day to One and All!
Make a date with a whale
Residents of the Pacific Northwest–indeed, everyone who lives on the West Coast of the U.S–have the unique privilege of living along the migration routes of several different species of whales, including orcas, minkes, humpbacks and grays. Sightings occur throughout the year, but March launches prime whale-sighting season.
If you’re planning a visit to Seattle, consider signing up for a whale-watching tour. TV and photos cannot capture the true majesty of these incredible mammals, and there is something awe-inspiring about seeing them in their natural habitat.
The best time to go whale watching depends on what type of whale you hope to see. These recommendations were collected from information provided by Island Adventures Whale Watching.
Orca: May-September
Minke: August
Gray: March-AprilHumpback: October-November
These photos were taken by a friend of mine in Hawaii. Pretty amazing, aren’t they?
