New Book Coming Soon…She’s Going to do Something Daring
I’ve been asked what my new book – coming out soon – is about.
This story is different from any other book I’ve ever written. My motivation, as always, was the same: To write a book that YOU would love, and laugh through, and tear up a bit…before laughing again.
Yes, I think a lot about YOU when I write.
But my main character is 70 years old, which is older than my usual main characters. Ruthie is a widowed, retired English teacher (like my own mother!) who loves books. She is blunt and sarcastically funny and has a huge, rebellious family who own a tequila business in central Oregon and delight in target shooting, jumping in Rattlesnake Lake, and raucous parties that sometimes might, maybe, get a little out of hand.
Oh, and Ruthie’s pet dogs, cats, pig, and rabbit express their own opinions.
Ruthie is going to do something daring. Something out of character. Something that will have consequences even she doesn’t see coming because she has ULTERIOR MOTIVES.
See? Definitely different.
I hope you like it. It’s almost ready to launch…
The man below is Innocent Husband. We’re in Montana at my sister’s place. Those are the Swan Mountains. Innocent Husband does NOT have ulterior motives. His motivations are quite clear. 1. Hang out with Adventurous Singing Daughter, Rebel Dancing Daughter, and Darling Laughing Son and me. 2. Golf. 3. Fish.
Have a good week everyone.
A Little Video on Ten Kids, Two Lovebirds, and a Singing Mermaid
If you need an end of summer book… 🙂
This is my childhood home in Huntington Beach, California. I lived here until I was ten.
Ten Kids, Two Lovebirds, and a Singing Mermaid was inspired by my childhood.
Blame a Vice Cop for a 31 Year Marriage
I was introduced to Innocent Husband by an undercover vice cop.
The undercover vice cop was named Tom and he, along with a team, arrested people/gangs who had made the unfortunate choice of buying and selling drugs.
It was not a job for story-telling daydreamers, like myself.
(Yikes! Too scary!)
Tom was my friend, Sheri’s, stepfather. I met him when I was ten years old.
The photo, below, is not Tom. This is Innocent Husband…
Sometimes Tom would shave his head for his undercover work. Other times he’d have a goatee. Sometimes a full beard and moustache. One drug case would wrap on up and he would make himself look different for the next one and whoosh…he’d be back undercover. He was a tough cop, but a gentle bear.
CLICK ON THE LINK FOR A LITTLE HUMOR ABOUT LOVE AND LOOKING LIKE A WITCH AND AN EVIL SORCERER WHO MIGHT HAVE BEEN IN MY BEDROOM.
Christmas Cats
As you can clearly see, Simon and Leroy are being very supportive as I try to finish up my Christmas story.
It is a little more difficult to write with a cat’s head on my hand, but I am managing.
If Santa sends an elf who can do some editing, I might just get this done.
Proud cat lady.
Writing a Newsletter on Substack
When I’m not writing or pretending to write or daydreaming or hanging out with Innocent Husband, Rebel Dancing Daughter, Darling Laughing Son or Adventurous Singing Daughter, I MIGHT be writing a newsletter on Substack.
You can sign up here if you would like.
I am too lazy to write very many, so don’t worry, you will not be bombarded. Happy day to you.
https://substack.com/@cathylamb?utm_source=profile-page
A Strong and Courageous Woman
I once knew a strong and courageous woman.
Her name was Mary Kathleen Bennett. She was my maternal Nana.
I was a teenager when she died. I wished I had more time with her.
I could not know then that later I would write a book titled Ten Kids, Two Lovebirds, and a Singing Mermaid and I would put her steely strength, her kindness, and her sense of style and spirit into one of my main characters.
I started writing this story last August during an incredibly sad time in my life. You could say I channeled my Nana.
As a child, I saw my Nana’s warm smile and felt the gentle hugs, and I loved the way she made her sweet potatoes with extra brown sugar at Christmas. I smelled the cigarettes she smoked, the scent mixing with her perfume and Jergen’s lotion.
Mary Kathleen Bennett was born in 1908 in Texas. Her mother was pregnant with her brother when she was two years old. A week after her brother was born, Mary Kathleen’s mother died of “blood poisoning.”
Mary Estelle was in her twenties. Mary Estelle’s husband, Carl, decided it would be best if he ran off into the great blue yonder and abandoned his children, and so he did, and Mary Kathleen never saw her father again.
Let’s pause on this. Sweet Mary Kathleen was two years old.
Her mother died.
Then her father left. I don’t know why he made the decision he did.
Mary Kathleen and her new baby brother were passed off to this relative and that relative around and about Texas and they never felt wanted or loved, which was probably why Mary Kathleen’s brother became an alcoholic and died too young. Loneliness and aloneness can bring you down until you can hardly get up, as some of us know.
But Mary Kathleen had the courage of a Texas steel magnolia and classic Southern manners and she kept a smile on her face. She didn’t like to talk about what had happened to her. Stiff upper lip, don’t complain about your problems, no whining, count your blessings, that sort of thing…
To read more, click on the link for my substack newsletter. Yes, it’s free, of course.
Writing a Christmas Book in Summer
Well, I did it. Darling Laughing Son told me to put up a Christmas tree so I would be in the spirit to write my Christmas book.
I grabbed a few trees, a Santa who looks like he needs a nap, and a 50 year old wreath. I can almost hear the reindeer flying overhead.
Don’t mind the snail! My kids gave that to me and I didn’t want to leave him out. He’s slow but steady. Kind of how I’m writing my book.
The main character’s name is Bellini. Yes, like the drink.
She writes books for kids. She calls herself a “lonely house hermit,” and has four cats.
Bellini has been called home to work at her mother’s bar in Montana, as her mother has had her uterus “stolen” by the doctor and needs help. Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell, she needs a happy ending.
Wishing you a happy holiday!
(If Mrs. Claus helps me this book will be out late November.)
Merry Christmas to a Baffled Writer
If it would only snow here in Oregon, I would be more in the mood to write/edit my Christmas book.
Darling Laughing Son told me to put up the Christmas tree. That might be a good idea. Maybe I should make a snowman, too.
The story is set in Montana. There’s a family bar. It gets a little wild and raucous.
There’s a mother who is larger than life and a daughter who wants to hide from life.
There are odd family Christmas traditions and a live show with feather boas, knee-high boots and glitter.
Oh, and there’s the love of the daughter’s life…he’s quite handsome, and the love of the mother’s life, who might or might not appear.
That’s about what I’ve got.
Merry Christmas!
