Life used to be slower, simpler. I remember lying on my stomach on the living room rug—age ten maybe—with the Sunday Parade Magazine spread before me. (Newspapers. Ink on paper. Delivered to the door. Imagine! Letters in the mailbox, handwritten by people who knew how to write cursive. What a concept.)

Back to the Sunday paper, I stared at a picture of Edd “Kookie” (KOO-kee, not cookie) Burnes, one of the stars of TV’s 77 Sunset Strip. (Sing it with me now: “Seventy-seven Sunset Strip. . .” <snap-snap> those fingers. That was much easier before arthritis, right?) Ah, Kookie. Such a crush I had on him.

It’s my birthday today and that theme song is stuck in my head. It’s upbeat and still fun.

So am I.

Better that attitude than “I’m 77? Oh, snap. . .” doncha think?😉

///////////////

Wishing you a wonderful day, my friend. Thanks for stopping by. ❤️

With love and gratitude,
Mary

Mackenzie Prentice Mysteries

Also available at: Barnes&Noble.com, Books-A-Million, IndieBound

For local readers, available at the LOCAL STORE in Eau Claire as well.

I remember sitting in a stairwell on the University of Minnesota campus, ages ago, reading Agatha Christie as I waited for my next class. I have no idea which building I was in, but I remember the cool feel of the concrete steps, afternoon light slanting through the windows in a curving wall. Did the building have a tower? I can’t be sure, and I may be conflating this memory with another, years before. . .

A story of a dragon and a girl, and a castle that definitely had a tower. My older sister brought the book home from the Minneapolis Public Library and read it to me. I was perhaps five (seven decades ago now) and she was a teen. My big sister opened a world to me with that book—a world filled with faraway places and adventure—and ignited a spark in me to read, read, read, which became the dream—the fire—to write, write, write.

I have no idea the title or the author, but I’ll never forget the feeling of enchantment.

Enchanted by that story, and later captivated by the armloads of library books I carried home every couple weeks from the Sumner Branch library (Thank you, Andrew Carnegie!) And eventually, enchanted by Agatha Christie and so many others. A lifetime of enchantment.

This is the power of the story—I’m drawn to the fire of that enchanting, delicious uncertainty of “what’s going to happen next?”

This is why I write—to discover again the girl, the tower, and the dragon. To tend that spark and keep the fire burning—for myself first, and then sharing its warmth with you.

/////////////////

Thank you for stopping by today. I’m grateful to you for reading, commenting and sharing my work, should you choose to do so.

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With love and gratitude,
Mary ❤️

Mackenzie Prentice Mysteries

Keepin’ the fires burning . . .☺️

“Just finished reading My Cousin Krissy by Mary Wuollett Pierce. Loved it. Really! This is #6 of 6 book series called Mackenzie Prentice Mysteries. I've read all six. If you like fiction, mysteries, fun, and great characters, you will enjoy these books, too. Something about this "Krissy" book just "got me!", however. Maybe you should start reading the series with book 6, My Cousin Krissy. Keep up the good work, Author Mary Pierce. I love these books!”

A huge thank you to Joan Webb for this kindness! ❤️I am blessed.

Here’s Krissy, in case you want to join the fun!😉

Back in the olden days, when dinosaurs roamed the earth, I worked as a stockbroker. I had a “broker’s chair” - one of those leather behemoths that make a woman working in the last bastion of male chauvinism look bigger and more important.

I also wore the ‘80s suit. Trying to be a man in a man’s world.

I left that industry, but that kind of chair followed me, through a couple other career paths and finally to my writing world. For ergonomic reasons, the chairs morphed a little into more comfortable seats for extended periods at the keyboard — but one thing remained—they were black and “office-y.” Serious chairs for serious work.

Now I need to replace my serious office chair. I asked myself, “Do I still do serious work? “

The answer was obvious: No! I write mysteries for fun. I make people laugh. My office talismans are Mrs. Potato Head and Mr. Peanut, Mickey Mouse and Jiminy Cricket, and three different reminders to “laugh, laugh, laugh.”

Fun work requires a fun chair. This chair:

I’ve spent enough of my days in the serious seat. It’s time to lighten things up.

She’s coming tomorrow.

She’s pink. She’s fun. She’s moi!

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Thanks for stopping by. I appreciate you!❤️
With love and gratitude,
Mary

Mackenzie Prentice Mysteries, book six, is ready to make you laugh. Seriously. 😉

I call our guest room the “fern room” because back in the day when we were all stenciling things onto the paint, I added stencils of ferns to the room, positioning them as if they were growing out of the wainscoting. (Cuz we did that, right?)

Yesterday, I had just finished slogging through creating some sample recordings of my first book, in preparation for putting my books out on Audible. The learning curve was, well, intense, with the new software, and dusting off my skills from the old days of recording my blog posts for my old website in my former life as a speaker. (Good news—it was a lot like that riding a bike thing.)

But before I could record, I had to create a recording space in the closet amongst the winter coats, stored bins of off-season clothing, and the upper shelf full of suitcases we no longer use. (But keeping them for someday maybe, cuz we do that, right?)

Then I’d spent the day recording and editing and recording and editing again, shlepping my laptop from the basement office to the second floor closet studio in the fern room. (Not a problem hitting 10,000 steps that day).

By 4:45 pm, I was worn out. In between learning the software, figuring out the microphone and the headphones, and the details of positioning, volume controls, pop filtering and the rest, I’d also been working on website updates, meeting deadlines for another opportunity for work, drafting my next book, making lunch, and doing the laundry.

At 5:00, I cried in the fern room. That feeling of It’s all too much. I should just give it all up. And those doubts: Why the heck am I even doing this? What if I’m no good? Who cares anyway? (Do we all have those?)

And of course, the escape clause: It’s finally sunny outside and I should be out there after all these gray cloudy days and the long, cold winter. (Cuz we think all that, right?)

I cried. Sobbed actually. Even screamed a little. I may have even thrown something. I let it all out.

Maybe you’ve had moments like that. Maybe you’ve noticed what I noticed: I cried and then I stopped. The feeling of overwhelm didn’t last. Crying is that pressure relief valve on the top of the Instant Pot.

I let it go and I felt better. I called it a day and watched some mindless reruns on Hulu. I laughed a little. I went to bed early.

This morning, I reminded myself of the faith I have that there will be time enough for me to do all I’m supposed to do here on earth. All I need to do is the next thing. Not all the things— just the one next thing. It will all work out. Or not. And that will be okay, too. Just do the one next thing.

Today feels better. (Cuz it usually does, right?)

With love and gratitude,❤️
Mary

BOOK NEWS: MY COUSIN KRISSY is alive and well. Early comment: “Oh my gawd—what a character!” (Krissy snort-laughed her delight when she heard that.)

Mackenzie Prentice Mysteries

Also available at: Barnes&Noble.com, Books-A-Million, IndieBound

The rest of the enchilada:

Mackenzie Prentice Msyteries

Also available at: Barnes&Noble.com, Books-A-Million, IndieBound

For local readers, check the LOCAL STORE in Eau Claire.

In my publishing past, I never had the pleasure of hitting the “submit” button myself. With my first three books, the nice people at Zondervan/Harper Collins did that for me—after two years of back and forth and waiting and waiting and waiting in the stable for the rodeo to start.

Things have changed in the last twenty years. Now I write the book, create the cover art, then Michelle Rayburn and I work together on edits and design and then, six months after the first word of the first draft, BAM! SUBMIT! KDP takes it from there.

Ah, the feeling! The empowerment of creative control, the satisfaction of making the decisions for myself. This word, not that. This image, not that. Nothing quite like it!

I learned a lot working with the pros in the past, but that was then and this is now. I want to write and publish twenty books in the series. (As one reader said, “You’re building an empire!”) I’ve done the math—I don’t have time to wait anymore.

I’ve taken the reins.
It’s my rodeo now and I’m riding hard.
Yee-HAH!

Here’s a sneak peek at the cover (not linked yet for sales):

So, we’ve uploaded the files. As soon as KDP sends me the proof copy and I’m sure Krissy is ready for prime time, I’ll hit “PUBLISH.” And then we’re heading to Johnny’s Steakhouse to celebrate.

Thanks for being here, friends!
With love and gratitude,❤️
Mary

(About the cover art —for those interested in that kind of thing: Acrylic and watercolor on collaged paper background including sewing pattern pieces, shredded fabric scraps, burlap strip, jewelry bits—earring, chains—zipper, black and burlap threads, beads and rivets. Oh and the ace and jack of spades. Blackjack!)

I start my morning journal with “Good morning, sweetheart.” Speaking as a loving mother to that young part of me who basks in that morning reassurance. (Do you have that child too?)

One day I had Google translate it into Finnish, the language of my forebears: Hyvää huomenta, kultseni. (Apologies to the real Finns if I messed that up. Google and I do our best.)

More recently, I started adding, “I love you and I will always take care of you.”

Then in Finn: Minä rakastan sinua ja pidän sinusta aina huolta.” (It’s close enough for me.)

Here’s the point (and for me it was huge): Something shifted in me when I wrote that in Finn.

I sensed the presence of my mother, grandmothers, great-grandmothers—the generations watching over me.

I imagined them—generations upon generations of women loving and taking care of the generations of children—their “darlings”—through the years. The decades. The centuries. I felt a powerful sense of connection to this particular line of humanity through which I’ve come, through the eons—how far back actually? The mind boggles. The eons leading to today.

I imagined them all, standing behind me, as far back as I could see—this long line of strong, sturdy, persevering women. Ice age women. Pioneer women. Banding together to feed their families, to keep the wolves at bay. Enduring pain, loss, and continuing on. Listening, tending, comforting, loving.

Women taking care, always, so that I might be here now, taking care of myself and the children I’ve loved.

Generation after generation of women showing up.

Every day just showing up.

I felt overwhelming gratitude to them, and a vow to keep showing up myself.

Because that’s all that’s required, isn’t it? To just keep showing up.

Who showed up for you? Today’s a great day to express your gratitude.

///////////

Thanks to you for showing up here today. I appreciate your support reading, commenting, and sharing my work. Because of you, I keep going.

With love and gratitude,❤️
Mary

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BOOK NEWS: She’s almost here. Final touches are in the works on MY COUSIN KRISSY. (Book six in three years! Can you believe it?) You’ll be the first to know when she’s available. Now the others need to skooch over and make some room on that shelf!

Mackenzie Prentice Mysteries

Also available at: Barnes&Noble.com, Books-A-Million, IndieBound

Last week was (maybe) my last chance for snowshoeing (lumikenkäilyä in Finnish) for the season. Strapped my Keen-booted feet into my Yukon Charlie’s ($89 for the whole kit at Sam’s Club), layered up in thermodynamic duds (no bad weather, only bad clothing) and topped the outfit with my University on Minnesota hat. (Those are official Golden Gopher maroon and gold stripes up there, people.)

The recent blizzard dumped eighteen inches in our woods, and a rise in temperature followed by a freeze left a lovely crust on top.

So with daytime temps in the low 40’s, perfect snow, sun shining through the bare trees—this Finn couldn’t resist one last trek.

Sammy, the golden doodle came along, bounding on and off the trail through our woods, exhausting herself with the effort of plowing through such deep snow.

Life is good for Finn and dog, savoring the season, enjoying winter’s last hurrah.

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Thanks for stopping by. If you were here, I’d share my hot cocoa with mini-marshmallows, with a side of saltines and butter. (Thanks, Mom.)

With love and gratitude,
Mary❤️

////////// OCTOBER FIRE ebook is on sale this week (March 23-29, 2026) as a Kindle Countdown deal. Join the fun! And if you know other cozy mystery lovers, please pass the word. Thanks!

The blurb: Her grandmother says trouble comes in threes, but for Mackenzie Prentice, trouble seems to come in fours, fives and, recently, sixes. In the middle of a dry spell—in the weather and in the romance department—Mack finds herself in the line of fire, literally.

Mackenzie never intended to get involved with figuring out how her ex-husband died, but his mother needed to know. And his friends feared the worst. And then there was his sleazy uncle Eddie, and, well, one thing led to another.

Mack is thirty-five, has a touch of OCD, is addicted to sugar, may occasionally drink too much, and has those voices in her head, commenting on her choices. But she loves a good puzzle and admits she’s nosy. That’s why, before she knew it, she ended up, as Gram would say, “tush over teakettle” in the middle of things.

Here’s how October Fire begins:

Sunday, October 28

Seven days after I heard Billy was dead, I stood on the street at midnight, watching what was left of my pathetic life go up in smoke. Bad end to a bad week. Someone was upset with all the snooping I’d been doing. I wasn’t sure who. All I knew at that moment was someone wanted me to stop and wanted it badly enough to try and kill me. . .

OCTOBER FIRE is on sale this week. Join the fun!

To all you Mackenzie Prentice fans, I SO appreciate you spreading the word. If you tell two friends, and they tell two friends . . . well, if you’re old enough to remember those shampoo commercials, you know what will happen!

Thanks from the bottom of my heart! ❤️

We writers have all kinds of stuff in our writing spaces, don’t we? Mementos, talismans, inspirations. The lucky sweater. The just-right pen. In my office, along with Mrs. Potato Head, Jiminy Cricket, a sock monkey named Arnold (don’t know why, that’s just his name) and Mr. Peanut, I have these, pictured above—Norman Rockwell and Mickey Mouse creating self-portraits.

I got Norman on line and bought Mickey on a trip to Disney World years ago.

They represent, for me, the commitment, the drive, the painstaking attention to detail that goes into creative work. They sit on the shelf above my computer monitor, reminding me to sit at the desk—my easel—every day and sketch out scenes, painting pictures with my words.

An extra special inspiration for me: You’ll notice that the face on Mickey’s canvas is Walt Disney.

Mickey reminds me every day that whatever I’m creating should reflect my Creator, and to be grateful for the creative gift we’ve all been given.

What inspires you? What’s in your creative space? I’d love to hear about it.

May you be blessed today, and be a blessing to others.

With love and gratitude,❤️
Mary

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BOOK NEWS: MY COUSIN KRISSY (book 6 in the series) is almost here. If you haven’t joined the adventure, OCTOBER FIRE is a good place to start. Enjoy!

Also available at: Barnes&Noble.com, Books-A-Million, IndieBound

With each book I write, I find some physical thing to provide inspiration. I’ve been inspired by a bunch of dried corn (October Fire), a football helmet (Buried in Treasure), an old paintbrush (Painted Lady), a birthstone cross (On the Edge), and a rosary (Old Habits).

For My Cousin Krissy, my inspiration is my little friend above. I call him Skelly. I bought him at Michael’s last Halloween.

Skelly hangs out in my office, in a burlap sack that my daughter, Katy, gave me from back in the day when she had her coffee business. A perfect thing to inspire me with this book, since burlap sacks—and bones—figure prominently.

When the book is done and “out there” where you are, I’ll retire Skelly to my art studio, where he will live out his days on a shelf, to be joined by who-knows-what as I continue the series.

I have other objects that have inspired me as well. In my writing office, you’ll find Mrs. Potato Head, inspiration for my first book, (When Did I Stop Being Barbie and Become Mrs. Potato Head?).

And there’s a stuffed Jiminy Cricket from daughter Liz, an homage to Mackenzie’s traveling pal, Jimbo. (How long is that cricket going to live in Mack’s car??)

May you surround yourself with things that inspire you and delight your heart. Thanks so much for stopping by, for reading, commenting and/or sharing my work. Skelly and I appreciate your support!

With love and gratitude,❤️
Mary

BOOK NEWS: MY COUSIN KRISSY is packing her stuff, getting ready to head out into the world. And I gotta say, I’m going to miss hanging out with Crazy Krissy <sigh> but I think you’re going to enjoy meeting her.

Meanwhile, if you haven’t yet joined us on this journey, grab a copy of OCTOBER FIRE (book one) and join the fun.

Mackenzie Prentice Mysteries

Also available at: Barnes&Noble.com, Books-A-Million, IndieBound

For local readers, my books are available at the LOCAL STORE in Eau Claire as well.

Years ago, we nailed the eyes, nose and mouth to the tree - our own tree guy. And then yesterday we had a blizzard and he was transformed into this conehead and evidently spouted arms as well.

Freaky. Just freaky.

I once found a piece of bologna stuck to the ceiling of a kid’s room. (If you have kids, you know. And you won’t judge me.) Eventually it fell off. The circle of grease was there for years . . .

Definitely in the category of “I have better things to do than clean that up.”

ALSO in that category:

Manicuring my lawn. (If you love doing that, good on you.) My solution: I have no lawn. I have pea gravel and mulch. And we live in the woods. God takes care of all that.

Scrubbing my garage floor. Late ex-mother-in-law felt a compulsion to scrub the garage floor. Yeah, yeah, the grease erodes the concrete. Whatever. My solution: no.

Cleaning what’s already clean enough. My windows don’t need to sparkle. My floors don’t need to be ready in case someone decides to eat off them. I don’t need my rooms to be camera ready. Never going to see my bedroom on Pinterest or anywhere else on social media. (Unless maybe there’s an opening for a “bad influencer.”)

What I want is a home that’s tidy enough and clean enough. Peaceful enough and welcoming enough for the important things — sharing love and laughter with the humans who might bless me with a visit.

But the rest of of those things on the list of “shoulda, oughta and why doncha”?

Simple answer: No. Just no.

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I appreciate you stopping by, for reading, commenting, and/or sharing my posts. May all your surprises be delightful today.

With love and gratitude, ❤️
Mary

P.S. Years later, my daughter confessed that she and her sleepover friend had been tossing bologna at the ceiling that night, and were amazed when that piece stuck. When I checked in on them, those two sat like little angels on the edge of the bed, smiling innocently at me. The truth: they were terrified I’d look up and see it, or worse, that it would fall down while was in the doorway. Or even worse, fall on my head if I came into the room. (Wouldn’t that have been a hoot! I blame myself for letting the kids throw leftover spaghetti at the kitchen ceiling to see what would stick.)

P.P.S. Have I mentioned I have ADHD?

BOOK NEWS: My warped sense of fun creeps into the books. I can’t help it. I have a sneaking suspicion that Mackenzie might have been a bologna tosser as a kid. And her cousin Krissy in book six—well, she’s trouble on a whole ‘nother level. And she’ll be coming to you soon!

Mackenzie Prentice Mysteries

Also available at: Barnes&Noble.com, Books-A-Million, IndieBound

Every book I write has a moment (a day, a week, a month) where the plot feels messy, as if it is unraveling instead of—(Wait! What’s the opposite of unraveling? Raveling? Isn’t that the same thing?? Confounded English!)

I digress. There is a part in writing every book where the plot gets all messy – squishy, untethered, so many directions, unwieldy, discombobulated—all cattywampus, some might say.

I’ve learned to accept this as part of my creative process. (I’m not a plotter, I’m what they call a “pantser,” i.e. writing by the seat of my pants.)

I’ve learned, when I hear that voice of doubt, or outright panic (“OMG! I’m never going to figure this out!”) to just breathe and remind myself, “This is the part where things are messy.”

The messy middle, I’ve heard it called. Whatever.

I know from experience, this too shall pass. EVERY book has this part. Every article, every poem, every whatever it is, has this part. Every project we undertake has this part. Losing weight. Building muscle. Recovery from injury.

This is the part where we’re sure we’re never going to “get there,” wherever there might be.

What I’ve learned: I’ll get through that part if I just keep showing up.

Today, you may be at that part of the process where (fill in your own blank).

My encouragement to you is to keep going. Don’t give up. The next part will come. The weight goes. The muscle is built. The book is finished.

Stay the course, my friend. Stay the course.

With love and gratitude, ❤️
Mary

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BOOK NEWS: Because I got through that messy part, book six in the series MY COUSIN KRISSY is almost ready for her debut. Stay tuned!

Meanwhile, if you haven’t already joined the adventure, why not grab a copy of OCTOBER FIRE (book one).

As seen on FB memories: Sixteen years ago I posted: “Getting clown noses ready to take on the road tomorrow. More fun speaking, this time for a corporate staff development event. My "Changing the World, One Nose at a Time" campaign has begun!” I was a speaker back then. Traveling the country. Making people laugh. And yes, clown noses.

Seeing that pop up on FB, I tried to remember the who, what, where of that long-ago when. Had trouble dredging up particulars. (You too?) Was I still caregiving? I had to do the math: 2026 minus 16 = 2010.

Ah, 2010. The year my mother died and the pressures of six years of caregiving ended. That year, I turned 61. A mere child. I sensed life opening up before me. Lots of questions of “Now what? What’s next?” My first three books were published by then. I was, as they say, “between projects.” Mystery writing had not yet officially begun.

2010 was the year this “old woman” started her “new life,” shifting away from speaking and applying to grad school to become a psychotherapist.

I’m grateful this old woman went back to college and started a new career. Grateful to have shifted to mystery writing and art making. Grateful that God had a plan.

And I’m excited to think where I might be sixteen years from now. (Ooh, let’s do the math again: 2026 + 16 = 2042. Or the more important equation: 2042-1949 = I’ll be 93 years old. Whee! What WILL I be doing? Perhaps putting the finishing touches on mystery number 20? or 30?)

Where were you sixteen years ago? What were you doing back then? And where do you suppose you’ll be sixteen years from now?

Sixteen years will pass. Better to have a plan and not need one, than to need a plan and not have one.

I’d love to hear what you think about that.

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Thanks for being here today, for reading, commenting and, if you choose, sharing my posts. I wish you well!❤️

With love and gratitude for your encouragement,
Mary

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BOOK NEWS: Ooh, MY COUSIN KRISSY is getting set for her debut. Hair, makeup, and a pretty dress? Um, way too girly for Kris. Picture frayed black jeans, acid green tee, and oversized guy’s plaid flannel. And combat boots. Can’t wait for you to meet her! ☺️

Mackenzie Prentice Mysteries

Also available at: Barnes&Noble.com, Books-A-Million, IndieBound

For local readers, available at THE LOCAL STORE in Eau Claire as well

March is Women’s History Month. And I’ve been thinking a lot about the women who shaped me.

So many women. My maternal grandmother, who left Finland as a young woman, crossed the Atlantic alone, married the man who’d come to America before her, and had ten children. I remember her laugh. When I was a kid, she stayed at our apartment for a while. She was in her 80s, almost blind from glaucoma. I remember her knitting, feeling for holes in the piece, finding a hole and laughing about it. What a great lesson: Miss a stitch in life? Laugh.

My mother inherited that humor. I dedicated my first book (When Did I Stop Being Barbie & Become Mrs. Potato Head?): “To my mother who taught me to laugh.” I can still hear her laughter, though she’s been gone 15 years.

So many other women: Artsy, quirky Aunt Sylvia; big sister Carol who taught me that it’s okay if my children don’t eat their lima beans; the nuns of Ladycliff College; best friend Cary, who let me borrow her first Nancy Drew when we were ten.

I see them now, cheering me on. Encouraging creativity and perseverance. And laughter. Always the laughter. I wouldn’t be doing this without them, and I’m so very grateful for them all.

Who’s a woman who shaped your life? I’d love to hear about her.

Thanks for reading and supporting my work. I appreciate you and I’m cheering you on.

With love and gratitude,❤️
Mary

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BOOK NEWS: Speaking of women, Mackenzie’s Gram is a strong positive influence in her life. And her mother, anxious though she may be, loves Mack, too. And there are Mack’s friends, Tansy and Jade. The three of them remind me of Betsy, Tacy, and Tib (remember them?) Strong girl connections. Where would we be with those?

Now that I think about it, MY COUSIN KRISSY (coming soon!) features another female triangle—Mack, Krissy, and Aunt Fiona. These relationship dynamics just kind of emerge as I write the books. Well, maybe it’s true what they say—that all fiction is autobiographical. 😉

Mackenzie Prentice Mysteries

Also available at: Barnes&Noble.com, Books-A-Million, IndieBound

For local readers, available at the LOCAL STORE in Eau Claire as well.

An experienced author gave me some advice decades ago that has stuck with me. I’d written very little and therefore published nothing, when we met. I told her I dreamed of writing a book someday. She asked, “What is your writing routine?”

I told her, “Well, I don’t have one. I have little kids and they keep me pretty preoccupied.”

“Write anyway,” she said. “Start with journaling.”

“But you don’t understand. I’m a single mother and working full time trying to put food on the table. I have so little time.”

“Write anyway,” she said, with a smile.

I could see where she was headed. (I’m quick like that.)

WRITE ANYWAY became a guiding principle. I wrote a little on the bus going to work. A little more during lunch breaks. I wrote a little after the kids went to bed. Sometimes I woke up early and wrote. I wrote a little while dinner cooked. While the washer ran. While the kids played.

Word after word, day after day, year after year. Through the seasons of life. Publishing happened. Articles. A column in a national magazine. A first book. Another. And another. Book number ten is in the works today.

The real question is—do you want to write? If so, you HAVE TO learn to “write anyway.” Despite the illness in the family, despite your knee replacement surgery. Despite losing your job, despite your college kid moving back home and disrupting everything. (Everything!) Despite the furnace giving up the ghost, the water heater exploding, and your mother-in-law moving in—and other domestic disasters. All in the same week.

Write about it all. As the saying goes, “Bad things the don’t happen to writers. It’s all just material.”

Decide if you really DO want to write. If you do, then write anyway. Find the time, make the space and write. The choice is yours. Always.

“Write anyway” is the way we make the dream come true.

What’s your dream? I’d love to hear about it!

Thanks for stopping by. I appreciate your support, reading, commenting and sharing my posts. May your dream start coming true today! ❤️

With love and gratitude,

Mary

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BOOK NEWS: Thanks to all who grabbed a free copy of OCTOBER FIRE last week! WOW! And MY COUSIN KRISSY (book six in the series) will be heading into the final editing, proofing, and design phase later this month. Can’t wait to add her to the picture below and share her with you! Yahoo!!

Mackenzie Prentice Mysteries

Also available at: Barnes&Noble.com, Books-A-Million, IndieBound

For local readers, available at the LOCAL STORE in Eau Claire as well.

WARNING: If you’re a reader who can’t stand to even make margin notes in your books, you may want to avert your eyes.

This is Trophies and Dead Things by Marcia Muller. I read all of her Sharon McCone PI series, starting back in the eighties. I’ve purchased used copies recently from Better World Books so I can read them all again. She’s been called the “founding mother” of the female PI protagonist. She’s my inspiration.

I recall reading Muller’s The Shape of Dread when we lived in California, circa 1989. On a road trip, my darling was behind the wheel and I, curled in the passenger seat, was completely lost in the story. I recall the sharp intake of breath when I read a particular turn of phrase, my excitement as I read it aloud to my husband, and the feeling of something sparking to life inside me. Perhaps the same thing Nancy Drew sparked long ago.

The spark: one day I will write mysteries myself.

And now the spark is a flame, on its way to conflagration.

Back to my original point: how Marcia can tell I love the book: This copy has been with me inside and outside the house. Left out in the rain. Dropped in the dirt, in the snow. And in the bathtub.

Well-read and well-loved. That’s how the author can tell—the book goes everywhere with you, so you can grab a bite of story between chores. And it is there for the well-earned soak in the tub at the end of a hard week. An escape—a respite from the cold, the heat, the rain, the sorrow.

It’s comfort. It’s joy. It’s love.

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Thanks for stopping by today. I’m sure you have “loves” on your bookshelves, too. Why not visit an old friend today?

With love and gratitude,❤️
Mary

And if you’re looking for a new friend, Mackenzie Prentice awaits. Book Six in the series is coming soon!

Mackenzie Prentice Mysteries

At the medical clinic the other day, I overheard a woman out in the hall say to a child, “We’re going to hold Nana’s hand now.” A pause, then, “Thank you.”

I smiled as a long-ago memory surfaced, of crossing the street from the parking lot to the library with my grandson (then four, now twenty. How is that even possible?!)

The request—“Hold Mamie’s hand now”—Mamie being my chosen grandma name.

Oh, the feel of that small hand in mine. The silent communication of trust. The unspoken promise, “Mamie will never let you go.”

Guardian of life, always. Know, dear child, that even beyond the confines of this mortal plane, I’ll be forever watching over you, loving you, holding your hand.

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I so appreciate your reading, commenting and sharing my posts. May you be blessed today. ❤️

With love and gratitude,
Mary

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If you’re looking for a cozy mystery series, may I suggest . . .?😉

Mackenzie Prentice Mysteries