When You Wish Upon A Star

It's that time to reflect on the year past and look forward with hope to what the new year might bring.

I was telling a friend just the other day, "Life is good." I'm happy, have friends, and my health is good. Nearly anything on top of that is gravy. I keep busy with my writing. I'm convinced it keeps my mind alert, since keeping complicated plots straight in my brain takes a lot of effort.

Life is a mystery, since we never quite know what might be around the bend for us. It's probably best that way... but it adds excitement and trepidation at the same time.

As 2015 began, I was facing major surgery to correct a hernia I'd had since emergency appendix surgery in 2010. All went well, and I've recovered nicely. I visited with my mother (in the Pittsburgh area) a few times, got up to Minnesota to see my sister and her family, had several visits with my brother and his family, visited with my father-in-law as well as sister- and brother-in-law. I had a few visitors to my Florida condo, including my best friend who came for a whirlwind couple of days at Disney World. I made a couple of improvements to my place, including adding new carpet. It feels like home. I also had the chance to visit NYC and take in a couple of Broadway shows.

In my writing life, I published two more Brad Frame mysteries this year - FINAL JUROR and EMBALMED. I wrote a new Christmas short story. I attended a conference sponsored by the Florida Writers Association where my novel LADY ON THE EDGE was a finalist for a Royal Palm Literary Award. I've also become active with a group of Central Florida Mystery Writers who meet monthly for discussions about the craft of writing, as well as the business of writing. Several of us formed a critique group, which I appreciate as well as my local critique group in Celebration, Florida.

What will 2016 hold for me? A good question. I'm working on a new standalone suspense novel. It's called COLD OATH. I'm excited about it, but it's not even half done, so stay tuned.

In July, I will be performing my one-man Ben Franklin play at PACA in Erie, PA. I'm excited about that and am pursuing other performance possibilities for the play.

For more specifics, keep reading this blog. :-)

Best wishes to each of you for what I hope will be an exciting 2016.