Titles

I had a discussion yesterday with Daughter #3 about the title of the book I am currently writing. The tentative title is Blackbirch Manor. However, I did not think that was enough--it did not say enough about the story. So I asked Daughter #3 what she thought of The Count of Blackbirch Manor.

"That sounds like The Count of Monte Cristo," she said.

"Okay. You're right. How about The Secret of Blackbirch Manor?" I asked.

"That sounds like a Nancy Drew book," she said.

I winced. "How about The Curse of Blackbirch Manor?"

She frowned. "That's better. But if I were you I would just use Blackbirch Manor. It's simpler."

True. The letters would be bigger because there are less of them.

Titles are difficult for me. A few have come to me in a flash, but not all of them. The publisher could change the title anyway. But what do you think? Should it be short--or more definitive?

An Exercise Machine!

I have been looking for a used elyptical machine since our trip to Puerto Rico. While hubby and I were there we used the fitness room in the hotel everyday. Usually, my favorite exercise is walking, but I thought something for inclement weather would be useful—and also so I can eat an extra muffin. I found the treadmill and the stationary bicycle boring. The weight machines were tedious, although hubby—the engineer—seemed to enjoy counting repetitiously—I suppose because he has a mathematical mind.

With the elyptical machine, I felt I got a good workout—all over. For the past few weeks, I’ve been searching eBay and the local newspaper and I finally got lucky. Last night I bought one. Hubby and I brought the machine home and for now it is in the garage. I intend to put it in the basement eventually, but I have to clean out a corner. (That will not be fun.) The machine has a screen which can tell me how many steps I’ve gone, how many calories I’ve burned, how many minutes I’ve been working out and it can check my pulse. If I want to, I can make it harder by increasing the resistance—but I think I’ll have to get in shape for that first.

The best feature—for me at least—is that fact that is has a little shelf for a book so I can read while I’m exercising. I tried a paperback but with my aging eyesight and the poor light in our garage, it was too difficult for me to see—and rough to turn pages as well. However, I found I could use my Rocket e-book reader on it. I already have it set at a 16-point font, and it has a backlight. All I had to do was change the page orientation so I could slide the thinner end of the reader into the book holder. Then it is a whole lot easier to turn pages because I just have to push the button. Awesome.

I’m looking forward to exercising and catching up on my reading.

For those of you interested in owning an e-book reader, ebookwise has one that is a newer version of the original Rocket. You can find one at:

http://www.ebookwise.com/ebookwise1150.htm

Otherworldly Photos from Florida

To me, these live oak trees with the Spanish moss look like they belong on another planet, but I found them in Howard Park. Florida has some strange plants--at least to a New Jerseyan like me. I thought this grove of trees would make a good setting for a sci-fi novel--not that I am going to write one though I've read a few. Or perhaps it would make a great paranormal scene--nice and spooky at night! I have thought of setting a novel in Florida. I've thoroughly explored much of the central west coast.


I was fascinated with these crazy little crabs, too. You have to look closely at the photo--I did not have my telephoto lens with me. There seemed to be a whole army of crabs. What were they doing? Was this a conference? A party? A family reunion? To me, it looked like the beginnings of a horror movie. Maybe that's just the way my writer's mind works. If I could have zoomed in on those crabs and made them bigger, it could have been a very scary picture. :^)

Anyhow there is some strange scenery in Florida. Just thought I would share.

Favorite Road to Drive

Driving to Florida is not fun, for the most part. The roads between NJ and Florida are rather boring. I95 in Virginia does have a few nice hills, but I95 in NC, SC, and GA is really, really flat and straight. That is a good thing for trucks, I suppose, and there is a bit of nice scenery over Lake Marion. However, most of the drive is simply tedious.

When we get to Florida, we cross over to I75 on A1A and 301 and the scenery improves somewhat. However, the best part of our journey is I75 in Hernando County in Florida. By then we are almost at the end of our ride and I75 has some wonderful hills and turns along that section of road. I always insist on being behind the wheel. I turn on Handel's Messiah and get a kick out of going seventy miles an hour around the banked curves. The scenery is lovely, too--from an air conditioned car. I know if I got out of the car I would melt on the spot.

If I time it right, I have the Grand Amen playing by the time we get off at the exit in Pasco County.

Do you know of a road that's fun to drive?

Worst rest room on the Interstate

Hubby and I have just returned from our annual trek to Florida via I 95 and I 75. The worst rest room I encountered was the one at the rest stop on the southbound side past the Dale City exit in Virginia. One of the stalls in the ladies room did not have a door--that was the only stall that was clean. Two others weren't flushing. The fourth was not flushing very well. I did not use that rest room. Hubby and I got off at the next exit and stopped at a gas station.

Most of the interstate rest rooms along the way are good. In my opinion, a decent rest room should have paper seat covers, soap, a sufficient amount of stalls, the toilets should flush--and the room should be clean.

Any other nominations for the worst rest room on an interstate?

More Reminiscing

Hubby and I picked up Daughter #3 at the hospital yesterday. She's doing much better. As soon as she got out, we took her to a Dunkin' Donuts shop. She loves their coffee and practically lives on the stuff. It must be addictive. :^)

Last night, hubby and I got out our wedding photo album and looked through it. We were so much younger! We also looked at the pictures of our honeymoon. Thirty years ago today we were in Bermuda. Here you can see some of the photos we took. One shows hubby carrying me through a moongate. I don't think he could do that now. :^) Another shows us on the deck of a boat for the rum swizzle cruise. We look like kids.

Ordeal

It has been a rough week. Daughter #3 is in the hospital--again. So hubby and I have been going back and forth to visit her there all week, but on Thursday we also had to trek south to our daughter's summer dorm room and take everything out of it, and then drive her car home. We did it on one of the hottest days of the year here in NJ. I drove her car and hubby followed me--but her car's a/c does not work. Driving north on the Parkway with the windows down is not a good idea. Everytime a bus or truck went by, I got slapped by a blast of hot air and diesel exhaust.

However, Daughter #3 was looking much better yesterday, so hopefully she'll be out of the hospital soon. We left everything in her car because she has to move it all into the dorm she'll be staying in for the fall semester.

Drips

This year our house has been plagued with drips. You can see in this photo the latest repair--done yesterday by hubby. The hole is in the ceiling and the drip came from a water pipe going up to the bathroom. Evidently, it spontaneously sprung a leak. The pipe had a small crack in it.

Years ago, I bought a fix-it yourself home repair book for hubby. That book has been used many times and there he found the solution for the pipe leak yesterday. The metal piece over the pipe is like a pipe bandage. It is currently working. I hope it continues to work. Otherwise, we will have to replace the pipe. Owning a home can be real annoying at times--especially when there are drips.

Little People

Yesterday, I spent a considerable amount of time in a waiting room with Daughter #3. I had brought along a book to read, but I didn't get any reading done due to three rambuncious children who were also in the waiting room. They were poking and teasing and crawling over and behind the couch like a squirmy bunch of puppies. A brief reprimand from the nurse did no good. So Daughter #3 and I began to talk to the youngsters. The oldest was ten, and the younger two were eight. The oldest was the most communicative.

We learned that they went to the same pool club as our daughters once had. We learned that they had fish and cats for pets. They told us about their vacation and their busy schedule of activities. The oldest plays the saxophone.

Their harried mom eventually came out of the examining room with another daughter. She really has her hands full! But I enjoyed talking to her kids. For one thing, they reminded me very much of what our daughters had been like at that age. In addition, it's difficult for me to pass up an opportunity to get to know about people--even little people. I might need some characters just like those three wriggly little darlings someday.

Not a good weekend for the beach...

Yesterday it rained--or threatened to rain--most of the day and Daughter #1 had come to visit us. So instead, of going to the beach we cut out the list of local garage sales from the newspaper and drove around town to check them out. I found some nice brass candlesticks for fifty cents! Hubby found some sort of electrical gadget that he thinks is really cool. Daughter #1 did not buy anything. :^( Nevertheless, later in the evening we took Grandma and Granddad out to eat so that was fun.

Since it was so gloomy outside, I decided to spend some time putting together another banner for Heaven's Blue, my EPPIE 2005 winner. The banner will be at the Romance Junkies website for a whole year! It seemed like an easy way to promote the book. Promotion is a tough job--I think it's the most difficult part of being an author, but I do have fun making banners. :^) If you click on the banner, it will take you to the page at Awe-Struck's website where you can read an excerpt of the book.

Photos from Puerto Rico

That's me draped over the cannon at El Morro. The fort is really awesome. However, by that point in the day I was exhausted. It was hot, my feet hurt, and I could not drink enough water. We walked all over Old San Juan. The town is not that big and I would have been fine if I had worn more sensible shoes and if it wasn't so blazingly hot.


The following day we went to the rainforest--El Yunque. This was the biggest waterfall we saw in the rainforest, and evidently a lot of people just go there to swim. Our tour director, a very talkative man, took us to the top of the trail so that most of the time, we were walking downhill. It was very humid, but it was also very shady so I wasn't baked as I had been the day before.

Hubby spotted three huge land snails all sitting together on a large piece of bark, but that was the extent of the wildlife we saw on the trail. This was a good thing because I don't particularly like snakes and such.

The Beach

On Sunday, hubby signed up for a season pass to the beach. Today we visited the beach again in the afternoon. I always bring a book to read and a sketchbook. I love to draw people at the beach--but they have an unfortunate tendency to move before I've finished. So I look for the ones who are snoozing. :^)

Public Transportation in Puerto Rico

Hubby and I took the A5 bus into and out of Old San Juan several times during our stay there. At 75 cents each, the fare was a real bargain, and it also gave us the opportunity for a real up close and personal look at the people. Unfortunately, neither hubby nor I speak Spanish, so we missed out on some of the fun--but for some incidents you just had to be paying attention.

For instance, one evening during "rush hour," the bus kept picking up passengers at every stop until there was no room for more. Nevertheless, the bus driver kept telling everyone to move back. The woman standing in front of me had several packages on the floor. So at yet another admonition from the driver to move back, she picked up all her packages and placed them on the lap of the man sitting next to me. She did not ask his permission, she just did it. And he accepted the situation without any protest.

I was amazed. Nevertheless, that was a jolly bus ride. Everyone was good natured about the situation.

So if I write a story about Puerto Rico, you know there's going to be a crowded bus scene in there somewhere. :^)

Landings

Twenty-eight years ago, when my grandfather died, hubby and I flew out to western Pennsylvania for the funeral in a relatively small jet packed with businessmen. There was a lot of turbulence over the mountains on that ride--so much so, that when we landed one gentleman in the back of the plane shouted out, "Cheated death again!" And everyone laughed.

On our flight out to Puerto Rico, I sat beside a very nice Puerto Rican woman. When we landed in Puerto Rico everyone in the plane applauded. I was surprised. I thought maybe this was something new that Americans had started doing recently. However, the woman next to me informed me that the people do that everytime they land in Puerto Rico.

On our return trip home yesterday, as the plane touched down in Newark, there was no clapping. So maybe it is just a Puerto Rican thing.

Anyone else experience this?

I'm Back

Did you miss me? Hubby and I went to Puerto Rico. After hubby's brother passed away, we decided we should go somewhere--especially with our 30th wedding anniversary coming up. We really thought we ought to celebrate big time. Then Daughter #3 went into the hospital just before we were to leave. However, she had laparoscopic surgery and did so well afterwards, we felt okay about leaving.

Of course, I had not been on a plane in 28 years. So I was apprehensive. I don't even like to ride the ferris wheel because I can't deal with that stomach dropping sensation. And then there's the turbulence...

Is here anyone else who is not particularly fond of flying?

New Contest

I will be giving away a T-shirt on Labor Day. Everyone can use another T-shirt! Sign up at my website:

http://www.penelopemarzec.com

The T-shirt will be decorated with the covers from my three inspirational romances because I like to play with iron-on transfers. :^)

Blueberry Crunch

Happy Fourth!

One of the best things about this time of the year, in my opinion, is that it is blueberry season! There are lots and lots of blueberries in NJ. Yesterday I made Blueberry Crunch. I served it with vanilla ice cream. Yum!

Blueberry Crunch
Serves 6 to 8

1 1/4 cups rolled oats
1/3 cup unbleached flour
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/4 light brown sugar
2/3 cup butter
4 cups blueberries

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix oats, flour, and sugar. Work butter into the mixture with your fingers until it is crumbly.

Spread half of the mixture in a greased 9x9 pan. Spread with blueberries. Cover the berries with the remaining oat and flour mixture.

Bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

Serve warm or cold.

This is simple and quick--except for picking through the blueberries, but that's fun to do with a friend. :^)

I was on internet radio!

Dindy Robinson, publisher at Swimming Kangaroo books, is the host at an internet radio show on Tuesday nights. At the Swimming Kangaroo Manuscript Critique Club she reads authors' excerpts. I joined in last night with an excerpt from Kiss of Blarney. Michael Charton and Jane Bierce were also on hand. It was so awesome!!

For those of you who missed it, you can download it at:

http://www.internetvoicesradio.com/page/1a0y6/Home.html

The downloads are at the bottom of the page. Last night's show is listed by the date, June 27th.

I had so much fun, I may do it again sometime. :^)

A/C for Dummies

When it comes to cars, I know how to check the oil and I can add some if need be. Since I live in NJ, I never pump gas. I have changed a flat tire. Hubby can do those things, too, but he prefers to use Fix-a-Flat in the event of a flat tire.

Daughter #3 has become more daring when it comes to car repairs--maybe because she has an older car and she's still a student. :^) However, when the air conditioning in her car was no longer cooling her off, she simply bought a can of refrigerant and added it to the air conditioning unit in her car. It looked easy.

So when my Jeep blew hot air at me, I thought hubby and I could try the same fix and maybe save money. We went to Pep Boys and studied the various brands of refrigerant. One had a bright yellow box with a familiar logo. It was an Auto A/C Recharging Kit for Dummies. Yep. That was us. The fact that it cost less than the other kits was the main selling point.

We took it home and studied the instructions. They were scary. It had things like, "...death can occur without warning." Also, "Contact with skin or eyes can cause frostbite."

I thought maybe we should just hand it to Daughter #3 as a gift since she knows how to handle it.

But Hubby is slightly braver than I am. He added it to the car while I hovered about ready to call 911. The entire can was used up in seconds.

I got into the car and found that I now had cool air blowing on me. Awesome! I don't know how long it will last, but it sure was a great fix.

Anyone else use that stuff?

Father's Day Gifts

I sent my Dad a check along with his Father's Day card. He was so delighted with the money and said he was going to use it to buy my mother a dinner out at her favorite restaurant or to buy her a ring that she had hoped for. He is such a great father and always demonstrates by example what love truly is.

Now as for my hubby's Father's Day gift...well, it's difficult to buy him anything. He likes music but he only listens to certain kinds. Basically, any style of music with an accordion in it will do. :^) He likes sheet music for the accordion. Of course, he always would like a bigger and fancier accordion. But things like that are not easy to find. So I go for the practical. For his Father's Day present, I told him I would clean his car--inside and out.

He went outside and dragged out the hose for me.

Doesn't that make your heart go pitter-patter. :^)

So tell me, what is a good gift for your father--or for your husband?