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Be Careful What You Wish For…
By Dame Toni I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by. Douglas Adams, English humorist & science fiction novelist (1952 – 2001) News flash: Life doesn’t stop for...
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Three “A-ha” Moments
“Aha” Moment #1: And, no, I don't mean the 80's band. I heard a parable the other day. The Devil decided to have a garage sale. He had a huge spread of curiosities and collectibles for sale, including...
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The Joy of Books!
By Dame Toni I don’t have television. That’s not to say I don’t have a television–as it happens, I have two. I just don’t currently have a way to watch them. Since those darned publishers expect me to...
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Marilyn Monroe and the “It Factor”
By Dame Toni Recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about Marilyn Monroe. I’ve been watching the new NBC television show, Smash, and I just saw My Week With Marilyn. And, as much as I have enjoyed both,...
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You’re Not Geeks, You’re Subject Matter Experts.
By Dame Toni I used to be a Business Analyst (something I may have mentioned before). When a BA is figuring out how to move forward, they consult an SME – a Subject Matter Expert. So, right now I’m...
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The Tale of the Melting Muse
by Dame Toni I hate heat. I actually have panic attacks when I get overheated. So, of course, I live in a house cooled by no more than window fans, and drive a car on which the air conditioner gave up...
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Honeymooning
Yesterday, someone asked me how the new book was going, and I replied, with complete honesty, “Great.” She nodded absently, as if she’d asked “How are you,” and I’d said, “Fine.” I wanted her to...
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Stalkers, Spies, and Frauds
A good story is like a good lie. There needs to be just enough truth shoring up the fiction so that the made–up parts seem plausible. So, as a professional liar (let’s face it, all fiction writers can...
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Getting it Together — Finally
Chaos: \kā-äs\ 1. a state of things in which chance is supreme 2. the inherent unpredictability in the behavior of a complex natural system 3. a state of utter confusion 4. a confused mass or mixture...
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Hopelessly Un-Hip
By Dame Toni What is hip? Tell me, tell me if you think you know. What is hip? If you’re really hip, the passing years will show. You’re into a hip trip, maybe hipper than hip. But, what is hip? From...
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High brow? Nah.
By Dame Toni I try not to be a snob. You’ve never heard of the books I read. They’re too obscure for the likes of you. I have no reason to be one. I come from a family that had at least as many blue...
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I Can Relate!
I’m what old English novels refer to as “a woman of a certain age.” I live alone in a neighborhood where most of the houses are summer weekend cottages, so I get plenty of quiet time (when I’m not at...
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Why my Writing Soundtracks were Inspired by Public Television
Like most writers, I listen to music while I write. And, it’s not the same music that I listen to in my car, or when I’m doing housework. Nope, my writing soundtrack was, apparently, selected by the...
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Who is Red John? (The 10 Fall TV Shows I’m Obsessing Over Right Now)
“I’m going to start killing again. Often. Until you catch me, or I catch you.” -Red John, The Mentalist Let me begin by saying that I only (ahem) watch TV as inspiration for my writing. To get...
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