Hello, All Readers. Autumn and its Magic Approach! Being a shy kid, I made good friends with books. But I was also lucky enough to grow up with fog-shrouded castles, moonlit forests, prowling creatures, and times when every night felt like Halloween. Please journey with me, and I will lay all the magic before you.…
Hello, Kids, and All Readers, Alert readers may remember that in my May 31 newsletter, I shared that our four Botanic Hill detectives declared a summer moratorium on mysteries following their exhausting eighth case, Bougainvillea Street: Stolen Tiara, to recuperate and explore personal passions. They promised to share their experiences with us in late summer.…
Hello, All Readers, especially Educators, Families, and Kids, Feel like you’re getting hit over the head daily—maybe hourly—by social media noise, conflicting news about world events, and the rapid rise of AI? Like me, you might find yourself wondering whether the truth is actually out there. What’s real, what’s false, and what sits somewhere…
Hello, Adult Readers, Are you aware that today, March 15, is called “The Ides of March“? So, what are “ides,” and who really cares? Well, I do, having an inquiring mind for interesting historical tidbits that my Botanic Hill Detectives Mysteries might embrace! Turns out that “ides” refers to the first full moon in a…
Hello, Kids, and All Readers, Can you name all eight of Santa’s reindeer–not counting Rudolph, who is the ninth? Go ahead. I’ll wait. . . . If you’re grinning because you remembered them, did you rely on the 1949 song “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” with the verses, “You know Dasher and Dancer, and Prancer and…
Hello, Kids, Educators, and Families, School has resumed in many cities across the country. Farewell, Summer! Attentive readers may remember that I taught school for thirty-five years before retiring in 2013. Back then, here in San Diego, classes began the day after Labor Day. Now, school begins much earlier–in fact, on August 11 this year–to accommodate…
Hello, Kids, and All Readers, Do you enjoy receiving postcards–at Summer Camp, on a Staycation, or just while enjoying the season as your lucky friends or relatives travel the world? It can be exciting to see what the sender chooses: something unique to them, tailored to you, or a must-share, spectacular site visited. Currently, my…
Hello, Kids and All Readers, Jacqueline Bouvier. Inveterate Reader–from childhood. Inquiring Photographer. Jackie Kennedy. Jackie O–a disrespectful nickname, I feel. Wife. Mother. First Lady. White House Restorer. America’s Queen. Influencer. Survivor. Writer. Editor. Grandmother. These are a few of her names, titles, and roles. But to me, she was Mentor. I met my mentor-to-be in…
Hello, Kids and All Readers, Between working on Book 7 and all its related tasks, I’m keeping a decades-long promise to myself. Call it Spring Cleaning, Common Sense, or my Gift to my Descendants. By choice, I became the repository of 150 years of family photos. You probably know where this is going. Three huge…
Dear Readers, For better or for worse, we live in an age of identity and accountability. How often have you started to log into a site only to hear or read, “Let’s be sure it’s really you”? Next, you receive a text or email with the magic code to enter and confirm you are you.…
