Winter 2024 Update

One of our Many Pastimes in SW Florida—an Afternoon at Jet Blue Park

Well as difficult as it may be for many of us… another year has passed. And as we have done for the last four years, we have joined the growing number of couples, mainly seniors and head south.

Our winter getaway is in a recent community in Southwest Florida called Estero. Like so many others in this area it is expanding at a exponential rate. Our community is called The Place (no joke!) it’s home to some of our family, so it has an something extra that draws and keeps us there.  

Our holiday season was great but limited slightly due to a recurrence of the back condition that has become somewhat problematic over the last few years… In the spring I’ll once again some time to have another re-do with the surgeon’s scalpel but until then I’ll continue to enjoy meeting with and talking to readers.

Despite the aches and pains, we did visit our family in both SW Florida and Northern California. The Florida visit happened over Halloween which, we’ve done in recent years. Our community is not age restricted, so we have an ample population of children and teens. There’s a golf parade which includes many decorated golf carts. Candy is often handed out at driveway’s end and my son and his wife have an open house.

Shortly after that we did another of our annual trips… this one to spend Thanksgiving with our family in San Jose, California. We have several things that have become part of our west coast trip; attending my granddaughter’s dance performances in downtown San Jose’s Christmas festival, happily spoiling our GKs by taking them shopping at Santana Row (see last year’s update for pics) and at least one or two of the spectacular high end shopping malls for one or more early present. And this year we spent a day at Half-Moon Bay shopping, perusing, and attending the nightly sunset at the Ritz Carlton… a gorgeous resort overlooking the Pacific.

The Sun setting over the Pacific at Half-Moon Bay.

And immediately upon our return I had the pleasure of attending an open house in Scituate, MA. My friends at Storybook Cove—a wonderful cozy bookstore in Hanover, MA where I had done several events last fall.

Two attendees at my signing in Scituate after Thanksgiving

And much to my delight shortly after that I was called by the owner of Book Love the new bookstore in the Pine Hills. It’s in the ground level of the massive Rowen Apartment complex adjacent to the Village Green. I owe the invitation to Katriena Devlin, the publisher of the Pine Hills magazine who had done a couple of stories on me several years ago.

Unfortunately, due to my back aggravation I had to miss their open house right before Christmas, but they have all five of my novels in stock should you be in the area. Thanks to Katie (owner) and her staff… Jamie and Emily; both of whom were absolutely delightful.

I was glad to see that my fellow Pine Hills resident and fellow executive from my days at the Cape Cod Writers Center, Nancy Rubin Stuart, a distinguished author of historical biographies of famous women.

Jamie and Emily at Book Love—the New Bookstore in the Pine Hills

Summer & Fall Update 2023

Well, my friends it has been a busy few months so again I apologize for taking longer than I wanted to talk to you again! But in all honesty since this website is designed to talk about my writing, and there has been little in that arena since the spring.

And for those who may be new to me and my website I am a traditionally published author (they pay me to write—I don’t pay them to publish!) of five romantic thrillers. My publisher is The Wild Rose Press; a small but respected New York house that has won numerous awards.

 My wife Joan and I did have a wonderful summer on the Bass River with visits from our family, friends and an amazing trip to begin it.  Along with our oldest friends from university (as my British friends would say), we spent a fascinating trip in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark (as it was sold).

 

Both of us have had a lifelong interest in American History so when our friends suggested this cruise we jumped at the opportunity. The only downside to the trip was an aggravation to a nagging case of sciatica which had a major impact on the rest of my summer and one of the major reasons I curtailed any potential writing events we had in the works.

Nonetheless, despite the inconvenience and discomfort the trip was more than worthwhile. And on the positive side, thanks to some serious effort on my part and an exceptional physical therapist I’m back in “fighting form!”

Multnomah Falls in Oregon—Worth the Long Bus Ride

Multnomah Falls in the picture above is one of many spectacular sites we had the pleasure of seeing. It is a two-tiered 542-foot waterfall we saw on a picture-perfect morning in Early June. One of the unexpected pleasures for someone of my current occupation was visiting Klindt’s Bookstore in The Dalles, Oregon… the oldest in the Northwest! Its endless high wood-paneled shelves brought back memories of places like Lauriats here in Boston.

Unfortunately, I lost my phone in the Bass River this summer and for several reasons the people who sold me a new phone were unable to recover my photos!

I did my best to be captain of the Joan L (our boat) when my children, GKs and other family members. Despite growing up elsewhere our GKs have become experts at having fun on the water and this summer was no exception. This year we inaugurated the younger ones into rafting… being towed at high speed behind our new boat on a specially designed hard rubber platform. Great fun but as a senior my role is driving our 27-footer.

My Legs Getting to Sun While my Kids and GKs Take a Turn at the Helm.

As I told you in the last update, we (Jeanie and I) had some very productive events this spring in SW Florida and since I’m excited to get going again she’s already working on our schedule for the winter months.

Storybook Cove have invited me to appear at an event they’re running in Scituate the week after Thanksgiving. And I’ve also spoken to the activity director at Laurel Woods here in the Pine Hills in Plymouth MA to revisit them before heading south. I’ll keep you up to date in my next update.

Due to schedule conflicts and my sciatica I had to pass on the generous Cape Cod Writers Center invitation to participate and appear at their Saturday luncheon. But I’m grateful to Nancy Rubin Stuart and Barbara Struna for thinking of me. And had to turn down several opportunities for events during the summer. And

I always enjoy sharing what I’m reading and have recently finished Ruth Ware’s the It Girl… an excellent read amongst several others. I’m reading Then she was Gone by Lisa Jewell, Winter World, one of a series by sci-fi master A.G. Riddle and one that had on my shelf but had not read, The Splendid and the Vile by one of my favorite non-fiction masters, Erik Larson. I love reading and re-reading Daniel Boorstin’s numerous brilliant volumes on history (The Seekers, The Discoverers, and The Creators).

And on the entertainment front we adored Oppenheimer and two lighter offerings, Mission Impossible Seven and Denzel’s latest The Equalizer Three. While I read Children of the Corn when it first came out sitting in a theater for 3-1/2 hours no matter what the talent is… ha ha!

I continue to work intermittently on The Girl on the Balcony… a project I’ve been occupied on for several months. It’ll be another romantic thriller but with a hint of Lee Child and his hero Jack Reacher…

So, until next month have a great Thanksgiving. I look forward to talking to you all again during the holiday season!

Best to you all,

Kevin

November 2023