A woodpecker taunts me from outside my office window—rat-a-tat-tat—as I try to focus on writing. My mind swells with sweet April memories from the road. Like driving solo to Dayton to laugh and learn at the Erma Bombeck Writing Workshop. A road trip with Rice to Gainesville, Florida, to celebrate our daughter-in-law, now a Florida Gator alum with an MBA. We stopped off to visit a dear aunt in Ocala. Nearer home, we discovered a new (to me) indie bookstore, along with a brew pub that offers up tasty craft beers and a shuffleboard table to boot.

Back home, I try to focus and multi-task. If I accepted the fact that I don’t do either of those things well, life would be simpler. But I can’t. I need more than 24 hours a day. (Don’t we all?) My list of to-dos keeps on growing. Things crop up, like finding a new editor when the one on the schedule grows ill. I wish her the best for strength and full healing, while juggling to replace her and get the novel edited. Then comes cover art approval and reaching out to early readers (like influencers, other authors, and maybe more proofreaders on top of proofreaders). 

(NOTE: The graphics above are just teasers, not actual covers.

Or maybe they're more like reminders to me to

keep my cheeks in the chair.)

Tending to pre-publication and marketing needs for September’s release keeps me busy. Top that with finding time to draft new chapters for next year’s humorous marriage/travelogue book. I want to make time to spend with family and friends too. Maybe turn off the computer to play with my granddaughter Charli in the new Play-Doh dental clinic she so adores. Plant some flowers. Build in pockets of time to enjoy with Rice, on the road or at home.

In other words, hellz, yes, my journey to tackle the art of the multi-task continues. I suspect it will always be hard and slow. Distraction is a constant companion. Good thing the long winding road, despite some wrong turns, often leads to places filled with wondrous surprises. Like a young child’s laughter. Or the sweet scent of lavender. The buzz of a make-believe dental drill…or the tapping sounds from a real-life woodpecker—in the woods, not near the house.

But enough already. If you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to work.

Cheers, y’all. (Or…should I say, rat-a-tat-tat!?) ~ J

Neena tries not to panic. She has suffered anxiety issues since the death of her brother. And now she’s seeing the ghost of a very famous American. When she calls her therapist to check in, she’s urged to return back home. Pronto.

Yet Neena stays, perplexed about the ghost but determined to finish her assignment. As she explores the beautiful island and visits with locals and guests, she makes new friends: a young man who’s being bullied, a middle-aged man with romantic potential, and an elderly worker who has a confession: he has also seen the ghost of JFK Jr. Always…it leads back to the ghost.

Told in first person from Neena Lee’s point of view, this book blends women’s fiction with history and magical realism…and just a pinch of romance. An enchanting ghost story on the surface, at its core this book is more about confronting personal demons, rising above difficult times, and learning the art of self-forgiveness.

If you’re looking for a light yet thoughtful summer read, or maybe your next book-club pick, check if your local indie bookstore can get this one for you. Or order it here: 

This month’s surprise is a quote from an American author who wrote 14 novels over the course of his 50-plus-year career, including SLAUGHTERHOUSE FIVE and BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS. Kurt Vonnegut was known for bringing satire and dark humor into his writing. I found a funny but sweet comfort in the following and thought I’d share it.