Fall’s renewal


Summer flew by, and in the blink of an eye, it morphed into fall.

What started, for me, as a COVID fog—muddled and murky—has finally lifted, bringing renewed energy and sharper focus, much like the turn of a lens.

Family time 😀

It was good to come down from our mountain this summer, spending time at the seashore.

A family get-together in Ocean City, Maryland, followed by another in Plymouth, Massachusetts, with the other branch of the family tree.

As someone who grew up without cousins, I was fascinated watching my kids with theirs—and now, the next generation. It’s been a long time since our last family get-togethers, but in many ways, it felt like yesterday. Family—the ties that bind.

Not quite ready to let summer go, we booked a last-minute getaway to Old Orchard Beach, Maine, where our morning walks took on an entirely different look—and feel.

Soft pinks and blues are the colors I choose… Okay, that’s not quite how the lyrics go, but I suspect James Taylor will forgive me. Love the pastel horizon!

This writing life of mine

In my last post, I mentioned preparing for Malice Domestic—a convention for mystery writers and fans. While there, I had the great fortune of meeting with a literary agent. We had a wonderful and scarily informative conversation, and I am happy to announce that she is now representing me on this bumpy journey of mine.

And though this is just one more step in a long process of many steps (so, so many steps), things are getting real—really. 😀

You can read more about my writing journey in my latest newsletter—available here.

Dusting off those lenses

Lately, I find myself reaching for my camera—getting reacquainted with all those knobs and dials. My first set of photos were disastrous (to say the least), but I’m enjoying a renewed courtship with my camera and the exploring that goes with it.

And now, fall quickly turns into winter. The leaves have mostly fallen, and morning temps dip into the twenties. Like Winnie the Pooh, I love the “hot chocolately mornings, and toasty marshmallow evenings”—the crisp, clean morning air, woolen socks, and fuzzy fleece throws. Winter will soon be here! Color me excited.

I hope you’re doing well. I’d love to hear about your latest adventures!


5 responses to “Fall’s renewal”

  1. Barb Avatar

    What great photos of your fall adventures, Karen. That last really does look like a transition from fall to winter. It’s been snowing here since early morning – we’ve had several snows through October, but none have lingered. Yesterday blue sky and sunshine, today gusty wind with storm clouds – typical weather for us at high altitude. I’ve definitely lost my blogging mojo. Glad that you’re finding focus again. Keep writing! Barb

    1. Karen Avatar

      I get the blogging mojo bit. It’s really not the same as it once was. Even so, I hope to get back into it a little more often than every few months! We’ll see… I can only imagine how beautiful it is in your area right now, although I’m not sure I’m quite ready for snow. It was good to hear from you!

  2. Lauren Murphy Avatar
    Lauren Murphy

    So excited for this next chapter of your life, Karen. Amazing pictures and wonderful memories!

    1. Karen Avatar

      Thanks, Lauren!!

  3. Beatrice Avatar

    So glad I kept checking to see if you had done a blog update, Karen, and then came across this wonderful update of family pics. The lead photo with the images on the calendar page was great and I wondered “how” it was done. The family get togethers sounded like much fun and good times. We have been to Ocean City, MD, and Orchard Beach but not in recent years. Our last extended getaway was to NJ and Pa in late September. That’s great news about the meet-up with a literary agent and hope all goes well. Lately, I have been reading a number of “cozy” type mysteries Kate Saunders, Richard Osman, and Robert Thorogood. We’re watching the PBS series of Magpie Murders and re-reading several of Anthony Horowitz’s novels.

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