When the glamorous Demming women embark upon a Caribbean cruise, little do they know what awaits them. Back home in Naples, patriarch Heston Demming, world-famous actor, comes face-to-face with his greatest challenge yet. As secrets are revealed and hidden truths exposed, whose love will survive? Whose lives will be changed forever? The Heston Demming Series, Book 4.
My heart goes out to all of you who are being impacted by the terrible fires in Los Angeles, Calfornia, this week. The images of destruction shown in the media are appalling. I can only imagine the devastation and loss many of you–celebrities and non-celebrities alike–are feeling at this moment.
Once upon a time, LA was my home, too. Now, I live in Florida, where, this season, we experienced two back-to-back major hurricanes. They also brought chaos and fear.
Although healing might not seem possible to you now, please believe your difficult circumstamces can be overcome. Your faith will help you prevail–if you allow it to do so.
Be assured that people around the world are keeping you in their thoughts and prayers.
In my role as an independent researcher, I have written a book chapter related to Generative AI and the history of writing. My chapter, “Challenged by Change: Will Writers Gain or Lose?” is the second chapter in a peer-reviewed research anthology.. If you are interested in writing, you may enjoy this thought-provoking book, BEST PRACTICES TO PREPARE WRITERS FOR THEIR PROFESSIONAL PATHS.. It was was published in 2024 by IGI-Global.com and is available for purchase at https://www.igi-global.com/book/best-practices-prepare-writers-their/317141 It has been indexed by Scopus. In addtion, I gave a successful presentation on the topic in November, 2023. I am very interested in Generative AI and its potential impact on human creatives. I plan to do further research in the area. Here is the book’s cover:
Last night a raging thunderstorm inundated Nashville. Around midnight, I received a flash-flood warning on my phone. The storms lasted several hours and affected a large area. I heard that the Garth Brooks concert at Nissan Stadium was cancelled because of the treacherous weather. To the bests of my knowledge, the concert was being rescheduled for tonight,
CI have never lived in an area that had more volatile weather than Middle Tennessee. In recent times, I have been terrified by tornadoes and home-bound by ice storms. Living in Florida is much calmer. Although one does have to deal with seasonal hurricanes, the modern weather services can predict them several days out. One has time to prepare, even to vacate. Frankly, compared to continual freak weather occurrences, that sounds pretty good. Certainly, being a novelist, I am a drama queen, but enough weather drama is enough already. I am ready to move on, at last. I will update my whereabouts soon.
In case you have been wondering where I have been and what I have been doing, I have been writing the fourth novel in the Heston Demming series. It will be published in the spring or summer of 2022 by my new publisher, Speaking Volumes. My backlist will be available even sooner.
Please check back for further developments and updates. TM 🙂 I have returned.
Weather-wise, winter was appalling. I am SO ready for spring. Between the ice-storm and the tornadoes, I have had enough of stress-inducing weather–not to mention, the floods that followed. As of now, I am all about the pastel-flowering trees, the sunny daffodils, and the tweets of baby birds in their nests. Welcome to my world, spring of 2021!
Take Back Your Power by Tina Murray, copyright Tina Murray, Ph. 2014 (First performed at CSLN, Nashville)
I wrote this poem a few years ago. It has never meant more to me than it does right now. I want to share it with all creative, freedom-loving individuals. Believe in your own self-expression.
JC and Princess Leia enjoying the good life in Hawaii. (Photo credit: Linda Arlington (copyright))
Aloha! What creative writer or artist does not dream of living and working amid beautiful surroundings? Creatives are nothing if not aesthetically aware. Imagine waking up every day on The Big Island of Hawaii, creating to your heart’s content, and then spending the rest of the day diving, swimming, and kayaking. Well, this dream is being lived out by friends, Linda Arlington, and her husband, author J. C. Arlington (JC Arlington – Author on Facebook).
Avid pet lovers, Linda and J. C. have shared their idyllic lifestyle with a number of fur babies. Most have been named for sci-fi characters, including Princess Leia,, a young German Shepherd, and Chewbacca, (aka Chewy), a transplanted Maine coon cat. Recently, Princess Leia has learned to kayak. Talk about living a dog’s life! This royal pup in paradise has it made.
Although my friends enjoy life, they are far from frivolous. A retired special-education teacher, my friend, Linda, has given of her time, generously, to animals, humans, and myriad good causes, such as Ironman and Special Olympics. One of Linda’s current activities is reading children’s stories aloud at the local independent bookseller, Kona Stories Bookstorehttp://www.konastories.com.
Linda’s readings, along with others, are available for video-viewing on the YouTube page of Kona Stories. If you are feeling the need for some tropical inspiration, l suggest you visit http.//www.youtube.com and search for “Kona Stories.” As for me, I hope to visit my friends, their lucky pets, and their awesome bookstore in person one of these happy days. Maybe the dog will teach me to kayak. Volcanoes, anyone?
Have you always wanted to own one of Taylor Swift’s guitars? How about Tim McGraw’s motorcycle? If so, now is your chance. You may bid on these items, as well as a variety of others, each with celebrity provenance.
Currently, the ACM Lifting Lives (copyright) COVID-19 Response Fund is sponsoring an online auction to benefit COVID-19 relief. Creative music and film artists have donated one or more of their own possessions to this worthy cause. You may view the entire assortment at https://onlineonly.christies.com.
Even if you don’t find anything on your own wish list, you may find something that would be a perfect holiday gift for a friend or loved one. Perhaps you know someone who would fancy Dolly Parton’s dulcimer. Others might be delighted with an instrument owned by Bradley Cooper or—
Although I would like to do so, I won’t drop any more names. (Vince Gill). You owe it to yourself and/or your favorite human to check out the auction website. The event is ongoing and runs through October 29, 2020.
If you are an avid reader or a creative writer, you might consider attending the fifth annual Pat Conroy Literary Festival, Nov. 5-8, 2020. Held in Beaufort, South Carolina, and presented by the Pat Conroy Literary Center, this year’s conference will offer author presentations and workshops online. In addition, attendees can hear readings and take virtual tours. To learn more about this event, please visit http://www.patconroyliteraryfestival.org .
Those of you who read my post on the Southern Writers Magazine blog, Suite T, a while back, know the role Pat Conroy’s words played in my journey as a writer. When I met him at book signing, he encouraged me to stay the course and never give up, no matter who tried to discourage me. His words have sustained me over the years. I am so pleased his memory is being honored and his legacy, shared by such an outstanding nonprofit organization.
celebrity road trips 