Journal

I haven’t attended many 100th birthday parties. Okay, I haven’t gone to any—up until this week, anyway. And the guest of honor is very special to me.

This week marks the centennial of Arizona’s statehood.

Of all the stories we’ve heard about Abraham Lincoln, one that seems to slip through the cracks is the fact that he signed the Arizona Organic Act in 1863. The act provided for the creation of a new territory, and the citizens of Arizona spent the next 49 years working to achieve statehood. That dream was finally realized when President…
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Some people think of moving as an adventure. They love everything related to the experience, from choosing a new location, to finding the right house, to packing and sorting belongings, then arranging them all in a beautifully decorated new home.

I am not one of them.

I’m not a stick-in-the-mud. Really. I don’t have anything against adrenaline-boosting excitement—providing I come through it unscathed—but the thought of moving gives me the willies.

I’d rather eat tofu turkey for Thanksgiving dinner.

Or sing karaoke in front of Simon Cowell.

During the early years of our marriage, my husband and I moved more…
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It’s been a long time coming, but spring has finally arrived! Leaf buds are appearing on the lilacs, and carpets of filaree dot the landscape with splashes of purple all around our little corner of northern Arizona. The weather is perfect for spending time outdoors, and what a joy to be able to savor these gorgeous spring days while working on my current book!

This new story is set in a fictional town near Tombstone–close enough to make numerous research trips possible–and I’ve taken advantage of that as often as I could. In fact, my family and I are getting…
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