Q&A Friday!!!

One of the things I enjoy doing during the holidays is buying books for myself and reading them. While my husband drives, I read. I picked up Diane Gaston's Gallant Officer, Forbidden Lady and Terry Mclaughlin's A Small-Town Reunion, which I'm saving for the trip to Louisiana to visit family and friends.

Labels: books for 2010, Diane Gaston, Terry McLaughlin

posted by Mo H @ 6:51 AM 5 comments

Christmas cards

by Terry McLaughlin

Whenever I hear the words "Christmas cards," two things come to mind. The first is the beautiful written greetings friends and family mail to each other at this time of year. The second involves memories of my family's favorite activity during the school holidays.

The game of Hearts was serious, cutthroat business. We rarely played it on weekends; we reserved it for summer and Christmas vacations, for long stretches of lazy days when rivalries could simmer and conspiracies could ferment. Two decks of cards made the play twice as complicated and doubled the fun. Another source of entertainment was my parents. They'd played highly competitive card games throughout their courtship; now they skipped proper parental examples and got down to our level.

Cheating was difficult but not impossible. I still remember the afternoon my sister and I stacked those two decks so that every seventh card would be dealt to one particular brother in a combination that would tempt him to shoot the moon but end in inevitable, crushing disaster. And there was always the agony of the dealer's choice of passing combinations before the beginning of play. Two to the right, twice. Or one to the left, followed by three to the right. Or the deadliest decree of all: play the cards you're dealt.

I developed an early and serious love–hate relationship with the Queen of Spades.

Another Christmas memory I treasure is a weekend-long Hearts tournament with some high school friends at a family ski cabin. One chaperone refused to play, at first, and his son told us to quit inviting him. Finally we convinced him to join our game...and then our friend's father proceeded to shoot the moon with every hand, just as his son had warned us he'd do. I still wonder how he managed that trick.

Does your family enjoy games of Christmas cards? What are your favorites?



Terry McLaughlin is celebrating her first Christmas-time release: A Small-Town Reunion. She's still bemused–and amused–by the Christmas décor on the cover of a story set in July.

Labels: cards, christmas, games, hearts, Terry McLaughlin, vacations

posted by Terry McLaughlin @ 2:00 AM 3 comments

This Week on the Wet Noodle Posse

Labels: christmas books, Lee McKenzie, Maureen Hardegree, MJ Fredrick, stocking stuffing, story endings, Terry McLaughlin

posted by Mo H @ 11:04 AM 0 comments

Life's lessons

by Terry McLaughlin

I was blessed with parents who placed a high value on education. They sacrificed for private-school tuition, and donated hundreds of hours of volunteer service, and spent an incredible amount of time transporting us to the best possible schools.

Occasionally, they'd supplement our school days with additional programs--music and dance classes, foreign language tutorials, symphony tickets, college extension courses, travel opportunities. One of my favorite family traditions was the annual Christmas-break visit to a museum.

Two sets of extracurricular lessons I'm especially grateful for are those my mother arranged for me the year I was in the seventh grade. She felt that some practice with public speaking would help me conquer my shyness. And since she'd always wished she could sew, she decided I should learn that skill.

I wasn't interested in sewing, and I really didn't want to stand in front of strangers and make speeches. I whined and complained and made a preteen fuss over both after-school activities. But my mother was stubborn--and she was right, as mothers so often are. By the end of the year, I'd discovered I had a talent for speaking, and I'd begun to compete in city-wide forensics tournaments. I'd also begun a lifelong love affair with needle and thread.

Since that time, I've spent thousands of happy hours creating costumes, gowns, quilts, curtains, and upholstery. I designed and made my own wedding dress and veil, and one for my sister, too. I find fabric stores every bit as tempting as bookstores.

There's a box in the attic filled with medals and trophies I won in speech contests, and some of my happiest teaching memories are the afternoons I spent with my high school Speech & Drama students. After so much practice, I've never been uncomfortable speaking to a crowd of any size.

So thanks, Mom, for the lessons. They gave me far more than knowledge and skill--they brought me contentment and confidence.

What lessons are you grateful for?

Labels: education, lessons, sewing, speech, Terry McLaughlin

posted by Terry McLaughlin @ 2:00 AM 9 comments

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Labels: Lee McKenzie, lessons in thanks, Maureen Hardegree, Terry McLaughlin, thank you notes, Tricia Mills, Trish Milburn

posted by Mo H @ 5:11 PM 0 comments

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Labels: Diane Gaston, falling out of touch, hobbies out of control, Lee McKenzie, letting go, Maureen Hardegree, new starts, Terry McLaughlin

posted by Mo H @ 11:48 AM 0 comments

Doggy personality quirks

by Terry McLaughlin

It's incredibly easy to anthropomorphize man's best friends. Those soulful, expressive eyes, those eager-to-please instincts. Those quirks and eccentricities that make them fit right in with the human tribe. I wrote about our current dogs two years ago (June 10, 2007). Hogan and Palmer are still with us, and still as naughty and neurotic as ever.

Our first dog, an Irish setter we named Cory, had an incurable sweet tooth. He'd ignore the meat on the kitchen counters, but if I forgot to put a cake out of reach, Cory would snatch it and smear frosting from one end of the room to the other. Cheese didn't interest him, but cookies would disappear. We never caught him in the act, but we knew he was the culprit behind the missing sweets–yet another vet bill would prove that our sucrose-intolerant dog had stolen yet another batch of pastries.

Cory was an amateur compared to the worst kleptomaniac we ever owned: our beagle, Kelly. Kelly was also an escape artist who could get over or under any fence we built, particularly on trash night, when she'd knock over the neighbors' cans and spread a mess in the street. One morning she scooted beneath the neighbors' garage door just as it closed and then spent a pleasant day devouring their supply of diet dinners. Other neighbors loved to tell the story of Kelly's casual appearance at a barbecue party and of her brazen exit with a bag of hot dog buns.

The second Cory, a Labrador retriever mix, was an easy-going fellow who liked to chase rocks. Not chewy throws or bouncy balls–only a rock would do. And only one thing could turn rock-loving Cory into a frenzied, foaming-at-the-mouth canine monster: house flies. He'd hunt them down and kill them no matter the time of day...or night. I lost count of the times he'd wake the family with his furious barking because he'd discovered a fly in the high staircase window, out of reach. One of us would have to climb from bed and coax the fly down into killer-dog range before we could all get back to sleep.

Some days I think life would be less complicated without my doggy friends. Some days like Saturday, when my daughter called from our ranch road to tell me dozens of buzzards were circling over one of our fields...and I noticed Hogan and Palmer had disappeared. Sure enough, when the dogs returned, they were streaked with filth and reeking of something rotten. Ever cooperative, they froze when I told them to, and then they waited patiently for my approach before shaking their coats and showering me with flecks of disgusting stuff.

What personality quirks or eccentric habits do your pets have?

Labels: dogs, man's best friend, pets, Terry McLaughlin

posted by Terry McLaughlin @ 12:51 AM 11 comments

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Labels: cats and hiding, cats and kitchen tables, Diane Gaston, dog neuroses, Maureen Hardegree, pets, Terry McLaughlin, Tori Scott

posted by Mo H @ 4:57 PM 0 comments

Come on in–the water's fine

by Terry McLaughlin

When I was nine years old, my life changed. In the space of one long plane flight on a February day, my family traded the snow and ice of Spokane, Washington for the palm trees and balmy ocean breezes of Southern California. I had a new home, a new school, and a pool in my backyard.

Dad had promised to buy a house with a pool, and he delivered, even though the house part of the deal was a mess. Mom was horrified when she saw the damaged rooms and leak-stained ceilings, but by the end of our first summer in Palos Verdes, she'd forgiven Dad for choosing such a disaster. She was as much in love with that pool as we were–she said it was the best babysitter ever invented.

Dad cranked up the pool heater every year during the last week of school, and he shut things down when school started again in September. Summer vacation was pool time, and we loved every moment in the water. We'd actually cry and complain when Mom insisted we spend the occasional day at Redondo Beach.

On a typical summer day, we five kids rose early in the morning, donned our suits, and climbed out a back bedroom window to dive in. An hour or so later, Mom would appear with a tray and five bowls of cereal, and we'd line up at the shallow end for breakfast, staying in the water as we ate. Except for lunch, dinner, and bathroom breaks, we'd swim until bedtime, getting pruny fingers, plaster-blistered feet, and mousy nose-guard lines in our deep tans. The first year, we all came down with cases of green hair, too, until Dad learned how to adjust the chemicals.

Five kids can be extremely creative with water play. We'd stretch the garden hose across the deep end or float inner tubes near the diving board and challenge each other to leaping contests. We invented complicated underwater games with handicaps to allow for the differences in our ages. One summer we dragged our swing set to the edge of the pool and enjoyed a few minutes with our new pool slide and an exciting game of swinging out and into the water until Mom came dashing from the house to put an end to the fun.

Mom and Dad enjoyed the pool, too. One night, one of my brothers awoke with a tummy ache and wandered through the house, searching for missing parents. He heard some splashing, turned on the pool light, and the splashing turned to screams. That's when we all learned about skinny dipping.

The smell of chlorine, the warmth of sunshine on water-slick skin, the splash of a cannonball jump, the bright colors of extra-large beach towels–poolside will always mean summer to me.

Do you swim during summer? Did you enjoy poolside days during your childhood? What are some of your favorite swim games?

Labels: pool, summer, swimming, Terry McLaughlin, vacation

posted by Terry McLaughlin @ 1:00 AM 7 comments

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Labels: beach, Maureen Hardegree, Merrillee Whren, Pam Payne, swimming, Terry McLaughlin, working while vacationing

posted by Mo H @ 11:32 AM 0 comments

Father-Daughter Dance

by Terry McLaughlin

There are many moments in a fortunate young girl's life that only a father can share. One of the most memorable nights of my life was a high school father-daughter dance. And for me–fortunate girl that I was–that night was a twofer.

My dad was away on a business trip and wouldn't return in time for the dance, so he asked his dad to step in. When Papa showed up at my door, I quickly discovered one of the benefits of having a date with a much older man: he presented me with my first orchid corsage. He treated me like a princess, and when we arrived at the dance, he flirted with my friends. And he told me, as he pulled me close, that he preferred to dance with his favorite girls cheek-to-cheek.

I can still recall the warmth of Papa's face against mine and the way he hummed the dance tune in my ear before swinging me away for a stylish twirl. Shhh, don't tell Dad–Papa was much lighter on his feet.

Dancing with Papa was so much fun I forgot my disappointment that Dad wouldn't be able to make it. But near the end of the evening, Papa laughed and pointed toward the high school auditorium entrance. I'll never forget the thrill of watching my dad stride through that door and my delight as he drew me into his arms.

There was one more treat that evening: meeting Edward G. Robinson, whose granddaughter was a fellow student. Mr. Robinson took my hand with one of his wide, sweet smiles. "Charmed," he said.

He was right. I was charmed that night.

What special memories do you have of times you spent with your father?

Labels: Edward G. Robinson, father daughter dance, orchid corsage, Terry McLaughlin

posted by Terry McLaughlin @ 1:00 AM 9 comments

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Labels: Lee McKenzie, Maureen Hardegree, Terry McLaughlin, Tricia Mills, Trish Milburn

posted by Mo H @ 10:13 PM 0 comments

Q&A Friday and Noodler June Releases!

This first week of Father Knows Best month we've discussed heroes, some of whom happen to be our dads, and we've shared their love of romance novels and desserts. Many writers include fathers in their novels. One of my favorite dads is Mr. Bennett in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. His wit and how he teased his wife and daughters endeared him to me. How about you?

Labels: Anne Mallory, favorite dads in literature and movies, Terry McLaughlin

posted by Mo H @ 8:05 AM 11 comments

My sister's a real character

by Terry McLaughlin

Sisters and series: a match made in heaven. Or so it seems, judging from the number of sisters-based book series. Or is that series-based sets of sisters?

I glanced through my own published and upcoming books, searching for female siblings. I've written two three-book series, yet within those six books I found only one–one!–pair of sisters. And those weren't biological sisters, since one was adopted.

I guess this proves that I'm a fan of sisters of circumstance. Sisters of story.

My story sisters gossip and tease and talk in their private codes. I love inviting them into scenes just to discover what they'll do or say. Yes, they support each other, but they also tell the tough truths. It seems no one else can help a heroine get back on her story track like her kitchen-table sisters.

Sisters can be handy characters in an author's toolbox, can't they? They can enrich and expand and explain the heroine's world. They can serve as sounding boards or studies in contrast, as mentors or mirrors.

Do you enjoy reading about sisters? Do you add sisters to the stories you write? What do you think sisters add to a hero's or heroine's story?

Labels: characters, series, siblings, sisters, Terry McLaughlin

posted by Terry McLaughlin @ 2:00 AM 12 comments

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Our month of celebrating the facets of sisterhood begins. Please join the discussion.

Labels: friendship, Maureen Hardegee, sisters, Terry McLaughlin, Trish Milburn

posted by Mo H @ 1:48 PM 0 comments

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Labels: Karen Potter, Lee McKenzie, researching editors and agents, taking inspiration from nature, Terry McLaughlin, Trish Milburn

posted by Mo H @ 4:30 AM 0 comments

This Week on the Wet Noodle Posse

Labels: daylight savings time, Dr. Debra Holland, eccentricities, Lee McKenzie, Lord of the dance, mad characters, Maureen Hardegree, Terry McLaughlin, weird beer

posted by Mo H @ 12:01 PM 1 comments

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Labels: Maureen Hardegree, Romantic movies and television shows, Terry McLaughlin, Tricia Mills, Trish Milburn, valentine's day

posted by Mo H @ 9:52 AM 0 comments

This Week on the Wet Noodle Posse

Be Good to Yourself--Or Else month kicks into high gear this week with the following posts. Please join us.

Monday, January 5th: Dianna Love Bucket List for 2009—Motorcycles and Fishing
Tuesday, January 6th: Terry McLaughlin Everyday Delights
Wednesday, January 7th: Norah Wilson Spoiling Yourself—Top Five Indulgences
Thursday, January 8th: Trish Milburn Rewarding Yourself for Accomplishments
Friday, January 10th: Q&A topic: What’s on Your Bucket List for the Year?

Labels: bucket lists, Dianna Love, Norah Wilson, rewarding yourself, spoiling yourself, Terry McLaughlin, Trish Milburn

posted by Mo H @ 12:37 PM 0 comments

This week on the Wet Noodle Posse

Labels: Debra Holland, Dianna Love, holiday recipes, holiday stress, Terry McLaughlin

posted by Mo H @ 9:47 AM 0 comments