Handbags, Books...Whatever - Tick-Tock Clock #findingatreasure #familyheirloom #shortstories

Over the past couple of years, my sisters and I have been sorting my parents’ things. Each of us claimed jewelry, pictures, other odds and ends. From one of Dad’s boxes, I picked up an Elgin watch. I had to laugh because the band was the classic expand-o-matic kind that I remembered being advertised constantly on TV. 

Just for grins, I gave it a wind, and sure enough, it ticked. I wound some more and set the correct time. Sliding it on my arm, every now and again, I would look to see if the time was holding up and it had! I wore the watch over the next few weeks just to confirm how it ran. All was good. So I took it to the jeweler for a check.

The jeweler said the watch came from the fifties, that the band was probably the original – surprise! I asked to have it cleaned and  his initials engraved on the back. 

Not long ago, my mother-in-law passed, and as my sisters-in-laws and niece went threw her precious belongings, I picked up a small gold watch. Just for grins, I gave it a wind and set the time. This watch, too, stayed on time. The band didn’t snap properly. I thought “what the heck” and took it to the jeweler’s for his thoughts.

We didn’t guesstimate the era the watch came from. She was born in the mid-thirties; so I’m thinking she received the watch in the forties. He did listen and watch and was impressed that something so old kept good time. He said the watch repair man could fix the catch and would clean it as well. I opted to have the back engraved with all of her initials. 

I like wearing multiple things together on my left wrist-bracelets, watches. I have no problem in putting on two watches and something else. The more the merrier. I’m excited about having something that once belonged to family and now belongs to me.

Is it dessert time? I’m a chocolate a day kind of gal and rarely pass up cake. In that vein, how about delving into these dessert stories:

Love blossoms in the small town of Sommerville in these heartwarming, “cute meet” tales,

filled with fun and forever possibilities.

 ebook     print     B&N     other e vendors

Plotting Princesses: Vicki Batman - You know what’s really annoying? #MFRWorg #readromance #householdchores

I try not to be a gripey person. I take on tasks I dislike and finish them. There is one household chore I really dislike, and I think you’ll be surprised when I say... 

Changing out the toilet paper tube for a fresh roll.

Yep, the springy thing bouncing all over the room, getting on hands and knees and finding it, and pushing all just so to get it back in the holder drives me crazy. I wish I had installed the kind where the roll slips over the rod.

Silly, isn’t it?

What makes a good Ending? #readromance #RLFblog #writing

Hi, everyone! It's Princess Vicki and I want to chat about THE END. You just finished the book,  close it, and sometimes, sigh. The last line sets the tone for how the book ends, a resolution, and is a counterpoint to the opening line which sets the story in motion.

Sometimes, there are lines that stay with us forever. For example:

“Tomorrow is another day.” From Gone With the Wind

“Thank you, God, she thought. Thank you.” From A Knight in Shining Armor (When I reached the end of this one, I sat for about a minute with the book in my hands, then started it again instantly.)

When I finish a story or book, I think a lot about the last line. I have been accused of writing a cliffhanger and maybe so.

The last days of summer. The first day of fall. #autumn #monarchmigration #Halloween

Summer drags on forever in the state where I live. Oh, occasionally, we get a cooler breeze and then pop back to the nineties, then a cool front, and finally, we settle into fall. Used to be in October, we would have lots and lots of rain, especially during the State Fair. Trying to find a decent day to go was a challenge, but that has changed.

And like all things, will undoubtedly change again.

What is fun for us in October is to watch for the migration of the monarchs. Outside my kitchen window is a huge lantana. It's the plant that has tiny pink and yellow flowers in a bouquet. It will even grown after a car runs over it. Mine is about six feet tall and twelve feet wide. A friend from my old neighborhood gave it to me right after we moved to this house. She dug and dug and finally, it came up with a raggedy root. She didn't know if it would live and if not, she had another to pass on.

I stuck my piece in a hole, tossed water on it and let 'er rip. The plant took off. And has continued to do so. I've moved babies to other spots. 

Most years, bees and butterflies visit it. This year, we had a lot of monarchs. My son had just commented on how large it was and maybe I should cut it back. Then the visits began. Truly a joy! And other varieties of butterflies came too.

And as if on cue, another front passed through, bringing a burst of rain. The butterflies moved on. And fall came.

Do butterflies migrate through your neighborhood?

Do you pull out a book when you hear the pitter patter of drops on the leaves? Try these--Temporarily Employed and

Temporarily Insane, the Hattie Cooks mystery series.  

Find all the fun at: Amazon

Failed Beauty Contestant #tiara #romanticcomedy #shortstory

I can hear you laughing way over here. Yes, I’ve been a failed beauty contestant, not once, but twice.

The first time was in high school in a program hosted by my hometown’s fire department. The real reason I entered was the $500 scholarship. I wanted to go to college and $500 would pay for a few semesters of community college. So I entered, wrote the essay, borrowed a black swimsuit, wore a sweet long dress of eyelet.

And didn’t win. In all fairness, I was selected from the 24 original entrants to be in the final top twelve. That part was cool. Picture in the paper! The girl who did get the tiara looked 24 not 17 or 18. She really looked like a beauty contestant.

Sigh.

Vicki Batman ~ Who is an Everyday Hero?

Who is an Everyday Hero?

Last December, my girlfriends and I went on our annual Christmas getaway. We ate a great food and checked out historical homes decorated for the holidays.

After we returned to our rooms and put on our comfy jammies, we exchanged gifts and then, chatted about stuff. All kinds of stuff. This time, the topic turned to handsome hunky heroes.

Yeah, we went through all the normal attributes heroes are perceived to be, like firefighters and policemen, military, etc. Out of nowhere, I added, "My heroes are handymen--plumbers, carpenters, and fixer-uppers like the guys on HGTV."

Needless to say, hysterics took over us.

But it's the truth. Nowadays, we'd rather have someone who could clean the pipes, patch a hole in the wall, fix a light fixture, and keep our computer running. Those are real men.

The giggles continued on when we began discussing the HGTV hosts that rock our world. And we did wonder if they were as helpful at home as they appear to be on television. LOL

Vicki Batman ~ Launch Day!!! The Great Fruitcake Bake-off

Happy Launch Day!!!



Today, I celebrate the launch of my funny holiday romantic comedy:

The Great Fruitcake Bake-off

 I wrote this one for all of you fruitcake naysayers. I love fruitcake, especially when dipped in chocolate.

Here's a blurb:

To defend her five wins, Samantha Greene, has to find a new entry for The Great Fruitcake Bake-off and teams up with new neighbor, Dixon Roberts, only what they discover is baking a award-winning entry can be complicated, bad guys are plotting to take the crown, and ultimately, first prize isn't just about a ribbon.

Are you teased? Here's more—the excerpt!

Vicki Batman: When I Fell in Love

When I Fell in Love

NO! not with Handsome. I'll save that story for another day. This is about when I fell in love with romance books.

Around age fourteen, I was totally bored. School was out. Didn't have anything special going on. I'd read everything I'd wanted to read.

My mom noticed and asked what was up. When I told her, she said, "Go read something." "But what?" I whined. She fastened on me a long stare and then reached for a small paperback on the shelf where she stashed her handbag. "Try this."

This turned out to be a romance by Emilie Loring.