Monday, December 31, 2018

Out with the Old




Contemplating 2019



The year of 2018 is about to end. Trying to decide what to post about, I reflected back on the past year. The politics, the political correctness, the crime and heartbreak have all taken their toll. There’ve been good and bad days. Thankfully the good outweighs the bad.

The year 2018 was a rough year for a lot of people, but there are better days ahead. I have a gut feeling. In the book I’m working on now, a character named Tillie says that she believes gut feelings are a nudge from God. Who knows? Maybe she’s right.

Over the past year I’ve discovered a number of new (to me) authors and read several entertaining books. Sometimes reading can be a great escape from the everyday woes.

I released two books in 2018. Gin Mill Grill and One Adventure Too Many (both Sandi Webster mysteries) kept me busy and out of trouble – not that I’d be in trouble for anything, but…

I added a new character to the Sandi Webster series by the name of Clementine. She’s a Chiwienie (half Chihuahua/half Dachshund) and quite an interesting dog, who just happens to have a doggie crush on big ol’ Bubba, the half wolf/half Golden Retriever sweetheart in the series.

Reality check: Clementine is based on my daughter’s dog and she has a doggie crush on Murphy, one of my two Yellow Labs. Sherlock and Watson of the Bogey Man series are based on my two Yellow Labs, Murphy and Sugar.

I wake up in a good mood every day because of the dogs. Murphy wakes me up by sticking his nose in my face or my ear, whichever is in his line of sight. Sugar whines with excitement and flops her paw on my bed. Clementine? She’s a licker. I pull the covers over my head. They make me laugh and they have an innocence that makes the day brighter.

My thoughts and hopes for 2019? I’m going to finish the book I’m working on. The dogs are going to make me laugh every morning. My daughter and I will find some fun and intriguing things to do. It’s going to be a good year for mystery writers and readers. I have a gut feeling, and you know what Tillie says about gut feelings.

I lost my aunt this year. No matter what happened, she always said, “Life is good!” She was right.

Life is good and I look forward to a new year and new experiences.

Best wishes for a Happy & Fulfilling New Year!

CLICK HERE to visit Marja McGraw’s website
CLICK HERE for a quick trip to Amazon.com





18 comments:

  1. Happy new year, Marja. You've made my year brighter with your books and your friendship. I love your positive outlook on the new year--hard to achieve based on some events in '18. May you find all the adventure and happiness you're hoping for and I hope there'll be a new book in your near future..

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    1. Thank you, Dorothy!I truly appreciate your comments and, yes, I'll be glad at midnight to have 2018 done and gone. I'll be looking for a new book from you, too. Your friendship means so much. Thank you for that! Happy New Year!

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  2. Happy New Year, Marja. I know what you mean about the dogs. I don't have one of my own now, but the grand-dogs, Annie, Natasha and Jake, add spice to my life.

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    1. That's a great way to put it, John. They do add spice and a few other things to our lives. Wishing you a Happy New Year with some pleasant surprises!

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  3. Marja, your post made me smile. Just curious - is Tillie based on someone you know? LOL
    Happy New Year to you too!

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    1. In a way Tillie is based on someone I knew many years ago, but she wasn't a senior. I can't seem to quite do her justice with the character in the book, but I'm working on it. Happy New Year and I wish all the best in 2019!

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  4. Happy New Year to you, Marja! I'm eager to read the book you're working on! My dog wishes yours a happy new year, too. I wake up every day with a smile because of her, too.

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    1. No matter what's going on in our lives, our dogs seem to make things a little brighter. Happy New Year to your and yours, and to your dog.

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  5. Another great blog, Marja. Love the dogs in your books, they add humor and a bit of fun to the mysteries. My dog, Bailey, makes me smile every day with her silly antics. Hope 2019 brings you radiant good health, and fantastic book sales. Can't wait to read the new mystery you're working on. Happy New Year.

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    1. Thank you, Evelyn! I think our lives might be a bit boring without our dogs and their antics. Wishing you a Happy New Year filled with fun and surprises (and great sales). And I hope to see a new book from you.

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  6. Wishing you and all your readers the very best of 2019!!!

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    1. Thank you, Jean, and I wish you the best in the coming year. I hope you're working on a new book.

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    2. Happy New Year, Marja! Thanks for another informative and entertaining blog!

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    3. Thank you, Pat! I wish you a Happy New Year filled with good health and joy!

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  7. Happy New Year, Marja! And I can't imagine you where/are/will be ever in trouble!(smile)but keep those books coming if that's what it takes. And yes, this will be a good one.

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    1. Happy New Year, Madeline! Wishing you a year filled with fulfillment and joy.

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    1. Thank you, Soumyajyoti! Happy New Year and wishing the all the best in this new year!

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