Darlene's Digest

The moon hanging heavy above the trees illuminated the pine flatwoods and palmettos, clear enough for him to see a raccoon scamper across the track in front of them. “Older he-coons wait until near dawn to come out,” Carl had told him at the trading site as John admired his collection of skins to trade. “The younger males get trapped or et by panthers and gators ‘cause they ain’t got no sense.” --BOOK NINE, maybe titled FOR LOVE OF A SMUGGLER or maybe TREASURE ON THE TIDE, I dunno yet... Floridians of a certain age may recall the phrase, "The old he-coon walks just before the light of day" and how it helped our late Governor "Walkin' Lawton" Chiles win an election. I was out walking a few mornings back and saw this guy scampering across a neighbor's lawn. It was long past light of day, so he may have had a busy night, or just lacked good sense.  Racoons are part of the Florida landscape, and these little trash pandas are annoying, but also interest...

The Magician of Tiger Castle by Louis Sachar My rating: 4 of 5 stars View all my reviews

The Jewish World of Alexander Hamilton by Andrew Porwancher My rating: 4 of 5 stars View all my reviews

  “You want to be careful about not going into the brush without checking first. The last thing you need is for a snake or a scorpion to say howdy while your trousers are down.” “I don’t recall having to deal with venomous snakes before.” “You were a town dweller, John” she said, giving him a glance over her shoulder. “You don’t hunt, but you shoot. You’re used to tailored clothing. You can rule out being a farmer or a homesteader from your life.” “That still leaves a lot of choices.” They came around a massive live oak and he saw the creek, dragonflies hovering over the shimmering water. A blue jay disturbed by their passage called out raucously from a maple and another bird answered. It seemed peaceful out here in the woods even though danger was everywhere, according to Kate. --[WIP, Working Title] FOR THE LOVE OF A SMUGGLER  c. 2025, all rights reserved       September is college football season in Gainesville, but for me it's the beginning of Florida hikin...

There are two statues representing the State of Florida in the US Capitol. One is Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, an amazing educator, civil rights activist, and presidential advisor. It is most fitting that she represent this state. The other statue is 19th C. physician Dr. John Gorrie. Less well known, but so vitally important to Florida in his own way. There's an old saying around here, "It was DDT and air-conditioning that settled Florida." DDT is now banned in the US, but in the 20th c. it was crucial for killing off mosquitoes so that people could live in this swamp. The other thing that made life bearable is air conditioning, and Dr. Gorrie's research into refrigeration and using ice and fans to cool sickrooms led to the development of air-conditioning for homes and other buildings.  I know how important this is because this week our air conditioning gave up the ghost after 20 years of solid service. It may be autumn where you are, but in Florida it's still summer...

Warrior Princess Assassin by Brigid Kemmerer My rating: 4 of 5 stars View all my reviews

Today is a day off for most hardworking folks in the US, and the end of summer as many school districts resume classes this week. Here in North Central Florida summer is lingering, but it's an unexpectedly balmy and breezy 75F out there, a nice change from the 100+ temps we've endured. Meanwhile, in honor of the day, here's an excerpt from my WIP, [Working Title] The Smuggler's Amnesiac Lover . Enjoy! He stopped, overwhelmed by a wave of shameful anger, not because of here, not because of now, but because of something … someone…before. "What is it?” “I’m not worthless.” She stepped forward, concerned, and he blinked, the feeling fading. “John Smith, you are far from worthless. Anyone who shows up on my front step with a basket full of fish is worth more than, well, more than a lot of folks who come here.” She reached up and was about to touch his face when she paused and lowered her hand and he desperately wanted Kate, for that’s who she was to him in his mind now,...

Never the Roses by Jennifer K. Lambert My rating: 5 of 5 stars View all my reviews

God's Monsters: Vengeful Spirits, Deadly Angels, Hybrid Creatures, and Divine Hitmen of the Bible by Esther J. Hamori My rating: 4 of 5 stars View all my reviews

Gabriel levered himself off the sofa and came up behind her, watching her busy, efficient hands in the mirror as she arranged the lace at her throat to hide the whisker marks on her neck. He peered solemnly into the glass and sighed. “I am so beautiful, and you are so smart. We will make wonderful children together, querida .” A smile quirked her cool lips as she adjusted her spectacles. “Let us hope they inherit a bit of modesty from me, Mr. Lopez. Why do you say I am smart?” He leaned forward and placed his lips just below her ear, a soft kiss that wouldn’t disarrange the lace or be noticed later. “You are smart because you agreed to marry me. Which makes me not only beautiful, but muy mazaloso ,” he added in Ladino. “An extremely fortunate man." --Captain Sinister's Lady Friday night begins  Tu B'Av, the Jewish Day of Love, "Chag HaAhava" in Hebrew. What? You didn't know there was a Jewish holiday celebrating romantic love? There is, and it been observed ...

Fifteen hundred dollars worth of coffee coming in duty free meant a tidy profit, whether it was Delerue-Sanders behind the smuggling or someone else. A simple plan, but one that worked all too well given the poor state of the Revenue Marine. The revenue cutters couldn’t begin to cover all of the coast, not when the ships were spread thin with surveying, rescue operations, and winter cruising between Charleston and Key West. Underfunded, understaffed, looked down on by the regular navy, despised by the merchants who paid the tariffs, the Revenue Marine was no one’s darling. Well, except maybe Alexander Hamilton, he’d loved his revenue cutters that brought money into the Treasury, but look what happened to him, Washburn thought. Irritate the wrong people and there you are, worm food. --Smuggler's Bride The United States Coast Guard, aka the Revenue-Marine, aka the Revenue Cutter Service today celebrates its founding in 1790 by US Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton. Happy Birthday,...

Writing Mr. Wrong by Kelley Armstrong My rating: 4 of 5 stars View all my reviews

The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam by Megan Bannen My rating: 5 of 5 stars View all my reviews

Death at a Highland Wedding by Kelley Armstrong My rating: 4 of 5 stars View all my reviews

Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry My rating: 4 of 5 stars View all my reviews

The Tomb of Dragons by Katherine Addison My rating: 4 of 5 stars View all my reviews

Mrs. Porter Calling by A.J. Pearce My rating: 5 of 5 stars View all my reviews

It Takes a Psychic by Jayne Castle My rating: 4 of 5 stars View all my reviews

Nemesis by Gregg Hurwitz My rating: 5 of 5 stars View all my reviews

Nobody’s Fool by Harlan Coben My rating: 4 of 5 stars View all my reviews

Ellen Found by Carla Kelly My rating: 4 of 5 stars View all my reviews

Who Will Remember by C.S. Harris My rating: 4 of 5 stars View all my reviews

Katie’s babbling finally wound down and she fell asleep on Sophia’s lap, and Martha picked the toddler up and put her in her cot. Sophia stood and stretched legs gone numb, then went out to their mules to fetch what she’d brought for her hostess. “Well, I declare,” Martha said, turning the china teacup decorated with blue flowers over in her hands. “I brought one for Katie, too, for you ladies to use when she’s older. Sometimes it is nice to have something pretty and special that is just for mothers and daughters.” Martha blinked rapidly, then cleared her throat. “You are a thoughtful lady, Mrs. Burrell. I will keep these cups for me and Katie, and when we use them, we’ll think of you.” --The Bride and the Buccaneer     (Winner, First Coast Romance Writers Beacon Award) Here's to all the mothers who have tea parties with their sons and daughters and who get to celebrate their special day today. I still haven't received the diamond tiara I earned for all those years of wiping...

Kills Well with Others by Deanna Raybourn My rating: 5 of 5 stars View all my reviews

Chaos by Constance Fay My rating: 5 of 5 stars View all my reviews

Fiasco by Constance Fay My rating: 5 of 5 stars View all my reviews

The Triumph of Life: A Narrative Theology of Judaism by Irving (Yitz) Greenberg My rating: 5 of 5 stars View all my reviews

Pro Bono by Thomas Perry My rating: 5 of 5 stars View all my reviews

The Big Empty by Robert Crais My rating: 4 of 5 stars View all my reviews

I'm excited about my panels for this year's Boskone 62 , New England's oldest and finest Science Fiction and Fantasy convention. I'll be sharing the dais with old friends and with some of my favorite authors and I expect discussions will be lively. As always, life can happen, especially during winter blizzard season. I've been snowed in and had flights canceled, not to mention the year I had to rush home for a family medical emergency (which ended well--whew!) But as of today, this is my current schedule: History is Dangerous Sat 2:30 PM Description: Digging into the past can reveal truths better left undisturbed unless you're a mystery writer. How can the past reveal clues? What dangers lie beneath the surface of the known? And how can a good mystery leave us guessing who really done it? Panelists: Darlene Marshall  moderator Ian Randal Strock  Steven H Silver  Melissa Caruso Badass Woman Characters and Keeping them Off the Mary Sue Scale Sun 11:30 AM Descript...

Night Owls by A.R. Vishny My rating: 5 of 5 stars View all my reviews

Remember When: Clarissa's Story by Mary Balogh My rating: 5 of 5 stars View all my reviews

Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea by Rita Chang-Eppig My rating: 4 of 5 stars View all my reviews

Portrait of an Unknown Woman by Daniel Silva My rating: 5 of 5 stars View all my reviews

The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter My rating: 5 of 5 stars View all my reviews

Alibi by Sharon Shinn My rating: 4 of 5 stars View all my reviews