End of Summer – 2021

Today is going to be stinking hot. It’s the last day of Hot, though, as in Colorado, autumnal coolness starts to blow in right about now.

The thing about Colorado is, most of us, if not all, like to sleep with the windows open! Which means no air conditioner. And we like to sleep cool, so when the nights don’t dip down into the 50’s, it can get pretty miserable. It’s a strange combination, no?

Today I’m going to the coffee shop because I can’t stand even one more day of heat. I’m going to be beta reading for B.a. Tortuga and answering some emails from nice folks who emailed me about Ranch Hand! I love those kind of emails. 💖

Bill and Jeanne (the older couple I grocery shop for) are expecting guests (daughter and SIL) so yesterday they were in a flutter about having enough food. They should have enough food now – and it was hard to explain to them that when Sue and George arrive on Sunday they too could go shopping for food!

But you know, Bill and Jeanne are so sweet when they ask for help, I cannot deny them. Besides, when I was young and in need of a refuge, I was at their house ALL THE TIME. I cannot overemphasize this! I’ve even had a chance to tell Bill and Jeanne, both, about how much this has meant to me all these years.

I think a lot of my writing stems from this idea, that you look after someone who is no blood relation to you, you feed them, house them, clothe them, give them a sense of safety and structure – and you have no idea how it affects them because that is just how YOU are. As you can imagine, my books are full of rescuers and those who are rescued. One MC will be the strong, reliable, slightly grumpy one, and the other is, in truth, an orphan.

Orphans come in all shapes sizes and ages. An orphan isn’t just someone without a mother and a father – you can have both of those and still not have a home. An orphan can be a kid living on the streets, or trans or gay youth whose family has disowned them, and so even if they have a roof over their heads, they are still disenfranchised and alone.

An orphan can be someone who lives on the end of a mental jungle and who is one step away from throwing it all in and just going to lay in a ditch somewhere. An orphan can be someone who is so hungry for love they will trade the last bit of themselves to get it.

As an author, we are always told to write what you love and I guess maybe I’m just going to give in and write about orphans….orphans of the soul, of the heart. And I’m going to make very sure that they are rescued by someone who will love them in all the best ways, the ways that they need most.