Back home in Vermont from Ireland

We’re home after almost a month in Ireland. We’re back to weeds in the gardens, fuzzy stuff in the fridge and gorgeous New England fall weather and foliage. We stacked a cord of wood delivered on Saturday and have a visit in the works with my mother. And I had a great chat with my fabulous agent on Monday.

Hard to believe last week we were hiking the Irish hills!

Tomorrow (September 30) is the final day to enter my Sharpe & Donovan 10th Anniversary Giveaway. In addition to signed copies of the entire Sharpe & Donovan series, one lucky winner will receive Irish beeswax cand… Read More

Running, Writing and June Book Deals

May was a whirlwind and now it’s mid-June. Almost summer! It’s a great time to be on our hilltop in Vermont. I just chased a woodchuck out of the rose garden and watched a hummingbird flutter among the flowers. I was on a quick break from writing.

Yes, I’m writing!

I know it’s been longer than usual between book releases, and I appreciate the notes from readers wanting more books. It’s happening! I’ve been in “deep work” mode, as well as spending quality time with my ailing mother and my young grandchildren.

And training for my two half-marath… Read More

Wanderlust…Scotland!

A few images of Scotland’s Isle of Skye last June. What great memories! Like a lot of people right now, I have wanderlust but I’m staying close to home. It’s fun to dream about another trip to a beautiful part of the world, when the time is right. … Read More

“Traveling the World with Mom”

“On Tuesday, we flew over the Great Pyramid…”

Wouldn’t that be something to do even if we didn’t have travel restrictions? A.L. Renna’s delightful children’s book Traveling the World with Mom shows us how it can happen, with a little imagination and our local library.

Growing up in small-town New England, I loved my visits to my local library. The library in my Swift River Valley series, set in small-town New England, is modeled after my hometown library, with a touch of other libraries I’ve enjoyed. Nooks and crannies, history, perso… Read More

Daffodils…need I say more? :-)

Our daffodils are poking up out of the mud, a sign of spring on our Vermont hill. I’ll post photos once they’re in bloom. In the meantime, I gathered these photos of daffodils in the Cotswolds (top, near where I placed Oliver York’s fictional country home!), the Netherlands (middle) and Ireland (bottom). They make me smile and I hope they will you, todao, as we go forward into the rebirth of spring. Take care!

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An Irish castle walled garden in spring

It might be mud season on our Vermont hilltop but elsewhere spring flowers are in bloom. Like so many of us, I’m an armchair traveler at the moment, but a few years ago we arrived in Ireland early on an April morning and wandered in a walled castle garden filled with spring flowers. It was snowing in Vermont when we took these photos. It snowed here last week, too. Hm. Enjoy!

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Irish walks

With gyms and just about everything closed, many of us are tying on our walking shoes and heading outside for a wander. I love to walk, whether at home in New England or on our travels. I’ve come up with countless scenes and descriptions for my books while I’m off in the Irish hills. Here are photos of some of my favorite trails. I find them inspiring and soothing during this challenging time, and I hope you do, too.

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Welcome, Spring!

Spring is here. It’s a welcome time of renewal, rebirth and new beginnings…and green grass and flowers. We had snow last week and more snow on the way this week, but I see signs of spring everyone here on our Vermont hilltop. I love these photos we took last spring in Scotland (Edinburgh and Isle of Skye). I hope you enjoy them. 

Take care, everyone!

Carla… Read More

Happy Valentine’s Day

Happy Valentine’s Day! Chocolates, jewelry, a candlelit dinner…I love them all, but I have a special place in my heart for flowers. We were in Edinburgh in late May/early June, in time for the famous blue poppies at the Royal Botanic Garden. They’re popular, and for good reason!

The gardens are also well-know for their rhododendrons, many still in bloom when we were there.

Maybe I’m drawn to flowers on Valentine’s Day because I’m usually on our snowy hilltop in Vermont! It’s beautiful, but I do love the colors of Valentine’s Day, whether o… Read More

Merry Christmas from Vermont!

Christmas is fast approaching. Lively, busy days for so many of us!

We just bought our Vermont-grown tree and plan to decorate it on Sunday. Off to Christmas afternoon tea tomorrow at the Inn on Boltwood in Amherst, MA, an annual event with my mother, my youngest sister (I have three sisters!), my daughter and my two young granddaughters.

Be sure to take a moment to enter my holiday contest. (US only). I chose the calendar on a recent trip to Ireland. It features watercolor illustrations of Irish hedgerows and farmland. Aren’t they beautiful?

The winner will also receive signed hardcove… Read More