I’m (still) a few mangos short of a chutney.

I’m not sure how other writers are doing, but I expected to be churning out (obviously brilliant) new prose by the novel-full as we shelter from the pandemic. Somehow that’s not what’s happening, for a variety of reasons.

• First, I have to admit I’m losing my marbles, or at least my mangos. No seriously. I purchased fresh mangos at budget-busting sums, but when I went to use them, they had disappeared. I looked everywhere, and accused my roommates (Hub and canine) of mango-nabbing. Two days later, the Hub found them in the cleaning cabinet under the laundry room sink. Since there is absolutely zero chance that either of my roomies left them there—one is thumb-deprived and one is mystified by my incessant cleaning of things like the toilet which will only need to be cleaned again—I can only conclude I’m the culprit.
• Second, in a weak moment we can only blame on complete loss of all our mangos, we moved to Italy for the year. Well, the Hub’s job took him here, and the dog and I tagged along because of hmm… My lifelong dream of spending eight months stuck inside a house looking out at Italy? When said house is just outside any takeout delivery range? Vaccination fails? Discussions including the phrase, “I’ll sprinkle your covid-ashes where the dog goes every morning!” Cheap, excellent local wine, gelato, and coffee? Hell, yeah! 
• Third, and most of all…well… I just don’t feel like writing. None of my very needy works in progress seem to want to move forward. In fact, I started an entirely new one and now that’s stalled too. Instead, I now spend my days washing facemasks, ZOOM chatting with friends and family, and looking for my mangos.

BUT although I’m still waiting to get my mojo—or at least my mangos—back, I did publish my new book, Please Don’t Ask For Extra Glasses.

Reviewers say:

“…this book is a total winner…  but, most of all, it’s funny. And I mean funny.”—Terry Tyler, Best-selling author of Project Renova series

“Interesting, enjoyable and entertaining” —Cathy Ryan for Between The Lines Book Reviews

“A fabulous book for all who love to travel” —Georgia Rose, Author of The Grayson Trilogy

“…a rollicking tale of friendship, fun, travel to India adventure and misadventure”—Beth Kennedy, I didn’t have my glasses on…

“…my favorite quote in the book is this: “Play it like a champion … unless that kid’s cellphone video goes viral …” All I can say is that I hope it does.” –Andrew Joyce, author of several books including REDEMPTION

Book trailer:

What Should I pack for travel in India?

Here’s what I like to have with me.

• Bottled water
• Electric kettle
• Instant coffee. (Starbucks Via® sachets make good emergency hostess gifts. Or they would if I could spare them. Self-preservation hoarding—I’m pretty sure it’s a thing.)
• The really big box of Costco granola bars
• Industrial strength chocolate. And maybe emergency backup chocolate. No sense in taking chances.
• Ominously large supplies of Imodium
• Mosquito repellent
• Power banks and adaptors, chargers, cables, and well…all the electronica.
• Laundry soap and a bungee cord for rigging a clothes line. Washing clothes in India is easy because laundry dries so quickly. And there was only that one time the monkeys stole it…
• A hat
• Band-aids. Or if you speak British, plasters and a stiff upper lip, gin, and tonic. (don’t worry if there’s no room for the tonic. You can always brush your teeth in the gin.)
• If you have any room left, you can stuff a few changes of underwear into one of those little pockets on the outside of your suitcase. But not if it’s a choice between that and the chocolate or the Imodium, obviously.

 

 

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