MARGARET DILLOWAY

As the planes began to appear, I thought of my mother, her ashes right across the road, wondering which of these types of planes had been strafing her. If you read my book, you’ll recall that scene, based on an incident my mother related to me: the American pilots strafing her and laughing.

I know, those words, “I saw it in Martha Stewart and I thought I could make it!” have precluded MANY a culinary disaster, but I’m not one who learns my lessons easily, I suppose.

I’ve been working on my new novel for a couple months now (working title: The Rose of Galilee).  It’s about a reclusive amateur rose breeder who has nearly perfected a new breed of rose, until the arrival of her wayward niece throws her world into turmoil. I have always loved roses.  Back when we owned…

Last weekend was the American Library Association’s mid-winter conference. Since I’m here in San Diego now, it was no problem to shoot down to the convention center, where Penguin had three boxes of books waiting for me to sign. I even met a lady who had interviewed me for the Underground Literary Society. I’d never…

I saw this mushroom house over on Frugal Family Fun, a blog filled with creative and doable projects for young kids, and immediately bought a tub of oatmeal. I wanted to make the house immediately but it took me about two months to eat it all because I’m the only one who eats oatmeal, and…

“They make you look like a cheap woman!” my youngest said with a big grin.

The lady who used to live in this house subscribed to a few catalogs. By a few, I mean dozens. The postal carrier arrived laden with catalogs bundled together with a thick rubber band, too big to put into the mailbox, every day during December. Most were of no use to us, but they’re fun…

Elyse and I decided to do an occasional mother-daughter vlog. We didn’t have a set theme, so we chatted about whatever came to mind.