I love the chance to get to explore fun settings in my fiction.  That’s one of the reasons OUT OF TEMPER: Bean to Bar Mysteries Book 3 is set Aboard a cruise ship.  The ship in my fictional cruise line is sailing out of Galveston, from the terminal just down the street from where I placed Felicity’s shop.  In the book, she’s still active in her role as chocolate maker: this time she’s been asked to do demos of her work aboard the ship. I’ve been on a number of cruises, even done enrichment lectures aboard ships myself.  And there are so many things that make me want to go back.  Here’s my top 10. 10–Eggs Benedict.  Because I’m not going to get up early enough to make Hollandaise for myself at home. I’ve found Eggs Benedict on the breakfast menu of every ship I’ve been on. (Though I’ve by no means been on all cruise lines, so your mileage may vary.)  The fictional cruise line in my book offers a Texas-themed menu, so Felicity gets Chicken Fried Steak Benedict. 9–Shore excursions!  You never know where you will be able to go. (Bonus: It is always warm in the Caribbean.)…

People change.  It’s one of the oldest adages in the book.  And yet, there’s a deeper truth: people RESIST change, even change they ought to embrace (because often change equals opportunity). For example, we moved in December 2020, because the company my husband works for relocated to a different part of North Texas.  I did not want to move, and the re-location was close enough that – in theory – we could have stayed where we were, and Jake would have just had a longer commute.  Much longer, but still doable, especially since he was partly working from home.  So much had already changed during the pandemic.  I had started teaching my continuing education writing classes from home.  I’d even had to have a virtual book launch party. But by wholesale saying no more change, I was missing out on an opportunity.  Jake and I were living in a one-bedroom apartment, which had worked until suddenly we were both working from home – with different work styles.  I have to have noise on in the background.  Jake needs quiet to focus.  We needed a change – just to function.  Once we committed to the move, we found a place that…