At last, I was here I stared at his monument in awe, flushed and a little woozy, thinking about how much this long-haired, leather-clad icon has meant to me over the years. The makeshift gate at Père Lachaise Cemetery wouldn't let me get any nearer than 20 or so feet. At last I was here and yet this was the closest I'd ever get to him. It was a bittersweet moment that … [Read more...]
On the Nose – Romance Novel Pet Peeves
In the last two romances I read, the "hero" kisses the girl on the nose. It was something that pulled me right out of the romance, and suspended my belief in the story and the author. I just can't see a man kissing anything but a baby, child or puppy on the nose-- certainly not a lover. For those who enjoy romance novels, what's your pet peeve, if any? On the nose “on-the-nose" is a … [Read more...]
Mom Loves Baseball… and Victor Martinez
A True Fan My ninety-one year old mother, Thelma, is a spunky, lifelong baseball fan. Thelma grew up in Cleveland, and was in the stadium, cheering wildly, when the Indians won the world series in 1948. At one time, she could rattle off all the ball players’ stats, who was traded where and when, if they were married, where they lived, and probably even give you the names of their … [Read more...]
The Dickens of Detroit, Elmore Leonard
Detroit’s own Elmore Leonard is quoted as saying “There are cities that get by on their good looks. Detroit has to work for a living.” He was born in New Orleans but moved to Detroit as a boy, and he’s hung around since, often using the setting for stories, or featuring Detroit characters in his stories. He was dubbed the Dickens of Detroit . He passed away this morning at 7:15, … [Read more...]
Victorian Pop Fiction Writer Maria Corelli
Marie Corelli's 1886 novel Thelma, a Norwegian Princess resulted in a flood of baby girls named Thelma, a name she apparently created. One of those babies was my own mother, born in 1921. My grandmother had told my mother she was named after a book, or a character in a book, that she loved. Curiosity piqued, I began to research books with that title, and learned about an amazing writer. Mocked … [Read more...]