I finished the short story! I’m hoping, hoping, hoping that means the long writer’s block is ending. The story is close to six thousand words and has two (count ‘em) clever clues embedded in it. It’s not my best writing, but it’s a good story and I’m all cock-a-hoop over it. It’s for the third volume of an anthology called Cooked to Death, pub date not set as yet. My story is called “Joyous Death.” A connection I made with the Hennepin County Medical Examiner worked out really well, he was extremely helpful and I’d like to consult with him again.

I’m going to Florida! I have a niece living near Fort Myers who has been asking me to visit, and I’ve wanted to, but several things have held me back – and finally her husband cut through my worries and simply bought me a plane ticket. So I don’t have to drive alone in an aging car trying to work in a minor detour to visit my sister in Terre Haute. Just go to the airport and fly down for a week. And not bring back the antique chair she picked up for me; will do that another time. See? Just cut down to the basics and it gets simple. You know, that might make a great title for another short mystery: “Getting Back to Basics.”   Hmmmm . . .