Happy Trails Until We Meet Again

The weather on the day of Daddy's funeral was perfect up in the high desert. Cool, breezy, blue, blue sky and cotton ball clouds. We were blessed because the weather "over the grade" can be unpredictable as we'd found out many times in the years my parents lived up there.

The memorial started off with two representatives from the Navy. One played Taps on the bugle. Then they both folded the flag and presented it to my older sister, Mary. When I heard the words "from a grateful nation," I cried. He and so many other veterans...we are so grateful for the sacrifices they made.

When Daddy came with us years ago to plan his memorial, we'd agreed we wanted live music. We'd had a wonderful singer at Mama's funeral 19 years ago and it was something we always talked about. The mortuary director (I'm not sure what his position is called, so forgive me if I said it wrong) said there isn't much of a call for live music these days. Also, we were having a graveside service so that made it more difficult. We requested that the musician play the three songs sung at Mama's funeral--The Old Rugged Cross, How Great Thou Art and Amazing Grace. The only person the director knew was a local guitarist whom he said had a beautiful voice. Well, the guy came with his guitar and a small amp and beautiful voice doesn't even come close to it. He was so good and inspired us so much that we ended up singing with him as he sung Daddy to Glory. My cousin, Jimmie Lee Webb, preached Daddy's funeral sermon and many of us stood up and talked about Daddy. We ended the funeral with the song I'll Fly Away. By that time we were all singing loud and clapping. I hope Daddy, Mama and Uncle Jimmie (Jimmie Lee's dad and my mother's youngest brother) could look down from heaven and see us. It was like an old-fashioned revival singing. The only thing that was missing was the potluck "dinner on the grounds."

So, life goes on. I have good days and bad days. It's the same for Allen and my sisters. You all know what it's like to lose someone you love. That old cliche "the new normal" is the reality. My deepest gratitude to all of you who have written me. I've received over five hundred emails and I've read every one of them. Your words of wisdom and support have been so helpful and healing. I am overwhelmed by your kindness and compassion. Thank you.

On a lighter note, my editor and I have finally settled on the title for my new book (sequel to The Saddlemaker's Wife)--The Road to Cardinal Valley. Once you read the book, you'll see why it is a very apt title. The road Ruby McGavin drives into Cardinal on is both physical and emotional.

So, I called this post Happy Trails Until We Meet Again. I meant it to refer to Daddy, but it also can apply to you all. I have a few speaking engagements this year despite not having a new book out (except the paperback for Spider Web which comes out in May). So, check out the appearances section of my website and see if I near you! And until then...Happiest of Trails to all of us!

Earlene

Long Day's Journey into Light!

Dear Friends,

I know many of you have followed my journey with my father and his dementia through my blog posts. So I wanted to share with you that my father, Earl Worley, passed away yesterday of congestive heart failure. He was taken into emergency on January 31 and we were in the emergency room for ten hours. When we finally got a room, we were blessed to not have a room mate. God knew what He was doing because it was a long, hard night. My dad struggled with the spiritual desire to leave this earth and be with the Lord and his physical desire to stay on this earth. He truly fought the good fight. During the night there were moments of clarity where he said things that showed us the man he'd been before the dementia stole him. As we always knew, he was still there deep inside. My older sister, Mary, and I were given the gift of being able to help him through that struggle. He was never alone during that long night, one of us was always at his side holding his hand, rubbing his feet, quoting Scripture, talking about Mama, telling him it was okay to go. He would take the oxygen that was keeping him alive, then push it away in anger. Daddy was tough, a real fighter and he fought until the very end.

He seemed to rally when morning arrived and my sister and I decided it was going to be another long haul. So we divided the time with Mary taking days and me taking nights. I left about 9:30 am to go home and shower, change clothes, rest a bit, come back in the evening and spend the night. But at around 2:15 pm on Feb 1st, Daddy said "enough." Mary was with him when he died, holding his hand, telling him it was okay to leave. It took me twenty minutes to get back to the hospital, but the long day's journey had ended for my dad and he had walked into the Light. I believe with all my heart the first person he saw was Jesus and the second was my mom, whom he loved and missed for the last 19 years.

It was an honor to be able to share his last night on earth. I thank the Lord for that. He will have a military funeral because he was very proud of serving in the Navy. Godspeed and Happy Trails, Daddy. I will see you and Mama and both grandmas again someday. I want my first meal in heaven to be Grandma Webb's peach cobbler and Grandma Worley's fudge.

Thanks to all of you who have read my blogs, supported me, prayed for me and encouraged me.

Love, Earlene

Just Working

I titled my blog with those simple words because that's what I've been doing! The sequel to The Saddlemaker's Wife is my next book and I'm this close to finishing. It was originally due January 1st (what was I thinking when I signed that contract?) and it was obvious a few months ago I wouldn't make that deadline. I asked my publisher for a month's extension, so now it's due February 1st. So, between getting ready for Christmas and just the general hassle of day-t0-day life, I've been working on this book. I will make my deadline, but barely. The end is in sight, kind of like the Rocky Mountains when you are driving across the eastern Colorado prairie!

There's no title yet so I call it "The Sequel." I was using The Cattle Singer, but my publisher didn't like the title so, after a few other suggestions that we couldn't agree on, we mutually decided to wait until the manuscript was finished before settling on a title. It's weird to be working on an untitled book. That never happens with Benni Harper books, of course. That's one of the beauties of naming your books after quilts--easy titles! No idea when "The Sequel" is coming out, but likely in 2012. As soon as I find out, I'll announce it on the website, on Facebook and send another blog entry. I am having fun with Facebook. I'm on it for five or ten minutes a day, so it's not as time-consuming as I'd anticipated. If you haven't made the "jump" yet, don't be afraid. You can control the time (and amount of information) you put on it. And I've met some great people on my author page. I ask a lot of silly questions (like who is your celebrity crush--mine is Harry Connick Jr.). It's fun to see how people answer.

Not much else is going on here. Life is pretty day-to-day. Daddy is doing great physically though mentally he loses a little more every day. The unpredictability of dementia is often heartbreaking, but also interesting (the writer in me, I guess). He hasn't known my and my older sister's names for a while (though we see him every week), but he does know Mary Edith as "his daughter" and I'm "her sister." (As in, "Is your sister going to visit me this week?") You can see him struggle to figure things out and I think that is exhausting. Christmas is hard for him. All the strange, new things (like decorations) and people. He likes things to stay exactly the same. That's what makes him feel safe. We're doing our best to achieve that for him.

Allen and Boo are doing great. We're having a quiet Christmas since my sister's kids (and their little ones) are all elsewhere. Only adults this year for Christmas dinner. Just isn't the same without hyper-excited kids running around, but better for Daddy. Mary Edith is making my mom's potato salad (to go with honeybaked ham) and I'm making a carrot cake--her and Allen's favorite. I bought her and her husband a cross made of driftwood for their new pool area (under construction), but don't tell her!

Today is Hanukkah, so I wish all my Jewish friends a Happy Hanukkah. And may God bless you with a peaceful Christmas and a healthy, safe New Year. I pray that 2012 is a year filled with wisdom, friendship and hope for you all.

With my love and gratitude, Earlene

Stumbling Toward Fall

I cannot believe it was July 22 the last time I wrote! I'm beginning to sound like my grandmother when I can't help but repeatedly say, "Where did all that time go?"

It felt like I was glued to the television weather channels this summer watching all the crazy storms and earthquakes everywhere in the world. We just went through a weird cycle ourselves here in SoCal (though nothing dangerous like much of the rest of the country). It was very, very hot--in the 100's even at the coast, which is odd for us. This last Saturday I woke to thunder and lightning and a downpour! Then it was as muggy as the Florida Keys. The thunder threw Boo for a loop. We have gotten it occasionally in the seven years we've owned him, but it's never bothered him since it was usually so far away. Our rare thunder sounds very much like the fireworks at Disneyland (ten miles from us) so he was used to the sound. But this thunder shook our windows and he'd run up to the door barking thinking someone was trying to get in.

My heart goes out to the parts of our country who really suffered with weather catastrophes this summer. Here's hoping and praying that autumn will be filled with good, cool, DRY weather (except in Texas where they desperately need rain) and no more earthquakes or hurricanes.

I've been stumbling toward finishing this latest book--The Cattle Singer. I'm still not entirely sure that will be the title. I might even change it to The Cattle Singers as there are actually two people in the book who fit the description of those people who can sing to herds of cattle and keep them calm. I've been reading and watching all the crazy stuff going on in publishing, including the closing of Borders. I was published in 1992 so I've been in this business during a very unique time. We're watching a paradigm shift and it's both interesting and somewhat dismaying. Will "real" books survive? Will mid-list writers like me have a career in this business? Will they really stop teaching cursive writing in school?

This will not change. People will tell stories. And people will want to hear stories. How that happens is anyone's guess, but stories will continue as long as people are on this earth.

I asked recently on my Facebook page what books people loved that they liked to reread. I gave a few of mine (Cakewalk by Lee Smith; The Novel by James Michener; In Country by Bobbie Ann Mason; During the Reign of the Queen of Persia by Joan Chase...I could go on for pages). What people posted gladdened my heart because people had so many and varied books they loved enough to reread. For a writer, that is the ultimate compliment...not that someone would read your book (though we do love that), but that someone finds it worthy enough to reread. When you do that you are giving the writer your most precious commodity--Time. So, thank you to all who've reread my books. And thanks to the writers who've written the books I love to reread.

Onward to Fall--hot cocoa, chili with cheddar cheese, chicken pot pie, peach cobbler and good books to read on a crisp, cool day. Yeehaw Autumn!

Happy Trails, Earlene

It's Summertime and the weather is Crazy!

Hey everyone!

Wow is all I can say about the heat all of you in 35 states are experiencing this summer. My coolest sympathy! If I could, I'd have you all come out and stay in my guest room. We've been lucky so far here in SoCal (as the weather people on TV call us). No heat wave so far, but I have a feeling we're not out of the woods. Our time is coming (usually in September along with the wild fires).

It's been the end of May since I last wrote. I looked at the calendar today and realized that July was on its way to being over! Honestly, I haven't been just laying around eating grapes and reading (doesn't that sound lovely? though I'd make it chocolate-dipped grapes) After spending most of May and some of June promoting Spider Web, I had to get ready for vacation. Normally, Allen and I take winter vacations. We like not having to make hotel reservations, the cooler weather (different for us and I occasionally get to wear my red and brown wool Pendleton jacket I bought at the Seattle Airport in 1995) and we like saving his vacations for the end of the year to give us something to look forward to. Also, since 1994 I've always been on book tour during late spring and early summer.

But, this year was special. In June, I finally kept my promise to long time fan and friend, Sally Parker, in Burlington, Colorado, and drove out to visit her. She's a rancher who came to one of my Denver signings years ago (her daughter, Robbie, was about 7 or 8 when they made the long drive from Idalia to Denver...Robbie is now a sophomore in college). Sally and I started corresponding and after many invitations, I decided to visit her in Eastern Colorado. Had a wonderful time seeing how ranchers and work in eastern Colorado live. I spoke and signed at the Wray Quilt Festival, did a presentation at the Burlington Library, rode the Burlington Carousel (twice!), worked some cattle, saw all the family's ranches, and spent a lot of time laughing with Sally and Brett and their kids, Robbie and Reed. We drove home through Amarillo and caught a little of that heat that you all are feeling. Then when I got home, had to ready my house for new carpeting and flooring that we ordered before we left. It was put in last week and now my baby sister from Connecticut is coming for ten days! (It's Debra's 30th anniversary and I'm actually taking charge of her 15 year old youngest daughter while Debra and hubby go on 2nd honeymoon).

Once that's done, yes, I'll finally get back to writing on The Cattle Singer! That January deadline looms. Though I love all the visiting and traveling, I'm kind of like my dog, Boo. I miss having a regular schedule and I miss writing. I've left Lucas in a precarious scene and I need to get back and see what will happen! This book is very clear in my head. I have been doing a lot of background reading, which is fun research. I recently read a biography of Tammy Wynette (yes, it's kind of research, you'll see why when you read the book). Her life was interesting and troubling. And, there's a bit of a mystery about how she died which made her life particularly tragic. I've not been reading much fiction this last month, mostly non-fiction. I tend to go in phases. Right now I'm reading a book called "The Ride of our Lives" by Mike Leonard. He took his kids and his elderly parents on a cross country trip in two RV's. It's funny and easy to read. And I happened to buy it in big print...which I love!

So, I'm fine, Allen's fine and Boo is fine (skin problems finally resolved--it was food allergies to corn and wheat). Daddy is holding steady. We'll all go visit him when my sister is here, but he doesn't know any of us so we don't bring him to family dinners any more. We've discovered they agitate him because he thinks he's in a group of strangers. All he can think about is "going home." I've often wondered what is "home" in his head. With dementia, you just never know.

One last thing: Crowdsourcing. It's a new word (told to me by my agent) and it means asking a crowd, usually digital, for help with a problem. I received notice from my publisher that the corrections for Spider Web paperback edition need to be in by September 15th. So, if any of you are so inclined, please send me any mistakes you found so the paperback can be as close to perfect as possible! Thanks so much!

Drink lots of liquids, stay in the shade (reading a good book!) and remember that during heat extreme times like these, ice cream is considered a Necessary Food Group! Autumn is just around the corner.

Happy and (Hopefully) Cooler Trails, Earlene

On the Road Again (and again and again...)

Well, I've not been on the road as much with this book. As I said in earlier posts, my publisher didn't pay for a book tour this year so I've been only doing booksignings in California and Arizona. I will be doing a few signings in Colorado in June. I'm visiting my dear friends, Sally and Brett, at their ranch in Idalia, Colorado. That's why I'll be speaking and signing at the Quilts of the Plains Quilt Show in Wray, Colorado and speaking at the Burlington Colorado library. Check out the dates and times on my website under appearances. Years ago, Sally and her daughter, Robbie, drove hundreds of miles to come to one of my Denver signings. I think Robbie was seven or so. Robbie is now in college! Watching the children of my fans grow up has been such a wonderful, fun thing for me. Drop by if you happen to be near Eastern Colorado in June.

Signings have been a lot of fun, as they always are with you all. On my Facebook page we've been posting the photographs fans are taking. It's under Spider Web Booksignings 2011. I have to admit this about Facebook...it's a lot easier to get things up than on a website. If you join Facebook, you can keep all your information private, but still have access to looking at other people's pages (my fan page is open to anyone...my personal page you just have to "friend" me--but most of what I'm doing is on the fan page). So, don't be afraid to try. I was reluctant, but now am okay with it.

But I'll not desert you here on my website! I know that everyone doesn't have the time or inclination to go on Facebook. Shoot, I still send out snail mail postcards (though only to the places where I'm physically going to sign--too expensive now to send to everyone on my list).

Not much going on here in SoCal. Spring is here (and pollen, pollen everywhere). Everyone in the Fowler household, including Boo, is taking antihistamines. I've been watching with dismay and shock at what tornadoes have been doing to Alabama, Missouri and the rest of the South and Midwest. Here's hoping and praying the worst is over.

I'm working on The Cattle Singer. It's been great reconnecting with these characters, and I'll admit, since it's not a mystery novel, I'm so glad I don't have to kill anyone! Other than that, life goes on. Daddy's relatively stable. I visit him once a week and though he doesn't always know me, he says he's happy. We love the place where he is living.

Hope you all are doing fine. Have a great Memorial Day weekend and take a few moments out of your weekend to remember our veterans--past and present--and if you get a chance, thank them for their service. God bless America!

Happy Trails, Earlene

p.s. Will get the photos for new contest up this weekend, I promise! I have to take them, then send them to Tina. I just need to get organized...:)

Speaking of Spider Web

It was great seeing a lot of you out at Bears Quilt Shop on Sunday for the launch of Spider Web. I'm looking forward over the next month or so of seeing more Benni Harper fans as I sign around California and Arizona. For those of you who can't make it to one of my talks, I thought I'd tell a little about Spider Web here. I wish I could do a ten-week cross-country book tour, but this will have to do (actually a book tour like that would likely make me crazy!)

It's hard for me to talk about Spider Web in great detail because the things I want to discuss would give away too much of the story! So, I'm trying to choose my words and subjects carefully. With this book--the fifteenth in my series--I chose the title before I had a story. (I've done it both ways--have a story, then chose the title and vice-versa). I liked the way Spider Web sounded and I just had a hunch it would be an easy title to fit a story around.

Of course, when I sat down in front of that blank (computer) page, I thought, okay, what in the world is this story going to be about? In a long running series like mine, it starts to become difficult to write a book that doesn't sound exactly like the last one. With plot-oriented series (or series where the mood is lighter, that is, the author really isn't concerned about their characters growing or seeming real) the writer depends on the mechanics of the plot or a clever way of killing someone to carry the story. Since my books have always been character-driven rather than plot-driven, that just doesn't work for me. I also didn't want my characters to have the same old problems throughout the series. Seriously, how many times can Benni and Gabe fight about her getting involved in dangerous situations? Though a reader's willing "suspension of disbelief," is practically a genre requirement, I do want my characters to seem like believable people. So, I've attempted to move them forward and change their problems.

In State Fair I deliberately wrote it so that Benni and Gabe weren't arguing. I did it just to give them some relief! (Some of you didn't like that--you like their arguing!) In Spider Web, they aren't arguing, but there is tension because of outside stress that sets off Gabe's PTSD. When my father had his fall a few years ago and was in the hospital, some medication they gave caused him to have terrifying hallucinations. Some of his experiences with WWII came to the surface (as well as the time his father, an alcoholic, locked him in a dark root cellar). That started me thinking about PTSD, how it never truly goes away no matter how many years pass, no matter how much a person seems to have their life together. And it can be the smallest thing that sets it off. So I started studying PTSD. Then I started thinking about Gabe and what would set off PTSD for him. At the time, a local city here in California had their police being targeted by an unknown assailant (with bombs). I thought about how devastated Gabe would be if his officers were being stalked. That's how plots start for me. Something touches me and I start researching it and before I know it, it works its way into a book.

So, that's just a small part of what I go into when I talk about the writing of Spider Web. I'll try to tell a little bit more about how I write my books as I continue these blogs throughout the year for people who aren't able to come to my signings.

Thanks so much to all of you who are buying and reading Spider Web. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me on my website or find me on Facebook. I'll answer the questions there and also on this blog. Facebook has ended up not being as time-consuming as I worried it would be (though it is tempting to stay on there and chat! It's like the big ole church potlucks I remember as a kid). Just one more way to communicate. Not a bad thing.

I gotta get back to work now. Take care and Happy Trails until we meet again,

Earlene