Writing advice from a balky mule and a train derailment
Readers often connect with me over the deep point of view style of the Detective Emilia Cruz...
I think of you
This week, the Rome Arts Hall of Fame from my hometown sent out their annual call for nominations...
2023 in Review: Highs, Lows and Turning Points
How did your 2023 go? Mine went something like this. High I won the 2023 Silver Falchion award for...
Why Keepsake Journals Are on Everyone’s Wishlist
Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart. - William Wordsworth The Monocle Minute...
Life Lessons from a Christmas Nutcracker
When I was 11, I made a nutcracker for my mother for Christmas. As a child, I was entranced by...
Shepherd is a better Goodreads with a unique recommendation feature
It's time to celebrate! Shepherd.com is your new go-to book recommendation wonderland....
The Inspired Gift Guide for Mystery Book Lovers
When it comes to online shopping, it can be hard to find that unique something special for someone...
What you can expect from Organized Crime in Acapulco after Hurricane Otis
With winds of up to 165 mph, Category 5 Hurricane Otis tore through Acapulco in late October,...
Sound of Freedom movie producer wants to be president of Mexico
I guess he won't have time to star in the film adaptation of my book. Eduardo Verástegui, the...
The Galliano Club’s signature Italian Sandwiches
Readers of the Galliano Club historical fiction series have fallen in love with the Italian...
Winning an Award, Losing My Mother
Murder at the Galliano Club, the first novel in the Galliano Club historical fiction thriller...
A Different Point of View
She Said, He Said A CLIFF DIVER scene from Franco Silvio’s Point of View The Detective Emilia Cruz...
Sound of Freedom Movie Delivers One Surprise after Another
I saw Sound of Freedom on the 4th of July, grabbing the last seat for the first showing. I knew...
Anisette, Biscotti and an Italian Family Memory
Today is Anisette Day. Having missed Limoncello Day, which was 22 June (also National Kissing Day...
The 2nd coming of Detective Emilia Cruz
The Detective Emilia Cruz novels are getting a facelift!! Starting with CLIFF DIVER, new (2nd)...
Why You Can’t Spy a Lie and What to Do About It
Many years ago, my husband and I bought a single-engine Piper 180 airplane. He’d go out to the...
25 International Mystery Series to Take You Around the World
A hand-selected list of international mystery series that will take you around the world. How many...
An 80-year-old deception operation has lessons for today
Eighty years ago, a dead British naval officer named Bill Martin washed up on a Spanish beach. He...
Could notorious spy and traitor Aldrich Ames defeat AI?
I took multiple polygraph tests during my 30-year career as an intelligence officer with the CIA....
Don’t be Fooled! Decode the News with these Cold War Tips and Tricks
As fallout over the firing of Fox New anchor Tucker Carlson and CNN’s Don Lemon continues to...
3 Life Lessons from a Gathering of Strangers
We sometimes learn--or relearn--life lessons in unexpected places. I recently joined 14 women...
Jailbirds
While chatting with fellow author Shelley Blanton-Stroud (grab her free book, COPY BOY) for an...
Press release: 4-book Galliano Club historical fiction series now available
Press release: Four-book Galliano Club series by Carmen Amato is a must-read for fans of The...
New Release! BLACKMAIL AT THE GALLIANO CLUB
New release! Today is release day for BLACKMAIL AT THE GALLIANO CLUB, the second book in the...