Heat Wave - Spring Update

Wow, what an incredible few months it has been. My son graduated from college, and I couldn't be prouder! I also sent off Midnight Agency, Season Three to my beta readers. Our roadrunners had babies who now happily roam our yard. Plus, two short stories were accepted for publication! To top it all off, we went on an unforgettable family trip to Alaska.

Graduation

My son's graduation was such an exciting event, with dear friends and family traveling near and far to celebrate with him, including our infamous 95 and 99-year-old great aunties! Afterward, we had a wonderful celebratory dinner and a casual family brunch the next morning. Gavin is already working on his master's degree. He's a tad more focused than his old man was.

The graduate and his proud father.

Midnight Agency, Season Three

The manuscript is in the hands of beta readers. In a couple of months, I'll take that feedback and revise again. If nothing major needs to happen, I should be able to publish it by the end of the year or early next year. Fingers crossed. In the meantime, I'm brainstorming and worldbuilding for a modern-day thriller set in New Mexico.

Roadrunners

We have the best state bird, que no? For the second year in a row, our roadrunners nested in our tree. Last year, we missed the babies entirely. This year, we caught glimpses of them, like the shot below. By the time they leave the nest, they're young adults. I don't know how momma fit in the nest with them. Here's a glimpse of one.

Eye see you.

Short Stories

Huzzah! Two stories were accepted for publication!

• A Midnight Agency short will be published this fall. It takes place just before Season Two. Contract signed. Fall release.

• Another story was accepted into an anthology. I've been trying to publish this short for years, so I'm thrilled that it finally found a home. Contract signed. Feb '27 release.

I'll announce when these are officially published.

Alaska

Clear skies and good fortune meant that we got to see Mt. McKinley (AKA Denali Peak) in full view, towering over all its neighbors. Only 30% of visitors get to see it clearly, and we lucked out several days in a row. Mt. McKinley stands at 20,320 feet in elevation, and yet it is a mile longer to ascend than Everest, due to a much lower base camp. It is also deadly to climb. In fact, four people died on the peak the week prior to our visit.

In the park, we didn't see any grizzlies or moose, but we did see caribou (below), ptarmigan, and Dall sheep.

To get this photo, I woke up super early and hiked.

Caribou sighting in Denali Park.

Other trip highlights included: a train ride through the wilderness; walking and shopping along Ketchikan's historic red light district; the awesome views in Glacier Bay; and the 1,600-foot steep Skyglider trip into the clouds at Icy Strait Point, the only native-owned port in Alaska.

One of my favorite stops was in Juneau where we hiked a paved road through prehistoric wilderness to Nugget Falls close to the Mendenhall Glacier. Although the glacier continues to shrink, it is still a massive river of ice, standing hundreds of feet tall and winding into the wilderness for over 13 miles. To give you a sense of how quickly it's retreating, my photo below was taken at the visitor's center, which is 1.5 miles away. In 1940, the ice would have buried me.

Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau.

The mighty Nugget Falls near Mendenhall Glacier.

No trip to Juneau is complete without a stop at the infamous Red Dog Saloon where Wyatt Earp's checked weapon is displayed behind the bar. And of course, you must have Duck Fart shots while you're there.

In June 1900, as the legend goes, Wyatt Earp stopped in Juneau on his way to another gold rush in Nome, Alaska. Due to his formidable reputation as a gunfighter, the local marshal temporarily confiscated Wyatt's Smith & Wesson revolver, with the condition that he could retrieve it upon leaving town. However, one morning, Wyatt's ship departed before the marshal's office opened, forcing Wyatt to leave his gun behind. The revolver eventually found its way to a local museum, run by a barfly who used Wyatt's legendary weapon to settle his tab at the Red Dog Saloon, where it remains to this day.

Wyatt Earp's revolver, according to local legend.

If you haven't been to Alaska, I highly recommend it. The scenery is unbelievable.

Steep Creek Trail in Juneau.

Creek Street, Ketchikan's historic red light district.

Riding the Skyglider into the clouds.

The coastline at Icy Strait Point.

A ghostly valley.

The massive ice wall of Hubbard Glacier, standing about 400 feet tall.