Joyful Sunflower

"The Twist"

 A new burst of whimsy graces a corner of our living room: a joyful sunflower dancing in the wind. "The Twist," painted in acrylic and oil, makes me happy each morning when I wander in, coffee in hand, to start the day. 

The artist, my son Cody Rutty, has illustrated many of my books, including my Cabin Creek Mystery series (available on Amazon). For years we've had fun collaborating, but agree that the process of creating stories and art is mostly done, as he says, "in a sort of vast solitude." 

with the artist

To see a flower standing alone in the crack of a sidewalk, is to see beauty. It's just there, doing what it must. "Hello there!" it seems to say. This painting shows a solitary sunflower, "standing ebulliently wrapped in a scroll of its own making," says Cody. "It reminds me of the act of artistic creation."

When Characters Go Swimming

 The water temperature was 46 degrees when these Seattle swimmers plunged into Elliott Bay last April. Some wore wetsuits, others were bare armed. Yikes, I thought, as I watched from the beach with these two seagulls. 

This reminded me of an editor's comment: "Kristi, I noticed that in all your books a character goes swimming. Even Cleopatra." Well, yes, of course! I'm a swimmer. When writing about Egypt, the Oregon Trail, or a sunny beach in California I get thirsty. Hot. Oh, if only Bronte or the Cabin Creek cousins could jump in and cool off ... hey, wait! They can! My pen soon describes the scene and all is well. I can finish the story. 

The Shadow at Shark Cove

Bronte's Book Club and Cabin Creek Mysteries #10 and #11 are set in Gray's Beach, a small town by the sea on the West Coast. It was fun to add sharks and octopuses, boogie boards and salt water. Diving under waves is a cold thrill but definitely 20 degrees warmer than in Seattle. 

I'm not sure if I'll write about an ice water swim. But you know, on second thought, I've heard that an amazing creature lives deep in Elliott Bay: the Giant Pacific Octopus.  Now that is an interesting story!

UPDATE!! Cabin Creek Mystery #10

Hello Friends and Readers!  I'm excited to tell you about a recent update for the Cabin Creek #10: The Shadow at Shark Cove.

Cousins Jeff (13), David (11), and Claire (10) fly to Gray's Beach, California to spend the summer with their cousin Bronte Bella (13). 

Home of the GPO, Giant Pacific Octopus, they hope to see one up close. Their curiosity is sparked further when they learn about ancient cave drawings in one of the shoreline cliffs: a sea monster with eight arms sinking a canoe. Did this really happen or is it just a legend? 

When a shadowy creature bumps their little boat then swims into a forest of kelp, they have another mystery to solve!  For a link to Amazon click here.

** Bronte's Book Club introduces Bronte when she moved from New Mexico to this small town by the sea.

Old friends in the library

6th graders, field trip

In 1960, in California, a few of us neighborhood kids started the Manhattan Beach 4th Street Book and Snack Club That wasn't its official name, but that's how we thought of it. We were nine years old. With younger siblings tagging along, we rode our bikes to the pier then up the hill to the library where whispering--quiet whispering--was strictly enforced. There we roamed the stacks until we each found a book to check out, its plastic cover then crackling against our handlebars as we rode home, fast, because of the treats that awaited us. It was the best part of the club, eating our snacks while looking out at the ocean. Though we never actually discussed the stories we read, we sure had fun. 

old friends

The other day my niece Hailey sent a photo from a nearby library where she found a modest section of my books. "We're on a field trip to the Palos Verdes Public Library," she texted. "And here you are." My heart soared to see original editions from the Dear America and Royal Diaries series, somewhat ragged, but still in circulation. I have reprinted several different titles through Amazon, and thought it would be fun to post a link here.

The Great Railroad Race was one of my favorite to research and write: 

click here

As the daughter of a newspaper reporter, 14-year-old Libby West keeps a diary account of the exciting events surrounding her during the building of the railroad in the West in 1868. 

I'm still thrilled to read letters from teachers and students studying American history. And our public library is still one of my happy places.

Playing pretend with a three-year-old

Jack, ferryboat captain

    The most fun playing with a three-year-old is their imagination. I recently hung out with our grandson Jack after he broke his leg on a trampoline. Despite his red cast he scooted around the house, rolled, and spun, laughing and narrating his games. The toy I brought him was a familiar kitchen item: an empty paper towel tube. He immediately knew its purpose and over several days put it into action: a sword, a telescope, a stick for his bongo drum. Among Legos it became a house chimney, an airport control tower, then a tunnel for tiny race cars. When he called himself a ferryboat captain I asked if he could see a lighthouse. 

    "Umm ... yes. There!" he said, aiming his spyglass at the dog. 

    I look forward to when Jack and I can read a Cabin Creek Mystery together. He's a little young now but I'm sure he'll be able to imagine a giant Pacific Octopus, a shark, and the tall haunted lighthouse.

click here

When a real cat inspires a Cabin Creek Mystery

Leon, guarding the fish tank

Our neighbor's cat, Leon, often visits when he sees my husband and me in the garden or on our deck reading. Sometimes he brings us a wiggly mouse or a sad little bird, but mostly he likes lounging near us. When he jumps on the table we grab our coffees just before he knocks them over, then with a dramatic flop he settles in with purring.  Click here for a link to the book on Amazon. I hope you enjoy meeting Leon in THE SHADOW AT SHARK COVE where the cousins try to solve the mystery of the disappearing octopus.

Our good neighbor, Leon

3rd graders love Cabin Creek Mysteries

A wonderful surprise just made my day. My post office box was stuffed with letters from 3rd graders in North Carolina. In various degrees of beautiful penmanship with charming drawings, they explained that their teacher reads two chapters a day to them. They were thrilled with the stories, but "very, very sad" that #8 was about to end. "Please write more," they said. In a separate note their teacher added,
       I wanted you to see how your Cabin Creek Mysteries have motivated my 3rd-grade students to love mysteries. Recently one of my students came to me all excited that he had found book 9 in your CCM. Naturally I had to add it to my collection. We are currently writing mysteries in class and many students have incorporated your books into their story. Thanks for helping my students love "read alouds".
     My pleasure! And thank you to teachers and parents who pass on a love of story to children. I'm privileged to be part of this adventure, and 'very, very happy' to tell them #10 is on the way: "The Curse of Shark Cove," set in a California town by the sea.