How do you get a star to read your script? You get their agent to send it to them. Everyone has told me that sending emails would be horrible for my image - and I'd look like an amateur. For me, that was great news! An amateur is someone who pursues an activity for pleasure rather than for money. The word "amateur" comes from the French word for "lover," indicating a person who loves doing something for its own sake. I recently read Cynthia Erivo's book, Simply More: A Book for Anyone Who Has Been Told They’re Too Much. That's me! I always do "too much!"

    I don't mean to date myself, but I was an early adopter of email. In the 1980s, while in college, there was a bulletin board system that enabled my classmates, especially those of us taking programming classes, to communicate. In the late 80s, I used Prodigy and CompuServe, and then the one I still have today, AOL. Don't laugh! Keith and I have had our shared email of sandikeith@aol.com for over 30 years! I'm a loyal person; been married to the same guy for over 50 years, still have my two best friends from before my teens. As long as something "works," I stick with it.

Sure, we get about a thousand emails a month, including one from my high school civics teacher after I send him a monthly update of my writing.  Yes, I treasure those who helped make me who I am today, and I have a long memory! Like I said, I'm loyal to those who are kind.

I was originally going to title this blog - email is dead because for many, this has gone the way of fax machines and landlines - but I was wrong when I sent out 30 experimental emails to agents. Two things happened: I got instant responses from agents! Yes, one was within a day, sending me release forms, and another was a phone call - a few hours after I sent the email! Both plan on sending my project to their A-list talent. It makes sense; a star would expect their agent to send them scripts to read. Sure, the proper procedure is to first get a producer, then investors and development funds - and then pay a star to read your script - but think about it - many stars have their own production companies and they NEED great scripts; scripts that are written by a writer who is eager! A writer who is "too much!"

Nobody can tell me that email doesn't work, or that my enthusiastic emails are "unprofessional" for a writer. I was able to build a multi-million-dollar tech company that today operates in dozens of countries - via email. While building my company, I didn't take on any debt. I had a 15,000+ email list from my years as a consultant. I used it first to attract attendees to my workshops so I could stop traveling over 200,000 miles a year and stay home to program. 

 When we started installing the systems, I needed to stop all travel and workshops to support those systems 24/7. I used that email list to sell my training guides and books, and keep us out of debt. Eventually, I needed employees, hosting and expensive certification. I used my email list to attract investors. It was one of those emails that alerted one of my earliest investors that I should consider merging with a bigger company - and we worked out all the details for the next few years -  everything happened via email! 

    

When I started down this path to becoming a professional screenwriter, Keith and I wrote software to handle emails and queries to producers, agents, and managers, SmilingPitch. We are still perfecting the software, and I'm the only user. Sure, we might be building another tech company, but in the meantime, we have someone lined up to take over the company if we both get hit by a bus. For now, my hubby and I are handling all the programming, testing, and modifications. Why? Because it works and it is a blast!

    

When will SmilingPitch be ready? You'll know when you get an email! We're still testing it and sending more emails. Be sure to visit my website, click the Free Stuff Link, and enter your email address. You'll also get my free e-book, Writing is Life!

I've named March Marketing March Madness. I'm learning how to market my books. I've spent the past few years writing and writing - and now I have lots of books, but now it is time to get the word out. My strategy is simple; I've picked 3 books, and for each, I'm doing a different plan and my budget? Less than $300 for all 3 books!

1.  Blood Moon Wolf – This is my latest book release and the first in my Cherokee heroes series. I'm going "wide," posting trailers, and focusing on my Amazon Author page. My A+ content (formerly Enhanced Brand Content) and Editorial Material were approved and uploaded by Amazon today. I also published this book everywhere - from Apple to Nook. No cost yet, but I might try a few Amazon promos.

1. Wilma Wallaby Series – I'm a Platinum member of Written Word Media, which sends out hundreds of thousands of emails. I'm running stacked "promos" and pricing the first in the series at "free." One went out a few days ago and tripled my sales for the month - and my big 3 promo goes out on March 10th - for 4 - only $189.

1. Kira and Henry Series – Targeted Social Media – writer’s groups, because it was a semifinalist in the Kindle book review, and I have book #4 being released in March. I'm building a mailing list by offering free downloads on my SandraJerome.com website. I've already made friends with a new producer who downloaded a free example of my script pitching tools. I'm looking at Reedy Discovery too.

What works? Stay tuned, and I'll give you the results - yup, via emailed newsletter!

I Married a Beast

There's a moment in Disney's Beauty and the Beast that always makes me catch my breath. It's not the ballroom dance or even the transformation scene. It's earlier, quieter - when the Beast, nervous and awkward, throws open the doors to his library and watches Belle's face light up with wonder.

"It's wonderful!" she breathes, spinning among the floor-to-ceiling shelves.

"It's yours," he says simply.

In that moment, the Beast doesn't offer Belle jewels or gowns or empty flattery. He offers her what matters most to her - a room full of stories, ideas, and imagination. He sees who she really is. And in seeing her, he reveals himself. Two bookish souls, finding each other among the pages.

This is where their real love story begins, not with physical attraction or instant chemistry, but with shared passions and the slow recognition of kindred spirits. I had a moment like that soon after meeting my husband. I was dating the training manager at Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour, and Keith was engaged. We decided to go to the beach one day after work, and he noticed my old beach towel. I joked about it - I come from a family that gets every last drop out of a bottle of catsup. The next day, there was a new beach towel on the driver's seat of my car. This was during the days when you didn't have to lock your car, of course. 

Beauty and the Beast has endured across centuries and countless versions because its core truth remains relevant: real love requires looking beyond the surface to see someone's true character. Belle doesn't fall for the Beast's appearance - she falls for his kindness, his growth, his vulnerability, and yes, his library. She sees the person beneath the curse. The beast would have given her a new beach towel.

I kid my husband, Keith, that we're Beauty and the Beast - though I should clarify, he's actually quite handsome, and I've been known more for brains than beauty. But he can turn into a bit of a beast when he's hungry (hangry is real, folks) or when he encounters difficult people. More importantly, like the Beast with Belle, he's fiercely protective of those he loves. He guards our granddaughters and me like he's sitting on that proverbial fence, watching for any threat, ready to defend. As he says, "You want me on that fence!"

Like the Beast offering Belle his library, Keith and I have built our own collection of shared passions after fifty years of marriage. DVDs fill our shelves. We have close to 2,000 books in our Kindle Library that we own and subscribe to Kindle Unlimited. We understand each other's protective instincts, our quirks, our hunger-induced mood swings. We've learned to see past the "beastly" moments to the person underneath - and to let ourselves be fully seen in return.

In our current world, where we swipe left or right based on a photo, where first impressions are formed in seconds from social media profiles, and where we're constantly judged by superficial metrics, this message feels more important than ever. We live in a society obsessed with surface-level perfection, yet starving for genuine connection. The Beast's story reminds us that transformation happens through patience, understanding, and truly seeing one another - not despite our flaws, but through accepting our whole, complex selves.

And like Belle and her Beast, I didn't fall in love with Keith immediately. Our story is more like Ashley and Melanie in Gone with the Wind - though that comparison might raise some eyebrows - they were cousins! Stay with me here. In Margaret Mitchell's novel, Ashley reflects on how he and Melanie are suited to each other because they share the same background, values, and understanding of the world. They speak the same language, he says - much to Scarlett's fury, as she could never understand that compatibility built on shared foundations could be deeper than passionate physical attraction. She's beautiful and surrounded by suitors. Why couldn't she have Ashley, too? She didn't discover until after Melanie died that he wasn't right for her. Melanie was Ashley's one true love.

Keith and I discovered we were cut from the same cloth, like Ashley and Melanie. Our backgrounds were similar. Our fathers were born in Colorado, a few hundred miles apart. We both had devout Catholic mothers and fathers who converted to the religion - an unusual parallel that shaped both our childhoods in similar ways. We both love to read, losing ourselves in stories the way Belle treasured every book in that library. We both love movies, sharing that joy of storytelling in another form. We even both played hockey - he played ice hockey, I played field hockey. These weren't superficial similarities. They were the threads of shared experience and values that wove us together. We're the same age, know the same songs, and can speak in "movie speak" as we call it. We constantly use lines from movies, books, and songs to communicate. We're passionate about the Olympics and Oscars.

But our love wasn't love at first sight. It was the slow building of trust and understanding. It was finding someone who spoke my language. We met in February, started dating in July, got engaged in August and married the following February. 

That's the real magic of Beauty and the Beast. It's not about the spell breaking or the prince returning to his handsome form. It's about two people learning to be vulnerable enough to show their true selves and brave enough to love what they find. It is about loving the person who makes you feel comfortable.

And speaking of Disney love stories we cherish - I'm starting a new YouTube series - Writing is Life, and I'll use my storytelling skills to write the next chapter in some of Disney Studios' masterpieces. If you been wanting to become an author, or learn screenwriting from a different angle - or even learn more about AI and animation, visit https://www.youtube.com/@sandijerome and please subscribe! I'm not trying to make money on YouTube; I'm trying to promote my books and screenwriting career.

What's your favorite moment in Beauty and the Beast? Have you found your own love story in an unexpected place? Share in the comments below.

 

Catch Me If You Can

I recently received a 1-star review for one of my books. All the rest are 4s or 5s. I know exactly who did this. Yes, I have high-tech skills, and yes, I'm a computer hacker, but I'm confused about why this person did this. For me, doing this is stealing. It is the low of lows. Their revenge isn't a victory; it’s a revelation.

I once worked for a man who was suspicious of everyone, and he suspected employees were stealing from him. I was provided a free new car to drive as part of my job, but I had to pay for the gas. One day, I was underneath a huge printer, changing the ribbon, and Mr. Boss came into the parts department and asked the manager, "Is Sandi paying for her gas?" I came out from under the printer and took Mr. Boss aside. "Look," I told him quietly, "if I want to steal from you, I will steal the whole gas truck, not just a few gallons a week. With my computer skills, you'd never find it."

Yes, I am a hacker. I started using computers in the 70s, before most hackers' PARENTS were born! Computer science was my minor in college, and accounting was my major. As a CPA, we know where the money is buried. The IRS provides a 10% reward for turning in cheaters, but if I had ever done that, I'd be writing this from my yacht instead of my Florida home. But CPAs are not like lawyers; if the IRS asks us for information, there is no client/CPA confidence. We have to spill the beans. In fact, we have the responsibility to report fraud. Tax professionals, including Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) and tax attorneys, are obligated to report potential instances of tax evasion or fraud by their clients. He once argued with me that 3 years had passed on a questionable deduction - but in cases of fraud, the statute of limitations for assessment of tax never expires. The IRS can go back as many years as it wants to investigate and assess taxes, penalties, and interest. I let my boss know that, and now he had two things to worry about, but theft was his main focus.

Mr. Boss began weekly sessions in which I would tell him various ways I could steal from him. The gas truck theft would be easy, I explained to him. I'm the one who orders and approves the fuel tanks to be filled. I'd issue the purchase order, but then have the gas delivered to one of the parents on a soccer team I coached, who owns a gas station. I'd split it with the guy. A pretty easy way to steal $28,000-$40,000 every few weeks. But I explained to my extremely wealthy boss that there are three types of people. The first type is totally dishonest. They will steal at any opportunity. It is their true nature. But fortunately, most of these people are working the streets, running cons, or sitting in prison. The second group is totally honest. Born honest and raised honest. When they find a twenty-dollar bill, they pick it up and ask around, "Did anyone drop this?" I like to think I am in this group. It is the way my parents raised me. Plus, why would I ever risk everything I have: my CPA license, my home, my family, my freedom –  just to steal? Money has never been a motivator for me. It is only a measure of how much I'm appreciated.

The third group? That's where it gets interesting. They are honest until they're not. Something happens that makes them feel entitled. They feel underpaid or unappreciated. They rationalize. "That person owes me." That's when the trouble starts. I gave a workshop at the annual AICPA conference on employee theft, titled "Catch Me If You Can." I think it is the only CPA workshop where you can't buy a DVD of my presentation. The board was worried employees would use it to steal from their employers! I had so many ideas!

I came up with the title after reading the 1980 book Catch Me If You Can by Frank Abagnale Jr. and journalist Stan Redding. That book inspired the 2002 Spielberg film starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks. The book describes how Abagnale donned a pilot's uniform and copiloted a Pan Am jet, masqueraded as the supervising resident of a hospital, practiced law without a license, passed himself off as a college sociology professor, and cashed over $2.5 million in forged checks – and all before he was twenty-one. It's written in the first person and reads almost like a thriller. Fast-paced and entertaining, Abagnale recounts his various cons and escapes across multiple countries.

Here's where it gets interesting: the book is acknowledged to have been partly fictionalized, and the factual basis for the events has been challenged. Abagnale himself acknowledged issues with accuracy. He stated, "I was interviewed by the co-writer only about four times. I believe he did a great job telling the story, but he also overdramatized and exaggerated parts of it. That was his style and what the editor wanted." More damning, in 2020, journalist Alan C. Logan conducted an in-depth investigation and found documents that contradicted many of Abagnale's claims. Logan's investigation revealed that Abagnale was in Great Meadow Prison in New York between the ages of 17 and 20 (1965-1968). That was the exact time frame during which Abagnale claimed to have committed his most significant scams. So ironically, the greatest con Frank Abagnale may have pulled was convincing the world his cons were real in the first place. Today, he'd probably be a computer hacker.

I'd like to finish with a thought. Is hacking stealing?

I honed my hacking skills when I owned a technology company and received a ransomware demand. I circumvented the hacker and didn't pay the ransom. I have only used my powers for good. Remember, I was raised to be good. But finding out about this 1-star review? I'm not sure I'm at peace with this person. It feels intentional. A type of revenge against me. My best friend wants me to write a "best revenge book" because I have told her so many ways to get a pound of flesh, but maybe I should let it go.

Hey, does anyone want to release an updated "Catch Me If You Can"? The best ideas in Frank's book didn't even make it to the screen, and I have hundreds more. But today, I'm not writing screenplays - I'm creating my own animated series, so I'm going to move on, let it go –  and not let this dark person get inside my head. If you want to see one of my videos that helped me decide to "let it go," please watch my YouTube video - https://youtu.be/LPUMiMM4JE0.

Happy New Year, and more about my web series next month when you catch up with me when you can!

Joyful and Fearless

 

Can I be Fearless?

In 1992, 20th Century Fox handed director Barry Levinson a blank check. Robin Williams was at the height of his popularity, fresh off hits like "Good Morning, Vietnam," "Dead Poets Society," and the voice of the Genie in "Aladdin." The supporting cast included Joan Cusack, Michael Gambon, and Robin Wright. The film had stars, songs, a massive budget, and every ingredient that should have guaranteed a hit. 

Yet when "Toys" was released in December 1992, it opened in sixth place and limped away with just over $23 million at the box office, barely half its budget. Barry Levinson was even nominated for a Razzie Award for Worst Director. How could such a well-resourced project fail so spectacularly?

The answer lies in a perfect storm of missteps that began before cameras even rolled. Barry Levinson and his then-wife, Valerie Curtin, developed the screenplay in 1979, inspired by a newspaper article about Soviet naval intelligence studying American submarine toy models. The script itself became a victim of its own ambition. Despite twelve years of preparation, the screenplay seemed pulled in two directions. The producers kept describing it as "whimsical," while studios kept interpreting it as a dark comedy. 

Even Robin Williams seemed oddly restrained, playing it warm and cuddly when the film desperately needed his manic energy. The result was a film that critics found visually stunning, but the story was confused, and audiences simply couldn't connect with what they were watching. 

But there was one part of the movie I enjoyed: the song "Let Joy and Innocence Prevail," sung by Grace Jones.

I tell you of a girl, her husband was a soldier
Gone to war in some strange country far away
No word had come to her but the rumors of great battles fought
And dying in their thousands and the world full of fear
As the day would turn to evening she would light a pure white candle
And place it in a window bright from where it could be seen
As she placed it in the window softly without thinking
She said let this burning candle be a beacon
Let joy and innocence prevail
Let joy and innocence prevail
Believe that luck will never fail
Let joy and innocence prevail
And one night, asleep
She dreamed she saw her husband fall
In a great white cavalry charge
And waking in tears
She saw the candle burning in the window
She still had hope
And through the window
A man in the distance
But as he came closer
She saw he was a stranger
The stranger said, "I bring a message from a General
A captain has been wounded, his life hangs by a thread
He calls out your name and he wishes you to come to him
But the journey is a hard road and you may be afraid"
And she laughed and said, "No road could be too hard for I am fearless
A captain and a husband, I have gained this bright new day"
And she said with all her heart, she would fly to be beside him
And her love would heal his wounds, restore him to her
Let joy and innocence prevail
Let joy and innocence prevail
Believe that luck will never fail
Let joy and innocence prevail
Let joy and innocence prevail
Let joy and innocence prevail
Believe that luck will never fail
Let joy and innocence prevail
Let joy and innocence prevail!

"Toys" remains a fascinating cautionary tale about what happens when unlimited resources meet unclear vision. But there's another lesson in this film, one that Grace Jones captured perfectly in the film's haunting song. The film's central message, that we must choose joy and innocence over warfare and destruction, resonates today.

A decade ago, my own husband faced his own battle: triple bypass surgery, then a stroke two years later. The doctors wanted him to stay in the hospital for two weeks of physical therapy, but he wanted to come home. He complained about the noise that prevented him from sleeping, the lack of regular meals, and they hadn't started any physical therapy. I was fearless enough to sign those release and liability forms and take him home, even though he couldn't walk and I could barely get him out of the car. 

I became his personal physical therapist, watching YouTube videos and working with him all day. I put my programming projects on hold. In two days, he no longer needed the walker. In two weeks, he was walking to the mailbox. In two months, he was back at Disney, walking three miles a day. Like the woman in Grace Jones's song who said, "No road could be too hard for I am fearless," I learned that fearlessness and joy are not opposites; they are partners. You can be brave enough to defy the doctors, bold enough to bet on love and healing, while still holding tight to the joy and innocence that make life worth fighting for. "Toys" failed because it lost sight of that balance. My husband had lost the part of his brain that gave him balance and the doctors said he'd probably never walk again without a walker, but we've had a decade of travel and spending days at Disney. The walker still sits in the corner of the closet.

I'm writing the 4th book in my Kira and Henry series, War Games, while my husband is fighting his health battles again. When I write YA novels and screenplays, I use the Save the Cat! structure, and unlike Toys, I always know what my story is about and how it should be told. I become fearless and disciplined, but keep the joy of writing, because in life, in love, in the moments that truly matter, we cannot afford to lose it. It is time for me to be fearless again. And it is time to let joy and innocence prevail. 

Note: My April 2021 blog about my fearless granddaughter, Suby, tells the story of my great, great-grandmother on the Cook side of the family, who was truly fearless and went behind enemy lines to bring her captured husband home during the Civil War. 

The above picture is of my granddaughter, Tulaasi, on Mount Cook in the Ben Ohau Range of New Zealand's South Island. She and my oldest granddaughter, Chandra, fearlessly worked for years in Australia, New Zealand, and throughout Europe. My granddaughter, Vrinda, who is required to wear snake-proof boots to work as a field biologist in the Florida wilderness, is fearless. More about them in future blogs

I have been writing this monthly blog for over 6 years, every month - and I have so many stories I've yet to tell!

Happy Holidays to all of you!

Mother's Day Romance

This has probably been one of the busiest months of my screenwriting career. The producer working on my Christmas Bonbons script for Hallmark (he changed the title to Emma and the Chocolate Factory) asked me if I'd be willing to change it from a Christmas movie to a Mother's Day movie. GASP!

The first major changed was to bring the dead mother back to life. That was actually fun, because I was able to name her Rita in honor of Mother's Day and my mother, who has been gone now for almost 25 years. Next, I need a new B-Story having to do with a missing recipe box from Rita's mother, and it reminded me of the surprise 25th Anniversary party I had planned for my parents. A few weeks before the big day, my mom's brother and sisters had decided that Grandma Nellesen should move in with my Uncle George. They planned to divide up all the stuff from my Grandma's house between the 5 of them. Everyone was going to meet at Grandma's house at 10AM and take their things. It would be rather easy because my Grandma would take masking tape and put each person's name that she wanted something to go to on the bottom. 

That fateful day, my parents arrived at 10AM, and the house was empty. Her brother and sisters had their trailers and trucks all loaded. Sitting on the porch were 3 items for my mom: an old footlocker, a book, and something that I don't remember. My dad probably knows. My mom called me crying that afternoon when she got home. She was especially upset because she knew there were keepsakes for my brother and me. She vowed that she'd never speak to her brother and sisters again.

I got my dad on the phone and told him about the big party. He told me that I would need to cancel it. Since there were hundreds of people invited, we quickly sent out postcards and called people, telling them that my dad had planned a cruise and we had to cancel. My dad quickly booked that cruise, and I spent the next few years angry at my mom's family and trying to use up all the napkins that said Rita and Larry - 25 years! But they loved their cruise and my dad ended up going on many more after my mother passed away and paid for me to go on a cruise - which I did after I retired.

So in this script, I had the B-Story be a dispute between my mom, Rita and her sister, Catherine. I picked Catherine (the tallest one in the photo to the left) because she was always one of my favorites, and Mom said I looked the most like her. Like all Hallmark-like movies, Mother's Day Romance ends happily, and this script is special because it is about a handsome chocolatier from Ecuador named Luis Silva. My precious granddaughter married the real Luis Silva last year, and I am trying to learn Spanish to travel to Ecuador in a few years to attend their second wedding for the Ecuadorian family. Luis can't travel until his green card comes through, so I have plenty of time to get fluent.

I have some other projects, the play I wrote - Colonoscopy the Musical, that I hope our local theater group, the KR Players, will perform someday. I'm pitching a girls' soccer script tomorrow, and finishing up my book Churchill's Mum - about Keith's 5th cousin, Jennie Jerome, the mother of Winston Churchill. I had to get a new picture done for that!

I had an article written about me this month - https://canvasrebel.com/meet-sandi-jerome/

That was exciting!

Getting back to the keepsakes, I'm happy today that I don't have a lot of stuff from my grandparents. I keep downsizing houses, so not a lot of room! I try to give things to my granddaughters when I can - and I wrote this blog 

https://sandijerome.blogspot.com/2021/03/your-grandkids-dont-want-your-junk.html - about how your grandkids don't want your junk.

So a very busy month - and that was only half of it! More next month! Thanks for reading!

Early Mother's Day

 "A mother's arms are more comforting than anyone else's." - Princess Diana

Mother's Day comes early next month, normally before my blog is done, so I thought I'd write about my mother. Her birthday is in a few weeks, and my own was a few weeks ago. My earliest childhood memory was looking out my bedroom window and seeing the side of a huge feed truck. My parents owned a chicken ranch, and much of my early years were spent working. I had the job of candling eggs, which was a visual inspection of an egg as it passed in front of a bright light before entering the egg washer to find any fertilized eggs. Talk about early sex education! I was also the one to collect the eggs because I had tiny fingers and quick hands. But being only five, I didn't know much about physics,and when the feed truck pulled away, I thought the house was moving and screamed. I remember my mother hugging me and explaining that the house didn't move, the feed truck did.
This simple moment fundamentally shaped how I understand teaching and growth. I learned that true nurturing isn't about removing obstacles but providing the support and space for others to overcome them themselves. Years later, as an adult, I find myself approaching challenges with others—whether mentoring colleagues or helping friends through difficulties—with this same balanced approach: present enough to provide security, distant enough to allow growth. This single memory gave me a template for understanding care that values both protection and independence, a perspective that colors how I view relationships, education, and personal development to this day.

My mother died at a younger age than I am now of cancer. My dad has had to live out his final Act without her. Yes, he remarried, traveled the world, and even got to see the Pope - but I know he misses her. As Mother's Day approaches, I think of her.  She loved animals; growing up, I was allowed to have as many pets as I wanted. After they sold the chicken ranch, my parents bought acreage and developed an avocado ranch in Escondido. Gophers are enemy #1 for avocado trees, and cats are the best defense. At times, I had dozens of cats and gave each one a name. But I had other animals: pigs, rabbits, chickens, and my main 4-H project, market sheep. I'd take them to the Del Mar Fair each year and show them. Starting at about 10, I'd have my first taste of freedom. We stayed at the fair, camping out under the racetrack in the betting area. They'd bring in army cots, and for a week, that was our dorms, and we were on our own. Our cafeteria was on the other side of the fairgrounds, past the horse stalls. 

Yes, the Del Mar Racetrack was completed in 1937 on the grounds of the Del Mar Fair, which had opened just a year earlier in 1936. The track was built by a partnership including famous celebrities of the era - most notably Bing Crosby, along with actors Pat O'Brien, Gary Cooper, Joe E. Brown, Charles S. Howard, and Oliver Hardy. When Del Mar opened on July 3, 1937, Bing Crosby was personally at the gate to greet the first fans. Crosby served as President of the Turf Club (where we'd have our auction luncheon) while his friend Pat O'Brien was Vice President. The track quickly earned nicknames like "Bing's Baby" and "Movieland's Own Track" due to its Hollywood connections. One of the most famous moments in Del Mar's history came on August 12, 1938, when the track hosted a $25,000 winner-take-all match race between Seabiscuit and Ligaroti.

This race was the first nationwide broadcast of a thoroughbred race by NBC Radio. In front of a record crowd, Seabiscuit won by a nose, helping to make Del Mar a success. Throughout the late 1940s and 1950s, Del Mar established itself as "the Saratoga of the West" for summer racing, featuring large purses for many stakes races.

The track has continued to attract Hollywood celebrities throughout its history. Stars like Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Betty Grable, and Mickey Rooney were among those who frequented Del Mar, and Jimmy Durante became such a regular that the track eventually named its turf course in his honor. Today, Del Mar Racetrack continues its tradition of thoroughbred racing with its famous slogan "Where the Turf Meets the Surf," a phrase from a song written by Bing Crosby. The track hosts important races like the Pacific Classic and continues to be a significant venue in American horse racing. But for that one week, in the 1960s and 70s, it was "our turf" during the fair.

When I was sixteen, I fell for a much older guy who was about 20. He was the cousin of a good friend, and some of my buddies snuck me into the boys' dorms. This older guy was a chaperone, but so was my dad. Needless to say, I got caught, making out with a guy in the boys' dorm - by my father! In a few hours, was on my way home with my mother. As she drove the car home with me sobbing all the way, she finally pulled over and hugged me. Agreements were made, and she turned the car around. I don't know how she convinced my dad to let me stay at the fair, but my mom was a "fixer." I miss her every day.

Tap, Tap, Tap

 "Tap! Tap! Tap!" Those are the first three words of the new hardback book that I got for Christmas. It was Nancy Drew 16: The Clue of the Tapping Heels. I don't know where my mom bought it, but I remember that it had that new book smell and it was mine! I didn't have to return it to the library.

Escondido didn't have a bookstore back then before the Escondido Mall was built in 1964. I asked where my mom could have bought it new on a Facebook Group page, "I Grew up in Escondido." Mom isn't around to remember. The consensus was the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew could be purchased at drug stores, grocery stores and even through the Sears catalog, which was a big thing at our house. I'd get my new underwear each year from that catalog and maybe one new school dress (we sewed the others.) 

 

But a new book was a treat, and I still remember this first new one about Nancy tapping out Morse code to get out of a basement. She was a smart girl detective, and I decided to become a detective after reading that. It was a short-lived goal. I was a farm girl, raised out in the countryside of Escondido and belonged to 4-H. I loved animals and wanted to be a large animal vet. My dream college was CalPoly, and I stayed on that path until one revealing day when my lamb got sick, and I needed to give it a shot. 

I woke up after fainting, and being the logical person that I was, I switched to plants and decided to focus on teaching the starving world to grow food. During college, they started killing Americans in Central America, so I changed from International Agriculture to Agribusiness and then to business with a focus on accounting and, later, computer programming. But I never forgot Nancy and my dream. My first solo novel was Murder in the Magic Kingdom, which combined my love of everything Disney and mystery. That title was taken, so it was published as Pixie Dust Death, A Wilma  Wallaby Genius Girl Detective Novel. 

This month, I signed an agreement with a UK production company that wants to develop Wilma Wallaby into an international kids TV show.  As a modern-day Enola Holmes, Wilma Wallaby is an aspiring kick-ass detective who thinks her bully of an older brother is always trying to murder her. You might remember a previous blog where I shared my childhood struggles growing up with a tyrant of an older brother. I still have a cap on the broken tooth from one of our fights that he won. I had a tiny closet in my room, and he'd stuff me in there for hours when my folks weren't home and lock me out of the house at other times. I hated being home alone with Stan. He'd hit me hard and threaten to do worse if I told Mom and Dad. He's dead now (no, I didn't kill him,) but I spent most of my childhood wishing I was an only child.

Getting back to Wilma Wallaby, there was one problem with my book; it was set in Disney World. Trying to get Disney to sign off on a murder mystery set in the happiest place on earth would take years. This month, I had to rewrite it to be set at a fictitious theme park in Florida, which I called Castle Country. It was fun; I invented rides, lands, restaurants, and hotels. There is Medieval Castle Land, Fairy Castle Land, The Swiss Alps and rides like Troll Trek and Screaming Sleds through the Swiss Alps. I think my Viking Cruise trip starting in Switzerland through the Rhine River castles last year finally paid off.

The new title is Wilma Wallaby Castle Caper - A Genuis Girl Detective Novel.

You can read for free with Kindle Unlimited or order it on Amazon. It opens similar to my favorite Nancy Drew - with a tap, tap - enjoy!

Amazon Link - https://us.amazon.com/dp/1736034863

Lucky I'm in Love with My Best Friend

 

I met my husband in the spring of 1972, the year I graduated from high school.  Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor was opening in our small town and my best friend, Laura and I wanted to work there. It was a “cool” place in so many ways.  I was already accepted as an International Agriculture major at Cal Poly Pomona with a full scholarship.  I had enough credits to graduate from high school after the first semester, so I was able to leave school at 10:30AM because my favorite teacher, Mr. Alstrum let me be his teaching assistant for that 4th period.  I got hired as a daytime waitress for the lunch shift, and Laura was a nighttime cashier.  Close to opening day, Keith came in from another Farrell’s and was charged with teaching all of us how to properly fill the condiment jars according to health department rules.  I made a comment to my friend, “I can’t believe this guy is showing us how to fill a jar” and I swear I heard a growl to go with his icy stare. 

From then on, it was “game on '' between us.  Keith was our assistant manager and was engaged to get married in a year. I first dated a few of the guys at Farrell’s, but then started seriously dating seriously the area training supervisor, Jack.  The year before, I had broken up with my high school sweetheart, who had gotten his boss’s daughter pregnant.  He had a shotgun marriage during our senior year. I started dating for the first time in my life during my senior year, but I was getting tired of playing all the dating games.  Although I was a flower child of the seventies and enjoyed going to parties, drinking, smoking pot, and spending my days off at the beach, I was looking for a more serious relationship like I had for over three years with my steady boyfriend in high school.  I continuously got disappointed.  But this new guy I was dating had his own apartment, a nifty sports car, and he was seven years older.  Jack also wanted a serious relationship.  He was an intellectual that could discuss philosophical matters for hours and a talented artist.  But it was hard for me to relate to Jack.  When you’re only seventeen, those many years in age difference are difficult. Keith was less than a year older than me, but born an old soul.  He was organized, serious, and focused.  Even today, we tease him about his “Spidey Sense '' or ability to sense danger.  He tells our granddaughters to always trust their naturally inherited “Spidey Sense '' and get away from any situation that doesn’t seem right.

Keith and I had an ongoing adversary attraction.  I would toss something from the salad station at him while he walked by, or endlessly tease him about being too young to get married. My pestering and teasing started getting his attention and we began sneaking off after work to the park, or to the beach to talk.  We’d talked about how similar our childhoods were.  Both of our mothers were strong Catholics girls who came from immigrant families who occasionally spoke their native languages in the home.  His grandmother came from Italy and my mother’s family was German.  Both of our fathers came from a long line of British families that had come to America in the 1700s.  Keith is the fifth cousin of Winston Churchill twice removed. My father’s family came from Yorkshire, England and my great grandfather and great great grandfather were Baptist preachers.  Each of our fathers had converted to Catholicism to marry Catholic girls.  My father’s family had suffered terribly in World War II, losing their oldest son in Germany and a son-in-law as a Navy pilot in the Pacific.  How could my grandmother possibly approve of her only surviving son marrying a German girl like my mom when less than five years earlier her favorite son had died at the hands of the Germans on Christmas Day in the Battle of the Bulge? My dad said, “we told your grandma that your mom was Danish.”  This was partly true since my mom’s family came from northern Germany, and one great grandparent was born in Denmark, another in The Netherlands.  Keith’s father served during the war as a Navy Seabee, and then the Navy as a career, eventually retiring as a Chief. 

After a few months, Keith and I broke up with our existing partners, and we started dating seriously.  He did so many kind things! He would replace my torn beach towel, and rushed to open the car door for me.  He would help me be a 4-H Junior Leader, getting all my young 4-H team’s sheep ready for judging at the fair. Oddly enough, even though I grew up in a more rural west coast town, it wasn’t expected to go to college after high school.  Many of my fellow classmates merely took up a trade, got married, and settled down.  I wanted to go to college, but the night before I was supposed to leave for Cal Poly, I wrote a letter to the scholarship board and asked that my scholarship funds be transferred to the local community college, Mira Costa in Oceanside that had an agricultural program.  I liked Keith so much and I didn’t want to be far away from him.  I'm not sure when I fell in love with Keith, but I liked him so much that I wanted to be with him.  There is a song that I think sums this up;  "Lucky I'm in love with my best friend, Lucky to have been where I have been..."

I did end up getting my degree, but that is for another blog.

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