Holly Miller blogs
for the
Paws & Claws Mysteries
by Krista Davis
Do you have a big family that lives close by? My family is spread around the world. Mostly in the States, but my cousin Josh has travel fever and is always sending postcards from the most remote places. I live in Arlington, Virgina, just across the river from Washington, DC. It's a pretty hectic place My grandmother, whom I call Oma, German for grandma, lives on Wagtail Mountain, a little more than a six hour drive from my house.
I was at a very chic dinner with my boyfriend at his boss's vineyard when I received a desperate phone call from Oma's best friend, Rose. She told me to come as soon as I could. Naturally I left immediately, even though Ben was fairly put out with me for that. I took his car, which may not have been the best move because it meant his boss's daughter, Kim, would have to drive him back to Washington. Kim and her mother had their eyes on Ben all evening. Still, my Oma came first. I would never forgive myself if something happened to her or if she needed me, and I didn't go. After all, geographically speaking, I'm the closest to her. And I love her dearly.
Oma always provided a wonderful escape from my divorced parents. Every summer I spent school vacations with her at the Sugar Maple Inn. My cousin Josh, his best friend, Holmes, and I worked at the inn. Oma had us do everything. And she didn't differentiate between boys and girls when it came to work. But she made sure we had plenty of time for swimming in the lake and playing in the woods. Summers in Wagtail were my favorite part of the year.
Now that I'm headed for the Sugar Maple Inn again, I can't quite figure out why it's been so long since I was there. Have I really been too busy to visit my beloved Oma? Can it be that I've turned into a workaholic with little time for the meaningful things in life? I'm ashamed that it took a crisis for me to make the trip to Wagtail. I just hope Oma is okay. Rose sounded so desperate. She wouldn't have called if something wasn't terribly wrong.
How about you? Do you live close to your family and see them a lot? Or are they spread out like my family?
Season's Readings!
To show our appreciation for our readers, we're giving away one book a day for the whole month of December. It's our gift to you. Every day, one lucky person will be chosen from the people who left a comment that day. You have 31 chances to win! But you have to leave comments! So come back every day and leave a comment for a new chance to win.
Today's randomly selected winner will have the choice of a copy of MURDER, SHE BARKED or THE DIVA FROSTS A CUPCAKE. Leave a comment here to enter!
Posts
The diva series is one of my favorites. I am looking forward to your new series.
ReplyDeleteI only have one sister who lives 90 miles from me. We see each other a few times a year, but we take an annual trip to Las Vegas together.
Do not have any family nearby so enjoy knitting, and reading the best!
ReplyDeleteLynn/MI
My Mother,age 92, and her sister, age 85 live together and we see them about every other Saturday. We live about 65 miles away from them. Our two daughters, one lives about 200 miles to the south, Lincoln, Nebraska and the other lives near Spokane Washington. We're looking forward to seeing both of them and their spouses this Christmas.
ReplyDeleteDon't have much family left but with those that are left (my mom, brother and grandma) we are spread apart.
ReplyDeleteBTW, Murder She Barked was a great read and I can't wait for the next in the Diva series.
Have a wonderful Holiday... Merry Christmas and a Healthy and Happy New Year!
My family is way to close somethimes! We all work together so we see each other almost every day.
ReplyDeleteI have not gotten into the animal cozies yet - I guess I'll have to start with this one
I'm very lucky because all of my immediate family lives in Northern VA!
ReplyDeleteLove your Diva books!
My family is spread out, so each side only get together about once a year. My father had 13 brothers and sisters, so there are cousins galore. Every September we meet at a park in Oklahoma for a reunion and to share memories. At Christmas, my husbands family gets together.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance to win one of your books.
My family is spread out.
ReplyDeletemy family is mostly nearby, but some are in different parts of the US..........
ReplyDeleteas we've gotten older, we don't see each other as much, even the ones close by.............
Both series look very good and I am blessed to live near all of my family. jlong AT parker DOT com
ReplyDeleteI'm reading Murder She Barked and really enjoying it. Looking forward to reading the Diva series next. I'm blessed to have most of my family nearby or within an hour or two's drive, so we see each other often.
ReplyDeleteMy family is spread out. The closest is 2 hours away.
ReplyDeleteMy email is sweetcandi32010@yahoo.com
ReplyDeletekim j
ReplyDeleteboth mine and my husbands family all live within 5 hours of each other
kjohnson952@yahoo.com
Enjoy the Diva series very much. Usually finish Krista's books in one day. Looking forward to starting this new series
ReplyDeleteMy family is mostly close, except one sister (and her family) who lives in southern Virginia. But they do come up for the holiday, so it's all good.
ReplyDeleteMy family is spread out. My husband's family are about 1 1/2 away and my parents and sister are about 2 1/2 hours. Its hard to get to see them even though they are not that far away. Plus, when you have animals it makes harder to get away. Thank you for the bandanas for my animals. They look so cute in them.
ReplyDeleteI'm really only close to my parents and they live just over an hour away. I also have great correspondence with my great aunt-but she lives in California-all the way across the country. We write and sometimes phone.
ReplyDeleteI live with my almost-93-year-old mother. My brother lives in Florida, one nephew's family in California, and another nephew's family in Virginia (D.C. area). We see the California kids once a year, the others usually two or three times during the year. The Florida and Virginia ones will be here on Christmas Day, in the area for a few days.
ReplyDeletelovesdogsandbooks (at) yahoo (dot) com
Please enter me.
ReplyDeleteMy family is spread out too. My only sister has Down Syndrome and lives locally in a nursing home while Alzheimers steals her away. I haven't read this series but would love to.
ReplyDeleteI love reading her books ....reading relaxes me celsaieh88@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteOur family is a bit spread out. But not too far from us. We will be going to our daughter's for Christmas.
ReplyDeletenlb1050@yahoo.com
Thank you!! I love these books!
ReplyDeleteAll of my parent's family are far away, but my stepfather's family is close and they get together about 3 times a year. Christmas is usually the one most people try to make. My daughter lives about an hour away and so does my mom and stepdad. My brother and his family are about 40 minutes away. Still, being this close does not mean that we see each other very often.
ReplyDeleteHave a great Christmas everyone and good luck.
I have a large family and most of them live in the same County that I do. I do have a sister who lives out of state and a stepson who lives out of state, but other than that, I feel very lucky that my family is close by. Thank you for the chance to win the books!
ReplyDeleteI live with my immediate family but have extended family spread around North America.
ReplyDeletelauraalbert@hotmail,com
Have the bandana, need the book. Thanks for one and hoping to win the other.
ReplyDeleteMy family lives down the street. I see them ALL the time!
ReplyDeletecool!! hope I'm lucky today!! Merry Christmas everyone!!
ReplyDeleteBoth my parents and my husband's mom have passed on. I grew up in a large family and I'm sad that my sons don't get to enjoy that same benefit. However, my mother in law had a wonderful friend, Sue. Sue and her husband adopted us and have filled the grandparent role for my boys. We often call them our parents by choice.
ReplyDeletei like your other series so I am sure I'll like this one.
ReplyDeleteOur family is also scattered.
ReplyDeleteI am very lucky to have close family nearby, especially at the Holidays! All four of my sisters and their family live here as well as most of all of my husband's family! Looking forward to reading all of these wonderful books! I have enjoyed this Giveaway so much! Merry Christmas to you all!
ReplyDeleteI don't have much family that I see and I'm an only child. Lots of relatives who haven't been in contact with me or my parents in years. (I didn't win the Mega Millions so they won't be crawling out of the woodwork anytime soon, ha ha!) Years ago I met some relatives who came up from Texas (I'm in Ohio) and I have a cousin out in California. I think I have two of your Diva mysteries, but the one with the animals interests me most. I'm a cat owner.
ReplyDeletecatbooks72(at)gmail(dot)com
Our family is here in town. Love that. Your book is a delight. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteYour series is captivating. Lucky to have family nearby. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteLuckily I live in the same area as all of my immediate family (even the dead ones!) I used to have to travel during the holidays, and it was not much fun. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good nights read.
ReplyDeleteMy family all lives in the same town, so we see each other on a regular basis, which sometimes feels like it takes some of the 'special-ness' away from the holidays. They are often, just another day. Though I had lived half way across the country for a few years and missed just about all the holidays with them, so I can still appreciate the closeness we have now. :)
ReplyDeletei wasn't sure i wanted to read the diva series (so many books so little time) but now, i am sure i do want to!.. and i really want to read murder she barked!
ReplyDeleteI was an only child of an only child---so no family here at all. Or should I say I have a family of friends now.
ReplyDeletesuefarrell.farrell@gmail.com
I love the idea that this book has a Oma. We had a Dziadzu and Bacia (Grandpa and Grandma) -- Polish.
ReplyDeleteJodi
webbJM@verizon.net
If the boyfriend can't deal with Oma being a priority, he has to go!
ReplyDeleteMy family is spread out all over the place. We try to catch up where possible.
ReplyDeletemarypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
My immediate family is 1000 miles away. I hope to move closer soon. Love the new series. I also love the names of the pets in the new book. I had a sweet polydactyl tortie named Twinkletoes (nickname Twinkie) and another tortie named Trixie. Looking forward to the next book!
ReplyDeleteI live close to my family which is awesome! I love Krista Davis' Diva series! I am looking forward to the next book!
ReplyDeleteOur family is spread out. We have six kids that live across the US. My husband and I are moving back in with my mom so that will be great to be close to her again! My siblings are spread out almost as much as our kids. It is hard to get everyone together, that is for sure!
ReplyDeleteElaineE246 at msn dot com
well this is fun - any chance to win a cozy mystery is gretly appreciated.
ReplyDeleteI'm a big fan of the Diva books, and can't wait for the next one.
ReplyDeleteLove her books. Thanks for having giveaway ,
ReplyDeletexzjh04@ gmail .com
Wish I lived closer to my family. Thanks for having great giveaway.
ReplyDeletexzjh04@ gmail.com