Excerpt…The wharves of Cyrene extended out in graceful curves to the left and to the right. Up the hills in back of the harbor a jumble of tile roofs jostled for place with acacia and tamarisk trees, full-blown canopies providing a defense from the heat and glare of the noonday sun. Here and there large roofs indicated the palace, the public baths, various theaters and markets and other public buildings. Before her the port swarmed with activity, longshoremen and sailers, soldiers and slaves, fishermen, housewives, and businessmen, all preoccupied with their own concerns, none of which had anything to do with the forces of war massing on their horizon. It was a beautiful city, as cities founded by Greeks usually were. Seven hundred years before, emigrants from the island of Thera arrived here, bringing their white columns and carved friezes, along with all the gods in their pantheon, and their love and mastery of the sea. No Middle Sea harbor had been safe from the Greeks, and this was a nice one. Across the way the Hapi II bobbed at its moorage. Evidently Neb had already done a bit of shopping because the crew was taking on cargo. Dana sez–I do love me a road trip. 
Me and Marc Cameron in the house two weeks from todayClick through below to get your front row seat. I promise we’ll do our best to be charming, witty, and erudite. Well hell, that’s basically our middle names… 
Yeah, about that Harvey Girls mystery series…The reaction to last month’s newsletter was a bit of a surprise, especially from Nic, my publisher, who said and I quote, "GENIUS! Honestly, I think it is one of the best series ideas I’ve ever heard." So I guess I’m writing this thang. Which is a good thang since I’ve already started collecting reference works (see above). The plan is to finish Isis4 (on time, dammit) and then before I begin Kate24 to write an outline for the first three Harvey Girls mysteries to see if I can tempt Nic into a contract. (She said as she bats her eyes seductively.) 
You’ll remember that little factoid from last month’s RR…Yeah, this one: According to the Women & Girls Index report, only 1.81% of philanthropic giving in 2020 went to women’s and girls’ organizations, and of that 1.81%, the lowest amount went to arts and culture organizations that serve women. Let’s turn that narrative around, shall we? All next month I’m sponsoring my annual Founder’s Match for Storyknife–I will match every donation dollar for dollar up to $6500. That specific amount represents
The Founder’s Match is held every April to celebrate the arrival of the year’s first writers. Welcome! It’s snowing and blowing! All the better to keep you locked in your cabins with your laptops. Write hard! Just had the worst day ever at work, a tough scene that gave me serious writer PTSD. And then! the Storyknife crew left me a birthday surprise of scones, flowers, and a card on my doorstep. Flower with pussy willows in them! A birthday card with Snoopy doing his happy dance! And did I mention the scones? Even better, I had real butter to put on them. Pfui, blowing snow, life is good. Later– 
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