This is one of my favorite covers. It is one of the earliest, too, back before my cover artist and I weren’t as attuned as we are now. We went through many different concepts before this one. And I’ve stayed with the same company ever since–Streetlight Graphics.

Truepenny has a kernel of true story to it, unlike most of my quirky stories. It’s cute seeing a mouse in your house darting from a corner and then disappearing somewhere. It’s not cute catching mouse after mouse after mouse in mousetraps. Especially the break- their- necks type of mouse traps. We finally decided to go for the sticky trap. And that was where the basis of this story originated. The mouse we caught on our first sticky trap was not dead. Just resoundingly stuck in the glue.

What happens in the story about that particular sticky trap is what happened in real life.

Truepenny the story came about because my sister Roxanne asked me to write something about this mouse. It’s not a children’s story, although the animals talk. And it’s a story I’m very proud of.

You can read it here http://amzn.com/B007181Y0Y or here http://amzn.com/B00HQ0PH1O or you can listen to it here http://www.audible.com/pd/Sci-Fi-Fantasy/Twisted-Rixter-Audiobook/B01MDNU438

WHAT I’VE READ SINCE LAST POST: The Burning Sky by Sherry Thomas. The Perilous Sea by Sherry Thomas.

The picture is the cover for one of my early short stories, published in Kindle format, and also available in the collection Twisted Rixter. Streetlight Graphics designed it, with help from me. I wrote the story, “Saints & Sinners,” in the car while my sister drove us down to Galveston for our first big cruise (we’d previously done a Barefoot Cruise on a sailing ship, a completely different experience). I wrote the rest of the story while sitting on the main deck, hanging out in the bar, sitting in the library all by myself, etc. It was a great experience, and since this was pre-laptop, all of it was written by hand. I still have the writing tablet with the original story in it. What else I remember of this experience was that it was fun writing in different locations, but it was also difficult. And truth be told, I always felt like I was broadcasting “Look at me! Writer writing!”

WHAT I READ SINCE LAST POST: Shortcake by Lucy Watson. Along Came A Spider by James Patterson.

I never say anything more here about my reading list. Today’s an exception. Shortcake by Lucy Watson is the funniest romance novel I’ve ever read, and it’s completely romantic as well.

You can read my recent stories on our website http://rixcafetexican.com. Look for it under the news tab.

Random photos.

 It’s early in the month of May. We live in Central Texas. The state has just been released from its Stay-At-Home edict, and you can tell. Lots more people everywhere. Not going to comment on that except to say that we have ordered masks and gloves for ourselves.

WHAT I’VE READ SINCE LAST POST (and I might have left some off):  PERSEPOLIS RISING by James S.A. Corey. STAY by Catherine Ryan Hyde. TWENTY-EIGHT WISHES by Denise Grover Swank. GATE QUEST by Lindsay Buroker. DROWNED UNDER by Wendall Thomas. THE HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins.

I’ve done a lot of reading. Am watching TRUE BLOOD on HBO, and cringing at most of the sex scenes, but I want to get into the “Eric falls in love with Sookie” episodes. Originally gave up after season two, I think, which is where I am at now.

Enjoying the series ALL RISE and TOMMY. Still watching (and enjoying) SURVIVOR.

Am working on a short story for a pod cast. Have put BROWN, a mystery novel into the queue for an Audible version. Slated to start work on it in June. Saw fireflies in the back yard this week. Haven’t seen fireflies since I was a teenager!

I’ve lowered the price of all my e-books to $3.99 https://amazon.com/author/gretchenrix Two of my books are free under the Kindle Unlimited plan BROWN, a mystery novel https://amzn.com/B07PLV725T and Twisted Rixter http://amzn.com/B00HQ0PH1O  

Ten of my books are available on Audible (some for free).

WHAT I’VE READ SINCE LAST POST: The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien. Ain’t Nobody Nobody by Heather Harper Ellett. Crossfire by Lindsay Buroker.

And here are some nice photos.

Have just put BROWN, a mystery novel up on Kindle Unlimited. If you are a subscriber, you can read it for free.

BROWN  https://amzn.com/B07PLV725T

WHAT I’VE READ SINCE LAST POST:  Ship of Ruin by Lindsay Buroker. The Devil’s Half Mile by Paddy Hirsch. Escaping Amnthra by Kristine Kathryn Rusch. The Renegat by Kristine Kathryn Rusch. Hero Code by Lindsay Buroker.

Today I entered BROWN, a mystery novel by G.L. Rix into a writing contest. The Writer’s League of Texas. It is also entered in the Texas Authors contest. Wish me luck. 

WHAT I’VE READ SINCE LAST TIME: The Magnolia Sword by Sherry Thomas. Shockwave (Star Kingdom #1) by Lindsay Buroker. The Skeleton Stuffs a Stocking by Leigh Perry.

Tonight’s the State of the Union address. I’m not watching.

New Braunfels Smokehouse has a new menu. And that’s all I’m going to say about that.

I finished a hugely intense science fiction writing workshop last week.

I’m writing on my next mystery novel again. Yea, me!

And I’ve submitted a new science fiction short story to Fantasy and Science Fiction Magazine. Double Yea, me!

And the cat wants to play with me right now.

WHAT I’VE READ SINCE LAST TIME:  The Institute by Stephen King. 

You can get free Audible codes for several of my books at https://audiobookwormpromotions.com/adopt-an-audiobook/

And e-book or paperback of all my books at Amazon.com.

And if you live in Lockhart, Texas (or visit here), there are three copies of BABY SINGS THE BOOS at Logo’s.

I’m taking a craft writing course, brushing up on how to write science fiction short stories. Learning a lot, re-learning some things, and having a blast writing. The last book in the Goodall series will be a lot better for it.

WHAT I’VE READ SINCE LAST POST:  The Hills Is Lonely by Lillian Beckwith. A Lady’s Lesson in Scandal by Meredith Duran.

http://amzn.com/B01CIQD61S