I’ve been walking around the house, looking for my muse. When I go on walks, I search for her in the clouds, in groves of trees and fields of dandelions. The state of the world and the nation are distractions, to be sure, and I’ve been doing left-brain things like editing manuscripts, working with . . .

I’ve been spending a lot of time with Alvin—that’s the name I’ve given the TTS (Text to Speech) function on my computer. He sounds like TV personality, Dick Cavett, only mellower. Having Alvin read what I’ve written helps me edit my work. He does a good job, though he pauses too long after commas, . . .

Karen Joy Fowler’s “Booth” is a fictionalized account of the Junius Booth family, whose sons included actor Edwin and the notorious John Wilkes. Fowler juxtaposes the family saga with accounts of Lincoln moving toward destiny in the Ford Theater. A good read. . . .

I’m reading Elizabeth George’s “Just One Evil Act” (719 pages). Readers have many characters to keep track of and though I’m reading it in snatches, I’m having no trouble remembering who they are because the author describes them so uniquely. Fans are familiar with Inspector Lynley, a . . .

I just finished reading a riveting mystery—”The Guilt Trip,” by Sandie Jones. The story centers on three British couples who fly to Portugal for a wedding. They all have secrets, and one of those secrets causes a death and a surprising act of vengeance. Jones, who is British, writes . . .