Dear Reader,

Who says this is the summer we won’t want to remember? Sure, some bad things have happened, and sadness has filled our hearts, but overall, we have much to be thankful for.

Wouldn’t it be awesome, if instead of the negative, we look at the summer of 2020 as the summer of accomplishments? It’s the perfect time to reconnect with family and friends. Reach out by phone instead of text and bring a little joy to some lonely person’s life.

What about that clutter we’ve accumulated over the years? I can’t think of any better time to clean closets and clear out things no longer needed. I am a huge advocate of donating items to the needy and have been doing so on a weekly basis. The espresso and pasta machines that I never use, no longer clutter my pantry shelves. The clothes I haven’t worn in years have been donated to people who can use them. And that abundance of books, as attached as I am to them, got donated to organizations so others can read them.

With time on my hands, I’ve renewed my passion for writing and reading. I’m eternally grateful the muse has given me another shot in the arm. Recently released is By Heart, second in the H. E. Caldwell series. You may also remember By Design, the story of the black owned Philadelphia department store that was saved from going out of business.