Endings and Beginnings with Ellen Byron *giveaway*

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News Flash: CherieJ won Witless and Sue Leis won Woodsy! Congratulations, ladies, and please check your email.

Edith/Maddie edging into June north of Boston.

I’m so happy to welcome my talented and hard-working friend Ellen Byron back to the blog with lots of happenings, a new series beginning in July, and a double giveaway!

I got to read an advance copy of A Very Woodsy Murder, and this fourth-generation Californian loved it.

Here’s the scoop: Down-on-her-luck sitcom writer Dee Stern is flipping the script. Twice divorced and wasting her talents on an obnoxious kids’ show, the lifelong Angeleno embraces the urge to jump in her car and keep driving north. It’s a road trip with no destination—until she pulls into a mid-century motel filled with cobwebs and retro charm. Nestled in the shadow of a national park, the village of Foundgold is a time capsule of a place that, like her, could use some work. So, in the most impulsive move of her life, Dee teams up with best friend, Jeff Cornetta—who happens to be her first ex-husband—to transform the aging ranch into the Golden Motel-of-the-Mountains, a hiker’s oasis on the edge of the wilderness . . .

But Dee and Jeff soon realize there couldn’t be two people more unprepared for the hospitality business. There’s also the panic-inducing reality of prowling bears and a general store as the only shopping spot for miles. Living and working in the middle of nowhere takes some getting used to—especially when a disrespectful guest ends up murdered! Now, with the motel duo topping the suspect list, Dee must steer clear of a meddling park ranger, face her past in show biz, and determine if the killer is a local or tourist. Because as she quickly finds out, there are many things worse than a one-star review.

Endings and Beginnings

2024 is the year my mother died. It’s also the year my Catering Hall Mysteries ended and my new series, the Golden Motel Mysteries, will begin. All three events are connected.

The Catering Hall Mystery series was a tribute to Mom and her endlessly entertaining Italian family. Mom came to America at the age of three. After surviving the Great Depression, her family eventually saved enough money to buy a two-family house in Astoria, Queens. The series is so personal to me that my protagonist, Mia Carina, lives in that exact house where my nonna— Mom’s mom—lived until her dying day. The catering hall Mia co-runs with her father is literally the catering hall cousins by marriage ran where my husband Jer and I had our New York wedding reception.

The series is also a love letter to my roots in New York. I’ve always been one of those people who proudly – and sometimes annoyingly! — trumpets her connection to the Big Apple. When people ask where I’m from, I generally respond, “I’m from New York but I live in Los Angeles,” where I moved in 1990 to write for television. But something hit me after I finished emptying Mom’s townhouse for the new owners. Her loss also meant the loss of my strongest link to NYC. As my husband Jer and I boarded our flight back to L.A., I said to him, “The next time I come back, I’ll be a visitor.” Hyperbole or not, something has irrevocably changed for me in terms of my connection to the city.

And the reality is that I’ve now lived in the Golden State longer than I lived in the Empire State, even if it’s only by a few months. Last spring, Jer and I took a research trip to Gold Rush Country, where my new Golden Motel Mystery series is set. We started in the mountains at the foot of Yosemite National Park.

We followed Highway 49 through the golden hills of Gold Rush country, marveling at the state’s extraordinary and diverse beauty.

At one point I looked west and realized if we’d driven straight in that direction, we’d be in the state’s spectacular central coast in only a few hours.

The road trip cemented my connection to CA.

A few years ago, I was in New York having lunch with my cousin Marie. We were talking about our various geographical connections and Marie said, “You’re a Californian.” I immediately pushed back and said, “No, I’m not. I’m a New Yorker.” But Marie was right. I may be “from New York.” But after basically living in the shadow of the Hollywood sign for thirty-four years, I am a Californian.

And proud of it.

Edith/Maddie: The Sierra Nevada mountains and the Gold Rush hills of California are some of my favorite parts of the state, and I miss them. Except I’m the reverse settler from Ellen – I’ve now lived in Massachusetts almost twice as long as I lived in California.

Readers: where do you live? Is it different from where you grew up? Do you feel a special connection to either or both locations? Leave a comment to be entered to win either a copy of The Witless Protection Program or an ARC of A Very Woodsy Murder.

Ellen Byron is a USA Today bestselling author, Anthony nominee, and recipient of multiple Agatha and Lefty awards for her Cajun Country Mysteries, Vintage Cookbook Mysteries, and Catering Hall Mysteries (as Maria DiRico). Her new series, The Golden Motel Mysteries, debuts in July. She is also an award-winning playwright and non-award-winning writer of TV hits like Wings, Just Shoot Me, and Fairly OddParents, but considers her most impressive achievement working as a cater-waiter for Martha Stewart. Visit her at Cozy Mysteries | Ellen Byron | Author

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Published by Edith Maxwell

Agatha Award -winning author Edith Maxwell writes the historical Quaker Midwife Mysteries (Beyond the Page) and short crime fiction. As Maddie Day she writes the Dot and Amelia Mysteries, the Country Store Mysteries series, the Cozy Capers Book Group Mysteries, and the Cece Barton Mysteries (all from Kensington Publishing). She lives north of Boston in an antique house with her beau and cat Martin, where she writes, gardens, cooks, and wastes time on Facebook.

92 Thoughts

  1. Hi Ellen,

    First, my condolences on the loss of your mom. No matter how old we get, that connection to our parents is fundamental. Not only were they responsible, to a significant extent, for the people we turned out to be, but once they’re gone, that sense of knowing there’s always someone who’s on your side and rooting for you, no matter what.

    Friends may come and go and relationships come with no guarantee, but your parents will always be there for you. And that’s a loss that never goes away.

    Next, I’m so sorry to see the end of the Catering Hall series. You know how much I loved it and the humor that had me falling on the floor laughing. The Witless Protection Program did seem to be wrapping up Mia’s story, and I suspected it might be the final entry. I’ll miss Mia and her family and SOME of her co-workers very much. Thank you for sharing Mia with us!

    Finally, I’m really looking forward to the Golden Motel series. I love Yosemite. And by the way, if you ever feel the need to visit Yosemite with a dog, I can recommend an absolutely wonderful hotel (probably at the opposite end of the hospitality universe from the Golden) located right at the south entrance to the park that is amazingly pet-friendly.

    (Someday, I’ll have to tell you stories of our first visit there with our fox terrier. It’s epically funny, although it didn’t seem so at the time.)

    Frankly, if the guest at the Golden was that disrespectful, then s/he probably had it coming, at least in terms of karma. And wouldn’t it have been worse if the victim had turned out to be someone who you’d love to see as a repeat customer!

    As for Edith’s question, I’m now living in the house I grew up in, after decades of living a hundred or so miles away in Silicon Valley. When I returned, I felt very much a stranger/visitor here, but have now lost most of my Bay Area connections. (In fact, I talked one of them into moving here!)

    For all the time I lived there, I considered the Bay Area home, but no more.

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    1. Lee, thank you so much for all the support you gave my Catering Hall Mysteries. AND for the recommendation of a dog-friendly Yosemite hotel. I’ll take it! (BTW, as a Californian, you’ll chuckle when you see how I cheat geography in the book, lol.) I can’t believe you’re living in the house you grew up in. That must be so filled with a variety of emotions.

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      1. The spot is Tenaya Lodge. Those with dogs are given rooms with sliding doors that open directly onto a shared grassy area. It was the most convenient and dog-friendly setup I’ve ever encountered. I look forward to being able to tell you the story of Gracie’s first visit there. It’s hilarious now, but it was anything but at the time.

        Best wishes to you, always.

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  2. Ellen, my city today is not the same as the city I grew up in. I miss those carefree days. Congrats on your new series and sad to see one leave.

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    1. Dru, I know. You have such a special connection to New York. I’m sad to see what we’ve lost. I remember going to shop Orchard Street with my mom – and now it’s all expensive apartments! And the tiny coffee shops all over, where I used to get breakfast specials on my way to a day job at Lord & Taylor’s – also gone. And you lost your fabulous view!

      But the city still does have magic, even if it’s different. I still love it so much. And do miss it. xo

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  3. Born in New Jersey. Live in Nebraska. North Jersey is Mountains and Nebraska for them most part is flat. Nebraska is slow pace. New jersey is not. Don’t really have a connect to either state but do love the slower pace.

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  4. My deepest sympathies on the loss of your mother.

    I am an Army brat and lived in many places. When you grow up continually adapting to change, you cling to what’s familiar and in my case that was family. No matter where we lived my family was the constant. My parents finally set roots in Pittsburgh where I graduated from high school and where I met my future husband. I claim Pittsburgh as my hometown But it’s Chicago where I came for graduate school and stayed, got married and built a life with my husband and four sons. And though with the deaths of parents and the selling of their homes, our familial ties to Pittsburgh are gone, as are our frequent trips there, we still feel strongly about the ‘Burgh for its significance to our family history. And we stubbornly remain Pittsburgh sports fans (and it is not easy being a Pirates fan with all the Cubs fans around us – have you met a Chicago Cubs fan?).

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    2. LOL! My husband lived in Chicago after college. (he’s from St. Louis and went to Marquette, so a true son of the Midwest). I know those fans, and can top them with NY fans! And Jer being a Cardinal fan, we did get some s–t when he wore a Cardinals jersey to a Dodgers game here in L.A.

      Thanks so much for the condolences.

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  5. Ellen,

    While so many of the people who respond today will have lived in more than one place in their lifetime, I’ve spent more than 50 years in one spot. Why spoil a good thing, right?

    I am in what is called “The Armpit of the Cape”. Fitting since the town itself stinks. HA!

    I have no special connection to the place other than it’s where I live, I have no desire to move anywhere else and even if I did, I’m too lazy to want to pack up all my crap and have to unpack it somewhere else.

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    1. Jay, I LOVE the Cape!! I have many happy memories of family vacations there as a kid. I don’t blame you one bit for never leaving. And I’m with you on the hell of moving. I can’t imagine going through that again.

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  6. My condolences on the loss of your mom, may your memories of her give you peace. Your description of the mountains and coast make me anxious to read your new series! I’m a born and raised Maine-ah, and have also lived in California (Cypress, outside Long Beach) and southwest Virginia, back in Maine now. I’ve read some of your books before but didn’t realize you worked for Martha Stewart! Is she as fabulous in real life as she seems? She and Snoop Dogg made quite the team!

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    1. Thanks so much, Kathy. And yes, I worked with Martha when she was just starting out! If you have an early edition of ENTERTAINING, you’ll find me standing next to her on page 29, lol. I loved Martha. Of course, I knew her before she was an icon. But she worked like a dog and everything you see is really her. The word “authentic” is overused but Martha truly is.

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  7. I’m sorry for your loss. You have my deepest sympathy. I was raised in a small town in Louisiana and I still live here. I moved away once but I missed my hometown so I moved back and I have been here ever since with no plans to leave!

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    1. Julie!! What small town? I went to Tulane and our daughter went to Loyola. I’ve spent so much time all over Louisiana. (Well, south of I-10 really.) New Orleans is my favorite place ever!

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  8. As an old Army brat, home was where we lived at the time. I was proud to always say I was born an Arkie. We lived in California longer than any where else. Dad retired when I entered high school back to Arkansas. Few years later, married I moved to Hope,AR , which felt like “home”. Then retired 7 years ago, we sold out, downsized and moved to a place we have always lived – the Ozark Mountains. Building our dream – forever home was the best decision ever. Where we live now feels more like home than any place we have ever lived. It’s where our hearts and bodies are the happiest.
    Thank you for the chance to win a copy f be of your fabulous books!
    2clowns at Arkansas dot net

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    1. Kay, thank you so much for the compliment! My husband is from St. Louis and he’s always told me how beautiful the Ozarks are. You’re very lucky!

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  9. I am a Pennsylvania native – born and raised in Philadelphia. Then I married a solider and we moved around for the next 20 years. Our last assignment was Pittsburgh, the other side of the state, and that’s where we have stayed. I enjoy your books and look forward to the new series.

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    1. Thank you, Kitty! I love PA. A beautiful state. I actually applied to Penn State for college but they were very strict about out of staters at the time and couldn’t reject me fast enough!

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  10. Ellen, thanks so much for sharing stories about your Mom. She was a remarkable woman and we’re better off thanks to you telling us about her.
    I was born and raised on the east side of Indianapolis. My wife and I spent the better part of a decade in different parts of the state for various jobs and returned to Indy in 2000 and live in the Midtown area. I love my hometown…except during the winter when I need to shovel snow!

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  11. I’m so sorry about your mom. I have lived in Nebraska my whole life. ckmbeg (at) gmail (dot) com

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  12. I spent ten years in Minnesota, and one year traveling teaching study skills, but St. Louis called me back. Family ties are hard to resist, and it is a good place to live. Travel is fun, travel in books is even more so (no packing).

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    1. I LOVE St. Louis, which is my husband’s hometown. So much wonderful architecture. Plus Ted Drewes! And Provel cheese! And Gooey Butter Cake!

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  13. I’m a lifelong New Yorker, raised in a suburb on Long Island and a Queens resident for over 40 years. In recent years I’ve spent more time in Seattle with my son’s family, thinking about a possible move there eventually.

    While I love all of your books, I felt a special Queens connection to the Catering Hall series & was sad that it ended, but am looking forward to the new series!

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    1. Judith, hi! I love how you embraced that series because I know you could see Queens in it. When I wrote it, I’d take a visual trip through all the locations in Astoria that meant so much to me. I’m so proud of my roots there.

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  14. I’m so sorry to hear about your mom. I do things now that remind me of my mama! I am from a small town in South Carolina and live in Columbia, the capital, now. I love love love the south so I never have wanted to move. We have great beaches and mountains ineach direction. I just finished the Witless Book and loved it. Of course I love the New Orleans series and can’t wait to start the new one! Thanks for all you write. We love them.

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  15. I’m seventh generation on the farm, so I have a strong connection to the land. I also lost my mom a few months ago. Beyond the feeling of losing an umbrella with both parents gone, there is also new contemplation about being the last generation. May memories of your mom make you smile and congrats on the new series – it sounds fun!

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    1. Seventh generation on your farm! That’s extraordinary. I’m so sorry you lost your mom. “Losing an umbrella” is a wonderful image. I’ve never heard that before.

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  16. Hugs, Ellen. What a year. My condolences on the loss of your mom. Looking at your wedding photo you and your mom look so much alike. A difficult loss. Congratulations on the launch of your new series. I’m looking forward to settling in and reading it.

    As for me, Jersey girl. Born and raised in the shadow of New York City. Left there to attend college in Florida and stayed for more than 40 years. I still consider myself a Jersey girl. It’s an attitude not a location. It’s funny though, I belong to several “The way it was” Facebook groups. I remember the Florida locations, not so much the Jersey ones.

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    1. Kait, I had no idea you were a Jersey girl! It’s interesting how our original identification stays with us. I may be a Californian but I’ll always be a New Yorker.

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  17. I will miss the Catering series most definitely. I am from Northern California but moved to the Desert, Las Vegas, 20+ years ago. We had a group of 16 who would spend a week in the Gold Country every summer taking over a B and B and enjoying all the beauty that area offered. It started because of a Melodrama that was produced each summer in Drytown and was great fun. I am looking forward to revisiting that area through your new series.

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    1. MaryFrances, thank you. And you really have a connection to Gold Country! Goldsgone in my book is inspired by Columbia Historic State Park. It’s the first place my great-aunt took me on my first trip to CA.

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  18. Sorry about your mom.
    I live in a very small and rural town called Bruin, PA. It is named for the Bears in the area and many many years ago Indians even lived in the area. I live near the woods and coexist with Bears, cougars, deer and many other animals and even had a bears in my backyard and one night I even got to see a bear stand on his hind legs can we say it was a sight you don’t soon forget.

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    1. Wow! When we stayed with our friends in Tahoe Donner, we’d see bears lumbering up a path next to their house – but never one on its hind legs! I think that would be terrifying.

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  19. Ellen, Your books have given me great enjoyment. Such wonderful memories you have of your mother. I have been living in the same city all my life and I would never leave. Deep roots, meaningful and important relationships, and somewhere extremely special. A city with depth, history and emotions.

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  20. What a year! The Catering Hall Mysteries were a grand tribute to your mom and her Italian family and provided so many of us hours of happy entertainment. Thank you so much! It will be missed, but looking forward to the new series as well as a new entry in the Vintage Cookbook series.
    I am a transplanted desert dweller, living the past 30 years in Arizona, but will always be a Colorado girl at heart. Every time I visit friends and extended family there I feel like I’m home.

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    1. Thank you so much for the kind words about my books! You’re lucky to call two beautiful, albeit different, cities home. The topography of both is just stunning. And I know the feeling of calling a place home, even though you haven’t lived there a while. I only lived in NOLA for college – yet it still feels like home to me.

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  21. Your post resonates with me. I am still grieving the loss of my mother.
    When I moved from my hometown which was where I lived forever I knew that nothing could replace that city. Now I am in a very strange SW town in the middle of nowhere and trying to find myself.
    Thank you for your writing and books.

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    1. Laini, I’m so for the loss of your mother. And the town where you had roots. Relocating is so hard. I have a life in L.A. but my closest friends are still in NY. I hope you find what gives you pleasure in your new home and make friends and wonderful memories. xo

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  22. Welcome back. I love this post, Ellen and look forward to your new series. I say I’m from Iowa but I haven’t lived there since I was twenty-three. Of all the places we’ve lived, Massachusetts felt the most like home. My paternal grandmother’s family landed in Hingham, MA in the 1600s so maybe there is some genetic connection. And again, my condolences, to you and Jer.

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    1. Sherry!! I miss you. M.D. wasn’t the same without your gorgeous, warm smile. It’s interesting how we still lay claim to places from our past because our connection is so strong to them. And 1600s!!! WOW! Now I want to know more about your family history!

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  23. I have lived in Texas over sixty years and much of my career has been built around the history and literature of the Lone Star State–and yet I still think of Chicago as home. My current cozy series is set in Chicago, and, like Ellen, I incorporated the very house in which I grew up in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood. Some roots are forever.

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    1. “Some roots are forever.” I love that. What a deep connection you have to your original home, Judy. Yet your writing really connects to Texas. It makes me think of my connection to Louisiana. I only lived there during college but the connection has always been so strong that it’s pulled me back to New Orleans and Cajun Country over and over again – and informed my writing.

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  24. I lived in New England for most of my life and have fond memories of Cape Cod, Hampton Beach, Fenway Park. The city of Boston is close to my heart. Besides being the home of the Boston Red Sox, Boston has a great deal of early American history there, including Paul Revere’s house and the Old North Church. You can also visit the bar which was the inspiration for the television show Cheers. Of course, there are many colleges nearby.

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    1. I love Boston! The history is so rich there. And as a kid, we spent wonderful vacations on the Cape, Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard – which is where my parents honeymooned. I feel a strong connection to all of New England, actually. It where we spent most of our family vacations.

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  25. Congratulations, Ellen. I’m “from” Buffalo, but I live in Pittsburgh. And yes, I’ve now lived in Pittsburgh longer than I lived in Buffalo. But I still have family there so I go back on a regular basis. Gotta get my chicken wing fix!

    But I do NOT miss the snow!

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    1. Ha!! Chicken wing fixation. I swear I never heard that connection to Buffalo growing up. And I always think of you as a Pittsburgh girl, Liz!

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  26. I was born in FL, then at 6 months we moved to Texas. Then to NJ for the bulk of my growing up.
    I now live in southern FL. No more northern weather for me.

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  27. I love this post, Ellen. I know that you are from NY and remember some of the things you shared about the Catering Hall series when you first started it, but I’d forgotten about Nonna’s house, being your grandmother’s house and the catering hall being like your cousin’s. I do love that series, but know that sometimes writers don’t get to choose. I am looking forward to your new series.
    I was born in Connecticut and have lived here most of my life. California has been a frequent destination for visits since so much of my family and my husband’s family, too, settled out there.

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  28. the place i’m in now is not at all like where i grew up. and even though i have been here for more than 1/2 my life, it still don’t resonate with it.

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  29. I’m sorry for the loss of your mother. But I’m glad to see you embracing your Californianess.

    I’m a CA native. I was born just south of the Oregon border, but my family moved to Santa Rosa (60 miles north of San Francisco) when I was two. That’s where I grew up until I was 20, when I moved to the Los Angeles area to go to college and never left. Honestly, I’ve always been more attracted to So Cal, even as a kid. Have to believe I’ve been a So Cal resident for almost 29 years now.

    As a reminder, we do have four seasons here in So Cal – Hot. Santa Anna wind and fire. Coolish with a slight chance of rain…maybe. And warming up again. 🙂

    (No need to enter me in the giveaway.)

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    1. LOL, Mark! Thanks for reminding me about the SoCal “four seasons.” I love NorCal, though. Although I’ve never been as far as the border. It’s stupefying that there’s still something like 900 miles of CA past San Francisco. This state is crazy big.

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  30. Hi Ellen. Best of luck with the Golden Motel Mysteries. I was born in Massachusetts by complete coincidence. My father was stationed there in the Army and we left when I was six months old. I didn’t return to live until I married my husband, a native, and I’ve lived in New England ever since. New England is my place.

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  31. Many hugs for the loss of your mom. It’s a bond like no other that informs our entire lives.
    I’ve truly enjoyed your family focused series, especially Cajun and Catering, and I suspect most of your real life family members are featured in some way. lol Congratulations on the new series!
    I was born in NC. Dad was in the military and we moved around a bit, but landed in NJ, halfway between the two families (in Cape Cod and NC). While I spent most of my life in NJ, I spent a dozen years in Texas, felt an instant connection, and began to call it home. I’m back in NC, but visit Texas whenever I can. Any weather below 70 degrees feels chilly now.

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    1. Patti, thank you! And you made me laugh with the last line. I’m with you except I’d say that any weather below 80 degrees feels chilly to me now!

      And NC is a gorgeous state.

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  32. I grew up in Minnesota, where I lived for 26 years. I moved to Washington state and have lived here 38 years. Now I’m in process of having to move either to Montana or back to Minnesota. I love the west and it feels like home. But my family is all in Minnesota, so I will end up back there at some point. I miss MN seasons, but love mild winters in the west. I’m torn.
    I’m sad the catering house is ending, but looking forward to your new series. Thanks for writing such fun and interesting books!

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    1. Thank you so much for reading my books. That’s a tough decision. I think it would be hard to give up WA and yes, the mild winters. But MN is the land of a thousand lakes, so there’s that!

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  33. I live in Lancaster, PA. I grew up northeastern Indiana. This difference is vast. It is much more beautiful here and the people are much friendlier. In between, I lived in Boston for 18 years and in a very small town in northwestern PA. So I’ve had experience in quite a variety of places. We chose to retire here and couldn’t be happier.

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  34. I grew up and lived in Michigan for 60+ years. We moved to Washington state 8 years ago to be near our son and his family. It was the right move but I still think of myself as a Michigander. I’ve recently gotten hooked on Facebook with all the groups dedicated to the freighters on the great lakes. I never lived more than a mile from a great lake or connecting river so we were quite aware of all the ship traffic. These groups bring back these memories for me.

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    1. Facebook and also Instagram are great ways to connect to what we love. I cannot tell you how many NOLA accounts I follow on Insta. I’m fascinated by the Great Lakes. They’ve never been a part of my life, so I found them intriguing. We were in Milwaukee in March and I got so excited seeing that giant expanse of lake that looks like ocean the city borders!

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  35. I have enjoyed all your series but there was something so special about Mia’s relationship with her Nonna, I will miss them. I was born in Washington DC and moved to New Mexico for 5 years. Then I lived in Michigan for 40 years, this is where we raised our kids and worked and retired. Then we jumped in our RV and traveled for a few years, landing in Fla and MI as occasional snowbirds. We really liked North Carolina, so we sold our MI home to our son and built a house in North Carolina. We love our new home and new town. I feel like I’m from everywhere and that’s okay with me. Looking forward to the new series.

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    1. Lucy, what a wonderful journey! My BIL and SIL live in the northern VA area and so many of their friends are retiring to NC. It’s a hugely popular destination now.

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  36. Ellen: HUGS to you on a year full of endings and beginnings! So sorry about your mom, and I loved reading the Catering Hall mystery series. I am looking forward to reading your new Golden Motel mysteries. You’re one of those fave authors…I will read everything you write!

    I am always proud to say I was born and raised in TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA. My childhood in the 1970 and 1980s was living in a north Toronto suburb (Willowdale) that was 90% Jewish. It’s changed a lot, with the majority of businesses in the area being either Korean or Iranian. I did spend about 10 years living away from Toronto when I went to university & my earlier jobs with the Canadian federal government. But I lived in Toronto from 2001-2013 until the 2.5 hour commute to work, crime, cost-of-living, was driving me crazy. I made the career choice to move to Ottawa in January 2014 and I have been here for 10 years+. Yes, Ottawa is my home now, but in my heart, I still consider myself a Torontonian. I watch the morning breakfast TV show, read the daily Toronto newspaper online & truly miss the eclectic multi-cultural neighbourhoods and food scene!

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    1. Grace, I am so thrilled you read my books!! I love armchair-traveling with you. And seeing the photos of your lovely home. I hope Ottawa steps up its game. You deserve it!

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  37. So sorry for the loss of your Mom, Ellen.
    I grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan and I’ve lived in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago for most of my adult life. My Sister now lives in Holland, Michigan and we occasionally go to Grand Rapids to go shopping. Holland is a small town and both of us can’t even imagine living in Grand Rapids again. I still think of Michigan as home and would love to move back there some day.

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    1. Thank you, Dianne. It sounds like Michigan is the home of your heart, as I put it. I hope you do get to move back someday. And I hear Holland is great! I have a friend who went to Hope College there.

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  38. I grew up in NJ and I’m currently living around the block from where I grew up but the town has changed over time. Most of the stores I grew up with including our neighborhood candy store/deli are long gone.
    sgiden at verizon (.) net

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    1. Wow, around the block from where you grew up. That’s cool. Except it’s sad how things we remember with love disappear with time. Hopefully, places that create new memories replace them.

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  39. I actually live in the same house that I grew up in. It just feels like home. We have lived in other places during our married lives. I have to say though that none of them felt the same way as it does here. Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you. dpruss@prodigy.net

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    1. I love when people live in the house they grew up in! There’s something special about that. But no, it will never feel the same. But who knows? Maybe it will eventually feel even better.

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  40. I can so totally relate to your post. I was born and raised in NYC in Queens. I moved to Florida in my 20’s and have been ever since. I still have great memories and a fondness for NY even though I have now lived longer in Florida.

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  41. My sympathies on the loss of your mom.
    I was born and raised and still live in the San Francisco Bay Area. I live 5 blocks from the house I grew up in.
    Wskwared(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  42. It is funny how people relate to where they are from and where they lived. I was raised and lived in Northeast Ohio for 3/4 of my life. I spent 15 years living in MN, and although I loved it, I always felt like a Buckeye the whole time I was there. There is a saying that you can never go home again. I have found it to be true. Because when I moved back to Ohio, time had marched on and everyone I used to know had moved on in their lives while I was gone. So the Ohio I love is still here, but many friendships have changed or faded as circumstances have changed. And I am surprised at how connected I still feel to Minnesota. This has been a year of big changes for you Ellen and I have enjoyed following your journey that you have shared with your fans.

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  43. I live in Rhode Island now but grew up in Connecticut. Although they are both states in New England, they are very different. I have fond memories growing up there and it will always be home.

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  44. I am 3rd generation Southern New England. Family straight to the “old country” and I would not give it up for all the stuffed quahogs and fish and chips on any Friday. My heart has “saudades” (longings) for the soil of my roots, but not enough to ever leave.

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  45. I’ve lived on the same area all of my life. As I got older I came to love the history of the area.

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  46. Ellen, Lee above said it best about losing your mother. I still grieve the loss of my mother (1998) and of my Daddy (1982) and pray for you during your grieving process. I am reading your last Catering Hall Mystery right now. I am taking it slowly as I know it is the last. We now live in north Georgia (under duress 31 years ago with my husband’s job) and it is beautiful here, but it is not Texas. I grew up in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas and am therefore, a Valley Girl though most call us Valley Rats. Not a California Valley girl type but a southern one. That area was flat as a pancake and barely above sea level. We could drive 90 miles before we had to decide where we were going as we had to drive through the King Ranch and then it took all day to get near the state line to travel elsewhere. Georgia is prettier with many more trees, has seasons, is easier to go travel to other places from, but you can take the girl out of Texas, though you can’t take Texas out of the girl. We probably won’t move back to Texas due to the cost of moving and we are now retired. Too hard on us. I do want to go home again though. I can’t wait to read your latest. I have never been to Yosemite so now I can vicariously through your book.

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