Some Days You’re the Bug, Some Days You’re the Windshield

Well, crud

Today I tried something new — I interviewed tonight’s Mystery Mondays guest, Kathleen Marple Kalb, via Zoom. I thought I’d hit all the right buttons… but apparently, I hadn’t. Even though I could see her smiling face on my screen, she doesn’t show up on the recording.

I’ve offered to redo the interview. Sigh. And yes, my face is definitely red with embarrassment.

When ‘Trying Something New’ Bites Back

But you know what? That’s the price you pay when you try anything new. I’m kicking myself gently while reminding myself of something I said just last week — the immense value of trying new things.

Our brains are lazy. They codify information, turning it into habit as quickly as possible, because habit uses less energy than doing something new. When we step outside our routines, our brains have to fire up, call on extra cells, and work harder.

Think of it as aerobics for your gray matter. And you know the rule: use it or lose it. Trying new things keeps us strong — and humble.

A Few Failures Later…

Honestly? I feel like a fool. I was proud of myself for wrestling Zoom into submission while ignoring Jax’s whines at my side. Kathleen and I had outwitted a blizzard! And still, what I saw wasn’t what I recorded. (I hope she forgives me.)

This isn’t my first recent setback this month. I was about 25,000 words into my next Kiki Lowenstein book (#22) when I realized… I hated it. The title annoyed me, the story dragged, and I couldn’t bring myself to care. You’d think writing would get easier after 85 books, but nope — it’s always the same hard slog.

The difference now is, I know I can push through. I went to bed that night feeling gloomy… and woke up at 4 a.m. with a vision. I saw the new opening scene. I slipped out of bed, grabbed my laptop (to the horror of my cat and dog), and started over.

Now I’m 12K words into a second version. I even sent notes to the cover artist for some changes. I love the new look! Sure, many authors wait until a book’s done to commission a cover, but for me it makes the project feel real.

Purple, Blame, Game will be available for pre‑order when the great god Amazon processes it — yet another way I keep myself accountable and moving ahead. The release date is June 2, 2026.

Kathleen’s Lesson: Keep Perspective

This new version of my book dovetails nicely with Kathleen’s own experience. When you listen to our interview, you’ll hear how she handled her own setbacks with grace and humor. Her advice is one worth repeating: keep a sense of perspective.

UPDATE: She was absolutely lovely about my goof. I plan to invite her back later, when she’s a Mystery Mondays guest again. I’m eager to keep building our fledgling friendship.

In Personal News…

I’ve been working hard to post more videos on YouTube — because apparently, AI will be “scraping” them. Sounds painful, right? In reality, scraping means automated data gathering.

Here’s how I understand it: soon, readers will be able to find their next Kiki book by asking AI to recommend something heart‑warming, friendship‑filled, craft‑centered, and full of fur babies — instead of relying on clunky keywords.

At least, that’s how I think it works. (Coming from a woman who can’t record a Zoom call properly — give me a break!)

If you head to my YouTube channel, you’ll also find a recording of my presentation to book lovers at Century Village in West Palm Beach, where I tell my famous “mole story.”

Oh, and I’m still working on my mouse house. I had to cover up a wallpaper problem, so I decided to create a gallery wall of art. Frankly, I’m loving doing these small paintings, and I hope to do a lot more.

Watch, Join, and Win!

🎬 Watch the Kathleen Marple Kalb interview:

📆 Join us live: Monday, February 23, 2026 at 7 p.m. ET on Joanna’s Readers. (Be sure to join in advance. I keep it as a group to keep the trolls away. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1602372550058785)

🎁 Giveaway: Enter to win a paperback copy of Kathleen’s book The Stuff of Malice → https://kingsumo.com/g/3q58kg3/stuff-of-malice.

🌐 Learn more about Kathleen: https://kathleenmarplekalb.com.

What’s Next?

Want to see more videos like this? Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel. -- https://www.youtube.com/@JoannaSlan

Tell me what you’d like to see:

• Craft techniques?

• A beach walk?

• Animal shorts?

Let’s have fun and keep learning — together.

Love, Joanna