Catherine Dilts's Blog

I have lots to be thankful for and plenty to anticipate in the month of December. 

December 1st: The book birthday for The Body in the Hayloft. The third book in the Rose Creek Mystery series is available now for pre-order.
Bookstore owner Emily believes cats and mysteries go together, and she just might be right. During an equestrian workshop at the Double C ranch in northeast Oklahoma, a pampered Persian housecat leads Callie to a woman in a hayloft. The Rose Creek Reads book club springs into action, investigating the meaning behind the woman’s mysterious final words.

December 20th: I make a rare in-person appearance at the Winter Bash. My writing group plans to share a table, offering our published novels, children's books, and adult coloring books.
Meet over twenty local authors, including me, Merida Bass, Jeff Schmoyer, and Deborah Brewer.

December 31st: The book birthday for Grandpa's New Year's Relocation. The first book in the Ninja Grandparent Placement Mystery series, co-authored with my daughter Merida, will be available at Winter Bash.
A mysterious ninja kidnaps a lonely senior citizen and places him with a family in need of a grandparent. Barry Strong, a seventy-year-old bodybuilder and widower, isn’t ready for romance. When his New Year’s Eve dance partner leads him away from the party, he attempts to resist her charms. Until a bag drops over his head.

​Whew! I have a lot happening in December! 

The Body in the Hayloft, book three in my Rose Creek Mystery series, was included in a new release announcement on Dru's Book Musings.

Appearing on a blog might seem like a ho-hum moment to some, until you learn a little about Dru Ann Love. Reader, author, reviewer, Dru Ann is a powerhouse in the cozy mystery universe.

Every mention of a novel helps the author immensely, whether it's word-of-mouth between interested readers, or inclusion in widely followed social media sites. Thank you, Dru Ann!

After our amazing Seward halibut fishing experience, we drove to Homer. There we met a friend's sister and her family. We arrived late, stayed in their RV "guest room," and had to get up at 5 AM.

On Sunday, August 31, we headed to the Homer marina. We saw boats used by the captains in the television reality show we watch, The Deadliest Catch. After finding the correct dock in a maze of docks, we met Captain Brandon on his boat, The Spartacus. The weather was not as nice as the previous day. The water was choppier, and the gray skies rainy on and off.

We were once again fishing with our new Oklahoma friends. Brandon left the marina, and drove us out into open sea. Our goal today was solely halibut. 

Brandon told us he had a spot. Captains jealously guard the locations of their hunting grounds. 

In the Gulf of Alaska on this gloomy day, we had very little company. Brandon found his spot, dropped anchor, and baited hooks. Almost immediately, the halibut were biting.

The limit is one halibut under 27 inches, and one over. Two fish per person, but they had to be the correct, legal size. One of our Oklahoma friends was a bit competitive. He participated in many bass fishing tournaments. Leonard and I caught our limit. Then we hit a doldrums. Time dragged on. I was tired. Lack of sleep, and the lingering effects of the cold-flu-mushroom fever were kicking me hard. But I didn't want to be the one to ask to return to the harbor.

Our Captain was easy-going. He would stay as late as he needed to make his guests successful. We caught cod for bait. Brandon used the tails on the halibut hooks. He said halibut love cod tails. That seemed odd to me, but he knew fishing. Soon, the halibut were biting again.

The Oklahoma boys caught a huge halibut. Then another. The limit reached, we headed back to Homer.

It was so late by the time we got to the marina, we didn't have time to visit with our friend's sister. We drove straight to the fish processor, then back to our cabin. I slept great that night.

On Monday, September 1st, we realized the lake - bear experience wasn't going to happen. The weather wasn't cooperating. We were offered an alternate float plane trip. This was our last day, and we hadn't been on a float plane, so we said yes.

Alaska West Air took us a short jog to a river. Josh was our guide for more silver salmon fishing. This was the first time we needed mosquito netting, to keep little buggies off our faces. Just gnats, but so annoying.

A nice couple from Arkansas were celebrating their 36th anniversary. I was glad to meet another avid woman fisherperson. Leonard and I didn't catch our limit, but really, how many fish did we need? Our new friends did better. Then it started to rain, and the float plane picked us up. 

Our Alaska fishing adventure was finished. All that remained was to get all that frozen fish home. In the morning, we packed and headed to the Kenai airport. The long journey home was exhausting, but we eventually arrived at our Colorado home.

Our once-in-a-lifetime trip was not enough. We hope to return. After our whirlwind touring and fishing extravaganza, we can go at a slower pace. But I will want one thing: another trip on the open sea to catch halibut.

​The Alaska adventure inspired ideas for book three in the Tapestry Tales YA science fiction series, written with co-author Merida Bass under the pen name Ann Belice, coming in 2026. Books one and two are available now in e-book and paperback. Audiobooks are currently in production!
Broken Strands: book two
​​Frayed Dreams: book one

The third book in my Rose Creek Mystery series set in Oklahoma releases December 1st. You can catch up on books one and two:
The Body in the Cattails
The Body in the Cornfield

One thing most people don't know about me is that I love fishing. I'm not very good at catching, but I'm obsessed with trying to hook trout in Colorado reservoirs. The trip to Alaska promised actual results with salmon and halibut.

Friday, August 29, I dragged myself out of our Fish On! cabin for day two of Alaska fishing. This trip was on the Kasilof River. The goal: salmon.

The weather was better than the previous rainy day. We shared a boat with fishing guide and self-proclaimed riverman, Brandon, and two guys from Mississippi, Wade and Lee. I enjoyed listening to their banter in thick Southern accents. 

The fishing was okay. Only Lee made his two fish limit. Wade was skunked. My husband caught a whopper of a silver salmon. I enjoyed seeing bald eagles and seals, although I suspected they were stealing my fish.

The next day, August 30, was the big day. Halibut! Our neighbors in the cabin next door were also on this expedition. The two guys were from Oklahoma, a state I lived in for almost a decade. We got up at the horrible hour of 3 AM. We had to drive across the Kenai peninsula to Seward. I'm sure it was an area of stunning beauty, in daylight. 

We reached the dock, and found our boat. Captain Chuck was in charge of the fishing boat, the Ann Marie. Deck hand Jake ("from State Farm," he jokingly told us) was the crew. One other couple arrived late. Later, we all wished we'd left them behind.

My Ahab-like dream of catching a halibut might be realized today. The Captain steered us out of the incredibly beautiful dawn harbor and into the open ocean. Leonard and I had already been on a larger boat, touring glaciers several days ago (see my Sept. 14 post - An Alaska Mini-Mystery). We had skipped the advised sea-sickness medicine then, with no ill-effects.

If you don't know whether you're immune to the motion of waves tossing you about, take the medicine. I don't know why Leonard and I could handle it. Just lucky? But the couple who arrived late? The man became ill the instant we left the harbor. He continued to be ill, in a very loud and dramatic manner, the entire trip. He made me wish for a revival of the old tradition of making people walk the plank.

And Captain Chuck could have done the job. I gave him due respect as the man in charge of the boat. He was a little scary, but also remarkably patient. He was used to dealing with wackadoodle tourists. Still, his boat, his rules.

The scenery was mind-blowing. The weather was great. And the fishing? Oh, my!

The first time I hooked a silver salmon on the open ocean, I felt that thrill. The fight. This was an entirely different style of fishing than trying to catch Colorado trout. Different hooks. Different bait. Without our fishing guides, we wouldn't have known where to go or what to do. Leonard and I caught our limit of salmon. Three each. 

Then I hooked a halibut. 

"Reel," Jake from State Farm yelled. "Keep reeling! Reel!"

The halibut was heavy. And on the ocean floor. I reeled. And reeled. Until I felt like my arm would fall off. Jake continued to yell at me that I could do it. I had to reel in my own fish. He refused to help.

​Muscles burning, I cranked on the reel. I caught my first glimpse of the large, flat fish struggling to get free. I continued reeling, until finally Jake used the gaff to pull it onto the deck. The halibut continued to flop around. Crack! Jake whacked it. The halibut was still.

I felt exhausted. Triumphant. A dream realized. Do I feel bad about killing the large fish? Not at all. The halibut, frozen at Jolly Wally's and brought all the way home to Colorado, has been delicious.

I had accomplished what we came for. And we had two more days of Alaska fishing.

The Alaska adventure inspired ideas for book three in the Tapestry Tales YA science fiction series, written with co-author Merida Bass under the pen name Ann Belice, coming in 2026. Books one and two are available now in e-book and paperback. Audiobooks are currently in production!
Broken Strands: book two
​​Frayed Dreams: book one

The third book in my Rose Creek Mystery series set in Oklahoma releases December 1st. You can catch up on books one and two:
The Body in the Cattails
The Body in the Cornfield

Coming December 1st. Book three in the Rose Creek Mystery series.

August 26. One week into our Alaska adventure, and I was feeling the toll. Or was it mushroom spores? No, more likely it was due to the coughing geezer from our Denali bus tour. (See previous posts for further explanation.)

While waiting for the train from Denali to Anchorage, we visited the Denali Visitor Center. We watched a movie, and explored the very nice museum and displays.

Today was a travel day. Perhaps I could sleep off whatever was kicking my tail while riding the Wilderness Express Dome Train. What a treat! I wish I could have enjoyed it more, but I napped quite a bit. 

We arrived back at Lakefront Anchorage Hotel. Leonard repacked our bags and in general managed everything, while I slept. I was beginning to worry about the rest of our trip. How was I going to accomplish my dream of catching a halibut if I couldn't get out of bed?

The next morning, August 27, I was in a fog. Leonard somehow got me and our luggage on a small plane to Kenai. He picked up a rental car and drove us to Fish On! We settled into a comfy cabin. I was in full blown whatever-it-was-I-caught. Ugh! Medicate!

The over-the-counter med helped. Between that and my asthma inhaler, I thought I might survive. My poor husband was getting pretty darned bored. And the cabin had no TV! Which was actually great. Until your spouse was a useless lump shivering under a pile of blankets.

Thursday, August 28, was supposed to be our fly-in to a lake to fish for salmon and see bears. We had already learned the weather is king in Alaska. The fly-in was postponed. Rearranging our scheduled fishing trips was the order of the day. The next several days, actually. Fish On! did a heroic job of constant juggling to make sure we got in our fishing.

Tad filled in at the last minute. We met him at the Kenai River Pillars Boat Launch. It began sprinkling. Tad asked if I had rain gear, and that I'd best put it on now. So I struggled with my Frog Toggs, pulling the water-impermeable pants and jacket on over my clothes. The prospect of fishing helped me rally, despite the ominous warnings posted at the boat launch about a recent bear attack. I mustered the energy for a day of river fishing, operating mostly on adrenalin and excitement.

As we motored away with Tad on the Kenai River, images of Captain Quint from Jaws flitted through my head. Tad had an opinion or conspiracy theory for every situation. We were highly entertained.

It rained. And rained. And rained some more. In my brain-fogged condition, I had put on running shoes instead of my water-resistant hikers. My feet were soon soaked, but the rest of me stayed dry. Yay, Frog Toggs! 

Tad was a character, but say what you will that guy got us on silver salmon. He was determined to help us catch our limit. After hauling in my one salmon, and watching Leonard catch two, I was done. Leonard was a bit disappointed I wanted to pack it in. Tad would have endured the rain even longer to ensure we got our catch. 

Heading back, we stopped at Jolly Wally's to have our salmon flash-frozen, Then back at the cabin, I took a long, hot shower and crawled into bed.

​Our first experience catching fish in Alaska was amazing. Wet, chilly, and long, but amazing. Could I hold off the cold, flu, or debilitating mushroom allergies attacking me long enough to go on our halibut hunt?

Our Alaska adventure provides inspiration and ideas for book three in the Tapestry Tales YA science fiction series, written with co-author Merida Bass under the pen name Ann Belice, coming in 2026. Books one and two are available now in e-book and paperback. Audiobooks are currently in production!
Broken Strands: book two
​Frayed Dreams: book one
And keep an eye out for Book Three in my Rose Creek Mystery series - The Body in the Hayloft.
Coming in December, the first in the much anticipated Ninja Grandparent Placement Mysteries, Grandpa's New Year's Relocation.

Continuing the Alaskan adventure, I said last week that we had ambitious plans for Monday, August 25th. After a 5 1/2 hour morning bus tour of Denali, we were ready to stretch our legs. 

An evening guided hike in the Denali National Park and Preserve was just what we needed to get a close up Alaskan experience. We had learned by now that Alaska tour guides are seasonal employees with careers during the off season. They often have a wealth of information layered with personal opinions. 

We met Joseph Kurtz outside the Denali Park Village Lodge and immediately suspected we were in for a treat. He exuded long-hair tree-hugger hippie vibes, but Joseph was much more complex than our initial impression.

Only two other couples joined our tour. This was a welcome relief after our packed tour bus that morning. Joseph drove the van into Denali National Park. 

He led us into the woods, then promptly stopped. Plucking the buds off a plant, he offered us a sample of the natural pain reducer. The oldest man in our group offered to test Joseph's claim. He had back trouble, and general aches and pains. When this gentleman didn't keel over dead, we gained confidence in our guide's wisdom.

Into the woods we trooped behind our leader. Joseph was part naturalist, part herbalist, and part doomsday prognosticator. The Alaskan spruce forest will be consumed completely by beetles. (Not unlike our Colorado forests under attack by pine beetles.) In ten or twelve years, we were all going to die, victims of climate change.

Joseph shared a bit more about his personal life than necessary, but it was all entertaining. His wealth of knowledge about plants, herbs, and fungi was impressive.

I was captivated by the gazillion different kinds of mushrooms spread over the forest floor. I wasn't alone. Another woman on our tour kept stopping to photograph yet another size, shape, and color of mushroom. 

Joseph asked us if anyone was suffering allergies. I was among those raising a hand. Joseph said breathing mushroom spores could cause a reaction. My sinuses were acting up. Was I truly enchanted with the temperate rainforest, so different from our powder dry Colorado forests? Or was I under the influence of mushroom spores?

The hike continued with a view of the mountains, a tutorial of what to do if we encountered a bear or moose, and more information about plants to use for healing teas than I could ever remember.

Back at the hotel in the dark, Leonard and I agreed that we'd had too little time in Denali. We began seriously entertaining the idea of returning.

The second half of our trip began soon - fishing!

The mushroom experience inspired ideas for book three in the Tapestry Tales YA science fiction series, written with co-author Merida Bass under the pen name Ann Belice, coming in 2026. Books one and two are available now in e-book and paperback. Audiobooks are currently in production!
Broken Strands: book two
​Frayed Dreams: book one

On Monday August 25th, we had ambitious plans lined up. At 8:50 am we boarded Bus 13 for the Denali Tundra Wilderness Tour.

So far on our Alaska trip, we'd managed to avoid crowds. Today, we shared the bus with 46 other tourists. Most were from a cruise ship, while half a dozen folks were lone travelers like us.

My husband Leonard was obsessed with seeing a moose. I'm not sure why. We have moose in Colorado. We've seen a cow and calf up close and personal in the wilderness. But his goal was to see the creatures Alaskans claim are as plentiful as squirrels.

​Denali National Park and Preserve is remarkably undeveloped. I was thrilled to see rough gravel roads and a lack of touristy amenities.  On a rest stop along the way (basic National Park outhouses), I discovered mushrooms. Everywhere. An amazing variety of types. This would not be the end of my interaction with the fungi. No, I didn't sample them. I have far too much respect and trepidation about consuming wild mushrooms.

​Back on the bus, and on to the interior. Or as far into the park as we could go. A bridge was out somewhere ahead. There was only so far you could travel by motorized vehicle on the gravel road. The bus driver kept us informed about the history of the park. It was created mostly to preserve the Dall sheep. 

A word about tours: I was glad we opted for guided tours. This was our first trip to Alaska. Potentially our only - who knows? The guides were informative, and gave us context to understand the scenery, history, and animals. If we go again, we might go even more freeform. But for this trip, I was glad to receive the on-going tutorials on all things Alaska.

Our first animal sighting was caribou. Then Dall sheep. And finally, bear! A mama and her cub eating berries on a hillside. I was shocked to learn only 15% of visitors see bears at Denali. My phone camera was inadequate to capture decent photos, but I share some blurry snapshots below.

We also caught a glimpse of the side of Denali through the clouds. This is rare. One Alaskan called Denali the "shady lady" because she hides behind the clouds. I was happy to verify the mountain did exist, even if I didn't get a full-on view.

And then, as we're almost leaving the park, we see a moose. Yep, it looks pretty much like a Colorado moose. But it's in Alaska!

The tour was over five hours. I was getting a little tired of being crammed in a sardine can bus with dozens of other people. Especially the geezer sitting behind me who sounded like he was hacking up a lung. Spoiler alert: he was contagious. Or was it the mushrooms? Part two of August 25 coming next week.

This Alaska adventure is providing inspiration for book three in the Tapestry Tales series, written with co-author Merida Bass under the pen name Ann Belice, coming in 2026. Books one and two are available now in e-book and paperback. Audiobooks are currently in production!
Broken Strands: book two
​Frayed Dreams: book one

Talkeetna became my husband's favorite Alaskan town. We were scheduled to go on a glacier tour Sunday morning. Weather postponed the flight. We were learning that weather dictates plans, especially when small planes are involved.

So we wandered around Talkeetna. The chatty bus driver yesterday informed us this small town was the inspiration for the television show Northern Exposure. But she expressed her strong opinion that they got it all wrong, and didn't even film it in Alaska.

The charming little town was perfect for strolling. We did the tourist thing, buying souvenirs and gawking at the rugged buildings.

We received a call. The flightseeing tour was back on, but Denali was socked in with bad weather. Would we still want to go on a flight to see glaciers? Well, we had nothing else on our agenda, and we couldn't cram anymore souvenirs into our luggage, so the altered schedule sounded like a good plan. 

The K2 Aviation company was walking distance from Talkeetna. We strolled over. I learned from our pilot Jack that the plane we were taking had been used during the Vietnam war. He assured us they built planes to last back then. Already with some trepidation about small airplanes, I was certain I would not enjoy this flight.

The plane seated ten passengers. We climbed aboard, buckled in, and pulled on headsets. The plane lifted off smoothly. Soon, I relaxed. The pilot was experienced and confident. 

He flew to his favorite places. From the air, we saw the Colony and Knik Glaciers. A herd of Dall sheep were travelling up a hillside. The pilot pointed out a dog sledding camp far up on a snowy mountain. The pilot pointed out a dog sledding camp far up on a snowy mountain.

We had hiked to the Exit Glacier in Seward, and viewed glaciers from a boat on another tour. Seeing them from the airplane impressed on me the magnitude of the ice fields. My photos can’t deliver the feeling of how huge the expanses of ice and the glaciers are.

You might notice we are wearing heavy coats. At times they were overkill, but the weather seemed chilly to us. This was late August in Alaska. While parts of the lower 48 were still sweltering, and even Colorado was pretty darn warm, Alaska was already slipping into fall weather.

The elusive mountain Denali was hiding today. Would we get to see it tomorrow? 

This Alaska adventure is providing inspiration for book three in the Tapestry Tales series, written with co-author Merida Bass under the pen name Ann Belice, coming in 2026. Books one and two are available now in e-book and paperback. Audiobooks are currently in production!
Broken Strands: book two
​Frayed Dreams: book one

This is number eleven for me. Eleven mystery short stories published in AHMM. Needless to say, I am thrilled.

Set in modern day Colorado, rancher Katie is wrangled into judging a televised hot sauce contest at a mountain farmer’s market. Things heat up when a bottle of Banned in Hades hot sauce goes missing.

The story was inspired by the Woodland Park Farmer’s Market. Critique partner Beth, who lives up the pass, told me about this eclectic mix of local produce, hand-crafted soaps, and art & crafts. Yes, there are multiple booths selling hot sauces.

Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine offers an amazing selection of short mystery fiction bi-monthly. It’s available in electronic and physical versions.

#AlfredHitchcock'sMysteryMagazine
#shortmysteryfictionsociety
​#farmersmarket