Today’s unboxing featured our very first boomer unboxer, my mom, Maryann, who dove right in with confidence and curiosity.
Her haul included several pairs of brown and hunter‑green cargo pants. Next came a TV antenna that she said looks like a missile.
And finally, seat covers that will work perfectly on her dining room chairs. We needed these when my kids were little and always spilling stuff on her seats!
Grandma handled it all like a pro, laughing through every reveal. The boomer debut was a hit she might be our most efficient unboxer yet. Stay tuned tomorrow when her husband Fernando takes the unboxing throne.
Joshua Hanover had it all. He was handsome, rich, athletic, and had always been popular with the ladies. Yet, until he gets paired up with his beautiful but shy lab partner, Rosa, he never allowed himself to fall in love. As the chemistry between them grows, Josh realizes that his player days have come to end. But it seems his change of heart has come too late. Not only is Rosa leery of his bad boy reputation, he has four vindictive ex-girlfriends who are on a rampage. At first he doesn't take their threats seriously, but then his tires are slashed, someone tries to poison him, and one of the girls turns up dead. Josh doesn't know who to trust, but one thing is certain. It definitely isn't worth the price he's paying to be a player.
This story has been with me for a long time. I first wrote Player in 1994 when I was a senior in high school. Back then, Player started as a story inspired by real life, specifically, my friend George. At the time, he was my boyfriend and he’s still one of my best friends. Some things never change though. He’s also still a little bit of a player, though these days be prefers juggling men. 😄 Check out our prom pic from 1993.
Like most of my writing, Player pulled from the world around me. A lot of the characters were inspired by classmates and memories from those years. I created the detective character the same day I had my senior portraits taken, and ended up giving him the last name of the guy standing in line in front of me.
📚 The Publishing Journey
Player almost hit bookshelves much earlier than it did. In 1997, I had an agent. Contracts were signed. The book was about a month away from going to print, and then the publisher went bankrupt. The book got tangled up in legal issues for years, and it was discouraging. I did keep writing, but my biggest struggle back then was finishing anything. I had so many ideas, probably 20 different books started, but none of them made it all the way to the end. Thankfully, that’s something I’ve learned to change. These days, I don’t start a book unless I know the beginning and the ending.
✍️ Bringing Player Into the Modern World
Fast forward a bit, Destiny became my first published book. Then, while I was pregnant with my youngest son Nicky, I hit a bit of a creative wall thanks to pregnancy brain fog. Instead of forcing new ideas, I decided to go back to Player and give it new life. That meant pulling it out of the ‘90s and giving it a serious update. I swapped out corded phones for cell phones, changed some lingo, and added in computers and digital cameras. I also had to retype everything since it was original written on a Brother Word Processor. But at its core, the story didn’t change. It’s still about a guy juggling four girlfriends. He gets caught, and when one of them ends up dead, everything spirals.
📖 From Traditional Publishing to Indie to Audio
When Player was finally published in 2012, it was through Free Focus Publishing, my cousin Andrew DiPalma was the cover model. Later, when that publisher went out of business, I made the decision to go independent. The current cover was created by my incredibly talented editor, Anne Hoelz, and it gave the book a fresh new look. Which brings us to today! Player’s newest chapter is audiobook form. The best part is that the narrator Jeremy, sounds so much like George. Out of all the twists this story has taken over the years, that might be my favorite.
This book has had a long, winding journey, from a high school idea to a near-miss publication, to a revival, to self-publishing, and now to audio. I couldn’t be more excited to share it with you in this new way.
🎧 You can listen now on Amazon and Audible: If you check it out, I’d love to hear what you think, especially now that it’s come full circle.
Today’s return‑mail haul was unexpectedly fun, and very on‑brand for the kind of randomness we’ve come to expect.
Ethan kicked things off with a mini hair straightener, followed by a kid’s pink snowsuit.
Spencer opened a cover‑up and then pulled out the star of the day: a strawberry cow plush. She was rehomed with my friend Donna’s granddaughter, who also ended up with the pink snowsuit. The cow found its forever home.
Finally, I opened a Christmas wreath and a box of nail‑art pens. Another day, another round of surprises. Unclaimed mail never disappoints…even when it does.
Our Canadian Queen Marisa is back for Round Two of unclaimed mail because once you start, you just can’t stop. This time she opened three tiny packages, each one more chaotic than the last.
First up: cross earrings which fit her style perfectly.
Next: a small hunk of hair. Maybe hair extensions? Maybe something more sinister? There were no instructions, so here’s hoping we didn’t just unbox a serial killer’s trophy. That’s the writer in me talking.
Finally, an eyebrow pencil because every queen knowsimportance of good brows.
Marisa’s second round proves that unclaimed mail never runs out of surprises or plot twists.
Part 2 of the Squid Game saga is here. Gabby and Spencer look like they just stepped off the set. The red jumpers were every bit as dramatic as expected, and they pulled it off like pros.
When we reconvened, Spencer opened a Steve Madden box, which sounded promising until we saw what was inside. Definitely not designer. Instead of sleek heels, he got a pair of sneakers that smelled like cheap plastic.
Then it was my turn. I opened a tan jacket that could’ve been nice if not for the stains from the bag being partially opened. To add insult to injury, it was also a little too small. So much for my moment of fashion redemption.
Still, between the Squid Game cosplay and the fake designer shoes, this round of unclaimed mail delivered plenty of laughs, and a reminder that mystery boxes are always a gamble.
Every now and then, real life hands me a moment that feels like it stepped straight out of one of my own books. Today at the Auxiliary Foundation Bingo event, I had the joy of watching Doctor Hong, a real doctor, take the stage and belt out Broadway tunes with bingo‑themed lyrics.
Doctor Hong delivered his own clever, comedic rewrites of classic Broadway numbers, and the entire room was on their feet. After the show, I introduced myself and told him: “My Dark Musicals fans would LOVE you.” We ended up chatting about my series, and I mentioned one of my favorite characters, Dr. Zane Riverdale, the openly gay doctor who marries a drag queen and becomes one of the emotional anchors of the series.
Here's little slice of real‑world musical magic that feels right at home in the Dark Musicals universe. Please check out Dr. Hong's YouTube video below and show him some love! He deserves every view. And who knows, maybe someday Doctor Hong will make a cameo in the books. The Dark Musicals always has room for one more star.
