Rebecca M. Douglass, Author

  Edited Out is Out! Book 3 of the Seffi Wardwell Maine Mystery series is out today! Seffi's continuing adventures see her taking a part-time job taking care of plants and helping out at the local B&B during an Artists' Residency.   Winter wraps Smelt Point in an icy blanket, and Seffi just wants to stay warm, enjoy some plants, and get her exercise. Now she has a bigger question to face:  Who erased the writer?   Winter in Maine is long, dark, and cold, and California transplant Seffi Wardwell is combating the winter blues with a full calendar. Tending the plants at the local bed-and-breakfast, writing reports for the library, and keeping an eye on events in Smelt Point barely leaves time for pastry and gossip at Sweet Dreams, the local bakery and heart of the village. When the participants at an artistic retreat held at the bed-and-breakfast grow combative, Seffi is there to smooth things over, stiffen the spine of the innkeeper, and keep things going. B...

I got home a couple of days ago, so I haven't had time to get all the photos edited (ha!). So this isn't a trip report--it's just a selection of a few good shots from my latest wilderness adventure, to keep you entertained for a little while until I can get my next real post out.  I was backpacking in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness in Montana with a couple of friends. Our route included some trails that barely qualify for the name, and some totally off-trail hiking, so we didn't do high mileage. We did do high altitude and high reward hiking! I started the trip with a couple of solo dayhikes (and you can bet I had my bear spray handy; though this area doesn't have a lot of grizzlies, it is just north of Yellowstone, which is griz central for the Rockies!   This was my first real hint of the kind of country I'd be seeing, though where we backpacked was a little less jagged, for the most part. You know I love a good rock. Talk about deformation!   The drive ove...

With the new book finished (well, mostly. Still working on the LT book!), I'm looking at the question of what to do next! This is always both a fun and a scary moment, when I don't know clearly what the next task is.  Here's the list of options: 1. start planning the next Seffi book. 2. write new short fiction/flash fiction for the blog and/or publication 3. work on existing short stories in need of revision, which I've neglected for months while editing  Edited Out .  4. work on the memoir project, maybe an essay. What's not on the table is starting right into edits on Seffi Wardwell #4, Logged Off at the Library,  which I drafted last fall. I definitely need a break from editing and a dive into generating new text!   Oh, yeah. And I won't be doing much of whatever it is for a while, because I'm going to Iceland! September in the far north... waterfalls and northern lights and chilly nights in a campervan... what could be better?  Tasks 1 & 2 lend them...

As a little teaser for the new book coming soon, we have an excerpt from Seffi Wardwell's 3rd Maine adventure,  Edited Out.     From Chapter 4:  Back in her own house, Seffi shrugged off the tensions from the inn. The sun was up, the weather beautiful, and she was going to try out the snowshoes Nikka gave her for Christmas. She needed exercise, which meant a walk—there was no gym at Smelt Point for indoor workouts. Anyway, Seffi wanted the outdoors. She needed the woods, where she hadn’t been able to hike since the ice moved in. She was going to visit the reserve, come hell, high water, or deep snow. After a rest and a snack, she layered up and headed across the meadow toward the Painter Head Reserve. Invigorated by the tramp through the snow—once she’d got the hang of the snowshoes, it had gone well—Seffi hummed happily. She stopped at the research station, using her key to let herself in and check on things. There was no plumbing in the sta...

Just before my book launches, I'm doing what any sane, marketing-savvy author would do... I've gone hiking. Enjoy a few random photos, and some more images of the completed paperback cover :)  Three more photos of Zebra Slot , because I like them.  And a coyote. We are just 2 weeks out from launch for  Edited Out ! It even looks like the paperback (maybe even the LT?) will be ready by then as well! \   ©Rebecca M. Douglass, 2025    As always, please ask permission to use any photos or text. Link-backs appreciated. 
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A few weeks ago when my son and daughter-in-law were visiting we did a fun walk through the Seattle Arboretum, starting with a loop over Marsh Island (note to self: get a kayak and go play around there!). We were more about enjoying the day than looking at the labels, but had a good time and I got a few good photos. Lily pads near Marsh Island   Bald eagle watching the water--and the hikers. Our trail passed under the 520 freeway, which made for some interesting photo ops. Between the lanes Support, with water reflections on the upper beams.   We turned up into the main arboretum, and soon stumbled on an amazing work of art by John Grade.   The photo doesn't do justice to the blue! John Grade's installation is titled "Union," and is made up of 6300 cast-resin pieces. His statement about the work: “The sculpture was inspired by a fallen western red cedar in Seattle’s Discovery Park. The top of the trunk of the fallen tree was divided into two slender leaders. Broken ...

It's the first Wednesday of the month, and that means IWSG day! Purpose:   To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds! Posting:   The first Wednesday of every month is officially   Insecure Writer’s Support Group   day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writers - aim for a dozen new people each time - and return comments. This group is all about connecting!   Don't forget you can post your link on the IWSG Facebook page .    Let’s rock the neurotic writing world! Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG   The awesome co-hosts for...