Come to Virginia

Virginia is for lovers, so they say. I say Virginia is for anyone who loves beautiful scenery, great historical places to visit, and shops that offer things you won't find anywhere else. On the top of my list of places to visit is the Downtown Mall in Charlottesville, Massanutten Resort, the Tidewater area in Hampton Roads, and the fruit stands/gift shops on Rt. 29 and Rt. 33. That's just to name a few. There are so many wonderful attractions, I could go on forever. So, if you're looking for a great getaway, come to Virginia. Be sure to take a drive on the Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park. There's nothing like it! Bring your pet. We love animals! And, Sallie (in the photo) says, "Hello!"

Beware of Dog

A few weeks ago, my uncle, Henry Whitley, NW 9th Street, Boca Raton, Florida 33432 was walking the family dog on a leash on a public sidewalk in the 800 block of NW 2nd Avenue when he was attacked by a Pit Bull mix. Fortunately, Henry, 72, survived the unprovoked attack and will eventually recover from his physical injuries. The dog that attacked him has been released, determined to be OK, and is now back with the family. That’s right. THE DOG IS BACK IN THE AREA! Be careful and stay alert. This happened to Henry. It could happen to anyone. The dog owner told the police the dog had previously bitten someone else. How many attacks does it take to get a dangerous dog off the streets? If you have doubts about the validity of this incident, call the Boca Raton Police, and ask them about the attack. You have a right to be safe. Demand to know! If you don’t live in the area, but know someone who does, please warn them. I don’t want this to happen to someone else. It’s scary, and it’s not pretty. Pit Bull Hater? Not me. I love animals, just not the ones that attack. Unfortunately, Pit Bulls have lived up to their reputation as being dangerous dogs that attack. Help stop these senseless attacks. Protect yourself and the ones you love. Carry a gun… a big one.

Light Fixation

What is it with our fixation with lights? My husband, Tom, has this thing about the light switches being in their proper on/off position—which I find to be a little silly. Who cares?—while I believe that if you leave a room and you’re going to be gone for more than ten minutes, you should turn off the light. This thing about using more electricity turning lights on and off, rather than leaving them on, had to be something the electric company made up. I don’t believe that for a minute. How can you save money by keeping your house lit up? So, I go around turning off the lights, while Tom follows me checking on the switch position. I get a laugh out of this every time I think about it. Then, I found out his sister feels the same way about light switch positions as he does. She says it drives her nuts. And lo and behold, her husband is just the opposite. He’s like me. He obsesses about turning off the darn lights! He goes around turning off lights, and then she secretly does her backup check to make sure the switches are right. Did I tell you the light switch police do this in secret? Wait until Tom sees this light switch! I don't think the one in the middle is either off or on. Oops!

Yep, we all have something in common. How about you? Do you have a light fixation? If so, I would love to hear your story. I can always use a good laugh. Post it on my blog or email me at aftonridge@aol.com  Enjoy your day! Ann Mullen

And the Winner is...

And the winner of the 1st book, What You See, in the 7 book Jesse Watson Mystery series is Della Morris! She correctly answered a question posted on Facebook. Congrats Della. Della is a member of the Greene County Rescue Squad in Stanardsville, Virginia. She told me she was not into reading until she came across one of my books. Now she's hooked, and I'm so glad she is! Thanks, Della!

Thirty-four years and counting. Tom is my soul mate. He inspires me, challenges me, supports me, and makes my life a happy one. Here's a big hug for the man who has made me a better person. I love you, Tom Mullen!

Spice Cat is so happy that my books are on Kindle and NOOK. Now... I have more time for him... and he always wants a lot of my time. It's not enough to be the kitty cat in my books; he wants it all! Cat lovers—you know what I'm talking about. We love our critters!

Kindle Users

Now available on Kindle!

Click on title:

What You See

South River Incident

A Crying Shame

Middle River Murders

Greene County Killer

Death on the Bella Constance

All About the Money

To get a new signed personalized hardcopy of one of my books ($24.95 each or check the package deal) go to my web site: http://www.aftonridge.com/.

What I do for fun.

Raising chickens is fun. Everyone needs something. The small grey chicken that's eating kale from Tom's hand lays blue eggs. Honest. When we were told about the blue eggs, I had my doubts. I've heard of green eggs, but I've never seen one. Blue eggs? Now that's a new one on me.

Look at Sally. She, too, was thrilled to hear the news, but all she had to say was, "Show me the money! I want a new chew toy!" 
Note: Sally is my son's new puppy. Normally, she's a spitfire, but I think I bored her with talk about my books. All she wants is a bone.

All About the Money video

I'm trying out the updated version of blogspot. Let's see how well it works.

Black Bear. I'm going to call him Max. He's my new friend. He must be. He keeps coming back to visit. We're not really close. At least he weighs a lot more than I do. You go, Max!

Mullen takes the 50’s road to a new career Alex Carrier, Journalist
    When Ann Mullen retired in her early 50’s, she hadn’t quite decided on which road to take in her new life. She and her husband had already spent summers and vacations building their dream home in Greene County, VA. Their children were adults and her husband had moved his work to their new location.
    “I often think about the different paths we take,” says Mullen, “and all the little life-changing side streets along the way. I look at how different people’s lives are in comparison to each other and wonder what paths they must have taken to reach this point.”
    Although writing was a completely different career path for Mullen, it shared some similarities with her first. Mullen used her degree in machine technology to work in the engineering center of Phillip Morris. Her job included rebuilding machines to make them work better, faster and meet the demands of the consumer. Now, she builds stories and works to make the characters, location and plot mesh together, and lead to a conclusion that satisfies her readers’ demands.
    Mullen had never thought of becoming a writer before moving to Greene County. “I don’t know what sparked the idea of becoming a writer,” says Mullen. “In college, it was all I could do to write a short story for a class. It once took me two days to write a letter to the editor.”
    “When we moved here, I wanted the freedom of not needing to work,” she admits. “But I look back and wonder what would have happened if I had never set down that first day and starting writing that first book.” That first book, What You See, became just one in a series following the life and relationships of Mullen’s main character, a fictional female detective named Jesse Watson. All About the Money, the seventh novel in the series, was released in June of this year.
    “My stories are not about real people but they are based in Greene County,” Mullen stresses. “In my sixth book, some of the characters go on a cruise, but the story still comes back to something local. The characters come from Greene, Charlottesville and Central Virginia.”
    It is Mullen’s characters as much as the Greene County location that keeps readers coming back for each new addition to the series.
    “The series is just a long story about characters developing relationships. People are introduced. Some stay and some go,” explains Mullen. “In each book I try to introduce a few good characters that readers will really like and not forget. I have developed a whole population I can pick from and add to.”
    “Each book is just another chapter of the story, and just like life, I keep adding on. I don’t see a time when this series will end, but I do see a time when I might go on to another set of characters and write two or three books, and then merge both series in some future event. We’ll see.”
     Like the books she plans to combine someday, Mullen found herself merging her new career as an author with an additional career as an independent publisher. “I just set down and started writing, and had no idea of what I needed to do—what really happened after the writing,” admits Mullen. “Getting the book published turned out to be as much a job as writing the book itself.”
    In the end, Mullen started her own publishing company. Although the plan has proved successful, it has not been without its own set of problems. “For me, it was a step by step process while walking blind,” she explains. “I didn’t know what I was doing. I made mistakes with my first book and it cost me money. But I learned a lot that helped me when I published my second book.”
    Seven years of experience, missteps and lessons learned as an independent publisher have led Mullen down an unexpected road in her journey.
    “For several years, people have been suggesting I do consulting so I could help others,” says Mullen. “Then I had a woman approach me about helping her publish her book, and the time seemed right.”
    “There are thousands of independent publishers,” states Mullen. “It’s not that hard to do if you know what to do, how to do it and how to avoid making mistakes that cost you money and don’t improve your product.”
    As a writer, publisher and now consultant; Ann Mullen is just one example of what many Baby Boomers are discovering themselves. The journey through life is filled with unexpected turns, side streets and new paths. For Mullen’s avid fans, they just enjoy the journey through mayhem, murder, mystery and, of course, Greene County.
    To find out more about Ann Mullen, go to her website at www.aftonridge.com where you can also read about the her characters and Greene County, get her books and even check out some of Mullen’s short stories.

*Ann pictured signing a book for one of her readers, Gloria, at Massanutten Resort.

Finally! My web site www.aftonridge.com has a new look. Check it out. It took a while, but I think everything is A-okay. Web design isn't for the sqeamish! If you find an error, please let me know at aftonridge@aol.com. Thanks! A new page will be going up soon. Watch for What's New? for details on my next book, All About the Money. Happy reading! Ann

It's that time of year!

Christmas is coming!

Thanks to all my readers for their support. I hope your holidays are happy ones spent with family and friends. Be safe, and keep your eyes on my web site for my new book, All About the Money, due out in the spring. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Warm Regards, Ann Mullen

~SAFE~

Safe (Services to Abused Families, Inc.) is there to help families, women and children who have been exposed to abuse. On Sept. 25, from 7-9 p.m. at the Prince Michel Winery in Madison County, Virginia, you can help SAFE protect those who are suffering. Come and participate in an evening filled with lots of good food and wine, silent and live auctions, and I will be there with other authors who will inform, hopefully entertain, and sign copies of our books. We want you to join us on the frontline to protect and defend families who need you. Visit www.friendsofsafe.com to buy tickets, or to give a donation. My husband, Tom will be there with me as always. Thank you for your support. Ann

~Cats and their funny ways~

I finally got Spice Cat to stop drinking out of the toilet, but now he has found his water source some place else. I guess I could lock all the bathroom doors. What's wrong with his own water bowl?

Don't have a snow plow? Make one of your own!

Introducing the Pallet Plow!

This is how Tom and I handled the snow. Friday, Feb. 4th, we got another snowfall (17 inches) the 4th one since Christmas. I, (the inventor in the family), came up with the idea of tying two pallets together and then draging it around the driveway and yard. And it worked! I have to give Tom credit with the idea of adding two large, cut pieces of a tree that he had cut down a while back (but hadn't split yet). Adding the logs gave the two pallets the weight we needed to hold them down. Then, using a heavyduty rope, we tied the pallets to the back of our 4Runner SUV and started the drag. And... it worked like a champ! We thought our Pallet Plow might clog up behind the 4Runner, but it didn't. You'd be amazed at how well it worked! There is one drawback to the Pallet Plow--you can't back up. Ha... ha... laugh out loud!

~Speaking of which~

No, the pic you're looking at isn't the result of the melting snow we had a couple of weeks ago, but is the flood we had Monday, Jan. 25th. We woke up to flooded roads and impassable bridges. In this photo there's a road and a bridge under all that water. As my new friend, Margaret (who always looks at the possitive side of everything) would probably say, "Well, that's just part of living in the mountains!" We love it!

~~Ann's Advice~~

December 19th will be a day most of us will remember for some time to come. It started snowing on Friday and by Saturday we had eighteen inches of the white stuff on the ground. What a glorious sight! I loved it... even though it meant there would be no birthday dinner for our 28 year old son, and no traveling to Newport News to see our family. We would miss my mother's Christmas party. As a matter of fact we wouldn't be going anywhere for a while. But that was okay, because we were finally going to have a white Christmas! That kind of made everything all right. Excited? Yes, we were. My husband and I were like little children. We went out and played in the snow with our dogs as we watched the snow fall. We even mustered up the courage (and energy...at our age) to build a snowman! It was wonderful. Well, the snow hung around until I had gotten so used to it that I forgot how dangerous it could be. I had trudged through it, played in it, and even drove my 4Runner around the driveway—just for the fun of it. The fun ended the afternoon of December 30th when I slipped on the ice trying to get out of my monster-sized truck. If anyone had been watching, I'm sure they would've have laughed at the sight of me slipping, sliding, and then flopping out of my SUV. I know I would have--at first. But when I hit my head on the running board, and finally came to rest on the ground, it was no longer a laughing matter. I lay there for a few minutes trying to figure out if I were alive or dead... or just injured. Fortunately, I survived the incident. But not so many would be that lucky. Several days later, I read about a young man who had taken a spill on the ice, and then died the following day. More tales of falls soon surfaced, and that's when I realized how lucky I had been. Snow is beautiful, but it's also dangerous. No matter how invincible you think you are, you're no match for the ice underneath it. When you least expect it, you, too, could become a victim of nature's magic. So, what I'm trying to tell you is, don't let your guard down, and don't take chances. Dress appropiately for the weather. Shoes really matter. I was wearing snow boots when I fell, and later I thought about the few times I went out wearing tennis shoes. That was a recipe for disaster. Never, ever wear tennis shoes in the snow! Enjoy the snow, but most importantly, be safe!