The Shafer family has no idea what adventures are in store when they enter The Most Amazing Museum of Los Angeles. They are quickly separated by pairs in The Howl of Mirrors and thrust into exhibits where they must solve puzzles, brave dangers, restore magic, and even find their way back through time. When they end up in a giant maze they must find one another or risk becoming a permanent display in MAMLA.
I’ll send you a free copy of my story “Plot Holes” when you sign up for my newsletter. Just follow the link below: https://margerumwritesfiction.kit.com/f0b8e21e7f Just Book Club The Best 10-Minute Plays 2024, Smith & Kraus Originally produced by the Greater Lafayette Civic Theatre in May 2023, this play shows a pivotal moment in the lives… Continue reading Writings
Newsletter – January 30, 2026 PHOTO: Photo by Timur Repin on Unsplash I thought this might be useful for those of you who only read books… 15 Things I Learned Watching TV & Movies I hope that’s helpful. TTFN * * * * * My middle grade novel, The Most Amazing Museum of Los Angeles is available… Continue reading Margerumalia – 15 Things I Learned Watching TV & Movies
Newsletter – January 23, 2026 It’s very cold outside in the Midwest. I hope it’s less severe where you are. Our outdoor cats have us worrying over them when they don’t show up for 48 hours to eat. Tabitha, the mother, finally showed up on Saturday. Then Rocket, one of her kittens from last spring,… Continue reading Margerumalia – A Mother/Daughter Pair
Newsletter – January 16, 2026 As the new year got started I was reflecting on what age I would be this year and realized it was an opportunity to make a joke about the whole 6-7 phenomenon. So I posted the message above. I was surprised, then, to learn that my joke became something of… Continue reading Margerumalia – A Rorschach Test
Newsletter – January 9, 2026 Our daughter Lora had the wonderful opportunity to go to Scotland for a month last year, performing in a play called Faster in the Attic at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. She and the production got several nice reviews. While she was there she stopped to have a chat with Paddington… Continue reading Margerumalia – A Bear Called Paddington
Newsletter – January 2, 2026 I hope you enjoyed my verses last week. I’ve been thinking of writing enough of them to make a children’s book of poetry. How many would make for a modern day “A Child’s Garden of Verses,” I wonder. That book saw it’s 140th birthday last year. That’s quite a publishing… Continue reading Margerumalia – Books of Verses
Newsletter – December 26, 2025 My brothers and I joke about our mother’s “last minute” gifts on Christmas Day. Younger brother Rich does the best imitation of her sudden squeal when she realized what she forgot to wrap. Christmas morning always lasted for hours as we first ate Mom’s beloved cinnamon rolls, then opened all… Continue reading Margerumalia – Some Holiday Fun
Newsletter – December 19, 2025 PHOTO CREDIT UNKNOWN One camera, two actors, a director, and a camera operator stood in front of a little A-frame bungalow in the middle of Oxnard Beach, California. “That’s Burl Ives!” I said to my cousin Doug. Our Grandpa shushed me. Maybe he didn’t want us to ruin the shot,… Continue reading Margerumalia – A Holly Jolly Christmas
Newsletter – December 12, 2025 CREDIT: PHOTOFEST Ed Asner stood at the end of my gurney and put his hand on my ankle by way of encouragement as he was talking to someone else. He moved on before I could thank him but I sure appreciated the warm assurance. You may remember Ed Asner from… Continue reading Margerumalia – A Moment With Santa Ed
Newsletter – December 5, 2025 That’s me pushing my snow blower down the length of the driveway—the longest driveway in the neighborhood, thanks Dad—for the second time in one day. The photo credit goes to Debbie who had the good sense to stay inside and take pictures from a warm cozy room. I heard a… Continue reading Margerumalia – Gratitude
Newsletter – November 28, 2025 “We had eight cats,” my wife said, “now we’re down to two! Can you believe it?” A few days after the four kittens (huddled in the bathroom sink last week) went to The Humane Society, their fifth littermate walked into our cage and spent a night in the same bathroom… Continue reading Margerumalia – Giving Thanks