McClatchy-Tribune News Service

Author Bonnie Hearn Hill of Fresno was exchanging ideas via e-mail this summer with a friend writing a psychological thriller. The story involved a character's murder. "I think you need...

Q As a long-time reader of your column, I'm confused about your recommendations for skylights. I'm pretty sure you've written over the years that you really like them, but I...

If you can bypass the butter, popcorn is a low-fat, whole-grain snack full of fiber. In honor of National Popcorn Month, here's a recipe to gussy up fat-free microwave popcorn...

When shopping for electronics and appliances, you can save 30 to 80 percent by purchasing refurbished products. Robert Silva, a California-based electronics expert, offers tips for buying refurbished DVD players,...

Pinpoints of light dotting the dark sky. Friends gathered in a circle, sipping on wine and chatting convivially. The kiddies toasting marshmallows. Creating the ambience of a campfire with a...

Every time Edith Nettleton walked through her front doors, the ugly gold-colored bullet glass glared at her. The double entry doors of her Walnut Creek, Calif., home were original to...

Allen and Ina Brosseau Marx believe that when it comes to furniture restoration, whatever two hands have put together, two hands can try to fix. They strive to teach people...

The woman tosses cracked corn, oats and sunflower seeds into a carrying case. The drive is short from her north Minneapolis home to the city's Animal Care and Control Shelter....

Skylights get a bad rap, and sometimes it's deserved. After all, installing a skylight means cutting a hole in a roof, and poorly installed skylights may leak. But when a...

Q. A while ago, you explained the importance of "weatherizing" a home and how this affects energy use. We've since done a fair amount of caulking and weatherstripping and think...