Which Lunatic Am I?

I came across this fun quiz on someone else's blog:


Which Historical Lunatic Are You?
From the fecund loins of Rum and Monkey.

Naturally, being the...um...eccentric person I am, I couldn't resist trying it out and getting the above result. I have to say, I definitely think that's who I was in another life. ;-) Here's the full description from their web page:

You are Joshua Abraham Norton, first and only Emperor of the United States of America!

Born in England sometime in the second decade of the nineteenth century, you carved a notable business career, in South Africa and later San Francisco, until an entry into the rice market wiped out your fortune in 1854. After this, you became quite different. The first sign of this came on September 17, 1859, when you expressed your dissatisfaction with the political situation in America by declaring yourself Norton I, Emperor of the USA. You remained as such, unchallenged, for twenty-one years.

Within a month you had decreed the dissolution of Congress. When this was largely ignored, you summoned all interested parties to discuss the matter in a music hall, and then summoned the army to quell the rebellious leaders in Washington. This did not work. Magnanimously, you decreed (eventually) that Congress could remain for the time being. However, you disbanded both major political parties in 1869, as well as instituting a fine of $25 for using the abominable nickname "Frisco" for your home city.

Your days consisted of parading around your domain - the San Francisco streets - in a uniform of royal blue with gold epaulettes. This was set off by a beaver hat and umbrella. You dispensed philosophy and inspected the state of sidewalks and the police with equal aplomb. You were a great ally of the maligned Chinese of the city, and once dispersed a riot by standing between the Chinese and their would-be assailants and reciting the Lord's Prayer quietly, head bowed.

Once arrested, you were swiftly pardoned by the Police Chief with all apologies, after which all policemen were ordered to salute you on the street. Your renown grew. Proprietors of respectable establishments fixed brass plaques to their walls proclaiming your patronage; musical and theatrical performances invariably reserved seats for you and your two dogs. (As an aside, you were a good friend of Mark Twain, who wrote an epitaph for one of your faithful hounds, Bummer.) The Census of 1870 listed your occupation as "Emperor."

The Board of Supervisors of San Francisco, upon noticing the slightly dilapidated state of your attire, replaced it at their own expense. You responded graciously by granting a patent of nobility to each member. Your death, collapsing on the street on January 8, 1880, made front page news under the headline "Le Roi est Mort". Aside from what you had on your person, your possessions amounted to a single sovereign, a collection of walking sticks, an old sabre, your correspondence with Queen Victoria and 1,098,235 shares of stock in a worthless gold mine. Your funeral cortège was of 30,000 people and over two miles long.

The burial was marked by a total eclipse of the sun.

~~~~~~~~~~

I noticed right away the day he proclaimed himself Emperor--September 17--is my birthday. So this is most definitely me. The only thing they forgot is, of course, I need an obelisk on my grave. We rulers of the world generally expect something spectacular!

Liz, Queen of the Universe

New Cover, and Release Date

First, I want to share the lovely new cover art with you for my upcoming release, ONE TOUCH BEYOND:



Perhaps "lovely" isn't the right word. Maybe spooky? I think it's amazing, and I'm only slightly prejudiced. ;-)

Second, I have the release date and ISBN for ONE TOUCH BEYOND:

Release Date: February 21, 2008

ISBN: 978 1419914812

Check here for the latest updates!

Now, on an unrelated topic: how many of you have websites? Of those who do, how many of you do your own website development?

Of those who do...what program do you use, and why would you recommend it?

I've been doing my own HTML coding for my website for forever, and since I've never learned a lot about HTML, that means my website rarely changes, and then only a bit at a time. I'd like to change that...I'd like it to be more dynamic and easier for me to do wonderful things with. So I suspect I'm going to have to go to some type of website development software. But it needs to be easy to figure out, and did I mention it needs to be cheap or free? ;-)

Any suggestions welcome!

Liz

My Brush With Fame

Recently, I met and had my picture taken with someone famous. Someone who has girls swooning at his feet and has had for years. I'm thinking of saying, I'll never wash that cheek again (where he leaned against it for the picture). Or at the very least, I should have swooned. But what was I doing while we were having the picture snapped? Fainting? Giggling? Flirting? No. I was patting his back. Sheesh. I've been a mom too long, it was on auto-pilot.

Anyway, here's the photo and I'll give you a paragraph or two to see if you recognize him:



Any guesses?

Think 1960s...rock music...British Invasion.

Another clue: think Patrick Swayze in "Ghost" when he's trying to get Whoopie Goldberg to help him.

Yes!

It's Peter Noone of Herman's Hermits!

Feel free to swoon now. :-)

My two daughters bought me tickets to see him in concert for my birthday. They came with me of course, and we had a lovely time. We had great seats, second row right in front of the stage.

Early in the concert, he noticed my younger daughter Helen singing along to one of the songs. He said to her, "You're not old enough to be here. How old are you?"

She responded, "I'm twenty-one."

He said, "Did your mum drag you here?"

She laughed and said, "No, I brought her."

Then he turned to his band and said, "People are crazy here in New Hampshire!" :-)

A couple of minutes later, he said, "Where's that twenty-one year old girl? I want to throw her a CD." So he did. Then he asked her if she had a CD player...yes. Did she have a computer?...yes. "So," he said, "make copies of this for all your friends."

He did throw CDs and t-shirts to others in the audience, but Helen definitely got the lion's share of the attention.

After the concert, he signed autographs in the lobby, and that's when Helen took my picture with him. What a great guy! Helen will definitely remember that concert all her life, as will my other daughter Heather, and me too!

Am I too old to become a groupie? ;-)

Liz

Fun Way to Waste Time

I saw a fun game on a friend’s blog and thought I’d try it.

The game is SCATTERGORIES … and it’s harder than it looks! Here are the rules:

*Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each of the questions.
* They MUST be real places, names, things … NOTHING made up!
* If you can’t think of anything, skip it.
* You CAN’T use your name for the boy/girl name question.
* If your name happens to start with the same letter as mine, sorry, but you can’t use my answers!

My name: Liz

1. Famous Singer/Band: Led Zeppelin
2. Four letter word: leaf
3. Street: Lincoln
4. Color: Lilac
5. Gifts/Presents: Lamp
6. Vehicle: Lincoln Continental
7. Things in a Souvenir Shop: Lapel Pins
8. Boy Name: Leo
9. Girl Name: Leslie
10. Movie Title: Lost in Space
11. Drink: Lemonade
12. Occupation: Librarian
13. Celebrity: Lisa Marie Presley
14. Magazine: Life
15. U.S. City: Los Angeles
16. Pro Sports Teams: Lions
17. Fruit: Lemon
18. Reason for Being Late for Work: Left home without shoes
19. Something You Throw Away: Leftovers
20. Things You Shout: Leaping Lizards!
21. Cartoon Character: Linus the Lionhearted

Try it yourself and have fun!

Liz

Liz Needs...

I've gotten pulled into a "meme," whatever that is. Basically, you type "(your name) needs" into Google and then list the top ten things that come up. Minus, of course, all the other people listing THEIR top ten things. So I typed in "Liz needs" and hit the "go" button and here's what I got:

1) Liz needs a man!

2) Liz needs one more taste of her oozing pastry

3) Elizabeth (Smart) needs protection

4) Liz needs help

5) Agent Liz needs catchy slogan

6) Liz needs a hip display name

7) Liz needs to devise a budget and stick to it

8) Liz needs her voice back

9) Liz needs to just SPILL the truth

10) Liz needs to cry more


Hmm. They all seem kind of depressing. I think this Liz needs a psychiatrist! I like the "hip display name" one, though. ;-)

So, try it out yourself and see what you come up with. Who knows...it might inspire you to try something new, just because!

Liz

Tarot Workshop

Only a few days left to register!

Celtic Hearts Romance Writers Academy is proud to announce an upcoming online workshop for June.

Workshop Title: I Predict A New Story In Your Future: Developing Your Story With The Tarot

Presenter: Elizabeth Delisi

Date: June 15 - 30

Description: Are you looking for new ways to breathe life into your outlining process, your plots, your characters? If so, have we got the course for you! Elizabeth Delisi, a.k.a. Madame Liz, will teach you how to use the ancient art of the Tarot to develop stories, plots and subplots, heroes, heroines and villains, and more. You'll learn the history of the Tarot, how to choose a deck, how to read the cards, and how to use those readings to develop and improve your writing. There will be four lectures, four assignments to be posted to the list for all to comment on, and naturally all questions will be answered.

Outline: Lecture One: History of the Tarot, and Choosing a Deck; Lecture Two: How to Read Tarot; Lecture Three: Using Tarot to Develop A Plot; Lecture Four: Creating Characters With Tarot

About the Presenter: Elizabeth Delisi has wanted to be a writer since she was in first grade, and probably would have written in the womb if she could have convinced her mother to swallow a pencil. But life hasn't always gone the way she planned, and on her road to publication she worked as a motel maid, waitress, secretary, administrative aide, substitute teacher, and newspaper reporter.

Elizabeth's novels include a FATAL FORTUNE, first in the Lottie Baldwin paranormal mystery series; LADY OF THE TWO LANDS, a time-travel romance; and SINCE ALL IS PASSING, a suspense. She's written contemporary and paranormal romance novellas for SHIVERS AND SCREAMS, VISIONS AND DREAMS; ENCHANTED HOLIDAYS; HOLIDAY HEARTS; HOLIDAY HEARTS 2; and CUPID'S CAPERS, and has also published two short story collections, MIRROR IMAGES and PENUMBRA. In addition to her writing, Elizabeth edits for several small publishers and individuals, and teaches online writing courses for Writer's Digest. Elizabeth lives in New Hampshire with her husband, dog and cat. She enjoys hearing from her readers at elizabeth@elizabethdelisi.com and invites everyone to visit her website at www.elizabethdelisi.com.

Fee: $10 CHRW members; $15 non-members. RWA Membership isn't required; anyone can take the courses. Celtic Hearts members receive 2 free workshops a year.

Where to sign up: http://www.celtichearts.org/chwksp.html
Please fill out the online form.

Deadline to sign up for this workshop: June 12

Liz

Oh, The Benefits!

Whenever someone asks me what I do for a living and I say, "I'm a writer," they get all starry-eyed and excited. "Oh, I've never met a writer before!" they say as they crush my hand in theirs, and I try to keep my eyes from watering.

I guess being a writer sounds like a glamorous occupation, second only to being a rock star or Oscar-winning Hollywood actress, and I have to admit, there are bits of it that are really fun. Like oh, for instance, getting to say, "I'm a writer."

:-)

But like any other career, writing is hard work and primarily involves the less-than-glamorous application of your behind to the chair, your fingers to the keyboard, and your brain in gear for many hours a day in order to get anything done.

Writing involves creativity, which is the fun part of it, but also many hours of research, constant education and learning, a good business sense, and many other less-fun things.

"Ah, but the royalties!" you say. "What about those big royalty checks? Surely THAT at least is glamorous."

Let's just say, most royalty checks are closer to allowing me to live in the fabled garret of nineteenth century fame than in a crystal palace with a yacht moored in the private lake in the back yard.

Case in point. I received a royalty check today for...anyone wanna guess?

Time's up.

Sixty-two cents.

Yup. Sixty-two cents.

Now, admittedly that's for a six-author anthology, so the royalties have to be split six ways. And also admittedly, it's for a HOLIDAY anthology and we're at the start of summer, so sales at this point aren't expected to be high for this book.

But still...anyone see me retiring to the Riviera on sixty-two cents? ;-)

"Okay," you persist, "so why do you write for a living, then?"

Good question.

Like most things in life that are worth anything, writing grabs you by the throat and won't let you go. It sucks you in with siren promises of wealth, fame, changing the world through your immortal prose. And once you get in deep enough to realize the unlikeliness of those things occurring...well, you've seen your name on that book cover and you're hooked. You're committed. You're addicted.

So, you keep struggling away at your day job, and in your "free" time you keep putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard), writing in the eternal hope that THIS book will be the one to crack the bestseller list and put your name on everyone's lips.

Off I go to cash my sixty-two cent check and get...um...one sixth a cup of coffee, one fifth a gallon of milk, or maybe an entire candy bar. Woo hoo! And then, it's back to work and back to writing. Because after all of the above, there's still no career I'd rather be in. And maybe THAT'S the glamour of writing, eh?

Liz

New Reviews

Just thought I'd share a couple of recent reviews with you all.

First, a new review on SINCE ALL IS PASSING:

"Author Elizabeth Delisi takes you on an unbelievable journey fraught with danger and mystery in Since All is Passing...The emotional side of this story was very heartfelt and had me feeling Marie's pain as she relived her tumultuous past and tried to come to grips with her future. I give Since All is Passing 4 Angels."
~~Tammy for Fallen Angels Reviews

To read an excerpt for SINCE ALL IS PASSING or to buy your own copy, go here: http://www.amberquill.com/SincePassing.html


And second, a new review for SHIVERS AND SCREAMS, VISIONS AND DREAMS:

"Each of the stories in the Shivers and Screams, Visions and Dreams anthology were based on a paranormal thread. The book is a showcase of the vivid imaginations of its authors, making this anthology a delightfully stimulating read. If you are the least bit interested in Science Fiction or the Paranormal, this is a must read...I highly recommend Shiver and Screams, Visions and Dreams. Four and a half hearts."
~~Karen H. for The Romance Studio

To snap up your own copy of SHIVERS AND SCREAMS, VISIONS AND DREAMS, go here: http://www.diskuspublishing.com/shiversandscreams.html

Hope you enjoy them both!

Liz

Deadlines

I haven't posted recently...I've been busy writing, reading, editing, teaching, not to mention my "other" job, taking care of family and household. Heck, I have a deadline (tomorrow, and the story is not nearly done) breathing down my neck.

So why am I writing here?

I dunno. Procrastination, I guess. I've reached the point in the story where I don't want to write the next scene. It just makes me uneasy...too personal. And that begs the question, Do writers work out their personal issues in their writing?

I suppose writing can be very therapeutic. But if you write too closely to what you experience in your life, you're inviting lawsuits. ;-) So you skirt the issue, beat around the bush, changes names and places and a few of the salient details. And what comes out ends up being fiction...which, of course, is what you set out to write in the first place. And it all works out in the end, so that solves the emotional issue.

But that still leaves me with the deadline looming over me.

I think what I need to do is change my image of a deadline. Just say it to yourself: deadline. DEADLINE. DEAD...line. "Dead" does not provide a warm and fuzzy feeling, does it? It sort of hints, "You miss this date and you're dead, buster." Not exactly inspirational, especially when you're struggling to write, fast.

There's a similar word from a different area of my life. In knitting, when working on a complex lace pattern, it's easy to make a mistake, and very difficult to rip out a few rows back to the mistake without losing dozens of those tiny, precise stitches. So when knitting a complicated lace pattern, many expert knitters recommend weaving in a "lifeline" every few rows. This is a separate piece of yarn you weave through the stitches of one row, so if you have to rip it back, you know when you reach that point you can easily put the stitches back on the needle from said lifeline. Thus, you're never completely and totally "dead."

I think we writers need to think of "deadlines" as "lifelines" instead. Something to grab onto, something to shore us up, to help us keep writing. Something to help us keep track and not lose any stitches, and come out with that beautiful lace romance or mystery at the end of it all.

So I'm heading back to my writing, after giving one last tug on my "lifeline" to make sure it's secure. See you on the other side!

Liz

More Commonplace Book Quotes

I've added two more quotes to my Commonplace Book. They're just things that struck me as funny or endearing, not particularly deep, just fun. Here they are:

"It's not the end of the world, but you can see it from there."
~~Robin Williams

Okay, just about anything Robin Williams says is funny. But this just struck me as hilarious.

And quote number two:

"This was a delicious day."
~~My granddaughter on her fifth birthday

What can I say? She's clearly an amazing child. ;-) And as my husband responded to her, "All birthdays should be delicious days."

So, how about you? Have any of you started Commonplace Books of your own? If so, do you have any great quotes you can share with us? I'd love to hear them!

Liz

A Commonplace Book

For years now, I've been listening to "The Thomas Jefferson Hour" on public radio. Have you ever heard it? Check here for more info: The Thomas Jefferson Hour. As the website says, "Humanities scholar and author, Clay S. Jenkinson, adopts the persona of Jefferson each week to comment on current events and answer questions you may have about Jefferson's thoughts on any and all topics."

If you don't get The Thomas Jefferson Hour on your local public radio station, first thing you should do is write or call them and say, Why the heck not? :-) Then second, go here: High Plains Public Radio on Sunday afternoon at 6 p.m. eastern time to listen to it online. Jenkinson is terrific as Jefferson, and the hour is always intriguing, thought-provoking, and just plain fascinating. Trust me, you'll love it.

One of the things that's really stuck with me from listening to The Thomas Jefferson Hour is the mention of Jefferson's "commonplace books." Thomas Jefferson was a scholarly man, a renaissance man, always reading and always learning. In those days, of course, there was no Internet, and no easy way to track down information you'd once heard or read. For this reason, Jefferson and others of his day kept what they called "commonplace books," where they could write down interesting quotes from books they'd read, thought-provoking statements from speeches, etc. As MetaFilter.com says: "With the availability of relatively cheap paper beginning as early as the 14th century, people began to collect knowledge in commonplace books. Bits of quotes, reference materials, summaries of arguments, all contained in a handy bound volume."

Here's a more detailed description: The Lyceum.

I'd really like to start a commonplace book of my own. These days, it's old fashioned to hand-write anything when you could e-mail, but there's something to be said for the pleasure of opening a book, smoothing the blank page, choosing a favorite pen that gives sensual pleasure, and writing. So next time I'm out and about, I'll stop into the local bookstore, find a blank journal and begin.

I already have my first quote:

"I worry that the person who thought up Muzak may be thinking up something else."
~~Lily Tomlin

It's hilarious, but not terribly profound on first read. Yet, when you think about it...it hits you. How many "Muzak Inventers" are there for every "Rock and Roll Inventer"? Is it easier to come up with an amazing, unique idea, or easier to sanitize and ruin that original idea? I think we all know the answer, and it's scary!

So, go out there, get yourself a blank journal or book, and start commonplacing. And when you have time, on a Sunday afternoon, listen to Thomas Jefferson. A very wise man.

Contest: Any HTML Experts Out There?

You may have noticed I've changed the background on my blog. I like the new background, except...somehow it seems to have squashed the message area and the links area over to the left, with just empty space on the right. I followed the instructions exactly for installing it, so I'm at a loss for how to fix it.

Thus, I've decided to hold a contest! The first person who can tell me how to fix this problem...that actually results in me being able to fix it...will win a free download of one of my books, whichever one the winner chooses. You can read about my books at www.elizabethdelisi.com.

Sure hope someone comes up with an answer! Thanks!

Liz

Happy Holidays, Time For Taxes...

I hope you all enjoyed your winter holiday, whichever one you celebrate. We had a lovely and low-key holiday here--well, low-key except for watching the grandchildren tear into their presents. ;-)


Since I've told you about my new books out, the only other writing-related news is that I'm still finishing up PERILOUS PREDICTION, the novella-length sequel to FATAL FORTUNE. Will keep you posted!

In the meantime, January brings the new year and with it, thoughts of...taxes. Ugghhh. But Julian Block, tax expert extraordinaire, can help you get everything that's coming to you! Here's some info you might find useful:

From "Mauled Again," Prof. James Edward Maule's more than occasional commentary on tax law, legal education, the First Amendment, religion, and law generally, with sporadic attempts to connect all of this to genealogy, theology, music, model trains, and chocolate chip cookies. Copyright 2004-2006 James Edward Maule.

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

A Tax Advice Book for People Who Write and Illustrate Books

Julian Block has a tax book hat trick for 2006. Earlier this year, in Tax and Relationships: A Book to Read and Give, I described his "MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE: Savvy Ways For Persons Marrying, Married Or Divorcing To Trim Their Taxes - And They’re Legal." Several months ago, in A New Book on Taxation of Residence Sales: Don't Leave Home Without It, I reviewed Julian's "THE HOME SELLER’S GUIDE TO TAX SAVINGS: Simple Ways For Any Seller To Lower Taxes To The Legal Minimum." Now he brings us "TAX TIPS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES: Savvy Ways For Writers, Photographers, Artists And Other Freelancers To Trim Taxes To The Legal Minimum."

As I mentioned in the two previous reviews, Julian's titles suggest that he is collecting gimmicks, tricks, and ploys with respect to the tax treatment of the selected subject, but the actuality is quite the opposite. What Julian does is to put the spotlight on tax provisions that easily can be overlooked by someone not expertised in taxation. In addition to reminding taxpayers of deductions and credits of which they should be aware, he also spells out in careful detail the common mistakes that taxpayers often make, and why trying for more than the tax law allows is counterproductive. Thus, in his latest effort, Julian begins with an explanation of how difficult it is to demonstrate that activities such as writing, photography, and art constitute trades, businesses, or for-profit activities rather than hobbies.

In this new book, Julian devotes chapters to small business depreciation, health insurance and vehicle deductions for the self-employed, home office deductions, self-employment taxes, net operating losses, and section 1244 stock. He describes the narrow circumstances under which travel expenses for an entrepreneur's spouse can be deducted. He explores the circumstances under which employed of children in a parent's business can be advantageous, and those in which it is not. Practical tips about making payments at the end of the year, keeping records, sending checks to the IRS, extensions of time to file, and making refund claims are covered in five chapters. Julian warns self-employed individuals who hire employees about the risks of failing to withhold and remit employment taxes, a problem that seems to afflict far more people than one would expect.

As with his earlier works, Julian's most recent effort is more suited for the person not schooled in tax law. The many people who start doing business without getting any tax advice, and who for whatever reason do not seek that advice at the outset, would be well advised to buy this book and become acquainted with the tax law parameters affecting writers, photographers, and artists. Doing so would reduce the likelihood of making decisions that generate adverse tax consequences that could have been avoided.

To order a copy, contact Julian Block at 3 Washington Sq., #1-G, Larchmont, NY 10538 or go his website, julianblocktaxexpert.com. Or, as was the case with the previous books, email Julian at julianblock@yahoo.com.

~~~~~~~~~


So while doing our taxes is never fun, at least Julian's books help us find every deduction we're entitled to. Best of luck!

Liz

New Books Out!

I haven't written in a while. Too many crises going on in my life to even name. Sheesh. I do have news, though: I have two new books out, and two more coming soon!

SHIVERS AND SCREAMS, VISIONS AND DREAMS is available now from DiskUs Publishing here: Shivers and Screams, Visions and Dreams. It's a paranormal anthology with six novellas by six authors, and includes my story "Restless Spirit."

HOLIDAY MIXER is available from Haypenny Press here: Holiday Mixer. It's a fabulous collection of holiday stories of every type--funny, emotional, and scary, including my short story, "Step On a Crack."

FATAL FORTUNE and PERILOUS PREDICTION, the first two stories in my Lottie Baldwin Mystery Series, will be released soon from Haypenny Press. To get a gander at the fabulous cover art, go here: Fatal Fortune and Perilous Prediction and scroll down to the "New" section.

And finally, ENCHANTED HOLIDAYS will be released on December 21 from Cerridwen Press. It includes six paranormal romance novellas themed around the holidays, including my story "Mistletoe Medium," which is a prequel to FATAL FORTUNE and features Lottie Baldwin. Check out the cover art here: Enchanted Holidays.

How's that for a lot of news?

So, what are YOU up to?

Liz

It Lives!

Okay, I know I haven't posted in a while. It's been a combination of nothing to say, and mostly the fact that I've been out of state four times in the last four weeks. I've spent more time packing and unpacking than just about anything else. Whew! I'm sure glad to be home for a while now.

I do have new release book news to share. I have a new novella out in the paranormal anthology SHIVERS AND SCREAMS, VISIONS AND DREAMS from DiskUs Publishing, and you can check it out here: http://www.diskuspublishing.com/shiversandscreams.html Just in time for Halloween, a sextet of scary stories. Make sure you keep the nightlight on after reading these...

And, coming soon from Cerridwen Press is the anthology ENCHANTED HOLIDAYS. It will be released on December 21, just in time for the holidays, and includes six paranormal romance novellas, including one of mine. It's not listed yet, but will be soon, and when it is, there will be a link here: http://www.cerridwenpress.com/AuthorsBio.asp?AuthorCode=EDel

Someday soon I'll update my website so you can see the cover art for both. ;-) In the meantime, I'm working on the sequel to FATAL FORTUNE, called PERILOUS PREDICTION, which will come out from Haypenny Press sometime in the next six months, I hope. Don't have an exact release date yet.

So what's going on in your life? I hope you're enjoying the gorgeous fall colors--at least if you're in a place that has them. I'm soaking them up, just wish I could keep them around forever.

Meeting A Far-Away Reader

Last month I had the opportunity to visit with a reader who had come from farther away than anyone else I'd met: Israel. Now, I can't claim Amy S. came all the way to New Hampshire just to visit me. ;-) But while she was here on vacation with her family, we did have the opportunity to meet and have a great visit at a local spot over a cup of coffee and a sweet treat. She had purchased copies of a couple of my books, which I was glad to sign for her. We also talked about another interest we have in common, knitting. Here's a picture of the two of us:


I've done booksignings, but it's usually locals at those events. I've met readers at conferences and other events, where it's me who's from out of town. But this is my very first opportunity to meet a reader from outside the U.S., and it was great!

A few times in my life, I've had the opportunity to meet someone important to me in one way or another. Probably the most memorable time was when I met Mary Higgins Clark at a writer's conference in Florida. I love her books, and it was such an honor and so exciting to get to shake her hand. I'm sure I stammered and stuttered and in general was less than coherent. ;-)

Do you have stories of meeting a favorite writer, or maybe an actor, singer, artist, or someone else whose work you're familiar with, but not the person? Who did you meet? What was it like? How far did you travel? Share your stories with me!

In A Funk

I've been in a writing funk lately. Just can't seem to get inspired. Now I know I should just write anyway and bust through it, or maybe try writing on a different project. But so far neither thing is working. Any other suggestions from anyone who's experienced this and worked through it?

In the meantime, FATAL FORTUNE is now available exclusively at Fictionwise, with a new cover designed by my good friend and fellow author Maureen McMahon (www.maureenmcmahon.com). Check it out here: http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/eBook36900.htm?r=3a20

Don't know if I've posted about the good news yet...the authors of ENCHANTED HOLIDAYS (of which I am one!) have a publisher lined up for our new anthology entitled, SHIVERS AND SCREAMS, VISIONS AND DREAMS. It's DiskUs Publishing, and we're looking forward to the release of the book this fall. More news here when it becomes available.

Spring has sprung here and beautiful flowers are bursting out everywhere. This spring is a real adventure for us, as we moved into this house last September, so we have no idea what's planted. Each new bud and blossom is a lovely surprise. I don't know what many of the plants are, but they're sure pretty! The previous owners did a terrific job of landscaping.

So, how come I can write a blog entry, but not a book? (sigh, eye-roll) Well, I'll keep trying, and if any of you have any tips, I'd love to hear them!

Wedding Picture

Just thought I'd post a quick little photo of my son Mike, his bride Amy, and our granddaughter, Isabel, who was the flower girl. Are they not all gorgeous (or adorable, as the case may be?


The 3,200-mile car trip with Isabel in tow was, frankly, exhausting. But looking at these pictures makes me realize it was all worth it. We finally got to meet our new daughter-in-law, and her family, and it was a chance to be back in Kansas for a bit. Thank goodness the weather behaved nicely while we were there!

So, do you have any family events planned for this spring? Spring is definitely a great time for weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, births, any kind of new beginning. The crocuses are coming up in our garden and it's so lovely and warm today, nearly 70 degrees. Deep breath! Breathe in spring and renewal.

Back To Writing

I finally decided it wasn't right to spend so much time on this, my writing blog, talking about knitting. :-) So, I started a separate knitting blog. If you're a knitter and want to read about my latest projects, visit my new blog at http://liz-knits.blogspot.com .

I really am anxious to get moving on writing again. Lately I've been tied up with physical therapy to recover from my shoulder surgery, odds and ends still left to do from our move to New Hampshire last fall, helping our daughter and her family move here to New Hampshire and get a job, heading back to Kansas on a 3,200-mile odyssey car trip with our four year old granddaughter to my son Mike's wedding, teaching four online courses with a fifth to start next week...well, you get the idea, I've been busy.

But!

As of today, I'm starting work again on my novella. It's for a paranormal anthology tentatively titled SHIVERS AND SCREAMS, VISIONS AND DREAMS, and the other authors in the anthology include Kim Cox, Chris Grover, Elaine Hopper, Maureen McMahon, and Sheryl Hames Torres. We do have a publisher for the anthology, DiskUs Publishing, but don't have a release date yet. Check back here regularly for the latest updates.

My story for the anthology is titled "Restless Spirit" and involves a woman who's lost her husband and son, a Ouija board, and contact with a mysterious man from the past...

Hope this tantalizes you a bit!

So, what are YOU working on as a spring project?

Still Knitting

I'm still knitting like crazy, whenever I get time. Here's a picture of my latest completed project, a felted purse, for me this time (yes, it's drying on a radiator--we live in an old house):















I added a snap closure and a gaudy rhinestone pin, and I think it looks pretty cute if I do say so myself.

Now I'm working on a multidirectional scarf, to learn the technique. (Multidirectional knitting allows you to knit in different directions, like triangles or diamonds coming together at different angles, without cutting the yarn or sewing the shapes together. Check out a group on multidirectional knitting here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/multidirectional/)

I'm also knitting a scarf out of some really interesting yarn (Eros Glitz, check it out here: javascript:popupWindow ('http://www.knittingzone.com/catalog/popup_image.php?pID=2916'). I'm making the shawl on large needles and just using the garter stitch, so the focus is on the unique yarn itself, not the pattern. I've heard this yarn has been out for years. But coming from a place where the local Walmart was my only yarn store, to a place with a wonderful REAL yarn store (The Woolery, http://www.nhwoolery.com/) has made me realize how much I've been missing!

And, I'm waiting for a pattern I ordered for another felted purse. Hey, this felting stuff is fun! Here's the pattern: http://www.carodanfarm.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/product504.html This is a pattern by "Designs by Shelley," and I really like her other designs as well. You can check them out here: http://saboardman.tripod.com/ I especially like the Jester Bag, and the Flapper Bag and the Fancy Bag here: http://saboardman.tripod.com/id15.html

What are you working on? What are your hobbies? Do you have a new one you're enthusiastic about, or an old one you still love? Share, share!