January 4, 2008

This just in from the Department of Wisdom and Sagacity:  No parent has ever successfully gotten a pet for their children.  Oh, yes, I know, you think that's what you're doing but it cannot and will not work out that way.

Yes, your motivation for the purchase or adoption of that cat, dog, parakeet, or box turtle is to acquire a companion animal for your child, perhaps you even have some misguided notion about teaching your child responsibility by getting said child a pet, but I'm telling you right now, it won't work. No matter what sort of pet you choose, no matter how much junior begs on bended knee and criss-cross-applesauce swears on his heart, or the Bible, or on your grave that he will feed, walk, bathe, and do whatever else is necessary to care of the intended pet, know this; within three weeks of bringing Fido or Fluffy home, the entire weight of caring for that fuzzy companion will rest solely on your already overburdened shoulders. You will be the one responsible for bathing it, feeding it, walking it, scooping up its poop, and rushing it to the vet (not to mention paying the bill) when it decides to chew up and eat a sock, or junior's homework, or an entire box of chocolate that somebody left on a low table that was well within muzzle reach.  All these joys of pet ownership will be yours and yours alone.  

I'm not telling you not to get a pet.  I love my pets and wouldn't want to live in a house with no furry friends. I'm just saying that you should understand what you're signing up for.  There it is.  You've been fairly warned.  

January 2, 2009!

Today has been a kind of catch up day, trying to tie up loose ends in hopes that when my child goes back to school on Tuesday, I'll be totally organized and ready to focus on writing 100%.

Well, I definitely did get some thing done - updated my calendar, went to the post office and sent packages and letters that have been piling up on my desk, took my son to the doctor to try and find the cause of the rash on his arm (doc seemed baffled too), deciding on menus for next week, running to grocery store, bank, pharmacy....you know, that kind of thing.  When I actually list it all, I can see that I really accomplished quite a lot today but somehow it just doesn't FEEL like I did anything.  Why is that?

This blog is going to be kind like my day, filled with bits and bots, this and that, flotsam and jetsam - the stuff that's too small to be a blog on its own, but nevertheless are things you might care to know about. 

Here goes...

On January 10 and 11, I'll be signing copies of A SINGLE THREAD at the Fabric Bug shop in Thomaston, Connecticut.  They're having a first anniversary sale (way to go, Jane!) and there's to be a big celebration with sales on all kinds of goodies, previews of upcoming classes - you'll be able to talk to the teachers - and some other surprises, including moi.  Hmm.  Guess it's not a surprise anymore.  Oh well, it'll still be fun and I'd love if you'd come.  In fact, I NEED you to come!  If there aren't lots of people there to keep my busy signing books, I may wander over to the fabric sale and get completely carried away.  There's more information in the Appearances section.  

Also, I saw today that my next Cobbled Court novel, A THREAD OF TRUTH, is now available for pre-order.  It'll be out on May 26, 2009, but you can order it now through various online booksellers or by telling your local bookstore that you'd like to order a copy now.  Many of you have been writing and saying you're counting the days to the release (me too!) so you might want to pre-order now.  That way you'll have your book on the very first day they're available.  Sometimes pre-orders actually arrive a few days early - no guarantees, but it happens.  

Aspiring writers out there might be interested in this. On May 9th I'll be teaching a one-day writing workshop called "Writing from Memory: For Mothers, Daughters, Sisters, and Friends" at the Wisdom House in Litchfield, Connecticut.  It's really quite reasonable, $35 and that includes lunch, and if you haven't been there, Wisdom House is a wonderful place.  This would be a great mother-daughter getaway.  I've limited the number of students so if you're interested, you might want to pop over to www.wisdomhouse.org and enroll soon. 

Gosh, May reall is going to be a busy month!  On the 1st, I'll be participating in a panel discussion with female authors of Litchfield hosted by the Litchfield County Writers Project at the University of Connecticut, Torrington campus.  It doesn't look like they've had a chance to put up the 2009 events yet, but I'm sure they will soon.  For more information go to www.lcwp.uconn.edu.  While you're there, you might want to check out the other programs hosted by the LWCP - it's a great organization and a fabulous opportunity for the public to see some wonderful authors in person.

Well, that's the grab bag for now.  I wish you all a happy and healthy 2009 and hope to see you at one of these events in the new year.      

December 31, 2008

I've been thinking about 2008 this morning and all I've had to be grateful for this year. 

It's a long list and high upon it are the many registered Reading Friends I've made over this last year.  Thank you all so much for your many kind notes and emails.  Writing is often a solitary, even a lonely business but your encouraging words have made me feel surrounded with friendship. 

I wish I could send a New Year's gift to every Reading Friend on my list.  There are now so many of you that it would be an impossible task, but I am able to do a little something extra for at least a few of you. 

As many of you know, my Christmas novella, A HIGH KICKING CHRISTMAS, from the 2007 anthology COMFORT AND JOY, was set in Vermont and featured some maple recipes.  I offered to send those three recipes to readers by mail and more than one thousand of you have requested and received them.  Well, those few recipes are just an appetizer in comparison to the dozens of maple syrup recipes available in The Official Vermont Maple Cookbook.  

Today, in addition to drawing the name of the monthly Reader's Contest winner, the person who will receive a signed copy of one of my books, I'm going to draw 20 more names at random.  Each of those twenty Reading Friends who confirms by email will receive a copy of The Official Vermont Maple Cookbook.  It's a great little cook booklet and that I'm sure the lucky winners will enjoy.

Thanks again for helping make my 2008 so very special.  I am grateful for all my Reading Friends and today I have prayed that God will grant you peace, joy, and every good blessing in the coming year.   

December 30, 2008

I have a little Cavalier King Charles spaniel named Oliver.  Actually, "little" only refers to Oliver's breed. Cavaliers are the smallest spaniels and like the rest of his canine cousins, Oliver is pretty short. However, over the last year or so, Oliver has gotten to be wide - very wide.  Without mincing words, Oliver has become a fat little dog.

This wasn't intentional on our part, Oliver is as spoiled as most companion dogs, but not more than is usual.  He's allergic to basically everything on the planet so he only gets a special hypoallergenic dog food that costs roughly the same as filet mignon on an ounce per ounce basis.  No snacks, "cookies", or between meal treats.  

I think the problem with Oliver's weight began when he learned to do the "snoopy dance".  Dog owners know what I mean here; this is that combination of wiggles, tail wags, and joyous yelps that dogs engage in when they sense mealtime is near.  Lots of dogs do this dance, but Oliver's choreography is particularly compelling; he gets up on his hind legs and circles his way through the kitchen, down the hall, and into the "dog room" where his food dish resides, like a performing circus poodle.  

It is completely enchanting and irresistible, so irresistible that whoever stumbled into the kitchen for coffee and witnessed this dance in the morning thought that poor Oliver was starving and fed him, not realizing that two people who had arisen before then had been equally charmed by Ollie's performance and done exactly the same.  

Yep.  Through sheer cuteness, Ollie was scamming himself three breakfasts a day.  

Well, something had to be done.  We made a strict rule that whoever fed the dog had to announce to everyone else that they had done so.  That helped a little, but the weight didn't really start to come off my little bundle of joy until we put him on the Green Bean diet.  Here's how it works.  Ollie gets his usual breakfast in the morning (but only once) and in the evening he gets a whole can of NO SALT green beans with half the amount of kibble he used to get at night - sort of like croutons sprinkled on a salad.  

This has worked wonderfully well.  Ollie loves his green beans and starts the snoopy dance whenever he sees me reach for the can.  On this regimen, he has lost more than four pounds!  This doesn't sound like a lot but is if you're only eighteen inches tall.  It's amazing!  Ollie is trimmer, more energetic, and even cuter than he was in the past.  

If you've got a chubby dog, I highly recommend the Green Bean diet.  In fact, it's worked so well that I'm considering putting a the rest of us on it.  Think I could get away with serving no-salt, canned green beans and kibble for dinner around here every night?  Me neither.  

December 25, 2008

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.  He shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end.  He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.  The zeal of the Lord shall accomplish this."   Isaiah 9:6-7

"In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.  Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  In him was life, and that life was the light of men.  The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it."   John 1:1-4

"I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly."   John 10:10  

Merry Christmas,

Marie