L.B. Lewis's Blog, page 5
July 22, 2022
SF and LA: Where’s the Love?
How a new California could offer a stronger relationship between the two
June 28, 2022
LA Stories: June 2022
Here’s a summary of random tweets I call “LA Stories.” I’ve been living in LA for almost one year, after moving from the San Francisco Bay…
June 7, 2022
April 27, 2022
March 1, 2022
Why I Wrote a Pandemic Memoir
Image by Hans Braxmeier from PixabayGoldfish have a longer attention span than humans. It’s been proven.
I’ll make this short, since it is about SMALL TALK.
Available on AmazonI wrote SMALL TALK WITH MYSELF during the pandemic years of 2020–21. It was published in August of 2021 and was a #1 New Release on Amazon in Humor and Entertainment Short Reads.
It’s a memoir about living through the pandemic as a single woman in Oakland, California. I was happy people, especially those at Amazon, got my humor. And, understood it was supposed to be short, too. They estimate 45 minutes, but you can tell me after you read it…
I chose yellow for the cover because it represents the sun to me. And, it’s known to be the color of optimism and creativity. It was also the color of my room growing up.
In short, I went back in my life to go forward.
SMALL TALK WITH MYSELF is a collection of memories that came up while quarantining alone at home. From the events of 9/11 to the 400 virtual events I attended during the pandemic, my life hasn’t been dull.
I not only give the reader a look into my life, but also my Oakland neighborhood. Fans say they identify with “The Laundromat Club” and it’d be nice to do a book event at a laundromat, one day…
But I digress.
I know Americans are reading less these days. That’s a fact. But as we’re looking for healing and new ways to recover, reading has been shown to reduce stress. Then, there’s the old saying that laughter is the best medicine
So, why not buy my Amazon short read and read and laugh at the same time? You might have something more interesting to say next time you make small talk.
Find reviews of my pandemic book on Goodreads , Amazon , and Reader’s Favorite .
Thanks for reading and following so I can stay in the Medium Partner Program.
[image error]August 20, 2021
[INVITE] 9/28 Virtual Book Release + Reading: SMALL TALK WITH MYSELF (1/2)
Small Talk with Myself: Reflections on Pandemic Single Life was a #1 Amazon New Release in Humor + Entertainment Short Reads (August 2021)
After publishing a trilogy about a millennial's journey to pay off student loans, L.B. Lewis publishes her first book in three years.
Candid and humorous, SMALL TALK WITH MYSELF includes select original and autobiographical essays about life during the pandemic as a single woman. The new normal takes self-entertainment to the next level for L.B. Lewis with detailed accounts of daily life and the memories that came up along the way.
You won't want to miss this original production. L.B. Lewis will read the introduction and chapters 1 - 3:
"Small Talk with Myself"
"Pistachio Palace"
"Cat Sharing Economy"
*Surprise attendees and small talk chat at the end.
*DIAL-IN EVENT. Like radio, a podcast, or Zoom with no video, this is 100% AUDIO.
*REGISTER on EVENTBRITE, please:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/virtual-...
L.B. Lewis
Contact: press@lblewis.com
Visit: www.LBLewis.com
March 29, 2021
February 27, 2021
What I Saw at the Supermarket
Photo by Eduardo Soares on UnsplashIt was another day of the pandemic in mid-2020 when our fridge was empty. The last over-priced debacle with online grocery delivery caused us to reassess that choice and now I was the one to forge for food.
I didn’t mind because I was still looking for a job and bored staying at home. Going to the supermarket was my chance to avoid hearing another awkward video call taking place in the living room “office.” It was my chance to go back to our routine of shopping (minus him this time) and discover new recipe inspirations, ripe avocados and unbruised bananas. It was my chance to see people and maybe have a conversation in real life.
Pulling in the parking lot, I grabbed a spot close to the supermarket’s door noticing the line had seven people waiting. I took the eighth spot in line. Shouldn’t be that bad, I thought. One clerk was busy wiping down carts while his two of his coworkers were chatting, then they waved us all in. A thrill of excitement ran through me when “Little Red Corvette” met my ears and I pushed my wet cart towards the avocados.
Then, I saw her, well, the back of her. I knew that olive green jacket with the faded black peace sign anywhere. It belonged to only one person in Berkeley: our old neighbor, Helen. I wanted to turn my cart to escape. But, there was a cluster of people obediently following the arrows on the floor, hindering my get-away plans. Instead, I put my head down to cross off avocados on my list.
The best thing was to pretend I just didn’t see the peace sign. We both were now part of a group of people, staying six feet apart, moving through the produce section towards the seafood. Helen pulled her cart towards the open freezer then put her bag in the child’s seat of the cart. I turned to pick out two bunches of bananas and when I turned back to put them in my cart I saw her put at least three bags of frozen fish in her open bag. Then, she picked up another three, put them with the rest, casually zipped it and started to walk.
Shocked, I was about to text my partner but remembered he usually took her side. Helen was always single and always flirting with everyone, especially men who had girlfriends. And, after everything that happened when we moved last year, I had no desire to rehash why we had to give her my old sofa and dresser and absolutely no interest in joining her online yoga classes.
“Excuse me, I just saw the woman with the peace sign on her jacket lift about six packs of fish into her bag,” I told the clerk who was now unloading green bananas. “OK, I’ll tell security,” he replied.
I got everything on my list and checked out smoothly. And, I didn’t see Helen again. I wasn’t looking for her either but at the same time I kept deliberating if I should tell anyone else what I saw.
When I got home, I was greeted by, “Helen saw you at the supermarket. She’s making salmon tomorrow and invited us to be part of her pandemic pod dinner. I think it sounds like a terrific idea. What do you say?”
Behind-the-Scenes Look at “What I Saw at the Supermarket”This story was started in Pen to Print’s workshop with Antony Johnston on February 25, 2021. The workshop provided a valuable, hands-on introduction to Johnston’s book, THE ORGANISED WRITER, which I ended up buying and devouring over two days.
The initial prompt was about a person seeing something shocking at a supermarket and unable to talk about it with their partner. I wrote this short story in four parts using the process we learned in the workshop and taken from THE ORGANISED WRITER. I first wrote a handwritten outline of key elements of the story, then typed the outline with additional creative ideas and after I added to the story and edited. With this structure and breaks between each step to have a “clean mind,” I felt it was easier for me to focus and be both efficient and creative.
While my story is fiction, THE ORGANISED WRITER is definitely not. As Johnston writes, “I used everything in this book, to write this book.” THE ORGANISED WRITER has offered me practical examples, new ideas and resources that have already helped me and I highly recommend to any writer at any level.
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January 30, 2021
Exclusively for Jan. 30 + 31 Weekend: New Story
Inquiries: Press@LBLewis.com.
"It started with an invite to a housewarming party. A casual invite from an acquaintance with the day, address and “anytime after 8.” The apartment was close to 24th Street BART and seemed like it would be OK to walk alone at night there. It wasn’t going to be too cold, but still cold, since it was April after all.
"To share, I got a bottle of crémant de Limoux at Whole Foods. I had recently learned at a tasting it was a predecessor to champagne....:
Read more here:
http://www.lblewis.com/mushrooms-and-...
December 19, 2020
Holiday Party Goes Virtual on 12/24
This is a unique Zoom event on Christmas Eve where you'll have the chance to meet many interesting folks.
It's also the 30th anniversary of "Home Alone" (1990) and we will be having some 90's trivia to go along with the socializing.
L.B. Lewis
L.B. Lewis is an award-winning writer being named among the "Top 35 of 2020" and receiving nominations in 2020 for "Contributor of the Year, Women in Tech" and "Indie Tech Journalist of the Year" from Hacker Noon. She is also the author of a trilogy about a millenial's journey to pay off student loans in which the second book got to #12 on Amazon. She has been finishing her fourth novel and freelancing during the pandemic. (Get all three Kindle books in A MODERN TRILOGY for $3.97 from Dec. 18 - 25.)
RSVP:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/home-alo...
