Susan Barrett Price's Blog, page 4
October 28, 2015
Making of a Memoir: TRIBE OF THE BREAKAWAY BEADS
We each have a story to tell. After keeping an online journal for ten years, in October 2009 I looked at my favorite themes and zeroed in on “grand exits.” I generally enjoy seeing things through, diving deep, finishing what I start, whether it’s a sewing project, a job, or a marriage. And yet my life seemed punctuated by those momentous announcements of “I’m outta here!” Continued here>>>
The Kindle version of TRIBE OF THE BREAKAWAY BEADS is FREE on Amazon.com till Nov. 1, 2015.
October 25, 2015
Self-Publishing: Vanity or Gift?
When I was growing up the “vanity press” was for egotists who had enough dough to order up 500 copies of their bloviations and enough attic space to keep them piled high in perpetuity–or that’s how it was perceived by those other egotists, those snobs who persuaded mainstream publishers and small presses to back them, thus achieving societal validation. Continued here>>>
October 21, 2015
THE SUDDEN SILENCE Published!
Finally, my work-in-progress has been locked down and sent out into the world. “What’s it about?” you ask. Here’s where I always fumble for that perfect 30-second elevator pitch. I can reduce it to a popular plot device: the burnt-out expert is persuaded to do one more job, because… this time it’s personal. Thus, the hair-raising and suspense-filled adventure begins. Add to it the complications of love. Plus the exotic locale of Thailand. CONTINUED HERE>>>
Shop now for paperback or Kindle editions of THE SUDDEN SILENCE.
July 23, 2015
The Lodge: One Month
Today marks one month since we moved into our log house. It has been a joyful month, full of friends and family, new neighbors, and inspiring landscapes. I’m sure my Facebook friends are sick of seeing my gleeful sunsets.
So, are there real world, adults things we need to tend to, besides sitting on the porch staring into the deep blue infinity? Why, yes…
July 10, 2015
On Being Fierce, Part 6: the Lodge
The entry on June 17 (Part 2) was supposed to be a cliffhanger and today’s entry was supposed to be the big reveal on June 23, when we took possession of, yes, our log cabin with 50 feet of frontage on Lake Ontario. The bold move taken. The place with the “great view” achieved. – Continued here>>>
June 21, 2015
On Being Fierce, Part 5: Finding Treasure
In 2005 I began paying serious attention to Jim’s collections. I opened an eBay store and liberated over 1900 closet creatures back to the wild. Then I started inventorying stuff either for big sales (mostly, a book collection and a pile of antique firearms) or simply to understand more about our treasures (like, Asian knickknacks, antique pottery, and vintage photographs). I thought we had explored every shelf, every drawer, every closet. But one drawer remained… [Continued here>>>]
June 20, 2015
On Being Fierce, Part 4: Opening Shop
Selling the Civil War cover collection was a boost. Did we have other moribund collections we could liberate for cash? This thought process reminded me that (1) collectibles are not necessarily very liquid. A stash of cash is for a rainy day; collections are for some misty season down the road when the gods decide it’s the right time, right place… after the collector has totally lost touch with the market. (2) A collector is usually not a savvy investor. A true collector buys for love. In general he buys retail (from a dealer), but must sell wholesale (back to a dealer)–not a good investing formula–unless the collection is decades or centuries old… or the collector hits a bubble. (3) Yes, like stocks, collectibles enjoy bubbles and suffer busts. In the eighties, it was all about classical Japanese prints and painting. Now the market snubs Japanese and scrambles after Chinese. With this in mind, let’s return to my saga… [Continued here>>>]
June 18, 2015
On Being Fierce, Part 3: Moving the Pretty Envelopes
Memo to self: being fierce needs plumage. New glasses. Platinum hair. Check. Check. Throw in a facial and a new tube of lipstick. Check.
Next. If we’re going to buy a “staycation” house, we’re going to want to spend money on extras (extras… like a bed… or a telescope). Time to crank up the old selling machine.[Continued here>>>]
June 17, 2015
On Being Fierce, Part 2
I’ve long valued preparedness over planning. When we were scuba diving, we adhered to the rule: “Plan your dive and dive your plan.” But the plan can quickly go to hell. Your tank slips out of the backpack. A gauge malfunctions. The current is too strong and you lose a flipper. If you aren’t prepared to deal with the unexpected, it doesn’t matter how perfect your plan is. – [Continued here>>>]
June 16, 2015
On Being Fierce, Part 1
It happens one day. You are 66 years old. The eye doctor scratches his head and suggests a glaucoma test. Your husband forgets the security code to the front door. A routine chest x-ray finds a spot on his lung, which is “probably nothing.” Then a fuse blows on your car and you can’t figure out how to open the @!%&*! fuse box. Do you throw in the towel and start Googling for “independent living” communities? Is it time to find a safe haven while you still have all your faculties? Before the realities of old age and infirmity make everything a thousand times harder? – Continued here>>>
