Elizabeth Lynn Casey's Blog, page 142

Life's Relief Valves

Since I'm on a self-imposed hiatus of sorts from writing at the moment (I get back at it in 2 weeks), I'm actually having time to read! Yay!

I just finished reading HOW TO BAKE A PERFECT LIFE by Barbara O'Neal (which I enjoyed so much I got in the car and drove to Barnes & Noble and picked up another one of her books–The Lost Recipe for Happiness).

Here's what the jacket copy says…

Professional baker Ramona Gallagher is a master of an art that has sustained her through the most turbulent times...

Get Your Tickets…

Looking back at my childhood, I realize I was quite the little entrepreneur. I created puppet shows (and sold tickets), threw backyard carnivals (and sold tickets), hosted lemonade stands, and picked up trash at the local swimming pool for a dime a bucket every chance I got.

I worked, I saved, and, on occasion, I used my hard-earned money on something I couldn't live without. 

The funny thing is, as much as I enjoyed being able to take my money and buy the doll I'd been eyeballing or the board ...

Gobble, Gobble

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, it seems only fitting that Bits & Pieces should coincide with the big day…

1) What are your absolute must-have's for Thanksgiving?

2) Lumps or no lumps (in your mashed potatoes, of course)?

3) Earliest Thanksgiving memory?

4) Turkey or ham?

5) What's the one thing on the table you won't touch?

~Elizabeth

 

Ommm…

I've never been much of a power-of-suggestion kind of person, but this stuff is amazing…

 In case the image is too small to read, it's Johnson & Johnson's Melt Away Stress Lavender & Chamomile Lotion.

Oh my.

I swear, if I rub this stuff on my hands at bedtime, I sleep like a baby…

Love this stuff so much, it would be one of my "favorite things" if I was the next Oprah.

So tell me, what's one of your "favorite things?"

~Elizabeth

Magical Notes

Music soothes the savage beast.

While I'm not sure who, exactly, said that quote for the first time (Bugs Bunny, maybe?), I couldn't agree more. It doesn't matter what kind of mood you're in, music has a way of helping you work stuff out or, if nothing else, forget for a while.

I've been known to write about music on occasion simply because it fascinates me. It is, in my opinion, the true universal language. People might have different tastes (I'm an 80′s girl and a Christian rock fan), but...

The Invisible Line

While lunching with a friend yesterday, we got to talking about the no-no's in a series, and whether there truly are any no-no's at all. The resulting conversation was fascinating and I've found myself revisiting it time and time again since I got home.

Now I'm curious how all of you would answer the same questions…

Is it ever okay to kill off a regular character in a series?

Would an author's decision to do that, prevent you from reading future books in that series?

~Elizabeth

To Dream or Not to Dream

One of the questions I'm often asked when I give a talk is whether my ideas come to me during dreams. The answer I give is pretty straight forward.

No.

I get ideas in the shower, in the car, the radio, conversations, etc. But never from dreams I've had while I'm sleeping. I can say this with certainty because I'm one of those people who rarely dream. Or, if I do, I don't remember them.

Sure, I'll have the occasional Uh-Oh-I-Forgot-I-Had-That-Class-This-Semester dream (why, I have no idea...

Abort Landing

If you're looking for me today, you can find me here:  http://newkidonthewritersblock.blogspot.com/. I'm telling a story about a story…

~Elizabeth

 

From A Reader

I thought I'd share a review of DANGEROUS ALTERATIONS with all of you today…

http://sharonsgardenofbookreviews.blogspot.com/2011/11/book-review-dangerous-alterations.html

If you've read the book, I'd love to hear what you think! And if you loved it enough to tell others about it, even better!

~Elizabeth

Catching Up

Now that the latest manuscript has been sent off to my editor, it's time to catch up on all the other aspects of life that were forced into the back seat so "deadline day" could ride shotgun.  Suddenly, all of the things I was able to ignore while I sat, hunched, over a keyboard all day, are now waving signs in my face saying–notice me, notice me.

And I'm noticing.

*cringe*

I see the mailings that need to go out (something on today's list, as a matter of fact).

I see the inbound mail that's...