Elizabeth Lynn Casey's Blog, page 149

Keeping it Going

Now that I"m in full deadline mode, I find  myself thinking of little else besides this particular manuscript. I jot notes about it, dream about it, obsess about it, and even second-guess myself about it. All normal (for me, anyway) final steps.

It'll get done, it always does. But still…I worry.

So today I'm looking to you for some tried and true ways you keep yourself going when you're under the gun for one thing or another.

Anyone?

~Elizabeth

They Come, They Go

Just about everywhere you go right now, you're seeing an image of a Smurf. The push, of course, is in preparation for the new 3-D Smurf movie but I can't help be transported back a few decades everytime I see the little blue guy.

Yup. I had Smurfs. In fact, my "cooking Smurf" sits in a kitchen cabinet in the house right now.

I had one for all of the things I liked to do. Rollerskating, writing, playing, etc. I'm not sure where they've all gone to, but, even if they've disappeared into the...

Comic Relief?

In each of my mystery series, I like writing a humorous character–someone who lightens the heavier scenes with memorable quirks or dialogue. In my first series (Jenkins & Burns written as Laura Bradford), that character was Dean. He was the staff photographer at the newspaper and he was a bit of a goof. In the Southern Sewing Circle Series, everyone seems to have a chance to be light and silly but Leonaand Margaret Louise are my go-to girls for comic relief. So far, in the Amish series I'm...

Priceless Autographs

If you could have three books signed by the actual author, what books would they be?

~Elizabeth

Tunes 'N More

Today's Bits & Pieces are all about setting the mood wherever you go.

1) You're in the car, driving a winding two-lane road. Windows are open, sun is shining. What song do you want to hear on your car radio?

2) You're at the beach, tanning. First day off in a long time.  What song do you want to hear in your ears?

3) Enjoying a little alone-time with your significant other. What song do you want to hear on the radio?

4) Same scenerios…only now add one more must-have to each one. Can be a food, a ...

A Birds' Eye View

For today's "Writing Thursday," I figured I'd treat you to a sort of birds' eye view of the way I write…

*I'm a morning writer, plain and simple. The only time I stray from this is during the final days of a book's deadline. Than I become a 24-hour writer. Literally.

*My writing environment of choice has evolved over the past few years…taking me from bookstores and cafes, to the kitchen counter, to my current favorite place–bed. 

*I don't outline. I know the beginning and the end. I know my...

From A Different Angle

Growing up, I was the kid in the family who was never very crazy about the city. I liked visiting my grandparents but I wasn't wild about walking from the car to their apartment. I guess it was big and kind of scary to a little kid who'd been raised in the suburbs.

When I went off to college, I headed out to Ohio. After that there were stints in South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, and Missouri before, eventually, finding my way back to thee New York area.  For a few months immediately...

More Than Just Paper

Today's post is one I'm hoping you can help me with…

Some of the best comments will be shared on my Facebook Fan page over the next few weeks (first name attribution only)…

1) What does reading mean to you?

2) What is your fondest memory involving books/reading (if you have more than one, that's fine, too)?

~Elizabeth

A Pooh For All Ages

Friday night, my girls and I went off to see the new Pooh movie. The day we heard of its upcoming release, we knew it was a movie we absolutely could not miss.   

You see, both of my girls were raised on Winnie the Pooh. In fact, they'd virtually memorized A. A. Milne's map of the Hundred Acre Wood by the time each of them was three. Before any Pooh story could be read, we had to point at all of the important places–Eeyore's Gloomy Place, Pooh's thinking Spot, Owl's House, Rabbit's Garden...

Bits & Pieces, Pieces & Bits

It's that time of the week again. And I've got some fun questions for all of you.

So let's get to it, shall we?

1)  What was your favorite cereal as a kid? When is the last time you ate it?

2) What's the first thing you notice about other people?

3) If you were a crayon in a Crayola box, what would you be?

4) Scary movies or happy endings?

5) Do you untie your shoes before you take them off?

~Elizabeth