Thursday, February 26, 2009

Try One, You'll Like It!


I got to go to the Kentucky Crafted Show in Louisville over the past weekend and, let me tell you, I had a ball! Of course, it helped that I got to set up shop in someone else's booth. The fine people at McClanahan Publishing House did all the hard prep work and my mother and I just swooped in with my books and poster and cash box.

I'm not sure I remember the last time I smiled so much in my life. I felt like any minute I might break out into a little song and dance routine, but figured that might run business off. The point was to bring them in. So, I kept the tunes to a mental note. I was singing inside.

For those of you not familiar with Kentucky Crafted, let me fill you in. It's a large market where artists from the state go to sell their wares to wholesale buyers and the general public. Retailers from everywhere come to see what the talented artisans here have to offer. And, by golly, they've got a lot. There are jewelers, painters, woodworkers, basket weavers, potters, glassblowers, authors, and signal the trumpets, my personal favorites: cooks! (I made myself a little queasy on the food aisle. It was those dang bourbon balls.)

But, I did pick up a good line for selling my book. As people passed, I'd say, "Pick it up and take a look. It's like the food aisle; you've got to sample it." For some reason, that worked. Most would pick it up, turn through it and I'd get a laugh or two.

The laughs are what it is all about for me. I don't want to sound corny, but I know I'm gonna. So, here goes...I like making people happy. I like that look they start to get in their eyes when one of my flutterbies connects with them. I love it when a smile starts to form at the corners of their mouths and the giggles erupt. I adore it when they nudge their friend and say, "Read this one! It's just like..."

Art and writing is about connecting with emotions. It's about touching a place in the heart. I may not be the most complicated artist or writer, but I still have the same goal. I want to bless someone with a little stroke of joy on a gloomy day. I want to splash a touch of bright color where there was only gray. I want to remind somebody she isn't alone. She is understood. Even if it is only because she snorts when she laughs.

Sunday, February 15, 2009

So Much Going On

I don't know where to begin! There's so much going on in my life I haven't had time to check in here at Bizarro-world.

I guess I'll start with today and go backwards. That's logical.

Today, I sat on the couch.

I know, I know...riveting. In the newspaper business, they teach you to start with your most fascinating or important fact. It really depends on if you're writing a feature or news story. Fortunately, I'm out of the newspaper business and I get to write any old way I want. Of course, I'm no longer getting paid, either. There are trade-offs.

I figure that since there are approximately 11 of you reading what I write here, you are truly dedicated to being interested in my life. Even the mundane. So, I thought it was high time I caught you up.

Now, where was I? Oh yeah, sitting on the couch.

Well, I did do some other things today. I went to church, where, I have to admit, I felt extremely nauseous. Didn't have anything to do with the service, just me, I'm sure. Then we came home and I got Kent to agree to help me clean. This is big. Really big. He cleans even less than I do. I am not gifted in this area. He's less gifted. So, with his precious promise hanging in the air, I got jiggy wid it, as they say in my neighborhood. Had to strike while the iron was hot and all that.

All that cleaning reminded me that I had had an epiphany the other morning at 4 a.m. I had woken up and was having trouble returning to the land of nod. Instead of worrying, I decided to take another course. I decided to name my appliances.

My parents had been staying with us during the post-ice storm power outage and I had become quite accustomed to having company around. I'm a people person, see. I like having company. But I live in an empty nest and I work at a solitary, lonely job. So, while it was difficult for them, I was secretly happy to have them around. I'm some kind of daughter, huh? So unselfish.

Anyway, I knew that the time was coming that they would be leaving. I needed to prepare. I decided to personalize, give names to, the only things around here that talk to me (besides my ever-faithful Francie, who has an extensively developed language all her own).

I won't tell you the names of all of my appliances, but you might want to know that Tilde the dishwasher is not doing her job properly and may be out on the street before her time, if you know what I mean. Max, the microwave, is prompt, efficient and - dare I say ? - pretty hot! But, he can be a little persistent with this pesky beep of his. It can be a touch annoying on bad days. Then, there's Marco, Hildegard, Jack and Diane, Pedro, Rocky and Sally. I'll let you sort out who's who.

Mom and Dad have left. Kent's back at work and I'm just fine. I am. Really. I am.

I'm back on the couch and the doctor promises me that I'm fine.

Friday, February 6, 2009

It's Here! It's Here! The Book is Here!


Finally! The book you've all been waiting for! It's here! Maybe you didn't know you'd been waiting for it, but you have.

Once you get it, you'll say to yourself, "Oh, my, I didn't realize it, but this is the book I've been waiting for all of my life. This may be the best book I've ever held in my hands." (You may say that. You really might. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and thinking positively.)

It's a book of flutterbies, born over a 10-year period. (That's a pretty dog-gone long gestational drama if you ask me, the mama.) In that time frame I've written over 120 of these little whimsical sayings, but I've only included about half of them in the book. I wanted to leave you wanting more.

Now, I want to be honest with you. When you see me, I want you to tell me that you LOVE the book! I don't care if you've seen it or not. Just hop up and down, waving your arms around and carrying on like a maniac set free from the nut house. I love enthusiasm. Feel free to tell me I'm wonderful and creative and talented. Well, wait a minute, don't get carried away. At night, as I'm going to sleep, I want to pretend that what you said was the truth.

Thinking on it even more, I don't even care if you say a word. Just buy one. Or, two. Heck, I'd sell you as many as your pickup can hold.

Oh, and by the way, come on down to my book signing at Etcetera on Feb. 14 from 9 to 1!