The Dog Ate My Homework

Okay, I can't really blame Woki. Maybe it's spring fever. Though given the current weather, that's not likely. Whatever the cause, I've got unfinished writing projects up the wazoo, and I just spent the last hour googling restaurant possibilities for dinner Friday night. My thoughts drift to warm climates--Florida, Jamaica, the Mediterranean. This sluggishness must be the fault of the weather. I'm too damn cold and miserable to write. The Muse is frozen solid. Why didn't I book a vacation to get the hell out of here? Oh, yeah, because I have too many projects that need to get done over Spring Break. Vicious circle.

Launched!!

Here it is!!

Finally, the book is out. We had a fabulous launch party on March 3, and I have several more events coming in the near future. Finalized, as of now, are an author reading on April 7 at Women  &  Children First in Chicago,  (www.womenandchildrenfirst.com/event/mary-driver-thiel)

and a weekend of cool stuff at University of Wisconsin, Madison, April 12 to 14. 

(www.continuingstudies.wisc.edu)


FYI, if you don't have a copy already, it's available through Amazon, Kindle, Nook and any bookseller who is capable of ordering through Ingram or Baker & Taylor.

I was flattered and a little alarmed that several people have already said, "Loved your book. Read it in one day. When's the next one?"

Ahh, I'm working on that. In the meantime, you can find one of my short stories in the new UW literary journal, Midwest Prairie Review. The journal will be published in April, so I can't link you to it yet, but here's a link to the list of contributors: http://continuingstudies.wisc.edu/lsa/writing/mpr/contributors.htm

Pine Lake Press

A big, kinda scary week here, and Halloween is not the frightening part. Pine Lake Press, LLC is official. The logo above is what I designed, but low and behold, the world has changed and I've learned I have to have "vector art" if I want a logo. Well, that turns out to be complicated, but the designer I'm working with is going to try to find something ready-made that can be adapted to come as close as possible to the image above.
I have to say it is frustrating to be forced to use "pre-fab" art when I can design my own, but technology is what it is. Can't fight all the beasts, so I'll have to be content with posting my image here.

I'm Back . . .

 It's a beautiful autumn day, much like this photo taken a year ago on Washington Island, and I'm returning to this blog after a year of Pine Lake Stories. The "blogopera" was great fun, but the "real" writing needs so much time, and there are never enough hours in a day.

For those of you who are interested (if there's actually anyone out there who IS interested, please let me know), here's the short version of my grand plan:
1) I'm hoping my novel, The World Undone, will be published by the end of the year (book launch party will be a blast, I promise)
2) C.C. Crescent's first novel, Turning Points, should be out shortly after the New Year  
3) The anthology of Lake Forest Stories is coming along. We've got some great manuscripts in the works


In the meantime, check out www.alfiedog.com  It's an online collection of stories, and they've chosen one of mine for publication.





And a message from C.C. --->

The Pine Lake Trail has come to a resting point until at least the first of the year, as those of you who followed Pine Lake Stories already know. The old episodes are still available at www.pinelakestories. blogspot.com
 C.C. Crescent is busy with another project in the works, namely getting her first novel, Turning Points, polished for publication. TTFN

Faith and Magic

A Place of Faith and Magic

I took this photo a year and a half ago just outside the town of Kenmare in Ireland. I decided to post it for two reason: someone who reads this blog asked for photos (it's so fun when people comment--please do more), and I could seriously use an escape to Kenmare about now. It's only November 2 and I'm feeling some definite cabin fever.

I love writing most days, but every once in a while (like now), I get burnt out. If I try to force it, the results are drivel. The muse does not like to be chased.

So I think it's time for a little break. It would be nice to catch up with friends again, go out for lunch, see a movie. I suppose I could even clean house a bit. (Maybe.)

And I will read. Among the many books on my short list is a new one by Frank Delaney, called The Matchmaker of Kenmare. On page 4 of the book, a character declares that the only two words in which she puts her trust are Faith and Magic. Now those are words for a writer to live by.  Perhaps I'll be going back to Ireland after all....

Goodbye, AMC or The True Confessions of a Soap Junky

Today when the noon whistle blew in town (and that's another story--I love it, but why does this town  have a noon whistle? It's not like the factory workers are breaking for lunch), it was the first Monday in 42 years that a certain soap was not on the air. (If you don't know which one, you really shouldn't be reading this; it will only embarrass us both.)
I could bemoan this fact, since I have watched the program off and on for the better part of 30 years (no, not every day....), but as it is, I have privileged information that there is a new soap format in town.
Last week, I met a writer named C.C. Crescent who is starting a new blog. She describes it as a "blogopera," a sort of hybrid between a normal blog & total fiction. The stories will unfold on a weekly basis, and track the drama of fictional characters going about their way-not-realistic business in the equally fictional town of Pine Lake. 
The new blog is set to launch this coming Wednesday, September 28th, and a new episode will be published each Wednesday. I have to admit, I'm excited. Since I'm programmed like Pavlov's dogs to check out juicy story lines when that noon whistle goes off, I now have something to look forward to each Wednesday, rather than spending my lunch hour crying in my soup as I mourn the loss of Erica, Tad, Kendall, Zack, Greenly, Ryan, Jessie & Angie, and yes, even bad boy David.
Here's hoping C.C. is up to the task, and that she has a few bad boys (and girls) causing trouble for Pine Lake. Wednesday at noon will find me tuning in to www.pinelakestories.blogspot.com
See you there!

One Writer's Bad Summer Vacation

Okay, this was right up there with the worst summers ever. The June weather was cold and dreary, then there were tornadoes in July. Our power was out for multiple days, multiple times. We tossed everything in the fridge and freezer twice. Then it got beastly hot.
On July 16th, my daughter's wedding was the brief, bright highlight of the summer. She absolutely glowed with happiness in her pouffy white cloud of a wedding gown, and even though the night before, half the cars at the rehearsal dinner were towed away by the "Lincoln Park Pirates," the wedding went without a mishap. Well, almost.
Around 10:30, I was happily boogeying my way around the dance floor when suddenly my feet were entangled by the legs of a young man doing "The Worm." My shoeless feet rolled on the concrete floor, but I stayed upright, more or less. Trouble was, I was in severe pain. I limped off to a corner where I was brought ice and enough booze to numb a gorilla. Back to the dancing for another half hour, then the evening wound down.
The next morning, I was in ER with a broken right ankle, broken right metatarsal, and bad bruising on my left foot. Crutches, RICE, and a very tolerant husband got me back on my feet by mid-August.
Last week, I was out walking Woki, relishing my freedom, when--CRACK--I misstepped and rolled on the left foot. I hobbled home, half a mile, swearing like a drunken gorilla all the way. Sure enough, I broke the other frickin' ankle, so I'm now housebound, on crutches, with not much of a leg to stand on.
I'm going to be spending a lot of time with Dr. J. and the PT boys at Sports & Spinal Rehab, and it will be late autumn before I can even think about running again, which makes me crazy.
So in true writerly fashion, I'm looking for a way to spin all this into a good story. Let's see: first there were tornadoes. Then I was falling through space and all I could see were a pair of legs with red Converse sneakers. The beautiful blond girl in the pouffy white dress couldn't help me, so I'm off to see the Wizard of Os.
Oh, crap.
Three flying monkeys named Agent, Editor, and Publisher just popped in to say that story has already been done.