LeBlog--The Blog about life…writing, raising kids, chasing dogs, handling life and all its bit parts.

August 25, 2010

 

Establish the Work

Lately, I've been working very hard, working on two books. One is due September first. I always get a little crazy as I near a deadline. I'm not having to write thousands of words to get finished…that would put me way over the edge, but I'm mostly tinkering with this and that and making sure the book holds together. But it's a lot of details to keep in my little brain. Anyway, this morning as I was having my quiet time, I was reading in Psalms. This was such a good reminder for me. Of course, you don't have to be a writer for this passage to impact you. No matter what we do, taking care of our children, cleaning dishes, laundry, taxiing our kids, homeschooling, going to a nine to five job, whatever our job may be, we want the Lord's favor on what we do.It's a particularly good passage as many of our kids are beginning a new school year, and their 'work' is homework and studying. And so I offer up these verses as a prayer this morning...

"Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen trouble. May your deeds be shown to your servants, your splendor to their children. May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us--yes, establish the work of our hands." Psalm 90:14-17

So what are your hands busy doing?

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August 23, 2010

 

Lessons from First Grade

Do you remember your first day of school? I do. We walked down the hill to the elementary school, my mother by my side and my new lunchbox in hand. I was starting first grade and I was a little nervous. My mom was probably thrilled because I was her baby. Now she'd have the days all to herself. I was also a little sad because my best friend, Jennifer, was not in my class. My teacher was Mrs. Kunnell. She had dark hair, swept up on top of her hair, and she wore a white dress. Now, I've been a teacher and I can't imagine wearing white with a roomful of first graders. But I digress. She also wore hose and heels. Anyhoo, she knew my family because my older brother had her when he was in the first grade. She came right up to us and gave me a big hug. Which was a bit disconcerting because I didn't really know her. Still, she was friendly and had a nice smile. I was excited because we were going to learn to read and I couldn't wait to get started.

I ended up sitting next to a girl named Deborah. She was nice and had very interesting hair. It was brown with red and blond streaks in it. The blond turned golden in the sunlight. We became friends and I wasn't so afraid or nervous anymore.

I only remember a few things about first grade. If you were good all week, then you got a happy face on Friday. If you got the chickenpox, the teacher would sit you far away from all the other kids when you came back to school. That happened to my friend, Michelle, and I was mad at Mrs. Kunnell about that for a while. And sometimes kids called you names. I had one of those names that rhymed with things like piana, banana, etc… Please don't write me and tell me anymore. This one boy kept calling me names. I tried ignoring him, turning the other cheek, calling him names right back. But nothing stopped him. Finally, he made me so mad, I slapped his face. Well, of course, he ran to tell Mrs. Kunnell. And I started sobbing. I'd never been in trouble before and I knew I was this time. Oh boy was I! But Mrs. Kunnell took the time to find out what had happened and why I'd reacted so…well, violently. She gave me one of her famous hugs and wiped my tears. And I loved her.

Later in the year, after my friend Deborah and I shared a sleepover or two, we greeted each other one Monday morning. I said, "Did you have fun over the weekend?" She said, "My mother died." I didn't believe her. I think I actually laughed. I thought she was joking. But later, Mrs. Kunnell sent her out of the room to run an errand to the office and told the class that her mother had passed away and that we were taking up a collection of money and buying her a present, a necklace, to give her. That summer, my friend moved away. I don't know what happened to her. I'm hoping one day she'll turn up on Facebook. I'd like to know that in spite that trauma to her little life that she was able to continue on and do all right. As if any little girl really does okay without her mother.

So first grade was a big year for me. I learned to read. Or to read better. I learned violence has a short term effect but not necessarily a long term one. Although, come to think of it, I don't think Greg called me names after that. Hmmm. I also learned that teachers can be your friend. And I learned that mothers die.

I hope the lessons learned this year as school starts are not quite so traumatic. But lessons will be learned. Lessons of the mind, lessons of the heart, and lessons of the soul.

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August 17, 2010

 

Belle




Happy birthday to my sweet Belle! She's 15! When my husband and I got married, he gave me Belle for my birthday! The birthday present that keeps on giving. She has always been such a sweet girl. She's deaf now and couldn't hear us sing her happy birthday and she can barely see but she's still moving and grooving. And nobody has a better sense of smell than she does. What does she need to hear momma opening something in the pantry for? She can SMELL it and she comes running.

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August 16, 2010

 

Chapter One of Facelift

The first chapter of my upcoming release, FACELIFT, is now on my website. Go to the book page and click on the cover of FACELIFT and it will download!

http://leannaellis.com/books.html

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August 12, 2010

 

Dust to Dust

Last weekend, I went to a funeral. Something about funerals, the end of a life, the reading of a person’s accomplishments, always gets me thinking about my own life. The man who passed away was a wonderful pastor. He was well loved and respected by his family, churches where he had served and friends. It was an honor to honor him by attending his funeral. Hopefully, there are many years before I follow him to meet my maker, but hearing a eulogy always makes me think of my own life, how I’m living it out, what others might say about me. It’s a wonderful way to set goals. So I challenge you to think about what others might say about you today if you were to suddenly find yourself at Heaven’s doorstep. And then, contemplate what you would WANT them to say. Sometimes there is a wide gap. And that’s how we can learn and grow and stretch ourselves to run the race that has been set before us. But ultimately, it doesn't matter what others say about us. Ultimately, we want to live our lives so that the Lord will greet us with "Well done, good and faithful servant."

August 11, 2010

 

Presenting: Tamera Alexander and Jack!




Le: Hi, y’all! I’d love to introduce you to Tamera Alexander! She just won the RITA award, so congrats, Tamera! And she brought her special friend along today. Her silky terrier, Jack. So, Tamera, let’s get started. What is your favorite kind of a pet? Dog, cat, guinea pig? And why?

TA: I’m a dog lover all the way. I don’t wish cats harm, by any means, I just wish them “away” from me. But only because I’m horribly allergic to them. I’m also allergic to most dogs too . Jack, our silky terrier, has hair instead of fur so that’s the defining difference.

Le: I suffer allergies to cats as well. Not fun. How many pets do you have today?

TA: Only one. A ten-pound silky terrier named Jack Brennan Alexander. Named after a character in Remembered, which I was writing when we got Jack.

Le: Ahhh! Love it! Have you ever rescued an animal?

TA: Joe and I were taking a walk not long ago and we heard something “bawling,” and not in a good way. We followed the sound and came upon a baby goat with his head stuck in a fence. I provided moral support while Joe pried the wire open so the goat could get his head out. I know that’s not what you meant by rescuing, but that’s as close as I come.

Le: Oh, no! Rescuing can be many ways! It’s taking the time to do something that is what is important! That poor little goat! Do you ever incorporate animals into your novels?

TA: My hero, Daniel Ranslett, in From a Distance had a sweet beagle named Beau. The scenes with Daniel and Beau together were really fun to write.

Le: Ahh! I like writing those kind of scenes too. What was your favorite character animal?

TA: Hmmm…I’d have to say Beau in From a Distance. Since he’s the only one so far!

Le: Has one of your own pets been the inspiration for a pet/character in a novel?

TA: Not yet. So far I’ve written Colorado historicals (1870s) and a “Jack” dog would have been an appetizer for the coyotes. But maybe someday.

Le: LOL! Not so funny actually. And you have to be true to the time period. Is there a secret that only your pet knows?

TA: Yes, but I can’t tell you what it is.

Le: Ah, no fair! What is your pet’s pet peeve about you?

TA: That I won’t give him more table food.

Le: I hear that a lot! What is your pet peeve about your pet?

TA: He freaks out over squirrels and geckos, and scares the next sentence right outta me!

Le: LOL! Thank you so much for taking the time to be with us! Now, I’d love to ask Jack a few questions. Don’t forget to give your sweet pet a treat afterwards. ☺

Le: Hiya, Jack! Aren’t you cute! What would be the title of your autobiography?

JA: It’s a Ruff Life

Le: LOL! Good one! You’re very clever. If you were to write a novel, would your friend inspire one of the characters?

JA: Probably not. She’s not exciting enough. All she does is sit around all day and write.

Le: I hear that a lot about writers. So, what’s your favorite movie?

JA: Whatever Mom is watching.

Le: Very good. What musical instrument would you like to play?

JA: A chicken flavored clarinet.

Le: Love it! I wonder if they make those. What do you think about cats? Dogs?

JA: Love ’em all! I especially love to run with the big dawgs!

Le: Oh, then you should come visit at my house! Where do you sleep at night?

JA: Anywhere I want to.

Le: Good for you! You have your friend trained very well. What do you do when your friend is writing?

JA: Sit and stare out the window, then back at her, then out the window, then back at her, then out the window, then back at her, then…

Le: What is your idea of bliss?

JA: Never having to hear the keys jangle, followed by the words “Mommy will be back!”

Le: Oh, that’s so hard to hear, isn’t it? What is your friend’s idea of bliss?

JA: Taking me to Sonic.

Le: Ooh! That sounds like fun! Maybe you can get her to take you there today. Thank you so much for being with us today! You take care of your friend now, ya hear? And congrats, Tamera, on your latest book that just released!

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August 10, 2010

 

Presenting: Susanne Lakin and Coaltraine




I’d like to introduce a fun author, Susanne Lakin, I met at Mt. Hermon this past spring and I also got to meet her puppy, Coltraine! So let’s get started! Hi, Susanne! Thanks for stopping by with Coltraine! Should I hazard a guess here…what is your favorite kind of a pet? Dog, cat, guinea pig? And why?

SL: It’s a toss-up between dogs and cats. I’m right on the boundary line. They each have their own specialness that endears me. Some days I’m a cat person, other days a dog person.

Le: How many pets do you have today?

SL: I have a new black lab puppy named Coaltrane and three rescued kitties: Skritz, Thelma, and Louise.

Le: LOL! I love those names! I guess I have the answer to the next question: have you ever rescued an animal?

SL: Yes, our kitties and our former dog, Sweetie, were all rescues. I worked with a rescue organization up in the mountains and found it very rewarding to help find homes for abandoned pets.

Le: Do you ever incorporate animals into your novels?

SL: I do. My contemporary novels rarely have animals, but my fantasy series has a plethora of them. In fact, many of my animals speak—some quite well-educated and others a bit rough around the edges. My fat white pig, Winston, in The Map Across Time (releasing spring 2011) was lovingly patterned after the tour guide who took us to Stonehenge and postulated that the stones were set up by aliens. His verbiage was pretty hilarious so I had a great time making him a predominate character in my book. (He’s really not a pig, but I’m not going to tell anything more.)

Le: Funny! What was your favorite character animal?

SL: I like Disney’s Pluto—kinda feel sorry for the chump, and I like Tweety bird and Tasmanian Devil.

Le: All animated. Interesting! Has one of your own pets been the inspiration for a pet/character in a novel?

SL: Ah yes! Aside from some of my animal characters being inspired by humans, my book, The Wolf of Tebron, releasing now in August 2010, was very much inspired by many dogs I have known collectively, but Sweetie did influence me as I wrote the book. The wolf embodies many characteristics of a loving, loyal God, so I felt it would be the best animal to use to portray God’s unfailing love.

Le: How cool. And readers, run out and buy Susanne’s book! So, what is the funniest thing you’ve seen one of your animals do?

SL: Well, they sure do a lot of funny things. I once had a kitten that likes to sleep in a small wooden box. She fit just fine as a six-week-old kitten. But when she was full grown, she was determined to keep sleeping in that tiny box. She’d stuff part of her back into it, with limbs all hanging out—head too, and somehow manage to nap. They must get very confused as to why objects like that tend to shrink over time!

Le: I would imagine. All my pets think my lap has shrunk, when the opposite is probably true, because no matter their size, they climb in my lap constantly. Is there a secret that only our pet knows?

SL: The Bible says all creatures know their maker. Here’s a cute story. Once Lee and I held hands and Lee prayed over dinner. While our eyes were closed, Sweetie placed her paw on our hands and closed her eyes too. I’m sure her prayer was a little different from ours: “Lord, please move their hearts to hand over their plates…that chicken smells divine.” When I asked Sweetie if she knew God, she just looked at me and her eyes said, “Well, duh!” On a sadder note, the hour we got ready to take Tracy, our old Dalmatian, to the vet to have her put down, we were praying and crying and holding hands. Tracy rested her chin on our hands through the prayer and it sure seemed as if she was telling us she understood and it was okay that we had made this tough decision. It’s the only time in her whole life she’d ever done that.

Le: Ahhhh. You’re gonna make me cry. What is your pet’s pet peeve about you?

SL: The cats are mad that I love the dog. The dog is annoyed I show attention to the cats. Thus, the war continues. They all take walks together though with me around the golf course.

Le: I bet that is quite a sight! What is your pet peeve about your pet?

SL: I wish they could take care of themselves for a week so Lee and I could go on vacation.

Le: Wouldn’t that be nice! Or if we lived next door to each other, I’d watch Coltraine and the cats. But you might not want to reciprocate and watch The Hilo Monster. ☺ Thank you so much for taking the time to be with us! Now, I’d love to ask your pet a few questions. Don’t forget to give your sweet pet a treat afterwards. ☺

Le: hey, there Coltraine! You are very well behaved. Maybe you could come teach The Hilo Monster. What would be the title of your autobiography?

C: Actually, I’m the fictionalized character in a novel my human is writing entitled” A Dog after God’s Own Heart.” My character’s name is Fido 57 and he’s in the pound about to be put to death. Sure glad it’s not really me!

Le: Oh, dear! I guess so! If you were to write a novel, would your friend inspire one of the characters?

C: Not sure which friend you mean. I have tons! Even some cats are my friends, but shhh, don’t tell any of my canine pals.

Le: A friendly sort! I like that! What’s your favorite movie?

C: Babe, for sure!

Le: I love that movie! What musical instrument would you like to play?

C: Definitely NOT the saxophone. My owner’s husband plays that thing and it makes my ears hurt. I howl and screech! I think I would like to play the piano, as it’s fairly easy to make some cool music just walking across the keys.

Le: What do you think about cats? Dogs?

C: Well, I love all other dogs. I’m very social and love to play. I love cats too, but for some weird reason, they just don’t seem to want to play. And when I jump on them, they hiss at me, Just what is their problem, anyway?

Le: I don’t know. Our cat is persnickety that way too. Where do you sleep at night?

C: On the floor on a bunch of blankets next to Lee. In the early morning, once I go out to pee, I get to climb in bed and snuggle in all the down comforters. It’s my favorite thing!

Le: Sounds perfect! What do you do when your friend is writing?

C: I bug her so much she doesn’t get anything done. But she tells me I’ll grow up someday and hang out on the deck and leave her alone. Ha! In her dreams!

Le: Maybe you and The Hilo Monster have more in common than I thought! What is your idea of bliss?

C: Endless food.

Le: LOL! What is your friend’s idea of bliss?

C: Same.

Le: Knew I liked Susanne! Thank you so much for being with us today! You take care of your friend now, ya hear?

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