Speaking to the Marco Island Book Club

This Friday, Nov. 6, 2009, I will be a speaker at the Marco Island Book Club in Marco Island, Florida. I will be talking about my path to publication as a writer and beyond. For further information, please contact Amy Kaufman at (239) 393-1390. My friend Chris Wruk is a member of this group. I look forward to seeing everyone there. SMILE OF THE DAY: Yesterday I watched a young man present a bouquet of orange roses to a young woman he barely knew. Fortune Cookie Lunch: To love and to be loved are blessings.

The Loft Symbol Explained

Because I am teaching a class on Nov. 18 that involves a discussion of The Da Vinci Code (please register at http://www.artinlee.org/), I have been familiarizing myself with Dan Brown's latest blockbuster novel, The Lost Symbol (http://www.danbrown.com/). The main character is the same in both novels, Dr. Robert Langdon. The stories are related. Fortunately, I found a handy-dandy study guide that helps to explain the underpinnings of The Lost Symbol. It is entitled Unlocking Mysteries with Solomon's Key: A Guide to Understanding the Secrets to Solomon's Key and Other Legends. It is published by TD Media. I am fascinated by art history and love to read about it, especially when the information is given in an entertaining format. I have a B.A. in art from The University of Miami (Florida) with an art history emphasis. Sometimes, I wish I had taken up art history as a career, although I don't know how in the world I ever would have chosen an area of specialization. It's all interesting! Anyway, The Lost Symbol is a huge bestseller. If you are reading it, or are interested in learning more about it, I recommend this guide, which is written in magazine format. In fact, it may be available online. I haven't checked. SMILE OF THE DAY: Yesterday evening, as the sun set, I looked up at the eastern sky. There I beheld a golden full moon hovering, in an indigo sky, just above the horizon. It seemed alive, a quivering, organic orb, mellow yet magnificent, peaceful yet regal. It rose slowly, radiantly--the eternal feminine, pulsating with subtle power. The Eagles sang, "Witchy woman, she got the moon in her eyes." Roundness--circularity-- is female. Could this be the reason, perhaps, why men won't wear polka dots? Another mystery solved. Fortune Cookie Lunch: Angles are among us. When you find them, cherish their presence every day.

Good News for Writer-Friends

Good afternoon. Well, it's almost afternoon. This time change thing gets to me. Regardless, I can report several positive happenings today in the lives of some of my friends and fellow writers. Lynnette Hallberg and Heather Burch, both members of the Southwest Florida Romance Writers (http://www.swfrw.org/) have reported in. Lynnette just signed the contract for her third romance novel, and Heather finaled in a contest. Other friends, including Sandy Lender, Robert Dean Bair, and Joyce Wells had successful book signings at Barnes and Noble's local author book signing on Saturday. The event was well attended. I chatted with my publisher, Robert Gelinas and his wife, Joanna, as well as with authors Dr. Molly Barrow, Jean Harrington. I touched base, too, with Jessica and Felicia of BN, about participating in the next local author signing, which will occur in March. I'm ramping up my book signing schedule, as well as working hard on my sequel. SMILE OF THE DAY: My plumbago is blooming. Or should that be my plumbagoes are blooming? Not sure, but I do know that I have three pretty little plants right outside my front door that are alive and kicking. Not one, but two are producing clusters of five-petaled, blue-lavender flowers! Orginally, I had purchased four plants. One passed on quietly, but the three remaining plants are doing quite well, thank you. I love the color and delicacy of the plumbago flowers. They dance in the breeze as if they are waving hello. FORTUNE COOKIE LUNCH: You can put tap shoes on an elephant, but that doesn't mean it can dance.

Do You Enjoy Discussing Art and Writing?

If you're interested, please register for the class I'll be teaching at the Alliance for the Arts in Fort Myers, Florida, on Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009, 7-9 p.m. I will be leading a discussion about the role of the artist in three works of fiction. These works are The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown, The Girl with the Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier, and The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. You can register online by going to http://www.artinlee.org/. It should be fun and stimulating. I hope to see you there. If you do register, you might want to familiarize yourself with those three novels. That will make it easier for you to join in the discussion and give your own thoughts and opinions. I'm looking forward to teaching the class. I hope to see you there! On another note, via Facebook, I received some wonderful tips on writing from fellow ArcheBooks author John DeDakis, http://www.johndedakis.com/. If I can figure out how to do it, I'll post a link to the page he sent. John works for the CNN show The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer. He is the senior copy editor, a true professional. His advice about writing is the real thing. SMILE OF THE DAY: When I moved into my current residence, I inherited a small, gray, part-time cat. The former resident had dubbed him Nudger. I shortened it to Nudgie. Nudgie is a neighborhood cat, He drops by every now and then for a nosh. Lately, he's been meeting me at the car when I pull up. He ambles quietly up and sits down and waits for me to notice him--no fanfare. He only speaks when spoken to. I like it that he meets me. He's a good, sweet boy. It's nice to have a little cat bud. It's been a while. HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

Cruising

CRUISE NEWS: I gave been invited to attend a luncheon and ship's tour aboard the Noordam ship of the Holland America cruise line. The ship will be docked in Port Everglades on Nov. 11. I am seriously looking forward to this. I hope to have more Cruise News in future blog posts. I have been invited to particpate in a cruise-related venture for writers. Keep your fingers crossed, and I'll keep you posted with updates. This could be the start of something grand. SMILE OF THE DAY: A small boy whom I did not know offered me a Cheetoh from his bag. He was adorable. I was touched by his spontaneous generosity. He was accompanied by his mom and large number of brothers and sisters. How heartwarming to see the results of such a sturdy, nuturing type of love.

Life on the Internet

"I love your smile of the day - it truly does give me a smile as Itoddle off to bed. I'm looking forward to the next one. NBR" That's what my a friend of mine wrote me yesterday in an email. I am delighted she liked my first anecdote. I appreciate the comment. Today was eventful. Writers Jane Sutton (The Ride), Nancy Koerner and I met with Internet radio entrepreneur Joseph Dobzynski of http://www.radioearnetwork.com/, which is based in Sarasota, Florida. He invited us to assist the start-up of a Naples, Florida-based radio program. it will feature authors in round-table discussions as well as interviews with individual authors. He bought us coffee at the Coconut Point Starbucks. We had an informative conversation. I was pleased to be included in this endeavor. I would LOVE to be an interviewer. This could be my opportunity. It will be an opportunity for local authors to parcipate in the discussions and interviews, for a nominal cost. SMILE OF THE DAY: Last night I had a four hour conversation with my close friend, Tivo. I told him I had been listening to YouTube rock music videos as research for the novel I am writing, A Wild Dream of Love. Today he emailed me an incredible digitally psychedelic, endless-loop video of Break on Through to the Other Side by the Doors. I tell you, it is riveting. It made my day. Thank you, Tivo!

Redecorating My Blog

Since I am now updating my blog daily, I decided to redecorate. I love this new template. The clouds and blue sky evoke feelings of hope and well-being. They suggest a beneficent cosmos. I like the look, and I hope you like it, too. FYI, hree of my friends have book signings coming up at the Barnes and Noble in Naples, Florida. I hope you can attend one or all. Sandy Lender will sign copies of her new release Choices Meant for Kings on Halloween morning, October 31, 2009. Robert Dean Bair will be signing his books on the day. M. B. Weston will be signing her new novel Out of the Shadows at BN on, I believe, November 7. You can find out the details by phoning the Barnes and Noble in Naples. If I find them out in time, I'll post the hours on this blog. SMILE OF THE DAY: I saw a young girl doing cartwheels around the floor the other day. Tall, with slender ebony limbs, she wore crimson shorts and white sneakers. As she circled the floor-- hands, feet, hands, feet--I marvelled at her agility. More than that, I envied her her abandon. I have noticed, many times, that children live inside their bodies much more easily than do adults. Children explore their own physical abilities gleefully, enthralled by self-discovery. They hop, jump, dance, twitch, run, sprint, and play-pretend as a matter of course. Adults seem to have lost this spontaneous love of their own physicality. They participate in sports, they attend dances, but they don't seem to revel in being alive the way children do. Feeling down and don't know why? Do a few cartwheels and reconnect with your own inner spirit of joy.