Check This Out

Another good thing has reached the blogosphere.

My blogger friend, Diane Estrella, has moved her world over to Wordpress and in the process created an awesome new blog.
To celebrate her move, she is setting up several giveaways over the next few weeks. Anyone who signs up as a follower is automatically entered to win.
She already has a lot of content up, so if you get a chance, check out her new site and become a follower. :)
dianeestrella.com

Somebody Please Say Merry Christmas!

I know I posted this one last year, but I figured it was the sort of thing that could be said every year.

We’ve become quite accustomed to the outcry against saying Merry Christmas by now. Such words might offend someone.
A few years ago I worked for a major department store in our area during the Christmas season. While we were not told to avoid saying Merry Christmas, it was pretty clear that a traditional Christmas was not on the marketing agenda. The slogan for the season was “Give” (aka, buy). Christmas trees were confined to the corner that sold ornaments. Other than that, decorations consisted only of snowflakes and fake presents.
Still, I just decided to say Merry Christmas to every person that came by my register. I am here to tell you that nobody was offended. Most people smiled and returned the greeting. Multiple people stopped, sighed, and said, “THANK YOU FOR NOT SAYING HAPPY HOLIDAYS.”
It is a sad, sad day indeed when the majority of the population fears offending the approximately one percent of people who get offended by everyone anyway.
So please, this Christmas season, do everyone a favor and say MERRY CHRISTMAS to as many people as you can.

Shopping Along

Yes, the Christmas shopping season has begun! I know that makes some people happy and others terrified. Come now, it must be done. No getting around it. ;)
Well, personally, my family likes it. We are already gearing up for Black Friday. What? Doesn’t shopping at 5AM sound fun? Before I lose any gentlemen readers or sleepy friends I have, let me remind you that if you know where to go, there is a lot of free food involved with this. You have to admit that is a very important factor. ;)

Well, anyway, if you’d like any signed copies of Only Angels Are Bulletproof for someone on your shopping list, please let me know. SOON! Shipping costs are lower the sooner you order.
Just e-mail me at: emilyannbenedict@gmail.com

And good luck with the rest of your shopping! I’m actually at a lost right now as to what I’m going to get people for Christmas… :P

Remember?

Did you remember I have a book signing on December 5th? I didn’t until a few days ago. :O
Yes, that memory lapse could have been very bad, especially since I have to spend prior weeks notifying everyone. (Thank you God)
You see, this is why I call myself the Queen of the sticky note. It seems the best way to overcome short-term memory problems is a plethora of post-it notes. (sigh) Though, as of late, I have been informed by a certain member of my family that I am not allowed to stick my reminders to decorator items any more. Apparently that defeats the purpose of decorator items….LOL.
Well, anyway, I have a book signing on December 5th!
I’ll be at the Borders Books in Fresno California, starting at 2PM. I’d love to see you there. And don’t forget to bring your Christmas shopping list. Can you believe it’s already that time of year? Visit the EVENTS page of my website for more details.
Don’t worry, I’ll put up another reminder as we get a little closer…I wouldn’t be opposed, however, to you reminding me. ;)

Operation Christmas Child

Today begins the national collection week for Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child. I urge you to get involved with this ministry. It is one of the most enjoyable, worthy, and personal ministry you can become involved with.
First, a little explanation in case you haven’t heard of Operation Christmas Child before. All you need to do is grab a shoe box or a plastic box around the same size, go to a Walmart, or Dollar Store, or any shop that provides the same products, and then proceed to fill that box with as many things as can possibly fit. Remarkably everything from socks, soap, toothbrushes, pencils, paper, rulers, hard candies, and of course toys (lots and lots of toys) can fit into these boxes. And the boxes will end up in the hands of children all over the world, from Asia to Africa to Russia, who have never experienced even a small fraction of the Christmases we know here.
It is an incredible ministry for so many reasons, but one being it makes us step outside ourselves. Financial donations to world missions are undoubtedly important, but sometimes just writing a check can in a way disconnect us from the people we are trying to help. This event, however, forces us to think specifically about the children we are trying to reach, about what would make boys and girls of different ages happy, what they would need…and in doing so understand the basic necessities they lack.
You can visit the official website,www.samaritanspurse.org for suggestions, guidelines, and locations to drop the boxes off. Drop off locations are being set up in churches, local businesses, and national chains around the country. The final date for drop offs is November 23rd.
It might take a little more effort, but it is so worth it.
Come on, don’t make me say something corny like “ ‘Tis the season.” (Yes, I am tossing you a challenging smile ;)

Stuffy...

Okay, I planned on writing about the finish of a writing project, but for some strange reason I’ve been struck by a stupid allergy attack that has clouded my head so badly I can barely keep my eyes open. I’ve got the feeling that I’m not getting as much oxygen as I need.
I’d really like to find a box of tissue and curl up beneath a heavy blanket, but the dishes need to be done and letters need to be answered and…Achoo!...the world is starting to tilt….

Feel free to laugh at me about this one...

Okay, so I’ve been drawing a blank on what to blog about for days now, probably because I’ve been trying to finish editing my current manuscript. Then as I was waiting for my printer to catch up with my pace on Monday I stumbled upon a poem I wrote a long time ago for a class and since it is about Autumn I decided to put it up. Yes, that’s right, I wrote a poem. Do I seem any more rational if I tell you I had to do it? The funny thing is I really don’t hold many poets in high regard. I often feel the need to say, “What are you talking about?” ;)
However, I was taking a course that included a study of the great Miss Emily Dickinson and one assignment compelled me to write a poem mimicking her tempo and style.
So, here is what I came up with…
(Oh, the mentioning of New Jersey is a reference to the fact that my teacher was from New Jersey. She liked it. ;)

I saw leaves of gold and red—
Spread upon the Floor—
I saw people walking over them—
Willing to Ignore!
I see—

I saw the leaves—of orange and brown—
Gathered in my arms—
Shinning like flames—on the branches!
Promising God—I would—not ignore!

The seasons chase each one of us, one and all the autumn finds us.
It catches me in California and you in New Jersey.
Leaves cascade down in front of me, in front of you.
I can see them, can you?

If you understand Emily Dickinson, you’ll understand the poem. ;)
Hmmm, I think I’m going to stick with mystery writing. LOL

Crossing The Crazy Writer Line

Yes, I might have crossed the crazy writer line.
Have you ever noticed that “writer characters” in books and movies are often eccentric and sometimes borderline crazy? Well, circumstances drove me to pick up that persona.
The story I am currently working on seemed to be hopelessly bad, I was really tired of sitting at a desk all day, and I really needed peace and quiet to think. (My desk is located in the middle of the house where peace and quiet are not likely to occur.)
So what did I do? I took down the pictures from one of the walls in my bedroom, picked up my note pad (which is 1ft x 2ft), and nailed it directly to the drywall.
And you know what? It worked! I could see the entire story in one glance.
It took me most of the day, several different colored pencils, and periods of bouncing ideas off the nearest person, but in the end I’d totally rewritten the whole story. I’ve left the pad there and go back to it at least once a day to look over my notes.
So, am I crazy?
A friend once told me that the ancient Greeks did not look highly upon the idea of externalizing the thought process. The ancient Greeks might have had a small point in their favor. I have wrecked havoc on my room and punctured holes in my freshly painted walls. But I still don’t think those scholarly Grecians could understand how desperate modern day mystery writers get when they are faced with a limp plotline. ;)
By the way, if you ever wish to descend into my madness by using the same tactics, let me give you a word of advice. Pens don’t work at that angle.

Visit my Contest Blog to learn how to win Barnes and Noble and iTunes gift cards.

I'd So Appreciate It :)

This is just a quick reminder for my contest! I’d so appreciate it if you’d join in. Every little bit helps. All you need to do is send the link to my first chapter out to your friends and family.
http://www.emilyannbenedict.com/Read_The_First_Chapter.html
Encouragement them to tell me, either by e-mail or by leaving a comment on my blog, who sent them to the link.
Every referral you get counts as a point towards Barnes and Noble and iTunes gift cards.
Check out my contest blog for all the details: http://emilyannbenedictcontest.blogspot.com/
Don’t delay. The contest ends on December 31st.

By the way…It’s November 2nd. :)

I love my neighborhood.....