Interview with Lucy March

My interview with the fascinating and charming Lucy March (aka Lani Diane Rich) is up at the Chick Lit Writers blog. (I'll also post it here in a couple of days, for those who don't make it over there.)

Lucy's new book, A LITTLE NIGHT MAGIC, just came out. I've already read it--and loved it.

Check out what Lucy told me here:
http://chicklitwriters.com/2012/02/06/interview-with-lucy-march/

Deborah, off to write her own book

The Salem Trip -- Post 2 "The Betties Rule"

One of the best parts of my recent trip to the NECRWA conference in Salem was getting to meet some of the fabulous women from Lucy March's blog. Lucy, who is actually author Lani Diane Rich, is a warm, friendly, smart, beautiful, and extremely cool woman. Who has brought together a lot of other women who are the same--The Betties. (If you don't know what I'm talking about, go to www.lucymarch.com and check it out.)

Meeting Lani in person was a real treat, and getting to hang out with her, honorary Betty-and-famous-author Anne Stuart (aka Krissie), and Betties Kate George (who ran the conference with aplomb and skill), Delia, and Megan was the icing on the cake. (Bacon-flavored, of course).

There was a lot of laughter and some serious author talk along the way--watching Lani and Krissie giggle was practically worth the price of admission, all by itself. Betties rule.

Anne Stuart and Lani Diane Rich

The Betties: Delia, Megan, me, Lani, Kate, and Katy (left to right)

Anne, me, Lani, and Kate at the Literacy Booksigning

Thanks for sharing the adventure with me, ladies. Y'all are the bomb.

Giving Thanks

I try to give thanks every day, but on this day--Thanksgiving--I thought I'd share a few of the things I'm grateful for...

I'm grateful for my wonderful family (all of whom, alas, live too far away for me to spend the day with them), my amazing friends (who keep putting up with me, year after year) and my beloved cats--Magic, Mystic, Minerva, Angus and Samhain (who was kind to me today and sat very still for her fluids, even after I stuck her twice with the first, dull, needle).

I am grateful especially for the ladies of Blue Moon Circle, who make my life extra magical, and to the fabu Lisa DiDio, Queen of the Critique Partners, who has brought more to my life than I can ever put into words, much of it having nothing whatsoever to do with writing. Thanks for everything, including bringing out the Uggs when I need my butt kicked :-)

I am grateful for the writers who stir the cauldron with me at Creativity Cauldron--thanks for liking my online classes so much that you never wanted them to end. You make me feel very special.

Thanks too, to the Betties at LucyMarch.com for all the FGBV's, the bacon, the sex, and OMG, the Old Spice Guy. [For everyone not a Betty, and currently confused, well, all I can say is, it makes sense if you're in on the joke.] And I am uber-grateful to Lucy herself, for the community, and for the personal support. You rock, Lucy! (And your little bald Betty, too. And Jenny, whose writing inspires me.)

I am thankful for home, and health, and a job I like (mostly)--in fact, in these days, I'm thankful to have a job at all. Thankful for the food on my table, and those who work and sacrifice to put it there.

Thankful for the creativity that allows me to follow my dreams.

And REALLY, REALLY thankful for my agent, Elaine Spencer of The Knight Agency. Together, we're going places.

I hope that whether or not you celebrate Thanksgiving, you will take a moment out to say thank you for whatever good things you have in your life. And know that I am thankful for you--my readers, fans, friends, and followers. You people rock, big time.

Here's wishing you a lovely, relaxing day.

Community

I've been thinking a lot lately about community, mostly as a result of my participation in two online communities: The Creativity Cauldron Loop that was started at the request of folks who'd taken my online writing classes, and LucyMarch.com, the ongoing blog of author Lucy March/Lani Diane Rich.

Although these two online communities are populated by two very different sets of people--the Cauldron is primarily authors and aspiring authors, and Lucy March is mostly readers, with a sprinkling of authors--they have much in common. All the folks who frequent these two sites are friendly, supportive of each other, insightful and often wise, and willing to share their own trials and tribulations for the betterment of others.

What more could you ask for?

I am that interesting contradiction: a loner who has, by some inexplicable good fortune, acquired many wonderful friends. And when I look at the communities I am a part of, I am truly amazed and astounded by the richness they bring to my life.

There is my Pagan community, my artist community (which is a direct result of running the Artisans' Guild for almost 11 years), and my writing community, which includes the two bunches of people named above, and more talented and generous authors than I could name.

Who is in your community and what do they bring to your life?

I am a lucky woman, indeed. Thank you for being a part of my community.