08.15.08
Happy Anniversary!
To my husband:
8 years on! And on! And on!
I love you.
08.12.08
Taking the Plunge in the USofA
Some incredible news to share! Taking the Plunge has hit the American bookshelves!
When I was in the US this summer visiting the folks, my friend Tina and I met up at a favourite book store. “Let’s just see…” she said to my total disbelief. But when we walked up to the “Ls”, directly following Sinclair Lewis, there I was! In my own book store, in Michigan, where I have bought countless books!
Do I sound excited? If so, imagine me visiting NYC with my husband and friend Anthony two weeks later when I saw it again!
I know that normal British reserve would insist that I not mention either of these occasions - or that I teared up at both (pathetic, but true). But, normal British reserve forgets that I am not British! I am American! And I am in American book stores! Yippee!
07.01.08
Finally! A rewarding blind date!
Last night I stayed up past midnight writing my new book! It is such a relief after a year of writer’s block to be writing.
In my new book, the main character goes on some horrendous bad dates. Fun for me, but not so fun for her.
These are mainly set up by well-meaning friends and family, who know not what they do. The road to hell is paved with blind dates.In honour of this - I’d like to hear about any terrible dates you’ve been on. The more gruesome the better!
I’ll exchange a signed copy of my book for the best ones sent by email or comment.
I’ll start off. When I was at university, I went on a blind date with a man who by the second course proposed that I go with him, the following day, to meet his mother. He planned to announce his intentions (meaning: marriage). Needless to say, I turned down the offer.
06.22.08
The Next Book
The second book is hard.
The first one was written ten minutes here, two hours there, for as long as my heart desired. I did it as a hobby - something to divide my time into student time and my time. Because, contrary to students’ beliefs, a new teacher really does spend every waking minute thinking and acting for their students. One instructor told my class that we should break up with our partners now, because if we didn’t, the job would do it for us. Needless to say, not everything your teachers say is true.
I spent years on the first book. I loved writing it. If it didn’t sell, it didn’t matter. Part of the joy was in the dreaming.
With one book down, I struggled for a year to find something new to write. A year without writing is a long one indeed. And maybe that’s the reason I quit my job, because when I found it all I wanted was to get it down.
06.15.08
The Lewis Gambit
Back at university, The Lewis Gambit was when any of my (unfortunate) friends would allow me to play pool with them teamed against another (always better) team. Every once in awhile the Lewis Gambit would pay off, but generally this meant that the other side were drunker than we were.
I’ve taken a far more serious gambit recently, one which will take years to play out. I quit my job without another one to go to. A decent job at a decent school. Actually, said like that, it genuinely does sound completely loony.
But, in the end, a month following my resignation, I did find another job. The school seems brilliant. I’m really looking forward to starting there in a couple of months.
I’ve done this for one reason. To write.
In my new job, I will be working four days each week rather than five. For one glorious day, every week, I will be able to focus on my writing.
It will cost me 20% of my salary. That’s the gambit. Back at university, no matter how much I tried I never improved at pool. Will I have more success here?
04.16.08
Boy Eats Baby’s Head!
My mom says to me today, as we drive in from LA to Palm Desert where she lives… wow, I just realised how rambling that sounded. To clarify, I’m at home in the USofA visiting my family. My mom lives in CA. We are discussing my niece and nephew.
Anyhoooo. My mom says to me, “Stacie, don’t you think Connor is great with Caylee? He is really getting used to her.” A fair enough comment from a blinded-by-love-grandmother.
This time, I agree with my mom. I believe Connor demonstrates a level of tolerance towards his sister that is admirable. That is, I thought it was admirable until I discovered that he is planning on eating her. See Exhibit A and Exhibit B below.
04.06.08
London Snow!
It seems fitting to put some photos on my blog of London’s snow today. After all, my publishers are Snowbooks. So anything to do with snow is surely just good marketing on their part.
Emma Barnes, the Managing Director of Snowbooks, is one clever lady to arrange the snow to coincide with the London Book Fair. That is one solid PR department they have there.
I’ve included two photos. In one, I am shielded by the magnificent, snow-covered trees in Crystal Palace Park. In the other, my husband has just thrown me a bush.
02.24.08
2008 so far…
I didn’t mean to not write on this blog for so long. But, some of us have jobs you know! Not the least of which is trying to get my next book finished and sent off to publishers (to reject - I’m feeling very positive).
New Year’s was brilliant. We kept it simple, just a few friends over for a meal. That night, I gave my husband his birthday present a few days early, a telescope, and we used it to watch the hands of Big Ben tick over.
Our new flat is so lovely. You can see the whole of London from our balcony. On the night, the city exploded in a fireworks display stretching the whole of the horizon. Incredible.
I’m really enjoying Crystal Palace as well. I love having so many coffee shops, so near. And even an independent bookshop, The Bookseller Crow. My new home is little bit of heaven for a reading addict such as myself.
After an exhausting school term, including supervising my Year 10 form on a trip to Cadbury’s World (note to self: 15 year olds, a three hour coach journey and tons of chocolate, do not mix), I was ready for a holiday.
We chose Marrakesh, Morocco. Lovely. Enjoy the photos, below, of me partying hard in Africa.
12.21.07
My name is Stacie Lewis and I am a reading addict.
Forget writing, I am an obsessive reader. Without a book I can’t sleep. I get incredibly irritable. I will drive an hour out of my way to hit a bookstore if I know I’m on the last pages of a current read.
And I will read anything if nothing else is available. Instruction manuals. The Sports Section. Anything. My Dad was a sales rep for Members Only jackets in the 80s. He used to give me his sample book which I would happily read, wiling away the hours waiting for him to finish work.
I also have rules about reading. Books should be destroyed when read. Pages folded. Bindings broken. Different genres must be read. And every book gets at least 100 pages to win me over. If it doesn’t, it is binned. There isn’t enough time to fill a life with bad books!
Wow. I am obsessed.
Which leads me on to the all important first annual Lewis Book Awards. (Why not?)
I read a gazillion (actual number) of books this year, but I will limit my shortlist to three. Furthermore, while society dictates that ‘Books of the Year’ lists are made up of books published in 2007, my Lewis Book Awards does not insist on anything so ludicrous as only reading books published in 2007.
My books are:
1. Gods in Alabama / Between Georgia - Joshilyn Jackson
Look I’m already cheating. That’s two books. But the first was so good with its heavy, humid southern mystery and passion and family traumas, that I read her next as soon as I found it and it was equally as delicious.
I keep telling my husband that I don’t like Sci-Fi. Even I don’t believe me anymore. Grass is part soap opera, part romance, part society drama and very much science fiction. In addition, it is a rare experience to read action and fight scenes so vivid my heart raced.
3. The Shadow in the North - Phillip Pullman
While everyone else is interested in His Dark Materials, I have fallen in love with Phillip Pullman’s Sally Lockhart Quartet. I chose The Shadow in the North because it is a dark and gorgeously engrossing read. For someone (me!) who loves an atmospheric Victorian mystery, full of all kinds of interesting tidbits about the age, it is perfect, what ever your age.
I would love suggestions as to what I should be reading in 2008. My name is Stacie Lewis and I am a reading addict. Please help!
12.06.07
Moving!
Two hour commutes! Delayed trains! Comments on my “windswept” hair!
All these I have endured since I moved jobs. Currently, I am traveling every day, 3 trains and almost two hours from NW London down to the edge of Bromley, SE London.
Things I no longer wonder about:
1. If “windswept” is a compliment (Answer: Categorically, no.)
2. Why women dress in a glamorous suits and dirty, grey trainers.
3. Whether it is possible to dry your hair, shirt and trousers under the automatic dryer in the school toilet.
4. If it is possible to buy tampons at London Bridge station.
5. How quickly the Community Police Officers can respond when you are pickpocketed (in the same station after buying the tampons).
So much to miss about commuting! And miss it I will - finally, I am moving! Southeast London, you dreamy paradise, here I come!
Another thing I learned about today… I found a brilliant web site called moveme.com. You type in your details and it does everything from change your address with your utilities to recommend of removal companies. Children can also inform Santa of their pending move so there are no nasty surprises on Christmas morning.
