02.24.08
Posted in Uncategorized at 12:39 am by Administrator
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.
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12.21.07
Posted in Uncategorized at 3:34 am by Administrator
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.
2. Grass – Sherri Tepper
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!
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12.06.07
Posted in Uncategorized at 10:06 pm by Administrator
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.
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11.11.07
Posted in Uncategorized at 1:26 am by Administrator
This blog is officially open to everyone.
I’ve done the test and according to The Motion Picture Association of America’s guidelines, I’m a ‘G’. Which I suppose I should be pleased with, but in true Hollywood fashion, I wonder why I’m not bad enough. If my book blog was a little more inspired, a little dirtier, would I get more readers?
Also, let’s face it: nothing got messier than my wedding planning. The fact that writing about my book (and the trauma therein) only warrants a ‘G’ is a little disappointing.
And also that everyone I know who did the test scored an ‘R’ or worse. Damn them. (Look I’m ‘PG’ now!)
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10.23.07
Posted in Uncategorized at 12:34 pm by Administrator
Congratulations to the winners of the www.weddingchaos.co.uk Taking the Plunge competition:
Amy Clews, Sarah Dawson, Keilly Blakeley, Julie Gillon and Sam Watson.
I hope you enjoy the book! I believe a copy is whizzing its way to you right now.
If you haven’t yet checked out www.weddingchaos.co.uk and you are a bride/groom-to-be, I’d highly recommend it. Besides excellent competitions (no bias there), they have loads of advice and even articles to make you giggle – a highly underrated activity while planning a wedding.
Today’s top (true) story: ‘Sheriff offers to Marry Bank Robbers’. Even more ridiculous is the second article: ‘Kate Moss Finds Love Again’. The beautiful, drug widow strikes again.
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10.14.07
Posted in Uncategorized at 8:27 pm by Administrator
Wow. It’s hard being 23.
I feel so old. So very, very old.
And yet so mature and sophisticated. Almost like I’m an adult.
Soon I’ll have to start taking responsibility for myself and get a real job. Maybe I’ll even consider getting married and settling down. I’ll start paying my bills (on time) and clean more.
It’s a hard life.
Readers of my book will know that got married at 27, so this entry is lacking somewhat in factual information. For more maturity on my birthday, see the photos of my husband and I below.
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10.04.07
Posted in reviews at 6:24 pm by Administrator
Taking the Plunge made the ‘You & Your Wedding‘ Magazine list: ‘3 of the best – Wedding Day Books’.
Number 1 on the list was the ‘You & Your Wedding’ wedding planner. Contrary to popular belief, I refuse to believe there was any favouritism in that decision.
Still I am pleased (very!) and the bonus is that the magazine is available in the States so my family can purchase it. A proud moment indeed!
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09.23.07
Posted in Uncategorized at 12:24 am by Administrator
Weddings are an industry. There are florists, venues, waiters, planners, wineries, makers of cute-little-white-wedding-bell-shaped-soap; all of whom make money off weddings.
Of course there is the romance of the whole situation, but many think, and makers of chair covers are one of them, that if you spend money, you can make the whole event that much more romantic. Sorry, it’s a bit of a killjoy.
Today I was reminded of how it is not only the wedding couple, but all the guests that also contribute financially. According to an ICM survey listed on Which?, Brits spend a total of £6.7 billion on wedding gifts each year. Depending on how close to the couple they are, guests will spend between £23 – £70 (yowzers!) on the couple. Scots are the most generous (next time I’ll invite more of them).
Having said that, I never really think about how much weddings cost to attend. Recently I went to the wedding in Cornwall. It was absolutely lovely. It also cost me £55 for the B&B, £60 in petrol, £30 for the gift, etc…
Maybe the whole reason the industry charges ridiculous prices for weddings is that no one cares. As a guest, I am willing to drive five hours on a Saturday morning to Cornwall make a 1.30 wedding, stay overnight, pay the money as stated earlier and then drive five hours home on Sunday. I want to do it.
If I’m willing to do that as a guest, then it doesn’t take much to imagine that a bride and groom will spend a whole lot more to make their day as romantic as possible.
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09.10.07
Posted in Uncategorized at 5:45 pm by Administrator
www.weddingchaos.co.uk, a web site just awarded most useful wedding site in ‘Which?’s 101 Most Useful Web Sites’, is going to give away five copies of Taking the Plunge to their loyal readers.
If you haven’t snagged a copy already, go to their site and find out how to win yourself one. Details will be announced in conjunction with their next emailed newsletter.
Good luck!
For some reason the link above isn’t working. If you cut and paste the following into your browser, it should do the trick:
www.weddingchaos.co.uk
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09.05.07
Posted in reviews at 5:17 pm by Administrator
Book reviews. They’re good. They’re bad. They’re, eh?
Not too surprisingly, the review of Taking the Plunge on Estella’s Revenge (an amazing e-zine about books, my all-time favourite topic) was a mixed bag.
I say not surprisingly because her biggest grudge was how confusing it was not knowing whether the book was fiction or not. This was a point I made when I read the original proof for the blurb of the book. I asked for it to be added, not only to avoid confusion, but also because I think the fact it is a true story is one of the driving forces of the book.
My editor decided not to include it. I didn’t push it as I didn’t think it was a major issue, but it might be something to look at if the book is ever successful enough to be printed again.
The reviewer also felt the switch from first to third person was jarring. I always knew there would be some people who felt this way. I think for me, and I may have said this before, the story was too close to me emotionally, for me not to distance myself.
That said, the mixed bag always includes some sunshine. The reviewer highly recommended it. She said, “Taking the Plunge is a fun read, much in the Chick Lit vein, with light and dark moments, plenty of humor and interesting characters.”
Not so shabby after all.
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