Wanderlust

Off to Albuquerque to sell books and meet new family members.

I'll get the newsletter out when I return, I promise!

If you're a Sonoma County resident, Accidental Cowgirl will be available next week at Copperfield's Books. Pick up a copy, and let me know what you think.

Thanks, ML

"Problems are good, not bad. Welcome them and become the solution. When you have solved enough problems, people will thank you."
- Mark Victor Hansen

Amazing OpenSource Software!

If you are ready for some easy (well, relatively easy) web development software (which YOU control yourself, even though you are a programming virgin), then check out Joomla! I'm getting some help from an aficionado in Scotland, no less, and I'm starting to understand it, a little.

You can do an awful lot with it, and you are your own webmaster. Gotta love that.

Still speaking to fraternal organizations, etc., and selling books! (Distributor still doesn't have them in the warehouse, but I have some, and I'm selling those.) What an education in marketing I'm getting with Accidental Cowgirl. And what fun!

Rain on Sunday, they say. Fall is here. Get your pumpkins ready. Our dog always helps!

Ciao,

ML

Back In The Saddle

Got back from Yosemite last Tuesday, but hard to get back to deadlines, writing my next book, etcetera.

I had two free days before the conference, so we saw some of the park, had lunch at the Ahwanee Lodge, and checked out the wildlife (not at the lodge). Saw lots of chipmunks, but no bears. Fine with me! Yosemite is very dry this year, and that's sad, whether you believe Al Gore or not.

Met lots of nice folks, sold lots of books, and learned a bit while renewing an old acquaintance in Bonnie Hearn Hill, a former writing teacher, who started the conference four years ago.

Speaking of nice folks, check out the Spirited Woman website link above. Nancy Mills has a great newsletter. Mine (Wine Country Words) will publish again, as soon as I get caught up—promise.

I'm starting to market in earnest—I plan a book launch party for Accidental Cowgirl this month, and will do a road trip in Oct., Nov., to meet with book clubs, speak at bookstores and to other interested parties. Please let me know if you'd like me to speak to your organization.

Ciao,

ML

The Mountains are Calling

Well, we're off to the Yosemite Valley for the Yosemite Writers' Conference. It should be a real trip!

I'll give you the rundown when I return, but I know it will be amazing, even though I haven't seen it for nearly 50 years.

Downloaded a useful item from the site: "What To Do If You See A Bear." Hope we don't need that one.

Great news! Accidental Cowgirl will be sold at the conference, and will also appear on the August 27th cover of Publisher's Weekly, along with 14 others. I am greatly honored.

Stay tuned. Newsletter soon.

Ciao,

ML

Go Northwest, Young Woman!

Hello All,

I'm just back from Portland, OR, where I had the best Sunday Brunch experience I've ever had.

The restaurant in question is the Screendoor. I had the Blueberry and Cornmeal Pancakes, with Maple Syrup and Homemade Chicken/Apple Sausage,and my companions had Crab Benedict with Home Fries, and Mushroom Hash with crispy Pommes Frites (French fries), and a side of Screedoor Praline Bacon (maple/pecan glazed bacon), from which I could have made an entire meal!

Topped that off with Ramos Fizz, Apple Cider, and a couple of Prosecco Mimosas. That, plus tasty bottomless cups of Stumptown Coffee, and we were set for the day!

One word: Yum!

I also had a wonderful time with a local book club whose members had read my latest book, and it was so good to meet enthusiastic readers. Portland is full of them, by the way.

Before that, I attended the Hollywood Book Festival in Hollywood, CA. Great weather, but the festival itself was underwhelming. Maybe next year.

Great trip, but good to be home.

Ciao,

ML

Women's Voices

If you want a woman to speak at your next event or seminar, Women for Hire is a great place to start.

This is a new service that has received much press of late.

As one who is just beginning to speak about my books and about the process of writing the memoir or autobiography, I think this is a great service, both for the women and for the people who hire them to speak.

If you are a trained speaker with a message, check it out right now, as they have a special price for a short time only.

If you want someone to speak about writing the autobiography or memoir, that would be me. I'll be in L.A. from the 27th-31st, and in Portland from the 1st-7th. Send me an e-mail if you need a speaker at those times and in those places. Meanwhile, the newsletter will be out before I leave northern California next week.

Best,

ML

Accidental Cowgirl Coming Soon!

Accidental Cowgirl: Six Cows, No Horse and No Clue, is finally at the printer's and poised to be released August 1. It's been a long ride (especially without a horse), but it's finally in the works!

I'm starting my road trip early, to Los Angeles, where I will attend the Hollywood Book Festival, and go thence to Portland, to meet with a book group. The August calendar of my scheduled appearances is on the website, on the media page. If you live in either of these cities, let me know if you'd like me to attend your book group meeting while I'm there.

Subscribers! Check Your E-mail!

Hey, troops! The newsletter (Wine Country Words, for the uninitiated) is finally in your "In" boxes, and as they say in the "Publisher's Lunch" newsletter ("Published daily except when not"), this one is more like "Published monthly except when not."

In my efforts to give you a variety of content, I sometimes fall down on the publishing part. From now on, no more apologies. That's just the way it is.

What can I say? I'm a flawed human being...mea culpa. Now stop crying and get used to it.

Ciao,

ML

If Lateness is A Virtue, I am the Virtue Queen!

I've been thinking (that's why I'm late with my newsletter—I can't do two things at once), and as the galley proofs of my latest memoir have just come of the press, my thoughts of course turned to farming and ranching, both of which I've tried, and don't recommend if you enjoy leisure and money as much as I do.

But it was fun (and exhausting) while it lasted (12 very busy years).

Should your thoughts turn to something similar, check out the web page link above. I write for New Holland, but for a different branch, ACRES: Innovative Country Living Magazine (see it at your friendly neighborhood New Holland dealership). Great general and specific ranching and farming and country living articles abound in both ACRES and the New Holland News, so if you're serious—and you'd better read "Accidental Cowgirl" before you throw your cowboy hat into the ring—browse the site above. You can see a preview of "AC" at my website, .

I'll keep you posted.

Newsletter is coming soon! Meanwhile I just have one thing to say: "Yeehaw!"

—ML

New Link for Writers, Editors and Publishers

Hey, Savvy Ladies,

Check out my new blogger panel, (at bottom),featuring the Publilsher's Lunch Job Board.

Lots of new listings are created every day, so if you're jobhunting in the literary mode, it's a great place to look, and it's updated every day.

Meanwhile, I go back to writing my next newsletter, and figuring out how to market my new book, Accidental Cowgirl, in the next few months.

It's going to Book Expo America in New York City, as is Briarhopper, my first book.
I'm excited!

Question: Would you like to see decorating snippets, or gardening, or herbs or writing or small business or country living thoughts, or health, or...what? I'm open to a conversation about any or all of these topics, and if you ask a question I can't answer, I'll let you know, or try to find one.

Best,

ML

Back in the Saddle Again

I'm back from L.A. (Big book expo there last weekend—44,000 people!)

Ready to start marketing my new book, Accidental Cowgirl, though the official publication date is still a couple of months away.
I'll have a few "unofficial" copies before then, and it seems it is never too late to start flogging your book (or so they tell me).

If you'd like to order an early printing, let me know.

Just finished another newsletter (go to my website to sign up), and I have a new article at the link above, on antique roses, should you have an interest.

That's all for now. Drop me a line and let me know how you're doing, and what kinds of articles you'd like to see in the newsletter.

Best,

ML

Some News from the Silent One

Hi there,y'all,

The silent one would be me. The good news is that the next newsletter is nearly done, and should hit your desktop some time next week.

What with Easter and getting my manuscript to the book designer, I've been busy.

Whew!

Hope you all had a great Easter!


Best.

ML

Still A Blogging Virgin

Yep. I read all the posts, especially those of the savvy ladies above, but I still don't get it—could some dear soul please explain tagging and pinging to me?

I guess I have to read more of the info on Technorati. As noted, I just cleared the way for you, dear reader, to post to this blog, so please be my guest. But be gentle. Us computer and Internet dummies don't particularly like having our stupidity pointed out to us.

Thanks. Meanwhile, I'll be in the garden, digging holes, though I don't do nearly as thorough a job as my dog, Fizzbo, when she is after gophers. If I could only channel and direct that energy! Hmmm...

ML

P.S.: The only reason I'm allowing myself some time to putter is that I've finally, as of today, finished the final draft of my book, Accidental Cowgirl.

YeeHaw!

GottaBook

GottaBook

This is an utterly enjoyable site for kidlit aficionados, or humor aficionados, or both. If you're looking for a lift, visit this blog!

Thanks, Greg

ML (from the wilds of Northern California).

Better Late Than...

Lots of new things on my website soon, but first of all, let me apologize for taking so long to post. I have had two lovely lady friends visiting this week, and what with the holiday, etc., etc., I have been remiss.

I'm in the process of recording my first book, Briarhopper, on CD, so if you like to listen more than you like to read, this is for you. I know I often find I get more learning and entertainment while I'm in my car than I do at home, because it's so hard to find the time (and a quiet place) to read anymore. When I DO read, I feel guilty because I'm not multitasking! What a world we live in...

Please write to me here or by the e-mail address above, and let me know what you'd like to see in the newsletter, on any of the topics above. It's YOUR newsletter, so make it work for you.

Thanks, we'll talk soon.

ML

A Veritable Valentine Whirlwind!

Hello all,

First of all, Happy Valentine's Day to you!

I'm getting ready for a power-packed, really big finish on my newsletter (available free at the website above), say, sometime next week, and then you won't hear from me until mid-March or so.

Why? Because I really must buckle down and finish my book, Accidental Cowgirl, in time to enter it at Book Expo America in NYC in June.

So check out the next newsletter, and wish me luck!

ML

Rain, Rain, Rain

Back from the coast, where all the storms arrive first. It is a truly elemental experience, watching them arrive on land.

I spent the last week there, and without Internet access, I felt really cut off, but there was always the local Internet café, and though I had to buy overpriced coffee for the privilege, I was able to check my e-mail. I'd forgotten how dependent I was on that.

Good to be home. Gotta work on my free newsletter, the next installment coming up next week, I hope.

ML

Tiptoe Through Your Past

We're back from a whirlwind trip to the East Bay to visit four sets of relatives (one visit to ex-inlaws, one to my brother's house to drop off Christmas presents (!), and see two sets of children and their cousins), all in one day! Not terribly satisfying and a lot of driving, but when your kids live out-of-state, you have to see them when you can, even for a few hours.

Dog complained bittely the whole time, as my brother's dog had to stay inside and Fizzbo had to stay outside, except for a quick romp through the flower beds when we arrived.

Ate too much and talked too loud. The usual family gathering.

Back at work on my memoir, Accidental Cowgirl. Will it never end?

ML

Thank God its January!

As many have observed before me, being your own boss means you can write in your pajamas, anytime. That's the good news. The bad news is, that being your own boss means you can write in your pajamas, anytime.

So here I sit in my pajamas, slovenly and content. I think my husband has forgotten what I look like dressed up.

It's mighty cold here in Northern California these days, but it least the Christmas rush is behind us and we can get down to more serious things, which in my case means marketing like mad. I've gotten a few reviews of my book, Briarhopper, and so far they're favorable. This has emboldened me to finally finish Accidental Cowgirl, which I started six years ago. I'm almost done. Then I can market them both at the same time—isn't that what they call working smarter? I hope so—wish me luck.

The garden is under 6 inches of hay and the citrus orchard, which is in pots, has been moved as close as possible to the house for reflected warmth. It was 27° on our back deck this morning. Saw great blue heron on my chilly doggie-walk. Wish us luck tonight. So far only one of our pipes has burst.