Diana Lesire Brandmeyer, pencildancer

Exciting! Mysteries for E-Readers!

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 14:20:00 +0000

A NEW LINE OF MYSTERIES FOR YOUR E-READER Susan Sleeman here. Do you have an e-reader or maybe an iPad? Then I'd like to tell you about a line of cozy mysteries that has recently released with most books retailing for only .99 for a limited time. Spyglass Lane Mysteries are published by a group of cozy mystery authors who have joined together to bring you a new cozy mystery every week. Currently, there are over 25 wonderful mysteries in this line.

Stop by the website to view all of the available books and while you're there, be sure to sign up for our email newsletter where we announce each new book that releases and our authors share behind the scenes stories about the books.

I'd also like to share a little bit about my Garden Gate Mystery Series that is releasing as part of this line. The first book, Nipped in the Bud has already released and book two, Read Between the Tines will release in February 23rd. Here's a little bit about both books.

NIPPED IN THE BUD

WHEN YOU FIND YOUR BOSS PUSHING UP DAISIES. . .

Life in full bloom, landscape designer, Paige Turner, scores her first landscaping contract to spruce up the park, her radio talk show shoots to number one, and her retail shop is simply blossoming. Yes, her life is a bed of roses. Until she finds the city manager served up on the blade of her favorite shovel mere hours after she’s threatened to have his head on a platter, then the thorns come out. And there is none thornier than the local police chief declaring Paige the one and only suspect and threatening to plow her under.

YOU’VE GOT TO FORMULATE A PLANT OF ATTACK . . .

Paige teams up with dashing attorney, Adam Hayes to weed through the list of suspects, and clear her soiled reputation. And along the way, discovers that Adam just may be the man of her dreams.

» Read an Excerpt »Order It Now

READ BETWEEN THE TINES

IF YOUR LIFE IS A BED OF ROSES. . .

Recovered from her near death at the hand of a killer, landscape designer Paige Turner is certain her life will soon be a bed of roses. That is, until her employee, Daisy Rose Plante, finds a dead body, and the thorny police chief looks no further than Daisy for a suspect. Paige digs in and weeds through the list of potential killers, and before long, her sweet smelling rose of a life is soundly trampled.

YOU’LL HAVE TO SURVIVE THE THORNS. . .

Paige would be much happier working over-thyme on her budding relationship with handsome attorney, Adam Hayes, but it soon becomes clear she’ll be in a hoe lot of trouble with him if she continues digging for the killer. Does Paige risk all and try to unearth the killer? Or does she settle down in peaceful bliss with the man of her dreams?

» Read an Excerpt

SUSAN SLEEMAN is a best-selling author of inspirational romantic suspense and mystery novels. She grew up in a small Wisconsin town where she spent her summers reading Nancy Drew and developing a love of mystery and suspense books. Today, she channels this enthusiasm into writing romantic suspense and mystery novels and hosting the popular internet website TheSuspenseZone.com.

Susan currently lives in Florida, but has had the pleasure of living in nine states. Her husband is a church music director and they have two beautiful daughters, a very special son-in-law and an adorable grandson.

To learn more about Susan visit: Website, her Facebook page, or on Twitter

Writer's Office-my dream

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:30:00 +0000

The office is done! Thanks to Ed the wonder floor layer and IKEA furniture assembler. Everything went well except for having to take another trip to IKEA last week for a piece we forgot.

This is what we started with:

This is my side, Ed has the other side of the office. The wall with the windows aren't visible here, but that wall was a really deep blue. Looked great several years ago. The desk is supposed to be "L" shaped but I didn't like it that way. To hard to get into the cabinets. It's even more messy than I remember. I should have cleaned before I took this photo.

Here's the remodel! The paint is called Corner Brook A37-1 from ACE. The floor is natural red oak from Floor Traders.

This is my side of the office. I love that the chair glides across the floor to the bookshelf.

The doors to my office were a Christmas gift from Ed not long after we married. He rescued the stained glass I had in my barn and made them into doors. I love them. The long white bench next to the windows was also made by him. It's a great place for the cats to watch the birds and squirrels.

It opens to hold all of our files.

This is the piece we drove back to IKEA in Bolingbrook to buy. The printer sets on the counter and the unit pulls out giving us more space to lay out (pile) our stuff. I like it because the drawers are shallow. That allows me to keep books I use often within easy reach and they have a place to go at the end of the day.

My personal space. On pinterst someone had placed their digital frame over their desk. I liked that idea and stole it. My lamp is full of marbles.

I love this organizer I discovered at Pier 1 last spring. I keep note cards with plot points I don't want to miss along with the print out from my book coming out in May to inspire me to write another one.

Fiction and Golf? by Robin Bayne

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:30:00 +0000

My guest today is Robin Bayne.

What I’ve Learned About Reading Fiction from Golf

You may have noticed that the cover of my story, “Prodigal,” features a golf ball. That’s because one of the scenes takes place on a driving range and is based on a real life experience. Personally, I’ve given up trying to learn the game and let my husband go out to the course so I can have quiet reading or writing time.

But over many years of observing the game both in real life and on television, I’ve picked up the following:

In golf, patience is the key. It is a slow sport to play, and can be slowed further by lagging players in front of you. (You can however, speed things up by playing golf on the Wii machine.)

In fiction, patience is also needed. Reading a love story is a slow, unfolding process that makes us wait for the payoff at the end. We also must sometimes wait patiently for the next story in a series. (You can however, sometimes speed things up by ordering your books as downloads for immediate receipt.)

In golf, there is a code of etiquette to be followed. Many rules apply out on the green. It is considered the “gentleman’s sport” for a reason.

In fiction, there are also rules of etiquette for readers like not revealing “spoilers” and ruining the experience for others. And not criticizing an author, focusing instead on her work.

In golf, your spouse might become irritated by the amount of time you spend at it.

In fiction, your spouse might become irritated by the amount of time you spend at it.

So in what ways is reading a superior hobby to golf?

--You don’t need to wear plaid pants or a collared shirt to read a book.

--Reading is a year-round sport, regardless of weather. --You can buy many books for the cost of one typical round of golf. --You can re-read a scene anytime, but in golf “mulligans” are frowned upon. --No special equipment is needed to read, unless it’s reading glasses. --You can’t play golf on the beach or in the tub. --If you completed grade school, you won’t need special instructors to help you read. --You can read all alone, without needing to call your buddies.

*
Forgot to mention--after leaving here stop by my blog and enter my drawing-- open until Friday the 17th. http://wwwwritingbetweensundays.blogspot.com

So send your spouse out to the driving range and curl up on your couch. Tell us, what books are in your TBR (to be read) pile?

Thanks Robin for this fun post. You can read more about Robin on her website and her blog.

Tim Gardner has worked hard to rebuild the family business after his older brother nearly destroyed it. He’s restored the clientele base and the restaurant's reputation. But if Rachel Martin can’t get her act together, she won’t fulfill his orders for the Gardner’s Gazebo signature dessert, a gold-leaf cheese cake, which also happens to be Rachel’s secret recipe. When Rachel Martin's partner abandons their bakery and catering business to study with the master chefs in Paris, she's left with nothing but bills and obligations-and no one in Portlandville seems able or willing to help her. No one except for Timothy Gardner, and she knows the handsome young man is only after one thing—her cheese cake. But as she gets to know him, during her time of need, she wonders if maybe there’s a little bit more in the mix. And as Tim gets to know Rachel, he finds himself wanting to be her Good Samaritan--permanently.

Does your man have hidden files?

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:37:00 +0000

Mine sure does, but he won't admit it.

What fun differences have you found between you and your's?

Why you should be a fan of Audiobooks

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Ellen Gregory is visiting today. She loves audiobooks and wants you to know why. Welcome Ellen!

Three reasons why audiobooks are awesome

The rise of the e-book over the past few years has sparked some fun discussions about the various merits of ‘tree’ versus ‘e’… But there’s a third format that doesn’t seem to get all that much airtime – the audiobook. I constantly hear people say how they need to ‘read’ a book, and can’t absorb the words or the story when they are forced to listen. While I daresay this is true for some people – we’re all wired differently after all – I’m willing to bet a large number have never actually tried listening to an audiobook. I’m here to tell you they’re awesome!

Here are three reasons why:

1. Audiobooks are essentially a performance and provide interpretation.
Some books, no matter how wonderful, are hard work to read. Listening to an audiobook read by a talented actor, who injects pauses and emphasis into the narrative, not to mention different accents etc for the dialogue of the various characters, brings a wealth of meaning and comprehension to many a novel – or indeed non-fiction.

I’ve listened to audiobooks of Possession (by A.S. Byatt), Mrs. Dalloway and To the Lighthouse (Virginia Woolf), and The God Delusion (Richard Dawkins), where the nuanced reading greatly added to my enjoyment of the words and the story. In the case of comedy, a great reader adds to the humor! To this day, one of my favorites is Olivia Joules and the Overactive Imagination (Helen Fielding), and it’s probably at least half because of the fabulous reader.

2. Audiobooks allow multi-tasking.
Just think: now you can ‘read’ during your long commute to work, or while you’re working out… or cooking… or gardening… Audiobooks allow you to make use of all the dead time. I actually find myself smiling when I’m stuck in peak-hour traffic, because it means I get to listen to my book for a few minutes longer.

In fact, it was an audiobook that got me into the habit of walking to work on a regular basis, despite having to get out of bed half an hour earlier. I leapt out of bed, because as soon as I started walking, I’d get lost in a fabulous novel.

3. Audiobooks keep you an honest reader.
Not everyone skips about in books to see what happens out of sequence (and at the end), but I confess I do have a bad habit of doing this. But I can’t with an audiobook! (Unless I also have a written version.) There’s no skipping over any ‘boring’ scenes either. It’s all presented to you, word for beautiful word, just as the author intended for you to read it. I like knowing that I’ve experienced a book in its purest form.

Have I convinced you to try out audiobooks? If you’re already a fan, what are the reasons you like them?

Thanks Ellen! I can see why audiobooks have a place in my library.
Visit Ellen's blog--here.

Waste Not Want Not

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:30:00 +0000

Mrs. Dorothy Stumpe was my 7th and 8th grade home ec. teacher.
Most of us very intelligent teenagers thought she was a bit odd. She would spot sayings like 'waste not, want not' many times while teaching us to cook and sew. She also used phrases like 'scissor wizzers' and 'pinny winnies.' Being the smart child I thought she was funny and old fashioned and knew nothing.

I was wrong. I wish I had been able to apologize for some of my actions in her class. One day I refused to answer her because she called me Deann instead of Diana--that got me sent to the hall with a book. (yeah, ironic since I love to read so it wasn't a big punishment.) Then there was the day I refused to eat bulger wheat--that got me sent to the principal. Turns out that wasn't a bad thing for me to do since I'm allergic to wheat.

Still as I read her obit I wished I had taken to the time to really know her. She was an amazing woman.

Mrs. Stumpe had been an environmentalist for most of her 93 years. At 15 she created a windbreak, by relocating invasive cedar saplings from a cemetery to the north side of her family's farm, which is credited for saving that farm from a tornado.

During the Depression in 1933, she was the first woman to ever receive the American Grand Championship for her calf at the American Royal. Selling the calf for "an unheard of price of $1/lb." she bought a college education and a gold watch now on display at the Richmond, Kan., Museum.

Mrs. Stumpe started the Washington 4-H Club for her children in 1960. She was a club leader and/or project leader for over 50 years.

Her youth work focused on herbs, knitting, crocheting, sewing, cooking, electricity, crafts, home improvement, conservation and community service.

For community betterment, she was servant, steward and leader. Organizations included the Professional Home Economics Club of Franklin County; co-chairman of the Home Economics Department at the Washington Town and Country Fair (1960-1985); president of Washington Preservation, Inc. (where she helped restore the freight depot, Kohmueller homestead, hosted a living history day with re-enactors of the Civil War, planted an herb garden and organized annual Christmas house tours); and president for three years of the American Association of University Women.
In addition, she belonged to Immanuel Lutheran Church since 1944 and its church organizations, where she is known for her presentations on "Herbs of the Bible," "Women's Veils" and "The Life of Martin Luther."

And there is more about her here.

Yes, I could have used more of her wisdom. Now, I'm looking up how to use herbs, doing my best to waste not so I won't want not. I would have liked to ask her what it was like to be the first woman to earn championship status. So many lessons unlearned.

I hope not to waste any more opportunities to learn from others.

Powerful Love

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:30:00 +0000

I-55 Southern Illionis

We're redoing our office and I'd saved enough money for new office furniture because we all know that is going to increase my creativity by 100%.

The furniture needed and must have is located in Bollingbrook, IL at the IKEA store. My favorite place, but not my husbands. It takes about 4 1/2 hours to get there. It's a nice Sunday drive. Not really, the photo above is what it looks like most of the trip. Flat, flat, flat.

It's sad when the one thing that makes the trip exciting is a semi-truck on it's side. Yes, I looked. I wasn't driving so it's okay. I've never seen the underside of a semi-truck. There were a lot of flashing lights, fire trucks and policemen. No ambulance though, so I'm praying the driver was fine and it wasn't needed.

So what makes this long drive such a message of powerful love?

We went on Superbowl Sunday. Yes, we did.

I-55 close to Bollingbrook, Illinois

And yes, we arrived home long after the Superbowl was over. I can say my husband has a powerful love for me to miss the game.

How did you spend Superbowl Sunday?

D is for Drive

Wood Floor = more creativity?

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:30:00 +0000

Natural Red Oak

Photo isn't the best but I promise to show you the entire thing when it's finished.
Our weekends have been all about pulling up carpet, staples and nails and then installing this beauty.

I also painted the walls this week. Don't be fooled by the paint and primer in one can marketing. This isn't a big room and it took 2.5 gallons to paint. One wall is mostly windows and the other has double doors. Not sure where all that paint went. It looks blue in the photo but there it is more teal than blue.

Next step is a trip to Ikea for desks and bookcases.

I'm positive once this is all done and my mess is reorganized I'll be able to write better and faster. Just like when you get new shoes and can run faster--that's what this is going to be like. At least for a week until I start piling papers and books because that's what I do. For now though I am going to dream a little dream.

All of this has been made possible because Barbour bought my book, A Bride's Dilemma in Friendship, Tennessee. It will be coming out in May. Without that there would still be yucky carpet because we have undertaken the task of becoming Dave Ramsey people. IE. RESPONSIBLE ADULTS paying cash for what we want instead of using our credit cards and using money we don't have.

Dave Ramsey is an easy thing to do but it is so HARD! Especially if you are an impulse buyer and you can't do math like me. I'm the one standing at the cash register with the freaked out look. You know the one that says, "Are you kidding I spent that much? How?"

We're only on week 2
Week 4 the scissors bite the credit cards in half.
I may die.

Are you working with a budget? How's that working out? I really want to know that I will survive this.

Will you age gracefully?

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:29:00 +0000

I know this video has been around for awhile, but every time I see it I think of my mom. She would so do this! I hope to learn to be freer and loosen some of those tight bonds I have around my funny place.

Do you know anyone older who acts this way? Please share what they do to make you giggle.

Mashup

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 01:05:00 +0000

Blog posts I've liked reading this week.

10 Life List Club Lessons I learned from my dog

My SoCallife

Maximizing Our Social Media Impact–Having the “Right” Friends

posted by Diana Lesire Brandmeyer

Guest Liv Court!

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:27:00 +0000

Thanks so much, Diana, for letting me appear on your blog. You have a lovely place here, and I always enjoy your posts.

Liv! I'm glad you're here. We're taking a class together with Kristen Lamb and it was suggested we try having guest posters. Liv is my first guest. Liv, tell me about this speculative fiction you write.

I call myself a writer of speculative fiction, because it sounds kind of cool and classy. And also maybe a little pretentious, depending on your point of view. It’s more tasteful sounding, anyway, than saying I write paranormal romance. Which I do, but I also write paranormal family drama and paranormal mystery, and, well, I’ll bet you can pick up the consistent theme. Most of my work has a supernatural angle that allows me to deal with harsher truths than I otherwise could. The fantasy aspect makes it clear that all the crap I throw at my characters couldn’t be happening in real life. Another theme that runs through my work is faith. I deal with faith in God, in all its variations, and the belief that good will have out over evil. None of my stories could be labeled Christian Fiction, but many of my characters are religious. Their faith is worked into their character sketches and woven through the plot. It’s just that it’s not central to the plot or to the climax of the work.

My paranormal family drama, Only The Lonely, tells the story of Molly, a single mom who’s battling with her ex-husband and with the demon who gave her the mother-of-all hickeys. She has an unexpected ally in Cass, a pixie who gets assigned to help her through her trials. Molly is a good Catholic girl. Her kids go to a Catholic high school, she fights with them about going to church, and she agonizes over getting divorced because of what it means from a religious perspective. Her faith is as integral a part of her character as her love for her children, but it doesn’t drive the plot.

I have written stories where religion doesn’t play a part, except as it colors my own understanding of good and evil. It’s more satisfying, though, when it’s there. I feel a little subversive, like, “ha-ha, I’m making you think about God in this story about _____” (and you can fill in the blank with your favorite paranormal creature). There are some great writers, like Ann Rice and Neil Gaimon, who address issues of faith in their speculative fiction. They’re my inspiration, and my role models.

Peace, Liv

Thanks again Liv for telling us how you add faith to your writing. Here's a little more about Liv. Bio: Liv Rancourt is a writer of speculative fiction and romance. She lives in Seattle with her husband, two teenagers, two cats and one wayward puppy. Writing stories that have happy endings is a nice balance for her work in the neonatal intensive care unit, and Liv can be found on-line at her website , her blog , on Facebook , or on Twitter .

Watch out for Nails

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:38:00 +0000

D is for DANGER!

I am an HGTV junkie. I admit it. Those those decorating and remodeling shows give me an adrenalin rush. But more importantly I love doing the things most people hire out or just think about doing.

When House Hunters comes on I find it hard not to yell, "Come on! Painting is easy! So what if the walls are black and purple? They make paint with primer for that!

Sarah's House and Dear Genvieve captivate me.

So when I managed to save up enough cash I convinced Mr. Do Everything to go with me to the flooring store. (side note: did you know if they take cash you can get a discount!) The 24 boxes of red oak sat in our house acclimating itself to our living conditions for three days. It seems the flooring acclimated just fine to being being covered in dust and books so this week we started the project.

My job was to take up the staples left behind from carpeting and rip out the small entry way wood floor. See those nails? I did not want a tetanus shot so my goal was to keep from stepping on one or falling and puncturing my hand.

Now this is not an unwarranted concern. The last house we remodeled I stepped off a floor joist and my leg went through the ceiling of the dining room below me. No, I did not let Mr. Do Everything take a photo of my leg dangling. My sons were very disappointed.

The final report? I did step on a nail or rather stumbled into one but it only went into the side of my sketcher. It now has a flat. Thankfully, it didn't break the skin. No shot for me!

The crowbar is another story. That is one strong piece of steel that has no give when it comes to smacking yourself in the chest.

Working the iPad like your desktop

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:05:00 +0000

Splashtop APP for iPad

Do you have an iPad?
A friend of mine told me about Splashtop. He is a pilot and often wants to access a program from his home computer.

Splashtop Remote Access isn't a free app, right now it's $4.99. I downloaded it. Now where ever I go I can pull up my desktop from home--AS LONG AS MY HOME COMPUTER IS ON! I found it works well, there is a small lag time but it's not noticeable when typing. I've been able to edit my photos, write blog posts and get to that important bookmark on firefox with ease.

It works with PCs and Macs. Be warned though if your going to use it on a Mac you must have Snow Leopard installed.

Are you in the Motherhood?

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:39:00 +0000

If you're a mom (or act in place of one!) you are never out of the MOTHERHOOD!

Blog Mashup

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:09:00 +0000

Blogs I want to share with you.

Me and Milli Vanilli. See, we really couldn’t sing….

Huh? What did you Say? Find out what Victorians really hid under their hats.

A Real Page turner—video you don’t want to miss

In a Flash Everything Chages

Kristen Lamb writes about free ebooks may not be a good thing. What's the problem with free?

Carriage from the Past

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:21:00 +0000

C is for Carriage.
This summer we stopped at an antique store and this was out in the yard. It intriques me, where did come from? Who owned it? Where did they take it too church? Parties? I like the fringe top and I wonder if the owner had to pay extra for it?

How did women keep their skirts from brushing the dirty wheel when they disembarked?

So many questions....
So many stories shushed...
So many ideas racing through my mind today...

UPDATE! I have learned that this is a Jenny Lind used from 1850 to the 1900s and only one horse was needed to pull it. How did I learn this? I found out by purchasing a dvd called 19th Century Carriages & Wagons A Resource for Writers by Lynn Coleman. You can get it here.

Are you an email hoarder?

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:30:00 +0000

My hand is fluttering in the air. I am an email hoarder. In the past I have found blogs or shopping sites that interest me and I subscribed.

This last month I've been unsubscribing. I realized I was spending not just minutes deleting email. Some times it was five minutes or more.

I still have many lists to to release from my inbox. It's hard. Sometimes I want to know what I can cook gluten free for dinner or what exciting crafting offer Michaels is offering. And what if I want to live social in another city?

I should delete them right away. But I can't. I put a star and color code it as to do or important and then I forget about them. It feels better to me to have them in my inbox just in case I get a chance to fly to Florida tomorrow and shop at Kohls with my secret % off code.

So I ask, are you an email hoarder too? Should we start a club or a twelve-step program?

How do you wear your guilt?

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:46:00 +0000

My momma always knew when I was telling a lie. She wouldn't tell me how until I was married. Turns out my lips turn up too!
What about you? Do you have a poker face or does your guilt shine bright like Denver's?

How to Eat Gluten Free at a Burger Place

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:26:00 +0000

B is for Bunless Burger!

Eating in burger in a gluten-filled world is often risky. You can't see what is happening in the restaurant kitchen and you have to put your trust in a waitress. You pray she'll convey the need for changing gloves, cleaning the grill and keeping all bread items away from your meal.
A few years ago 5 Guys Burgers and Fries opened close to my home. I am in burger heaven.

The kitchen is visible, the cashier yells, "Change gloves! Gluten allergy!"

It's true, I have to eat my burger with a fork an knife, but I don't mind. That means I have extra weight watcher points for those fries!

.And

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 21:28:00 +0000

Have you ever been to a Lost and Found concert? Last December they performed a Christmas concert that I can say I've never seen one like it before. One of their catch phrases is the word .And. They like it because a person isn't just one thing. Think about it they're right. I'm a wife AND a writer AND quilter AND mom AND gluten free AND....the list goes on and on. AND yes I bought the t-shirt.

The band is made of of two people, and I think what they can carry. They've even ridden bikes across country! "We left from Niagara Falls, Ontario in September 1986 and returned there in August of 1987. During the trip we rode basically from New York to St. Louis to Miami to San Diego to Seattle and back to New York. It took us 340 days and we played 270 concerts at schools, churches, camps, or any place that would have us. We stayed with families 300 nights and in hotels the other 30. One thing about us: we do not camp. (It's just our nature.) We made the trip without ever missing a concert date and without any support vehicle following us or leading us. We supported ourselves through the sale of our first record (vinyl only at the time). Lots of days we would bungee-cord the records to our bikes and bring them along to the gigs to offer for sale. It was an incredible experience to say the least. If you're interested in the whole story (with illustrations), you can find us retelling the highpoints of our journey in true comic style on the special DVD included in our boxed set, "LOST AND FOUND: The Early Years." What to hear them? AND yes I am running late with my letter A.

Searching for Heat

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:29:00 +0000

I could see these tall stacks from my house where I grew up. One day I noticed there was smoke coming from them and being the natural born worrier that I am, I ran to my father in a panic.

He followed me outside, picked me up and said that's where our heat is made. As long as you see smoke coming out of there you'll know we'll have heat in our house.

Did I mention I was a natural born worrier? My father's assurance didn't ease my concerns at all. All winter I'd ride the bus to school and I check to see if there was smoke. Then I'd relax knowing my mom and little brother would be warm. On the way home from school I'd check it again.

It's the Labadie Power Plant in Labadie, Missouri if any of you old friends are trying to figure it out.
It wasn't until I was much older did I realize its function and that if you don't pay the electric bill it doesn't matter if there is smoke or not. There won't be any heat in your house.

Ever worry about having heat when you were a child?

Playing with Patty Wysong again, check out the new blog challenge.

Bugs Get a Bad Rep

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 21:03:00 +0000

I've caught a bug. The bug going around caught up with me.
Which is why I am regretting having a sandwich at lunch.
A sandwich I had saved enough WW points to eat! (Gluten free bread takes up more points.)

So as I try to keep my head from listing to the side long enough to post this, I'm wondering.
Why is a virus called a bug anyway? What did the bug population do to us humans to deserve that?

Now I'm not found of bugs except for lightening bugs and lady bugs, so I'm not concerned that the world will end (even though it is 2012) because the word virus is attached to bug.

Still here reading this? If you know the answer please enlighten me. I'm sure I could google and discover the reason, but I need to lie down and watch the ceiling swirl overhead.

Pardon the Mess

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 14:59:00 +0000

It is January and it's a time of cleaning out and re-doing.

So I had this brilliant idea of re-doing my blog.

Today I feel less than brilliant. I've lost luster, I don't even have a glimmer of a shine.

It's a rare beautiful day where I live. I can see it from my window. I'm hoping I can get my

blog fixed before the sun sets.

Be patient, re-doing is time consuming and painful some times.

Have you started a project this month that isn't going the way you thought it would? Please share.

Video Blogging

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 14:34:00 +0000

Thank you, Patty Wysong for the challenge. I survived.
See other author videos at www.pattywysong.com

Posting to blogger with an iPad

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 01:05:00 +0000

Yes! It is easier than I thought it would be.

Except I can't seem to post photos from here.

still thinking what to say on the vlog post next week.