DIFFERENT HATS

    

    

 Brand—a mark indicating identity or ownership burned on the hide of an animal with a hot iron. A trademark or distinctive name identifying a product or a manufacturer. These are two of the definitions of brand to be found in the dictionary.

     I am a manufacturer because I produce words, form sentences, tell a story but I believe in reinvention of self and enjoy wearing different hats—I don’t have a distinctive brand. I feel fulfilled when I write non-fiction—engrossed in reality’s fascination and the revelations that research brings to a topic. The surprise of finding the unexpected, amusing, unknown.

     I’ve read mysteries since childhood—beginning with Nancy Drew; growing up I began to write them. Sometimes my tales change when a character chooses to take charge and his or her action makes sense. The cozy mystery I wrote with a little help from its characters was published by Carina Press and now I’m about to send another on its journey to seek a future in a world of readers.

     At times, I feel a play will reflect what I want to say. It calls for actors to step on-stage and bring the dialogue and the plot to life. My ideas come from everywhere. Eavesdropping, a storied past mentioned by an acquaintance, someone in the family—all tell me something I have to fictionalize. and write about while writing non-fiction brings the past to life. I can’t choose between them.

Bests,

Elise

Scene Stealer is available wherever eBooks are sold: Barnes & Noble, Amazon etc.

NATIONAL DOG DAY

     On National Dog Day I’d like to share a few memories of Jackie who we considered the Pavlova of  Poodles. She weighed just under seven pounds and looked like an emaciated mouse when soaking wet but she was able to jump from the floor to the top of the Murphy bed in the theatrical hotel we were staying at when we brought her home from the kennel. 

My husband said a dog would never sleep with us but by the third jump he gave in and Jackie claimed the middle of the bed while as she stretched out, were pushed to the sides by her little paws. She could also jump to the top of the dining table when tempted by home-made rice pudding or baked beans and we had gone to answer a phone call in the next room. If she stayed with my mom, she turned up her freckled nose at dog food and was fed lamb-chops, steaks and-ice cream for dessert- she taught my mom well.

     She was offered a job in a small production of “Wonderful Town,” but suffered from stage-fright although when a tenor friend sat down at the piano after dinner she howled right along and when we did a musical on the road enjoyed the Christmas party thrown for all the dogs in the company--the dogs even did a press interview and posed for pictures. 

     Jackie always knew when we were taking her to be groomed and would refuse to move when we were two blocks away. After she had received her beauty treatment she strutted all the way home though she hated the girlie girlie ribbons placed on her ears. Her taste in males was interesting—she preferred big, muscular dogs. The type you might see featured in a kennel romance.

Jackie passed on when she was almost sixteen. We miss her. Here's to National Dog Day.

Bests,

Elise

Scene Stealer is available wherever eBooks are sold. A new anthology will be out at the beginning of next year.

A NEW YORK HAPPENING

The E train was its usual commuter nightmare last Thursday morning. Jam-packed (I wonder how that expression began?) People trying to avoid each other's gaze, staring at their cells,blasting sound into their ear buds until the doors opened and a woman pushed her way into the crowd. She wore a front-pack and in the pack was a small, curious dog dressed in a colorful, striped romper. He eyed the little he could see of the floor and then looked at the people close to  him who began smiling, cooing and patting which he appreciated. The smiles of the subway riders spread from one person to the next. Finally a happy ride on New York Transit.


Scene Stealer, a cozy mystery published as an eBook, is available from Carina Press, Barnes and Noble, Amazon and wherever eBooks are sold.

Bests,

Elise
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