Just a reminder that there is only one more day to send in your guess for the Trivia question!

JJ

I've read "bird by birb" and "Traveling Mercies" by Anne Lamott. Loved them both. She is the most honest writer I've read. Has anyone read her latest book? Here's the Amazon.com review:

Amazon.com
Few people can write about faith, parenting, and relationships as can the talented, irreverent Anne Lamott. With characteristic black humor, ("Everyone has been having a hard time with life this year; not with all of it, just the waking hours") she updates us on the ongoing mayhem of her life since Traveling Mercies, and continues to unfold her spiritual journey.
Plan B finds Lamott wrestling with mid-life hormones and weight gain while parenting Sam, now a teenager with his own set of raging hormones. Her observations cover everything from starting a Sunday school to grief over the death of her beloved dog, Sadie; lamenting the war to bitterness over her relationship with her now-departed mother.

As she tugs and pokes out the knots in a slender gold chain necklace, it becomes a metaphor for letting go and learning to forgive. "…any willingness to let go inevitably comes from pain; and the desire to change changes you, and jiggles the spirit, gets to it somehow, to the deepest, hardest, most ruined parts." It’s her willingness to show us the knotted-up, "ruined parts" of her life that make this collection of sometimes uneven essays so compelling.

"Everything feels crazy," writes Lamott, adding, "But on small patches of earth all over, I can see just as much messy mercy and grace as ever…." Lamott’s essays will serve as reminders to readers of the patches of messy mercy and grace in a chaotic world.--Cindy Crosby

I've got to get it. So many books, so little time. I wish we had a lending library in here.

Queenie, I always read about writers who are avid reader. Thier advice is always to read, read, read. Are you an avid reader? If so, what other humor writers have you read other than Erma and Lewis?

Mom was a huge Erma fan. It's hard for me to think about Erma without thinking about Mom. She always related to her writing.

Wouldn't it be cool if our queen could take her place? Keep getting those columns girl and you're on your way.

Have you researched getting a syndicated column? If not, that should be your next project.

I like writing for magazines. I don't know why, but I do. Maybe because its once a month? But I have written a tiny bit for newspapers. The editors for those seem to be a bit more critical of humor, and 9 out of 10 are MALES and they don't want anything written on menopause, hair-do's and don'ts, and some even squash dieting articles. Go figure. They want political satire...yawn. Anyway, I'm thinking more about books and more mag articles.

I truly don't think anyone can take Erma's place. However, I would dearly love to crave out a niche of my own.

Believe it or not, I read very little other humorists work, other than an occasional article or so. I don't want my work influenced too much, so I stick to writing off the cuff and it also helps me NOT TO COMPARE.

I read a ton of writing books however, and I LOVE reading inspirational books. Self-help, etc. Things by people like Normal Vincent Peale, Wallace D. Wattles, Barbara Sher, just to name a few. I have over 500 books. I do sell some on occasion on Amazon. That's a pretty good biz if anyone is interested and its easy to do!

p.s. Can I say I've found a new speaker/humorist named Suzie Humphreys and I think she is going to be great! Can't wait to hear one of her CD's.

JJ

Well, we still don't know how you got so funny JJ.

I have written a couple of plays that caused people to laugh like crazy, but I never know how it happened and could never repeat it. It was just a mood.

I once wrote a college thesis on writing commedy and researched like crazy and still came out with "You gotta' be in the mood."

Seems to me you are always in the mood.

So how do you always manage to get there.
smile

Divine guidance. No joke. God gave you good looks and wisdom. He gave me a sense of humor.

JJ

Good looks and wisdom?? Now that's funny.
smile

Dear JawJaw

All that southern humour is most welcome...I thoroughly enjoy it.

The greatness of a writer is a life lived well...with as much humour, pathos, beauty, angst, friendship and love all expressed with soul and humour and love and JawJaw you are indeed in a calibre of great light!

Even though I'm from Canada I can fully appreciate all you great southern writers. If it weren't for the south we wouldn't have such a diversity of literature in this hemisphere.

I was in the south over 20 years ago, travelling through Virginia, the Carolinas and Georgia. The scents and the moss on the trees and those big huge colonial houses....so much character and beauty. I was only around eighteen at the time and it sure was an adventure...seeing a culture so different from my own and so beautiful.

In appreciation for you lovely, saucy southern humour...what a lovely gift to be able to share the beauty that is you!

With love
Leigha

Wow...what a nice message to wake up too. I doubt my crown will fit today as my starving ego has been fed. There is nothing more satisfying to a writer than to know their work has been well received. I promise you that it is more rewarding than money. I'm sure you know this too.

My humble heart wants to thank your thoughts. You've inspired me to reach new heights today.

I also want to thank you for appreciating my beloved South. Every place in this great country of ours has it own type of beauty... I know because I've been fortunate enough to see bits and pieces, although not enough of it! I want more. Maybe one day I will be lucky enough to also visit Canada and see first hand all of the beautiful places I've only seen via pictures and web sights. I would love to do so. I have a gypsy spirit. Mamma use to say I always had my "going britches" on. Still do!

Thanks again for being so supportive of my work. You've been elevated to my expensive Christmas gift list. No, you don't get squat, but hey, you're on the list! whoohooo!

JJ

Wow, I've missed everything! JJ, congratulations on your new book girl! I'm hopping over to your website to see where to buy it. You go girl!

Dorothy