About Let Them Eat Fruitcake…

The Christmas season is a magical time of the year when there is peace on earth, winter wonderlands, and rockin’ parties . . . right? But Megan is struggling with a difficult boss and is forced to spend Christmas alone. Lelani can’t afford to fly home, and she isn’t sure she’d be welcomed. Anna’s old boyfriend has sailed back into her life, just when she’s met a for-real “nice guy” that she has been keeping away from her crazy Latino family. And Kendall has a crush on a famous actor who just might be the answer to her money woes . . . if only she could convince him she’s the love of his life.

Let’s face it, relationships are loaded with confusion, emotion, and secrets you can’t tell anyone but God. Thank goodness He’s always around to listen!

Melody, I know you’ve had over 150 books published, many of which have won awards, and your sales have totaled more than three million dollars. You are one prolific and successful author!  But what is the woman behind the successful stats like? Tell me a little bit about your background and your family.

I grew up in a non-church-going home with divorced parents and considered myself an atheist until my teens when I did a complete 180 turn and gave my heart to Christ. I’ve been married 30 years (to the same guy!) and I have two grown sons and a four year old granddaughter. Also a lovable chocolate Labrador named Bailey. We live in the Cascades mountains in Oregon. I’m a full time writer.

I love the title of your book. Of course the infamous quote attributed to Marie Antoinette came to mind when I first signed on for your blog tour. I doubt she was talking about fruitcake, something that has become an equally infamous Christmas tradition. So what is your favorite Christmas tradition?

We’re pretty low key about the holidays. Mostly we enjoy being with family members and try to keep things light and bright. My husband’s birthday happens to be Christmas day and years ago, he decided he prefers lasagna to turkey so we have “Christmas lasagna.”

Lasagna for Christmas. You know, we’ve actually done that as well. Sometimes it’s fun to break with tradition a bit.

When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I think it changed a lot. Everything from a lawyer (since I loved to argue) to a doctor (except I don’t like gore) to a teacher (probably because my mom was one). I never seriously considered being a writer (although I wrote all the time) because that seemed like the impossible dream to me.

I know many writers who never intended to write when they were thinking about future careers. So in your case, how did you get involved in writing?

In my mid-thirties, I got the strongest desire to get serious about writing. I’d been doing some op-ed pieces for the newspaper and suddenly I just wanted to write a book. Fiction, of course. So I simply began writing and it seems I’ve been writing ever since. I treat writing as a fulltime job, which it is for me. Aside from procrastinating, I usually write daily (Monday through Friday, office hours) until the book is finished and then I give myself “time off” until it’s time to start the next one.

What did you enjoy most about the writing process, and what do you find is your biggest struggle?

I love not knowing exactly what’s going to happen next. I don’t outline and I’m as surprised as the reader when a story takes a twist or turn. I would be bored if I knew where the story was going. I’m a by-the-seat-of-my-pants writer. That used to worry me…until I realized there are others out there just like me. Viva la difference!

But sometimes I’ll procrastinate. I’m not even sure why exactly, but it’s like I get distracted with any little thing that will keep me from sitting down to write. But then, once I sit down, I write pretty fast anyway, so maybe my procrastination is actually a way of stewing on a story before I begin putting it all down in writing.

Every writer has a unique story about how they came to be published. What’s yours?

I really wanted to write fiction, but back when I started writing there wasn’t a lot of fiction in the Christian market. To me that meant there should be more. To publishers it meant “it won’t sell.” Thankfully I was right-there needed to be more. But for my first few years, I was rejected time and again (for fiction). I just kept on writing until I had about five books completed (some adult, some teen). And finally an editor who believed in me asked if I’d consider writing nonfiction. So I did and it sold. About the same time I began to sell my fiction as well. Fortunately I have my little stockpile of books, all which sold. And, over the years, I’ve published with some of the very same publishers who originally rejected me. I guess, besides being impatient, I’m also persistent. In the publishing arena, persistence pays off.

Everyone loves to hear how and where writers get their ideas. So how did you get the idea for Let Them Eat Fruitcake?

Having written for teens for nearly a decade, I wondered about my readers who were in their twenties now. I think that’s a hard age these days and I wanted to create something that would speak to that young career woman who’s trying to sort out her life, her values, her friends, her faith…. I think fiction is a great way to teach truth and my hope was that these 86 Bloomberg Place characters living together under one roof would inspire readers to be better friends, share their faith, and live life more fully.

What are the major themes of the book, and is there any character in particular you most identify with?

I jokingly tell people that 86 Bloomberg Place is like that old TV sitcom “Friends” with faith mixed in. The main themes are relationships, life decisions, and where faith fits in. I’m probably most like Megan, but I’d like to be more like Lelani. Megan can be a bit of a bulldog sometimes, whereas Lelani is kinder and gentler and far more patient. However Megan’s faith is more substantial and she is having an influence in the house. It’s fun watching the characters mature, interact, become stronger friends, and figure out what’s important in life.

Have you had any difficult or confusing relationships like those in the book? How did you handle and what was the result?

Right out of college, I shared a house with three other (very diverse) women. It wasn’t easy and one of the women turned out to be the most difficult person I’d ever come across. Ironically it was on the “mission field” and the women were all Christians…and yet I felt more challenged to love my housemate than I did anyone else in that entire third world country.

What do you hope readers will take away from your book?

I hope they’ll enjoy a few laughs, a peek into the lives of some very human-like characters, and perhaps a spiritual challenge that they’ve found tucked between the lines.

Will we see any of these characters again?

Let Them Eat Fruitcake is the second book in a four book series (86 Bloomberg Place). The next installment is titled Spring Broke and the housemates end up going to Maui, where some mysteries about Lelani’s life are resolved. Also, there is romance and few other surprises. The final book is Three Weddings and a Bar Mitzvah.

Thanks so much, Melody. Readers, you can visit Melody’s website at http://www.melodycarlson.com

Win a prize!
If you leave a post in response to this interview by 5pm CST on November 21, you will be entered into a drawing for a $25 gift certificate to the Collin Street Bakery. The Collin Street Bakery is world-famous for its - you guessed it - fruitcake and will deliver your baked goods almost anywhere in the world.

Links:

Visit other stops on Melody’s blog tour…

Buy Let Them Eat Fruitcake at Amazon.com…

I’m back to writing and books for this blog post, and I don’t know about you, but there have definitely been times in my life when I would have loved a second chance to make a first impression.

In a sense that’s what happens in Trish Perry’s Beach Dreams, when Tiffany LeBoeuf meets the charming Brit Jeremy Beckett for the second time. Tiffany, once a bit of a selfish diva who wielded her cutting sense of humor at the expense of others, has changed, but her attraction to Jeremy hasn’t, even though he still remembers the old Tiffany. After the death of her mother and the loss of her job, Tiffany seeks rest for her body and soul at a cozy beach house in San Diego. A scheduling mix-up causes a double booking, and Tiffany ends up sharing the house with a woman named Eve. And who is Eve’s boyfriend? Jeremy, of course. He arrives to surprise Eve and settles in at the beach house next door. What happens after that surprises them all.

I’m always curious about a writer’s childhood, because I think that influences the stories we choose to tell–or maybe the stories that choose us. So tll me a little bit about your background and your family.

I’m the middle child; middle girl. I was raised as one of five kids by my British mum and my WWII Air Force vet dad. I lived in Newfoundland (Canada), California, Colorado, and finally Virginia, which I’ve called home for the greater part of my life. I love it here. Most of my family still resides in Virginia, which is a bonus.

My late sister lived a rough lifetime of medical problems, which had a distinct bearing on our family lifestyle and our sensibilities toward the hardships of others. Her eventual death may have been a blessed relief for her, but it was a huge loss for us. The loss is what brought me to the Lord.

Both of my children are believers, which brings me such peace. I have a 29-year-old daughter, who is one of the coolest, smartest, most intuitive women I know. She’s blessed me with a remarkable grandson, now five. And my 16-year-old son is brilliant and funny, and he tells me daily that I’m weird (but I can hear the “I love you” in there when he says it).

So when you were a child, did you want to be a writer when you grew up, or did that dream come later?

I think I probably wanted to be an actor when I was a child. I memorized dialogue, imagined scenes, and studied actresses I admired. But I never went out for Drama in school. I was horribly shy and couldn’t imagine auditioning for anything. Still, I was well served by my obsession with dialogue and the visual exercises of creating scenes in my mind. Sometimes I still come up with my scenes and dialogue by simply visualizing them on screen or acting them out with imaginary characters. I try to keep these antics private, of course. I’d be in big trouble on one of those Big Brother type of reality shows.

I dabbled with writing on and off when I was a kid, but I didn’t feel the great calling I hear other novelists describe. I didn’t get the itch until I went back to school as an adult. I planned to become a psychological counselor, but my English professors kept giving me wonderful feedback on the writing exercises I did for them, and I realized I liked opening up that right hemisphere and pouring out the ideas. By the time I got my B.A., I decided to skip the doctorate program and focus on writing and getting published.

What would you say is the most difficult part of the writing process for you?

Being disciplined enough, especially at the beginning of a project, to just sit here at the computer and do it. I’m always amazed, once I’ve put something up there, how easy it is to make it better. If you have something to work with, you’re halfway there. So I’m trying to be better about the beginning of a project-not to over think it before I start.

What part of the writing process do you enjoy the most?

I love writing dialogue. What a control freak’s dream, to have control over what everyone says, including the antagonist. If only life were that easy, LOL! But truly, sometimes a scene simply shapes itself right before my eyes when the characters are engaged in dialogue. I don’t know quite what will be expressed sometimes, and I love it when it flows even faster than I seem to be able to think it.

Here’s the age-old question. Do you plan things out ahead of time, or do you write where the story takes you? Do your characters surprise you?

I was just talking with my editor about that the other day, the fact that the initial summary I write might change a bit as events unfold around my protagonist. I think that’s happened with every book I’ve written. I typically write a summary, which tells me generally where the story will go, and then I write a sentence or two per chapter idea, and then I start hammering away on Chapter One. As I write actual chapters, the events between “Once upon a time” and “The End” evolve in more significant ways than I expected in the first place. It’s an exciting process!

Everyone who’s written or considered writing a book wants to know how others get published. Tell me about your road to publication.

I didn’t know what kind of writing I wanted to pursue when I first started to write seriously. So I read Writer’s Digest and The Writer magazines and joined the Writer’s Digest Book Club. I bought a ridiculous number of books about writing and poured over them. I took creative writing courses while I worked on my Psych degree-the workshopping alone was excellent training for skin thickening. I joined a local writing organization and hung out with other writers. I started submitting poetry and personal essays to small publications. I experienced plenty of rejection and kept trying. I wrote several short stories and eventually realized I wanted to write a novel. So I read several books about novel writing. And I read a lot of novels! While I worked on my first novel, I continued to submit to smaller pieces, and I started publishing. I joined a small critique group.

The above actions took me years, and I still hadn’t submitted a novel for publication (or rejection). This is a long road, but it’s best to just put one foot in front of the other and not worry about the length of the journey.

I entered writing contests, and one of them led to my finding representation by my fantastic agent, Tamela Hancock Murray. Mind you, this was representation for my second novel. Once Tamela started representing me, it was a matter of months before she got me a two-book contract. The contract did not include my first manuscript-that baby still sits at home and may never see publication. But it was all part of the journey. 

I certainly understand those books that sit at home never to see the light of day. LOL I found out Beach Dreams is actually part of a series begun by author Sally John, who wrote The Beach House and Castles in the Sand. Was it difficult to write a book in a series, following someone else?

It was a new challenge, but Harvest House was clear with me that I had significant leeway in my approach. We didn’t want the book to disappoint Sally John’s readers by being wildly different from her style, but we also wanted to maintain a style my readers had come to expect. I think we accomplished a happy medium.

Thanks so much, Trish!

Trish’s Website and Blog

Beach Dreams on Amazon

Read an excerpt

List of all participating bloggers

“Azura” — The stylized Celtic knot dragon that adorns this blue fan with its subtle chatoyant snail designs was originally one of my watercolor paintings. The dragon design was reduced and transferred to a thin sliver of translucent clay, then fused to the fan design.  A blue kyanite briolette dangles from the fan, and the necklace features kyanite ovals and pale blue freshwater pearls.

 ”Freya’s Mask” — This one-of-a-kind Art Nouveau polymer clay pendant  was influenced by some ideas in one of Donna Kato’s polymer clay books. This pendant and necklace features a dragonfly woman I’ve named Freya. Freya was the Nordic goddess of love associated with dragonflies, and this piece has subtle Nordic influences in the wire knotwork of the dragonfly’s body. Above Freya’s face is a faceted amethyst solitaire embedded in a foiled polymer clay bezel. Amethyst, dyed blue aventurine, and tiger eye beads, along with handcrafted twisted brass beads, complete the necklace.

 ”Akitsushima” — Japanese for “Land of the Dragonfly,” or possibly “The Dragonfly Island.” I’m not exactly sure, but both possibilities were mentioned in the research I did on dragonflies in Asian culture. In any case, Akitsushima is supposedly another name for Japan. This golden polymer clay pendant features iridescent green dragonflies against a background of chatoyant snail designs, which are echoed in the coiled wire embellishments. The replica Chinese coin serves as an escutcheon to protect the hole in the polymer clay, where a textured bronze-like polymer clay  bead connects to a handwoven brass wire bail. The woven bail is decorated with small peridot beads and tiger eye beads. The wire-wrapped necklace features tiger eye, etched yellow jade, and carved green jade.

It seems ages since I’ve posted! I’ve been busy getting some polymer clay wire wrap combo pieces done for a gallery show at Oso Arts Gallery in Capitan August 9. The theme is “Zen,” with dragons and dragonflies abounding–right up my alley. Finished the pieces, delivered them with the help of my daughter, so now I will be one of the artists whose work will be featured in the show. Yay!

And so I’ve been falling behind everywhere else, including my email. But today I was reading the July issue of Ann Kullberg’s online magazine (Ann Kullberg is a fabulous colored pencil artist who also has several books published on her technique), and she provided a link to a fun interactive website called The Color Test. Want to have some fun with the struggle between the right and left brain? The first time I took the test I bombed. And then I read the instructions more closely and did better. Ahem. Did I ever mention I don’t always do so well reading instructions? I seem to remember a certain report card in grade school with the teacher’s comment “Doesn’t follow instructions.” LOL Anyway, have some fun with this test. I did! It’s more difficult than you might think.

Anybody who knows me knows I love the Book of Kells (hence the name Kell’s Creations–it’s a happy coincidence that Kell was also my best friend’s nickname for me all through school) and I love all things Celtic, especially all forms of Celtic knots. I love to draw and paint them, and I have numerous books on them for inspiration. Featured in this piece are three interlocking circles which form what is called a “triquetra” in the very center.

I knew Ireland was deeply influenced by the Vikings who first arrived there in the 800s AD, but what I didn’t fully realize until I recently took an art history class was how much those Celtic knots I love resemble wonderful artworks such as the wooden portal on the stave church at Urnes, Norway (image below can be seen in context at this site), or the animal head posts ca. 825 from a Viking ship burial at Oseberg, Norway.

If you’re fascinated with Celtic or Scandinavian art and want a little inspiration for your own artwork, here are a few books I can recommend (in no particular order): 

101 Knotwork Designs, by Courtney Davis
Symbols of the Celts, by Sabine Heinz
Great Book of Celtic Patterns, by Lora S. Irish
Celtic Art: The Methods of Construction, by George Bain
Celtic Spirals Handbook, by Shela Sturrock
Celtic Motifs, by David Balade

I adapted this design from a tutorial by the late Jorgen Greftegreff, contributed by his wife Beverly Langhus, in the April 2001 issue of Wire Artist Jeweller. Ever since I saw my first wire-wrapped faceted solitaire ring, I wanted to be able to create them. The adaptation is in the twisted middle wire and the wrapped shank. I found that wrapping the shank gave me more control of the piece as I was working, and I think it added an attractive touch to the design.

I’m not sure whether the stone is a ruby–aka Lord of the Gems–or a spinel, ruby’s beautiful imposter. A friend of ours frequents police auctions, and this stone was one of his finds, which I bought from him. The paper this stone and its twin were wrapped in was labeled “ruby, 8mm, wt. 2cts,” but more writing on the same wrapper said “red spinel, lab grown.” Come to find out, naturally formed spinel, which comes in a range of colors, has become even rarer than rubies, and according to International Colored Gemstone Association’s page on spinel, “spinel is the great impostor of gemstone history: many famous rubies in crown jewels around the world are actually spinels. The most famous is the Black Prince’s ruby, a magnificent 170-carat red spinel that now adorns the Imperial State Crown of England . . .”

Lab grown spinels are often used in birthstone rings, so here is my version of a ruby/spinel birthstone ring, wrapped with 12K gold-filled wire.

This design is based on a tutorial by Eni Oken, an amazing wire jewelry artist. To make it a little more my own, I changed the bail from the series of jump rings that were shown in the tutorial to a woven beaded bail, and I used a pointed amethyst briolette and freshwater pearls–two of my favorite combos. I also added some coiling detail as a loose frame around the pearls at the top of the background heart. The wire is 12K gold-filled. I’ve decided to keep this one for myself, but I do plan to offer one similar in my shop sometime soon–maybe next week.

I’ve also purchased tutorials from Iza Malczyk and Perri Jackson of Shaktipaj Designs. I hope to be using those tutorials in new pieces soon. :)

This is a “fish out of water” story if there ever was one, and it’s tailor made for humor. Just ask my mother-in-law (who moved from San Luis Obispo, CA to a cattle ranch in the middle of Nowhere, New Mexico) to share some stories from early in her marriage. But back to Act Two. Opera diva Sadie Maddox, a New Yorker through and through, is bordering on “has been” status, so for her second act she takes a professorship at a small liberal arts college in rural Iowa. When she arrives, she is horrified to discover that she will be living with a family on their pig farm!

That’s a great setup to a great story, Kimberly. Very unusual. So, since this book features such an interesting contrast in lifestyles, I have to ask–where did the idea come from?

I can’t possibly reveal that to the blogosphere, and I say that only partly because I’ve always wanted to use the word blogosphere. The other reason is that this one percolated for awhile. There was no lightning bolt moment. But I will say that I’m always interested in putting quirky characters in situations that make them woefully uncomfortable and allow the reader to laugh with gusto both at and with the character. A New York opera diva on a farm seemed like a situation that might work for that purpose.

You’re definitely right on that score! So what kind of research did you do?

It was intense. Lots of dangerous, Indiana Jones-type adventures, plenty of nights under the stars and without food or running water. Actually, I traveled to New York and was shuttled around by dear friends who love their city and were infectious in their excitement. I loved my time there and still wish I could drop off my laundry for someone else to do, begging out of the chore because my building just didn’t have a washer and dryer. The laundry, the insane number of fantastic restaurants, the ability to wallow in theater, dance, live jazz, high fashion—if I could only afford half of a studio apartment, I’d drag my family for an extended stay. As for research on Iowa…

The trip to New York must have been great fun. Having someone else do my laundry sounds like heaven right now! LOL So, if you don’t mind me asking, what kinds of struggles do you have with the writing process? Because every writer is different, we all seem to struggle with different parts of the process.

*Making myself sit down each day and crank out new material, especially on days when I’m feeling about as creative as a paint tarp.
*Pushing through the middle of a novel, when the characters have lost their initial intrigue and it’d be so much more fun to daydream about the NEXT story to write.
*Getting out of the way of the story. That is, allowing the story to flesh itself out without coercion on my part.
*Being able to, as Stephen King writes, “crucify my darlings,” to part with the elements, characters, plot movements that do not serve the story, no matter how fond I am of them.

Yeah, all those are definitely true for me, too. Love the paint tarp comment. I’ve certainly had a few of those days in my life! So what part do you enjoy the most? For me it’s the characters as they come to life.

Without question, hearing from readers who connect with, cry about, laugh because of the stories I write and then take the time and effort to let me know. Unbelievable and lovely.

What’s your schedule like? What do you do to make time to write?

For every writer asked this question, I’m sure you’d get as many answers. At this time in my life and the life of my family, I write in the afternoons when my daughter is at preschool and my son is napping. This is unfortunate for two reasons: One, my toilets become gross because the time I used to devote to being Martha Stewart is now devoted to being Kimberly Stuart, a woman with far fewer housekeeping ambition and far more dust bunnies. Two, afternoons are not my most creative time, mostly because I’d rather be napping. So I’ve had to force my mind and my body into thinking one o’clock is Do or Die and that by the time Mitchell’s awake and Ana is home from school, I’d better have a new scene or I don’t get any chocolate for dessert. (Okay, that last bit is a stretch of the truth. Self-denial is overrated.)

So, are you a “plotter” or a “pantser”? I generally know where I’m headed, but I still find that characters take detours and surprise me. How about you?

I begin a novel with barely more detail than that which I’ve pitched to the publishing house. I have a feel for the main character, the overall arc of the story, the central conflict. But the ancillary characters, the chapter-by-chapter breakdown, how my protagonist changes and what takes her there, those all flesh themselves out in the course of writing the book. My genre, comedic fiction, allows for this kind of approach but I’m sure a mystery wouldn’t be as forgiving. One can hardly decide whodunit as an afterthought. So, yes, I’m often surprised by what happens in my books, how some characters become unlikely heroes or heroines, how others reveal secrets I hadn’t anticipated. All in all, it’s quite the entertaining way to write.

As for characters, I always find that my characters contain interesting pieces of me. Sadie’s an opera singer. Do you sing?

I do. When I was a child, I wanted to be a “seener” (singer). Mostly, I wanted to be Amy Grant. That’s right, people: I was into STRAIGHT UP AMY GRANT. The hard stuff, the early years, like “My Father’s Eyes,” and “El Shaddai.” I rocked out (with choreography) in our basement, next to a record player roughly the size of an Escalade and was wholeheartedly convinced of my musical and entertaining genius. I studied voice through college, sang in the St. Olaf Choir (um ya ya), and continue to sing in church. My mom is a professional violinist, so we were cheerily forced into playing one stringed instrument and piano, for starters. Sadie, the protagonist in Act Two, took her love for music straight into a career, which was a step I did not take. But it was a riot entering her world and watching her both succeed and squirm.

Last, what’s your advice to someone who wants to become a published author?

Hone your craft. There are lots of fancy stories about getting one’s foot in the door to a publisher, how to get an agent, how to market oneself and one’s story. But the best way to ensure you’ll be ready to take on the publishing mayhem is to work your tail off at writing. Become your toughest critic (short of paralysis, of course), get up the guts to share your work with someone smarter and more well-read than you, spend the hours good writing requires. Most of a writer’s life is very quiet, unromantic, and isolating. Unless you’re ready to devote yourself to the less glamorous parts of writing a good story, you’ll be spinning your wheels for the time when a good break comes.

Great advice, Kimberly. Thanks!

Links:

Kimberly’s Website

Act Two: A Novel in Perfect Pitch on Amazon.com

Download a Sample at the Publisher’s Website

Here are the other blogs featuring Kimberly during our June 30-July 11 tour.
A Christain Romance Writer’s Journey
Behind the Mountain
Blog Tour Spot
Book Nook Club
Book Room Reviews
Canadian Prairie Writer
Chatter Matters
FictionaryFootprints in the Sand
Gatorskunz and Mudcats
His Reading List
I Don’t Wanna Blog
In the Dailies
Life with Missy
Lighthouse Academy
Musings on This, That, and the Other
Net’s Notes
Real Women Scrap
Refresh My Soul
See Ya On the Net
Sips ‘N Cups Cafe
So Many Books. . . So Little Time
Sumballo
The Friendly Book Nook
The Law, Books and Life
The Surrendered Scribe
Toni V. Lee
Write by Faith
Writing on the Edge

This was certainly unexpected! I have an account on Flickr, and a few months ago I posted some photos of Old Town Albuquerque from my digital photography class a couple of semesters ago. For the most part I just wanted to share these photos with any friends who wanted to see them, but yesterday I received an email from an editor at Schmap Guides, an online travel guide, that one of my photos taken in Old Town Albuquerque had been “shortlisted” for possible inclusion in the fifth edition of the Schmap Albuquerque Guide, to be published at the end of July. I had never heard of Schmap, but of course I was flattered that one of my pictures had been chosen to be in their contest. Of course I could decline to have my photo considered, but after checking out the site and verifying its authenticity, I decided to go ahead and allow the photo to be entered. So we’ll see what happens. I’m not a “real” photographer, but I still think it would be fun if my picture were included. Above is the photo the editor shortlisted, and here’s the link to my Flickr photostream where you can see other photos I’ve taken. Most of them are of my jewelry because of the groups I belong to, but there are more Old Town Albuquerque photos as well as photos of other places and things here in the Land of Enchantment–including a photo of the New Mexico state bird, the roadrunner, which I took on the arbor outside my front door. 

Angela, of Angela’s Heartwork at Etsy (she’s a photographer) chose my Celtic Cross pendant to be in her treasury. But I didn’t know how to capture a picture of the screen showing my item among the others chosen, and now the treasury has expired! Anyway, here’s a pic of the Celtic Cross Angela chose:

And yesterday morning I received an email from another Etsy Seller, Shellamie, who had stayed up all night to pounce on an Etsy treasury that included one of my pieces. I was extremely flattered, especially since she does such beautiful work herself. Since I missed my chance to capture the screen image of the first treasury, I decided to learn how to catch this one. I didn’t do a great job, since I missed some of the items, but not horrible for a first attempt.

FYI, to do a screen capture, press F11 so you get a full screen to capture, then press the “Print Screen” button in the upper right corner of your keyboard, just above and to the right of the backspace key (on a PC keyboard). That puts the item on a clipboard. Then, open up an image editing program (I chose Painter), choose Edit>Paste, and the screen capture will appear. You can then crop the image. In my case, I didn’t manage to capture the whole screen somehow. Also, I couldn’t choose Edit>Paste in Photoshop. If it’s possible to use Photoshop for this, I haven’t learned how. So here’s my image in my first screen capture shot. I’m the peridot ring in the middle on the bottom row.

The treasury expires July 2, 2008, but until then, here is the link: http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=14517

When I found out she also deals with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, I thought she’d be the perfect person to talk to about the importance of having a creative outlet when dealing with a chronic illness like CFS.

Thanks so much for agreeing to this interview, Annabelle. I think the first question that comes to mind is what your life was like before you were diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Can you talk about that and explain a little bit about CFS and the symptoms and possible causes?

Oh boy.  I’ll try not to get too emotional!  I loved my life before CFS and really do miss it. I have to admit, talking about CFS is something I do not enjoy. I don’t want to be defined by an illness.

Before 2005 I was an energetic, physically active woman. I worked hard and long hours. With 2 children already, we had a baby when I turned 40 and I worked full-time and returned to school part time. I was always taking on projects at our church and our children’s functions.

I took care of everyone except me.

My life now is so different. My family and I have changed our lives drastically. Not only am I unable to work a job that I love, I no longer volunteer or go to school. Any activity will put me in bed for days with exhausting fatigue. And, many days I can’t even get out of bed. I have drastically reduced my activity as a means of coping with this illness.

That is what Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is all about. And that is what over 800,000 Americans suffer with each day.

Do you have some days that are better or worse than others? Do you mind sharing what each type of day is like?

When the kids are in school, Mondays are always the worst day for me. It’s usually a day spent in bed.  As silly as it might seem, just having people around can exhaust me.

I’m still trying to figure out the CFS thing.  What I can do and what I can’t do is a gamble right now.  At this point, if I’m overdoing it, I have signs and I know to stop and rest.

 I’m sure having CFS can get you down mentally and emotionally. Does your creative hobby help you stay upbeat and motivated, and if so, how?

I started doing crafts after I went on disability with CFS.  Being a Type 1 personality, it was so crushing to be inactive.  Making my baskets is the one thing I can do sitting, and doesn’t require much brainpower.  But, in the end, I feel a sense of accomplishment.

How important do you think it is for others who have CFS to enjoy a creative pursuit, and what advice would you give people who deal with this kind of illness?

It is critically important for mental health, especially, to find something, anything that one can do if they have CFS.  In my experience, without a craft I’m sure that my emotional well being would be poor.

You see, in my case, having CFS was like going though a grieving process.  I’m not sure that I am totally over it yet, but having to give up a life that was so filled with people and accomplishments is very difficult.  You do grieve over what you once had. 

People with CFS are typically high achievers.  It’s so important that they find that “thing” that they enjoy. 

I’m not sure about advice … I still think I’m figuring my way though understanding CFS myself.  The one thing that has really helped, is … make sure you have a good support system behind you.  You’re going to need it.  There will be days that cleaning the house or doing a load of laundry is too much.  My husband and kids are wonderful and have picked up many of the chores I once did.  My parents and siblings are awesome.

If you don’t have a good support system, find one!  Churches, on-line CFS groups, or a supportive friend can make a huge difference! 

Thanks so much, Annabelle! Your baskets are beautiful, and I really appreciate you taking the time to talk about your experience with CFS.

Here’s a link to Annabelle’s ETSY store, where you can find more of her baskets and other items: http://www.handmadebyannabelle.etsy.com

Read her blog: http://handmadebyannabelle.blogspot.com/

Also at her blog, you can find a checklist to see if you may have CFIDS.  http://handmadebyannabelle.blogspot.com/