K.M. Creamer – Page 3 – Karen Creamer Author, Coach, Speaker

Anita Shreve in Kennebunk

August 19, 2016August 19, 2016 by Karen, posted in author, books, Brave books, local fun, writing

I had the great good luck to find out about Anita Shreve‘s talk at RiverTree Center for the Arts last evening in time to actually go. What a good thing that my husband, unlike me, actually reads the newspaper we buy every Thursday.

I have had the opportunity to hear her talk once before, years ago, but this is the first time since I published my own book, so I was especially interested in hearing about her process.
I wasn’t disappointed. She talked about how inspiration for her novels comes together from different areas of her life and then explodes into an idea in her mind. It was fascinating to hear exactly how she turned this into The Weight of Water, perhaps her favorite of her own books. Many of you may know that this book also became a movie, and she told us about how exciting that was for her (even if they did change the ending!).

The experience of The Pilot’s Wife being an Oprah pick (and which also was made into a movie) was also discussed. Anita is very honest in giving her thoughts and feelings about her books and her writing and I’m certain this is just one thing that makes her such a wonderful writer.

But my favorite thing she talked about was how, at various times throughout her writing career, she has worried, “What would my kids think if they read this?” How validating for me to hear that I am in such good writer-ly company! My own book would have been published years ago if I hadn’t had that self-sabotaging thought.

No more worrying about what other people, family included, might think about my writing. I am taking Anita’s advice. I am writing for myself.
Thanks, Anita.

NOTE: Anita Shreve has written (I believe) at least 18 books. Her new book, The Stars are Fire, will be available in April, 2017. I can’t wait!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The BRAVE Interview #1 August 2016: Kathy Eliscu

August 7, 2016December 31, 2016 by Karen, posted in books, Interviews, no fear, The BRAVE Interviews, writing

Hello and welcome to my new series: The BRAVE Interviews! It’s the Who, What, When, Where, How, (and sometimes Why) of YOUR ‘one brave thing’!

We are kicking off the series with Kathy Eliscu, author of the wonderful book, Not Even Dark Chocolate Can Fix This Mess.

So, let’s get started-

Me and Kathy at Falmouth Library — Me and Kathy at the Falmouth Library, 2016.

WHO are you? A: I’m Kathy Eliscu. I’m a retired RN (from an injury) and have been writing freelance columns for decades. I have a 7-year-long running humor column in Maine called “Lightly Roasted” and am the author of the humor novel “Not Even Dark Chocolate Can Fix This Mess.”

WHAT is your One Brave Thing (so far!!) for 2016? A: I had been scheduled for a brief reading from my book but asked if I could share some of my “serious” unpublished material and was given the go-ahead.

WHEN did you do it? A: This was in May of this year.

WHERE did it occur? A: At the Local Buzz in Cape Elizabeth, Maine.

HOW did you make it happen? A: Well…I opened my big mouth and asked.

WHY did you do it? A: I’ve been working on some serious material for a couple of years but felt very insecure about it. I wanted to push myself to try it out. It just seemed like the right time to take a chance. And I got very good feedback on it, so now I feel I have the impetus to continue to do this kind of work as well as humor writing.

Thank you so much, Kathy!

Kathy’s wonderful book (which I read and loved!) is available on her website: kathyeliscu.com and at Amazon.com.

*P.S. Sorry! I am not sure who took the above picture!

BOOK REVIEW: Come Running When I Call by Kimberly Sue McGlaughlin

August 5, 2016August 5, 2016 by Karen, posted in author, book reviews, books, writing

I met the author, Kim, when I first started going to the Community Market of the Kennebunks on Saturdays.

I just finished reading her book, Come Running When I Call, a memoir about a girl and her horse.

You know, the horse.

But don’t think you have to be a girl who loves horses to enjoy this book–although if you are, you certainly will!

Anyone who loves reading memoir will enjoy this story of how Kim learns about herself and her own strength and limits as she learns to love and care for her horse, Trixie.

One fascinating part for me was when Kim describes her tenth birthday, from what she wore to what she ate to what was said that day. So impressive! I have a photo of myself on my tenth birthday, but only because I had a party with friends invited, a very unusual occurrence in my family. Even though I have the photo somewhere, I still can’t remember what the heck I was wearing that day…

The author also describes the difficult years growing up with a father who possessed a big, unpredictable temper. Many of us can relate to living in a home where you feel like you are walking on eggshells much of the time.

What is great about this story is that it shows how even a little girl with no money can set an intention for what she wants, and then the universe starts conspiring to deliver it to her. Like the little boy who wants a bike in the movie, The Secret, what she needs starts showing up. She finds people to teach her how to take care of her horse. She finds ways to earn the money that she needs to buy her horse.

Amazing.

Enjoy the story!

If you are local, you can come to The Community Market of the Kennebunks most Saturdays to buy your copy and get it signed by the author! Or click on the name of the book (above) to find it on Amazon.com.

If you come to the market and want another great book to read, stop by my table to take a look at One Brave Thing!

As an aside, if you are not familiar with the movie, The Secret, here’s a link to watch it for free:

BOOK REVIEW: The Rare Pearl by Jennifer W. Smith

August 3, 2016August 3, 2016 by Karen, posted in author, books, writing

Get ready for a wild ride through the ocean to another realm. In this exciting book, The Rare Pearl, by Jennifer W. Smith, Harmony Parker gets pulled out of her everyday life and plunked down in the middle of another world. The opening scene sparks a dozen questions right away , as well as a little fear. A little, but not too much, which is important to me as a reader. I like a little tension and mystery, but I don’t want to be terrorized. Harmony hits the ground running, experiencing a birth and a death almost as soon as she arrives. She also has a recurring dream that expands a bit more every time she has it, giving her (and us) some clues to a tragic event in her past.

Random (fun!) notes from the book:

The “Wicked cool!” (p20) resonated with the New Englander in me.
When the author talks about the meaning of Harmony’s name (p34), it made me want to look up the meaning of my own name. So I did: it means ‘pure’.
There is a character named Lynn (p34). I had to stop to take a picture of that passage and email it to my friend Lynn. 🙂
This quote about the ocean air (p56): “One deep breath was all she needed before a sense of calm washed over her.” Me. That sums up the essence of me, right there in that quote. Isn’t it amazing when someone else writes a sentence that is all about you?

Here is a preview of The Rare Pearl on YouTube:

You know that feeling you get when a great book ends and you feel a little lost? A pang of regret? Well, relax! This book is Book 1 of a series! Book 2 is The Forsaken Pearl , which will be out in September 2016. I can’t wait!

Check out my friend Jennifer’s website here: http://www.jenniferwsmith.com/

Also, if you want to read another good book, consider checking out my book, One Brave Thing!

Top 10 reasons to attend The New England Authors Expo

July 29, 2016July 29, 2016 by Karen, posted in author, books, Brave books, friends, Life's too short to read bad books

I went to The New England Authors Expo this week at The Danversport Yacht Club in (you guessed it) Danvers, MA. It was a hot summer day, and I was hopeful that the masses would like to get out of the hot sun and into the cool a/c, but not a whole lot did. The good news is that the readers who did make the effort to attend were amazing! We all appreciate it so much (thank you Robin, Sheila, Chrissy and Scott!) when our friends come out to support our writing!

I also am so blessed to have the support of my family. My husband, Bill, and my daughter, Izzy, spent the entire day with me, helping me get set up, keeping me fed and watered, and helping me connect with readers (yep; still shy). My son, Anthony, encourage me from afar via technology. Thank you so much!

Plus I made several new friends and met many terrific writers. I love how my book, One Brave Thing, has connected me to so many other people (and books!) that I might never have known otherwise.

I am loving every minute of this!

Maybe you should come to the next Expo.

Top 10 Reasons to Attend the Next New England Authors Expo:

You will learn a lot.
Your isolated writer-ly life will be broken open.
Colleagues! You have them! They are at The Expo! (Jennifer Davies, Jennifer W. Smith)
Attend panel discussions! You will always learn at least new thing. I took pages of notes that I am looking forward to reviewing (Hello, free time? It’s Karen. I miss you…).
See what your fellow authors are doing to market their writing.
Show other authors what YOU are doing to market YOUR writing.
Get cool author swag (Check out the photo above)!
Learn some new social media strategies–and what to avoid doing.
You can offer to trade books (and reviews!) with other authors and then you have some excellent reads for the near future!

And the top 10 reason is:

10. You will have so much fun!!! 🙂

I came away from this event so inspired with ideas on how to market my book and to help my readers. I received an invitation to a free online webinar (note to self: register for free online webinar!), so the learning continues even once you get home. I met Gayle C. Heney, who talked to me about her program Write Now. I received an invitation to be on Be My Guest!, a program for writers hosted by Jan Lewis (stay tuned for details as the become available).

Inspiration? It’s a wonderful thing!

Here is a video from an Authors Expo from years past, to give you a flavor of what it’s like:

BOOK REVIEW: A Couple by Peter Raymond UPDATED

July 21, 2016August 4, 2016 by Karen, posted in author, books, Brave books, family, Grace, local fun, my one word

There are so many wonderful books that have come into my life as a result of my book, One Brave Thing.

This book, a couple by Peter Raymond, I discovered at the Kennebunk Community Market. I brought it home and stood it up on my kitchen table. I then began emptying my car of all the flotsam and jetsam from my author table at the market (note to self: streamline this author table deconstruction process already).

My daughter came in and right away she made a bee-line for the book. “What’s this?” she said, and then plopped herself down in a chair and began reading it. “It’s a picture book,” I said.

“It’s a nice book,” she said.

I stopped what I was doing and sat down to read it with her.
There is a picture that includes the word “GRACE“, which is ‘my one word’ this year. That got my attention right away. It felt like a sign that I was supposed to be reading this book, at this time, with my daughter. Next, I saw a picture of a heron. Hello? I have been seeing the heron everywhere lately. When you see a symbol of any kind repeatedly, that means there is a message there for you.

I’ll stop there, because I don’t want to tell you the entire book before you get to read it yourself! Come to the Kennebunk Community Market and get your own copy!

UPDATE: Peter’s work is also available at his online shop here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/peterraymondimages

SPOTLIGHT ON: Nonesuch Books, Biddeford ME

July 15, 2016July 15, 2016 by Karen, posted in author, books, Crystals, local fun, shopping

There is a great book store in Biddeford: Nonesuch Books. They have books for sale, of course, both new and used. They also have a lot of interesting magazines along the left side wall of the store, complete with strategically placed chairs, to aid and abet your magazine perusal.

🙂

What you might not know is how many other cool things they sell.

Some of the best little greeting cards I’ve ever seen; I buy them in lots.
Himalayan Salt Lamps! At a very good price!
Lots of wind chimes and prisms!
Engraved stones…I found one with myoneword for 2016 on it! Grace!
Tarot card decks! As if you can ever have enough of those…
Stonewall Kitchen products!
Candles!
Chocolate!

And of course, the best thing they sell is my book, One Brave Thing! I stopped by last night and they still have 2 copies left.

Just sayin’.

Selling my books at the Kennebunk Community Market

July 9, 2016July 9, 2016 by Karen, posted in author, books, Brave books, friends, local fun

Today was my debut at the Kennenbunk Community Market at The Waterhouse Center. I picked a good day to start: high 50’s (Hello, July? It’s me, Karen. Where are you? I miss you!), with rain and wind. And just like at the Saco River Farmers Market, I had to ask a fellow vendor to help me get my tablet open (thanks, Peter!). {Note to self: really do practice doing this before the next market!!!}

photo credit: Patti Austin — Me with my book, ONE BRAVE THING, at the Kennebunk Community Market, photo taken by my friend, Patti Austin

Freezing cold, rain, wind…I know, right? Great weather for books.

Fortunately, this market is covered.

Also, you can pull your car right up to the center to unload your stuff, and then go park and come back. There are bathrooms. II heard a rumor that usually there is a food truck that has great sandwiches right next door, which I will have to investigate next week because, sadly, it was absent today.

But I am going again next week! I want to see what it’s like when the weather is more, you know…conducive. When it’s not freezing cold with driving rain.

(Is that wrong?)

My friend Patti stopped by and took this wonderful picture of me (above) today. My friend Jane stopped by to bring me a much-needed third cup of coffee. I made some new friends today, too! I had some great conversations with the people who stopped by my table. I got a couple of ideas of new spins on the marriage topic to write about.

I made some reminder notes for things to bring next time, just like I did at my last book sale in Saco, but this time, I’m going to actually read them before I go again.

Learning from others

July 8, 2016July 8, 2016 by Karen, posted in (it's all about the) food, Animals and pets, author, Brave books, local fun, writing

I went to the Kennebunk Community Market a few weeks ago, and I saw another author selling her books. Hello? Great idea! She was very kind and answered all of my (zillions of) questions about how she got started and such.

I loved how she set up her table, how visually appealing it was, and spent several minutes admiring it. I am always looking for ideas for how to arrange my books and paraphernalia, and I take my inspiration where I find it.

This is Kimberly Sue McLaughlin, author of Come Running When I Call. I know this book is about a girl and her horse (because I talked with the author and read the cover!) but I haven’t yet read it myself. It is on my list! I love reading books by local authors, especially those that I’ve met.

You’ll know when I’ve finished reading it because I will post a review of the book right here on my blog.

You don’t have to wait for that though! You can come down to the Kennebunk Community Market on Saturday morning and buy your own copy, signed for you by the author! While you are there, stop by my table, where I will be selling and signing my book, One Brave Thing!

P.S. I will have chocolate. 🙂

I give it three months

July 3, 2016July 3, 2016 by Karen, posted in He and me, love and marriage, Marriage, relationships

When my husband and I first became interested in each other, I wasn’t all in. I thought he was too good-looking, and that we’d have fun for a while, and then he’d get tired of me. Where did I get this idea? Oh, from many (many, many) of my past relationships.

Me: “I give it 3 months, and then you’ll be on to your next girlfriend.”

He: “No way! That’s not going to happen!”

Me (to myself): Yeah, right.

Anyway, now, there have been one hundred three months. He encouraged me to take the leap, and we got married 25 years ago. This is a picture that my brother took of me and Bill in 2014 when we renewed our vows to each other at St Ann’s Episcopal Church.

Does it look familiar? It might if you’ve seen my book! Pat took a lot of photos that day, one of which I used for the cover of One Brave Thing.

So, it just goes to prove that sometimes, if you trust what you’re feeling, everything will work out okay.

🙂