Author: L. A. Lewandowski

Lois Lewandowski graduated from Rutgers University with a degree in Political Science and French Literature. A passion for life lived well is reflected in her novels, Born to Die-The Montauk Murders, A Gourmet Demise, and My Gentleman Vampire, giving readers a glimpse into the world of the beau monde. Lois lives in Tampa, Florida. Learn more at her lifestyle blog, and her Amazon author page.

Fairy Tales Do Come True

My prized set of “My Book House”

“There is always one moment in childhood when the door opens and lets the future in.” —   Graham Greene

My daughter doesn’t live at home anymore, so I have been in the process of converting her bedroom into an office. This has been a major undertaking, (girls have a lot of stuff), but a necessary one. It is impossible to write coherently in an open and shared space where the cone of silence cannot descend. As I write this weekly post, it is pouring rain outside my window, soaking everything in sight, including the wild turkey pecking at the sodden grass. It reminded me that when I was a child, these were the days I loved to read.

What can a writer keep in their workspace that inspires them? In my case I couldn’t bring anything INTO the room until I removed eighteen years of accumulation. After the cleanout was nearly complete, I decided to move something very precious into my new private space, something that means the world to me. My collection of “My Book House” now sits in pride of place, serving as a daily reminder of the first important discoveries in the journey of this writer. It is, I sometimes think, why I am who I am. Continue reading “Fairy Tales Do Come True”

Listen and Learn

"I can't hear you!"

“When did you ever learn anything when you were talking?” – Tom Welsh

It’s 11:24 at night and I’m rewriting my post after reading one by a colleague. Do great minds think alike? Yes, I believe this is true. Moreover, it is entirely possible that the active discussions encouraged here at Indies Unlimited have spurred action for and against certain organizations. Freedom of speech is alive and kicking at Indies Unlimited!

So, what should I write about? That’s easy. Listening, observing, and researching are three skills crucial to personal and professional success. These skills are particularly important to newbie authors as you wade through the white noise around you. If you don’t listen carefully, observe the interactions of peers, and research before you make critical decisions you may find yourself surrounded by naysayers and scam artists.

Newbies have one definite advantage over some tenured writers. Since we don’t know how “it” used to be, we don’t approach every change with fear. We’re open to what’s new because we have no past to draw from. It is an entirely different perspective. Continue reading “Listen and Learn”

Body Parts

I am more than my eyes alone.

“Smooth and smiling faces everywhere, but ruin in their eyes.” – Jean-Paul Sartre

I did not plan on starting this week’s post about eyes. Eyes may be the windows of the soul, but how do you describe your character’s eyes or facial expression without being cliché?  A book I recently finished repeated the same phrase over and over again – “his smile never reached his eyes”. Yes, we can figure out that this person is not genuine. But, what other body parts can we use to gain insight into our character’s motivation, career opportunities, pride or self-esteem? Let’s start with a story about feet.

When we moved to Florida from New Jersey I was disappointed to realize that I could no longer indulge my habit of checking out what kind of shoes people were wearing. I love shoes. Many people in Florida don’t wear shoes – they wear flip-flops. It can be 35 degrees, and they’ll be in flip-flops. And, sadly, for some of them it doesn’t matter to them what their feet look like. Continue reading “Body Parts”

My Hormones Made Me Do It – Encore

Our L.A. Lewandwoski needed the day off, so for your reading pleasure, here’s an encore of her post “My Hormones Made Me Do It”.

Hormones. You can’t live with too many, and you can’t live without enough. Yes, my friend, without the proper hormone balance you will curl up like the feet of the Wicked Witch of the West when Dorothy removed the Ruby Slippers. Hormones are fascinating little buggers, and incredibly useful to the premenstrual writer. Sit back and enjoy the scene below as written by a woman in the grips of estrogen dominance.

I am the White Ninja.

One evening I sat at the kitchen table and watched my husband walk around the pool surveying his kingdom. Suddenly, I detested him and was determined to arrest his ability to suck in oxygen that should have rightly been mine. I imagined myself as a White Ninja, creeping stealthily up behind him, unsheathing the gleaming weapon I had sharpened only that morning. He turned, eyes widening as the swoosh of my sword smoothly sliced across his neck, decapitating him. It was a clean and perfect cut. His head bounced twice landing in the pool, the crimson clouds spreading smoothly like crimson cumulus clouds. Continue reading “My Hormones Made Me Do It – Encore”