Sunday, January 8, 2012

Saying Farewell

Delicious Readers, it's time for me to say good-bye. It may not be forever, but for the foreseeable future, I won't be posting on Delicious as Pie.

The reasons are many, but the biggest reasons? I'm not seeing any return on investment, per se. I haven't gotten any new followers in months and reader comments are virtually non-existent. I average 20 readers a day, but after three years, I'd hoped for more.

Delicious as Pie started out as a fun way to build a "platform". A "platform" is the current buzzword in the writing community that means you have a following. You can be famous. An world-renowned expert. Or a blogger with thousands of followers that will buy your book. Agents/editors can't afford to take a chance on a nobody; they want proof that your book will sell many, many copies.

In the beginning, I dreamed that Delicious as Pie would take off and spread its wings across the world. Even through weeks and weeks of feeling like no one was reading, I kept typing away, hoping and praying that somehow my baby blog would be recognized. Then, when I finally finished my first novel, I could tell the book-buying powers-that-be that yes, my book would sell because I have 10,000 followers waiting with baited breath to buy multiple copies.

That dream has dissipated with this morning's fog.

I understand that my humor is a little wonky and that few (if any) of my posts are typo-free. Maybe these are off-putting to readers. Or maybe people just aren't interested in me and my writing. People are busy and my blog doesn't make the cut into their daily lives. And while I can't say the disappointment doesn't sting a little, it's okay. 

Honestly, the entire endeavor has become a chore, another thing on my to-do list to avoid. I find myself wondering why I should bother when my end goal never gets any closer. So it's time for a sabbatical.

Thanks for sticking with me, Delicious Readers. I have truly appreciated each and every time you've visited.

Love,
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Saturday, December 31, 2011

A few photos to share...

My bday!

Oh no he didn't!! Actually, he did. Hubby gave me a Kindle Fire!

New Year's Eve!

Sunset over the Pacific from Birch Aquarium
Does it get any more gorgeous than this?

Almost gone....
Scott's birthday dessert at Black Angus. Note the other spoon sneaking into the photo. LOL
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I read 70 books this year!!!!





Holy cow, that's alotta books.

Looking back over the ever-lengthening list in the right-hand side bar, I have to say that I enjoyed most of the books, but only truly loved a couple.

What does it take for me to love a book? Truly amazing writing, unique and believable story line and characters that become real, honest-to-goodness people within the first two chapters.

While We're Far ApartHere's an example of great characterization: About half an hour ago, I finished reading While We're Far Apart by Lynn Austin. If I mention too many specifics right now, I'll give away something crucial, so forgive me for not being more verbose. But at one point, upon reading some wonderful news regarding a character, I actually said out loud, "Thank God!" Yes, I praised God for a fictional character. Now if that doesn't represent strong characterization, then I don't know what does.

Okay, so While We're Far Apart is definitely one of my favorites for the year. How else do you explain reading 416 pages in about 32 hours? (Not that it took me 32 straight hours to read it, mind you. I did have to sleep and all. LOL)

I also adore the Rather series by C.A. Belmond and had the pleasure of reading two of them for the first time this year.
Love, Ruby LavenderAs for children's books, one of my very favorites of all time is Love, Ruby Lavender. Seriously, how can you go wrong when the opening scene involves a daytime raid by a grandma and her nine year-old granddaughter on a nearby ranch to rescue three soon-to-be euthanized chickens? Talk about creativity in writing! I love it! (BTW, the author is Deborah Wiles.) Read all her books, you won't be sorry. In fact, you may end up joining me in a daytime raid on her house to demand more, more, more!!!

I just glanced back through my list of Books Read and don't see any others that I feel compelled to write about. So there. Just wait till I get my own novel published. Then all of you Delicious Readers will feel your own deep compulsion to write about how wonderful it is! ROFLOL!
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Our 2011 ABC list...

If you've been reading Delicious as Pie for any length of time at all, you know that I inject creativity into just about everything I do. So when it comes to the annual Christmas letter, I can't just dash of a few paragraphs, can I?

Nope.

Instead I write the D___ Family's ABCs of 2011 (or whatever year we happen to be finishing). Now I can't take complete credit for the ABC's. I have to get the family involved so that if anything significant is forgotten, it's not my fault alone! (LOL)

And so, Delicious Readers, here are the D___ family alphabetical highlights from 2011!!!


Awarded! Scott received 2 Hustle Awards and a Regional Outstanding Engineer Award
Bronze Award (Girl Scouts)—Emma made blankets for Project Linus to earn this award
Confirmed at church in May—Hayley
Disney the Dog (a sheepadoodle) is our newest family member
Emma made Honor Roll and ATC (Above the Crowd) in her first trimester of middle school!
Finding Truth is Kate’s first novel. She finished it in October and is now looking to publish it.
Girl Scouts! Hayley and Emma are both in a multi-level troop which Kate leads.
Hayley started high school this year and loves it! She, too, made the Honor Roll!
In July, Emma went to church camp for a week and Hayley went camping with friends.
      January found Kate in Chicago visiting two of her BFFs for a few days   
Kate manages the middle school student store
Long drive up north three times this year to spend time with Kate’s family to celebrate brother Will’s 40th, Matthew’s baptism and Thanksgiving
Music in the house—Hayley continues to delight us with her piano playing
November was National Novel Writers Month—Kate wrote 50K words and Hayley wrote 20K
Oh what joy to find a 100% hypoallergenic dog!
Presidential Award for Academic Excellence—Emma received this award last June
Quite the trip—Hayley spent 5 days in Philly, NYC and DC with her eighth grade class in April
Regarding said trip, Hayley raised almost $800 with her card-making business to help pay for it
Sea kayaking—Scott and Kate tried this in La Jolla Cove. So fun!
TV-Emma made her TV debut while singing with her school choir this year
Upgraded (for free) to the Presidential Suite at the Hollywood Marriott—3200 sq. feet of fancy!
Visitors: Barbara, Ken, Will, Gillian, Sophia, Melanie and Gabrielle
Wicked—Hayley saw her first Broadway show in NYC
    Xciting that Disney graduated from Puppy Training 1! (And he, too, made the Honor Roll(over)!(Hahahaha!)
     Year’s favorite book (according to Kate): Love, Ruby Lavender
     Zowie! We saved thousands of dollars this year by couponing


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HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Can't believe the year is turning over already. Did it just do that like two months ago? LOL

I hope all of you have a deliciously safe, happy and productive 2012!
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