This week, I'm reviving the Friday Five where I briefly detail five things I've learned about life this week. 1. We learn to laugh in stages. I didn't know this was part of human development, but we actually don't laugh all at once! Right now, when I tickle George's belly, he gives off a couple grunts. He's not at the "peals of laughter" stage. It's hilarious…
December. My baby’s four month anniversary. Christmas rush. Maternal exhaustion. Guilt has no place here. It’s really the last thing I need. Outside my home, the frost sheaths the brave blades of grass that raise their heads. Inside my home, Christmas lights offer no warmth as I weep and share two huge, aching desires in my heart: to be a mother to my beautiful son and…
I surface. I blink in the watery, clear light of autumn. I cradle a small warm bundle of life in my arms and hear him cry for attention, love, and food. The reason for my long absence from this blog was the birth of my son, George Liam Stephens. He arrived early on August 1st, and my life has turned head over heels: In love. In…
The candles glowed on the tables, the voices of the guests rose and fell in excited conversation and laughter, and I sat a few feet away, gripping a glass of cold root beer for strength to face what I had worked so long to achieve. It's happened. I've officially finished my second novel. The wax seal has been formed by this crowd of people coming together…
My friends, The long-anticipated moment is here! Forecast is now available to order on Amazon and Barnes & Noble in both print and ebook format! I will be shouting this exciting news from the rooftops, and if you want to help me shout it, too I don't mind! Feel free to tell your friends, post the news on Facebook or Twitter or wherever you already are…
For those of you who enjoy hearing stories read out loud, I've video-recorded myself reading an excerpt from Forecast. This was fun. I very well might do more of these. (Video length is five minutes.)
“Where do you get your ideas?” The questioner lowers his raised hand, glad that I called on him. His eager eyes are glowing. I say something about song lyrics and scraps of conversation that have sparked story ideas for me. But, just once, I’d like to answer: Well, there’s this special access pass to the Great Ideas Warehouse that they give you when you graduate with…
I wrote a guest post that Forever Young Adult picked up for their SmartyPants column. Since I have two twin siblings at the core of my new novel, Forecast, I thought an exploration of other sibling relationships in young adult literature would be fun. I picked two of my favorites: Katniss and Prim from The Hunger Games trilogy and Sam and Patrick from The Perks of…
My second novel is on its way to seeing print! Today I'm sharing an excerpt from the novel. It introduces Calvin and Cleo Forsyth, my main characters who are twins. I'm also unveiling Forecast's beautiful front cover to you, my blog readers, before the greater world-at-large gets to see it. Enjoy! -Elise Forecast Cover: EXCERPT: “The drawer needed breaking,” Calvin assured Cleo as he spread…
“It’s amazing how the cheesy quotes we say in my twelve-step program are actually profound, if you think about them.” My friend smiles sheepishly at me after saying this in the café where we sit together. The phrase floats between us. One day at a time. Ha. Easier said than done. If I were honest, I’d say I try to live a week’s worth of life…