Easter Lilies: "They tasted of hope and life."

An Excerpt From The Novel "Irish Twins" For You on this Easter Sunday.

“I took my mother’s outstretched hand and we moved through the wall of windows and across the expanse of lawn toward the long, narrow pier reaching out to the waters of Mitten Lake. Behind us, my father and my sister stood on the deck and waved. We passed the plot of rich soil where I first saw my father toiling with a small spade in his hand, digging holes and planting bulbs. As we drifted by, one-by-one, white, trumpet-shaped lilies shot up. Their sweet fragrance permeated the air.

I filled myself with their beauty. They tasted of hope and of life. “Michael brought me lilies just like those every Easter Sunday.”

—Irish Twins, Chapter 20, page 235

He is Risen. He is Risen indeed. 

Happy Easter to all.

Mom Would Have Been 92 Today

About this time last year I was writing the last chapter of a novel, Irish Twins, in which the main character, Anne Shields, was en route to peace and resolution. Anne had lived in my head for many, many months steering the vehicle that drove my creativity.

This character was easy for me to visualize and to hear, for she had the voice of my mother. Not only did I hear her very clearly, but I also listened to everything she said. Just as I had listened to my actual mother when she was still alive. My mom was the quiet type—she didn’t say much—so when she did offer an opinion, it carried a lot of weight.

My mom died when she was 80. Today she would have been 92.

On January 20^th each year, I hold her very close; however, there’s rarely a day that goes by when I don’t wonder what my mom would have thought. Shortly after she died it took me several months to stop picking up the telephone and dialing the first digits of her number whenever I wanted to share something. Then, years down the road I had the idea to write the story, Irish Twins, from her perspective. Creating a fictional version of her and her being in the afterlife, allowed me, for a time, to visit with her daily and imagine her answers and her opinions. It was a wonderful exercise in keeping her alive—honoring her life by giving what I knew about her to a fictional character and keeping her close.

So again, about this time last year when I finished the story, it was a bittersweet experience. Of course, I was delighted to type the words “The End” at the bottom of the manuscript, but I was completely unprepared for the immediate flood of grief that filled my senses. It was like saying goodbye to her all over again.

A friend of mine named Mike just lost his mother on Tuesday. I wish I didn’t know what he’s going through, but I do. I’ve witnessed many friends lose a parent over the past 12 years (in the time I not only lost my mom, but also my dad) and it’s the same for all of us. It’s painful and it’s difficult. But because of their deaths, we learn even more about the value of life and, what I believe is our duty to live well.

Today, however, I don’t focus upon my mother’s death. I focus on her life and the beautiful woman she was and will always be in my head. And all is well.

“Nothing is hurt; nothing is lost. One brief moment and all will be as it was before. How we shall laugh at the trouble of parting when we meet again!” —Henry Scott Holland

AUTHOR MICHELE COZZENS IS LIVING HER DREAM LIFE….

November 9, 2010
in Author/ Celebrity Interviews
By Laurel-Rain Snow

Michele Cozzens - Author, Business Owner, Jewelry Designer

Today I’d like to welcome an award-winning author whose latest book, Irish Twins, is unique, mystical, and a real page-turner.  Michele Cozzens truly has lived a dream life, so I am thrilled to have her join us here.

1. Michele, I have now read three of your published books, and each one is so unique. What inspires your stories?

First of all, thank you for reading my stories. It may sound odd but sometimes I get so close to the work while writing, I lose sight of the idea that someone outside of my head will be reading. As far as what inspires me, I think it can best be described as a trigger. My first novel, A Line Between Friends, was triggered by a cryptic note I once received from a long-term friend, who—without explanation—asked me to stop all contact. In order to honor his request, I didn’t contact him to ask why. Instead I made up two fictional characters and handed over the scenario to them. Even though I definitely rewrote history to a large degree, and found myself relating more to the man than the woman, the experience was quite therapeutic . . . and fun.

A hilarious bunko group triggered my second novel, It’s Not Your Mother’s Bridge Club. I was part of this group for years and reveled in their humor and their drama. As I simultaneously raised two daughters, I couldn’t help but reflect on the evolution of female friendships/relationships from elementary school to middle age. Our group no longer meets due to a variety of circumstances (mostly life getting in the way), so I’m glad I have this little piece of evidence that a group like this once existed.

As far as my newest novel, Irish Twins, is concerned, because I am an Irish Twin and I have an extraordinary sister, I have always wanted to write a sister story based on our lives. The trigger, however, was my mother’s death. Writing this story from what I imagined to be my mother’s point of view, once again proved to be a very cathartic method of dealing with my grief over losing her.


2. In Irish Twins, you describe an interesting phenomenon—the afterlife as a transitional place, but different from “purgatory.” Can you share how you created this place?

I grew up as a member of the Catholic Church. Just as there are prayers, psalms and 1970s guitar mass hymns I will never forget, there are also catechismal concepts deeply embedded in my psyche. Purgatory is one of them. Regardless, I don’t think I ever truly understood this so-called “in-between” or “judgment” place. As I created the in-between place for my narrator in Irish Twins, Anne, I used everything I’d learned as a child—and asked other grown-up Catholics for their interpretations. Ultimately I created “Ohr.” Ohr, which is the Hebrew word for “light,” is the place where Anne spends most of her time in this story as she reviews and judges her life. By the way, in choosing a Hebrew word, I purposefully wanted to blur religious lines, and stress my belief that God created us in His image; however, man created religion, and in this place, religion did not exist. What I ultimately propose in telling the story of Anne and her family is that faith and love are the strongest and most universally important concepts.

3. Was there an individual who inspired the character of Anne Shields in Irish Twins?

Yes. My mother. The story begins with the death of Anne, who is not only an Irish Twin, but also the mother of Irish Twins. I describe, as I know it to have happened, the exact way my mother died, which was while water-skiing at the age of 80. When she was still alive, my mom was rather tight-lipped. She didn’t share a lot with us about her personal history. I was an inquisitive child and was often disappointed with her choices to not only not answer my many questions, but to also assure me I had no business asking them in the first place. So, like I did by telling the story of Joel and Noelle in A Line Between Friends, I made up a history based on a few things I actually did know about my mother’s life. I think it’s important to note that I did this with a great deal of love and respect. Throughout the process, I liked to believe that my mother was channeling the voice of Anne to me from that in-between place.

4. Are you currently working on another book? If so, what can you share about it?

I have ideas for two books: a novel about youth soccer and another non-fiction book about the business of being an inn-keeper, which would essentially be a sequel to my first book, I’m Living Your Dream Life: The Story of a Northwoods Resort Owner. I’ve got notes on each and a lot swimming around in my brain, but technically, I haven’t begun writing either one. Right now I’m heavily focused on my teenagers and their many needs.

5. What is your typical writing day like?

My most creative and productive period of time begins the moment I get out of bed in the morning. When I’m in the middle of a novel, I’m lucky to have a very supportive husband who gets the kids rolling and out the door to school. I tend to work in snippets throughout the day, and I pace A LOT, particularly after an idea or sentence comes to me. Movement stimulates me. So does the shower. I often jump in the shower when I’m stuck and inevitably, the words or where I want to go with the story/characters come to me. I have a lovely office; however, I’ve been known to cart my laptop to other spots in the house—next to the fireplace or to the place we call the “Arizona room.” On nice days, and there are many here in Tucson, I work outside. Something else I do, and have done with each of my books, is spend time between writing sessions with my husband or a girlfriend working out and sharing ideas. I’ve found that when I return to my computer, a lot of the conversation finds its way into the work. It takes the notion of working in a vacuum out of the process. Once the kids are home from school, I’m primarily in mom mode, which usually involves driving them to some kind of sporting practice or cleaning up some kind of mess.

6. I know that you divide your time between two unique homes. Which one is your favorite space for creating?

How I wish I had time to “create” while spending summers in the Northwoods of Wisconsin. It’s such a beautiful, inspiring place, where my husband and I take pride in having created a unique family business (Sandy Point Resort, the world’s first disc golf resort). In the future, after our kids are out of high school, I hope to spend more time there, and certainly more time writing there. For now, however, Tucson is where I write and design and create my jewelry line. It’s simply a matter of having the time when I’m away from running the business.

7. From your website, I have learned that you once had a career in journalism. Would you share your journey to your current writing experiences?

Sure. I learned to write at an early age, and I believe it’s a skill I’ll have for as long as I’m lucid and my fingers remain free of arthritis. I received my first journal (actually, a “Five Year Diary”) on my ninth birthday and that’s when I began recording my life. Journalism was a natural course of study for me in college. After working as a reporter, feature writer and editor, my ultimate goal was to be a newspaper columnist. (I had a thing for Anna Quindlen and not only read her NY Times column, but all of her books, non-fiction collections and novels). After I achieved that goal while living in the San Francisco Bay area, life threw me a curve ball. I married a professional disc golfer, became one myself and left my journalism career behind to create the world’s first disc golf resort. I, however, never stopped writing. Ten years into our life at Sandy Point Resort, I’d answered the question, “How did you do it?” and heard the words, “You’re living my dream life,” many, many times. Then when a national magazine, (Midwest Living) published an article featuring our story, our phone rang non-stop. Interestingly, the callers weren’t inquiring about reservations. Almost all wanted to know how we went from being a couple California-based yuppies to living a life on Golden Pond. Mind you, they were calling on our toll-free line and phone expenses really added up! I’d answered so many of the same questions so many times, the book I’m Living Your Dream Life practically wrote itself. I found an interested publisher (McKenna Publishing Group) very quickly and this book, published in 2002, continues to sell quite well for them. My relationship with McKenna is so strong, I give them a first look at everything I write and they have published a new book every two years during the past decade.

8. Do you have any favorite journalistic adventures that you can describe for us?

I had many adventures while working as an editor in San Francisco for a publication that focused on tourism, meetings and conventions. When you write or assign hotel and property reviews, the hotel sales teams roll out the red carpets. So, not only did I get to sleep in luxurious, oceanside suites, I also played golf, took hot air balloon rides, ate lavish meals and had just a few spa treatments. Let’s just say, I didn’t mind the perks and did my best to present objective and informative property reviews.

9. What can you share about your family life?

Well, I just turned 50 and along with my husband of 21 years, I’m raising two teenage girls. Let’s just say family life is VERY hormonal. The one question I’m often asked is about whether or not our girls give us any trouble over moving back-and-forth between the desert and the Northwoods. They do not. Both Willow, 15, and Camille, 13, love spending summers at the lake, and they have a lot of friends there as well. Also, they’re both at an age where they can be helpful running the family business. Each makes a substantial contribution. We’re a tightly knit unit and definitely enjoy being together, especially when we’re active athletically. If I were given a choice of doing anything exciting or interesting on any given day or night, my first choice would always be to be with Mike and the girls.

10. Most people enjoy reading about a writer’s journey to publication of that first book. What can you tell us about that experience?

I may have answered this question previously; however, what I didn’t say is that I went about finding a publisher in what I felt was a realistic manner. Having worked as an editor and experienced the “slush pile” of queries, proposals and resumes for staff positions, I understood how difficult it is to stand out and be noticed. I therefore looked for a small publisher who was actually in acquisition mode. This is how I found McKenna Publishing Group. The rest was just luck. The editor who read my manuscript liked a crack I made about how only Catholics tend to go to church on Sunday while on vacation (he married a Catholic and found that to be true) and told me years after the publication of I’m Living Your Dream Life that after reading this line, he knew he’d publish the book no matter what the rest of it contained.

The other thing I’d like to stress is that after you have the good fortune to find a publisher willing to shell out the money to publish your material, the difficult part truly begins. I have found it far easier to get my work published than to get it read. Unless you’ve got major connections or are a celebrity with a tell-all book, it’s highly unlikely your book will sell enough copies to pay the monthly electric bill. This is why I’m so very grateful to people like you, Laurel-Rain, and the massive and supportive writing community on the World Wide Web, who have helped me spread the word about my books. I’ve met writers and authors from around the world and have developed valuable friendships.

11. I know that you have a blog and also network on Facebook. What marketing efforts work best for you?

I try not to saturate my blog or Facebook with marketing efforts, because my guess is people find that boring. No one likes a boastful self-promoter; however, if we don’t promote our work, who will? I have to admit, with a wry smile on my 50-year-old face, that on my birthday I posted my birthday wishes, which were to have “ Respectful, HEALTHY and well-behaved children; Political and World Peace; and For everyone who reads this to go straight to amazon.com and buy a copy of Irish Twins. I’m happy to report that my marketing effort worked and there was a brief spike in sales. Hey, whatever works, right?

12. The Dames love animals … do you have any pets?

Oh yes indeed. Her name is Cinco (because she is the fifth member of our family) and I absolutely adore this little six-pound, longhaired Chihuahua. Previous dogs in my life were all huge—labradors, huskies and hybrid wolves. I never imagined myself to be a lapdog kind of girl. Boy was I wrong. And P.S. She loves ME best. It’s because I’m the MOM.

How Does it Feel to Get a Glowing Book Review?

The review of my new novel begins: “This is one of the best books I’ve read in ages.”

Reading a sentence like this brings on the exhale . . . the sigh of relief I dare say every author (who reads her reviews) experiences when a good one appears in print. Today I was honored to receive a glowing book review of Irish Twins from renowned journalist, celebrity interviewer and author, Betty Dravis. 

Dravis is a not only a top reviewer for Amazon.com, but she also has a very public persona with a multitude of websites and connections. Many know her as one of the most supportive and loved author advocates on the World Wide Web. Having her first take time to read your book, and then formulate a detailed, thoughtful and positive review is enough to make you believe maybe—just maybe—your book is pretty darn good after all!

Here is a link to her full-length review: BETTY DRAVIS LOVES IRISH TWINS

When I have the opportunity to speak to or communicate with other authors, the subject of reviews often comes up. A few years ago I wrote to the New York Times Bestselling humor author Laurie Notaro and asked her to review the ARC of my Bunko book (It’s Not Your Mother’s Bridge Club) for a cover blurb. She said no. But she also said she knew who I was, and that’s because I had reviewed a few of her books. “Oh, I know who you are,” she said, indicating she recognized my name from a few Spotlight Reviews of her books on Amazon.com. She continued: “ . . . And any author who tells you she doesn’t read the reviews is lying!”

Last Spring as a volunteer at the Tucson Festival of Books, I spent time with two authors, Barbara Samuel O’Neal (author of some thirty books) and Cassandra King (best-selling author and wife of author, Pat Conroy). I asked them both about whether or not they read their reviews.

“Only the good ones that my agent tells me to read,” quipped Samuel.

King, on the other hand, didn’t exactly answer the question. Instead she repeated advice she received from her famous husband, author of well-known works such as The Prince of Tides and The Great Santini. “Early in my writing career,” she said, “my husband told me that only a masochist would read reviews posted on Amazon.com.”

My five published books have received both good and bad reviews and I’ve matured enough as an author to know that taking them for what they’re worth is all part of the job. It’s easy to tell the difference between a personal attack vs. what is constructive criticism . . . and it’s also easy to tell whether or not a so-called reviewer has actually read the book. Yes, it may seem hard to digest, but there are some people out there, who for whatever bitter reason, feel the need to present an anonymous scathing opinion of who they think you are and what they think of your book.

I write a lot of book reviews and tend to publish only the positive opinions. Occasionally I feel strongly enough about something to dip into the two-star (vs. four or five star) areas; however, it’s rare. I have too much respect and empathy for authors to potentially hurt their feelings or criticize their hard work. Turns out, you can also insult readers who liked the books you didn’t. One time I gave three stars to a book primarily because in addition to displaying average to below-average writing skills, I thought it was marketed incorrectly and suggested it would appeal more to those interested in reading “Christian fiction.” To this review I received a comment calling me “obviously anti-Christian.”

Huh?

So, to all book writers and all book reviewers, I congratulate you for having the courage to put it out there for all to see . . . and for all to criticize or praise. We know everything you write isn’t going to be glowing and positive; however, is sure feels NICE when it is.

For more information about Betty Dravis please visit her website at http://www.bettydravis.com

Group/Book Club Discussion Questions

Irish Twins

1.     The term Irish Twins, describing two children born to the same mother within a twelve-month period, dates back to the 1840s when massive numbers of Irish people came to the United States. Discuss the Irish Potato Famine, what it was, what caused it and the effect it had on the Irish population. How were the Irish treated in America and what other derogatory terms arose during this period of time?

2.     There are two sets of Irish Twins in this story. Anne and Molly and Caylie and Jenny. Discuss how each set of twins is alike and how they are different.

3.     The narrator of this story, Anne, opens the story by detailing the day of her death and her journey into the “afterlife.” Do you believe in or have a vision of an afterlife?

4.     What role did Anne’s Catholic upbringing play in her afterlife experience?

5.     Anne gives a lot of thought to how she “abandoned” her Irish Twins when she moved with her husband, Michael, to Mitten Lake on the day of Caylie’s high school graduation. What effect did her departure at this time have on Caylie and on Jenny?

6.     Nearly every cup of tea presented to Anne is different. Describe the various cups and their significances to the scenes.

7.     Discuss the relationship between Jenny and Caylie. Does it change after their mother’s death? And if so, how?

8.     Discuss the personalities of Anne’s other children, Marie, Darlene and Ronny. What kind of relationships do they have with Jenny and Caylie? And why does Anne spend more time focusing on Jenny and Caylie than her other children?

9.     At the time of her death, Anne had been married to Michael for 56 years. What were the dynamics of their relationship? Was Michael a “good” husband to Anne?

10. When Anne sees her Irish Twin, Molly, for the first time in Ohr, she describes her as looking like the “she did when we were girls—the way she always appeared in my dreams.” Anne proceeds to “visit” her children through their dreams. Have you ever felt as though someone who has passed away has visited you in your dreams?

11. Jenny’s most precious possession is the gold watch, which Anne gave to her on Caylie’s wedding day. What significance does the watch have in this story?

12. The subtitle of Irish Twins is “A Story About Life and Death, Sisterhood and Forgiveness.” What role does forgiveness play?

"Stories That Come From the Heart Are Always Special"

Irish Twins 

Reviewed by Olivera Baumgartner-Jackson for Reader Views (09/10) 

I am not a twin, Irish or regular, I do not have children and as far as I know, my family’s secrets are nowhere near those described in Michele VanOrt Cozzens’ Irish Twins, so why was I so spellbound from the first page on? Sure, the book is well written, but so are many others. Yes, the subject is appealing, but it is certainly not the only one. What then sets this book apart? I kept asking myself those questions while reading, and savoring each page.

The story begins with a death. Anne Catherine Monaghan Shields, a wife and a mother of five living children, suffers a stroke while waterskiing, which at the age of 80 is quite an amazing thing by itself. Entering a new existence, she finds herself in a beautiful place called Ohr, where she is greeted by her own Irish twin, Molly, who passed many years before. Over numerous cups of tea they follow the life of those Anne left behind, particularly her own Irish twins, Jenny and Caylie, who by now are middle-aged women themselves. Many family secrets are revealed, and Anne realizes that as much as she did not know about others, she also did not realize quite a few things about herself. 

"It shines with an undeniable honesty."

It was the very last page, the Acknowledgements, which brought some light to my questions. It was the author’s mother who actually passed at the age of eighty while waterskiing, and although the rest of the story is not biographical, at least not intentionally, it shines with an undeniable honesty. Stories that come from the heart are always special, and there was no doubt in my mind that this book was one of them. When we add the life lessons learned by Anne and her family, the undeniable truth that love makes one live on in others, the fact that everybody makes mistakes and still manages to live a good life, as well as many others, it becomes clear that this is a book that will be cherished by many.

I have thoroughly enjoyed Irish Twins. The story pulled me in from the first page and it flowed beautifully. The characters were all too believable and extremely likeable, flaws and all. Although it often spoke of life lessons, it never sounded preachy or soppy. If I could find any fault with it, it would be that it ended all too fast. I wanted more, and I will definitely be on the look-out for more of Ms. VanOrt Cozzens’ work for sure.

An Awakening Through a Journey into the Afterlife

By Joyce Laabs of The Lakeland Times


Based on a bit of fact and much fiction, Irish Twins by Michele VanOrt Cozzens (McKenna Publishing Group), is the fifth book by the author who, with her husband and two daughters, operate Sandy Point Resort and Disc Golf Ranch in Lac du Flambeau in the summer, while wintering in Tucson, Ariz.

Though titled Irish Twins, it is the story of a family as it is witnessed by the Irish twins' mother, Anne, who was herself an Irish twin.

For those who don't know what Irish twins are, as I didn't, they are two children born in the family within a year.

The novel begins on the day of Anne's death from a stroke while waterskiing on Mitten Lake in northern Michigan at the age of 80.

It is her journey into the afterlife--a place called Ohr--where her own Irish twin, Molly, who met an unexpected death at a young age, greets her and acts as her guide as Anne faces her judgment and witnesses her life and the lives of her surviving husband and five children. However, it is Jenny, her elder Irish twin and Caylie, the younger twin on whom she focuses her attention.

We learn all the family's secrets through Anne's journey.

"It is a lovely story, told only as Cozzens could. I have read all her books and her maturity as a an author is outstanding."

I found the book to be a compelling read. The reader feels as if they have become part of the family, and shares their concerns, decisions, mistakes and triumphs.

It is emotional, and as you review your own life, you find you are able to forgive yourself for the major mistakes and bad decisions (which most of us make).

I like Cozzens' vision of the afterlife before reaching heaven, particularly following your family's fortunes.

We learn the most about the Irish twins. Jenny is happily married, has two children--but is having a problem facing middle age. Caylie has three boys, is divorced, and faces loneliness and despair. Of greatest concern to Anne is that their relationship is falling apart.

When I began reading I thought the book might be depressing. I was wrong. It is a lovely story, told only as Cozzens could. I have read all her books and her maturity as a an author is outstanding.

Irish Twins is a beautiful read and you will like the insights about death. I would certainly recommend it--and not just to the Irish--but to everyone.

I Have a Little God in Me . . .

From the opening chapter of Irish Twins:

I have a little God in me. It’s a power I use to keep watch over my children, who are still on earth. I played many roles during my eighty years of human life, but the one role I couldn’t shake in spite of passing on, was the role of mother to my five children.

We say once we’re mothers we’re always in mother mode—even when our kids are grown and gone and having kids of their own. Now I know it’s true even when we’re dead. And from my vantage point of three hundred and sixty-degree Light, I see all. I see my five children as babies, as adolescents, teens, college students, newlyweds, young adults, and parents.

I didn’t share much about myself with my children when I was still alive, although I gave them everything. I gave them hot breakfasts and bagged lunches. I gave them corn beef and cabbage, boiled potatoes and chicken on the spit. I gave them clean laundry pressed to perfection and thin ankles. I demonstrated what it meant to be a dutiful wife and I taught them faith by example. I gave them all full heads of curly hair, which I inherited from my own mother.

Unfortunately, none of my children knew my mother. She died before they were born.

For everything I gave them, they gave so much more in return. They kept me young. And seeing the world through their eyes gave me the higher education I didn't have as a young woman. I didn’t go to college because during the Great Depression all luxuries came to a grinding halt. Higher education was definitely a luxury—especially for girls. I vowed it wouldn’t be the same for my children.

My children had all the benefits of the baby boom generation, including the finest educations we could afford on my husband’s blue-collar salary. They attended Catholic school. And today, as I watch from my vantage point in a place we don’t call “Heaven,” but rather, “Ohr,” which is Hebrew for the word “light,” I see that only one of my five children still attends church on a regular basis. But she’s no longer a Catholic. Jenny, my fourth child and one of my Irish twins, is an Episcopalian. The rest of them are just busy.

It really doesn’t matter, however. In Ohr, there’s no such thing as organized religion. Here we do not recognize our differences, because we are all alike.

We are all in the image of God.

Please visit my website for more information and early reviews of Irish Twins.

http://www.michelecozzens.com

Generations of Love

A really lovely review of Irish Twins by the incredibly talented author and musician, Robin Meloy Goldsby. How lucky am I to have this amazing woman in my life?

Generations of Love
By Robin Meloy Goldsby, author of Piano Girl and Rhythm

In her newest work, Irish Twins, Michele Cozzens weaves a tapestry of beautiful images with intriguing characters. With lyrical prose and a hefty dose of charm, she tells the unforgettable story of two generations of sisters. The result is enchanting and uplifting—a tonic for the heart.

Jenny and Caylie—one set of Irish twins—and the older generation of sisters, Anne and Molly, learn to love and lean on each other in life, in death, and in that in-between place that all of us wonder about. Cozzens tackles serious themes here, but, as is typical of her writing, she whisks just the right amount of humor into the story. Cozzens's opening scene details the waterskiing accident that causes Anne's death, and the lovely mix of humor and tragedy left me breathless and longing to know more about Anne. Anne, it turns out, has a lot to learn about herself.

I'm a big fan of Cozzens's work. She keeps changing the game, bouncing from memoir—I'm Living Your Dream Life: The Story of a Northwoods Resort Owner—to romance—A Line Between Friends—to stylized comedy—It's Not Your Mother's Bridge Club. With Irish Twins, Cozzens enters new territory, presenting a touching story that includes humor, whimsy, and elements of magical realism.

This is a novel that will stick with you. I don't think I'll ever drink a cup of tea without remembering these four women. Thank you, Ms. Cozzens, for a really great story!

New Novel Launching Soon: Irish Twins

It was President's weekend--better known as Rodeo Weekend in Tucson--when my family went on a ski trip and afforded me the uninterrupted time to finish writing my latest novel, Irish Twins. People often ask how long it takes to write a novel, and it's a difficult question to answer.

If I counted all the time spent thinking about these characters in addition to actually writing about them, the answer would be "years." The truth is, I don't know how long it took to turn the tea party in my head into the pages of a book.

But for the sake of answer, let's say it was a two-year process.

Yesterday I received a note from McKenna Publishing Group that another of its books is launching soon, and because of its possibly controversial political subject matter, they're expecting a lot of media attention. The hope is that the rest of the late-summer, early-fall releases will be able to piggyback on the publicity.

I hope so too. Even though I haven't read this book (Liberty Rising) and I suspect it has a strong partisan political flavor, which isn't my cup of tea, I do support the authors of McKenna. Many of us involved with the world of book publishing who've had the good fortune to find someone willing to turn our written words into published products with ISBN numbers and Amazon.com listings, know that writing the stories--no matter how long it takes us--is far easier than selling them.

Meanwhile, I will do my best to go from "writer" to "author" and publicize my new novel Irish Twins: A Story about Life and Death, Sisterhood and Forgiveness. I'll begin here by sharing the cover, sent to me by McKenna Publishing Group's fine graphic designer, Leslie Parker. Stay tuned for the release date and by all means, tell your friends.

Thank you,

Michele

Irish Twins?

Our doves have done it again. I'm not sure whether or not it was a case of "been-there-done-that" but this time around, the whole process seemed to go a lot faster.

Today we're happy to report, both baby birdies survived. This morning was the first time we caught sight of them while the parent dove kept close watch perched atop our courtyard wall.

Sorry About the Blog

My email inbox often contains messages with tips about successful blogging. I wish I had time to read all of them. Those I do read, consistently note the importance of consistency in posting. Apparently, I have a failure of a blog. No matter how hard I try, I can’t be consistent.

I’m afraid I’m stretched far too thin and simply don’t have time to keep up the posting. It’s not like when I was a weekly newspaper columnist in the San Francisco Bay Area and someone actually paid me to express my feelings on any number of subjects.

I wonder, do newspaper columnists still exist or has everyone turned to blogging?

Anyway, as a sometimes blogger and an active novelist who is just beginning to see the light at the end of the manuscript, I’m living in another world while I work. If I worked in a vacuum tube the new novel would have been completed by my first self-imposed deadline; however, I work in a home. It’s an active home filled with kids, laundry, dirty dishes, a chihuahua who prefers to poop inside on chilly winter days, occasional houseguests, a calendar filled with car pools, soccer games and volleyball tournaments, and a business telephone line that won’t stop ringing. Unfortunately, most of the calls are from solicitors wanting me to buy something rather than customers who want to buy something from me.

Does ANYONE know how to get these people to stop calling? Every DO NOT CALL list or method of getting the computers to throw out my number has failed. I really don’t want to be rude when there’s an actual human on the other end of the phone who’s just trying to do his job, but damn it! I’m just trying to do my job too.

Because of distractions and time limitations, blogging has had to take a backseat to my real jobs. Blogging for me, and most likely for many writers, is like exercise or training. And I think it’s easy to neglect exercise when our lives become too hectic. (I haven’t been on the Elliptical since Monday!) Writing a novel, on the other hand, is more like running a marathon. Let me put it this way: when I run an eight-minute mile I feel really good about myself; however, if I manage to write eight pages in a day, I’m ecstatic. Some days, I settle for a single page and remind myself how difficult it can be.

Now, given I’ve already responded to 23 emails this morning, taken three calls and responded to two voicemails, AND I’ve managed to whine my way through another blog, it’s time to go back to my Irish Twins. I’m really dying to find out what the younger one is going to do next.

Happy Birthday To My Irish Twin

On October 13 each year, my sister, Gayle, catches up to me. She walks beside me, equal in age for two weeks. It’s a time when we are reminded that we have always led parallel lives. But have our lives turned out the same? It’s a question I’m exploring by using our history as the basis for two fictional characters, sisters named Jennifer (Jenny) and Catherine (Caylie).

When I first began writing a novel I’m calling “Irish Twins,” it was hard to separate Jenny and Caylie from Gayle and Michele; however, somewhere around chapter seven or eight, I finally had a clear distinction in my head. I had taken so many liberties and had as much “untrue” stuff in there as “true,” that the book took a satisfactory turn from memoir to fiction. BTW: It’s an oxymoronic event when fictional characters become “real.”

Readers often suspect authors of writing autobiographical material and I make no excuses about pulling detail from my life and masquerading it as fiction. After all, I come from the school of “write what you know.” But after what started out as a comfortable stroll down memory lane, it soon felt like running the risk of offending the truth. I, for example, didn’t want my sister to come after me and say something like, “wait a minute! I never said or did that!”

It’s gonna happen. I’m sure of it. And my planned response to my sister is, “I know you didn’t do that. Caylie did it.” Let it be known that at this point, I don’t even know what either character is going to do move the plot forward. That’s part of what makes the process fun for me.

Gayle hasn’t given me any rules where this story is concerned; however, she did make one request: “Can you make sure that ‘my’ character ends up extremely successful and very rich?”

If I could write prophetic rather than reflective fiction, how successful would that make me? Perhaps I should give some thought to walking a parallel road with Caylie. In the meantime, I’d like to wish my dear sister, Gayle, the happiest of birthdays. And honey, my hope for you has always been that all your wishes come true.

Love,
M

Fact, Fiction and the Future.

Writing fiction is a freeing exercise. As a trained journalist and working reporter, the concepts of truth and objectivity once took precedence in everything I wrote.  When I became a columnist, truth still mattered, but I got to taste the savory flavor of injecting my own opinion into the content. Except for the occasional hate mail, it was delicious. Still, it doesn’t compare to the sweet sensation of just making shit up. Fiction gives a writer license to lie.

The novel I’m currently writing, Irish Twins, is the story of two sisters born less than twelve months apart. Without doubt, those who know us will see Gayle and me in this tale. When I first started writing it, I relived the past my sister and I shared as I typed. Somewhere around page 80, however, the concept of fiction took hold of my creative powers, and the two main characters, Jenny and Caylie, took on their own identities.  Characteristics were embellished; conversations more dramatic, and certain elements I simply didn’t want to relive were conveniently erased from existence. It’s truly a powerful thing.

 

Having just returned to our summer home, I’m still unpacking and becoming reacquainted with the place we’ve owned for 17 years. It’s filled with furniture and keepsakes, items far more representative of who we are than what we have on display at our desert dwelling.

Back in March, I posted a blog about an old typewriter that once belonged to my mother. (It's Not Your Mother's Typewriter). I waxed nostalgic about using it as a child and recalled a black and white photo of myself in front of it. It’s a photo that was sent by my mother when I was still a working journalist and she wrote a caption on the back indicating the snapshot was prophetic of my future. I knew the photo, processed in Sept., 1964, was in Wisconsin, but I didn’t realize it was in a magnet frame on the fridge.

In my fictional memory, the little girl was sitting in front of the Underwood typewriter featured in my blog. The factual reality is that it’s a child’s typewriter, one with a wheel at the top, used to dial the desired letter.  The caption I quoted in the blog was: “Was there ever a question of this girl’s future career?” Factual evidence shows my memory was close, but not entirely accurate. Here’s my mother’s quote, in tiny, tight handwriting that isn’t the least bit foggy in my memory:

For my mother, who often speaks to me as I write this new novel about the Irish Twins, I will answer her question: This photo tells me a lot about this little girl’s future. Here’s what it says:  She’ll grow up to write fiction based on fact, but she’ll take a lot of pleasure in creating her own reality. Also, she’ll always love and have that hand-hooked rug with the birds and the cats and the rose-colored house. And it’ll always be with her other childhood keepsakes in the place she calls Summer.

In my Wisconsin Bedroom

It’s Not Your Mother’s Typewriter

Sitting on top of a high bookcase in my modern desert office—the place where about five years ago I made the statement, “here’s where I will write my novel”—sits a relic from a writer’s days gone by. It’s an Underwood No. 5, a model dating back to 1927. And yes, it WAS my mother’s typewriter.

I’m not sure how she got this thirty-pound beast from Boston to Chicago but it must have helped make for a very heavy hope chest. It was the first typewriter I ever set fingers upon and the tool I used to learn terms such as “carriage,” “platen,” “backspace,” and “shift key.” I also used it to create my first formal essays.

Back in Wisconsin, there’s a black and white photo of me as a very young child using this typewriter. My mother sent it when I first began work as a professional journalist with a caption on the back. “Was there ever a question of this girl’s future career?”


Today the Underwood No. 5 collects dust while I wear away the keys on my third in series of laptop computers. I’ve been a “Mac girl” since 1986 and have experienced every generation of state-of-the-art improvements with a vast collection of computers. Most have been donated to local schools and churches, but I’ve held onto the laptops and still use all three for various purposes.

The primary one I use now, the MacBook Pro, may be responsible for holding up the production of my third novel. It’s so filled with fun software like iMovie and Photo Booth—just to name two—that sitting in front of it each day is like raiding the candy store. Add this blog to the mix and a little thing called Facebook (which a good friend of mine refers to as Face Crack), and my novel is collecting as much dust as the Underwood.


I’m writing the story, Irish Twins, from what is essentially my mother’s perspective. Since she didn’t leave a legacy of storytelling or written essays, I’ve relied on my imagination to fictionalize her life. Each day I try to imagine the world in the days before laptop computers and the World Wide Web. It’s a heavy mental workout—as heavy as the typewriter she left behind.

Today I thought about tuning up the old Underwood and using the method approach to creating my story, but I nearly injured myself trying to lift it off its aerie perch. Standing on that swivel chair was NOT a good idea. And besides, who needs yet another distraction?

If my mother were here, she’d tell me to get to work.