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Posts from the ‘Lisa D’ Category

Jul 30

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Congratulations, Lisa!

Lisa Damian’s nonfiction book, Trout Valley, the Hertz Estate, and Curtiss Farm, was released yesterday. Round of applause! From the publisher’s website:

John D. Hertz, of rental car fame, discovered Trout Valley (then a part of unincorporated McHenry County) in the 1920s. He built a mansion, barns, and polo grounds on the banks of the Fox River, calling his new country estate Leona Farms. Famous landscape architect Jens Jensen designed its scenic landscape, fishing streams, and ponds. Here Hertz raised racehorses, including two Kentucky Derby winners, and hosted Gatsby-like parties for the rich and famous, including Myrna Loy, Will Rogers, and Walt Disney. Eleanor Roosevelt was once a guest too. In 1943, Hertz sold his estate to Otto Schnering, of Baby Ruth and Butterfinger fame, who transformed the grounds from a lush playground to the headquarters of a 10,000-acre farming operation. Old-timers still remember Schnering’s six-pony hitch carrying joy-filled passengers down Main Street, the state-of-the-art livestock arena, and the trophy-winning cattle raised at Curtiss Farm.

Apr 9

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Lisa D.: Author Interview

I thought a few of you might be interested in the interview I just conducted with How Not to Write a Novel authors Howard Mittelmark and Sandra Newman.  They weigh in on writing, editing, finding an agent, and even the upcoming U.S. presidential election.  The interview, like their book, is both hilarious and informative.  I posted it on my own blog at http://damiandaily.wordpress.com.

Mar 24

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Lisa D.: How NOT To Write a Novel by Howard Mittelmark and Sandra Newman

HarperCollins sent me a very handy book to review: How NOT To Write a Novel: 200 Classic Mistakes and How to Avoid Them — A Misstep-By-Misstep Guide by writers and editors Howard Mittelmark and Sandra Newman.  I thought that a few of you might appreciate this hilarious and insightful book as much as I did.  If you’d like to read the review, click here.

Feb 16

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Lisa D: Creativity as a Means of Communication

My most recent post on my own blog deals with the topic of creativity.  I am curious to hear others’ thoughts on the topic, and I invite you to join in the discussion, particularly since it was some the posts on this site that inspired my latest line of thought.  I also linked back to Creative Construction in my post.

Feb 11

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Intro from Lisa D.

I’d like to introduce myself as another new voice in this artistic community. I’ve enjoyed reading the Creative Construction blog for some time now, and I feel an affinity with this group, as I am also a fellow writer struggling to find time for all my many priorities.

As with all of you, this multi-tasking theme is nothing new for me, but it is always a challenge. I have spent much of my life juggling a career as a university administrator, grad school, creative endeavors, etc. I have recently taken a break from my career in higher education to focus more on my family and writing pursuits. I have two young daughters, ages 4-1/2 and 1-1/2, and I also love to travel and stay active with my adventure-seeking lifestyle. In addition, I am also a publicly elected trustee for the village in which I live, and I have a bad habit of volunteering for way too many projects.

As for my current writing pursuits, I do some freelance journalism, and I am in the middle of writing a book on the history of Trout Valley, IL. I recently started a blog, the Damian Daily, and my passion is writing fiction.

I am already acquainted with a few of you, and I look forward to getting to know all of you and participating in our mutual goal of Creative Construction.

Lisa D.