Lisa Alber's "Paddy O'Grady's Thigh"...is a superb piece of storytelling. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)



Thank you for peeking into my world. I write novels and short stories for which I am seeking publishers.

Before delving into my Web site, please indulge the following commercial break, because I'm excited about the anthology you see at left, TWO OF THE DEADLIEST, within which you'll find one of my short stories: "Paddy O'Grady's Thigh."

Deadliest what? Deadliest sins. Which sins? Lust and greed. Frankly, I think the subtitle says it all: New Tales of Lust, Greed, and Murder from Outstanding Women of Mystery. New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth George edited the stories in this anthology, many of which were written by well-known novelists. So you can understand my excitement. To have my story sit amongst these big-names is indeed a pleasure.

Why, you might ask, did Elizabeth George invite me to write her a story? In truth, I never asked her, but I'll theorize that she's sincere about giving new writers opportunities to expose their work, and wanted to give this aspiring author a break. It's a fickle publishing world out there, but I keep plugging away. At heart, this is what my Web site is all about: persistence, patience, and hope.

As an aside, on my blog I chronicle my writing journey with warts intact. However, this Web site is my happy writing place, so you won't find the blemishes here!

Photo courtesy of Stacy Benedec Allen

Here's a happy picture.

I met Elizabeth George at a writers' retreat. In this photo, she's giving me craft tips about how to improve a rancorous father-daughter scene. I learned so much from her that I went on to work with her in two subsequent workshops.