Hope you all had a luscious Thanksgiving, full of family and good food. We did. In between the cooking, reunited with our daughter, Melanie (we hadn't seen her in ages!), meeting her new Rat Terrier (weird name, cute dog!), "Toby," and eating our way through Tryptophane Heaven, we also had to deal with a sudden ER visit for Gordie.

He was running toward his mom (my daughter, Jenn) and tripped over her leg. Fell head first into the coffee table, split open his skin over his eyebrow. It bled like mad, but the doc at the ER used some of the new glue instead of giving him stitches. Thank God. He's fine now.

Here's a picture of Melanie's new baby:


















He's a real sweetie pie - loves to snuggle and sleep on his humans. We did a lot of "grandpuppy sitting" this weekend. ;o) Toby ended up getting into something bad - possibly chocolate that dropped off cookies the boys were eating - and we were worried for a day. But he's okay now.

We were blessed by a visit from Summer this weekend. Temperatures reminiscent of May or June - even got a sunburn. I worked outside all day Saturday and Sunday, weeding, raking, trimming, and generally getting the gardens around the house in shape.

We took Toby for a walk, too. He was great on the leash and ran after Allison who led the way.

I did get a chance to take a few photos.

















I also spent all of Saturday evening redesigning my website. ;o) I needed to make it crisper and cleaner, easier to navigate. See what you think, if you have time, at www.legardemysteries.com.

I'm not quite done with the makeover (my links page is all screwed up), but it's close. I'd love your feedback or suggestions to make it even better. Chose that simpler template (I was tired of the piano template!) as it seemed easier to set up and also had a white background which folks say is easier on the eyes.

Before I go, here's one more photo from the weekend. Take care, and if you're from the States, let me know how your holiday was!

- Aaron

The Bylines Writer's Calendar 2007, is rolling off the press as I write this. I was honored that my entry made its way to the final edition. For kicks, I've reprinted it below. You may order your own copy at www.bylines.com. Or buy a few for your crit buddies. ;o)

Word Paintings

Great novels are like photographs. The creative wells from which they spring are common to both writers and photographers.

It takes a special talent to snap that one-in-a-million, heart-stopping shot. It’s this same insight, that same extra-perceptive eye for the “visual feast” that allows writers to capture a scene. Of course, all senses must be employed. Sights, sounds, aromas, tastes, and touch combine to create a unique sense of place that may ooze pastoral sensuality, big city grit, or hospital room pathos; whatever locale is desired.

It seems as though every image ever impressed upon my brain finds its way into my work. Whether it’s the light dancing through stained-glass windows in a Parisian chapel, curly slate-green lichen covering a boulder at the edge of a pond in Maine, or hoarfrost dangling from a cherry tree branch in mid-winter, these images burrow into my memory cells. In time they bubble back, persistently itching, until they are poured out on the page.

These abundant, precious scraps of life are sweet fodder for your next story. Soak them up. Reach out all five tentacles with senses throbbing. Skillfully weave them into your fiction. Now, couple them with a bone-chilling plot, memorable characters, and convincing dialogue, and you’ll have the recipe for a sizzling word painting.

***********************

Aaron Paul Lazar works as an engineer by day but can be found on weekends in his gardens with his two toddler sidekicks, grandsons Julian and Gordon. His passion lies in writing, where he creates characters of depth, color, and substance. Lazar entices readers with intricate plots, lush imagery, breathless action, gourmet meals, classical music, bountiful gardens, and surprising romantic moments. http://www.legardemysteries.com/

Available now from Twilight Times Books

Click here to read an excerpt or order the ebook.(Print book to be released in 2007)


Tremolo: cry of the loon, is a coming-of-age mystery, a stirring and nostalgic trip back to the summer of 1964 when the nation mourned the assassination of JFK and American life was forever changed by the arrival of the Beatles.

Eleven-year-old Gus LeGarde is spending another glorious summer at his grandparents’ lakeside camp, along with his best friends, Elsbeth and Siegfried Marggrander. When their boat capsizes, Gus and the twins witness a drunk chasing a girl through the foggy Maine woods. She’s scared. She’s hurt. And she disappears.

On horseback and on foot, Gus, Elsbeth, and Siegfried search for Sharon Adamski, worried her brutal father will find her before they do.

During the hunt, Gus is faced with a number of personal dilemmas. He must keep secret his new friendship with “Mrs. Jones,” a woman in mourning who resides incognito. Gus also glimpses a slice of the twins’ life through their mother, who lost her family in a Nazi concentration camp. In a cruel coincidence, Gus faces the imminent loss of his own mother.

Reports of stolen religious artifacts reach the lakeside camp. New England churches have been ransacked, and missing is the church bell cast by Paul Revere, stolen from St. Stephen’s church in Boston’s North End. When Gus and his friends stumble on a scepter that may be part of the loot, they become targets. The villain turns on them, and all thoughts of a lazy summer whirl out of control.

"Beautifully written, with the perfect touch of nostalgia and suspense, the pages of this book tremble with a strong emotional appeal. As the plot steadily progresses, the climax explodes like a summer thunderstorm, clearing the air with the rush of truth. Tremolo: cry of the loon sings with the voice of love, laughter and the timeless power of friendship."Joyce Handzo, In the Library Reviews.

- Joyce Handzo, In the Library Reviews.

There's a new little guy in our house. He's soft, fuzzy, and loves to snuggle asleep on his people. Here he is, on his boy's feet. His name is Balto and he's a Cavapoo. (half poodle, half Cavalier King Charles Spaniel)

Sorry I've been so quiet lately - I've been swamped with life. Horrible and heavenly stuff. You know the drill.

At work, two of my best friends took the "early retirement" package. I was thrilled for them, but devastated by the loss of our daily fellowship. Three days later, almost all of the rest of my friends were laid off.

Those pre-lay off days can be extraordinarily stressful.

Will I get the axe this time? Will my friends? How will I cope, in either case? If I lose my job, will we lose the house? Will my three daughters have to leave college?

Then, when the long dreaded day comes, your heart hammers against your chest as you hear footsteps approaching your office... you just know it's the boss coming to give you the bad news... And when he passes you by, you hear an involuntary shout of "Oh, no!" a few cubes down and nearly jump out of your skin. Man, it was awful. We "survivors" are still trying to support the folks who lost their jobs as well as pull ourselves out of the depression that ensued. It's so quiet around work these days...

It was harder than any of the previous 17 layoffs we've ever had. And I pray that my friends find jobs much more rewarding and less stressful than the ones they lost.

I did manage to find a weekend to bring my lovely wife to Honeoye Lake. There was a strange lack of sound there... I think it's called "quiet." We broiled some killer swordfish and drank our share of Gewurtztraminer from the Finger Lakes wineries. ;o) Thanks to our friend, Ken F. for the low cost getaway weekend at his cabin.

Gorgeous, isn't it?

I've also spent last weekend helping a friend go through her novel outline - hoping to make some useful suggestions. Sometimes you just have to stop writing and dig into someone else's work to give a little back, you know? I don't do it often, but she has been a wonderful crit buddy, and I'm glad I took the time.

If I haven't visited your blog or commented lately, I apologize. I hope to get back to "normal" soon. I'm working on my eleventh book now (tentitively entitled "Lady Blues") and need to completely revamp my website. I'll let you know when it's ready for a peek.

Thanks for hanging in there with me!

Aaron