I *heart* Coffee Mugs…Especially this one

I love coffee. Especially when I’m writing. There is just something about having a steaming cup of coffee sitting next to my computer as I type away. Or clutched in my hand as I’m about to pull out my hair attempting to determine exactly what my characters are trying to tell me. It only gets better if it is a rainy day…or as in Minnesota, a snowy one.

But as much as I love coffee, I think I love coffee mugs more. If I had endless cupboard space, I’d fill it with mugs. Even at my non-writing job, I have about 5 mugs stashed in my office. Always important to be prepared for whatever mug mood I’ll be in. And if I happen to have a cappuccino or my favorite Gevalia Caramel Macchiato (it is heavenly…see below how yummy it looks), I will need my oversize white cappuccino mug. It wouldn’t taste the same without it.

GCM

Then a couple years ago, I found it.  The almost perfect mug. It had a handle that seemed to be made for my hand. It was red and had large multi-colored snowflakes. And even with its winter theme, I used it year-round. About a year ago, my oldest son accidentally broke the handle off (he felt bad so I didn’t cry). Instead of it being the death of the mug, I painstakingly super glued the handle back into place and it was like new again…plus a few cracks.

After that the mug continued to hold my coffee and got me through many days of writing (when a different mug mood didn’t strike). Then last week happened. There were a couple things that led to the disaster. First, our 8 year old dishwasher went kaput. Second, since I’m incapable of making a quick appliance purchase decision (enter days of research and mind changing), I had to resort to washing dishes by hand. *gasp*

Finally tragedy struck. The hot water combined with the length of time I let the mug soak, softened the glue and the handle fell apart in my hands (I know, I also thought super glue could survive Armageddon. Apparently not). But no worries. I’d glued it once, I’ll glue it again.

Well, the mug must have thought it was time to say farewell because instead of the handle sticking in the perfect position, all I managed to do was glue my fingers together…and to the mug. The unavoidable staring me in the face, I said good-bye to my old friend.

Not one to morn (and let’s face it, it was a coffee mug), I moved on. I still had other mugs to step-up and do their duty, but it wasn’t enough. I wanted a new mug.

Enter perfect idea!!

Why not put my new release on a mug? I’ve seen others do it for promotions. Why not make my own very special mug to showcase one of my greatest accomplishments? And seriously, who wouldn’t want Gabe’s face on a coffee mug?

So I did it. I opened Photoshop and went to work. This is what I ended up with.

TDT Mug for Web Final
The order has been placed and I’m awaiting its arrival. Hoping that it will look as great in my hand as it does on my computer.

This entry was posted in General.

What’s in a name…

When I first started my “I’m really going to do it this time” writing quest, I thought I’d write using a pseudonym. Then, as I put the time and devotion into my writing, I had a change of heart. I wanted the world (or at least my part of the world) to see my name written on the front of something had I put so much of myself into. So, when the day came that I signed my name on the dotted line to make my dream a reality, I went into the process with my legal name standing tall.

Not long into the process of publishing my first book I developed an identity crisis. I’d always known someone with my same wonderful name had published cook books. With such a distinction between romance books and cook books (despite many great love affairs with food, including my obsession with Lindor Truffles), I figured I’d be safe still using my legal name and thought nothing more about it. After one final recent search to make sure I was still safe on being the first to publish under my name, I found some news that deflated my happy balloon. Someone had just–and I mean just–published a book using my legal name. Dang it!!

After some deep thinking and some wonderful advice, I decided that in order to keep myself distinct, I would need to develop a pseudonym. The decision may have been made but the problem–nor my identity crisis–was far from solved. I wanted the name I used to mean something. To still have a part of myself appear on my books. Not just something I threw together because it sounded nice (or the baby girl name I never got to use because I’d been blessed with three amazing boys).

After a night of tossing some okay and some not-so-great names around, I had a breakthrough. There isn’t anything in the world that means more to me or is more a part of me than my children. From there I started to think of ways that the names of the three best boys ever could be used to create the new me.

After mixing and matching–and a little hair pulling–my identity crisis was solved and Addie Jo Ryleigh was born.

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