Happy Birthday, Lesa!!
Lesa Holstine has been blogging and reviewing books at Lesa's Book Critiques for over five years. Born in Ohio, she was a library manager there, in Florida for eighteen years, and in Glendale, AZ for almost six. Lesa reviews women’s fiction for Library Journal and mysteries for Mystery Lovers’ Journal. Lesa's Book Critiques is syndicated through Blogburst, and reviews have been picked up by Reuters, USA Today and other news distributors. She was the winner of the 2009 Spinetingler Award for Best Reviewer. She considers two of her greatest accomplishments the chairing of the Authors’ Committee for the Lee County Reading Festival for five years, and the Authors @ The Teague program.
Lesa's Corner a/k/a her "Blogging Place"
Lesa and her late husband, Jim - her reading partner
“Oh, the Places a Blog Will Go!" (with apologies to Dr. Seuss) by Lesa Holstine
My boss said go;
A workshop for three days.
Three days of chatter,
I was left in a haze.
PR was not new.
Grant-writing I hate.
But, learning to blog,
Now that was my fate!
I picked out a name,
(After Nikki, my cat)
Loving reading and books,
I’d talk about that!
Nikki’s World was the title,
It worked for a time,
‘Til Maddie James & my husband said,
Lesa’s Book Critiques should be mine.
So, I’ve interviewed authors –
Penny, Pintoff and Ryan,
Made friends like Jen Forbus,
Without even tryin’.
I reviewed mysteries by the score.
Won a Spinetingler Award,
Hosted authors at the library,
So Teague’s reputation soared.
I’m Desert Sleuths’ guest in August,
And a Sister-in-Crime.
Review for Mystery Lovers’ Journal.
Having a heck of a time!
So, I’ll see you in Scotsdale,
At Barbara Peters’ Poisoned Pen,
And Left Coast Crime in Santa Fe.
Where will it all end?
So, accept with a smile
When your boss tells you go.
It may change your life.
See how a blog grows?
26 comments:
I love Lesa's blog today and I will keep in mind that you never know what will change your life.
Pamela in Kansas
Very fun, Lesa! I didn't know you were a poet.
A nice tribute to the miracle of blogging and internet communication.
How cute. I enjoy Lesa's blog and now it's fun to find out how it came to be.
First, thank you, Kaye, for letting me do a guest blog. It was fun to try to do something a little different.
Pamela Sue - You do never know what will change your life, and I told my former boss that just a month ago.
Julia - I certainly wouldn't call that being a poet. It's not great poetry, but I wanted to give Kaye something a little different.
Thanks, Mason! Yes, that's how it all happened.
Such fun, Lesa! And that just happens to be my favorite Dr. Seuss book. You do him an honor ;-)
Thank you, Juliet (Julie). It's nice to know someone thinks I honored Dr. Seuss. I'm not sure he'd be so happy with my attempt. Or, maybe he'd just be happy I tried!
This was great, Lesa! And, Kaye, how clever of you to lure Lesa over here to talk about herself and not others. I'm so pleased to know you Lesa and congrats on being such a wonderful reviewer. Hugs to you!
Kay!
Hugs back, and thank you for stopping by today to read my odd poem. It's so nice to have supportive friends!
I love Lesa's doggerel. Hope I spelled that correctly. Here's another way to spell it: f-u-n.
Thank you, Mike! I'll take whatever spelling you want to give it, as long as you enjoyed it. Thanks for stopping by, and, thank you for the comment.
Kaye, you and Lesa are class acts. Thanks.
Now there's company I'm glad to keep anytime! Thank you, le0pard13,
for putting me in the same category as Kaye. I definitely think she's a class act!
What a day for some fun
(And so nice to be named!)
If we spend time on blogs,
Well, who can be blamed?
'Cause Kaye lures us in
Now Lesa's here, too
And we're loving to see
What you're going to do!
You're as great as they come
We love you, indeed
Plus, in mystery world---
You'll advise what to read!
So keep writing those 'views
(No one else in your league!)
And we'll follow your blog
and come visit the Teague!
(Okay, whatever. But being in the same line of a poem with Penny and Pintoff certainly made my day! xooxo)
Love it, Hank! You caught the spirit. Thank you. And, I love that last line about coming to visit the Teague. Absolutely perfect! No whatever needed. (grin)
Lesa, you are so creative! This was fabulous...and I'm not just saying that because you put me in it either - thanks bunches for that!!!
You are an inspiration to us all, so we're all thankful your boss sent you. :) Keep bloggin' Lesa!
Jen,
I just realized I spelled Scottsdale with only 1 t. Darn.
But, I spelled your name right! I'm realy glad I went to that workshop, too. Oh, I'll keep blogging.
Keep going, Lesa,
With bloggy reviews,
Sharing the love and
Spreading the news
Of new books a-plenty
You know we'll adore --
Here's to five years
And to many, many more!
Vicki!
Much better poetry than mine. Thank you. I'm cracking up that you and Hank got into this. Thanks for having fun with it. I hope blogs are still around, and just as popular five years from now. Who knows?
Kaye, you doll!
You did supply the birthday cake. And with chocolate icing! What can be any better than chocolate for a birthday?
Thank you. Poetry and cake, and lots of good friends make for a wonderful birthday.
What a fun post from our Lesa, huh?! I do believe Dr. Seuss would be proud as punch.
And Hank? Who KNEW you were also a poet on top of all your other talents?!
I already knew about Vicki's talent for poetry - too much talent in some of you people, I swear. Not Fair!
Everyone - thanks very much for stopping by. You made me smile and you made Lesa smile, and jeepers, what's more fun than big smiles and belly laughs; especially on your birthday.
Happy Birthday, Lesa - thanks for sharing it with us!
Hugs, everyone!
Kaye
Kaye,
I have one more thing to share, but the pictures will have to go up on my blog later. Eleven of us went to lunch today for my birthday, at a restaurant called Kiss the Cook. And, I got to kiss the cook for my birthday! One of my friends said she'd been there on birthdays before, and he never came out for birthdays. So, he went around and kissed all of us! Woo hoo! The day gets better all the time.
Happy Birthday Lesa. And Happy Easter Kaye. I hope you have a wonderful weekend with your family.
Sam
Thank you, Sam! I had a wonderful birthday! Kaye kicked it off in style by allowing me to do a guest blog for her.
Lesa - you DID have a great birthday! I'm glad - I'm waiting to see pictures from "Kiss the Cook." that is too fun. I DID see the picture of you and Alan Bradley!!!!! He looks just as nice as I would imagine after reading his lovely Flavia novels (i love 'em!!).
Thanks again everyone, very much, for stopping by and helping us celebrate the occasion of Lesa's birth.
And Happy Easter to you!
How could I have missed this post, and I am such a follower of Lesa's (as well as a huge fan of this particular Dr. Seuss book--the Waiting Place is writ large for me these days)! Very funny and well done--only Lesa could top the Doc ;)
Jenny,
I don't think either Kaye or I thought to mention my guest blog on DorothyL, so maybe that's why you missed it. I'm glad you stopped by, though. What a compliment! I'll never top Dr. Seuss, but it was fun to play along with him.
Post a Comment