Blogging is a funny world. Daily or a few times a week you get to play reciprocal voyeur into someone’s life or at least into the parts they open up and let you into. The best blogs are the ones where it feels like you are stopping by for a cup of coffee and a chat with an old friend.

That’s what it felt like on my visits to Elizabeth Owen’s blog: Mabel’s House. You see I was first drawn to, Mable, Liz’s sweet natured pup that reminded me so much of my Jack. And then happily and even more so, I was pull in by, Liz, Mable’s owner who has such a kind heart a way with words, not to mention with her wonderful eye for decorating ,well I could not turn away.
Today I’m happy to say that Liz has written a book called MY (NOT SO) STORYBOOK LIFE: A TALE OF FRIENDSHIP AND FAITH which will be out this month. Lucky us, Liz has agreed to stop by here to answer a few questions.

First here is a little bit about the book thanks to Amazon:
Fresh, funny, and poignant, My (not so) Storybook Life is old-fashioned humor mashed with literary spoofery. Elizabeth thinks of herself and her husband, Matt, as a modern day Lucy and Ricky Ricardo. Together they’ve endured paint-color mishaps, sewage disasters, pest infestations, and a schnauzer that poops at tornado sirens. It was hardly the domestic perfection a young Liz imagined while reading Anne of Green Gables and Pride and Prejudice. Could it be that these literary stalwarts had led her astray?

Liz tells the story of her own path to happiness, along the way seeking revenge on her literary heroes: Jo March has to cope with a soul-sucking job, Elizabeth Bennett shepherds a Duggar-size brood of kids, and Anne Shirley deals with a penny-pinching husband. But every comedy is balanced by tragedy. Angela was one of Liz’s closest friends, a kindred spirit who at age of 33 was diagnosed with cancer. Before Angela, Liz was discontent. But it was the journey she took with this friend that made her realize that her house and its decorations and plumbing and dirty-clothes-covered Man Cave were not burdens to be tweaked and perfected, but blessings to be thankful for.

And now to Liz…
Hi Liz thanks so much for being here at KwanaWrites please tell us a little about MY (NOT SO STORYBOOK) LIFE.
I’m so glad to be here, and thank you for having me!
What led you to writing a memoir?
Well, I’ve always kept a dairy or prayer journal over the years. But one day when I was writing the literary spoofs as an idea for a blog series and my husband said, “Don’t use those on your blog, save them for a book.” And so the idea kind of sprung from there. I’ve always enjoyed blogging about my life, so this was really just a bigger extension of what I was already doing.

I know that you are a new mother (yay and congratulations!) to baby Jane. How has your life changed? Are you able to schedule writing time with a little one now?
Life has changed in a huge way. My husband and I were married almost 10 years when we had Jane, and I really thought I would resent all the time constraints and lack of sleep that goes along with parenting. But it’s funny. I don’t at all. In fact we spring out of bed at 6 each morning, excited to peer over her crib and watch her stretch, grin and toot. I still write, but it’s a little more sporadic and I have to grab time when I can.

What’s next on the horizon? Any plans for a future book?
I have a book signing scheduled for November 12th at 1:00 at Books-A-Million in North Little Rock. And I’ve been kicking around some ideas for a second book too, although there’s no telling what I might end up writing with my sleep deprived brain running the show!
That’s so wonderful and I can understand how hard it is with a new little one robbing you of sleep. Best of luck!

You all can check out Liz at her lovely blog Mable House here.
And you can pick up her wonderful book MY NOT SO STORYBOOK LIFE here!

Best,
Kwana