No Lion -- I've Reconnected with Lion of Yelm!

Edward E. Smith (Auroara's "dad" -- Auroara was a lion) and I got together for lunch today. I think the last time we saw each other was in 1995 up at Tippi Hedren's Shambala Preserve when he came down to CA for a few days on vacation. During that time, I fell very ill for four days (lost 20 pounds in that short period of time) and he came by to see me right when I needed someone most! I was afraid I was going to drop dead in bed. I don't know if it was the flu, or what, but whatever it was, I never want to be that sick again. It took me over four months to recover the weight I lost. (I couldn't afford the weight loss at that time.) He held my head when I got sick and cleaned up after me in ways no friend should ever be expected to do. It was just God awful...

Anyway, we met at Shari's Restaurant and had lunch while I listened to him and caught up on all the years, then I led him to my place to show him Jackie's and my "new" home (it's almost a year and a half now that we've lived here) so he knows where I live. When we got here I gave him the tour and we talked some more. When he left, he left with four De Kelley Memorial magazines (in which I also appear briefly). He's always been a huge Trek fan and wanted to read them and since I trust him to bring them back, I loaned them out to him. He's also going to buy my De book and the animal book. I read to him (from the De book) the part where he (Edward) makes a brief appearance during the 1990 Creation Convention in Bellevue when De and I flew up for it. He was tickled and plans to get the hardbound version. (Gads, maybe if I'd let everyone who's in the book know they're in the book, I'd get more sales! HA HA HA!)

Anyway, it was a LOT of fun and I want to be sure we never go that long again without getting together. Now that he has my magazines, I know the next time won't be too long, but we need to put dates on our calendars so we don't just let time go by again as we have in the past. I didn't know where he was after all these years after I moved back here. He found me 'cause of my books, I guess...

Oh, no! I remember now. He found me because a friend of his did a search on "three-legged serval" (don't ask me why!) and a review of HARVEST OF MEMORIES popped up at Amazon! So she told him I had written a book and he did a little search (googled my name) and found my email address. That's how it happened.

Anyway, I'm glad it happened and that we're back in touch again.

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More good news. I recently raised my prices at Elance to come up to the other lower end Premier Providers at that portal. That seems to have "earned" me more clients! I guess businesses who know what good copywriters are worth are bypassing copywriters who charge "too little." That was quite the eye-opener!!! I've made $800 in three days and continue to earn stellar reviews! (Very LONG days, but I'm not complaining.) I hope it keeps up.

Two of the new clients want me to keep working on additional websites for them, and one of the two has over 50 websites at the moment, with more on the way, so that's fabulous! It seems I'm finally on my way. Next year I ought to be above the poverty line and doing a lot better! WOO HOO!