BlueMusings

BlueMusings: Updates and More Updates

Tue, 12 May 2026 14:51:00 GMT

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;min-width: 320px;Margin: 0 auto;background-color: #e7e7e7;width:100%"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word; border-collapse: collapse !important; vertical-align: top;"> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 0px solid transparent;border-left: 0px solid transparent;border-right: 0px solid transparent;border-bottom: 0px solid transparent;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <h1 style="margin: 0px; line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: normal; font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: 24px;">LJ Cohen</h1> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <h4 style="margin: 0px; line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: normal; font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: 13px;"><em>Science Fiction. Fantasy. Assorted Weirdness.</em></h4> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="0px" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;border-top: 1px solid #BBBBBB;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top;font-size: 0px;line-height: 0px;mso-line-height-rule: exactly;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%"><span> </span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div align="center"> <div style="display: table; 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line-height: 140%; text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: normal; font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: 17px;">Bluemusings: Updates and More Updates<br /> 05.12.2026</h4> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="0px" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;border-top: 3px solid #BBBBBB;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top;font-size: 0px;line-height: 0px;mso-line-height-rule: exactly;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%"><span> </span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 1px solid #CCC;border-left: 1px solid #CCC;border-right: 1px solid #CCC;border-bottom: 1px solid #CCC;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div class="menu" style="text-align:center"><span style="padding:5px 15px;display:block;color:#444444;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;font-size:14px"><a id="home" name="home"></a><a href="#Item1">Kickstarter Update: Week 1</a></span>   <span style="padding:5px 15px;display:block;color:#444444;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;font-size:14px"><a href="#Item2">Please spread the word</a></span><span style="padding:5px 15px;display:block;color:#444444;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;font-size:14px"><a href="#Item3">Audiobook Updates</a></span></div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 0px solid transparent;border-left: 0px solid transparent;border-right: 0px solid transparent;border-bottom: 0px solid transparent;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="2" style="border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed; border-spacing: 0px; vertical-align: top; border-top: 1px solid;" width="2"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top;font-size: 0px;line-height: 0px;mso-line-height-rule: exactly;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%"><span> </span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 1px solid #000000;border-left: 1px solid #000000;border-right: 1px solid #000000;border-bottom: 1px solid #000000;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"><a id="Item1" name="Item1"></a>Kickstarter Update: Week 1</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div style="line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word;"> <p style="text-align:center"><img alt="" height="300" src="https://ljcohen.net/mailinglist/mail.cgi/show_img/bluemusings/20260512085104/51de4336a79881552fc85af1a62dc6f2_fully-funded-with-text.jpg" width="450" /></p> <p>I had absolutely no idea what to expect when I set out to organize my first kickstarter campaign. Thanks to my amazing early backers, it fully funded in the first 12 hours! </p> <p>On day 2, Kickstarter designated the campaign a "Project we love"! </p> <p>As of the sending of this email, we're at 45 backers and 119% funded. Thank you to everyone who pledged or shared the campaign!</p> <p>Now I'm hoping to keep the momentum going and fund some stretch goals - including the audiobook of Entangled Realities book 2: Every Sky A Stranger. </p> <p>While early pledgers snapped up all of the level that included my limited edition handmade ceramic portal mug, there are still a small number of mugs available as an add on to any of the physical reward levels. </p> <p><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ljcohen/entangled-realities-litany-for-a-broken-world?ref=3sd5xx" target="_blank">Here's the link to the campaign.</a> </p> </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; padding: 10px; font-family: trebuchet ms, geneva; text-align: center;"><a href="#home">-home-</a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <p> </p> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; padding: 10px; font-family: trebuchet ms, geneva;"> <p style="text-align: center;"> <a id="Item2" name="Item2"></a>Please Spread the Word</p> <p style="text-align: left;">If you are able, would you please consider boosting the signal on the Kickstarter? Depending on what flavor of social media you use, here are a few posts to boost/repost/etc. </p> <p style="text-align: left;">The Kickstarter runs through June 4th. </p> <p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1MceRRdD6V/" target="_blank">A post on my Facebook Writer's page.</a></p> <p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18m4r4qQsn/" target="_blank">A post on my personal Facebook page.</a></p> <p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DYDWFEjkV_L/" target="_blank">A post on Instagram.</a></p> <p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://zirk.us/@LJ/116535421215029103" target="_blank">A post on Mastodon.</a> </p> <p style="text-align: left;">Or forward this email to a friend who might be interested.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">Thank you very much!</p>   <p style="text-align: center;"><a href="#home">-home-</a></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p> </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 1px solid #000000;border-left: 1px solid #000000;border-right: 1px solid #000000;border-bottom: 1px solid #000000;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"><a id="Item3" name="Item3"></a>Audiobook Updates</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div style="line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word;"> <p>I've gotten the first 10 scenes from my amazing narrator! <a href="https://www.shereegalpert.com/" target="_blank">Sheree Galpert</a> has made the world of LITANY come to life. You are totally in for a treat. </p> <p>I am not an audiobook person - I tend to get impatient when someone reads to me and want to grab the book out of their hands. Plus, it's quite strange to hear your words in someone else's voice. </p> <p>But somehow, it feels like Sheree's voice *is* the voice of the story. </p> <p>And we are well on our way to get the audiobook out there by early fall! </p> <p>Some of you may know that one of my sons is a musician. He is composing a short piece of music for the intro/outro of the audiobook and shared a sample with me. In just 40 seconds, he's captured the eerieness and dread of Reina's disastrous trip through the multiverse, the danger of the Network, and the solace and hope in the friendships and connections of found family. </p> <p>That's a lot of heavy lifting in a short piece of music! Once it's completed, I will share a sneak peek (peep?) of it with you in a future newsletter. </p> <p>Stay tuned! <br /> <br />  </p> </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; padding: 10px; font-family: trebuchet ms, geneva; text-align: center;"><a href="#home">-home-</a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <p style="text-align: center;"> </p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; padding: 10px; font-family: trebuchet ms, geneva; text-align: center;"> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p style="text-align: center;"><u><em><strong>Statement on "AI" use</strong></em></u></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em> I do not and will not employ so called "AI" (e.g. Large Language Models/LLMs) in any part of my writing process. All of my work - poetry, fiction, and non fiction - is 100% human generated.  The tools I use in writing either do not have AI integrated or I have disabled it. I commission cover art from human artists. </em></strong></p>  <div style="text-align: center;"> <p><em>I love to hear from readers! Let me know what you're reading and recommending or if you have any suggestions for what you'd like to see in future newsletters. </em></p> <p><em>Thanks!</em></p> </div> <div style="font-style: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana; ">LJ (<a href="mailto: lisa@ljcohen.net">lisa@ljcohen.net</a>)</span></div><p> </p>

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BlueMusings: Kickstarter is Live!

Tue, 05 May 2026 18:39:00 GMT

<div id="archived_message_body"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;min-width: 320px;Margin: 0 auto;background-color: #e7e7e7;width:100%"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word; border-collapse: collapse !important; vertical-align: top;"> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 0px solid transparent;border-left: 0px solid transparent;border-right: 0px solid transparent;border-bottom: 0px solid transparent;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <h1 style="margin: 0px; line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: normal; font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: 24px;">LJ Cohen</h1> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <h4 style="margin: 0px; line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: normal; font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: 13px;"><em>Science Fiction. Fantasy. Assorted Weirdness.</em></h4> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="0px" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;border-top: 1px solid #BBBBBB;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top;font-size: 0px;line-height: 0px;mso-line-height-rule: exactly;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%"><span> </span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div align="center"> <div style="display: table; 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text-decoration: none; clear: both; display: block !important; border: medium none; height: auto; max-width: 32px !important;" title="Instagram" width="504" /> </a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table>  <table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="32" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;margin-right: 0px" width="32"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td align="left" style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top" valign="middle"><a href="mailto:lisa@ljcohen.net" target="_blank" title="Email"><img alt="Email" height="474" src="https://ljcohen.net/mailinglist/mail.cgi/show_img/bluemusings/20260505123933/738caa157ed88cbab6d86c3b1e36cccb_email.jpg" style="outline: currentcolor none medium; text-decoration: none; clear: both; display: block !important; border: medium none; height: auto; max-width: 32px !important;" title="Email" width="474" /> </a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="0px" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;border-top: 3px solid #BBBBBB;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top;font-size: 0px;line-height: 0px;mso-line-height-rule: exactly;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%"><span> </span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <h4 style="margin: 0px; line-height: 140%; text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: normal; font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: 17px;">Bluemusings: Kickstarter is Live!<br /> 05.05.26</h4> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="0px" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;border-top: 3px solid #BBBBBB;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top;font-size: 0px;line-height: 0px;mso-line-height-rule: exactly;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%"><span> </span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 1px solid #CCC;border-left: 1px solid #CCC;border-right: 1px solid #CCC;border-bottom: 1px solid #CCC;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div class="menu" style="text-align:center"><span style="padding:5px 15px;display:block;color:#444444;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;font-size:14px"><a id="home" name="home"></a><a href="#Item1">Kickstarter</a>!</span><span style="padding:5px 15px;display:block;color:#444444;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;font-size:14px"><a href="#Item2">Every Sky A Stranger: Update</a> </span><a href="#Item3">Sneak Peek</a></div> <div class="menu" style="text-align:center"> </div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 0px solid transparent;border-left: 0px solid transparent;border-right: 0px solid transparent;border-bottom: 0px solid transparent;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="2" style="border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed; border-spacing: 0px; vertical-align: top; border-top: 1px solid;" width="2"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top;font-size: 0px;line-height: 0px;mso-line-height-rule: exactly;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%"><span> </span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 1px solid #000000;border-left: 1px solid #000000;border-right: 1px solid #000000;border-bottom: 1px solid #000000;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"><a id="Item1" name="Item1"></a>Kickstarter is Live!</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div style="line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word;"> <p style="text-align:center"><img alt="" height="275" src="https://ljcohen.net/mailinglist/mail.cgi/show_img/bluemusings/20260505123933/31ded147f4e2f4babdb9c10e9ced2bc7_Just_Launched_with-cover-art-only.jpg" width="450" /></p> <p>I set the Kickstarter campaign free less than 4 hours ago. It's over 50% funded already! Honestly? I'm stunned and thrilled. I can't wait to hear the audiobook and share it in the world. </p> <p><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ljcohen/entangled-realities-litany-for-a-broken-world?ref=3sd5xx" target="_blank">Here's the link</a> if you'd like to take a look and see some of the fun perks I've put together for the campaign. (Hint - there is specially designed pottery and some one of a kind knitted work!)</p> </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; padding: 10px; font-family: trebuchet ms, geneva; text-align: center;"><a href="#home">-home-</a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <p> </p> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; padding: 10px; font-family: trebuchet ms, geneva;"> <p style="text-align: center;"> <a id="Item2" name="Item2"></a>Every Sky a Stranger: Update</p> <p style="text-align:center"><img alt="" height="268" src="https://ljcohen.net/mailinglist/mail.cgi/show_img/bluemusings/20260505123933/bf6ec190fed972b0cb69fc9f2adcfc8b_signal-2026-05-04-154727_002.png" width="400" /></p> <p style="text-align: left;">When you finish a story, especially one that's been in your head for years, it's nearly impossible to be objective about it. Honestly, I bounce between "this is the best thing I've ever written" and "OMG this is terrible I need to trunk it."</p> <p style="text-align: left;">So when your editor tells you that you've leveled up, well, that's pretty special. </p> <p style="text-align: left;">She's almost ready to hand it back to me to incorporate whatever edits she's suggested.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">My writer and artist friend Chris Howard is working on a cover concept. </p> <p style="text-align: left;">If all goes well, Every Sky a Stranger will be out midsummer.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">Stay tuned! </p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a href="#home">-home-</a></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p> </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 1px solid #000000;border-left: 1px solid #000000;border-right: 1px solid #000000;border-bottom: 1px solid #000000;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"><a id="Item3" name="Item3"></a>Sneak Peek: Every Sky A Stranger</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div style="line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word;"> <p>Melissa stared up at her living room walls and frowned. Everything was pristine. Sterile. Colorless. White on white with accents of charcoal gray.</p> <p>Reina and her mother had curled up on this couch. Had shed<br /> dirt and slush from the Boston streets on the carpet./Of course there was nothing to mar the perfect nap of the white rug beneath the glass coffee table. But Melissa remembered both.</p> <p>Reina. Thorne. Stirling. Martin. They were real. The little dog Poplar was real. Melissa was the one who felt imaginary.</p> <p>Her half-empty glass of wine sat on the coffee table, the red glowing like a live coal. She reached for it, paused, and grabbed her phone instead. Before she could reconsider, she hit Ellie's number on speed dial.</p> <p>What time was it in California? Hell, Melissa didn't even know what time it was here. So much for being oriented to time, place, or person.</p> <p>"Hey Mel. You're late."</p> <p>Relief flooded through her hearing Ellie's warm voice. For a long moment, she'd worried that her friend wasn't real either. "I hope I didn't wake you."</p> <p>"Where are you? Wake me? It's eight thirty. And I'm starving."</p> <p>Melissa frowned as her brain processed their disjointed conversation. Late. Eight-thirty. Starving. Her stomach rumbled. Dinner. She was supposed to meet Ellie at the new Italian place that opened up in Harvard Square. Wait. What was Ellie doing in Boston? She lived in the Bay area. Melissa gripped the soft white blanket as if it was the only thing keeping her anchored. Of course Ellie lived in Cambridge. She was a professor of religious studies at MIT. Melissa remembered how happy she'd been when Ellie moved back to Boston after living three timezones over for all those years. How much she had leaned on her friend during the long, slow decline of her parents' health last year.</p> <p>"Earth to Mel...You okay?"</p> <p>"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine."</p> <p>"You don't sound fine. You sound...confused."</p> <p>Melissa flushed. She knew Ellie was about to say drunk. That she sounded drunk. A series of long, frank, and uncomfortable conversations with her best friend had led to Melissa finally admitting she had a drinking problem. Not one that impaired her as a physician, but that didn't mean it wouldn't. She hadn't had an alcoholic drink for seventeen months.</p> <p>Except there was a glass of red wine sitting on the coffee table.</p> <p>"Ellie? I think I need help." She swallowed hard, staring at the wine glass.</p> <p>"Where are you?"</p> <p>She glanced around feeling like she was lost. "Home."</p> <p>"Stay where you are. I'm coming over."</p> <p>Melissa dropped the phone and pulled the blanket close to her chin. Something was very wrong.</p> <p> </p> </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; padding: 10px; font-family: trebuchet ms, geneva; text-align: center;"><a href="#home">-home-</a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <p> </p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: #e7e7e7"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 1px solid #000000;border-left: 1px solid #000000;border-right: 1px solid #000000;border-bottom: 1px solid #000000;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div style="line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word;"> <p style="text-align:center"><img alt="" height="300" src="https://ljcohen.net/mailinglist/mail.cgi/show_img/bluemusings/20260505123933/3e799f7b0c65760e4d9f102526306ac7_signal-2026-05-05-143518.jpeg" width="400" /></p> <p style="text-align: center;">Another gratuitous photo of my dog, Gigi. </p> </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; padding: 10px; font-family: trebuchet ms, geneva; text-align: center;"><a href="#home">-home-</a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <p> </p>  <p style="text-align: center;"><u><em><strong>Statement on "AI" use</strong></em></u></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em> I do not and will not employ so called "AI" (e.g. Large Language Models/LLMs) in any part of my writing process. All of my work - poetry, fiction, and non fiction - is 100% human generated.  The tools I use in writing either do not have AI integrated or I have disabled it. I commission cover art from human artists. </em></strong></p>  <div style="text-align: center;"> <p><em>I love to hear from readers! Let me know what you're reading and recommending or if you have any suggestions for what you'd like to see in future newsletters. </em></p> <p><em>Thanks!</em></p> </div> <div style="font-style: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana; ">LJ (<a href="mailto: lisa@ljcohen.net">lisa@ljcohen.net</a>)</span></div> </div><p> </p>

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BlueMusings: Book 2 news and Kickstarter pre-launch

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 18:30:00 GMT

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;min-width: 320px;Margin: 0 auto;background-color: #e7e7e7;width:100%"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word; border-collapse: collapse !important; vertical-align: top;"> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 0px solid transparent;border-left: 0px solid transparent;border-right: 0px solid transparent;border-bottom: 0px solid transparent;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <h1 style="margin: 0px; line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: normal; font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: 24px;">LJ Cohen</h1> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <h4 style="margin: 0px; line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: normal; font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: 13px;"><em>Science Fiction. Fantasy. Assorted Weirdness.</em></h4> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="0px" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;border-top: 1px solid #BBBBBB;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top;font-size: 0px;line-height: 0px;mso-line-height-rule: exactly;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%"><span> </span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div align="center"> <div style="display: table; 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line-height: 140%; text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: normal; font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: 17px;">Bluemusings: Book 2 news & Kickstarter pre-launch<br /> 04.24.26</h4> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="0px" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;border-top: 3px solid #BBBBBB;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top;font-size: 0px;line-height: 0px;mso-line-height-rule: exactly;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%"><span> </span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 1px solid #CCC;border-left: 1px solid #CCC;border-right: 1px solid #CCC;border-bottom: 1px solid #CCC;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div class="menu" style="text-align:center"><span style="padding:5px 15px;display:block;color:#444444;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;font-size:14px"><a id="home" name="home"></a><a href="#Item1">Writing Update: Every Sky A Stranger</a></span>   <span style="padding:5px 15px;display:block;color:#444444;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;font-size:14px"><a href="#Item2">Kickstarter pre-launch</a></span></div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 0px solid transparent;border-left: 0px solid transparent;border-right: 0px solid transparent;border-bottom: 0px solid transparent;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="2" style="border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed; border-spacing: 0px; vertical-align: top; border-top: 1px solid;" width="2"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top;font-size: 0px;line-height: 0px;mso-line-height-rule: exactly;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%"><span> </span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 1px solid #000000;border-left: 1px solid #000000;border-right: 1px solid #000000;border-bottom: 1px solid #000000;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"><a id="Item1" name="Item1"></a>Writing Update: Every Sky A Stranger</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div style="line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word;"> <p>Over the past month, I've completed EVERY SKY A STRANGER, sent it off to beta readers (thank you!!!), gotten feedback, made edits, and sent it on to my lovely and talented editor. (Waves to <a href="https://grammargeddon.com/karen-s-conlin/" target="_blank">Karen Conlin</a>.)</p> <p>Phew!</p> <p>That's a lot!</p> <p>I'm really pleased with the shape of this story. It hits all the right emotional notes and moves the characters and the conflicts deeper. It also sets up book 3 perfectly. </p> <p>Plus it contains more Poplar and any story with her is 1000% times better than a story without her. </p> <p><a href="https://chrishowardwriter.com/" target="_blank">Chris Howard</a>, the multi-talented writer and artist (and all around lovely human) who has created the covers for 7 of my 9 novels is working on concepts for the cover art for this one. Stay tuned! I'll share it here with you first. </p> </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; padding: 10px; font-family: trebuchet ms, geneva; text-align: center;"><a href="#home">-home-</a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <p> </p> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; padding: 10px; font-family: trebuchet ms, geneva;"> <p style="text-align: center;"> <a id="Item2" name="Item2"></a>Kickstarter Pre-Launch</p> <p style="text-align:center"><img alt="" height="455" src="https://ljcohen.net/mailinglist/mail.cgi/show_img/bluemusings/20260424123052/62a452dd014a650a35aabe9b8b29d547_Litany_Kindle_Cover_72dpi.jpg" width="300" /></p> <p style="text-align: left;">I've put together the kickstarter campaign in support of a professional audiobook version of LITANY FOR A BROKEN WORLD. The audiobook narrator is <a href="https://www.shereegalpert.com/" target="_blank">Sheree Galpert</a>, an experienced actor who now also works in audiobook production.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">She and I have been working on the character voices and I'm really pleased with what she's come up with. As we move into the actual production, I'll share some snippets of the work in progress.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">There is no obligation to back the project, but <strong>I would be grateful if<a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ljcohen/entangled-realities-litany-for-a-broken-world" target="_blank"> you followed the link to the pre-launch page </a>and clicked "Notify me on Launch".</strong></p> <p style="text-align: left;">Early interest is one of the ways to get Kickstarter to feature a campaign to a wider audience. </p> <p style="text-align: left;">Many thanks!</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a href="#home">-home-</a></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p style="text-align: center;"><u><em><strong>Statement on "AI" use</strong></em></u></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em> I do not and will not employ so called "AI" (e.g. Large Language Models/LLMs) in any part of my writing process. All of my work - poetry, fiction, and non fiction - is 100% human generated.  The tools I use in writing either do not have AI integrated or I have disabled it. I commission cover art from human artists. </em></strong></p>  <div style="text-align: center;"> <p><em>I love to hear from readers! Let me know what you're reading and recommending or if you have any suggestions for what you'd like to see in future newsletters. </em></p> <p><em>Thanks!</em></p> </div> <div style="font-style: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana; ">LJ (<a href="mailto: lisa@ljcohen.net">lisa@ljcohen.net</a>)</span></div><p> </p>

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BlueMusings: Home Stretch

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 00:42:00 GMT

<div id="archived_message_body"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;min-width: 320px;Margin: 0 auto;background-color: #e7e7e7;width:100%"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word; border-collapse: collapse !important; vertical-align: top;"> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 0px solid transparent;border-left: 0px solid transparent;border-right: 0px solid transparent;border-bottom: 0px solid transparent;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <h1 style="margin: 0px; line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: normal; font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: 24px;">LJ Cohen</h1> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <h4 style="margin: 0px; line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: normal; font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: 13px;"><em>Science Fiction. Fantasy. Assorted Weirdness.</em></h4> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="0px" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;border-top: 1px solid #BBBBBB;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top;font-size: 0px;line-height: 0px;mso-line-height-rule: exactly;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%"><span> </span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div align="center"> <div style="display: table; 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line-height: 140%; text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: normal; font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: 17px;">Bluemusings: Home Stretch<br /> 03.24.26</h4> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="0px" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;border-top: 3px solid #BBBBBB;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top;font-size: 0px;line-height: 0px;mso-line-height-rule: exactly;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%"><span> </span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 1px solid #CCC;border-left: 1px solid #CCC;border-right: 1px solid #CCC;border-bottom: 1px solid #CCC;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div class="menu" style="text-align:center"><span style="padding:5px 15px;display:block;color:#444444;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;font-size:14px"><a id="home" name="home"></a><a href="#Item1">Writing Update & call for Readers</a></span>   <span style="padding:5px 15px;display:block;color:#444444;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;font-size:14px"><a href="#Item2">Upcoming Appearances</a></span><span style="padding:5px 15px;display:block;color:#444444;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;font-size:14px"><a href="#Item3">Free Book by Louise McLaughlin</a></span></div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 0px solid transparent;border-left: 0px solid transparent;border-right: 0px solid transparent;border-bottom: 0px solid transparent;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="2" style="border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed; border-spacing: 0px; vertical-align: top; border-top: 1px solid;" width="2"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top;font-size: 0px;line-height: 0px;mso-line-height-rule: exactly;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%"><span> </span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 1px solid #000000;border-left: 1px solid #000000;border-right: 1px solid #000000;border-bottom: 1px solid #000000;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"><a id="Item1" name="Item1"></a>Writing Update</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div style="line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word;"> <p>I don't think I realized how much my surgery in December - and the months of worry and loss of function that preceded it - had interfered with my writing. I am well on the mend and working hard in physical therapy. And let me tell you, it's not easy being on the other side of the treatment equation. (I worked as a PT for 25 years).</p> <p>For the past several months, I've been building strength and endurance and the subtle sensation and proprioception has returned to my hands, arms, and legs. And the writing has been progressing really well. </p> <p>In fact, I'm 4 1/2 scenes from completing the sequel to LITANY. </p> <p>Book 2 of the series is EVERY SKY A STRANGER. I'm working on a brief description, which is definitely harder to come up with than writing the whole novel. </p> <p>This is an early draft of that 'blurb':</p> <p><em>When an EMT with PTSD falls through a portal to an alternate version of Boston, three friends from different realities in the multiverse, each who have been helped by him, attempt a rescue before conflicting memories destroy his mind. But Traveling through the world walls is risky and each of the three find themselves exactly where they least wish to be.</em></p> <p>If you are willing to be a beta reader for the manuscript before my final revision and before it goes off to my editor, please let me know. I'm looking for:</p> <ul> <li>2 or 3 folks,</li> <li>ideally who have read book 1</li> <li>who can return comments within 2 weeks</li> <li>big picture feedback only, no sentence level work</li> </ul> <p>You will have my gratitude and a public thank you in the acknowledgments of the book.</p> <h3 style="text-align: center;"><strong>Be on the lookout for my Kickstarter Campaign!</strong></h3> <p>In the next month or so, I'll be going live with a kickstarter campaign for an audiobook version of LITANY FOR A BROKEN WORLD. There will be some fun perks, including a limited edition ceramic (thrown/made by me) mug. I'm working on a glaze application that will look like a portal. </p> </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; padding: 10px; font-family: trebuchet ms, geneva; text-align: center;"><a href="#home">-home-</a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <p> </p> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; padding: 10px; font-family: trebuchet ms, geneva;"> <p style="text-align: center;"> <a id="Item2" name="Item2"></a>Upcoming Appearances</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>Friday April 3, 2026</em></p> <p style="text-align:center"><img alt="" height="263" src="https://ljcohen.net/mailinglist/mail.cgi/show_img/bluemusings/20260324184201/7edd239b7df724ee1406f54fb963614f_SWSW4.3.26.jpg" width="350" /></p> <p style="text-align: center;">**6 Authors * 8 Minutes Each!**</p> <p>A week from this Friday, I will be joining this line-up of fabulous women and non-binary science fiction, fantasy, and horror authors at a VIRTUAL live reading. with Strong Women, Strange Worlds. </p> <p>There will be prizes / giveaways as well and I hope you will attend. While the event is free,<a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/o/strong-women-strange-worlds-33460611105" target="_blank"> pre-registration (here) is required. </a></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a href="#home">-home-</a></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p> </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 1px solid #000000;border-left: 1px solid #000000;border-right: 1px solid #000000;border-bottom: 1px solid #000000;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"><a id="Item3" name="Item3"></a>Free book by Louise McLaughlin</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div style="line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word;"> <p style="text-align:center"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://ljcohen.net/mailinglist/mail.cgi/show_img/bluemusings/20260324184201/4bdab8a3d985961c0c8630c76f554286_louise_ebook.jpg" width="300" /></p> <p>If you are a writer, or know any, then you also know that we are in a 'golden age' of scam/spam email solicitations, all likely generated by AI/LLM. They flood my inbox every damned day, often multiple emails a day and they all include the same smarmy praise with elements of the stories that have absolutely been produced by the magic 8 ball/spicy autocorrect plaigarism machine. (Ask me how I really feel about LLMs...) </p> <p>So when I got an email from Louise McLaughlin - an indie author - who thought that her readership might be interested in my work and vice versa, I initially thought <em>'Yeah, right.'</em></p> <p>But lo and behold, Louise is a real human! Who writes real books! And she's offering <a href="https://dl.bookfunnel.com/27sr9i3p3v" target="_blank">DIMENSIONS for free here</a>. </p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>DIMENSIONS by Louise McLaughlin</strong></p> <p><em>WANTED UNIVERSAL CODERS: Secret Organisation, The 23, seeks a long-term relationship with gifted people. Discretion and the ability to think differently are essential. Grey morality is desirable. Excellent job satisfaction.<br /> <br /> No need to apply… We’ll find you.</em></p> <p>Frankie’s life is turned upside down when he’s coerced into joining a Secret Organisation.<br /> <br /> The organisation is called The 23, which claims to control the code behind all of reality on Earth.<br /> <br /> Along with his friends, Hugo and Dawn, they uncover the terrifying truth.<br /> <br /> Reality is about to be reset.<br /> <br /> To survive, they need to hack reality using the consciousness interface.<br /> <br /> He wants freedom for everyone, but the stakes are deadly.<br /> <br /> They are humanity's only hope.<br /> <br /> What could possibly go wrong?</p> </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; padding: 10px; font-family: trebuchet ms, geneva; text-align: center;"><a href="#home">-home-</a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <p> </p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: #e7e7e7"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 1px solid #000000;border-left: 1px solid #000000;border-right: 1px solid #000000;border-bottom: 1px solid #000000;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div style="line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word;"> <p style="text-align:center"><img alt="" height="377" src="https://ljcohen.net/mailinglist/mail.cgi/show_img/bluemusings/20260324184201/e6c76ca254e1b43294cc1f6db099b400_signal-2026-03-24-201941.jpeg" width="300" /></p> <p style="text-align: center;">Gratuitous photo of my dog, Gigi. Like Poplar from LITANY, Gigi also likes cheese. </p> </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; padding: 10px; font-family: trebuchet ms, geneva; text-align: center;"><a href="#home">-home-</a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <p> </p>  <p style="text-align: center;"><u><em><strong>Statement on "AI" use</strong></em></u></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em> I do not and will not employ so called "AI" (e.g. Large Language Models/LLMs) in any part of my writing process. All of my work - poetry, fiction, and non fiction - is 100% human generated.  The tools I use in writing either do not have AI integrated or I have disabled it. I commission cover art from human artists. </em></strong></p>  <div style="text-align: center;"> <p><em>I love to hear from readers! Let me know what you're reading and recommending or if you have any suggestions for what you'd like to see in future newsletters. </em></p> <p><em>Thanks!</em></p> </div> <div style="font-style: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana; ">LJ (<a href="mailto: lisa@ljcohen.net">lisa@ljcohen.net</a>)</span></div> </div><p> </p>

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BlueMusings: January 29, 2026

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 22:25:00 GMT

<div id="archived_message_body"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;min-width: 320px;Margin: 0 auto;background-color: #e7e7e7;width:100%"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top"> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 0px solid transparent;border-left: 0px solid transparent;border-right: 0px solid transparent;border-bottom: 0px solid transparent;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <h1 style="margin: 0px; line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: normal; font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: 24px;">LJ Cohen</h1> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <h4 style="margin: 0px; line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: normal; font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: 13px;"><em>Science Fiction. Fantasy. Assorted Weirdness.</em></h4> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="0px" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;border-top: 1px solid #BBBBBB;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top;font-size: 0px;line-height: 0px;mso-line-height-rule: exactly;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%"><span> </span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div align="center"> <div style="display: table; 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text-decoration: none; clear: both; display: block !important; border: medium none; height: auto; max-width: 32px !important;" title="Instagram" width="504" /> </a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table>  <table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="32" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;margin-right: 0px" width="32"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td align="left" style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top" valign="middle"><a href="mailto:lisa@ljcohen.net" target="_blank" title="Email"><img alt="Email" height="474" src="https://ljcohen.net/mailinglist/mail.cgi/show_img/bluemusings/20260129152501/738caa157ed88cbab6d86c3b1e36cccb_email.jpg" style="outline: currentcolor none medium; text-decoration: none; clear: both; display: block !important; border: medium none; height: auto; max-width: 32px !important;" title="Email" width="474" /> </a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="0px" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;border-top: 3px solid #BBBBBB;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top;font-size: 0px;line-height: 0px;mso-line-height-rule: exactly;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%"><span> </span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <h4 style="margin: 0px; line-height: 140%; overflow-wrap: break-word; font-weight: normal; font-family: trebuchet ms, geneva; font-size: 17px; text-align: left;">Bluemusings<br /> 01.29.2026</h4> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="0px" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;border-top: 3px solid #BBBBBB;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top;font-size: 0px;line-height: 0px;mso-line-height-rule: exactly;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%"><span> </span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 1px solid #CCC;border-left: 1px solid #CCC;border-right: 1px solid #CCC;border-bottom: 1px solid #CCC;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div class="menu" style="text-align:center"><span style="padding:5px 15px;display:block;color:#444444;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;font-size:14px"><a id="home" name="home"></a><a href="#Item1">Writing Update</a></span>   <span style="padding:5px 15px;display:block;color:#444444;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;font-size:14px"><a href="#Item2">Upcoming appearances</a></span></div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 0px solid transparent;border-left: 0px solid transparent;border-right: 0px solid transparent;border-bottom: 0px solid transparent;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="0px" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;border-top: 1px solid ;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" width="0%"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top;font-size: 0px;line-height: 0px;mso-line-height-rule: exactly;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%"><span> </span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 1px solid #000000;border-left: 1px solid #000000;border-right: 1px solid #000000;border-bottom: 1px solid #000000;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"><strong><a id="Item1" name="Item1"></a>Writing Update</strong></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div style="line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word;"> <p style="text-align:center"><img alt="" height="259" src="https://ljcohen.net/mailinglist/mail.cgi/show_img/bluemusings/20260129152501/cf1846954229a9e66562744b89edce1e_signal-2026-01-29-163206_002.jpeg" width="350" /></p> <p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">It is not possible for me to separate my writing life from my personal - one informs the other. And there is no ambiguity in where I stand. You only need to read any of my novels, short stories, or poems to know that I believe in the power of community, cooperation, mutual support, and love. </p> <p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">Long before I wrote my first story, poetry was my writing passion. It's the form I return to when I need to understand my emotions and its the filter I use to see the world. This is what I wrote the other day, as I grappled (and continue to grapple) with the cruelty that threatens all of us. </p> <p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">While it can be tough to find the mental space and peace to write, I am continuing to make slow and steady progress on LITANY's sequel. I hope you are finding a way to keep creativity and hope in your life, even in difficult times. </p> <p align="center" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in"> </p> <p align="center" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in">Filling the Feeders Before the Storm</p> <p>The first shift at the feeders are dark-eyed juncos.<br /> White bellied fat birds who stare at me, their heads<br /> cocked in full golden retriever tilt mode, side-eye<br /> game on point. Then the tufted tit mice invade<br /> wearing their self-important crowns. Hanging<br /> back, swaying on a sagging patio light string,<br /> a pair of gold finches, sun starved still barely<br /> pale yellow. Soon the speckled woodpeckers<br /> will swoop in and all the smaller birds will scatter<br /> back to the safety of pine boughs and fence posts.<br /> The storm has not gotten here. Meteorologists<br /> can only puff their cheeks and study the landscape<br /> like hungry squirrels praying for a mast year. School<br /> children have been disappointed before. I would be<br /> skeptical too, but the birds give a different warning.<br /> Before the clouds form, before the first flakes fly,<br /> they have emptied five full feeders in a day.<br /> I squint out the window, imagine the dead grass<br /> and bare trees under more than a foot. It could<br /> happen. The news interrupts weather updates<br /> with tragedy. Dangerous wind chills. Death<br /> on city streets. School closures. Disappearances.<br /> Parking bans – you will be towed! Deportations.<br /> All the while, the birds feast, unaware of who<br /> provides this bounty of suet and seed. When<br /> the snow stops. When the plows scour the roads.<br /> When the weather report is the smallest interlude<br /> among atrocities once more, I will think about<br /> all the hungry birds; hope some kind soul remembers<br /> to fill the feeders when I am no longer safe here.</p> <p>Lisa Janice (LJ) Cohen<br /> January 27, 2026</p> </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; padding: 10px; font-family: trebuchet ms, geneva; text-align: center;"><a href="#home">-home-</a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="1" width="477"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; padding: 10px; font-family: trebuchet ms, geneva; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <p class="tribe-events-single-event-title" style="text-align: center;"><strong><a id="Item2" name="Item2"></a>Upcoming Appearances</strong></p> <p class="tribe-events-single-event-title"><strong>Saturday, January 31, 2026, 4 - 5:30 pm<br /> <a href="https://strawdogwriters.org/event/12th-annual-author-showcase-a-celebration-of-members-books" target="_blank">Straw Dog Writer's Guild 12th Annual Author Showcase</a></strong><br /> <strong>Forbes Library, Northampton, MA</strong></p> <p class="tribe-events-single-event-title">Please join us for a group reading where 12 of the Straw Dog writers will be sharing brief excerpts from their newest work. </p> <p class="tribe-events-single-event-title">I will be reading from LITANY FOR A BROKEN WORLD and copies will be available to purchase. </p> <hr /> <p><strong>Friday February 13 - Sunday February 15, 2026<br /> <a href="https://boskone.org/" target="_blank">Boskone</a><br /> Boston, MA</strong></p> <p>Organized by the New England Science Fiction Association (NESFA), Boskone is the oldest annual science fiction in New England.</p> <p>I am honored to be on programming again this year. </p> <hr /> <p><a href="https://www.jscottcoatsworth.com/author-spotlight-lj-cohen" target="_blank">Virtual: An interview on J. Scott Coatsworth's website</a></p> <p>Scott asked a lot of thought-provoking questions. I hope I was up to the challenge with my answers. </p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; padding: 10px; font-family: trebuchet ms, geneva; text-align: center; border-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="#home">-home-</a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <br /> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p style="text-align: center;"><u><em><strong>Statement on "AI" use</strong></em></u></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em> I do not and will not employ so called "AI" (e.g. Large Language Models/LLMs) in any part of my writing process. All of my work - poetry, fiction, and non fiction - is 100% human generated.  The tools I use in writing either do not have AI integrated or I have disabled it. I commission cover art from human artists. </em></strong></p>  <div style="text-align: center;"> <p><em>I love to hear from readers! Let me know what you're reading and recommending or if you have any suggestions for what you'd like to see in future newsletters. </em></p> <p><em>Thanks!</em></p> </div> <div style="font-style: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana; ">LJ (<a href="mailto: lisa@ljcohen.net">lisa@ljcohen.net</a>)</span></div> </div><p> </p>

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BlueMusings: Post-surgery Edition

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 16:11:00 GMT

<div id="archived_message_body"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;min-width: 320px;Margin: 0 auto;background-color: #e7e7e7;width:100%"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top"> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 0px solid transparent;border-left: 0px solid transparent;border-right: 0px solid transparent;border-bottom: 0px solid transparent;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <h1 style="margin: 0px; line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: normal; font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: 24px;">LJ Cohen</h1> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <h4 style="margin: 0px; line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: normal; font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: 13px;"><em>Science Fiction. Fantasy. Assorted Weirdness.</em></h4> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="0px" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;border-top: 1px solid #BBBBBB;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top;font-size: 0px;line-height: 0px;mso-line-height-rule: exactly;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%"><span> </span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div align="center"> <div style="display: table; 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text-decoration: none; clear: both; display: block !important; border: medium none; height: auto; max-width: 32px !important;" title="Instagram" width="504" /> </a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table>  <table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="32" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;margin-right: 0px" width="32"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td align="left" style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top" valign="middle"><a href="mailto:lisa@ljcohen.net" target="_blank" title="Email"><img alt="Email" height="474" src="https://ljcohen.net/mailinglist/mail.cgi/show_img/bluemusings/20251215091155/738caa157ed88cbab6d86c3b1e36cccb_email.jpg" style="outline: currentcolor none medium; text-decoration: none; clear: both; display: block !important; border: medium none; height: auto; max-width: 32px !important;" title="Email" width="474" /> </a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="0px" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;border-top: 3px solid #BBBBBB;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top;font-size: 0px;line-height: 0px;mso-line-height-rule: exactly;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%"><span> </span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <h4 style="margin: 0px; line-height: 140%; text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: normal; font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: 17px;">Bluemusings: Post-surgical Edition<br /> 12.15.2025</h4> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="0px" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;border-top: 3px solid #BBBBBB;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top;font-size: 0px;line-height: 0px;mso-line-height-rule: exactly;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%"><span> </span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 1px solid #CCC;border-left: 1px solid #CCC;border-right: 1px solid #CCC;border-bottom: 1px solid #CCC;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div class="menu" style="text-align:center"><span style="padding:5px 15px;display:block;color:#444444;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;font-size:14px"><a id="home" name="home"></a><a href="#Item1">Bionic woman?</a></span>   <span style="padding:5px 15px;display:block;color:#444444;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;font-size:14px"><a href="#Item2">Liminal Fiction Book Bundle</a></span> <span style="padding:5px 15px;display:block;color:#444444;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;font-size:14px"><a href="#Item3">Upcoming Appearences</a></span>  </div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 0px solid transparent;border-left: 0px solid transparent;border-right: 0px solid transparent;border-bottom: 0px solid transparent;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="0px" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;border-top: 1px solid ;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" width="0%"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top;font-size: 0px;line-height: 0px;mso-line-height-rule: exactly;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%"><span> </span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 1px solid #000000;border-left: 1px solid #000000;border-right: 1px solid #000000;border-bottom: 1px solid #000000;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="25" width="475"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"><a id="Item1" name="Item1"></a>Bionic Woman?</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div style="line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word;"> <div style="text-align:center"> <figure class="image" style="display:inline-block"><img alt="" height="368" src="https://ljcohen.net/mailinglist/mail.cgi/show_img/bluemusings/20251215091155/3c1ead65e094df34a7a36e5c19c9bae2_signal-2025-12-15-095746_002.jpeg" width="350" /> <figcaption>Proof of life and a bonus haircut*</figcaption> </figure> </div> <p>Tomorrow is two weeks since I put my life in the hands of a neurosurgeon and his team. </p> <p>This is not hyperbole - over the past six months, I'd been slowly losing function, mostly in my hands and arms, but also my balance. Turns out my spinal cord was being compressed in 2 different places in my neck. I needed laminectomies and fusions at c2-3 and c6-7.</p> <p>I'm a retired physical therapist - I know full well how serious this is. Plus, you know it's bad when the surgeon apologizes that you have to have this operation. And when he tempers your expectations by saying 1/3 of patients regain function while 2/3 just don't get worse. </p> <p>Yikes.</p> <p>4 1/2 hours in the OR, 3 nights in the hospital, and 9 days home and I'm doing great! I'm already seeing gains in the strength and feeling in my hands/arms. My balance is better, too. And now I'm truly metal. :)</p> <p>I will need to be patient with the recovery process and I suspect that will be the most difficult part of this. I'll be on activity restrictions for at least another 6-8 weeks. </p> <p>*I haven't had hair this short ever in my life! They buzzed most of the back of my head to expose the surgical site so I had the scraggly leftover hair in front cut to blend in with the rest. It's kind of radical and I love it. :)</p> </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; padding: 10px; font-family: trebuchet ms, geneva; text-align: center;"><a href="#home">-home-</a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a id="Item2" name="Item2"></a>Liminal Fiction December Book Bundle</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; padding: 10px; font-family: trebuchet ms, geneva; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <p>, </p> <p style="text-align:center"><img alt="" height="207" src="https://ljcohen.net/mailinglist/mail.cgi/show_img/bluemusings/20251215091155/bd8ad02ba6cb5f9d207115c34ff0a564_bundle.jpg" width="400" /></p> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div style="line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word;"> <p>Liminal Fiction is an inclusive library of spec fic titles (fantasy, sci fi, paranormal and horror). If you join the email list, you'll get these four ebooks for free, including DERELICT, the first book in my Halcyone Space series. </p> <p><a href="https://www.limfic.com/join-our-email-list/" target="_blank">https://www.limfic.com/join-our-email-list/</a></p> <p>If you already own DERELICT, or are already on the Liminal Fiction list, I'd be happy to gift you one of my other ebooks. Just let me know which book you'd like and I'll email it to you in the format of your choice. Happy holidays from me. No obligation, but reviews are always appreciated.  </p> </div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; padding: 10px; font-family: trebuchet ms, geneva; text-align: center; border-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="#home">-home-</a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 1px solid #000000;border-left: 1px solid #000000;border-right: 1px solid #000000;border-bottom: 1px solid #000000;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"><a id="Item3" name="Item3"></a>Upcoming Appearances</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <p>Now that my surgery is in the rear view mirror, I'm happy to say that I'll be at <a href="https://www.arisia.org/" target="_blank">Arisia</a> and <a href="https://boskone.org/" target="_blank">Boskone </a>in the new year. </p> <p>Stay tuned for my schedule! </p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; padding: 10px; font-family: trebuchet ms, geneva; text-align: center;"><a href="#home">-home-</a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p style="text-align: center;"><u><em><strong>Statement on "AI" use</strong></em></u></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em> I do not and will not employ so called "AI" (e.g. Large Language Models/LLMs) in any part of my writing process. All of my work - poetry, fiction, and non fiction - is 100% human generated.  The tools I use in writing either do not have AI integrated or I have disabled it. I commission cover art from human artists. </em></strong></p>  <div style="text-align: center;"> <p><em>I love to hear from readers! Let me know what you're reading and recommending or if you have any suggestions for what you'd like to see in future newsletters. </em></p> <p><em>Thanks!</em></p> </div> <div style="font-style: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana; ">LJ (<a href="mailto: lisa@ljcohen.net">lisa@ljcohen.net</a>)</span></div> </div><p> </p>

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BlueMusings: End of the Year Edition

Sun, 16 Nov 2025 15:56:00 GMT

<div id="archived_message_body"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;min-width: 320px;Margin: 0 auto;background-color: #e7e7e7;width:100%"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top"> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 0px solid transparent;border-left: 0px solid transparent;border-right: 0px solid transparent;border-bottom: 0px solid transparent;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <h1 style="margin: 0px; line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: normal; font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: 24px;">LJ Cohen</h1> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <h4 style="margin: 0px; line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: normal; font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: 13px;"><em>Science Fiction. Fantasy. Assorted Weirdness.</em></h4> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="0px" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;border-top: 1px solid #BBBBBB;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top;font-size: 0px;line-height: 0px;mso-line-height-rule: exactly;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%"><span> </span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div align="center"> <div style="display: table; 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line-height: 140%; text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: normal; font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: 17px;">Bluemusings: End of the Year Edition<br /> 11.1.2025</h4> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="0px" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;border-top: 3px solid #BBBBBB;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top;font-size: 0px;line-height: 0px;mso-line-height-rule: exactly;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%"><span> </span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 1px solid #CCC;border-left: 1px solid #CCC;border-right: 1px solid #CCC;border-bottom: 1px solid #CCC;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div class="menu" style="text-align:center"><span style="padding:5px 15px;display:block;color:#444444;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;font-size:14px"><a id="home" name="home"></a><a href="#Item1">Writing Update</a></span>   <span style="padding:5px 15px;display:block;color:#444444;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;font-size:14px"><a href="#Item2">Personal Update</a></span> <span style="padding:5px 15px;display:block;color:#444444;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;font-size:14px"><a href="#Item3">2026 Appearances</a></span>  </div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 0px solid transparent;border-left: 0px solid transparent;border-right: 0px solid transparent;border-bottom: 0px solid transparent;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="0px" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;border-top: 1px solid ;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" width="0%"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top;font-size: 0px;line-height: 0px;mso-line-height-rule: exactly;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%"><span> </span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 1px solid #000000;border-left: 1px solid #000000;border-right: 1px solid #000000;border-bottom: 1px solid #000000;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"><a id="Item1" name="Item1"></a>Writing Update</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div style="line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word;"> <div style="text-align:center"> <figure class="image" style="display:inline-block"><img alt="" height="314" src="https://ljcohen.net/mailinglist/mail.cgi/show_img/bluemusings/20251116085654/0db6ace5d811d16529fcb4517bbb6731_Screenshot_2025-11-16_094602.png" width="400" /> <figcaption>Yesterday's progress got me over the 50K mark</figcaption> </figure> </div> <p>While the writing is going more slowly than I'd like, it's not nearly as difficult as drafting LITANY was. I think my major struggle with book one was in wrestling with the structure and the sheer number of POV characters. Once I gave in and accepted what the story needed, it became a lot more clear. </p> <p>In addition, last month I attended an incredible week long writing conference (<a href="https://writerunboxed.com/" target="_blank">The Writer Unboxed</a> "Unconference") and it broke the story wide open for me, including helping me see the structure of the last 1/3 of book 2 and the overarching storyline of book 3. </p> <p>I've written more in the weeks since the conference than the few months that preceeded it. Given that I tend to draft 'lean', I am at about the 2/3 mark of EVERY SKY A STRANGER. I would love to say I'll have a finished clean draft by year's end, but that depends on how I do with my upcoming surgery.</p> <p>P.S. If you are looking to purchase signed copies of any of my 9 novels for holiday gifts, please email me at lisa@ljcohen.net or reply to this newsletter. I am happy to send books to the continental US with free shipping. </p> </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; padding: 10px; font-family: trebuchet ms, geneva; text-align: center;"><a href="#home">-home-</a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a id="Item2" name="Item2"></a>Personal Update</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; padding: 10px; font-family: trebuchet ms, geneva; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <p>Given that my hands are integral to much of the creative work I do - playing with yarn, clay, food, or words, it became concerning when I started experiencing weakness in both arms and hands earlier this year. </p> <p>I am scheduled to have neck surgery right after Thanksgiving (happy T-day to my fellow US folks). I'm not sure how long my recovery will be and how much time I'll be able to spend working on a computer. </p> <p>This, of course, wreaks havoc with my need to have the draft of EVERY SKY completed by year's end. </p> <p>Fortunately, between my decades-long experience as a physical therapist, my spouse being both a physician and an excellent care-giver, and my friends and community stepping up to help, I know I'm in excellent hands. </p> <p>I am going to be my typical optimistic self and say I will be at Arisia this coming January. </p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; padding: 10px; font-family: trebuchet ms, geneva; text-align: center; border-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="#home">-home-</a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 1px solid #000000;border-left: 1px solid #000000;border-right: 1px solid #000000;border-bottom: 1px solid #000000;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"><a id="Item3" name="Item3"></a>Upcoming Appearances</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div style="line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word;"> <p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.arisia.org/" target="_blank">Arisia - January 16 - 19, 2026</a></p> <p>I'm not sure if I can commit to participate in programming this year, (much depends on my post surgical healing) but I hope to be with Broad Universe in the dealer's room as well as reading as part of the group's Rapid Fire Reading. </p> <p style="text-align: center;">_____________</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://strawdogwriters.org/event/12th-annual-author-showcase-a-celebration-of-members-books" target="_blank">Straw Dog Writers Guild Annual Author Showcase</a></p> <p style="text-align:center"><img alt="" height="531" src="https://ljcohen.net/mailinglist/mail.cgi/show_img/bluemusings/20251116085654/62a452dd014a650a35aabe9b8b29d547_Litany_Kindle_Cover_72dpi.jpg" width="350" /></p> <p>I'll be reading from LITANY during the 12th annual author showcase on January 31, 2026  4 - 5:30 pm at the Forbes Library, <span class="tribe-address"><span class="tribe-street-address">Coolidge Museum, 20 West Street </span><span class="tribe-locality">Northampton</span><span class="tribe-delimiter">,</span> <abbr class="tribe-region tribe-events-abbr" title="01060">01060</abbr></span></p> <p>Hope to see you there! Signed books will be available for purchase.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span class="tribe-address"><abbr class="tribe-region tribe-events-abbr" title="01060">_________</abbr></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://boskone.org/" target="_blank">Boskone - February 13 - 15, 2026</a></p> <p>I am looking forward to being on programming at Boskone and will update you with my schedule as soon as it's available. </p> <p style="text-align: center;">_________</p> <p>P.S. If you are a science fiction fan, you may know the Boston area writer Jeffrey Carver. He has been a long time mentor to me and an incredibly giving and caring human. He is currently in a rehab hospital after complications following lung replacement surgery. Please offer up some good thoughts to the universe for Jeff and his family during this difficult time. </p> </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; padding: 10px; font-family: trebuchet ms, geneva; text-align: center;"><a href="#home">-home-</a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p style="text-align: center;"><u><em><strong>Statement on "AI" use</strong></em></u></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em> I do not and will not employ so called "AI" (e.g. Large Language Models/LLMs) in any part of my writing process. All of my work - poetry, fiction, and non fiction - is 100% human generated.  The tools I use in writing either do not have AI integrated or I have disabled it. I commission cover art from human artists. </em></strong></p>  <div style="text-align: center;"> <p><em>I love to hear from readers! Let me know what you're reading and recommending or if you have any suggestions for what you'd like to see in future newsletters. </em></p> <p><em>Thanks!</em></p> </div> <div style="font-style: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana; ">LJ (<a href="mailto: lisa@ljcohen.net">lisa@ljcohen.net</a>)</span></div> </div><p> </p>

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BlueMusings: Birthday Edition

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 13:37:00 GMT

<div id="archived_message_body"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;min-width: 320px;Margin: 0 auto;background-color: #e7e7e7;width:100%"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top"> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 0px solid transparent;border-left: 0px solid transparent;border-right: 0px solid transparent;border-bottom: 0px solid transparent;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <h1 style="margin: 0px; line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: normal; font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: 24px;">LJ Cohen</h1> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <h4 style="margin: 0px; line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: normal; font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: 13px;"><em>Science Fiction. Fantasy. Assorted Weirdness.</em></h4> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="0px" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;border-top: 1px solid #BBBBBB;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top;font-size: 0px;line-height: 0px;mso-line-height-rule: exactly;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%"><span> </span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div align="center"> <div style="display: table; 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line-height: 140%; text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: normal; font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: 17px;">Bluemusings: Birthday Edition<br /> 09.12.2025</h4> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="0px" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;border-top: 3px solid #BBBBBB;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top;font-size: 0px;line-height: 0px;mso-line-height-rule: exactly;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%"><span> </span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 1px solid #CCC;border-left: 1px solid #CCC;border-right: 1px solid #CCC;border-bottom: 1px solid #CCC;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div class="menu" style="text-align:center"><span style="padding:5px 15px;display:block;color:#444444;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;font-size:14px"><a id="home" name="home"></a><a href="#Item1">Birthday Musings</a></span>   <span style="padding:5px 15px;display:block;color:#444444;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;font-size:14px"><a href="#Item2">Writing Update and Albacon</a></span> <span style="padding:5px 15px;display:block;color:#444444;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;font-size:14px"><a href="#Item3">Reading Recommendations</a></span>  </div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 0px solid transparent;border-left: 0px solid transparent;border-right: 0px solid transparent;border-bottom: 0px solid transparent;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="0px" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;border-top: 1px solid ;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" width="0%"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top;font-size: 0px;line-height: 0px;mso-line-height-rule: exactly;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%"><span> </span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 1px solid #000000;border-left: 1px solid #000000;border-right: 1px solid #000000;border-bottom: 1px solid #000000;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;">Birthday Musings<a id="Item1" name="Item1"></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div style="line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word;"> <div style="text-align:center"> <figure class="image" style="display:inline-block"><img alt="" height="263" src="https://ljcohen.net/mailinglist/mail.cgi/show_img/bluemusings/20250912073708/ea120c36b27a0bcd4351ebb389d1697c_bdaybreakfast.jpeg" width="350" /> <figcaption>Breakfast fit for a birthday</figcaption> </figure> </div> <p>Earlier this week, I celebrated completing another orbit around the sun. People always ask "Did you do anything special on your birthday?" Well, that depends on how you define special.</p> <p>I had the day to myself and it was a beautiful one: cool morning, blue-sky warm afternoon, quiet. It started with french toast using my favorite bread (cranberry raisin sourdough) from my favorite bakery (<a href="https://www.rose32bread.com/" target="_blank">Rose 32</a> in Hardwick), topped with some late season strawberries I managed to pick before the birds and squirrels got them, and a local farm's maple syrup (<a href="https://hardwicksugarshack.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Hardwick Sugar Shack</a>). Also, coffee in my favorite mug. </p> <p>Then, still in my pajamas, I spent some good quality time with words and wrote a poem. This is one of two pieces I've written to pair with artists' paintings for an upcoming exhibit and poetry reading at <a href="https://workshop13.org/exhibitions/theme-in-yellow-gallery/" target="_blank">Workshop 13</a>. </p> <p>Happy Birthday, from me. :)</p> <p style="text-align:center"><img alt="" height="527" src="https://ljcohen.net/mailinglist/mail.cgi/show_img/bluemusings/20250912073708/a0b494991f63d270154a3895e6f18a37_poem-screenshot.png" width="350" /></p> <p>P.S. If you have read and enjoyed any of my work, the best gift you can give is to recommend it to a friend or write (even a brief) review. And thank you.</p> <p>P.P.S. All my books are available on all the typical ebook platforms, but they are also available directly from me via <a href="https://ljcohen.gumroad.com/" target="_blank">Gumroad</a>, if you don't like to bow to any corporate overlord. </p> </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; padding: 10px; font-family: trebuchet ms, geneva; text-align: center;"><a href="#home">-home-</a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a id="Item2" name="Item2"></a>Writing Update</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; padding: 10px; font-family: trebuchet ms, geneva; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <p>The drafting of EVERY SKY A STRANGER, book 2 in the Entangled Realities series is progressing. Summer - especially late summer as it turns to fall - is the busiest time of the year for us. My spouse and I live on a small homestead farm and grow a large percentage of the fruit and vegetables we eat throughout the year. (Not quite what a former NYC gal expected to do for a second act! Cue the theme from "Green Acres"??) </p> <p>This is the time of year when food comes fast and furious. I made 10 pounds of saurkrout with a friend this week. We are also dehydrating batches of cherry tomatoes, blanching and freezing or lactofermenting pounds and pounds of green beens, and getting ready to be inundated with tomatoes that will be turned into sauce. Among other things, we also need to harvest potatoes and get them ready for the root cellar. </p> <div style="text-align:center"> <figure class="image" style="display:inline-block"><img alt="" height="467" src="https://ljcohen.net/mailinglist/mail.cgi/show_img/bluemusings/20250912073708/35e01a13b0dd37cfd00ee4c46f51b6fb_harvest.jpeg" width="350" /> <figcaption>Drowning in produce</figcaption> </figure> </div> <p>But in between garden chores and preserving the harvest, writing is happening. </p> <p>And related to writing, I will be at <a href="https://albacon.org/2025/" target="_blank">Albacon</a> in Albany, NY this weekend. Here is<a href="https://schedule.albacon.org/people/22916" target="_blank"> my schedule</a>. A good part of the program is also available virtually, as this is a robust hybrid con. </p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; padding: 10px; font-family: trebuchet ms, geneva; text-align: center; border-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="#home">-home-</a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 1px solid #000000;border-left: 1px solid #000000;border-right: 1px solid #000000;border-bottom: 1px solid #000000;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"><a id="Item3" name="Item3"></a>Reading Recommendations</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"> <p style="text-align: left;">I have been slacking off in the reading department of late - given the work on the farm, by the time we finish dinner, it's quite late and all I have the brain power to do is watch some TV and knit. But we have recently finished the police procedural show "Department Q" and from a writing perspective, I found the characterization and the writing to be extremely sharp and compelling. Every character - even the secondary and minor ones - had rich histories and full arcs. If you like the genre, I highly recommend it. </p> <p style="text-align: left;">And speaking of knitting - I forgot to share this earlier in the summer. I was one of the artists chosen to decorate a life-sized fiberglass cow for <a href="https://www.osv.org/" target="_blank">Old Sturbridge Village's</a> <a href="https://explore.osv.org/cowparade-gallery" target="_blank">Cow Parade.</a> </p> <div style="text-align:center"> <figure class="image" style="display:inline-block"><img alt="" height="265" src="https://ljcohen.net/mailinglist/mail.cgi/show_img/bluemusings/20250912073708/86d7535e11457bc6ac9fef2d6dbc2f16_cow-parade-photo.jpeg" width="350" /> <figcaption>"Yarning for the Past" A cow fit for a sweater</figcaption> </figure> </div> <p style="text-align: left;">It was definitely a wild project to tackle and if any of you are yarn folks, I have the entire process documented from initial measurements to finished sweater <a href="https://starfieldfarm.com/category/cow-parade/" target="_blank">here</a>. </p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; padding: 10px; font-family: trebuchet ms, geneva; text-align: center;"><a href="#home">-home-</a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p style="text-align: center;"><u><em><strong>Statement on "AI" use</strong></em></u></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em> I do not and will not employ so called "AI" (e.g. Large Language Models/LLMs) in any part of my writing process. All of my work - poetry, fiction, and non fiction - is 100% human generated.  The tools I use in writing either do not have AI integrated or I have disabled it. I commission cover art from human artists. </em></strong></p>  <div style="text-align: center;"> <p><em>I love to hear from readers! Let me know what you're reading and recommending or if you have any suggestions for what you'd like to see in future newsletters. </em></p> <p><em>Thanks!</em></p> </div> <div style="font-style: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana; ">LJ (<a href="mailto: lisa@ljcohen.net">lisa@ljcohen.net</a>)</span></div> </div><p> </p>

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BlueMusings: Readercon Edition

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 16:49:00 GMT

<div id="archived_message_body"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;min-width: 320px;Margin: 0 auto;background-color: #e7e7e7;width:100%"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top"> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 0px solid transparent;border-left: 0px solid transparent;border-right: 0px solid transparent;border-bottom: 0px solid transparent;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <h1 style="margin: 0px; line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: normal; font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: 24px;">LJ Cohen</h1> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <h4 style="margin: 0px; line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: normal; font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: 13px;"><em>Science Fiction. Fantasy. Assorted Weirdness.</em></h4> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="0px" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;border-top: 1px solid #BBBBBB;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top;font-size: 0px;line-height: 0px;mso-line-height-rule: exactly;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%"><span> </span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div align="center"> <div style="display: table; 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line-height: 140%; text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: normal; font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: 17px;">Bluemusings: Readercon Edition<br /> 07.14.2025</h4> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="0px" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;border-top: 3px solid #BBBBBB;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top;font-size: 0px;line-height: 0px;mso-line-height-rule: exactly;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%"><span> </span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 1px solid #CCC;border-left: 1px solid #CCC;border-right: 1px solid #CCC;border-bottom: 1px solid #CCC;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div class="menu" style="text-align:center"><span style="padding:5px 15px;display:block;color:#444444;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;font-size:14px"><a id="home" name="home"></a><a href="#Item1">Readercon</a></span>   <span style="padding:5px 15px;display:block;color:#444444;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;font-size:14px"><a href="#Item2">Writing Update</a></span> <span style="padding:5px 15px;display:block;color:#444444;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;font-size:14px"><a href="#Item3">Reading Recommendations</a></span>  </div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 0px solid transparent;border-left: 0px solid transparent;border-right: 0px solid transparent;border-bottom: 0px solid transparent;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="0px" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;border-top: 1px solid ;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" width="0%"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top;font-size: 0px;line-height: 0px;mso-line-height-rule: exactly;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%"><span> </span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 1px solid #000000;border-left: 1px solid #000000;border-right: 1px solid #000000;border-bottom: 1px solid #000000;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"><a id="Item1" name="Item1"></a>Readercon</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div style="line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word;"> <p style="text-align:center"><img alt="" height="333" src="https://ljcohen.net/mailinglist/mail.cgi/show_img/bluemusings/20250714104923/650a49d8bd706e561a33f4175218938a_readercon-2025.png" width="350" /></p> <p>I'm thrilled to be participating at <a href="https://readercon.org/">Readercon</a>. Writing is often such a solitary persuit, so it's a joy to have an excuse to immerse myself in the company of my community of readers and writers. You can find me at any of the panels/events in the schedule above and at the Broad Universe table in the Book Shop.</p> <p>And speaking of Broad Universe --  One of Readercon's Guests of Honor is a member. Congratulations, Cecilia Tan! </p> <p>P.S. I'll have copies of LITANY FOR A BROKEN WORLD available and am happy to sign them. </p> <p>P.P.S. If you've read and enjoyed LITANY, I would be most appreciative if you would write a short review. In addition, word of mouth recommendations are the life blood of any book. Many thanks!</p> </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; padding: 10px; font-family: trebuchet ms, geneva; text-align: center;"><a href="#home">-home-</a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a id="Item2" name="Item2"></a>Writing Update</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; padding: 10px; font-family: trebuchet ms, geneva; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <p>I'm working steadily on EVERY SKY A STRANGER, book 2 in the Entangled Realities series. I'm close to the halfway mark with a solid roadmap to where book 2 needs to end. </p> <p>The challenge of a middle book in a series is to make it a complete story in its own right, as well as a bridge between the opening and the concluding volumes. Sometimes the former goal is at odds with the latter. </p> <p>Many Western modern storytellers lean into the three act structure as the model for their art. And, admittedly, it is this common for a reason: it works to fulfill our expectations. And in that vein, a trilogy can be looked at as a larger three act structure. Book one=act one, aka the set up, book two=act two, aka the mushy middle/complications, book three = act three, aka the resolution.</p> <p>But within each act are chapters and within each chapter are scenes and within each of these small segments of story, are echoes of a full story. Wheels within wheels within wheels. </p> <p>When I write, I strive to make each part of the story echo the whole in some way. Sometimes that's with themes, sometimes with parallels and echoes between different characters' experiences. The trick is to make all of these feel seemless and natural to the reader. Add the fact that the sandbox I'm playing in has multiple worlds and multiple storylines with multiple characters so it's no wonder that the writing is moving more slowly than I had hoped. </p> <p>But I'm making solid progress and I'm pleased with the shape of the story so far. </p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; padding: 10px; font-family: trebuchet ms, geneva; text-align: center; border-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="#home">-home-</a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 1px solid #000000;border-left: 1px solid #000000;border-right: 1px solid #000000;border-bottom: 1px solid #000000;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"><a id="Item3" name="Item3"></a>Reading Recommendations</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div style="line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word;"> <div style="text-align:center"> <figure class="image" style="display:inline-block"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FGDD1M2Y"><img alt="" height="466" src="https://ljcohen.net/mailinglist/mail.cgi/show_img/bluemusings/20250714104923/bf06853fb840d60ffc9eb1c894ebffc6_thornfall-cover.jpg" width="313" /></a> <figcaption>The newest release by <a href="https://www.chrishowardwriter.com/">Chris Howard!</a></figcaption> </figure> </div> <p>It's no secret that I'm a big fan of Chris Howard's work - both his writing and the artwork that has adorned the covers of most of my novels. </p> <p>I had the good fortune to beta read <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FGDD1M2Y">THORNFALL</a> for Chris and it's a wonderful story. Full of magic and heart and that just-right touch of weirdness I've come to associate with his writing.</p> <p>Aside from writing compelling characters, one of his (many) strengths is in the magic systems and worlds he creates. Enjoy!</p> <p> </p> <div style="text-align:center"> <figure class="image" style="display:inline-block"><img alt="" height="466" src="https://ljcohen.net/mailinglist/mail.cgi/show_img/bluemusings/20250714104923/faa412452a4f4d3d46c98e94cfa0eb97_hawleybookofthedeadcover.jpg" width="319" /> <figcaption><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FGDD1M2Y">The Hawley Book of the Dead </a>by Chrysler Szarlan</figcaption> </figure> </div> <p>Eight years ago, I moved from my suburban existance outside of Boston to a tiny town in Central Massachusetts, trading a small backyard and houses up and down a tree lined street for 54 acres and several tractors. </p> <p>In a town of under 2,500 people, you don't expect to meet a lot of spec fic writers. </p> <p>But you'd be wrong. Chrysler works locally in town and when I discovered she wrote this book with magic and magicians and family secrets that takes place locally (ish - when you live in a rural place, everything is at least  20 minutes away. So something 40 minutes is only really 20 minutes...), I had to read it.</p> <p>And I'm glad I did. Spooky houses, abandoned villages, magic - these are catnip to me. I raced through it in two days, neatly avoiding weeding in the 90+ degree heat, so a double win. :)</p> <p>Now to convince her to continue with the saga in another book...</p> </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; padding: 10px; font-family: trebuchet ms, geneva; text-align: center;"><a href="#home">-home-</a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p style="text-align: center;"><u><em><strong>Statement on "AI" use</strong></em></u></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em> I do not and will not employ so called "AI" (e.g. Large Language Models/LLMs) in any part of my writing process. All of my work - poetry, fiction, and non fiction - is 100% human generated.  The tools I use in writing either do not have AI integrated or I have disabled it. I commission cover art from human artists. </em></strong></p>  <div style="text-align: center;"> <p><em>I love to hear from readers! Let me know what you're reading and recommending or if you have any suggestions for what you'd like to see in future newsletters. </em></p> <p><em>Thanks!</em></p> </div> <div style="font-style: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana; ">LJ (<a href="mailto: lisa@ljcohen.net">lisa@ljcohen.net</a>)</span></div> </div><p> </p>

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BlueMusings: Seven Days and Counting

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 15:52:00 GMT

<div id="archived_message_body"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;min-width: 320px;Margin: 0 auto;background-color: #e7e7e7;width:100%"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top"> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 0px solid transparent;border-left: 0px solid transparent;border-right: 0px solid transparent;border-bottom: 0px solid transparent;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <h1 style="margin: 0px; line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: normal; font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: 24px;">LJ Cohen</h1> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <h4 style="margin: 0px; line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: normal; font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: 13px;"><em>Science Fiction. Fantasy. Assorted Weirdness.</em></h4> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="0px" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;border-top: 1px solid #BBBBBB;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top;font-size: 0px;line-height: 0px;mso-line-height-rule: exactly;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%"><span> </span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div align="center"> <div style="display: table; 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line-height: 140%; text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: normal; font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: 17px;">Bluemusings: Seven Days and Counting<br /> 04.17.2023</h4> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="0px" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;border-top: 3px solid #BBBBBB;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top;font-size: 0px;line-height: 0px;mso-line-height-rule: exactly;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%"><span> </span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 1px solid #CCC;border-left: 1px solid #CCC;border-right: 1px solid #CCC;border-bottom: 1px solid #CCC;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div class="menu" style="text-align:center"><span style="padding:5px 15px;display:block;color:#444444;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;font-size:14px"><a id="home" name="home"></a><a href="#Item1">February 10th is Release Day!</a></span><br />   <span style="padding:5px 15px;display:block;color:#444444;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;font-size:14px"><a href="#Item2">Where to find me</a></span><br /> <span style="padding:5px 15px;display:block;color:#444444;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;font-size:14px"><a href="#Item3">Sneak Peek: Every Sky A Stranger</a> </span>  </div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 0px solid transparent;border-left: 0px solid transparent;border-right: 0px solid transparent;border-bottom: 0px solid transparent;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="0px" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;border-top: 1px solid ;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" width="0%"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top;font-size: 0px;line-height: 0px;mso-line-height-rule: exactly;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%"><span> </span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 1px solid #000000;border-left: 1px solid #000000;border-right: 1px solid #000000;border-bottom: 1px solid #000000;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"><a id="Item1" name="Item1"></a>February 10th is Release Day!</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div style="line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word;"> <div style="text-align:center"> <figure class="image" style="display:inline-block"><img alt="" height="283" src="https://ljcohen.net/mailinglist/mail.cgi/show_img/bluemusings/20250203085250/304b6667a9bdc8ae573c34f5fb694589_sarah-pinsker-blurb.jpg" width="350" /> <figcaption>Cover quote for "Litany" by the immensely talented and generous <a href="https://sarahpinsker.com/" target="_blank">Sarah Pinsker</a></figcaption> </figure> </div>   <p style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 140%;">We are one week away. The book that I started drafting six years ago is now almost a reality. And in a way, isn't every story its own reality? Filled with people and places and problems unique to itself.</p> <p style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 140%;">Yes, I write fiction. Yes, I write *speculative* fiction, but that doesn't mean it isn't real to both the characters and the reader.</p> <p style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 140%;">I received some early comments on "Litany" from folks who were beta testing the ebook on several older ebook devices. I had asked them to simply flip through the story, noting if there were any typographical issues or errors.</p> <p style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 140%;">They let me know that not only were the ebooks fine, but they had gotten sucked into the story.</p> <p style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 140%;">One wrote: "<em>Wow. What a place to end the book, and what a way to end the year. <strong>[they had read it Just before New Years]</strong> Perfect. Thank you</em>."</p> <p style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 140%;">Another: "<em>I want to thank you for writing this beautiful story. I've only had one other story hit me this hard. ... I'm tearing up again just thinking about it.</em>"</p> <p style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 140%;">It may sound like a cliche, but it's utterly and intensely true: knowing that something I've written has resonated with readers is the entire world to me. The cover 'blurb' that Sarah Pinsker graciously wrote (the image above) moved me to tears.</p> <p style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 140%;">I hope this book finds its perfect readers and that it helps make sense of the difficult world we must navigate. That is brings solace and comfort.</p> <p style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 140%;"><a href="http://www.ljcohen.net/litany.html" target="_blank">Pre-orders are available for the ebook version</a>. Print will be available to order on Feb 10th.</p> <p style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 140%;">And if you are a book blogger or reviewer and have access to NetGalley, <a href="https://www.netgalley.com/widget/772660/redeem/2c7d9ec0c623110a58acd576cfad5d31979486e8385dec777dd992474a987916" target="_blank">you can request a copy</a> of LITANY FOR A BROKEN WORLD now.</p> <p style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 140%;">Finally, if you use Goodreads, would you be willing to <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/223197453-litany-for-a-broken-world" target="_blank">mark Litany as "to-read"?</a> It can help a book's visibility to do so. Many thanks.</p> </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; padding: 10px; font-family: trebuchet ms, geneva; text-align: center;"><a href="#home">-home-</a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 1px solid #000000;border-left: 1px solid #000000;border-right: 1px solid #000000;border-bottom: 1px solid #000000;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"><a id="Item2" name="Item2"></a>Where to Find Me</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div style="line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word;"> <div style="text-align:center"> <figure class="image" style="display:inline-block"><img alt="" height="525" src="https://ljcohen.net/mailinglist/mail.cgi/show_img/bluemusings/20250203085250/eab7aad7b047032b86bd984f7bae26ef_F2kpiKKY-1754072761.jpeg" width="350" /> <figcaption>Me, preparing for my turn at a recent reading with <a href="https://randeedawn.com/bonus/brooklyn-books-booze" target="_blank">Brooklyn Books and Booze</a>. Yes, that is a TARDIS motif on the sweater. Yes, I did knit it myself. :)</figcaption> </figure> </div>   <p style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 140%;">I've done a flurry of interviews/guest posts to support the launch of "Litany". Here are some links. More forthcoming.</p> <p style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 140%;">Interview with Max Bowen of CityWideMax on <a href="http://Citywide max: https://youtu.be/V1lDu-sbr4U?si=B0I1DR8Pf0TFLgzm" target="_blank">youtube.</a></p> <p style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 140%;"><a href="https://www.broaduniverse.org/broad-blog/13449375" target="_blank">Blogpost</a> on the Broad Universe Blog</p> <p style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 140%;"><a href="https://writerunboxed.com/2025/02/02/take-five-interview-l-j-cohen-and-litany-for-a-broken-world/" target="_blank">Take 5 written interview </a>at Writer Unboxed</p> <p style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 140%;"><a href="https://greencomet.org/2025/01/06/review-litany-for-a-broken-world/" target="_blank">Early Review</a></p> <p style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 140%;">And you can also find me at <a href="https://boskone.org/" target="_blank">Boskone, February 14-16, 2025</a> where I'll be part of the new book release party and assorted panels and readings.</p> <div style="text-align:center"> <figure class="image" style="display:inline-block"><img alt="" height="268" src="https://ljcohen.net/mailinglist/mail.cgi/show_img/bluemusings/20250203085250/8ddae74f254a50eacefdbe122493454c_Screenshot_2025-02-03_103715.png" width="350" /> <figcaption>My schedule for Boskone 2025</figcaption> </figure> </div> <p>I hope to see you there!</p> </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; padding: 10px; font-family: trebuchet ms, geneva; text-align: center;"><a href="#home">-home-</a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 1px solid #000000;border-left: 1px solid #000000;border-right: 1px solid #000000;border-bottom: 1px solid #000000;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"><a id="Item3" name="Item3"></a>Sneak Peek: Every Sky A Stranger</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div style="line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word;">  <p style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 140%;">I've talked before about my struggles finding title for my novels. How it took me years to come up with "Litany". I'm happy to say not only do I have a title for book 2 (EVERY SKY A STRANGER), but also book 3 (COMPASS FOR THE LOST).</p> <p style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 140%;">Having a title gives me an instant ten-thousand foot view of the story and keeps me focused.</p> <p style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 140%;">I'm making steady progress on "Every Sky" and I'd like to share a brief snippet with you.</p> <hr /> <p>Melissa closed her eyes and stepped through.</p> <p>Shadows and light pulsed against her eyelids, somehow searing through them directly into her mind. It was like and unlike the scintillating scotomas that had plagued her since she’d seen her first portal as a young child. The gleaming wagon wheel spun lazily in her visual field. There was no blinking this away.</p> <p>No pretending this was just an incipient migraine.</p> <p>There was a sense of motion, even though the connection to her body felt thin, distant. A rushing in her ears that she felt rather than heard. All of her senses now crosswired to other senses. Some were the normal five she understood. Others were strange and she struggled to integrate the bizarre input. She could taste individual frequencies of the electromagnetic spectrum and the spin of the earth in space was distinct in her awareness from the position of her own body.</p> <p>Without anything to measure herself against, Melissa felt impossibly small and massively large at the same time. Her body winked in and out of phase like a pulsar. And she had lost all sense of time. Was she moving or just experiencing the planet’s motion?</p> <p>It was strangely beautiful. Strangely comforting to truly have no control. No choices to make. And no chance to make the wrong choice in this liminal space that existed free from the web of consequence.</p> <p>Until the night of the homeless count in Boston, Melissa’s whole life had been spent avoiding a minefield of ifs and thens. Of making safe decisions that deliberately narrowed possibilities until her life had become as colorless and as empty as her apartment.</p> <p>She had thought it would keep her safe.</p> <p>But isolation was not safety. It was stasis. And life was nothing if it wasn’t growth and change.</p> <p>She could almost hear Julian saying as much in his soothing therapist's voice, warm and resonant, his kind eyes seeing what Melissa most sought to hide. Would there be a Dr. Julian Maxwell in whatever new reality waited for them on the other side of this portal? What about a Melissa Klein?</p> <p>As her thoughts chased themselves round and round her mind, the rest of her seemed to still. Her senses shrank down into the meager ones that she’d been born with. Her body had proportion and mass again. Her inner ear gave her confirmation of up and down.</p> <p>The glare of a bright light seared her eyes. She blinked rapidly to clear her doubled vision. Just as Melissa realized she was standing, her legs buckled and she stumbled, her knee striking something hard and sharp. She hit the floor in a haze of throbbing pain and lay there catching her breath.</p> <p>"Graceful, much?" she muttered, waiting for some reaction from Reina or Thorne, but there was only silence. Frowning, she rubbed her sore knee, rolled to a sit, and stared at the offending coffee table. Her coffee table. Her glass coffee table in her living room. The breath caught in her throat. Her knee was a distant ache.</p> <p>"Reina?" she whispered.</p> <p>Her cell phone rang, loud as a siren in the loft of her living room. She drew it from her pocket with shaking hands and set it facedown on the table. Counted the rings until either the caller gave up or got sent to voice mail pergatory. After a moment of silence, it started its chirpy song again. Melissa turned the volume off.</p> <p>She dug her hands in the soft nap of the rug beneath her. The sofa would be more comfortable, but she still didn't trust her legs. Something had gone very wrong. If she was here, where did Reina and Thorne end up? And how did she get here anyway? Was her car still parked by Martin's place?</p> <p>Parking laws in Boston were brutal. It would be ticketed, booted, and towed. If it survived that long. “Oh, God, my car.” Of all the things to worry about, she couldn’t stop thinking about it. A silver Lexus she had paid cash for after her parent’s wills had been settled. The first new car she’d ever owned, christened with a scuffed back quarter panel from a careless driver in downtown Boston the first week she had it.</p> <p>Laughter bubbled up from deep inside and once it started, she couldn’t stop it.</p> <p>The car was parked outside Martin's building/the car was parked in her garage spot.</p> <p>It was a silver Lexus/it was a gray Mercedes.</p> <p>She remembered racing downtown, past BMC, past the tents at Mass and Cass./She hadn't left her condo since she got home from work, opened a bottle of pino, and poured a glass.</p> <p>Wait.</p> <p>What the hell?</p> <hr /> <p>From the draft of EVERY SKY A STRANGER, forthcoming 2026</p> </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; padding: 10px; font-family: trebuchet ms, geneva; text-align: center;"><a href="#home">-home-</a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table>  <div style="text-align: center;"> <p><em>I love to hear from readers! Let me know what you're reading and recommending or if you have any suggestions for what you'd like to see in future newsletters. </em></p> <p><em>Thanks!</em></p> </div> <div style="font-style: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana; ">LJ (<a href="mailto: lisa@ljcohen.net">lisa@ljcohen.net</a>)</span></div> </div><p> </p>

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BlueMusings: Four Weeks and Counting

Sun, 12 Jan 2025 15:01:00 GMT

<div id="archived_message_body"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;min-width: 320px;Margin: 0 auto;background-color: #e7e7e7;width:100%"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top"> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 0px solid transparent;border-left: 0px solid transparent;border-right: 0px solid transparent;border-bottom: 0px solid transparent;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <h1 style="margin: 0px; line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: normal; font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: 24px;">LJ Cohen</h1> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <h4 style="margin: 0px; line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: normal; font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: 13px;"><em>Science Fiction. 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line-height: 140%; text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: normal; font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: 17px;">Bluemusings: Four Weeks and Counting<br /> 01.12.25</h4> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="0px" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;border-top: 3px solid #BBBBBB;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top;font-size: 0px;line-height: 0px;mso-line-height-rule: exactly;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%"><span> </span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 1px solid #CCC;border-left: 1px solid #CCC;border-right: 1px solid #CCC;border-bottom: 1px solid #CCC;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div class="menu" style="text-align:center"><span style="padding:5px 15px;display:block;color:#444444;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;font-size:14px"><a id="home" name="home"></a><a href="#Item1">E-book Pre-orders, etc</a></span><br />   <span style="padding:5px 15px;display:block;color:#444444;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;font-size:14px"><a href="#Item2">Arisia Schedule</a></span><br /> <span style="padding:5px 15px;display:block;color:#444444;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;font-size:14px"><a href="#Item3">Recent reading & recommendations </a></span><br />  </div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 0px solid transparent;border-left: 0px solid transparent;border-right: 0px solid transparent;border-bottom: 0px solid transparent;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="0px" style="border-collapse: collapse;table-layout: fixed;border-spacing: 0;mso-table-lspace: 0pt;mso-table-rspace: 0pt;vertical-align: top;border-top: 1px solid ;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%" width="0%"> <tbody> <tr style="vertical-align: top"> <td style="word-break: break-word;border-collapse: collapse !important;vertical-align: top;font-size: 0px;line-height: 0px;mso-line-height-rule: exactly;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%"><span> </span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 1px solid #000000;border-left: 1px solid #000000;border-right: 1px solid #000000;border-bottom: 1px solid #000000;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"><a id="Item1" name="Item1"></a>e-Book Pre-orders Live</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div style="line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word;"> <div style="text-align:center"> <figure class="image" style="display:inline-block"><img alt="Cover: Litany for a broken world" height="339" src="https://ljcohen.net/mailinglist/mail.cgi/show_img/bluemusings/20250112080154/62a452dd014a650a35aabe9b8b29d547_Litany_Kindle_Cover_72dpi.jpg" width="224" /> <figcaption>And here is the cover!</figcaption> </figure> </div> <p>In 4 weeks from tomorrow, LITANY FOR A BROKEN WORLD will be released. It's almost impossible to believe, after the years and words and struggle to write this story. But it's real and here's a photo of the final cover!</p> <p>Pre-orders for the e-book version are live on all the usual suspects - <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DS2T9KGY" target="_blank">Amazon</a>, <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/litany-for-a-broken-world-lj-cohen/1146775479" target="_blank">BN</a>, <a href="https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=DeU7EQAAQBAJ" target="_blank">Google Books</a>, <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/litany-for-a-broken-world/id6740144492" target="_blank">Apple Books</a>, <a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/litany-for-a-broken-world" target="_blank">Kobo</a>, <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1672816" target="_blank">Smashwords</a> - or you can bookmark <a href="http://ljcohen.net/litany.html" target="_blank">this page on my website</a> for all the links. It will be updated when the print book is available.</p> <p>Sales and buzz in the first few weeks of a new release can be critical to its success. Pre-orders are fabulous, as well as talking up LITANY with readers in your life. A quick and easy way to help (if you are on Goodreads) is to <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/223197453-litany-for-a-broken-world" target="_blank">put the book</a> in your "to-read" list.  And then, of course, a brief review in whatever retailer you use to purchase your copy is always greatly appreciated.</p> <p>As ever, I really appreciate you. The stories a writer writes only come alive in the imagination of the reader. Thank you for your support and encouragement.</p> </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; padding: 10px; font-family: trebuchet ms, geneva; text-align: center;"><a href="#home">-home-</a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 1px solid #000000;border-left: 1px solid #000000;border-right: 1px solid #000000;border-bottom: 1px solid #000000;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"><a id="Item2" name="Item2"></a>Arisia Schedule</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div style="line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word;"> <div style="text-align:center"> <figure class="image" style="display:inline-block"><img alt="greay haired white woman wearing a blue sweater with Doctor Who designs" height="237" src="https://ljcohen.net/mailinglist/mail.cgi/show_img/bluemusings/20250112080154/0142ca10ae11852f709b0fdb9b1040e4_DWSweater.jpg" width="178" /> <figcaption>A very goofy photo of me in the sweater. Mya (the dog) is not impressed.</figcaption> </figure> </div> <p>If you're going to be at Arisia 2025, please come say hello! When I'm not on panels or participating in "lobby-con" or "bar-con", you can find me at the <a href="http://www.broaduniverse.org" target="_blank">Broad Universe</a> table in the dealer's room.</p> <p>I'll also be participating in the Friday Night Readings, the Broad Universe Rapidfire reading, and a panel on Neurodiversity in Sci-Fi and Fantasy.</p> <p>On one of the days, look for me in my <a href="https://blog.ljcohen.net/2024/09/when-fandom-meets-craft.html" target="_blank">one-of-a-kind Doctor Who themed sweater.</a> It took me nearly 10 months between creating the design, the pattern, and the knitting.</p> </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; padding: 10px; font-family: trebuchet ms, geneva; text-align: center;"><a href="#home">-home-</a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="u-row-container" style="padding: 0px;background-color: transparent"> <div class="u-row" style="Margin: 0 auto;min-width: 320px;max-width: 500px;overflow-wrap: break-word;word-wrap: break-word;word-break: break-word;background-color: transparent;"> <div style="border-collapse: collapse;display: table;width: 100%;background-color: transparent;"> <div class="u-col u-col-100" style="max-width: 320px;min-width: 500px;display: table-cell;vertical-align: top;"> <div style="width: 100% !important;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"> <div style="padding: 0px;border-top: 1px solid #000000;border-left: 1px solid #000000;border-right: 1px solid #000000;border-bottom: 1px solid #000000;border-radius: 0px;-webkit-border-radius: 0px; -moz-border-radius: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"><a id="Item3" name="Item3"></a>Recent reading & recommendations</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" style="padding-right: 0px;padding-left: 0px;"> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" style="overflow-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;padding:10px;font-family:trebuchet ms,geneva;"> <div style="line-height: 140%; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word;"> <p style="text-align:center"><img alt="Cover of The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store" height="228" src="https://ljcohen.net/mailinglist/mail.cgi/show_img/bluemusings/20250112080154/9fe0aefabdf939b0ecca74784408ab91_Heaven_and_Earth.jpg" width="151" /></p> <p>While I primarily read in speculative fiction, I'm not exclusive in any genre. Good story is good story, regardless of where it sits on the library or bookstore shelves.</p> <p>The other night, I stayed up far too late to finish James McBride's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Heaven_%26_Earth_Grocery_Store" target="_blank">THE HEAVEN & EARTH GROCERY STORE. </a></p> <p>How to describe it? Mystery? Historical fiction? Probably? And while it doesn't have the typical signifiers of a genre like like magical realism, it has its lyrical tone. This is flat out a beautifully written book.</p> <p>The story takes place in a marginalized neighborhood of rural PA populated by African Americans and Jews in the 1920s and 30s. It moves both in time and between finely drawn characters and cast its spell on me.</p> <p>McBride tells an intimate and compelling story and I highly recommend it.</p> <hr /> <div style="text-align:center"> <figure class="image" style="display:inline-block"><img alt="Breath Warmth and Dreams cover" height="255" src="https://ljcohen.net/mailinglist/mail.cgi/show_img/bluemusings/20250112080154/66306aa4cbef60a359b1012187cdeeb5_BWD-front.jpg" width="159" /> <figcaption>Cover of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Breath-Warmth-Dream-Khumalo-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B0D4D3KSGF" target="_blank">Breath Warmth & Dream</a> by Zig Zag Claybourne</figcaption> </figure> </div> <p>Full disclosure: I met Claybourne at a Boston-area con years ago because of the purple great coat he wore. He had just released The Brothers Jetstream and when he described it as part homage to Buckaroo Banzai, well, I had to read it.</p> <p>I've been a fan ever since.</p> <p>Reading <a href="https://zzclaybourne.com/books/afro-puffs-are-the-antennae-of-the-universe-ftgcx" target="_blank">Breath Warmth & Dream</a> is like being in a dreamscape. Achingly beautiful, the story about a witch and her daughter traveling their world searching for beauty and finding demons captivated me. I'll admit, I'm a sucker for poetic narrative.</p> <p>I also appreciate that Claybourne writes as though he is allowing us to eavesdrop on a fully realized world - one that we haven't seen a thousand times in fantasy novels -  and it's up to us to immerse ourselves in it.</p> <p>Beauty. Terror. Love. Magic. Danger. Redemption. It's all there. Highly recommended.</p> </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; padding: 10px; font-family: trebuchet ms, geneva; text-align: center;"> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table>  <div style="text-align: center;"> <p><em>I love to hear from readers! Let me know what you're reading and recommending or if you have any suggestions for what you'd like to see in future newsletters. </em></p> <p><em>Thanks!</em></p> </div> <div style="font-style: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana; ">LJ (<a href="mailto: lisa@ljcohen.net">lisa@ljcohen.net</a>)</span></div> </div><p> </p>

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