Independence Day for this Independent

photo by Joe Gemignani

Fourth of July Greetings! I've chosen today (since it's already called Independence Day) to announce my own departure from the norm. I've been searching for months (maybe even years) to integrate myself, my work and my public presence in a way that doesn't leave out any part of me, and I wanted to do it in a different way.

I am independent, an Aquarian to the core. I prefer to work alone and do things my own way. I'm usually ahead of the curve (at least in my vision), and once everyone catches up with what's new, I'm bored with the same old thing. So, I was very excited a few years ago when the publishing revolution began. After all, I am a child of the Sixties and being part of a movement to change the old paradigms of publishing was thrilling for me. But that's all mainstream now (at least from my perspective...it may not be if you're a newbie to publishing) and I'm tired of talking about it.

I began playing with the idea of doing everything opposite of what I had been doing, just to see if I could stir up something that would bring back some of my mojo and express the new me, while not totally abandoning the work I still wanted to do. This meant finding a way to be a publishing consultant and an author of erotic fiction. Turns out, that was the easy part. But there was still another side to me, which had overtaken a large portion of my time, energy and focus: my vegan lifestyle, and  I wanted to incorporate this important aspect of me into my work.

I began by ignoring my own advice to use self-hosted blogs and returned to the Blogger platform. Turns out, much had changed since I deserted my original blog for a series of Wordpress blogs, and I was very happy with the new Blogger options. Initially, I brought back my Wordy Woman blog here. I was still toying with the idea of a separate blog for Elyse Grant and one for the vegan me. [Sigh.] I knew it wouldn't work, since I was never able to keep up with my three previous blogs: VIP Authors, Visual Impressions Publishing and Wordy Woman.

Then, while playing in the back end of Blogger, I discovered I could have separate blogs as pages on one site. Lightbulb moment! With a single day of maneuvering things around, I was able to bring all of me under one umbrella and still be Shelley Lieber, The Wordy Woman; Elyse Grant, author of erotic fiction; and Vegan Novelist, writing about the vegan lifestyle...depending on which one of personalities is inhabiting my earthly body. And I could express myself to the world in one place as well, making it much easier on my readers;-)

And so I declare my independence from the tyranny of rules of what can and can't be done. If I can dream it, I can do it...and so can you. Happy Independence Day to all!

P.S. This site is still a work in progress, and additional tabs may be added to incorporate my publishing company and more. Please take a look at what I've done so far and comment wherever and whenever you feel so moved. Thanks so much!