Uncategorized

A Busy Author Weekend

elizabethcaulfieldfelt Uncategorized , , , , , , , ,

I have two book events this weekend:

Saturday, Nov 8, 9am-3pm. Holiday Fest at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 600 Wilshire Blvd, Stevens Point, WI. I’ll be there selling my books with more than 50 other creative artists, a bake sale, soup and salad lunch, door prizes, and more! Come join the fun.


Sunday, Nov 9, noon-3pm. Children’s Book Festival at the Burlington Public Library, 166 E. Jefferson St., Burlington, WI. I’ll be there selling my children’s novels with a whole crew of Wisconsin writers of children’s books.

Get your holiday shopping done early! I hope to see you soon.

AI email

elizabethcaulfieldfelt Uncategorized , , , , ,

For the past few months, I’ve been getting about three to four of these emails a week. They are sent to me because I’m an author. Some are confusing–they appear to just want me to validate my email address, like this first one:

Hello Elizabeth,
How are you? I believe your week is going well as desired? I was wondering if I could find any of your books listed on Goodreads and Amazon?

Who sends an email like this? It’s from a name I don’t know. The English is a little off. If this person really wanted to know if I was on Goodreads or Amazon, wouldn’t they check those sites? I delete these emails.

The more annoying emails are the ones sent by “book marketing” people pretending that they have read and loved one of my books and wanting to discuss the book with me:

What I love about Wilde Wagers is how it takes Wilde’s razor-sharp wit and spins it into a weekend of disguises, cucumber sandwiches, eccentricities, and mayhem. It’s rare to find a historical novel that balances romance, comedy, and mystery while still feeling like pure escapist joy. In a world that feels too heavy most days, your book offers exactly the kind of reprieve readers are craving. As someone who has spent years teaching and nurturing stories, it makes perfect sense that you’d create a novel where laughter and cleverness carry as much weight as suspense and romance. I especially admire how you lean into the absurd without losing charm, something that not only entertains but reminds readers that even in chaos, delight has value. I’d really like to know more about you, Elizabeth, what you most want readers to carry with them after they’ve closed Wilde Wagers. And I’d love to help you bring this witty, escapist romp to the wider audience of readers who are yearning for clever stories that make them laugh out loud and escape the gloom.

At first, it might seem like this person has read my book, but the use of the exact vocabulary from my book summary and from reviews of my book show it is AI-generated text. I’ve made the mistake of engaging with a couple of these emailers. I was so sick of getting these emails that I responded to someone telling them I found their use of AI rude and insulting. They replied, assuring me that they were a real person (but not addressing the fact that they hadn’t actually read my book and had used AI to find me and write the email.) If I were going to hire someone to market my books, I wouldn’t use someone who uses AI so lazily.

I’d love to hear what AI is doing to your in-boxes.

Feeling powerless?

elizabethcaulfieldfelt Uncategorized , , , , , ,

Today is Trump’s second inauguration, and I’m upset about it.

I’ve spent the past few weeks feeling powerless and thinking of ways to make a statement about how I feel. One thought I had was to dye my hair pink, as a sort of permanent pink pussy hat. I went as far as making an appointment, but then I thought more about it and canceled. It would be empty symbolism that doesn’t help anyone.

Instead, I decided to volunteer at a food pantry. Trump may not be the reason so many people are experiencing homelessness and food insecurity right now, but his policies of cutting taxes for the wealthy, eliminating the welfare safety net, and other pro-rich, anti-poor aren’t going to help those people any time soon.

If you, like me, are disgusted with our current political situation, here are some things you can do:

  1. Run for office!

Lots of people complain about “the government” but in the US, we are the government. Regular people like you and me can become politicians. If not you, reach out to your sibling or child or neighbor. Encourage good people to run for office! I happen to personally know several Wisconsin politicians, and they are amazing and wonderful people.

Lots of people say “all politicians are the same,” but this is not true. It is a way of dismissing the idea that anything can be done. While it is true is that right now our national government is filled with greedy, power-hungry egomaniacs, we can look toward a better future. What can we do? Encourage good people to run for office!

This can start small and local, such as school boards, county council, state reps, etc.

Don’t want to run for office but still want to make a difference?

2. Volunteer!

The need in the US right now is great. Homelessness, poverty, illiteracy, suicide, health care, domestic violence, … and so much more.

Reach out to a church, school, hospital, social service agency, or contact your local office of the Red Cross, the Humane Society, the United Way, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, or any other non-profit organization and find out what you can do to make a difference.

Don’t sit at home and grumble about what is wrong. Be a part of making things right. You’ll feel less powerless and be making a difference.

A Busy Bookish April

elizabethcaulfieldfelt Uncategorized

I’m doing some April events and invite you to come!

Friday, April 5, 6-9pm. Cornerstone Press Gala. I’m a Cornerstone Press author and will be helping them celebrate 40 years of publishing. The event is free, but they request a “ticket” purchase, so they’ll know how many people plan to attend.

Friday, April 12, 7-9pm. Caravan Wine Shop will be hosting a Wilde Wagers event. I’ll do a short reading, we’ll discuss the book (those who have read it), and you can buy the book (if you haven’t read it). Most importantly, Keith will have some ratafia, a beverage ordered by Genevieve when she is trying to be Olivia. What is ratafia? What does it taste like? Come and learn all about this interesting beverage (and my book).

Saturday, April 27, 10am – 6pm. (My assigned time is 10am-noon) Bound to Happen Books‘ Local Author Festival. Local authors will be at this bookstore, selling, talking, signing, and maybe more? Stop by and learn about writers in the community.

My 2024 Reading Challenge

elizabethcaulfieldfelt Uncategorized , , , ,

I don’t usually do reading challenges. I mostly just try to keep up with my book clubs (I’m in three), with what’s new in children’s literature, and still have time to pick up recommended books every now and then. However, several years ago, I bought this mug of women writers at my favorite local bookstore, Bound to Happen Books, and every time I use it, I wonder about some of the works.

I’ve read many of the novels, short stories, and poetry on the mug, but not all. My goal is to have read them all by the end of the year. If you cannot properly see the names on the mug, they are listed below. The titles in regular font, I have already read. The titles in bold are what I’ll be reading this year:

  1. Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti
  2. The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe
  3. The Pillow Book by Sei Shonagon
  4. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
  5. A Vindication of the Rights of Women by Mary Wollstonecraft
  6. Vera by Elizabeth Von Arnim
  7. The Railway Children by E. Nesbit
  8. Aurora Leigh by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
  9. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
  10. The Old English Baron by Clara Reeve
  11. Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth
  12. The Age of Innocence by Edith Warton
  13. A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf
  14. Our Nig by Harriet E. Wilson
  15. The Garden Party by Katherine Mansfield
  16. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
  17. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
  18. The Awakening by Kate Chopin
  19. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
  20. The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy (I might have read this??)
  21. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
  22. An Australian Heroine by Mrs. Campbell Praed
  23. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte (I might have read this??)
  24. Middlemarch by George Eliot
  25. Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
  26. The Female Quixote by Charlotte Lennox
  27. Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management by Isabella Beeton
  28. Oroonoko by Aphra Behn
  29. The Bondwoman’s Narrative by Hannah Crafts
  30. Hope is the Thing with Feathers by Emily Dickinson

How many of these have you read? Do you have a favorite?

Do you have a reading challenge for the year?

Guessing the next Newbery winner

elizabethcaulfieldfelt Uncategorized , , , ,

This is the time of year when one of my book clubs reads a lot of children’s books and tries to guess which one will win the Newbery Award. The books must have been published in 2023, and the winner will be announced at the American Library Association’s mid-winter conference on January 22, 2024. I’ll be streaming the award ceremony.

So far, my favorite books so far are Joan Schoettler’s The Honey Jar, Dave Eggers’ The Eyes and the Impossible and Sarah Everett’s The Probability of Everything. There are some books also on our contenders list that aren’t pictured above and that I haven’t read yet.

What are your favorite children’s books of the past year?

Where Am I?

elizabethcaulfieldfelt Uncategorized

We returned home to Stevens Point, Wisconsin, on July 14th. I haven’t posted anything in almost a month. We’ve been busy saying good-bye and saying hello!

In Gdansk, for almost a whole week, we spent at least one meal a day with someone that we won’t be able to see again for a long time–but our plan is to return! We will meet again!

And, of course, Andy’s choir met with us several times to say good-bye. We are hoping to see all of them again next summer, here in Stevens Point, singing in English and Polish! Keep an eye out for announcement of the Non Serio American Tour!

Since being home, I’ve met with both of my book clubs (no pictures taken), and played Dungeons and Dragons three times (no pictures taken). I’ve had coffee with friends (no pictures taken–that’s the problem with being back to normal! I never take pictures!) and more visits with friends planned in the days to come. Pictures are always the best part of a blog post, so I’ll include a couple. Here’s our house and Little Free Library, also some photos taken at a concert at a city park located next to the Wisconsin River.

Stay tuned; I hope to have some writing news in the next few days.

Birthday Books

elizabethcaulfieldfelt Uncategorized , , , ,

Before moving to Poland, I began downloading free books in case I had a hard time finding English language books here in Gdansk. I follow Bookbub which sends a daily email alerting me to a list of free or inexpensive books. Early this month (March is my birthday month), I was in need of a new read and started one of these books, A Brazen Curiosity by Lynn Messina.

In Regency England, Beatrice Hyde Clare is a shy, drab, bookish spinster of twenty-six. On a visit to friends in the Lake District, she cannot sleep and goes to the library to find a book. Instead, she finds a dead body, with the handsome, pedantic Duke of Kesgrave standing over it. Fearing for her life, she becomes brazen, arguing with the Duke and then trying to solve the murder case. Beatrice is clever and witty, and the Duke is a marvel of a love interest. The books are so funny! The romance builds and is maintained in a way of which I verily approve! I was hooked–and lucky too, because there are eleven (Yes! Eleven! Hooray!) books in this series. And they are all amazing!!

If you counted, you’ll notice the picture has only eight books. I assure you, there are currently eleven, and I’m hoping the author writes more.

Spendthrift that I am, I rarely purchase books, but it was my birthday month, so I read and bought, read and bought, all through my birthday month, treating myself to all eleven delightful books for my birthday.

If you liked Wilde Wagers, you will love this series. It is silly, for sure, and engaging and so smart, and lovely. Positively lovely!

I’ve discovered that there are two books related to the series as well, A Lark’s Tale, and A Lark’s Flight (pre-order) which look like a new series, related to the Beatrice Hyde-Clare series. As I googled A Lark’s Tale to find a link for above, I discovered that it is on sale. I’ve now bought and downloaded it. (It is still March!) More for me to read! Hooray!

If you pick up A Brazen Curiosity, I hope you’ll let me know what you think.

Happy Reading!

A Trip to Wejherowo

elizabethcaulfieldfelt Uncategorized , , , ,

Sarah, a friend of mine who lives in Gdansk, suggested that she, her infant son Karol, and I go to Wejherowo for the day. We went on Friday, and I thought I’d share our trip with you. I’d heard of this town, because its name is the last stop on the regional train I’ve taken several times. So, we got on the train and took it to the end! The map below can give you an idea of where the town is in relation to Gdansk. The train trip was a little more than an hour.

Wejherowo is a cute town. Being “the end of the line” I somehow expected something very small and rural, but Wejherowo is charming. Take a look:

So, why Wejherowo? This small town is home to a 400-year-old, outdoor, Stations of the Cross park. If you aren’t Catholic (as I am not) and want to learn more, in general, about Stations of the Cross, visit this general-info page. The Stations of the Cross in Wejherowo, or Kalwaria Wejherowska, is impressive. Below is a map of the whole complex. As you can see, there are more than the traditional 14 stations. We entered the park near the palace (picture below and below). As it was an icy, snowy day and we had an infant with us, we decided to go right and only visit a few of the stations.

Palace Przebendowski

Here is my first glimpse of two of the stations. You can see the path leading to the chapels. I’m not sure which stations they are; we didn’t follow this path.

Instead, we took a path that led us to a station depicting Mother Mary visiting Jesus, and then, the station in which Simon helps to carry Jesus’ cross:

As we continued, we discovered that a large group was ahead of us, with a priest and loudspeakers. The priest spoke in Polish, saying prayers or giving instructions. People chanted in a sort of Gregorian chant way (again, I’m not Catholic, and maybe this is no big deal, but it was really cool for me.). At different times, people genuflected, on the ice and snow. I bowed my head and scrunched a little. Sarah helped translate some of what the priest was saying. It was quite an amazing experience.

We’d eaten lunch before our walking about (Karol got to eat too!), and then we got on the train to head home. It was a wonderful experience. Thank you Sarah and Karol!

I look forward to more adventures with this crew!

A Day Trip to Malbork Castle

elizabethcaulfieldfelt Uncategorized , ,

The town of Malbork and Malbork Castle (the largest castle in the world) are an easy, 30-minute train ride from Gdansk.

The castle was established by the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order in the early 1300s. There are three parts to the castle. The High Castle, surrounded by moats and high walls is where the Grand Master lived and also housed the church of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Middle Castle housed monks, knights, guests, a hospital, and the Grand Refectory, for large feasts and ceremonies. The Low Castle housed the granary, an armory, a brewery, stables, a chapel, blacksmiths, and other outbuildings and service-type work places, all surrounded by moats, walls, towers, and defensive constructions. In all its history, the castle was never over-taken in battle. However, several sieges did cause the castle to be surrendered or sold. For more history, visit the Malbork Castle Museum website.

We started our day by stopping by a post office and mailing our absentee ballots for the U.S. November election. (Vote!) We’d heard bad things about the Polish postal system, that we might have to wait in line for a long time, so we set out early. The rumors were wrong. It didn’t take more than five minutes to buy stamps and send our ballots on their way. That gave us extra time before our train left. We spent it in an Ukrainian Cafe. The “smoking train” was the train before our train.

Admission to the castle included an audio tour that lasted about 3 hours. It was informative and enjoyable and offered times to take breaks. We ate apples in one of the courtyards about half-way through. Although I have fatigue issues, I had good energy this day. It was so much fun walking through all the small passageways, over drawbridges, under portcullises, through inner gardens.

The Great Refectory was impressively large. The holes on the floor allowed hot air from fires below to heat upper rooms.

Parts of the castle were destroyed during WWII and then reconstructed with great care. An exhibit explained in great detail with many photographs and plans of how the reconstruction took place. Other areas in the castle included museum-type exhibitions on amber, weapons and armory, tapestry and sashes, famous guests of the castle, and more.

After all that walking, we were exhausted. Malbork has an easy self-guided tour of its Old Town, which we we too tired to explore. As we still had a couple of hours before our return train, we found a nice restaurant in town, Panorama, at the top of a sort of vertical mall. It had a view of the castle and town, and because it was about 2:30, we had the place to ourselves. A great way to end our visit.