Welcome! Author Penny Lockwood Ehrenkranz.

Today, I'm delighted to welcome prolific author, Penny Lockwood Ehrenkrantz, to the blog.
In addition to telling us about herself, Penny is also offering a generous giveaway -to EVERYONE that leaves a comment.
Just leave a comment and contact details and Penny will email you a unique short story "Midsummer Knight" ! 

Penny Lockwood Ehrenkranz has published hundreds of articles and short stories in print magazines and on-line. She writes for both adults and children. Her fiction has appeared in numerous genre and children’s publications and non‑fiction work has appeared in a variety of writing, parenting, and young adult print magazines and on line publications.  She edits for three small independent publishers.  Visit her web site at http://pennylockwoodehrenkranz.yolasite.com  Her writing blog is located at http://pennylockwoodehrenkranz.blogspot.com/

GRACE:  Penny, lovely to have you here today; please tell the readers a little about what makes you tick.

PENNY: I retired in 2008 from my "day" job as office manager and chief legal secretary of our county district attorney's office.  Since then, I have become more of a full-time writer, although I have also taken on some free-lance editing positions.  Part of my time is now spent editing other author's work, rather than my own.

I actually enjoy writing in several different genres, including children and young adult. I also write non-fiction and have numerous articles published in writing magazines, parenting magazines and teen magazines. 

When I'm not writing or editing, I'm reading, crocheting, or gardening.  I enjoy water aerobics and walking.  My family comes first in my life and I recently became a grandparent for the second time.  My son and his wife have a delightful little girl, who is now three, and my daughter and her husband just celebrated the birth of their son in June.

GRACE; I understand you have exciting news that Love Delivery has just been published. Please tell me a little about it.

Love Delivery is a novella released by MuseItUp Publishing.  Here's a short synopsis:

SYNOPSIS

LOVE DELIVERY

By: Penny Lockwood Ehrenkranz

            Ann and Tom have both been disappointed in love, yet they yearn for happiness.  Ann works as a waitress in a donut shop.  Tom has been delivering supplies there for a while.  Each is attracted to the other.  Tom makes the first move by inviting Ann to dinner and a cat show.

            Both Tom and Ann have cats, and this brings them together, but there are forces at work tearing them apart even as they seek each other out.  Tom’s ex-wife, Maria, is hired at the donut shop.  Before Ann knows the relationship between Tom and Maria, she confides in Maria about her feelings toward Tom.

            When Maria learns Ann’s beau is her ex-husband, she becomes like a wildcat.  She tries everything she can to separate Ann and Tom, including showing up where they’re having dinner, going to Ann’s apartment, and arriving unannounced at Tom’s home when Ann is visiting.

            To complicate matters, Maria and Tom have a child. Although the Tom is not the biological father, he adores Catherine. 

            As Ann becomes more involved with Tom, she sees both sides of him and wonders if there can be a future.  When she gives Tom the ultimatum of getting his life back in order, he disappears.  Weeks later, he returns with Catherine, a plan for the future, and a ring for Ann.

GRACE: There is a lot of competition for readers’ attention these days. What is different about your book that makes people want to read it?

PENNY: The story is about two very normal people who don’t earn a lot of money and haven’t completed their higher educations.  They don’t work in fancy jobs or live in exciting cities.  One is a waitress/day manager of a donut shop and the other a delivery man.  But they enjoy life, cats, eating out, movies, children, and bike rides in the country.  They are real people with real problems, and I believe readers will be able to relate to the obstacles they have to overcome in their quest for true love.

GRACE: It seems eBooks are taking off in a big way. What is your opinion on eBooks vs. traditional paperbacks?

My next three novelettes from MuseItUp Publishing are eBooks, so I have a very positive opinion of eBooks.  My print release from Sam’s Dot Publishing (A Past and A Future) is now available through Smashwords, which is a good thing since I’ve had a number of people ask me how they could get a copy for their eReader.

I think the stigma previously attached to eBooks is no longer valid.  I believe this is the wave of the future and eventually very few books will be printed on paper. 

I used to enjoy holding a “real” book, but since I acquired a Kindle, I’ve gotten used to the lightweight of it, the built in reading light, and the fact I can carry a whole library of books with me when I travel.  I think eReaders are great.

GRACE:What is the kindest act anyone has ever done for you?

When we first moved to Oregon, a very dear friend who recently passed away, took our family under her wing.  She wanted my kids to call her “auntie,” and she more than deserved the title.  Our very first home, she came with paintbrush in hand and helped paint both inside and out.  No matter what was needed, she was there.  Teri, you’ll always be with us.

GRACE: What would your nearest and dearest say is your most annoying habit?

PENNY:That’s a tough question to answer since we get along really well.  The only thing I can think of might be when we’re in the car, and I see something he doesn’t see, and I just yell “Dave, Dave, Dave,” instead of saying, “There’s a kid in the crosswalk,” or “There’s a car pulling out of that driveway.”

GRACE: When was the last time you cried?

PENNY: On June 21^st when my grandson was born.  After telling me for months I couldn’t, my daughter relented and allowed me to be in the room and participate in the birth.  It was an incredible experience, matched only by being allowed to participate in the birth of my granddaughter three years ago.

GRACE:Have you heard of ‘Room 101’ – the room where an object once placed disappears forever…I wish all alarm clocks went there! What 5 things would you put in Room 101 and why?

PENNY: No, I’ve never heard of it, but here goes:

1.      Alarm clocks (I agree with you on that one)--I hate being forced to wake up.

2.      Bigotry—I would love to live in a world where diversity was embraced.

3.      War—It appalls me what people do to each other during a war and I can’t seem to fathom the reasons behind war.  Live and let live.

4.      Crime—People should be allowed to live without fear of being beaten, robbed, murdered or abused. 

5.      Slugs—I hate when they eat my plants after I’ve worked all summer long trying to grow veggies and flowers.

As you can see, I’m a dreamer and would love if conflict were simply eliminated from our society.

  

GRACE: It’s been lovely chatting with you today, Penny, and before you go, where can I find out more about your books?

PENNY:

My website and blog:

http://pennylockwoodehrenkranz.yolasite.com

http://pennylockwoodehrenkranz.blogspot.com/

Links for my YA/Adult short story collection:

A Past and A Future

http://sdpbookstore.com/anthologies.htm

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/62608

My three releases from MuseItUp Publishing:

Love Delivery, coming August, 2011

http://tinyurl.com/4ajo9wz

Lady in Waiting, coming November, 2011

Mirror, Mirror, coming December, 2011

https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore2

My children’s books which will be released through 4RV Publishing:

Funny Dog, coming May, 2012

Ghost for Lunch, coming September, 2013

Many Colored Coats, coming October, 2014

Boo's Bad Day, coming June, 2015

http://4RVpublishingllc.com/Childrens_Books.html

GRACE: - Thank you, Penny!

If you have enjoyed this interview and would like to sample some of Penny's work, dont forget to leave a comment and contact details, to recieve the short story "Midsummer Knight."