Welcome back to EBOOKS BY DEBBY HUNT. I hope you survived Halloween and are ready for the rest of the holidays this year, because now they'll be coming very fast. That just seems to be the way of it, and I'm sort of glad. Christmas might be a pain in the sense of mad-shoppers and plenty of media blast, but it is a nice time of year and I love the snow and the lights - not to mention the presents! (These days I'm mainly interested in computer-related gadgets, books, and anything to do with my dog, Foofer). For this update, I have provided more details about the fairly new author's web site, Free the Writer. I found this site during one of my searches for new links, and I'm glad I stumbled onto this site. Based out of Scotland, authors' works are featured here complete (if a short piece), or a chapter per week (like mine - currently, Passion Unrequited is up and running, and a new chapter is displayed every Wednesday. The chapters are kept in order as they are listed in the book, so if you are a first-time browser here, you can read everything that is posted). I'm very impressed with this site and the webmaster, Dave McMillan. If you are an author looking for good exposure in a classy setting, this is the place to go. I'm still diligently working away on the historical novel I have been hinting about the last few months, and progress is good. Research consumes a lot of time (not only in reference material, but in contacts through the Internet, e-mail and faxes, as well as the old postal way). I have four three-ring binders going and they are all just about full, and I'm only on Chapter Four of this book. I know I'm being vague about this project, but there is a good reason for this and hopefully in the new year I'll be able to tell you more. Needless to say, the writing is very complex and far different from anything I've ever worked on before. I've been busy since the last update doing more projects than one as usual. Writing has remained the one constant through all of this (of course). I know it seems that one project can never be finished (especially if you have more than one going at once), but it is possible because I do it all the time. I completed the article on Monaco (which is available on my food and culture site, Savorys by Shenanchie), and I have finished writing the food and traditions special about Christmas. Since this is not due for a few more weeks, I'll be able to edit and correct any mistakes before publishing it as "ready" and not "under construction" (bless those little phrases). I have a habit of trying to get these articles done ahead of time for fear I will be put under pressure to get it done at the last minute. (With my luck, the "last minute" would mean internet connection problems or other sundry details). I have also redesigned Savorys by Shenanchie, and this was due in part that it is now a "paid" web site. Yes, I broke down and paid for the upgrade and now this site is free from ads and I have use of all the building tools. I designed the background and logo myself, and it has turned out quite well. If you'd like to take a look, please click on the link below: http://pages.zdnet.com/shenanchie/savorysbyshenanchie/ To shore up any confusion, my food site is split between two web servers. The culture articles are at ZDNET (now the paid service), and the rest of the pages (tips, dog food, links, food notes), are on TRIPOD. This happened several months ago when I went over my file space at ZDNET (imagine that). While I was trying to clear that up, I started another site at TRIPOD in case the problem at ZDNET could not be fixed (my impatience lingers even as I get older). Then, once the problems at ZDNET were fixed, I had already finished the new site at TRIPOD (sans the culture articles). So, I decided to keep the culture articles at ZDNET (with links back to the TRIPOD site), and to keep the rest of the site at TRIPOD (with links back to ZDNET). Are you totally confused now? It's okay, I was too, but it has worked out well. Perhaps the best of all news is that Savorys by Shenanchie was featured in the Salt Lake Weekly magazine the week of November 1st. I pick up this free magazine every Saturday at the grocery store (I like to shop very early to avoid crowds). I was in the checkout line waiting, and I started flipping through the magazine. I check the food page by Ted Scheffler regularly (he had e-mailed me some time ago and asked if he could mention my site in his column, and of course I said yes! I've been checking every week since). Anyway, imagine my surprise when I flipped it open this time and there was a column about Savorys by Shenanchie. I had only expected a very brief mention, but this was an entire column (as a companion to the major article about the "Mikado" restaurant in Salt Lake City). I thought I was going to faint in the checkout line at the store, and my boyfriend Wilbert came up to me, saying, "What? What is it?" It was quite exciting! If you would like to read the on-line version of this article in the Salt Lake Weekly, please follow the link below: http://www.avenews.com/index.html Once you get there, click "Restaurants" in the left-hand menu. You will be taken to an article called "Sushi Standards" that is centered in the center of the window. The column about my site is highlighted to the right under "Food Matters." This article will only be up for one week, and then will be put in the "archives." (There is a new article every week in his column). Foofer is even mentioned in this article! Go, Foofer! Needless to say, I wrote to Ted Scheffler and thanked him for this extraordinary mention of Savorys by Shenanchie. He wrote me back, and was very gracious. He permitted me to reprint the article. Ted also has a radio program in Salt Lake City called "Sound Bites Weekend," and he asked me if he could do a telephone interview with me in December. Most definitely! And I will keep you posted! Until next time, HAPPY READING! Debby Hunt 
(Below): Foofer and my boyfriend,
Wilbert Alviso (September 2001). (Below): What a life!! Foofer asleep
in my bed, covers and all!
(September 2001). 
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