Adventures with Meps 'n' Barry » Our Limerick Life

Oddest book title in the world?

meps — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 18:37:46 +0000

Strangers Have the Best Candy relies
On its title to catch readersâ€™ eyes,
Now the Guardians claim,
That it’s found worldwide fame,
And it might win the Diagram Prize.
I woke up on Saturday to a Google Alert, saying that my name had appeared in The Guardian. “This must be a mistake,” I thought, as I clicked on the link to one of the best-known online news sites in the world. To my surprise, the shortlist had been released for the Diagram Prize for the Oddest Book Title of 2015, and Strangers Have the Best Candy was one of the seven books!

According to The Bookseller, “The prize was open to self-published authors for the first time in its 37-year history, and the self-published Strangers Have the Best Candy by Margaret Meps Schulte (Choose Art) completes the shortlist.”

Being on the shortlist hasn’t translated into any sales or calls from publishing houses so far. Actually winning the prize might do the trick, so here’s my shameless request: Would you please go to the voting site and cast a vote for me? It will take less than a minute, if you use this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/diagramprize2014.

After that, please share this and tell your friends you know a Diagram Prize nominee! Anybody who votes for me gets a hug and a piece of candy!

Book-Marketing Mobiles

meps — Sun, 07 Dec 2014 21:26:26 +0000

I have picked up another used car,
For the orange one would not go as far,
As it needed to go,
In the rain, ice, and snow,
That’s between “way up here,” and “down thar.”

My first book-marketing mobile

My new book-marketing mobile, with cruise control!

What’ll ya have?

meps — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 23:20:05 +0000

When I opened the trunk, I went â€œEek!
â€œI can’t keep my books dry with this leak!â€
So I sold that orange car,
With its built-in “wet-bar,”
As a feature — no charge for “unique!”

Anti-Social Dance

meps — Sun, 19 Oct 2014 14:43:13 +0000

I told David that dance was my thing,
So he showed me some waltz and some swing,
Then a man with big shoes,
Gave me a touch of the blues,
Now the limp gives my salsa more zing.

Not my favorite dance step

In a rumba lesson, the man with big shoes stepped forward when he should have stepped back. I have a blue toe and a new appreciation for careful dance partners like myÂ friend, David Seghers, and my husband, Barry.

Pilots prefer e-books

meps — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 18:47:05 +0000

With my sweetie, I’m Ohio-bound,
But the pilot can’t get off the ground,
It’s my little orange book–
Forty-seven, I took,
And each copy weighs only one pound!

Let’s do lunch!

meps — Fri, 26 Sep 2014 06:10:46 +0000

Itâ€™s been eleven years since I quit,
And I miss all my friends, I admit,
But when you read my book,
You will see, I forsook
Corporate life for a much better fit.

Steve, of Expeditors International, and Meps at Sweet Mickey’s, September 2014

This is especially for my former coworkers, who have kindly encouraged me to be an author and artist, instead of a business analyst, knowledge manager, or systems integrator. I’m probably ruined for the corporate world now, because I can’t remember how to install (is that the correct verb?) pantyhose. I hope I don’t have to wear pantyhose when I make it to the Today Show.

If you’re a former coworker of Meps’, please say hello in the comments!

Sweet Strangers in Ballard

meps — Sun, 21 Sep 2014 06:44:20 +0000

I hope to see your smiling faces in Ballard tonight, sometime between 6 and 8 pm. If the rain stops, we can make Happy Spots on the sidewalk in front of the store! If it doesn’t, we can make paper Happy Spots inside!

When I walked in right off of the street,
The two strangers I happened to meet,
In their colorful store,
Full of candy galore,
Booked an author appearance there — Sweet!

If you’re in the Seattle area, come see Meps on Tuesday, Sept. 23 from 6 to 8 pm at Sweet Mickey’s Candy Shoppe in Ballard (next to QFC on 57th). An autographed copy of Strangers Have the Best Candy won’t rot your teeth. And the fabulous candy and fudge Sweet Mickey’s carries is worth a trip to the dentist!

Chickening Out

meps — Wed, 23 Jul 2014 02:01:25 +0000

We’re chicken-sitting in Seattle again! Here’s a little limerick, inspired by our feathered charges:

There once was a hen known as Nancy,
Who lived in a coop — nothing fancy,
She wanted to travel,
But fear made her cavil,
‘Cause flying, for chickens, is chancy.

A Chicken, as illustrated by Meps

Look what the stork brought

meps — Thu, 01 May 2014 16:08:57 +0000

Way back in 1964,
The stork dropped me at the front door.
Now that I’ve turned fifty,
I think that it’s nifty,
That Mom said, “Please bring me one more!”

I don’t have any pictures of the stork that brought me. But Mom looks pretty happy with the results. My sister Julie just looks shocked.

Some things bug me

meps — Fri, 18 Apr 2014 22:22:20 +0000

I had hoped to escape from the pain,
For their bites drove me nearly insane,
But I got no relief,
From the gnats with big teef,
Those no-see-ums were chasing my plane!

No see ums (biting midges), expanded view (drawing by Meps)

No see ums (biting midges), closeup view (drawing by Meps)

No see ums (biting midges), microscopic view (drawing by Meps)