The Purple Bowtie

04/21/2022

Big News: Bradley Cooper is filming his Netflix movie Maestro at Tanglewood, May 21 to 26. He is directing and starring in the film about Leonard Bernstein He is looking for extras. I already filled out the application!

Bradley Cooper's new movie, "Maestro," a Leonard Bernstein biopic, is seeking extras for filming in Massachusetts. Read more on Boston.com.

06/06/2020

from West Palm Beach, - The Palm Beach Post

12/30/2019

I returned to Shakespeare & Company in Paris, the bookstore where the romance in my novel "The Purple Bowtie" begins. Happy 2020 everyone.

01/07/2018

www.thepurplebowtiebook.com
Welcome to my website. I'm grateful to so many people for the book presentation, the reviews, radio interviews, and fun times we have spent together.

Author Achim Nowak ("The Moment") and actress Karen Johnson (original Peppermint Patty in "Your A Good Man Charlie Brown") celebrate with author Lisabeth Reynolds.

12/09/2017

Happy Holidays: Tie a Knot and Hang on. Help has arrived!

Tis the season to be jolly…or is it? For some of us who have lost a loved one or are struggling with challenges which seem insurmountable, the holidays can be an especially difficult time. Well, here’s a piece of GOOD NEWS. There is a special book, full of life strategies, life-embracing, fascinating anecdotes, funny jokes, and yummy recipes that can help to pull you out of your funk. It’s called At the End of Your Rope? Tie a Knot and Hang on. Help Has Arrived! Buy a copy as a gift to yourself and grab a few more to give away to people you love. It was penned by my good friend Camille Sanzone. Here is a segment from a recent interview:

Liz: Can you tell my readers a little about your background, and your nationality?

Camille: My full name is Camille Adelina Sanzone…that should tell you something right off the bat. I come from a very strict Sicilian family, but there was always lots of music, lots of food, lots of laughter, lots of food… Did I say that already? (Laughs.) I was raised with food to the left of me and food to the right of me. My luck – it settled in front of me and behind me.

Liz: I love how you include your mom’s recipes in the book. But tell us a little about your career.

Camille: I won’t recite my entire résumé…as my background has been diverse. I’ve been a caseworker in children’s protective services and I’ve been a bank training officer; I’ve worked with people challenged with AIDS, seniors struggling with Alzheimer’s disease; I’ve been an instructor with Women In Distress, teaching a program in middle and high schools called “It’s not OK,” about abusive relationships; I’ve been executive producer at an all news/talk radio station, and an activities coordinator at a senior citizen day center…among other things.

Liz: Sounds like you’ve lived a life of service, Camille. Tell me, what prompted you to write your book, At the End of your Rope? Tie a Knot & Hang On! Help has Arrived!

Camille: I started writing it in 1986, after writing an 8-page su***de letter.

Liz: A su***de letter?

Camille: Yes, and the operative word in that sentence, Liz, is letter; had I written the traditional su***de note, I might have gone through with it, but 8 long, hand-written pages later, I had managed to talk myself out of it. For once in my life, being prolific saved it!

Liz: That was 1986. You’re not saying it took you twenty-eight years to write your book, are you?

Camille: Perhaps, in a way, because it took me 28 years to be ready to write it. After I wrote that letter, I wrote a few chapters of what was going to be a Suicide-Prevention Manual because I wanted to share what I’d learned.

Liz: And what was that?

Camille: That most people who attempt su***de don’t really want to die; they just don’t want to go on living the way they’ve been living. I know all I wanted was for the emotional pain to stop. But somehow I didn’t think people would buy a Suicide-Prevention Manual – too much stigma attached to the title; so, I put the chapters away and didn’t go back to them until a few years ago. When I did, I came at it from a whole new perspective. At the End of your Rope is decidedly not a Suicide-prevention manual; it is a Life-embracing Manual.

Liz: How so?

Camille: Well, I realized I had to make an about-face, make better choices and take responsibility for my own happiness. You’ve probably heard of NDE’s, Liz; an NDE being a Near Death Experience. Well, if I had committed su***de, I would have had an NLE, a Near Life Experience. You see, I was so close to living a full life, but because of the monumental, albeit temporal pain, I almost summarily ended it.

Liz: I never thought of su***de that way.

Camille: As an aside, once when I was in counseling, my therapist asked me if I had considered su***de. My immediate response was, “No, but thanks for the suggestion.” My sense of humor is, apparently, always intact. Anyway, actually contemplating su***de gave me the jolt I needed to choose to live life consciously, intentionally, and with joy. And my book is intended to show others how to do that, to encourage them to take a deep breath of life and assure them that things are going to get better, that they’re going to be OK. But my book is not just for people on the verge…it is truly for anyone who wants to find better and more life-enhancing ways of being in the world.

Liz: Are you working on any other books?

Camille: I’m reformatting my one-woman play into a book: Confessions of a Recovering Catholic: I still make the sign of the cross when I pass a PIZZA HUT! While it makes some serious observations, it is, essentially, filled with material from my stand up routines.

Liz: Please tell us a little about your stand up comedy? How long have you been doing that?

Camille: I’ve done it on and off since the eighties. Through my work in radio, I met the great, late Phyllis Diller when I was 35. She heard me do my act and was very encouraging, telling me she was 35 when she began her career, but I wasn’t cut out for the life of a stand-up comic – traveling across the country, doing one-night stands.

Liz: And what do you do when you aren’t writing?

Camille: I play at the piano, and I have sing-alongs with friends and family. I also host a weekly Internet radio show, “Tie a Knot & Hang On! Help has Arrived!” It airs LIVE Wednesdays at 1 pm Eastern Time on: http://w4wn.com/

Liz: Where can readers go to find your book?

Camille: They can go to Amazon.com, enter my name: Camille Sanzone and they’ll find the perfect-bound 8 X 10 paperback of At the End of your Rope? Tie a Knot & Hang On! Help has arrived!, along with a short kindle-edition book I’ve written called Drop the Wait: Someday is Now. I’m currently writing A Conversation with Some Angels, which is the backstory of how I came to write, or veritably channel from the angels themselves, the 82-line poem of the same title.

Liz: Thank you, Camille. It’s a pleasure having you join my blog. I wish you the very best with your book, anything else you publish in the future, and with your radio show.

Camille: Thank you, Liz. I appreciate the opportunity to introduce myself to your readers. Whatever path they take, I hope they keep choosing ever better ways of being in the world.

11/19/2017

A stunning day at the Miami Book Fair to debut my novel "The Purple Bowtie." Enjoyed meeting so many people and reminiscing about the Co***ne Cowboys and McDuffie race riots of 1980's Miami, the Gender Spectrum, the women of 1920's Paris, and healing techniques with the third eye - themes of "The Purple Bowtie."

Thanks to Dan and Gabi Grubb of Fantastic Books Publishing, "The Purple Bowtie" made a lovely presentation and stood out.

"The Purple Bowtie" at the universal Amazon link: http://getbook.at/purplebowtie

(photo of Silvio Leon, author of "Open Heart", with whom I shared a booth at the Book Fair.)

11/13/2017

Over forty people attended the launch party of my novel, "The Purple Bowtie." Thank you all for your support. It was fun to sign books for three hours. Wow. I like this part of being an author.
Thanks to Geri Dolan and Ilene Sokol for taking the photographs and to Achim Nowak and Karen Johnson for joining me in the photo.

11/05/2017

As The Purple Bowtie launches, I want to give a HUGE thank you to my wife Jeanne McConnell. You are an unyielding supporter and adviser and you challenge my thoughts daily. You have taught me about the street smarts of life and what it really means to love someone.

A ‘shout out’ of appreciation to our family for their love and support: my sister, Lynn Reynolds Makrin, brother-in-law Keith Makrin, niece Katherine and nephew Ryan. My stepson Brian McConnell, his wife Betty Kang, granddaughter Melody and grandson Sandor.

Special thanks to my mentors: Syd Beiner, you started me on this journey; Madeleine Bar Sadeh, you motivated me to write, Dr. Deborah Grayson and Kathleen Adams, you guided me into new realms of self-exploration. Marcia Cherniachovsky, you are my sounding board of self-understanding. Achim Nowak, your excellent advice helped me navigate the world of publishing. Artist Lisa DiPetto, you reached into my brain and grabbed the images there. Donna Ratajczak, your ability to clarify complicated subjects and expert editing inspired me. To Dan Grubb, Gabi Grubb, Penny Grubb, Anne-Marie Strand and Stuart Aken of Fantastic Books Publishing, your invaluable advice and guidance have wrapped up The Purple Bowtie into a treasured gift and tied it with a bow.
To Camille Sanzone, Betty Armstrong, Mariette Van Rij, Ellen Shames, Ilana Plain, Neil Plain, Toni Armstrong Jr, Suzanne Munshower, Gayle Keiser, Andrea Presberg, Jackie Miller and Amy Cherry, thank you for sharing your input and encouragement.

Finally, thank you to all the people who read The Purple Bowtie. May you pursue your dreams, discover your past lives, and stand up for who you truly are.

Buy "The Purple Bowtie" now at http://getbook.at/PurpleBowtie.

11/04/2017

Buy The Purple Bowtie kindle at 70% off NOW. http://getbook.at/PurpleBowtie

11/02/2017

"The Purple Bowtie" launches at Midnight, November 3. Get 70% off the retail price of the Kindle version of the book. Go to
http://getbook.at/PurpleBowtie. This is a steal and the best price ever.
Please share and tell your friends. Thank you.

Inspired by a true story, The Purple Bowtie by Lisabeth Reynolds is a tale of gay love that bridges women’s lives from the le***an salons of 1920’s Paris to the 1980’s Miami gay rights movement and the devastating impact of AIDS.In part the novel is a tribute to the activists...

11/02/2017

My novel, "The Purple Bowtie" launches MIDNIGHT, NOVEMBER 3 with a special Kindle Countdown Promotion.
Beginning at midnight, for the next 30 hours, you can buy the Kindle version of the book for 70% off the retail price a http://getbook.at/PurpleBowtie.
Please share and tell your friends. Thank you!

10/29/2017

Happy Halloween!

The best part about Halloween is that you can be anybody you want to be. Whether you bring out your angels or demons, you get to be someone else and express your personality in an unusual way. And when you put on a costume and makeup, you discover what a varied personality you have. It’s great to bring out a part of yourself that has been dormant or live in the shoes of someone you’ve admired or… possibly even disliked.
Makeup to me is the key to bringing out my sub-personalities. As a face painter, I’ve seen how it makes kids light up when they see themselves decked out as princesses and comic book heroes. For me, each character I create for Halloween brings out certain feelings and leaves an indelible memory in my heart.
For Emmett Kelly, the famous circus hobo with the sad face, I remember the time all the clowns at Priscilla Mooseberger Camp in Minnesota sat around a campfire dressed as hobos and shared caring clown stories. There were a lot of laughs and a lot of sobs too (because caring clowns work with kids and adults challenged with disabilities and incurable diseases.)
Makeup can be very exciting especially if you take yourself to the International Face Painting and Body Art Convention in Orlando, Florida (scheduled for May 23 to 27, 2018). The best face painting, airbrush, henna and body art professionals from around the world are brought together to teach you everything you ever wanted to know about creative make-up. The convention was started by Marcela Murad in 2002. (Marcela, also known as Mama Clown, actually gave me my Lizzie Love the Clown face! Her conventions sell out quickly because they are full of brilliant professionals and deliriously amazing face and body art designs.) Check out her face paint and balloon blog.
Have fun this Halloween and try a little makeup. You may discover a budding artist inside you.

This month marks the launch of my novel The Purple Bowtie. Watch my blog and Facebook for a special promotion on the book very soon! Buy the book at http://getbook.at/purplebowtie.

10/09/2017

Here is my latest blog: Dolphin Time!

Dolphins are some of the friendliest, most affectionate and playful beings on Earth. They allow you to follow them when they swim, they will return pieces of seaweed to you if you throw it to them and, even if you don’t see them, they may be swimming underneath you watching your every move. They are open to interacting with humans and appear to be speaking to us from their hearts.

Here is a fun, ten-minute dolphin visualization to feel good about yourself and open yourself to connecting more effectively with others, even dolphins:

With your eyes open or closed, begin by imagining that you are seated next to the side of a pool with a dolphin circling, diving and occasionally resting on his back in front of you.

Take a deep breath and let it out. Repeat. On the third breath, take in as much affection and love as you can from the dolphin and allow it to fill you completely. Feel the texture of the affection inside you. Let it saturate you inside and outside. Then send the dolphin an image of you hugging him with all your love.

Now imagine that the dolphin is approaching you with playful affection. He connects with your image of hugging him and sends out a sonar signal that surrounds you with love. Slowly, all your energies of love become joined with his. Feel the love that both of you emit. Stay there for as long as you like and, when you are ready, thank the dolphin for spending time with you and gently return to the space around you

Try this in the morning when you wake up, during the day and at night, when you go to sleep. It is relaxing, fun and loving. You may find yourself opening more to others. It may also help you to remember your dreams. Post me your results or dreams on Facebook or tweet me .

Learn more about communicating with dolphins in The Purple Bowtie. Here is an Amazon universal link to The Purple Bowtie: http://getbook.at/purplebowtie. If you would like to swim with a real dolphin, try Dolphins Plus or The Dolphin Research Center in the Florida Keys.

10/02/2017

Check out my latest blog: Inspiration Mindset

“Please allow the divinity to flow through me” is the inspiration mindset that I have been using for many years to restore my energy and reassure me during the day. It is more than a positive statement or affirmation because it actually shifts my energy from my everyday ‘talking heads’ chatter and tired, ‘do,do,do’ mentality to positive, alert energies that bubble with spontaneity, joy and being alive.

Jackie LeClaire at the White House(photo from Kennedy Library)

The expression is borrowed from retired Ringling Brothers/Barnum & Bailey children’s circus clown and aerialist, Jackie LeClaire. I met this inspiring teacher and ambassador of mirth at the University of Wisconsin Clown Camp in June 1999. Jackie transformed into a white face clown who carried a tiny umbrella that protected his nose. When we met, he saw my clown name “Lizzie Love” and told me that he was from Falls Church, home of Lizzie Borden. “She was a real cutup,” he said. From that moment on, I couldn’t stop laughing whenever I was with him. Humor is always bubbling up from his mind. Jackie is such a brilliant clown that he even delivered a gift of a stuffed toy giraffe to Caroline Kennedy at the White House. Please Google “Jackie LeClaire, clown” to view his photos and learn about his fascinating life. There is also a U-Tube link to his life in the circus.

Jackie told us that he always repeated the phrase “Please allow the divinity to flow through me” before he did his circus shows. The expression stayed with me and I have used it ever since when I do children’s parties and programs with challenged children and adults. It is like a sacred prayer I make in a church, protecting me from the craziness of the outside world. For me, the words literally unhook me from aches, fatigue and worry while they refocus me on the energy of the children and adults around me. It helps me keep my inspiration flowing.

Lizzie Love Photo by Geri Dolan

Do you have a phrase or inspiration mindset that keeps your inspired energy flowing? Please share yours if you like. If you don’t, try the one above or something like: “Please allow the higher love to flow through me.” You may even find your humorous clown bubbling up from inside you. Post me on Facebook or tweet me . Please Like and Share.

To learn more about inspiration and how it works, discover The Purple Bowtie book. Here is an Amazon universal link to The Purple Bowtie:

http://getbook.at/purplebowtie

09/25/2017

Inspiration Boost

When our granddaughter Melody hears the song “Do you want to be a Snowman” from the movie Frozen, she stops in her tracks, snaps to attention and stands still, listening. The glow of magic on her face tells me the wheels of her inspiration are spinning in her head. Whenever I face paint kids at a party, I love to watch their faces light up as they look in the mirror at the comic book heroes and princesses they have suddenly become. It is as though they have just had a boost of inspiration, confidence and belief.

The Oxford dictionaries define inspiration as “the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something.” The Cambridge English Dictionary says that inspiration is “someone or something that gives you ideas for doing something.”
My morning inspiration boost takes place when I visit Wakodahatchee wetlands near my Florida home. The sunrises burst in the east, setting the skies on fire. Every time I turn a corner, birds start their day roosting or taking off in flocks to find food or nesting materials. As I write poetry, my energy shifts from ‘anxious’, ‘distracted’ and ‘closed off’ to ‘calm’, ‘alert’, ‘open and connected’. This naturally good feeling helps keep me grounded all day.


How do you get your inspiration boost? Maybe, it’s playing a round of golf, eating chocolate, renovating a room, photographing wildlife or jogging to get those endorphins to kick in. In The Purple Bowtie, main character Lisa Robertson gets her peak inspiration at 3am when she channels poetry to the music of Bach.

Still searching for your daily inspiration boost? Here’s one: Put on music that makes you want to accomplish amazing things, like the Theme from Chariots of Fire or Rocky. Take note of how the energy feels, sounds and moves in your body. If it flows and gives you relief and joy, you are on the right track. Know that inspiration boosts can take place any time…any place. The key is to soak up their positive energy and take it with you wherever you go.

Tell me about your inspiration boosts and the energy they give you. Post me on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ThePurpleBowtieBook/ or tweet me

Here is an Amazon universal link to The Purple Bowtie: http://getbook.at/purplebowtie

Photos by Carol Anne Ances

09/18/2017

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09/18/2017

Use Your Imagination (my latest blog)

Before Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps races competitively, he visualizes himself winning the race and adapting to different competitive circumstances during the race. Inventor Thomas Edison, who created the phonograph, the incandescent light bulb and many other electrical innovations, used to sit in his chair and daydream for several hours a day. He used his ability to inquire and to imagine without restrictions. World renowned psychiatrist Carl Jung pretended to live with centaurs, gods and goddesses and enjoyed dialogueing with them. He wrote over forty books on psychology which are still widely read. These are a few ways in which we can use our imagination to stimulate new ideas, insights and inventions.
In The Purple Bowtie, when main character Lisa Robertson meditates, she discovers that she can extract words and images from her dreams, such as beautiful nature landscapes, music, song lyrics and poems. When she suddenly falls down the rabbit hole into an altered state of consciousness, she explores new, vibrant corridors of her imagination. Suddenly, she is capable of writing in many styles, with words flowing automatically, opening a new age of creativity and inspiration. It is as if her imagination is a radio receiver that picks up different creative signals or channels. Lisa wants to be able to transmit as well. She works with energy states and the third eye to see if she can communicate the images in her head to animals and dolphins. She begins to see that the study of telepathy could be a catalyst to unite all of us as artists and creatives. As we discover and explore our innate, imaginative and telepathic abilities, we create a new world of imagination through brain-to-brain communication.
Give permission to your creativity. Don’t deny it. How do you use your imagination? Do you have a passion, like a sport or an activity that inspires you? Do you daydream? Do you have fantasies, romantic or otherwise? Do images or ideas pop into your head as insights? Do you like to act or paint, write songs or song lyrics and poetry? Actively visualize yourself accomplishing great things?
In the weeks and months to come, I would like to open a dialogue about inspiration, creative visualization, insight, invention, daydreaming, fantasy and utopian visions. Along with celebrating all creative people including artists, entrepreneurs, scientists, sports stars and engineers who use their imagination in extraordinary ways, we’ll be talking about ways to tap into and spark our creativity. What if we all could become creative geniuses? Imagine!

Let me know how you tap into your imagination. Tweet me at@purplebowtie1 or send me a post a Facebook.

09/11/2017

A Moment of Peace and Silence for the Victims of 9/11 and Hurricanes Harvey and Irma.

Egret and I walked together for the first time.
The bird held the lead circling the pond
of the lonesome pines.
And we held the wind in silence
touching our thoughts together
as the truth of God.
Egret moved farther beyond me.
But the purity of the bird-soul
held me fast in the serenity of grace...
Fate's chancing.
The joining..of Man and Nature as one.

-Lisabeth Reynolds
Everglades Sunrise book

Photographs by Carol Anne Ances