July 29, 2016

Blogger Interview with Liz A. from Laws of Gravity



Today I have Liz A. from Laws of Gravity. Her blog is quite unique. She blogs about being a substitute teacher, shares her knitting creations, and asks intriguing questions every week. Welcome, Liz!


1. How did you come up with the title Laws of Gravity for your blog? Does it have a special meaning?

This is a rather long story. The short version: I liked it.

As for the long version…

One of the reasons I studied physics in college had to do with the history of science. Copernicus. Galileo. Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler. Which all led to Sir Isaac Newton (who wasn’t that nice of a guy) and his law of universal gravitation. I so hope that Kepler actually stole that Mars data…

But that’s not what prompted my blog title. That came from a movie. A movie titled Laws of Gravity tickled my brain. I’ve never seen the movie. Not really interested. (It’s not my kind of film.) But the title… I loved the title. So, I stole it. For my personal journal.

When I started really working on my novels, I also started keeping a personal journal. And I titled it Laws of Gravity. Because.

Then, when I started my blog, I knew that’s what the title had to be. Because it was still a personal thing, just a blog where I talked about what was important to me. And I could spin some tale of how gravity is the thing that holds us all together. Gravity is the force that binds two objects with mass. And the more massive (or the more objects) the more tightly it binds.

Or, I could talk about spacetime and how gravity is the force that shapes our universe.


But actually, the title is Laws of Gravity because I liked the ring of it. (The deeper meaning gives it layers.)

2. One of your regular blog features is the Sub Files where you talk about moments you experience while subbing for a continuation high school. How did this get started?

I started calling it #subfiles because hashtags started being the thing, and it was the way I coded my tweets from school.

But the Sub Files have always been a part of the blog. When I first started (on MySpace, of all things), I had one reader, my brother. He said he liked my subbing stories best, so I focused on them.

As for the stories from the continuation high school, they began once the district started sending me there. I write about what happens during my subbing day. Those are just normal subbing days.


3. What was your very first blog post?

My very first blog post was on MySpace. May 23, 2006. I reposted it on Blogger on May 3, 2011. (I deleted the MySpace account, but I saved my blog posts from then. I reposted some of them, but many of them weren’t worth saving.) Silly Fire Drill

My first blog post on Blogger is from September 14, 2007, and it explains why I made the jump to Blogger. Newbie But I had been writing a blog for a little over a year when I posted this.

4. On Tuesdays you have What If posts. In your words: At the heart of much speculative fiction (and fiction in general) is a question. What if? How do you come up with or find these thought-provoking questions?

I wish I had a good answer for you. They just come to me. It might be from something I watched on TV. It might be from something someone said to me. Or it might just be me white knuckling it on the weekend when I’m writing my posts knowing that I need to post something…

5. You’re an avid knitter and even have an Etsy store called Zizi Rho Designs. What is your most popular item among your buyers?

I don’t know. I sell quite a few EOS lip balm holders, but is that because I have a ton of them? Many of my other designs end up being one-offs. I sell the one and then never make it again. So, it’s hard to know.

Knitted Earrings

6. What kitting projects are you currently working on?

I have three projects actively going at the moment. First, I'm crocheting some more Pokeball EOS lip balm holders. Who knew that was going to break big this summer? Then on the knitting side, I'm designing a new purse. I finally found a stitch pattern I like. And finally, I'm knitting a lacy cover for my water bottle. This has no practical application whatsoever. I just wanted to make something pretty. 

7. What are the top 5 most-viewed posts on your blog?

pattern for a crocheted peace sign appliqué—sense a theme here?

When I see other bloggers do this exercise, they always say how surprised they are at their top posts. I am not. My top posts are my free patterns, which I also link to on Ravelry (keeping them searchable for those looking for those sorts of things). I’d be more surprised if they weren’t at the top.

Because of Ravelry, I can look at what some others have done with my designs. It’s kind of fun. (The pyramid pillow prop, the water bottle carrier)


8. Share your number one tip to bloggers just starting out.

Write for you. Don’t worry about followers. If you aren’t writing a blog because you want to, you won’t stick with it for long.


Hyper Round:

1. Favorite time to post blogs? 8 AM       

2. Blogger or Wordpress? Blogger

3. Do you host guests?
Yes, although I discourage it. (Too few readers to make it worth it.)

4. Where are you when you’re blogging?
Sitting on my bed. But if I have an easy class, I may write out a post while watching them work and type it in later.


BIO:

I am a writer, a knitter, and a substitute teacher, not necessarily in that order. TV is my background noise of choice while I work on whatever project comes to hand. I'm currently working on a novel about a wizard with self-esteem issues. 

LINKS:


Thank for you being my guest, Liz!

Please leave Liz a comment. J


51 comments:

  1. Great guest! Love reading how the title came to be and how Liz comes up with those Tuesday questions. Glad to know a bit more about Liz and love her creations!

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    1. Yeah, the title thing is kind of a long story, so I don't generally bother the blog with it. Fun to tell it for a change.

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  2. Wow, I'm so glad to meet Liz and learn about her blog. Definitely one to check out! Great interview, Chrys.

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  3. I wish I could knit, but I can barely darn socks. I need to explore your Etsy store.

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    1. Thanks. Knitting was one of those things I didn't know I'd end up loving.

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  4. Excellent post Chrys and what a wonderful guest?
    Her blog appears to be very interesting.
    Enjoy your week-end.
    Yvonne.

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  5. Been following Liz for a few years now. Always enjoy reading about the antics in the classroom, what those kids will try to pull. Her Tuesday questions can be very thought provoking too :)

    Great interview!

    betty

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  6. Now I know where the name came from!
    The sub files are funny. Kids do some dumb stuff.

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    1. Kids do do dumb stuff. Good thing for me... ;)

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  7. Very true, have to write for you or screwed at your zoo. So a title thief huh? Geez lol

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    1. Yup. I'm terrible at titles, so I "borrow".

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  8. The sub files are a nice window into today's teens. Things have changed, haven't they?

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    1. I don't know if that's true. We did some crazy things when we were that age. If blogs were around then, I'm sure there's stuff that we did that would have been blog-worthy.

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  9. Hi Liz, I admire your knitting skills! I like your advice to new bloggers, too. If you don't like what you write you won't blog for long. I agree 100%. In fact, I don't even look at my stats anymore. I know, crazy right? Your WIP sounds interesting! Nice interview, Chrys!

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    1. I don't look at my stats, either. It's better to just write for you.

      And thanks.

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  10. Happy to meet you, Liz. Your blog sounds fascinating, even though I know nothing about knitting. Interesting interview. Thanks for telling us about yourself.

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    1. I only post about knitting about once a week (maybe twice a week in the summer).

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  11. Hi, Liz! I am a semi-regular reader of your blog. Now I have to run over to my stats and check them up. My top post, I know, is the top post because of all the spammers it attracted. So I don't pay much attention to the stats. My top post? Zombies of Yonkers. Zombies and spammers. Who knew?

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    1. Yeah, I hadn't ever looked at my top posts until asked. It can be an interesting exercise. Zombies are huge, so I can see how spammers would love that. They think they'll get more hits.

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  12. I visit Liz's blog from time to time and I do enjoy her sub stories. The funniest things happen at schools. I enjoyed learning more about her Etsy shop and what sells. Fun to learn more about her and wishing her the best of luck!
    ~Jess

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  13. What an interesting, talented woman you are, Liz. I love how you create your own projects and then share the designs for free.

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  14. Hi Liz. Over here from your blog. I enjoyed the interview. It gave me a few more fun facts about you. You are a very versatile lady. BTW cute earrings!

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  15. Well, now I'm going to have to check what my top post was. Maybe I'll be surprised.

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    1. Most bloggers are, at least judging by the blog posts they write from them.

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  16. Okay, I checked. "Resurrection Blogfest-Is It Art?" from November 7, 2012. Who knows? I may repost it.

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    1. It's fun to see what the top post is, isn't it?

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  17. Thanks for having me, Chrys. It was fun to talk about things that I don't normally post about.

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    1. You're welcome, Liz! I've always wondered about your blog title and enjoy your knitting. :)

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  18. Hi Chrys and Liz - what a fun post ... and I loved the video - interesting to read/learn a little more ...

    What a fun way to start a blog and then to gravitate (?!) on from My Space to Blogger ... and then the What If series ... great idea ...

    Good to meet you - cheers Hilary

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  19. I really enjoy Liz's blog posts because I was a sub a long time ago and I forget how exasperating it could be. Also, I am a knitter.

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    1. Best to forget those days. Unless you want to write about them. I'd love to hear some of your stories ;)

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  20. Substitute teachers are among the stalwart and brave. I did my stint as one when I wanted to work, but only part time, so I understand the challenges. I'm starting to get things that say they're from MySpace. I'd forgotten I was ever on that.

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    1. MySpace is an ongoing joke among teens now. It's another way of saying something's woefully out of date.

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  21. Great interview!! Very interesting about your blog title! Excellent Etsy store! All the best!

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  22. I wish I knew how to knit, but I'm afraid I might be too impatient and/or poke myself in the eye with the knitting needles. :)

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    1. It's more about process and making something yourself. But, I know, it's not for everybody (although I'll advocate for knitting for everybody...).

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  23. I remember those MySpace blogs. I didn't keep one, but I read a few. I love the knitted earrings.

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  24. I can't knit to save my life! Or maybe I'm just not trying hard enough? I think I can learn a thing or two with Liz. :)

    Thanks for sharing the interview, Fey!

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    1. Well, since neither my mother nor my grandmother could ever stand it, it probably means I'm the weird one for liking it ;)

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  25. I love the earrings! You are so talented, Liz. Science has always fascinated me, even though I didn't do that well in high school. But the mysteries it holds will always capture my imagination. Great interview, ladies.

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  26. Interesting story behind the compelling title! Love the "What if" theme.
    Enjoyed the interview, ladies!

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    1. Thanks. I have a new one coming up tomorrow...

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  27. what a great interview! love seeing Liz A here - and i was lucky enough to win one of her cool creations - a knit iphone stand!

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    1. Thanks for stopping by, Tara! I'm glad you enjoyed her interview. :)

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