Welcome From Elinor

Welcome to From the Pages! It's me, Elinor Montoya, from Snowdance. I wasn't sure you recognized me, seeing as you've got to visit with me through this computer screen and all. Ah, it's so good to have you here! And so good to have a place to chat with all of you!

Sarita assures me that this is the spot where we, the characters from her novels and short stories, will have a chance to sit a spell with all you nice folks. Sort of get to know you all a little better, and to give you the chance to get to know us as well.

I must admit, I was nervous about chatting on this new-fangled Internet thingy but once again Sarita assured me it would be fine. Between you and me, I worried I might get sucked right into the whole Internet and be lost in Cyberspace or something. But hush on that, won't you? Let's just keep that between us. I don't want to go showing my age on this first visit with you.

I figure as long as I pretend this keypad (or keyboard or whatever it's called) is my trusty old black 1935 Royal, I'll be just right as rain. This key-thingy doesn't have that nice, deep, satisfying clacking noise that my old Royal has when my fingers hit the keys but that's fine, too. With this new contraption I don't have to hit the keys nearly as hard as I used to do with the Royal so typing's easier on my fingers. Rheumatism, you know. Oh, right. That's the "old fashioned" term for it, isn't it? Nowadays the doctor calls it arthritis ... but it doesn't matter what word he uses, my fingers smart something terrible sometimes.

Then again, I don't want to let on I'm as old as I am. I figure a woman's got to keep some secrets, doesn't she? After all, the color of my bloomers and the number of years I've lived on this earth may be the only two things this Internet visiting business might not be able to decipher. So for now I'll keep my--

What's that? My age? Snowdance? Readers who already know...

Hmmph. I guess you already know some of my secrets, don't you? You've read the book, and know I'm 97 years old--and darn proud of it, too.

Hmmph.

Well, then, I guess I'll just say "Welcome to From the Pages" and leave it at that. You'll come back and visit with me again, won't you? Even if you do know I'm an old woman living in a new world? Good, I'd hoped you'd say you'd be back. Maybe next time we'll talk about ... oh, I don't know. I'll think of something. Until then, you take good care. And don't forget about me.

You don't know the color of my bloomers, do you?