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BookTrib is Curious . . .and sometimes we have questions for authors that are not about what they write, or why they write, but are quirky questions inspired by having read their work.

What’s in your handbag?

Frankly, I hate my bags.

I have many bags. Most are leather but I also have bags fashioned out of corduroy, wool, linen, cotton, boiled wool and nylon. I even have a bag made out of kangaroo skin. The styles vary: tiny, small, large, vintage, and new. I hate them all.

I hate lugging the bags. No matter how I try, I cannot edit these bags. I end up carrying at least eight pounds of junk simply because I’m anxious about the “just in case” moment. If you’re thinking, “she probably carries one of those bleach pens,” you would be wrong. I am so far beyond a Clorox bleach pen.

Need I tell you that I carry a wallet? Of course it’s bursting at the seams with credit card receipts and pennies. And a business card case, of course. Both are in black leather making it impossible to find them when I need to however I’ve never been a great fan of candy-colored leather goods.

Do you wear a lot of black? Have you noticed that some restaurants offer white napkins that leave lint on your black pants, skirts, jackets or sweater? That’s why I always carry two black cotton napkins. I drape one black napkin across my lap and one to shield my blouse since I loathe getting a stain on my crisp white shirts. The rejected white napkin is always placed on the floor and that’s where I put the reviled handbag.

I also carry a mini-lint roller. Some of my clothes are lint magnets so rather than fuss, I simply whip out the roller (available at drugstores) and remove offending lint.

Make-up is another reason my bag has become a thorn in my side. I carry two make-up cases at all times even though I wear very little make-up. “Then why carry them”, you probably wonder. I wonder too. Nevertheless, in my bags there are lip liners, lip crayons, lip glosses, lipsticks, two different foundations, a cover-up stick, a mirror, toothpicks provided by my periodontist, a brown eyeliner that I use as a beauty mark when I see a burgeoning zit, an eyebrow brush, mouthwash strips, a package of Colgate Wisps (mini-brush with freshening bead of toothpaste) a sample of topical pimple gel, a pill pouch for Tylenol and anti-anxiety pills that have proven to be most helpful (no explanation necessary).

Glasses are an important accessory. Maybe even the most important accessory since they can change my look in a minute. That’s probably explains why I always have two pair of sunglasses in my bag. Some of my sunglasses are quietly elegant and some are hip. It’s good to have choices. I also carry a small zippered tote for my lens wipes to keep them pristinely clean before I wipe my lenses. I suggest washing these cleansing wipes every week to ensure that you get a great result when you do wipe.

Is your skin oily? May I recommend Shu Uemura blotting papers? No longer available in stores, they are available on their website, www.ShuUemura-USA.com. Most women smear their faces with powder to remove shine but I prefer these papers. Naturally, I carry a pack.

In addition to all of the above, there are the gizmos (cellphones), pens, bottled water, a Moleskin writing pad, my checkbook and a tiny flashlight. I recently purchased a rather clever “mailing envelope” to hold the flotsam and jetsam but have decided to hold off…at least for now.