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Killing My Precious
This one is about writing. Well, my writing, that is. I try to give little tips on Instagram, and most of the tips I share are ones I learned from articles or books by other authors. Some things I have learned along the way from experience, but those are more regarding edits and after I finish the first draft. Today I was thinking (I do that sometimes), and I remembered one of the early struggles I had when I started writing. Luckily, I also remember what I did to fix it, so I will share it with you. While my current book is the only one I’ve finished, I started…
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What Will it Take?
With the ALA conference, work, and everything else that has kept me busy lately, I have had little time to write. Today, I really felt the need to sit down and write about an issue that’s been weighing heavily on my mind… the missing toddler, baby Noah. My local friends will know exactly what I’m talking about, but some of you may not. Noah went missing almost a week ago. The news issued missing child posts for him, and many people have commented saying that they believe his mother had something to do with his disappearance. There are several reasons people immediately suspected her: In 2010, his mother spent several…
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Will the Real Dad Please Stand Up?
Some of you already know the story, but for those who don’t . . . In October 2013, two years after my father passed away, I found out that the man who I’d always called, “Dad” was not my biological father. My biological father was a man who my dad had been close friends with for many years; in fact, our families lived in the same neighborhood and spent a great deal of time at each other’s homes. Apparently, my dad could not father children, so he and my mom had adopted my older brother and sister before I came along. They always told me I was a miracle . . . that they thought they could not conceive,…
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Not the Most Friendly of Beasts
Someone I dealt with last week reminded me of a scene in the first Harry Potter movie. If you’re not familiar with Harry Potter, here’s a quick background: Harry Potter is an orphan who finds out he is a wizard. The gentle half-giant/half wizard, Hagrid, not only informs Harry of his lineage but also serves as his escort to the wizard school, Hogwarts. Harry has a list of required school supplies, all of which may be obtained in the magical shopping area, Diagon Alley, magically hidden behind a pub in London. As Hagrid takes Harry on a tour through the alley, he points out all the marvelous shops, explaining what…
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The Pretty Little Redhead
Have you ever met someone and found that you cannot stop thinking about that person? That’s the predicament I’m in right now. I’ll be doing something, and my thoughts keep turning to her. After more than a week of her being a squatter in my headspace, I think I’ve finally figured out why she’s always on my mind. But let me give you some backstory before I continue. When I wrote my book, picking out character names came quickly—especially my main character’s name, Erin—I named her after someone on one of my favorite television shows. When I first “met” the show Erin, she got on my nerves. She was not…
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Walk the Walk
This is what my face looked like almost 50 years ago at my first birthday party. From the looks of things, I wasn’t too impressed with the festivities. When I was old enough to look at pictures and ask questions, my mom informed me that I was wailing like a banshee because some inconsiderate (probably the coochie-coochie-coo type) neighbor lady absolutely insisted on waking me up to give me my birthday present. I obviously did not appreciate being woken up from my peaceful slumber and to this day, if someone wakes me up, that’s the reaction they will get. I hope there was something spectacular inside that white tissue paper…
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Fake it ’til you make it
My book launch was last Saturday. It was an enjoyable and exciting experience, but it was also exhausting. I’ve learned so many things since I began the journey to getting this book out there, with my most recent lesson being this: Fake it ‘til you make it. I am, by nature, an introvert. I’m hard-wired to do things like only leave the house when necessary, be more of a listener than a speaker, and spend the majority of my free time with my cat and dog, neither of which are interested in carrying on conversations with me. Don’t get me wrong, anyone who knows me knows that once I’m settled…
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Stop and Smell the Roses
Throughout my life, I’ve heard different variations of, “Be sure to stop and smell the roses.” I’ve always taken this to mean, “Don’t get so busy that you hurry through life, neglecting to take the time to appreciate the beauty that surrounds you,”– or at least that’s how I like to interpret it. The arrival of spring, with its breathtaking blooms and foliage, has reminded me to pay attention to things I tend to take for granted—things like a warm breeze, or the smell in the air after a refreshing spring rain. When I think about the things I often take for granted, I think about my dad. In 2011, my father was…
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The Great Pineapple on Pizza Debate
I used this photo and title to get your attention because I‘m willing to bet you feel strongly about pineapple on pizza; as in, you either love it or hate it. I love it—don‘t judge. About a week ago, I met a friend for dinner. Since I’ve started selling my book, a lot of friends have said, “Hey, let’s meet up for dinner and I’ll buy your book in person.” This is great in one way, and not so great in another. It’s great because it forces the hermit (me) to leave the house and spend time with friends. The not so great part is that they ask me where…
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But, WHY?
“If someone shows you who they really are, believe them,” ~ Maya Angelou Maya Angelou was one wise lady. I first heard the above quote about five years ago and it’s one I try to remember when a fitting occasion arises. Unfortunately, I don’t always follow the wonderful advice in that quote, because I’m a “why” person; I always want to know why people behave the way that they do. What drives someone to mistreat other people? Why would someone tell a lie just for the sake of lying? How could someone hurt innocent people and not feel bad about it? Why do people cheat, steal, and murder? If you…
