To Dream the (Im)possible Dream

          Have you ever nurtured a dream over decades, fanning the tiny lick of flames when it threatened to extinguish itself, only to see it (gloriously) grow and expand?

       A woman I know, Cathy Jenkins, had a dream of owning her own restaurant. She took a trip across the country with her family and wheedled her way into restaurant kitchens as they traveled. (Cathy is so personable, she could get a lamppost to engage in conversation.) Along the way, they took lots of photographs of their family in national parks, on the beach, and so on.

       She then began her own small cooking business, and offered a weekly treat for the teachers at her children's elementary school. A flyer would be posted in the office,  complete with a photo of the entrée of the week, and the staff would call in their order. No matter what she made, it was delicious.

        Now--after months and months of working on the interior and planning the menu and meeting with city planners, she just had the grand opening of her own restaurant--Cathy's Kitchen. It's in the heart of old-town Ferguson, right next to a Curves (not a great place for the Curves clients, I must say) and every publication in town interviewed her. The Post-Dispatch. The Suburban Journal. She's going to be in Taste and Sauce, two local cooking magazines.

You can't really tell, because I'm not the best photographer, but the kitchen
is completely open and retro-looking.

Along the entire length of the restaurant is a highway. Along the road, there are
photos of the dishes Cathy's Kitchen offers, family pictures, and guitars and cowboy boots and
Mardi Gras beads, to represent each geographical area along the highway.

This is the dreamer...Cathy Jenkins.


If you're in St. Louis and have the chance to stop by Cathy's Kitchen, you won't be disappointed. (The smoked salmon crostini is delicious. A friend had the fish tacos--the fish is not breaded--and thoroughly enjoyed them.)

What dream do you have for yourself or for your writing? And...what are you doing to keep your dream burning brightly?

Traveling Companions

         I am not a high maintenance traveler. Make sure my tummy is kept full and my bladder is occasionally emptied, and I'm happy. (Loud) music is great if I'm traveling alone but if someone else is in the car, I prefer conversation over the radio.

         Today I got to travel with two WWWPs--one on the way and two on the way back. Our destination: the launch of the book Well Versed. Lots of laughter and nonstop chatter made the trip fly by.

Four St. Louis writers were at the launch and are part of the anthology.
From left to right:  Donna Volkenannt, Marcia Gaye, Lynn Obermoeller and Sheree Nielsen.

        What things do you require/desire when you travel?

The Fleeting Summer

      When you have a three-day weekend, you look forward to the extra day off, and it seems like it will last foreeever. When you have a week off--or two weeks off, it's as if it will never end. And when you have the summer off  two months off, as teachers often do, it seems like a lifetime...Until July hits, and then it's halfway gone. 

 

This is my granddaughter, Riley, last summer in Navarre, Florida
 (aka as "heaven" according to Linda O'Connell).

      I had great hopes of making some major progress on my "longish" project, but it hasn't happened to the extent I had hoped...at least so far. However, maybe it's not the time for it. The Byrds (and Pete Seeger, of course) sang, "To every thing...turn turn turn...there is a season...turn turn turn." Maybe in a week, a month---then it will be time to make some serious headway...

      What are you wanting to accomplish/enjoy while the summer is still here?

      By the way, Lynn Obermoeller and Donna Volkenannt are doing a book signing on Sunday, July 14 (just a few days from now). There are other local writers--including Marcia Gaye--who are part of the anthology that's being launched. If you can, stop by... 

Improve the Odds

       If you need 12 cupcakes for a party, you had better make at least 14...a menopausal chocoholic might get out of control mishap might happen. 

       If you need 50 brochures, make an extra 10 just to be safe.

       If there is a contest, and you're not limited in your entries, send in more than one submission. One of them might not make it, but one of them might end up a winner.    

        This week I got an email from D'ette Corona, one of the head haunchos at Chicken Soup for the Soul books. I always hold my breath like I do when I pass by a police officer shooting radar and I'm clearly speeding when I see an email from her. It's either good news, or a version of "Sioux-you-screwed-up-and-forgot-to-send-in-the-release" message. One of these days, I think she's going to say, "Stop bugging us. Don't submit another thing." Hence, the holding of my breath...

This book is going to go on sale on November 2, 2013.

       I submitted two stories for this anthology. "My Circle of Friends," a memoir about a book club I belong to, was the only one that made it to the final round. Of course, it could get booted out before the book goes to press, but I'm remaining hopeful. (And if it does get tossed out at the last minute, I will shout that out as well, 'cause rejection is all part of the writing business...)

       Improve your odds. Take more than one chance at some of the opportunities that come your way. You might end up a winner...

Books Galore

     One of St. Louis' independent bookstores--the Book House--is having to move. Yes, it's a larger place and it's a better location (if they're able to snag the spot they're hoping for), but with multiple floors full of books (3), it's going to be a gargantuan task to move.

    However, they're still open, so if you're in the St. Louis area and want to check them out in their soon-to-be-"old" location, call ahead (if you're looking for a particular book) and head their way.

Three floors of books...It's a cool place, and no, the owners are not
whackadoo--they don't have the place all decked out for the
holidays all year long. This is a photo from last December's Chicken Soup
 for the Soul's book signing. At this book
signing, a rare sighting of the elusive "Val" occurred.

      And it's a building that's brimming over with character (the building is being torn down--it was built in 1863), so it's going to be a loss to the Rock Hill community...but not to the independent book store community because the Book House is moving to a place that is going to be bigger and better. 

      One of my favorite independent book stores I visited earlier this summer is Half Price Books in Kansas City. It's a huge expanse of used books and is meticulously organized. My son got me hooked introduced me to it.

      What is your favorite book store (and why) or what is a book you've read this summer that you are recommending? (I've read Joe Hill's NOS4A2, which is brilliant, if you like scary/creepy stories. I'm also still singing the praises for Leonard Pitts Jr.'s epic novel Freeman, and earlier this summer I read Hosseini's And the Mountains Echoed. All three I would give 5 out of 5 stars.)

The Inside Secrets

       If you were inside my house last night, with all the firecrackers going off, you would have been welcome by Foley, our hospitable Golden Retriever. Always the charming host, he would have paced around you...endlessly. If you spent the night, he would have scratched at your bedroom door to get in, and then would have scratched on the door to get out...over and over and over.

      Foley is storm-/firecracker/rustle-of-leaves phobic. He paces and pants and isn't comfortable anywhere when thunder or fireworks disturb the airwaves ...unless he's drugged. We avoided the dispensation of the doggie downers last night--but tonight, it may be a different story. 

     Of course, my neighbors have cleared all the furniture out of their house so they can fill it with firecrackers the holiday is over, my neighbors obviously do not have a calendar and have no knowledge it is now no longer the 4th of July, so I'm sure tonight will be just as noisy as last night quiet.

       How did you celebrate the holiday? What are your hopes for the United States? America is a wonderful country but it's far from perfect.

      And hey, speaking of perfection...If you're in the moooood to read some perfect advice about writing, go have some coffee with your muffin. My guest post was inspired after reading James Lipton's memoir. (He's the host of Inside the Actor's Studio.)




      Check it out. You might find something of substance there...