The Power of Our Words

       Do our words matter? Does anybody read the lines we write down?

       I did a guest post at The Muffin, where I pondered the power of our words. Here is a link, in case you have a few spare minutes and would like to peruse...

http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/2014/05/friday-speak-out-power-of-story.html

These are some of the writers who shared their story
at the 2014 Listen to Your Mother St. Louis show.
My guest post at The Muffin tells about something that happened
to me right after the final show...

Memorial Day Giveaways

        Today is the day when we reflect on those who have gone ahead of us--those who have passed before us, and those who have served for us.

      Yesterday on the show 60 Minutes they covered some new treatment for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. It's called "Prolonged Exposure" (I think I'm remembering the name correctly) and involves them telling their story over and over. Too often, they bury it inside. As soldiers who have served say, "If you've been there, I don't need to say anything and if you haven't, there's nothing I can say." It's the same therapy that has been used with rape victims. Each time they tell their story, they heal a little more...

         The Harsh and the Heart has sentimental value for me in a couple of ways. One, it was the first anthology that included a story of mine--my first publishing credit. Second, it features a story about my dad. It was written while he had Alzheimer's, when his personality and his memories were gone. Now he's gone completely...

        
      This collection is an inspiring one. Several of my writing friends have stories in it, including Lynn Obermoeller, Linda O'Connell and Alice Muschany. (Sadly, my story did NOT survive. In fact, it was turned down in a case of projectile rejection. However, I am still thrilled for the writing colleagues who were lucky enough and talented enough to get accepted.)

      On June 1 I will be drawing names of the winners. If you're only interested in one of them, indicate that, or if you'd enjoy winning either one, let me know, and I'll put your name in both hats (literally and figuratively, although it will probably be a bowl and not a hat). 

     Have a great Memorial Day...and may your day be filled with fond memories of loved ones.

And if you're not booked up on June 1, you're in Missouri and would like to hear some writers read their words, check out the event that Columbia Chapter of the Missouri Writer's Guild is hosting. It's free (and should be lots of fun--I went last year and it was a delightful afternoon).

Risky Business

         Living your life to the fullest.
         Going after your dream.
         Being true to yourself...it's risky business.

         One of the million and one reasons why I am lucky to be a member of the WWWPs (an infamous writing critique group) is they are all risk-takers. None of them are afraid of their next step.

        Beth quit her high-paying job to start up her own business. Three kids at home (two of them teenagers) and single motherhood added to the scary factor. But she continues to hammer away at getting new clients and going after new opportunities...

       Linda has enough grandkids...in her spare time she could be content to make cookies for her grandbabies (or just eat the raw cookie dough herself and deprive them of goodies, which is what I would do), and yet she submits to more places by 5:17 in the morning--every day--than most people do in a week. Linda doesn't think, 'What if I lose out on this chance?' Instead, she thinks, 'What do I have to lose?'

       Tammy is the quiet one, the one who does things unbeknownst to the group and then when we get wind of the results of her work, we're blown away. Everyone knows the phrase "still waters run deep," right? Well, Tammy submits stories and enters contests without talking about them. She doesn't just talk the talk--she walks the walk as well. Recently, she was a Reader's Digest winner. The flashy true story was just like what she brings to our critique meetings twice a month--we all become fly-catchers as our mouths gape open--but she quietly crafted it and sent it off...without a thought to what her chances were. There are writers I know (I just looked at one of them in the mirror this morning)  who heard of the contest but shot themselves down before they even had the chance to try. Tammy was willing to take the risk. 

        And if you haven't had the chance to read her winning story, check it out.     

        Lynn was the first of our group to try NaNoWriMo--many years ago. Writing a novel-length manuscript is not for the knock-kneed, and Lynn has successfully "won" with NaNo more than one year. She also is brave enough to never turn away from her personal journey as a writer. Lynn has several long projects she's juggling, she goes to conferences to grow as a writer and as a human being, and--of the five of us--I think she lives the truest writer's life. She writes/journals/sketches/revises every day. It's part of her daily ritual. And putting one foot in front of the other--taking that first step every day--takes a lot of courage.

     What kind of risks have you taken recently (or at any point in your life)?

                                                    or

                Who is the biggest, most bad-a** risk-taker you know? (My nosey nose wants to know.)

Punching Over a Piece of Cake

        When my brother and I were growing up, our mom regularly baked cakes and batches of brownies. Inevitably, we'd end up with one last piece of cake or one solitary brownie left.

       And every time, my brother and I would both want that last portion of dessert.

       My mother settled the problem in the only equitable way, and she didn't learn it from her mom. My mom was an only child, so she must have dreamed up the perfect solution on her own.

       My mom would have one of us divide the piece of cake or the brownie in half; the other one would get to choose first. It alternated. When it was my turn, I would get a mental ruler in place, because I didn't want to give my brother an extra crumb. Neither one of us ever complained, because it was extremely fair.

      What advice or lesson did you learn from your mom that stuck with you over the years?

(This is a picture of my birth mother, Imogene Gann, who taught me a completely different lesson than my mom, a lesson that changed my entire life. When the "Listen to Your Mother" videos come out on Youtube, you'll have to watch mine to find out how she changed my life.)

Never Say Never

Never say you would never fill a puppymill's pockets with money...if it means getting dogs out of the breeding-reproducing cycle--forever.

Never say you would never write a novel-length manuscript, and you would also never share your writing in an auditorium...you just might have a story that's begging to get out.

Never say you will never get another puppy...because you might encounter a litter of 11 Goldens, and they melt your heart.

We are still in the thinking/vacillating stage--I think--but by
the end of the month, we will have decided yes or no and if it's
a yes, we will pick out a rescued puppy to adopt...and then, heaven help us!

What was the last time you said "never" and then you had to eat your words?

Checklists--Doin' Them Sioux-Style

      

My manuscript--it's been read by the four other WWWPs so far,
plus Smeagol the cat (who chewed on the corners and found it not as delectable as it should be).

 
         Aaah, checklists. They're ever so helpful, especially when you can accomplish lots of items on the list and you get the satisfaction of checking them off.

         Check.

         Check.

         Check. It feels so good.

         But what happens when a checklist goes awry. What happens when the checker is a little delusional? Worst of all, what happens when the person with the checklist is Sioux?

         Egads!

        Check out my guest post at The Muffin this week, to find out all the mayhem that happened when I created a checklist.

        And, it might not be too late to get your tickets for the St. Louis Listen to Your Mother show. There's live jazz music, shopping (a tractor trailer "thrift store" set up in front of the building) and lots of reasons to laugh (and cry). If you're free on Saturday (10:00 or 2:00) go here so you can celebrate Mother's Day with us early.