The. (The Book)

 If you know me, you know I'm a little different than most people. I put more emphasis on the odd, the out-there, or the unique than the stuff you run across daily. When I learned as a kid that the libraries and bookstores ignore the word "The," it bothered me. It has always bothered me. The word is too....well, it's essential. You say THE THIS or THE THAT, and it's THE one to mention or be associated with. Try going a day without using THE word THE.

    I decided to write my 15th book and title it "The" because of its content. I knew the content from the beginning. I didn't know how it would end - only that the two main characters would end together. At first, they wouldn't get married, but that changed. There were other changes, too. She was going to be black, he was going to be white, but then I just didn't keep that thought going. They say you should write about your experiences, and I didn't want to fake it or try to pretend.

    Leigh has my middle name, and the other character is Matthew James O'Conner. If I had been born a boy, I would have been Matthew James, but I think Mom would have given me two T's in Matthew. My character only has one. He's odd that way. I like him. He's attractive, fun, out there, and dedicated to being the best he can be, but he's unsure how to make it happen. That's where she comes in.

    She's a little too over the top sometimes. She's an extrovert who doesn't ask for permission or forgiveness. She's tough, but she's fair, and her idea of fun is writing, planning, working, and being busy - she's not someone to sit around and watch the world go by; she's a maker and a doer for sure.  She's from DeQueen, Arkansas, and I have folks over that way. I know enough about it to wing it - and that's what I did.

    Mathew was Jimmy Conner in his previous life, but circumstances forced him to change his name and start completely over from scratch. He was a top-notch chef and had been for years. He was seen on television and well sought out until he wasn't. He has a past, and she has a big heart, full of room to understand him. 

    Together, they work to help others who can't seem to make it on their own; they need help even if they aren't able or willing to ask for it. They are the "the" who are ignored, and Leigh and Mat want to give them the space, time, energy, and confidence they need to be who they can be if given the chance. It's a good book, and I liked writing it. I'm finishing it now and putting the last touches on it before it is submitted for publishing on Monday. 

    Officially, the publishing date will be September 1, but it won't be ready to buy until about September 18, when it is printed, returned to me for final inspection, and resent. I'll keep you posted. It will be in print and epub. The print is 343 pages, 85809 words, and will sell for $19, but the Kindle will be $4.99. Such a deal!

BOOK 15 Has Been Completed.

 I sat down and wrote the titles of the books I've written because I wanted to know how many I have written. I thought it was thirteen, but when I got them all written out nice and neatly using my handy-dandy bullet-point method—the one that has stood the test of time—I realized I have written 15 books.

    The 15th book was completed just today. Mind you, I'm not 100% done with it, but it is done. It is finished as far as the book goes. I have 323 pages and 33 chapters written. At last count, it was 83,887 words, and that's all good - but I do have the fluffing and stuffing to do. I have to be honest; I started the fluffing today. 

    I put the last sentence of the last chapter in at about 3:00 p.m. today, and started in on the fluffing. I'll do an entire day of fluff and stuff tomorrow and I'll get it all lined up with the page numbers in place, as well as the headers. I'll give it my best to do the headers correctly, but I've never gotten the machine to do what I need it to do, so yeah, it isn't perfect. That's OK, I'm not either. I doubt any readers can claim to be; we're good.

    I'll announce the title on Sunday when I send it up for publication. I may send it on Monday, but I'll still announce the title on Sunday. I've waited for September to arrive so I can remember the date; I do that. I like the 1st, and I like the 22nd of every month. I remember those days more often; it's a good plan. The title is worth the wait. You may not think so, but I do. 

    I'll start promoting it as soon as it's printed. I'll even do the EPub book simultaneously so that when I do promote it, I can tell folks to buy it in print or for their devices through Amazon/Kindle. It should be $4.99 I think, that's the going rate for a new book. It could be cheaper, but it's a reasonable price. I may give it away for 60 days, but only if Kindle and Amazon agree - they may not. They need to make something, too.

    Anyway, it feels good to know the lovers are happy; they have a dog and are literally riding off into the sunset together, but not on a horse; you'll have to read the book. It's fun. I do try. I added Aunt Sharon, a feisty 90-year-old, rather than having Leigh carry on with her besties on the phone. I have already done that in a couple of books. It's more realistic to have her get teased by her own family at times; We can relate.

    It's done....done...done..sort of. I'll be really done done in a couple of days, and I'll start the new new book. I can tell you the title of that one now. It's THE GRANGE.  The new new book is another novel, and rather odd, but fun where this one was more serious at times. There was a reason for it; the book deals with serious matters. 

    The Grange is quirky, to say the least, and maybe even creepy at times. The lead character does live in a graveyard in a family crypt that shouldn't have been annexed into the city, but it was. She demands her land back, even if it means squatting there before she dies and is buried there; it's hers, and she's not going to let it go.

    Fun times ahead!! 

Photo Credit: Alumni.ox.ac.uk

LAST Chapter - - ONE MORE to Go!

 If you had asked me before I wrote the book how many chapters it would have, I would have said the standard, maybe 30. I think I do 30 and think it's a good-sized book. If I do 29 or 28, they'll be longer and more detailed chapters. Can you imagine if I wrote a book with only one chapter? OMG...don't get me started. I may do that! That may have to happen.  There are 33 chapters in this book.

    So, I'm finishing the last sentence of the chapter today, and it hits me that this is the next to the last chapter. I have one left. That's it, only one. I need to wrap the book up, skim its entire word base and give off enigmatic time bombs, talk about this or that sort of thing that takes place, and then pull it all together with something that's been threading through it the entire time. I do that.

    I'll do that tomorrow. I'll finish the book tomorrow, right after work. I'm taking off at 12:00 tomorrow, so I'll write the last chapter then and start going through it for places I can fluff and stuff it. I'll fluff and stuff all evening and part of Saturday, then go through it for spacing, size, yada-yada, and then Sunday, I'll read it all the way through, making sure I didn't miss some of the things I wanted to say or needed to say, and I'll go through it that last time for grammar and punctuation issues. 

    I love Grammarly, but it can actually mess me up, too. It writes and speaks a little differently than I do, to say the least. My writing is my writing, and if I'm using the words "own" and "a bit" too often - so be it. I have to go through the book for random words, which I usually say. I have weaned myself off the "really" and "actually" because I know the AI will catch those; it rips me a new one when I do it. I laugh, but then again, I snarl, too.

    I have 30 pages of notes to go through the book with, to put this or that statement, thought, adjective, tale, or nugget into the book to make it just that much more whatever; it's what I do. I don't save the best for last, but I do a lot of spicing up at the end, and I'm always happy when I get through the process. The book will be ready to publish or sent up for publishing on schedule, making September 1 the publishing date. I'll need to do a final version after it's printed and after I go back over it, but the print date and the publishing date are very different. People can buy it on the print date...it's out there in the universe on the publishing date.

    I will announce the title on Sunday when it's been sent up for publishing - - I don't think the title makes me nervous, but I will say that it's a good title; I like it. I really, actually like it. (See what I did there? Ha!  Take that, AI!) 

Photo Credit:Popoptiq.com

90! I'm 90% Finished with The Book.

     I have written about 75,000 words so far, and the book will have about 86,000, so you can do the math. I may not be exactly 90%, but I'm only two chapters away from closing the lid on it. That will likely happen tomorrow or Thursday. Then, I'll take the weekend to fluff and stuff. I have 30 pages of notes to do that with—fun times. 

    Once the fluff and stuff is done, I'll space it, size it up, make sure it's cute and concise, and then I'll start at the top and go through it ONE MORE TIME to ensure the grammar is as good as it can be. I know it won't be perfect. I'm more concerned with correctly using the correct words and spelling words than figuring out the right place for a comma splice. I can promise you that much.

    I can't tell you what the two characters are doing now because I'm at the end of the book - some things need to be read on their own, and I'm not going to just give it away. I could give it away for 60 days and see if that helps get it out there. I'll see if it's an option. I'm not sure Ingram Spark will even allow that, but it could be a thing if they do. I wouldn't mind. I like giving things away.

    I can tell you this; they have a dog. Mathew and Leigh have adopted a dog, and he's charming, too. I posted a photo of what he may look like. He's a pitty-mix, possibly with a hound or something. He'll be about forty pounds when he's fully grown, and he's primarily black, with about 1/3 white on his chest, face, and front legs. His name is Roscoe, and that was a tribute to a dog we have here in the neighborhood, but he's more of a terrier-type, wire-haired dog like Kiah. Kiah is in the book, but she's not Leigh's dog. She was found on the beach; you can read about it. She's OK, living her best life now.

    There we go, tomorrow I will end up closing the book and making things happen over the weekend. I'll send it up on Saturday or Sunday. I'll have a copy printed and sent to me so I can go through it, reread it, make changes, and send the revision back for the final! BOOM....as always, wait for the FINAL to come out, otherwise you're buying a book with potential mistakes; unless you like that sort of thing. Some people do!! Collector's items, for sure.

    This book is awesome. I love it. I'll tell you the title when I send it up, probably Sunday.  (Did I tell you it takes place in Sarasota, Florida?) 

Photo Credit: Lexusofsarasota.com 

I am 63% Done! Yes, I am.

     Woo Hoo!!  I am 63% done, according to the percentage guru on my computer. I have about 54,000 words written, which, if my book ends up being 86,000 words or so, puts me at 63% (or really close to it).  I'm rather happy at this point. I'm about to start Chapter 22, my favorite number, but my favorite chapter in any of my books has long been number 17. Chapter 17 puts my mind at ease. I'm over halfway finished and getting into the good stuff.

    Chapter 22 will see Leigh planning an experiment so she can write about it. It will also see her going to the bank for a secured loan, giving up part of the money she has in CDs to use as collateral to start the women's resort; we'll have to see how that plays out now that she and Mathew are beginning their relationship. Oops, can't say too much! I don't want to give it all away. 

    Leigh has attended a conference on psychological pathology, traveled to Arkansas to see family, and buried her great uncle Ike, whom she's been a fan of since she was a child. She is grappling with her new life but thinks she's made the right decisions. When she reflects on her past, she knows she made the right decisions to leave DeQueen and become more active in the world others tend to only dream about. Leigh is a doer. She makes things happen.

    The most fun to come, the following chapters will see her life unfold and develop in ways she only thought were possible for church missionaries, not ordinary people. She wants to consider herself in the same grouping as those who consider themselves ordinary, but she knows that her history, past, and experiences set her apart; she's not one of the unseen - she can't be. She's trying to do less in terms of being out there for the public eye but trying to be more out there for those who can't make a stand. She's a stand-maker.

    We'll have to see what happens, but I hear a dog barking; I did.  (The inspiration for Roscoe)

 

Photo Credit: Pinterest.com

A FAITHFUL Evening.

     Earlier this evening, I received an email, like I do from time to time, from an unknown woman in the entertainment industry. I didn't (and haven't) do a lot of research on her to see exactly who she is. She's doing a television show on a certain well-known channel (OK, it's the History Channel), and she wanted to do a story about my dog Faith.  

    Typically, when someone wants to do a story about my dog, they ask nicely, and this woman is no different. She was very polite and very well-mannered in the wording of her proposal, and she asked me if I would like to participate. Sure, I thought, the world needs to hear about Faith; they need their eyes opened wide and their hearts reminded of just how precious the little dog was...and is. I believe she is still alive, just on the other side.

    The woman emailed me again, asking me for the same thing people always ask me for. She wanted good high-quality photos, video, etc., and I always tell them I only have a little, if anything, that can be transferred into a good enough resolution to blow up for production purposes. They know they can't buy the film from Oprah, Maury, Ricki Lake, Discover, Nova, or Ripley's Believe it or Not, or from any other show because I didn't give those people the right to sell my dog's name, image, or likeness. If I did ONE THING correctly, it was that.

    When she sent me the agreement to sign, the one that basically said they could and would own the rights to any images I shared (or sold, since they were going to pay me $250 a pic...they were going to use 11) they wanted to own, sell, use, or distribute the photos I surrendered. They tried to change her story, image, or likeness at will if necessary, but you know they sugarcoated it by saying it would all be done in good taste. You know my answer - - at least, I hope you know my answer. I said no.

    The first show I ever did with Faith was "Ripley's Believe it or Not," and believe me, I was so green, so naive, but before the show was underway, a good friend from KFOR-TV sat me down and went through the contract line by line - we scratched through a lot of it. I had to do that with Maury, Ricki, Oprah, and everyone. Everyone wanted to keep the images and use them whenever and with whomever they wanted. They tried to change stories, exaggerate stories, eliminate the miracles, and put in man-made things; they wanted to take the FAITH out of FAITH! I said no.

    Now, you may know me, and you may already have guessed, but I think God gave this little mutt to me because I'm stubborn and jealous. What is MINE is MINE, and no one will take, steal, or abuse it willy-nilly. God's grace, story, and purpose are always and will always be wrapped around that little dog's story and life. He knew where He was sending her; I will NEVER let Him down where she is concerned. 

    I told the woman they could do their story but couldn't keep or own any images. They can direct folks to my book so they can read the real story, but you know she'll likely decline that offer. Either way, it's good. I'm good. I've lived this long without being filthy rich;  I can go a little longer. If I've done anything correctly, I will protect her with the grace God gives me to do so. At least I know when I see her again, the dog will not be upset with me for having sold her short -- and I bet she'll even giggle a little because she never really caught on that she was all that special; that is, until she heard the applause! (Then she knew)

UPDATE: (08/22/24) 

    I decided to let the show's producers do an episode about Faith, but I wouldn't sign their standard "boilerplate" contract. I won't go into detail, but they came up with a great agreement that gives me control of her life, her story, and what they can say about her. They can't change her story, they can't make it more sensational or exaggerated, and they can't use her image or likeness in any way that would harm or tarnish her reputation.  No one would believe anyone who tried, but we needed it in writing.

    They agreed to keep their rights for just 10 years, and they can not share the photos and media with anyone for any other reason than to promote that one episode of the show. It won't turn into a circus; she won't be their flying monkey. Faith's story is far too meaningful; they agree. They'll even promote my book a little, which is good because it keeps her story alive that much longer. Folks will see the show and want to know more; she'll be celebrated. I'm happy with that.  I'd love to see it blossom into a feature film about her; that is what she truly deserves. May her life, love, and memory live on forever. 

Photo Credit: Stephen Holman of Tulsa, OK

Half Time!! (50% done with the book)

     I am so tempted to tell you the book's title, but I'm not going to. I can't. I have to wait, and there's a reason, but the thing is, it's a good title, and I really just want to blurt it out right now. I'm halfway finished with the book. I can start there and say more later. 

    Though I only have 38,000 words, and 38,000 x 2 is 76,000, which is at least 10,000 words shy of being finished, the fact is that I'm finished with Chapter 15. I've written 15 chapters of a book that will likely be 30 chapters, give or take, and then there's the fluffing and the stuffing, and that's where the other 10,000 will come into play. I like to stuff. I like to fluff. It's one of the fun things to do - - it makes me happy.

    I have 30 pages of notes. I'll go through each page and see if I can go through the book to stuff that tidbit, that thought, or that little extra this or that into the book, and if I can, where do I stuff it? I find myself adding paragraphs to accommodate the stuffing. I don't typically reduce words; that wouldn't be stuffing now, would it? I add words. I add thoughts. I add ideas, and I add adjectives. One can scarcely have too many adjectives until one actually has too many adjectives.

    I'm using the AI again, but this time, I'm asking it questions, getting the answers, reading the answers, and rewriting it. I don't take the things it spits out verbatim. I do use a great deal of it, but then I reword and throw in my personal style to make it mine. I still struggle with crediting the AI, so since you don't need to at this point and time, I won't do it, but I may have my characters thank the AIs they use; that may be a good way to compromise without truly compromising. 

    The book is halfway finished, and it's getting pretty good. I'm hacking away at the keyboard, drumming up situations, challenges, commitments, compliments, and chaos. I'm forging and forming fundamental fairplay as well as frivious frollick. It's awesome to be this abandoned and feel nothing remotely close to responsibility. That's what the book is about; being unknown, unseen, unexpected, unnoticed but when you are seen, heard, known, or otherwise noticed, there's a reason you chose to be so. 

    The book is fun to write. I'm trying to get into the characters now and develop them to the point of being interesting without being too much or too anything. I want a balance. There can't be too much taking place; writing out the smallest of activities takes too long. It took a whole chapter for a police captain to question a suspect, and really, we didn't get as far as I would have liked. Not many details were given, which need to be addressed during the fluff. I need to pinpoint and push the proverbial envelope on that one.

    As it is now, I'll probably take off tomorrow and even Tuesday. I will write on Wednesday, probably Thursday, and pick it up again over the weekend. I'll do next weekend what I did this weekend and slam out 6 chapters. That will be 16, 17, then 18, 19, 20 plus 21, 22, 23 - - so by this time next week, it should be 3/4 of the way finished. I can still finish it by or close to the end of August.  No matter when I send it up for publication, I will choose a publishing date of September 1 to remember when it was published. It will be close enough to it to say it. I may end up sending it on September 1 and then approving it on September 4, only to have a copy sent to me by September 16 and reapproving it around the 20th, and BAM...there you go -- the full truth. 

    You can't, I can't...simply send a book up and not have a copy printed so I can hold it in my hands, go through it with a pen, and mark out what I don't like. It's a thing, and in every case so far, that's what I've done. That's why I don't publish the EPub at the same time as the print. I have to be sure the print is correct first. I'll EPub this one right after it's printed. It will skip the queue, as it were, and be published for Kindle in September. Why wait? This is THE book to read. 

Photo Credit: Hilanddairy.com

NOT Expected to Teach!

     Today is some schools' first day of school here in Oklahoma City. I think my grandkids also went to school today for their first day. I have to think about it; one is 13, and the other is 11, so I think that's 7th grade and 5th grade. If that's true, it means I'm definitely getting old. I was with them over the weekend, and they have just shot up to great heights. Their mom is about 5'6", but their daddy is 6'4" or more, and he's left his mark on both of those kids. They are stretching it!

    The first thing I noticed this morning, as I woke up and the dogs demanded to be let outside, was that I was not getting ready to go to school to teach. Nope. I was not there, I was not doing it, and there was just simply no way I would. No, thank you, I am excited to say I will not teach again. If I ever changed my mind, it would be if I taught remotely from home. I will not teach in the classroom again. You couldn't pay me to go through that again.

    Three years ago, I was hired to replace a teacher who, on her first day of class, decided it wasn't worth it. She left. This has happened to me 3 times in my teaching career because I wasn't hired at first due to the fact that I had been fired several times, and it was on my record. Now, in my defense (you knew I had one, right), I was fired for being ethical and not changing grades or for turning the principal in for stealing. One time, I was fired for not accepting a date with the Vice Principal when SHE asked me out. Yeah, not only do I not bend that way, but I don't play that way either.

    Of course, when the school administration decides to get rid of you, they make up a story and try to get folks to go along with them. They threatened staff members with losing their jobs if they didn't side with them saying I had done what they actually put on paper that I had done - in each and every single case (there were 7 cases) I won. I wasn't hired the first day, but the schools knew they needed someone, so they called me -- when I said yes, I showed up, and the games began - - literally the second I walked through the damn doors. These people do not change!

    It was three years ago, and I was fired at THAT time for writing a murder blog about a student killing her Science teacher and burying the body at the school. Some twenty years later, the student became a teacher herself at the same school - - she knew where the body was buried and needed to move it because the district had decided to improve the stadium...oops!! I was FIRED for being creative and writing a FICTIONAL story about FICTIONAL people!  Remember that I was also the creative writing teacher at that time! IRONY!

    That was my last adventure with taking on the huddled masses. I had been through about a dozen half-incidents before that happened, with students threatening me and one physically attacking me. I put his ass on the ground, and yes, you guessed it, I was called to the office about it. The first thing out of my mouth was, "Union rep, NOW!"  They wouldn't comply, so I walked out of the room, got my things, and left.  Three long days later, they finally called me back to say they were sorry, they had seen the video, and they sided with me. Oh, you think? Yeah, go on, and not for nothing, but maybe now you can tell the students you lied to about me that I wasn't reprimanded and wasn't fired.

    About three weeks later, right after my last class, I was summoned to the office to be told I was being put on administrative leave for the blog situation. I asked them if they were sure they wanted to do that; after all, I was writing a new murder book and needed names and personalities for a few of the new characters. They let me go - I called my rep, and then they paid me for the rest of the year! That was September 20, 2021. They had to pay me through the entire year because they had NO RIGHT and no valid reason to put me through what they put me through. I say it over and over again, the worst part about teaching isn't the kids...it's the admin. After the admin, there are the other teachers. After the teachers, it's the parents, and then, it's the kids. Kids are kids. They are the way they are because of bad parenting and years of being given too much -- not enough of that old-fashioned child-rearing going on these days.

    Well, it's true. I woke up this morning, the first day of school, and I had a message in my email asking me if I would like to be a long-term sub for a particular local school for an undetermined amount of time. Nope. No thank you, I don't want to do the job in the first place, why would I want to do it for less than I would normally be paid?  As a teacher, I normally made about 40% less than what I make now, wearing my jammies, working from home, and taking breaks when I want. I don't have to dress, I don't put makeup on, I don't drive anywhere. I don't plan lessons. I don't buy things to make a room seem inviting. I don't fight with people. I don't argue with children. I don't put up with lying sacks of crap - - and I don't have to worry about anyone at my house pulling a gun on me because I know the woman in my house, and she knows I have just as many guns as she has!

    The only thing I have to worry about here, at home, is the dog barking when I'm on the phone with a client -- and with my noise-canceling headset, I don't worry about that either! Woo Hoo!! Let them all have the best year possible. I almost sent an email back that read, "Oh, hell no," but instead, I simply said I wasn't interested. I hate it when Jesus makes me say nice things.

Photo Credit: Three Rings Ranch School. 

Eight and Nine - - Complete.

 OK, so I cheated a little bit. Chapter Nine in the book is actually no more than another chapter of another book I wrote. I just admitted to plagiarism! I just plagiarised myself!! I wrote the chapter "The Blanket" in my Jude's Almost Daily Blog Book 2 (or was it 3? I can't remember now), and it was fitting to add it to this book, so I gave myself credit, and I added my own chapter to my own chapter - - don't get too lost down that rabbit hole! 

    I wasn't going to make this book romantic, not really, but then the characters started blushing around one another and saying things that made their hearts skip, and before you knew it, I've got two people trying not to show their cards too soon, and it's my job to deal the hand! Have I told you how much I really love writing? I really, really love writing!

    Chapter Eight is all about the beach, the walk, the talk, the things they see, the people they don't try to meet, and how the sun sets perfectly over the South Florida horizon, just like in the movies. Who knew?  Well, I knew, and they knew, and God knew, and just about anyone who has ever seen it set knew too, but somehow you just have to keep telling that same old story over and over again because if you told it any differently, no one would be interested in anything else you had to say; you'd be a liar.

    Chapters 10 and 11 will be about the people of the projects, the stories that lead up to the harder, more delicate portion of the book; some would say the challenging part or where all the conflicts come in. They'd be right if they said that, too. I'm at 22,000 words or 1/4 finished, so it's time to start hitting the rocks and losing paddles because the river is about to get ugly -- metaphorically speaking, the book doesn't take place anywhere near a river -- maybe a creek bed...but mostly just big fat oceans or great lakes if we're talking about Chicago.

    We're not talking about Chicago much, but when we do, you'll know it. I'll add a recipe or two to go along with the storyline and the atmosphere of Chi-Town...gotta talk about pizza when you're up that way. Again, if you don't, you're a liar, and no one likes a liar -- no one.

Photo Credit:  ChewOutLoud.com 

    

Chapter Seven - - A Walk on the Beach.

 So, as I began writing Chapter Seven, I wasn't sure how to get the two characters out of the condo and onto the beach to take that "long walk on the beach" thing that everyone talks about. Everyone loves a long walk on the beach, and my two main characters are no exception to the rule. We have sunsets, beach sand, volleyball, open bars, rowdy people, and the glances that get given and moments stolen in time that make the book worth reading.

    There's something else going on in Chapter Seven, too. Leigh tells Mathew about the book her cousin wrote, the title of it, and why it's so important. She's pretty excited about the book and wants her new friend to read it if he has time. She knows he doesn't have the $18 to buy a copy on Amazon, and since he doesn't own a Kindle, she decides to lend or give him her copy of the book to read. He's not much on reading, he tells her, not stories anyway. He's always been an articles kind of guy, but if she wants him to give into it, he'll do it for her. She wants him to give in to it.

    There we are - - Chapter Seven...done!  Next, we'll see the two engaged in their personal lives and individual goal-setting and achieving. Mathew will read the book and find out what he thinks about it. It's the only book he's ever read cover to cover, and he had the sad and heartbreak yearning when he reached the next to the last page, too - - I hate it when that happens, but that's when you know it's a good book! You're really sad that it's about to end. You've really invested your soul, and it's gone.

    Well, I have decided who I will dedicate the book to, and I've decided to have a "mention" in the back as well. I'm mentioning Charlie and Hideko Garrett, who I memorized in the pages. They are the only real-life people in the book. I say that; I mention a singer or two, and yeah, an author and her family are talked about.  The book will be finished around the end of August and will be published around the 1st of September, with a publishing date of September 1, so I can remember when it came out.  My last book came out on my best friend's birthday - June 22. I do that so I can remember.

    ENJOY!! Wait, you can't enjoy it yet - - never mind.

Photo Credit: SecondLife.com

Five, Six, Seven....well, Five and Six.

 I have successfully finished Chapters 5 and 6 of the book. YEA! It's getting to the point where I can start writing now. I know that sounds funny, but the first few chapters of any book explain what will start, maybe happen, or there are at least a few foreshadows of what can or will happen. My books will not vary too far from those of other authors who I feel were successful in their pursuits.  Copy the best, mimic, and try to do what they do - - but give it your own spin; make it yours.

    When I taught students how to write in my Creative Writing classes, I would tell them they need to know the end of the book before they can presume to know how it starts. This is an age-old concept, not my own. It's something I picked up along the way, and it's always served me well. I know exactly how the book ends -- no, I'm not telling you, that would not be fun. You have to read the book just like me...and everyone else. 

    Chapters 5 and 6 deal with Leigh volunteering at the projects, her interactions with a few of the people there, and the reason the church people go to the projects in the first place. It's not what you may think. They're not out there bible-thumping and making it about salvation. They're out there helping, being who and what they can be with a more humanitarian approach. They are first interested in gaining the people's trust, then, and only then, will they introduce their beliefs and really only if they're asked about them.

    Leigh also finds Mathew interesting enough to have an evening walk with him, something that she's always wanted to do; walk the length of a good sandy beach at sunset and watch the waves crash over gently while the sun burns the water in the horizon. But it wasn't safe to do this alone, and she knew that. It's not 1800; it's not even 1920, 1930, 1940, 1950, or 1960...it's the present day, and women need to be protected when they walk the shoreline. Mathew volunteers to walk with her. It will give them a chance to get to know one another, as well as to express any seeming awkwardness between them. 

    Leigh is a wealthy, younger, stronger, and far more confident person than Mathew. He's experienced lawsuits, arrest, addiction, fighting, feuding, anger, anxiety, and angst. She was raised by Mr. and Mrs. Christian Wholesome, who brought her up correctly and gently, with an inner belief in herself and a long-standing faith that she leans on when times get too rough to handle. Mathew is just now learning to trust anything other than life's rocky waves. He needs to put his best foot forward, but doing it is a little nerve-wracking.

    Chapters 7 and 8 will cast light on things other than the main characters. I will delve into ways, means, and methods of those who are unseen, unwanted, abused, and often set to the side in order for others to be and feel more comfortable with life. Chapters 7 and 8 will be fun to write, and I'll probably end up writing them together like I did 5 and 6. Sometimes I just get on a roll and keep it going, but today, only two chapters will be written. I have all the time I could ever need. I'm not under a deadline.

    

Photo Credit: sunsetnc.com

Comic Con 2024 -- I Went!

     So, if you know me, you know I'm not someone who gets all dressed up and goes places. For me, dressing means I put on my shoes. Most of the time, I wear sweatpants, tee shirts, undergarments (of course), and socks. I don't like wearing shoes! If I have to put on my shoes, it means I'm leaving my house, and if I'm leaving my house, that means I'll end up seeing people! 

    Believe me, I'm not an introvert. I love being the center of attention, and I love engaging in conversations with people I know and people I don't know, but lately, because I work from home, all the people are communicate with are online or on the phone because they're either people calling me about work stuff, or I'm calling them about work stuff. I just don't do people really. I mean, I do go to stores, shop, socialize, and whatever, but I'm not going out of my way these days - - it just doesn't happen.

    When Laura asked me to drive her to the Comic-Con about a month ago, I thought it was in Oklahoma City. It wasn't. It was in Tulsa!! Let me just say if I didn't have another kid in Tulsa, I wouldn't have agreed to take one kid halfway across the state so she could dress up and mingle with other anime and comic characters. I just don't -- until I did. I did, and I think I'll do it again, too. Laura really doesn't drive anymore, she's got a bit of anxiety going on, so it's me behind the wheel and this last trip sort of shocked my "Snap Shot" from Progressive. I fully expected Progressive to write to me to ask me if I knew I drove over 250 miles in one day. I don't usually drive 150 miles in a month!

    Comic-Con was fun. Jeannie went with us, and she was cute in her shiny little cat ears!! I wore summer joggers and a "Go Dog Go" tee, but Laura dressed up as a really fun and cute Mahito—don't ask me who he is. Caity dressed up as some sort of anime sorcerer who gets "burned," and she was adorable, too.  My grands dressed up, and Sailor even made her own mask for whatever creature thing she was...very cute, very green.   Brandola, my son-in-law Brandon, was a minimalist like myself. We did the observation thing.

    While at the Con, I met about 2000 new friends and talked to a few more. I got a free book from Eryn Adams, author of KING OF THE SHORE.  I met too many Batman characters, a Joker, and a few cartoon things and people that I recognized, but so many of the cosplays were people or things I'd never seen before - Laura and Caity had to tell me who they were. It was fun, though, and I'll do it again.  Laura met her co-worker and friend Sarina for the first time in real life! She and her mom, another CMR worker, drove up from Ardmore! Woo Hoo!! They were fun.

    Though it was a bit expensive and took a minute to drive up to Tulsa, there was something worthy about it all -- I did something I don't normally do, and that felt pretty good. I got some steps in too, about 8000 or so, which wasn't as many as I thought I would, but the convention wasn't as big as I thought it would be either - I guess I was thinking it was going to be massive, but it was rather ordinary - - but packed...absolutely jammed with authors, artists, gamers, people, costumes, and the like. There was one thing that was cool - - cool for people who like celebrities and the such. There were anime and character voice actors there, and the kids met a few. There was also a famous composer and actor, Paul Williams. He was nice. Then, there was this other guy - - I heard them announce his name over the intercom; John Schneider.

    I first met John Schneider in 1972 in Stone Mountain, Georgia. He was about 17, and I was 10, almost 11.  It was in August. The sands were white, and the trees were tall and green. I think, if I had to be honest, he was my first real crush.  He grew up to be Bo Duke, and I grew up and went to Hollywood soon after he did; we ran into each other a few times, and today was the first time we'd seen each other in about 40 years. It was fun to talk to him. There were only a few people at the table where he was, so I waited to speak to him. When his "bodyguards" asked if they could help me because they didn't want me just approaching him - - I laughed.  I don't do the whole "I'm so famous I need bodyguards" type of thing, and really, John doesn't either -- it's probably something the event thought was necessary. 

    We talked, and he was the same old John. He's always been a bit bigger than life, and he hadn't changed. He's down to earth and normal and every day.  John is a lot like Jim Garner in that sense; what you see is what you get. He's not going to put on any airs. It was good to see him and good to know that after all the years that have passed since The Dukes of Hazzard, he hasn't lived as some secluded, stuck-up celebrity who can't hug people and take a few minutes to talk- - he can. He's from the South (born in NYC but raised in Georgia) he gets it.  I hadn't been to any cons before, so I didn't know what to expect; this one was really fun. I'm glad I went. 

Copeland, Brandon, Caity, Sailor, Laura - - Comic Con 2024, Tulsa

Gotta Lose The Weight! Gotta!

     Tomorrow is the day I put away as much as possible to make sure the house is free and clear of boxes so I can finally get my treadmill set up - - and not a minute too soon. I'm telling you. I took a few snapshots of myself today with my family, and DAMN, I am NOT where I want to be weight-wise. NOPE...no, I am not, and it's not fat shaming if you personally think you could lose 40 pounds. It's not shaming; it's putting things in perspective!

    I have about 40-45 pounds to lose, which is exactly what I think I need to do. It will take a full year. I know that; I do not think it will happen overnight - I have work to do. I have already started eating better, and I'm working on my stress levels. I get plenty of sleep, plenty of water, and plenty of prayer. It's exercise time. It's walking on the treadmill, stretching, yoga ball bouncing, and weight lifting time. No, I'm not going to go the gym - - I'm not doing that. I'm making use of what I have in the house.

    I have walls to do push-ups on. I have the treadmill, the weighted balls, the weighted bars, the stretch bands, and the boxing stand. I can do this. It will just take a little while. I would rather go slowly than try to crash diet and burn out. It's going to take dedication, routine change, and the knowledge of what needs to be done before I make any real change. I believe in the concept behind the NOOM program. I'm just not going to pay anyone to tell me how to lose weight in a healthy way. I can study it and do it myself. 

    I eat too many empty calories and that has to stop. I'd say I'm addicted, but I'm not; I'm in a rut - I can stop, and I will stop. I won't give up sugar 100% because I think moderation is better than sacrifice, but I can do without most of the things that I eat that have sugar - - and just do what I know to do; that's been a better plan for years. I just get away from the facts and start binging whenever something happens to set me back. In 2023, I lost my job at the end of 2022. I didn't get over it for a year, and although I used the time to write, I didn't use the time to stay healthy.

    That changes, and it changes now. I'm OK being a little over what I should be, but I'm NOT healthy, and I won't tolerate that from myself. I won't punish myself either, but I will work with myself and praise myself when I do what I should do. Positivity beats negativity every time! I can do this. I really can. I have pictures to prove it—and I'll get more later down the road, too. It will happen.

Photo Credit: DeerRun.com

Spoiling Myself a Little.

 I'm not actually writing a chapter tonight; I decided to take a break and let the creative tidbits that I've been overworking take a little time off to rejuvenate so that I'm ready to spring back into action either tomorrow evening or Sunday. I'll travel on Saturday and visit my other kid in Tulsa while taking in the Comic Con. I've never been to one, so it will be fun.

    My bestie is coming with us, and she's been talking to Laura about what she should wear. I'm going the very simple route, only donning a pair of loose-fitting summer joggers with a "Go Dog Go" tee shirt and some barefoot shoes. I've really been cutting back on the whole dress-for-success theory. In fact, if what I wear these days covers me and keeps me out of jail, I'm good.  I don't even put on jeans anymore, not if I don't have to. It's really funny - - but some would say sad. Nope...not me. I feel so relaxed and so not going anywhere - - that's how I feel.

    The one thing I did decide to do to make my life that much easier, is to buy another monitor for my home office. This one, a 27" curved 4K Spectre monitor, is the same size as my other 27" monitor, but this one is curved, not flat. The only, and I do many ONLY, reason I'm doing it is so I can watch my Law & Orders (and Perry Mason) on the new monitor while I'm writing - - I'll write on the flat one, and watch my shows on the curved one. If anyone picks up one of my murder books and reads a relatively familiar scene from, say....1963 Los Angeles...just let me live like I wrote the thing myself.  (LOL...if you know me, you know I'm rolling about now.)

    The monitor is a needed treat, and I think I've actually earned it after the many years I've watched shows in my office while writing. Currently, I have a 27" screen to my right and my 24" flat on the left...the one I'm writing on now. Tomorrow that all changes; Amazon is my friend. They have promised me fast delivery. Tomorrow, I'll have the 27" flat on my left and the curved on the right - - and Perry and Della Street will be working late, I'm sure.

    I have every Perry Mason episode there is to have - - and I think I've memorized them by now. I will soon have the entire 24+ seasons of Law & Order. I don't think I'll buy the SVU, but I may end up watching Law & Order UK...that could happen. I'm sort of a purist, I still have a hard time forcing myself to watch Law & Order Organized Crime. It's not the same...it is just not the same...but good.

    When I go to Sam's, and I do, I look at monitors and think to myself maybe I'll do that. Maybe I'll buy another monitor. When I get into trading Forex on a realistic basis in March, I'll need at least three screens - - but that's down the road, and I'll need to practice my skills a little longer before taking the plunge into reality trading. I'm pretty good at "Monopoly" money, but giving up my own could be another story. I'm teaching myself to be emotionless and not to care if I don't win. It's not always about winning; sometimes it's about learning. I would rather (of course) win more than I learn -- LOL.

    Oh, and since I was at Sam's, I decided to buy another canister of dark chocolate caramel sea salt candy. You can't leave it on the shelf at $10 a canister! Nope...that would be a tort. I'm almost pretty sure of it. I could look it up.

Photo Credit:  Sam's Club

FOUR!! (Yes, I Know, You Don't Spell it THAT Way!)

     Chapter Four is in the can! Yes, yes, it is. It was a relatively easy chapter to write; I didn't have to do too much thinking. I described the housing authority projects and the types of people that Leigh, Mathew, and others will encounter. That and Leigh was given a crash exam by the city's brave and handsome fire Chief, Doug Dempsey, who has, for the past quarter century, been putting out fires all over Sarasota, Florida.

    Dempsey will be instrumental in bringing peace and awareness to the people of the housing projects when it comes to dealing with the cops, and he'll be sure to put in a good word for one of the local boys who is about to graduate high school and wants to do more with his life than simply join the military. He feels he can put his wits and strength to good use on the fire force - - if he can get past the requirements of having at least an associate's degree to apply. It didn't seem fair, but it is what it is.

    When it comes to understanding those less fortunate, Leigh has had little firsthand experience, but her heart has always been in the right place. Though she wasn't born with a silver spoon to suck on, she was born among a group of solid salt-of-the-earth types whose idea of inclusion meant allowing the Hatfields and the McCoys to come to the Sunday picnic now and again. When Leigh's grandmother, a faithful and devout Christian woman, refused her little black friend inside the house for ice cream once, it wasn't her friend who felt the jolt of racism; it was Leigh. She couldn't believe her own kin would be so backward; she had a lot to learn about living in the South.

    Chapter Four is about understanding ground zero of the most economically challenged people in the state and what it will feel like, look like, smell like, and be like to be among them for several hours and to try to not only not stick out like a sore thumb, but to be useful, helpful, understanding, and giving without any type of judgment no matter what she saw,  heard, smelled or felt. Chapter Four is the beginning of the book in some ways; it gets the characters set and ready to rumble.

Photo Credit: Pinterest.com

More Done -- Chapter 3!!

     I don't always write one chapter a night, but when I do, I'm pretty happy about it.  If I could just do this one a consistent basis. I would write 360 chapters, or roughly 12 books a year if I could manage it. Something tells me that's not going to happen. I don't know about you, but I feel that the pressure to do something like that would somehow be too demanding.

    Today, however, this evening, I did manage to write Chapter 3 of the new book. Just think, in 27 more chapters, I'll stop calling it the new book and tell you what the title is -- how exciting is that? The real title!! It's a secret for now, but maybe I've already let the cat out of that proverbial bag. To the best of my knowledge, cats have never really liked hanging out in closed bags for much longer than a few minutes.

    The book's third chapter finds Charlie, Leigh, and Mathew enjoying a good and hearty Thai lunch; Leigh's treat! They talked a bit about Mathew's past, and we were able to find out a little about his anxiety and how it affects him when he remembers certain things at certain times. He's not ready to let just anyone into his world, and that includes Charlie. He loves Charlie, and he even trusts him, but he's still a bit too closed to be able to let the new friend in on much more than what she may have been able to glean from his social media accounts from yesteryear - - nothing is really deleted, is it?

    Leigh remembers she's not in Kansas anymore - - then again, DeQueen, Arkansas isn't exactly Kansas. Leigh has uprooted herself a couple of times, the most recent being a decision to move to Florida and not sulk around her hometown for too long. She enjoyed the month's reprieve while she licked her professional wounds, having been ousted from a very prestigious position in the finance world. She's living alone in the Sunshine State, on the beach, and fully capable of going anywhere, doing anything, and being anyone she dreams of being. It's just her and her grandfather's old...we'll say "vintage" Ford truck.

    I'm using Grammarly heavily in this book. I'm also relying on the suggestions and workability of the AI program my daughter hooked me up with. This way, I can remember to be thoughtful and thought-provoking and include all the right tidbits of interesting things I think I'm adding. However, I do actually forget to add cool words until I realize the AI has remembered to remind me. I love that. I really do love that.

    I also keep Thesaurus.com open at all times when I write. I like changing up ordinary words for a little more interesting words—it makes me feel all smart and cozy. In one of the chapters, I'll be using the word "tendril" because Laura suggested it—it's a good word. I promise it's a good word, and you'll start using it, too. You can thank me later.

 

Photo Credit: FreePik.com 

Chapter Two!! Done and Doner....

 It's true, true facts...I'm not lying; I have written Chapter Two of the new book. I worked out the outline yesterday, so I know exactly what I'm going to do from one chapter to the next, but the fun part is telling the characters where to stand and then shouting "Action!". You really don't know what they're going to do or what they're going to say. I mean, it's not all that surprising to me, but it is - - I find myself changing my mind right in the middle of a thought. If I like it or where it's going, I keep it.

    Today, I decided to take the three characters for Thai food since Charlie really likes Thai food, and there's a great little restaurant two or three doors from the church in the strip mall where he preaches. Leigh and Mathew went too...actually, Leigh paid for their lunches. She told Charlie and Mathew about her "hobby" or interest in studying criminals whose lives impacted their communities and the whole nation (even the world). She explained that the "seen" are often nasty, arrogant, pompous, and worse. She noted that not all people who are criminals are extroverted to the point of celebrity, but no one can say "Chicago Mobster" without thinking of Al Capone. 

    Once they dine and find themselves better acquainted, Leigh will head back up the shoreline to her new condominium and get situated. She'll live in the American Suites hotels for a minute while the maintenance crew gives her unit the once-over for its make-ready. The hurricane pushed everyone's schedule a bit behind. In the next chapter, Mathew Conner will have his words memorized for my future reading audience. We'll learn a little about his story, background, pet peeves, and what drives him to the point of seclusion -- he is one who won't be seen. It's strange how very different we all are.

    Somewhere in the book, I'll go over the Myers-Briggs tests and the 16 different types of personalities there are in the human world - - it makes me wonder if dogs have more or less personalities to be boxed into. Who knows?  Maybe I'll discuss that too. I will discuss just about anything else I want to. Knowing that Chapter Two is written feels good. It means I'm on the way -- running into the woods before I end up in the middle of it and find myself running out of it. What will we see, what will we hear, what will we know, or what do we think we know? That's the beauty of the journey I take every time I write a book. 

    With the second chapter written, I know I have 28 to go. I know I have completed 4568 words of the 86,000-89,000 words I'll end up with. I'll never delete those words, but I may add to them, tweak them, take a few of them away, and build something new inside of them. I know that at the end of the writing, I'll go back through the entire book and add adjectives, sensory experiences, and moments of movement and thought. I will try to bring the characters to life, trying to make them relatable. It's the tweaking, the fluffing, and the stuffing that really makes me happy. Love that part of the process.

    Well, we'll see how tomorrow goes. If I can write one chapter a day, the book will be finished by the end of August. I won't write this Saturday, maybe later in the evening, but I'm driving to Tulsa that day with the kid and my bestie to see the other kid, my son-in-law and my grands. Another good friend is watching my place while we take off and explore. I didn't even have to twist her arm—she found out we were going, and she volunteered! You have to love that...and I do.  Oh, one thing I did was purchase Grammarly Premium (again). I do that when I write -- it really makes things so much smoother. You just thought I was all that - - I'm not. I'm just smart enough to get Grammarly!!

Photo Credit: Etsy.com

The New Book - Outlined.

     Gosh darn, I'm so excited about this book -- I've just sat down and written out all the chapter outlines tonight. It's not that easy really, because I want it to be good, and I want it to be entertaining as well as informative and interesting. I think of ways to bring in the audience, to relate to them, or to have them be able to relate to my characters. I'm trying to jump way outside of my own comfort zone for this one. In doing so I'm taking a bit of a risk. I'm about to express myself through literary license and say things I don't personally believe or adhere to. Not everything I say in the book will be different from what I believe, but I'm allowing my characters to be more liberal-minded than I am - - and in some ways that's actually a good thing. 

    What I won't do is compromise. I won't say or have my characters do things I would never want to see done - that's not going to happen, but I will have one or two of them create for themselves, and for others, a means of which to reach the edges of the audience that may or may not feel that my style of writing is within their wheelhouse when it comes to what they choose to read. I want people to read the story and to catch the underlying meaning(s) that I think the world needs to feel and know.

    It's not about religion, though this book will have a centralized base of morality and one of the main characters is my own pastor! He's a real person living in the present, but in my book, he's the same guy living in that present. Most of the stories about him will be true, but he may have to help me to put some of the pieces together so I'm not overstepping - - I do say he's spent years tearing open coconuts with his hands and cracking them on the concrete! He really is barefoot most of the time, and he really does climb into the mango trees in his own yard and pick the ripe fruits to sell to have money for the church! 

    There will be about 30 chapters and I have lined them up as best I can. I'm going to have flashbacks, and chapters or paragraphs where I go completely off into left field to make a point. One chapter will be a story I (Jude Stringfellow) wrote a few years back - - yes, Jude Stringfellow will make an appearance in the book - - my book -- that's pretty cool, right? The lead character will be a mix of me and others - - she's not me. I'm not her, but she is one of my distant cousins -- we determine that. That's how she, Leigh Madsen, finds out about Charlie Garrett in the first place. Jude Stringfellow writes about him and in her DNA searching, Leigh finds Jude and they talk - - Jude shares with Leigh a story she wrote, and the story is in the book - - again, pretty cool.

    The book takes place now, in the present time, and very recent events will be mentioned in the book to bring to light that it is in the present and not something written of yesteryear.  There is enough fiction to go around too, fiction like the name of a hurricane that never existed, the name of a student from Tulane who never existed, and the name of a town in Missouri that never existed - - it's fun being a writer. I wouldn't change it for anything. I say what I want when I want, and no one can stop me - - well, you know, no one has to buy the damn things either, but I still write them! Mathew Conner, my lead male character felt the same way about his profession too - - he was forced out of the profession, but the passion remains. He may not be a television chef now, but he still cooks! He still has it! No one can take that from him! 

    OK, enough about the outline - it's done. I'll start on Chapter 2 tomorrow, and maybe get it and Chapter 3 written after work. If I can keep up that pace the book will be written faster than most, but again, I don't want to push myself -- I want to be sure I say what I want to say. I could probably make the book 700 pages but I know no one would want to buy something that lengthy...maybe 350. We'll go with 350. That's a good number. I can bring it down to that. We can make this happen! (By "we" I do mean me. Yep...me.)  See you on the other side!!

Photo Credit: Freepik.com 

Chapter One - - is Done!!

     I feel as if I've been here before! I'm just glowing at the fact that if nothing else happens, I've finished Chapter One of the new book! I need to continue of course, and finish all of the chapters - this one is bound to be around 30 chapters long I suppose. I tend to do things in a very methodical way - - why change what isn't broken?  You do realize that every successful series on television has the same basic storyline, they just change up the characters and the places.  The same could be said for me I guess, I'm thinking ahead of what I want for my characters in this book, but my mind keeps pulling up what I did for the characters in my other books!

    Well, this one is a present-day drama novel. It isn't a romance book, but there will be a bit of fantasizing. There will be a kiss, I can assure you of that, even if it's just a sweet exchange of a man with his wife of over 38 years somewhere down there in the Sarasota, Florida sunshine. I'm pretty sure you'll hear, see, and witness Charlie Garrett kissing on his wife Hideko! Charlie was sweet enough to let me use his real name, his real image, and to mention his wife, family, dogs, church, etc. I'll be ever so respectful of course -- it is a great honor to have that gift given to me. (Look Steph, I asked permission!)

    Chapter One is done. I'm about to sit down with myself and write out what I think should happen in all the subsequent chapters. I do this in order to have an outline, guideline, and such so I know where I'm going! It's helpful to have the AI writing with me too; and believe me, this book will be AI-partnered. I may even give credit to my AI, but then again, I may not since I'm not required to, and want to take absolute credit for everything - - right? Well, I'll mention the AI in the book -- not by name. I don't want to get that personal.

    At least now that I'm writing the book I know where I will be, and what I will be doing after work and on the weekends. Geez, it only took me two months to get out of the funk of not writing and back into it. I'm not upset about taking the break. I needed it. I couldn't do too many things at once. The writing was always going to be there - but I needed to move from my apartment to my house. I also wanted to pour myself into my job for a minute to be sure I was doing it well enough to say it's a keeper - - it is a keeper!! (and those Law & Orders were not going to watch themselves, you know.) 

    The book I'm writing now is a serious book in some ways. It deals with the systems we use and believe in, and the way some of those systems have routinely caused inequality in too many ways. It deals with those who are purposely ignored and those who don't want to be seen. It deals with the abused, the hurt, the pushed back, and those who are too shy or introverted to stand up for themselves. Some of those people manage and survive, but some do not. The book discusses the people unseen, unwanted, unheralded, and deemed unfit by those who brazenly step over and on top of those they see as less worthy.

    The book is not a how-to book, and it isn't a whining sort of book that cries out for justice. It's more or less a means for me to acknowledge that I was in some ways, guilty of being the hurtful one, and over time and through many experiences, I've chosen to find ways to acknowledge people for who they are and to sing their praises even when they don't believe they need to be praised. I understand there are those who fervently do not want attention brought to themselves for any reason; it was hard for me to grasp that behavior because of my overt extroverted mannerisms. I have learned to be a lot more respectful of others than I once was.

    The book is about starting over, making choices to get out from under the comfort zones, and to forge a new way. It's about trusting others who you may not have been able to trust before, but are willing to be lenient with yourself -- it's about the people who are the people in our lives and the people we are ourselves. There is a common thread and I'll discuss it in the book, but I won't say much about it in my blogs -- not until the last week of course, when the book is up for publication. I will shout it from the rooftops at that point - - believe me.

    Chapter One is done! Today, I will meet out the chapters in chronological order and decide who says what, who does what, who ends up changing, and who helps others change for the better - - it's a process for everyone. I hope it goes well. I hope it goes really well. This is a deep and thoughtful book. I want it to reflect my personal journey as well as the journeys others have chosen for themselves.

Photo Credit:  Charlie Garrett of Sarasota, Florida

    

I Met My Boss in Person!!

 It's 2024 -- we don't always have the privilege and honor of meeting the actual people who we work with; sometimes they are miles and miles away.  My good friend Lorna is in Texas, and I probably won't meet her in person. I'll have to wait until we both get to Heaven. She'll be there - and they may even let her have a little height when she crosses the threshold of the gates. I can't imagine God making her stay tiny for eternity!  (She and I knew each other virtually for over 6 months before she sprang it on me that she's just over 5 feet tall! WHAT?

    Today, and I guess it started yesterday, I decided since I actually do live really close to my one of my actual bosses, I would meet him in person.  I talked to him about it yesterday, and told him I'd swing by his house with a couple of my books so he could read them and figure out who the heck it was that he hired! He was all for it, so that's what I did.

    When I interviewed with him for the job he asked me what I did for fun or outside of work and I let him know I was an author. I directed him to Amazon so he could see it for himself. He found me, and found the 14-16 books that are for sale and he really was impressed by it. He wanted to know if I was so talented and why it was that I wanted to work for the company in the first place. Listen, just because you're talented and can write books doesn't mean they sell!

    He has been a real help to me in the journey I'm taking with this new company. The company isn't new, my journey with it is. The company has been around for about 40 years or so. I worked for them a very long time ago; but in a different capacity. This time around, I'm a licensed adjuster, and I do subrogation work for many (various) clients who want what is due to them when someone damages or destroys their power or communication facilities. I'd throw names of our clients out there, but I'm not going to do that. Suffice it to say they are all big big names in the power industry and communications.

    Meeting your boss in person is fun if they're worth their salt and this one is. I won't give his name, but he looks like and sounds like one of my oldest and dearest friends from church from about 30 years ago.  I told him so, I think maybe the two men are related. They have to be. The resemblance and the voice...it's too much.  He was super happy to take my two books and to introduce me to his elderly dog - a little fawn-colored fat pug that I just adored to the hilt. I had to give the dog a kiss, I couldn't stand myself if I didn't.

    It's really really, and I do mean REALLY good that I work from home and don't have to get up, get dressed, put make-up on, fight traffic to get to work, fight personalities once I get there, or put up with office politics. I will NOT leave this company. I will not, they'll have to pry me off the payroll. It is just too wonderful. The pay is good, the benefits are acceptable, but the people are over the top great. We don't have any bad eggs really - - when we have scuffles, which every company will have, we have an amazing HR that actually does their job. They don't side with the manager - - they listen to both sides and make good decisions.

    Meeting my boss was really fun, really cool, and now, after he reads my first blog book - - and one of the romance novels, he'll understand who it is that is behind the work monitor in Teams meetings making fun of him! He takes a joke as well as he gives, and that's too important in the world we live in where we don't see one another often.  I wouldn't argue if several of us got together now and again, but there are so many who work out of state and couldn't come to anything we planned.

    If you can, get to know the people who work with you. It makes a huge difference in the way you end up treating them, and the way they end up treating you -- I told the man he wasn't allowed to hate me for my opinions that he reads in the books  - he promised.

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