Bring On Lemons

 I am excited to welcome Kathie Giorgio as part of the... WOW! WOMEN ON WRITING TOUR of Don’t Let Me Keep You  Let's begin with Kathie's guest post titled How To Write The Hard Stuff     “You say what you want to say when you don't care who's listening.” ― Allen Ginsberg   When you ask writers why they write what they write, you will get as many answers as there are to the question, “What is the meaning of life?” We writers write for every reason imaginable, and some of us change those reasons with every project, while others gnaw at the same bone our whole life through. And then there are writers like me, who basically just can’t keep our mouths shut. I’ve been called a “dark” writer, a “disturbing” (thank goodness not “disturbed”) writer, a “fearless” writer, an “honest” writer. Of them all, I like “honest” best. I tend to write about the things that people have very strong feelings about – and consequently, if they see something that defies that, they g...

Crystal's son Andre in Kindermusik Channeling the Spirit of Professor Harold Hill   - Guest Post & Giveaway with Julia Asel Thomas and her first published book: Loving the Missing Link #LMLThomas I recently saw that The Music Man was going to be on TV, and I simply had to make time to watch it. I love that movie. Now, we all know “Professor” Harold Hill was a con man trying to make a buck by selling band equipment. But in the end, it didn’t matter. What mattered was that he had the passion, charisma and persistence to convince the town that they needed a band to help their children grow up right. In these days of music department budget cuts, I wish I could channel the spirit of that character. Somehow, the message that band is practical, positive and far-reaching for our students has been lost. If I could be Harold Hill for just a day, I would convince budget committees across the country that they would be doing their communities a great disservice by cutting...

Thank you WOW! Women on Writing for introducing me to the amazingly talented Cami Ostman who recently published a very interested anthology. But let's not get ahead of ourselves...First, let's read Cami's guest post: Remaking Yourself After Divorce Nothing can knock you off your foundation like a divorce. When people stand in front of their beloved on their wedding day and promise to love and honor forever, they don't have impending plans to separate down the road—but they know that divorce is a possibility. For me, when I got married at twenty-three (a virgin who had saved herself for God's right man), I not only committed to doing the best I could by my marriage, but I also believed that to leave it would be a sin, an affront against the Almighty One who was in charge of my eternal soul and who had ordained marriage so that each man could have a helpmate. Coming to a decision to leave my marriage meant changing my understanding of God first. Thus, when I d...

Before we begin, I want to introduce you to my friend Donald Dempsey. Don is an inspirational individual who is a lemonade maker in my book. Life has thrown more lemons at Don than you and I can even imagine and yet he has taken each one and added some sugar and laughter and turned those bitter lemons into the biggest, sweetest, most refreshing pitcher of lemonade! It has been my honor and privilege to work with Don as he releases his memoir, Betty's Child . There were chapters that were downright painful to read and I cannot believe that someone lived through such abuse and neglect and has become a funny, caring, and wonderful person. Since today is my birthday and this is my blog - I get to do anything I like, and I have a special treat for YOU (in this order): Guest Post by Donald Dempsey Titled "Homecoming" Rafflecopter Giveaway of Betty's Child (#BCDempsey) by Donald Dempsey - YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A SIGNED COPY!!!!!! Photo of Donald and His Biography I...