I know in my heart that Mother’s Day is meant to be a celebration; however, for those of us who no longer have a living mother . . .this day can be bittersweet. As the constant television ads and Internet marketing campaigns bombard shoppers, we are often engulfed by countless waves of nostalgic memories. The day can be painful when it should be beautiful. My mom was an at-home mother during an era when that choice was the norm. She…..
Do you feel as if your neighborhood is an extension of your home or merely land surrounding your house? Today I wish to share a story about my personal surroundings – as a child and as an adult – and the impact my neighborhood had/has on my life’s journey. Perhaps you will be able to relate. If so, please do provide your story. I grew up in the small, 100-home community called Tauxemont — located a few miles south of…..
This election is not about Harris vs. Trump — it is not about electing the first woman to be president — it is not just about the single issue of abortion or the 2nd Amendment or “The Green New Deal” or closing the border or fracking or out of control crime in our streets or TRILLIONS of dollars of National Debt, etc etc . . . it is not about any inflammatory issue the media keeps spewing about the…..
Have you ever had one of those days when you truly wish you could start over? Perhaps it was a volatile interaction with a co-worker . . . or a misunderstanding with a friend . . . or a nasty argument with your spouse . . . or a screaming match with your child . . . or a horrible traffic jam that put you in an irate mood; consequently, you took your anger out on a stranger . ……
Over the years, people have asked me to repeat my philosophy — as a parent and as a teacher — on this subject . . . here it is in a nutshell. During the years when I was teaching, the parents of my toddlers often asked for parenting advice. Many of them were first time parents who were struggling with their child; however, some of the parents had several children and were confused because each child reacted differently. My first…..
How Much Do You Know about The Christian Mission? Most everyone who lives in the Mooresville area has heard of The Christian Mission; however, how many people actually know about the organization? On Thursday, August 25, my curiosity was peeked and I attended their Open House (celebrating 83 years of service to the community.) Although I had been there before, I had actually never gone inside the building. My husband and I were greeted at the door and assigned a…..
I have been cleaning out my file cabinets, closets, and drawers. It is truly amazing the things one finds when he or she is in the mood to purge. As I was going about the task, I discovered a file of information and facts I had gathered while writing Reflection of Memories. As my fans know, I LOVE HISTORY; as a result, I do a great deal of research in order to write my novels. In 2014, as I wrote…..
Recently, I had the pleasure to being interviewed by teenagers who dream of writing. They asked insightful questions and a couple that “dug” into challenging experiences of my youth. During the interview, one student asked me how I “overcame” my obstacles and how I helped my children overcome theirs. This, of course, inspired my response . . . These wise words are from the quote by Dr. Charles Swindoll. It was on my refrigerator for as long as I can…..
COVID has “locked” us down and changed how we interact with each other; however, I am finding more and more ways to get back in the saddle again – especially where children are concerned. In the past, I went TO the classroom to read to the kids. Today — even though we do not live in the same state –the Internet gave me the opportunity to read to Rusty’s kindergarten class (for the first time!) It was an honor and…..
I had the honor and privilege of being the guest author in Ali Faustino ‘s eighth grade English class at The Brawley School in Mooresville, North Carolina. Although I have done many television and radio interviews during my literary journey, this was my first zoom interview with teenagers. I was wonderfully surprised by their insightful questions. Not only did they inquire about how to write in general and how to tackle the arduous task of writing a novel, they also…..