It’s almost time for NaNoWriMo!

Already we are halfway through October, and you know what that means: November is National Novel Writing Month! This means that thousands of people will attempt to write a book of at least 50,000 words in a single month. There are no prizes (unless you want to order the cool t-shirts). The reward is the…

The True Adventures of Jay B. R. Wokky. Ch.1 — A New Prince is Born

Ch. 1 -- Once upon a time in a land far away, a prince was born. His three brothers and his sister gathered around their mother’s bed to see the new arrival. His sister, Esther, kissed the baby’s head and begged to hold him. The oldest brother, Matthew, groaned and said, “Not another one.” The…

The Gift of Language

Today I was able to spend a lot of time writing. (Over 8.000 words so far for NaNoWriMo!)  I had so much fun! This month as we celebrate Thanksgiving, we stop and think about what we are thankful for.  I have been blessed so much, and just one of the things I am grateful for…

Summer Fun

My house is full of people. My sister K and her friend A are here, visiting from Canada. Also, my daughter M and her husband are here from Missouri, and my other daughter L and her husband are coming tonight.  We’ve had lot of fun this past week. Meals have lasted longer because everyone is…

Stories from a Father

When my sister and I moved to our new foster home, we had no idea how much our lives would change. We came with a lot of problems that stemmed from the destructive home life we had survived. Now we were finally in a stable environment with a family that loved each other and extended…

Tribute to a Friend

One of my dearest friends was an elderly lady named Mary Jane. I was assigned by my church to be her visiting teacher, which meant that I was to go at least once a month, give a short message, and help her with any needs. This assignment quickly blossomed into a deep friendship that spanned…

What is he thinking?

I have really enjoyed spending time with my grandson.  He is full of energy, talks non-stop (if only I could understand half of what he is saying), and he has a smile that would melt the hardest heart.  He has such a sunny personality.  When he sees me and says, "Hi, Gramma!"  it makes my…

The Best Gift

One of the best gifts we received this Christmas was from my husband’s mother.  She wrote her life story, inserted photographs, had it printed and bound, and gave it to each of her children and grandchildren.  Amid all the wrapping paper, bows, and still-unopened presents, we sat and read her book.  I was deeply touched…

The Best Gift

In my work as a reading tutor at the elementary school, one thing becomes very clear:  children who are read to at home become good readers.  The wonderful world of books is opened to them, their eyes are wide, and they are eager to learn what is within the pages.  Children who are not read…

Storytelling

This morning I was on a panel of judges at the Storytelling Festival at the local elementary school.  We sat at the back and listened as the top storytellers from the school presented their memorized story or poem to the rest of the students.  I was so impressed by these children.  They spoke clearly, with…