Do you have an elevator speech? Book writers are told that they need an 'elevator speech' -- a one-minute pitch for when they inadvertently meet their star-maker. It's also useful for talking about one's book with everyone else. Theoretically, that is. My elevator speech rarely gets past the first floor. But I love my books,… Continue reading Hope for Novelists and Other Writers by da-AL
This tragic story, retold by blogger Kally, is all the sadder because the young woman to whom it happened blames herself for what isn’t her fault. To heal, she bravely recounts it to us so that the same thing doesn’t happen to others…
I love your column Whisper and I hope by sharing my story, perhaps some young girl out there will learn from my mistakes and maybe save herself from evil.
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Our home is too quiet, too empty without our dear Lola. Last Wednesday, she joined her twin brother, Pierre. We were privileged to have her. Like Pierre, she was loyal in every way to the end. The two were trusting, kind, obedient, and fun loving. Second in her heart only to her human family was… Continue reading Now We Are 2 (only): Sweet Lola is Sorely Missed by da-AL
Life with dogs... The twin puppies we adopted ate and ate and ate. And pooed and pooed and pooed. Six months later, they'd grown to 50 and 50 pounds! Plus, I'd learned nothing about training them. One day... As usual, for 10 deafening minutes, they barked at the mailman across the street. Later that day,… Continue reading Part 3: What Has Your Pet Taught You? by da-AL
When nowhere seems safe, blogger Born in Providence invites us to find shelter on her Island of Sanctuary…
Don’t show them your drawing
They’ll find the mistakes, compare it to what’s already on the fridge or that Picasso we saw on the field trip last year. Third grade is no excuse; third degree.
Don’t ask them how you look
They’ll find the bump in your pony, the hole in your sock which is already inside your shoe, which are too tight and have a scuff. They’ll see that too. You look tired. Did you even brush your teeth?
Don’t tell them you’re hungry or full
They’ll decide you’re too big, small, selfish, greedy, a bottomless pit, picky. Comparing your plate to everyone with more or less deserving than you, making it impossible to taste or swallow past the lump in your throat.
Don’t offer your opinion even when they ask
They’ll decide their ideas, experiences, thoughts and preferences are superior while simultaneously highlighting why everything that comes out…
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