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Archive (August 2019)

Hello, again my wonderful friends,

Have you ever been scrolling through FB and come across a post that makes you think? It drags up old memories and it makes you smile remembering the good times you once had. Today that happened to me. I follow many celebrities on FB and today one of them got me thinking.
First of all, I'd like to wish the singer/actor Meatloaf a speedy recovery. On May 4th while in Dallas, he fell and fractured his collarbone and his sternum. I can only imagine the severe pain he's been in. My family and I have been fans of his for what seems like forever. Seeing his name really got me thinking. Not about pain or injury, but about a family member who may be one of his biggest fans. My younger brother.
I don't get to see Robert or Bobby as I call him, very often anymore. Although we live in the same state we are a little over 5 hours drive from each other. It hasn't been easy. To understand why I'll have to explain our past. Back in early 1990, my mom informed my older brother and me that she was having another baby. I was so excited. I thought I was finally going to have a little sister who could be my best friend. I was wrong, but only about one thing. I ended up having an amazing baby brother, but he would still become the most important person in my life. I remember talking to my mom's belly hoping he could hear my voice, setting things on her stomach and giggling as he kicked them off from inside. I was 8 years old by the time he was born and threw the biggest fit when I was told I couldn't go with and watch him be born. I wanted to be involved in everything that had to do with him. I even changed dirty diapers, although I didn't like that part.
My mom had to work so I helped take care of him. When I got a little older I would babysit him, we'd play video games together, play pretend and watch his favorite shows. I won't embarrass him by saying which shows but I'll hint to one because Ringo Starr was great. As we both got older he was like my little shadow. When we first moved to Missouri everyone thought he was my son and I was a young mother because he called me mom from time to time. I think he liked to see the looks on peoples faces when he called me that. Although at times it annoyed me always having him around, I loved how close we were.
One of my favorite memories was when I was helping with set construction for a play. My mom had to work so he had to go with me. My wonderful friends Aaron, Keith, and Michael taught him many bad things that were also very funny. One of them included handing someone a screw and telling them you just screwed them. The best one got me grounded for a week. Thanks again, guys. He told my mom what he learned from my friends by walking up to her and saying, "I'm a lesbian. I like girls." My mom was not happy at all. I, on the other hand, couldn't stop laughing.
I also remember when he was in middle school and in the choir. His class was going to Worlds of Fun to sing and have fun. They were short a chaperone and he asked me to go. I was still very young but out of high school. I didn't think it would be so bad. They're not little kids. I was so wrong. Not only could they never agree on the same ride making me have to be the bad guy, but my brother hated 90% of the rides. I parked him on one ride for a while and took the others to ride rollercoasters. Trying to get a group of middle school kids to watch their language on rides like The Mamba was not easy. Going up the big hill they dropping the f-bomb like crazy. As we went down that first hill I yelled out, "I have to peeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" My plan worked. We then met back up with my brother who had fun but was happy to see me. I decided he's picking the rides and if someone wanted to go on a ride I'd wait with him so he wasn't alone. We had a great time.
Later when he got to high school I never missed a concert or play he was in. Except for a couple when I was forced to work or out of town. From the start of his singing in high school to current times you can hear him down in his room singing away while playing his video games. He was in the musical Rocky Horror Picture Show more than once and each time he played Meatloaf's character. He has an amazing voice unlike our mom and older brother. He's definitely not tone deaf like I am. He taught himself to play the piano/keyboard and guitar. He can sing and is related to Johann Sebastian Bach. I'm proud of him on a daily basis, and I wouldn't trade him for anything. He works hard, owns his own home, and helps take care of our mother.
Bobby, if you ever read this, just remember that you are more amazing than you'll ever realize. You're more loved than you'll ever know. Thank you for always being true to yourself.

P.S. I lost the game. (He'll understand what I mean)

22 Aug 2019,20:03PM /
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Admin 22 Aug 2019,20:03PM

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My Inspirations, and my rock!

Please bear with me as this is my first ever blog post. I'm a little nervous.

Every author whether big-time or indie has a story about who or what inspired them to start writing. I'm no different. I'll start with the fact that growing up I hated having to read. I loved writing poems and songs, but reading was no fun. In 8th grade, we had to read the book The Giver by Lois Lowrey for class. We had to read one chapter a night. For the first time in my life, I stayed up all night and read the entire book. That book got me into reading. We didn't have a huge selection of books in the house, but my mom had several Stephen King books. I used to sneak them into my room and read under the covers late at night. I loved his books. It took a while to read each one and I had to read some sentences over and over again to understand them. I'm not stupid I just had trouble reading. I'll get into this more a little later.
Fast-forward to high school. My English teacher noticed I had some issues reading. Instead of reading the books he assigned I was told to write poems and short stories. I enjoyed the writing more than I thought I would. I still hated writing reports but I love the freedom poems and short stories gave me. I could write about how I was feeling, or make up a story that helped my imagination run wild. It piqued my interest but not enough to really want to write books for a living or at all. That would come much later in life.
A few years after I graduated I met a man and fell in love. He was much older and had two kids from one of his previous marriages. We found out his youngest was dyslexic. I didn't know much about it and asked him how they tested him. He said one of the tests included standing in front of a mirror with a book. He was told to hold it open and upside down. If he could read it with no trouble it was a good sign he was dyslexic. It was just one of the tests. It made me giggle so I decided to try it for fun. I was shocked that I could almost speed read the pages in the mirror. I did, later on, go through testing to confirm my dyslexia. It really was nice to know why reading was so difficult my whole life.
I had a friend years later that was working on writing a book. I was excited for her and a little jealous. I didn't think I was smart enough or good enough to write an entire book. In 2015 she talked me into trying to write a book during NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). I was nervous and excited. You're supposed to write 50,000 words in the month of November or at least try. I finished in less than a month. That book was Nightmare in the Shadows. My inspirations are a mix of Stephen King and the many psychotic serial killers who gave me so many ideas. The show Criminal Minds has also inspired me and continues to do so. Many issues have come and gone since it's publishing in 2016 and sadly that person and I are no longer friends. I can be a good person though and I wish her nothing but success.
During my years of trying to write another book, I've met many other Indie Authors. Every one of them is amazing in their own way, but one stands out more than all the others for me. I'll use her pen name for the purpose of this blog. Echo Shea has been my sounding board, my shoulder to cry on, my best friend, and my ROCK! She's my person. If I'm happy, sad, angry, depressed, and/or sick she is always there for me. She keeps me grounded on most days. It is extremely rare for us to go a day without talking. She's talked me off the ledge on numerous occasions and yells at me when I'm stupid and delete an almost finished book because I don't think it's good enough. Echo reminds me daily that I'm smart, special, and can accomplish anything I set my mind to. We have nicknames for each other and remind each other that we are loved and good people. I'll be nice and not reveal out nicknames although they make me smile. Other than a few family members, she is the only person who knows the real me. She knows all my flaws and weaknesses. I trust her with my life.
Thank you Echo for always being there when I need you. I love your face forever.

I hope everyone enjoys my first blog. Don't forget to always follow your dreams. I believe in every one of you.

21 Aug 2019,01:20AM /
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Admin 21 Aug 2019,01:20AM

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