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Follow Your Heart

Mar18

A common theme of many of my books is “follow your heart.”

I honestly think that the reason for this is that it’s something I’ve always tried to do. To really listen to what my heart tells me. Or maybe it’s that little angel sitting on my shoulder trying to guide me through my life. Though I confess, sometimes the little devil on the other shoulder wins and I get off track.

But that’s life, right? A constant battle of decisions that keep us moving forward. Lessons learned. Love gained and lost. Hardships. Happiness. Many, many ups and downs. A brilliant roller coaster ride. Sometimes we can see the track ahead and know where we’re going, but many times we enter a dark tunnel and have no idea if we’re about to be turned upside-down.

I happen to love roller coasters. But I always have that feeling of “why did I get on this thing” after the steep climb to the highest point of the ride. I know what’s coming. Within seconds I’ll be plummeted down a steep drop and my heart will beat wildly until I reach the bottom. It’s definitely a rush. Scary and exhilarating. And I like it so much I go on it again and again.

I recently decided to try my hand at writing a young adult novel. It put me on a new kind of roller coaster. I sometimes wonder why I put myself through writing things that are so incredibly emotional. But…I followed my heart. Something pushed me to write it. I shed many tears. But in the end I fell in love with my characters and like so many others, they became real to me. I hope that by following my heart, I’m able to touch the hearts of my readers.

I really believe that being a teen is harder now than ever. They’re faced with so much more than I ever was. Lots of peer pressure and with the vast amount of technology at their fingertips, the world has been opened up to them in ‘scary and exhilarating’ ways. Talk about a roller coaster ride!

I feel for them.

But one thing hasn’t changed. Love. We all need it. Search for it. Long for it. And I love to write about it. And no matter what comes our way, if we follow our hearts, things will be okay. And if for some reason we get off track, we can get right back on again. In this crazy, upside-down world, we all need a happily ever after. And even if I boo-hoo while writing a book, I make certain it ends happy. I promise.

I once was a teen!

I once was a teen!

Attitude is Everything

Jan19

How easy is it for you to put a smile on your face? Supposedly it takes less muscles to smile than frown. Would that mean that frowning causes a person to wrinkle faster? Maybe my logic is lacking…

Even so, I’m sure you’ll agree that a person is 100% more attractive with a warm genuine smile turning up the corners of their lips. I’m more likely to engage someone in conversation who appears happy. I’m rarely comfortable talking for an extended period of time with someone who scowls or looks like they had sour milk on their breakfast cereal.

I recently moved to a new city. It’s small and has that southern hospitality I’ve grown to love. But what I love the most is that the people here are welcoming. Everywhere I go I’ve been met with a smile. Maybe it’s because I’ve been flashing one of my own. I think that if I leered at everyone–or hid my head and didn’t make eye contact at all–I’d have a much different impression of my new home.

Attitude is everything.

I hope I don’t butcher this little tidbit I either read somewhere or heard on the radio some time ago.

A man was approached by someone new in town. They asked him if the town was friendly. In turn, he asked them if the place they moved from had friendly people. They answered ‘yes’ so he said, “Our town is just like the one you came from.” They went on their merry way, ready to meet the friendly folks in the new town.

Another man asked him the same question, but when asked about his town said that the people he’d left behind were rude and hateful. The man told him, “The people in our town are just like the ones you left.” Man number two went on his way, grumbling.

It’s inevitable that no matter where we go we’ll encounter hateful people from time-to-time. But when we do, we should distance ourselves from them. Negativity is poison. It’ll bring you down no matter how good your day was prior to meeting them.

Most importantly–Don’t allow yourself to be that negative person. Surround yourself with positive people and good friends who will lift  you up when you happen to run into that grumbler.

A new town, job, vacation, etc. is what you make it. Put a smile on your face and tackle the world! I think you’ll find it’ll smile back.

A smile--our greatest asset!

A smile–our greatest asset!

A Part of History

Sep9

Our world is imperfect. No one can argue that point. We all have different opinions on many topics, and I’m incredibly thankful that we live in a country where we have the freedom to speak our minds. Many people around the world are not given that freedom.

I also have the freedom to write what I choose. This is an amazing blessing. When I started my career as an author I was compelled to write about southern history. Mainly Civil War era. To date I’ve completed seven books that take place during that time. Some are before the war, some after, and one takes place during the war.

I understand that the industry shies away from this time period and that they currently don’t wish to promote it. I also understand how difficult it is to discuss racial tensions and some of the terrible things that transpired in our country’s past. But something deep inside of me pushed me to write these stories. I feel that I handle the issues with respect, but I also do my best to be historically accurate–even though I’m writing fiction. Many of the events that my books are centered around are true. I love to blend fact with fiction. I think it’s important to keep major events true to history.

I may be frowned upon for treading on tender subject matter, but I believe it’s important that we don’t forget how things used to be. Hopefully by remembering, we can prevent those horrific things from happening again. It’s also important to remember that no matter how horrible things might be, people always find a way to love each other. My stories have happy endings, just as I hope that everyone reading them will find in their own lives.

I will always grasp onto hope and believe in the power of love. And I thank God every day for my freedom.

 

Civil War

Our Favorite Things

Aug10

How many of you collect things?

I’ve often wondered what it is that prompts us to latch onto certain things.

I’ve known people who collect trading cards, figurines, Disney items, etc.  My brother will tell you about how our mother threw away his baseball cards when he was a kid. Those cards from the 60’s would probably be worth a fortune now! I guess that anything will increase in value the longer you keep it. Just wander through an antique mall and you’ll see all kinds of memories that will cost you a great deal to own again.

My collection is something I can’t bring myself to part with and will one day be passed on to my son. I assume he’ll probably turn around and sell it, but it won’t matter to me any longer. I’ll be long gone.

When I was in the first grade I was given my first Liddle Kiddle doll. Liddle Riddle Riding Hood. And believe it or not, all these years later she’s still wearing her original removable plastic shoes. And these things are tiny! The doll herself is only 3 1/2″ tall. She came with a bendable wolf. A fluffy little guy with wires inside.

Liddle Riddle Riding Hood

Liddle Riddle Riding Hood

Eventually I added more dolls to my collection. More storybook Kiddles, followed by a variety of other kinds. Jewelry Kiddles that were barely an inch tall and came inside rings and necklaces, Skediddle Kiddles that had little walkers that snapped into their backs to make them walk, Lucky Locket Kiddles that came inside framed ‘lockets,’ and others that came inside pretend soda bottles. There were Kiddles that were dressed like animals, and even holiday Kiddles. I could go on and on, but don’t want you yawning. Unless you’re a fellow Kiddle Kollector, you won’t understand my passion for these tiny, plastic dolls.

Every time I look at them, I’m reminded of wonderful times with my friends. Playing, collecting, and eventually talking them out of theirs! For a while I had my dolls displayed on a “Kiddle Land” that I made out of a piece of 6×6 plywood. I covered it in fake grass and rock pathways. It had a paper mache mountain, a beautiful castle made out of rocks that I pasted onto a cardboard box, a lake complete with plastic ducks, and multiple fake trees. It was pretty cool! But eventually, dust overcame it, and I had to disassemble it. Now I have some of my favorites displayed in a wooden frame on my wall.

Memories make us who we are, and I think there will always be that little girl inside of me who inspires the things I do as well as what I write. These dolls make me happy, and maybe someday they’ll make someone else happy, too.

I’ve often dreamed that I find more of them in some remote place. eBay has a bunch, and I’ve made my share of eBay purchases. But there’s something really thrilling about finding one where I’d least expect it. Like finding hidden treasure! But, what’s a treasure to me is probably a piece of junk to someone else. A silly little plastic doll with very little value. Well–that person doesn’t understand the value of a memory. Or I should say, the value of my memories. We’re all different. That same person might find value in a rock. And that’s okay. At one time, someone made a fortune selling ‘pet rocks!’

I’d love to hear about what you collect. And if you’re a fellow Kiddle Kollector, be sure to drop me a line! We’re a rare breed!!

Liddle Kiddles

Liddle Kiddles

The Roller Coaster of Life

Jul29

I LOVE roller coasters! When I was younger I thought I wanted to be one of those people who travels from state to state looking for the longest, highest, and fastest roller coasters around. The perfect vacation would have been roller coaster hopping from one amusement park to another.

I can remember my heart thumping when we’d go on family road trips and I’d see a coaster from the road, rising up into the sky. But sadly, that wasn’t our destination and we’d press on. Lucky for me, many of the family vacations ended up at theme parks.

I’d even dream about coasters. The only thing I feared were the loop-de-loops that turned everyone upside down. But I overcame that fear when I rode the Corkscrew at Knott’s Berry Farm. That particular coaster now resides in Idaho, close to where I grew up. Pretty awesome!

So now that I’m older, I still love them, but I’m a bit more particular. I got bounced around and bruised on a wooden coaster about eight years ago, which led me to lean toward the smoother, steel rides. Maybe it’s these aging bones that can’t take the jostling anymore. But that’s okay. There are plenty of options out there for me. Even the virtual rides are enjoyable!

There’s another kind of roller coaster ride that recently has had my head spinning. LIFE. Just when I thought my life was settling into a routine, it went into a large uphill climb and then sped me down the other side so fast that I’m still reeling! Life is never dull and that’s what makes it exciting. And thank goodness I have friends and family around me sharing the ride. They’re there to hold my hand when things get rough, celebrate the thrills with me, and sometimes give me the encouragement to get back on again when the track gets a little bumpy.

I wake up every morning, have a cup of coffee, say a little prayer, and jump on the ride. And though I may plan my course of action, I can guarantee that there will be an unexpected twist or a small bump that will take me down a different path. So I go with the flow and enjoy the ride because I’ve found that the unexpected can oftentimes be the best thing that’s ever happened to me.

That being said, I’ll change my usual post ending and say…
RIDE ON!!!

Yes, there was a coaster inside that mountain!

Yes, there was a coaster inside that mountain!