I’m having a disagreement with another writer—the owner of a newsletter for writers—
about what programs to promote to other writers, and which ones to tell them to run away from as fast as they can.
It started a little over a week ago when I received his weekly newsletter. It usually has some good information for a wide audience.
This edition, the whole content was devoted to selling his subscribers a “lifetime” membership to freelance markets for only $49.95, with a $10 discount if we “were clever”. What we would get from our $50 included the opportunity to earn $10 each for articles, and a bunch of assorted “freebies”.
I should add that the owner of the newsletter made it clear we would be buying this wonderful opportunity to work from home from someone other than himself.
I gave it a few days to fester before responding.
See, my view, and one shared by the team at The Writer’s Chatroom, is that if we are to hold ourselves “out there” as providers of “help” to writers of all genres and writing aptitudes, we have a responsibility to provide good information; to attempt to prevent our members/readers from being led down a rosy path of publishing heartbreak; and to, generally, be good guys even if we aren’t wearing white hats.
Ask Audrey, Renee’, Kim—any of us. Depending on who you ask, the wording will be different, but the message will be clear. TWC exists to help writers write.
By “help”, I certainly don’t mean to offer up another “Pay to be paid” scam. And … while it’s perfectly all right for the newbie writer to write for peanuts (at first) to gather up those all-important publishing clips, seasoned writers don’t work for $10 an article—unless it’s for a good cause—or for a friend (and sometimes they’re one and the same).
Well, I didn’t like his first response. I emailed back. I didn’t like his second response either. I emailed back.
He’s been offered the “opportunity” to quote anything I’ve said in said emails. He’s promised to do so in Friday’s newsletter. He’s also been asked to justify just why in hell what appears to be just another scam, is a good “opportunity”.
If he fails to deliver as promised: he will be named, all copies of the back and forth emails will be posted right here, and another article will be written about this “great opportunity” and the person or persons behind it.
I’ve got my gloves on. Stay tuned.
Linda
www.lindajhutchinson.com
February 06, 2008
January 20, 2008
Review of Demon: A Memoir
My review of "Demon: A Memoir" by Tosca Lee is up at The Review Hutch.
Fabulous read!
Linda
www.lindajhutchinson.com
Fabulous read!
Linda
www.lindajhutchinson.com
November 26, 2007
The Art of Thankfulness
Even my daddy, always quick with a negative comment delivered with his trademark pessimistic attitude, was thankful for certain things.
He thanked "JC" often for not allowing it to rain while he was fishing ... on the rainy side of Washington state ... as the clouds gushed forth.
While in the throes of end-stage cancer, he was thankful for someone to drive him to his favorite watering hole, to have "one last" Canadian Club and water--no ice.
He was thankful for all of the mistakes he'd made in his life and made every attempt to repeat some as often as possible.
I'm thankful for the opportunity to have had our home full of family and friends for the last four days. We celebrated: Thanksgiving on our schedule--on Saturday--and son's birthday on Sunday.
I'm thankful for a wonderful husband, children, grandchildren, and our ten-year-old one-eyed cat who seems to be slipping into senility. If only there could be some sensibility in senility.
I'm thankful to have been given the ability to form letters of the alphabet into words worth reading. Writing has opened a new world for me to explore with new friends and acquaintences.
I've learned to take the opportunity--OFTEN--to list what I'm thankful for. Reading these lists sometimes makes the more harsh times easier to withstand. A positive attitude may be just what we need to make those times happen less often. I happen to believe that we draw to us what we believe we deserve.Attitude is a state of mind.
Only I can change my attitude. Being thankful keeps me grounded.
Linda
He thanked "JC" often for not allowing it to rain while he was fishing ... on the rainy side of Washington state ... as the clouds gushed forth.
While in the throes of end-stage cancer, he was thankful for someone to drive him to his favorite watering hole, to have "one last" Canadian Club and water--no ice.
He was thankful for all of the mistakes he'd made in his life and made every attempt to repeat some as often as possible.
I'm thankful for the opportunity to have had our home full of family and friends for the last four days. We celebrated: Thanksgiving on our schedule--on Saturday--and son's birthday on Sunday.
I'm thankful for a wonderful husband, children, grandchildren, and our ten-year-old one-eyed cat who seems to be slipping into senility. If only there could be some sensibility in senility.
I'm thankful to have been given the ability to form letters of the alphabet into words worth reading. Writing has opened a new world for me to explore with new friends and acquaintences.
I've learned to take the opportunity--OFTEN--to list what I'm thankful for. Reading these lists sometimes makes the more harsh times easier to withstand. A positive attitude may be just what we need to make those times happen less often. I happen to believe that we draw to us what we believe we deserve.Attitude is a state of mind.
Only I can change my attitude. Being thankful keeps me grounded.
Linda
November 15, 2007
Letter to the Editor that Couldn't Get Published
This was sent to me by my cousin, Agnes Nein. We share the same German, English, Welsh, Irish heritage. All of our in-common descendants came through Ellis Island. I thought it worthy of publication here.
To what Rosemary LaBonte has written, I could only add "Amen".
Linda
Newspapers simply won't publish letters to the editor which they either deem politically incorrect (read below) or which does not agree with the philosophy they're pushing on the public. This woman wrote a great letter to the editor that should have been published; but, with your help it will get published via cyberspace!
New Immigrants
From: "David LaBonte"
My wife, Rosemary, wrote a wonderful letter to the editor of the OC Register which, of course, was not printed. So, I decided to "print" it myself by sending it out on the Internet. Pass it along if you feel so inclined.
Dave LaBonte (signed)
Written in response to a series of letters to the editor in the Orange County Register:
Dear Editor:
So many letter writers have based their arguments on how this land is made up of immigrants. Ernie Lujan for one, suggests we should tear down the Statue of Liberty because the people now in question aren't being treated the same as those who passed through Ellis Island and other ports of entry.
Maybe we should turn to our history books and point out to people like Mr. Lujan why today's American is not willing to accept this new kind of immigrant any longer Back in 1900 when there was a rush from all areas of Europe to come to the United States, people had to get off a ship and stand in a long line in New York and be documented. Some would even get down on their hands and knees and kiss the ground. They made a pledge to uphold the laws and support their new country in good and bad times. They made learning English a primary rule in their new American households and some even changed their names to blend in with their new home.
They had waved good bye to their birth place to give their children a new life and did everything in their power to help their children assimilate into one culture.
Nothing was handed to them. No free lunches, no welfare, no labor laws to protect them. All they had were the skills and craftsmanship they had brought with them to trade for a future of prosperity. Most of their children came of age when World War II broke out. My father fought along side men whose parents had come straight over from Germany, Italy,France and Japan . None of these 1st generation Americans ever gave any thought about what country their parents had come from. They were Americans fighting Hitler, Mussolini and the Emperor of Japan. They were defe nding the United States of America as one people. When we liberated France, no one in those villages were looking for the French-American or the German American or the Irish American. The people of France saw only Americans. And we carried one flag that represented one country. Not one of those immigrant sons would have thought about picking up another country's flag and waving it to represent who they were. It would have been a disgrace to their parents who had sacrificed so much to be here. These immigrants truly knew what it meant to be an American. They stirred the melting pot into one red, white and blue bowl.
And here we are in 2006 with a new kind of immigrant who wants the same rights and privileges. Only they want to achieve it by playing with a different set of rules, one that includes the entitlement card and a guarantee of being faithful to their mother country. I'm sorry, that's not what being an American is all about. I believe that the immigrants who landed on Ellis Island in the early 1900's deserve better than that for all the toil, hard work and sacrifice in raising future generations to create a land that has become a beacon for those legally searching for a better life . I think they would be appalled that they are being used as an example by those waving foreign country flags.
And for that suggestion about taking down the Statue of Liberty, it happens to mean a lot to the citizens who are voting on the immigration bill. I wouldn't start talking about dismantling the United States just yet.
(signed) Rosemary LaBonte
KEEP THIS LETTER MOVING. FOR THE WRONG THINGS TO PREVAIL THE RIGHTFUL MAJORITY NEEDS TO REMAIN COMPLACENT AND QUIET!! LET THIS NEVER HAPPEN!!
I hope this letter gets read by millions of people all across the nation!!
Lisa Rubin
To what Rosemary LaBonte has written, I could only add "Amen".
Linda
Newspapers simply won't publish letters to the editor which they either deem politically incorrect (read below) or which does not agree with the philosophy they're pushing on the public. This woman wrote a great letter to the editor that should have been published; but, with your help it will get published via cyberspace!
New Immigrants
From: "David LaBonte"
My wife, Rosemary, wrote a wonderful letter to the editor of the OC Register which, of course, was not printed. So, I decided to "print" it myself by sending it out on the Internet. Pass it along if you feel so inclined.
Dave LaBonte (signed)
Written in response to a series of letters to the editor in the Orange County Register:
Dear Editor:
So many letter writers have based their arguments on how this land is made up of immigrants. Ernie Lujan for one, suggests we should tear down the Statue of Liberty because the people now in question aren't being treated the same as those who passed through Ellis Island and other ports of entry.
Maybe we should turn to our history books and point out to people like Mr. Lujan why today's American is not willing to accept this new kind of immigrant any longer Back in 1900 when there was a rush from all areas of Europe to come to the United States, people had to get off a ship and stand in a long line in New York and be documented. Some would even get down on their hands and knees and kiss the ground. They made a pledge to uphold the laws and support their new country in good and bad times. They made learning English a primary rule in their new American households and some even changed their names to blend in with their new home.
They had waved good bye to their birth place to give their children a new life and did everything in their power to help their children assimilate into one culture.
Nothing was handed to them. No free lunches, no welfare, no labor laws to protect them. All they had were the skills and craftsmanship they had brought with them to trade for a future of prosperity. Most of their children came of age when World War II broke out. My father fought along side men whose parents had come straight over from Germany, Italy,France and Japan . None of these 1st generation Americans ever gave any thought about what country their parents had come from. They were Americans fighting Hitler, Mussolini and the Emperor of Japan. They were defe nding the United States of America as one people. When we liberated France, no one in those villages were looking for the French-American or the German American or the Irish American. The people of France saw only Americans. And we carried one flag that represented one country. Not one of those immigrant sons would have thought about picking up another country's flag and waving it to represent who they were. It would have been a disgrace to their parents who had sacrificed so much to be here. These immigrants truly knew what it meant to be an American. They stirred the melting pot into one red, white and blue bowl.
And here we are in 2006 with a new kind of immigrant who wants the same rights and privileges. Only they want to achieve it by playing with a different set of rules, one that includes the entitlement card and a guarantee of being faithful to their mother country. I'm sorry, that's not what being an American is all about. I believe that the immigrants who landed on Ellis Island in the early 1900's deserve better than that for all the toil, hard work and sacrifice in raising future generations to create a land that has become a beacon for those legally searching for a better life . I think they would be appalled that they are being used as an example by those waving foreign country flags.
And for that suggestion about taking down the Statue of Liberty, it happens to mean a lot to the citizens who are voting on the immigration bill. I wouldn't start talking about dismantling the United States just yet.
(signed) Rosemary LaBonte
KEEP THIS LETTER MOVING. FOR THE WRONG THINGS TO PREVAIL THE RIGHTFUL MAJORITY NEEDS TO REMAIN COMPLACENT AND QUIET!! LET THIS NEVER HAPPEN!!
I hope this letter gets read by millions of people all across the nation!!
Lisa Rubin
September 27, 2007
Emergency Room Procedures
A friend recently sent this to me. It sums up my feelings pretty well:
The other day, I needed to go to the emergency room.
Not wanting to sit there for 4 hours, I put on my old Army fatigues and stuck a patch that I had downloaded off the internet onto the front of my shirt. When I went into the E.R., I noticed that 3/4 of the people got up and left. I guess they decided that they weren't that sick after all.Here's the patch. Feel free to use it the next time you're in need of quicker emergency service. ** * It also works well if you ever have to use a Laundromat
*
The other day, I needed to go to the emergency room.
Not wanting to sit there for 4 hours, I put on my old Army fatigues and stuck a patch that I had downloaded off the internet onto the front of my shirt. When I went into the E.R., I noticed that 3/4 of the people got up and left. I guess they decided that they weren't that sick after all.Here's the patch. Feel free to use it the next time you're in need of quicker emergency service. ** * It also works well if you ever have to use a Laundromat
*
September 26, 2007
Buster (the Boxer) and the baby goat
Some of my friends at The Writer's Chatroom are waiting to hear the story of how I came to have a bucket of broken blackboard chunks to write all of their names on for the door prize drawing last Sunday. (They've requested the story for tonight's Open Wednesday chat.) Up for grabs was Dr. Gregory Spencer's Guardian of the Veil. I usually don't read fantasy, but this one is very good.
So ... since I've been driving most of the day, I've decided to borrow from a letter sent to my friend from fifth grade who now lives in Anchorage, AK. This is, of course, only part one. I'll still need to explain how the 3 year-old boy was involved.
An excerpt:
Hi Dave,
It's been awhile. I spent most of April in Louisville helping Raylene and Jeff get moved (with 5 kids--2 of them requiring birthday parties), and then taking care of Jeffrey after he had bone spurs removed from his neck/spine. He's had a rough time of it.
Had an X-ray done before the last trip to L'ville. My doc called just as Jeff and I were leaving the mini-animal farm with a baby pygmy goat, to tell me I now have arthritis in my neck and she was setting up an MRI. The goat and mini-horses were so much fun--until my phone rang.
So we got the goat home and put her in the laundry room, blocking the door with a child gate. We'd stopped to pick up some groceries on the way home. Just as I was balanced with a gallon of milk in each hand and had gotten the storm door opened on the front door, their boxer, named "Buster", lunged at the goat, who cleared the child gate and flew through the open storm door.
Here we were, me with arthritis in my back, hips, and now-neck, and Jeffrey recovering from neck surgery--trying to chase this baby goat through the ravine, across the creek, and over the neighbor's field. We must have been some sight because the neighbor who owns the property we were on came over with his two kids to help us corral the goat in their barn. The dad closed the door and we cornered "Lil Bit" so that Jeff could get hold of her.
It was after we got her back in the house that I remembered I had my cat's harness and leash (I know, this is not normal, but then neither am I--or my cat) in the trunk of my car. It fit the goat perfectly and she was not allowed out of her pen without it from then on. We figured if she got loose again, we'd at least have something to grab at! She is quicker than a bullet.
Daughter--who didn't want the goat--brought her in from the kennel during a thunderstorm a few days later thinking the little goat was lonely and frightened. They now have 2 baby pygmy goats--and I am so happy to be back home!
Don't yet know what's in store for me health-wise. Jeff and I have often laughed and said they should just put both of us on gurneys in the same O.R., open us both up and remove everything that is non-essential to life.
So, I'm back home and have been a lawn-mowing fool. Love the new John Deere! When I'm cutting that grass on my big green machine, I'm on top of the world. Funny, hubby got a big red diesel F-250--and I got a John Deere LA-120 ... Wonder what the shrink assigned to help me with pain issues will think of that ...
Linda
So ... since I've been driving most of the day, I've decided to borrow from a letter sent to my friend from fifth grade who now lives in Anchorage, AK. This is, of course, only part one. I'll still need to explain how the 3 year-old boy was involved.
An excerpt:
Hi Dave,
It's been awhile. I spent most of April in Louisville helping Raylene and Jeff get moved (with 5 kids--2 of them requiring birthday parties), and then taking care of Jeffrey after he had bone spurs removed from his neck/spine. He's had a rough time of it.
Had an X-ray done before the last trip to L'ville. My doc called just as Jeff and I were leaving the mini-animal farm with a baby pygmy goat, to tell me I now have arthritis in my neck and she was setting up an MRI. The goat and mini-horses were so much fun--until my phone rang.
So we got the goat home and put her in the laundry room, blocking the door with a child gate. We'd stopped to pick up some groceries on the way home. Just as I was balanced with a gallon of milk in each hand and had gotten the storm door opened on the front door, their boxer, named "Buster", lunged at the goat, who cleared the child gate and flew through the open storm door.
Here we were, me with arthritis in my back, hips, and now-neck, and Jeffrey recovering from neck surgery--trying to chase this baby goat through the ravine, across the creek, and over the neighbor's field. We must have been some sight because the neighbor who owns the property we were on came over with his two kids to help us corral the goat in their barn. The dad closed the door and we cornered "Lil Bit" so that Jeff could get hold of her.
It was after we got her back in the house that I remembered I had my cat's harness and leash (I know, this is not normal, but then neither am I--or my cat) in the trunk of my car. It fit the goat perfectly and she was not allowed out of her pen without it from then on. We figured if she got loose again, we'd at least have something to grab at! She is quicker than a bullet.
Daughter--who didn't want the goat--brought her in from the kennel during a thunderstorm a few days later thinking the little goat was lonely and frightened. They now have 2 baby pygmy goats--and I am so happy to be back home!
Don't yet know what's in store for me health-wise. Jeff and I have often laughed and said they should just put both of us on gurneys in the same O.R., open us both up and remove everything that is non-essential to life.
So, I'm back home and have been a lawn-mowing fool. Love the new John Deere! When I'm cutting that grass on my big green machine, I'm on top of the world. Funny, hubby got a big red diesel F-250--and I got a John Deere LA-120 ... Wonder what the shrink assigned to help me with pain issues will think of that ...
Linda
September 21, 2007
Publicity Firms and Guest Authors at TWC
I’ve had the privilege the past few months to interact with four representatives of three public relations firms while booking guests for The Writer’s Chatroom. They’ve graciously given of their time on behalf of their clients to get all the details right, set up appointments, and to donate books for the half-time door prize drawings.
Rebeca Seitz is the president of Glass Road Public Relations, LLC in Nashville, TN. She is the publicist for debut author and former Mrs. Nebraska Tosca Lee. Tosca will be our first Celebrity Sunday guest in 2008. Her book has quickly moved to the top of my TBR pile. Their motto at Glass Road is “A Novel Approach to Reflecting Your Light”. http://www.glassroadpr.com/
Also with Glass Road is Danielle Douglas, whom I’ve been working with to book Dr. Gregory Spencer for September 23rd. Greg writes “of Welken”. I’m currently reading Guardian of the Veil, the second book in the series. Very interesting fantasy. The word-play is entertaining in and of itself.
PJ Nunn of BreakThrough Promotions represents our November 18th guest, Dr. Bruce Cook. I read Philippine Fever several months ago to review for FMAM, and wanted to book this author before I’d finished reading it. PJ has been wonderful to work with. http://www.breakthroughpromotions.com/, http://www.criminalpursuits.com/, http://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Rebelssong (and you gotta love this one!) There's a Dead Guy blog http://heydeadguy.typepad.com/heydeadguy/
We’re planning a “first” for the chatroom in late March 2008. Debut author Jordan Dane will have three books hitting the stores in three consequtive months. More details to follow. I’m currently working out those details with Sherry Rowland of Two Sisters Promotions, LLP. I don’t have a website addy for them, but the phone number is (918) 625-6526.
I have no idea how much these firms charge their author clients, what their contracts include, or how each one operates. I do know that each of them has been exceptionally professional in representing their clients to me.
We have many other guests coming up, who have been booked without the benefit of a publicity firm. Anyone who knows us here at TWC knows we’re not the least bit snobbish about that kind of thing. We’re much more interested in bringing in guests who are entertaining, write well, and are willing to share information with our members.
I just like to give credit where credit is due. These ladies have been terrific to work with.
And, btw, I finally got my own website updated today. I’m ashamed to say how long it’s been neglected. Please don’t do as I have done. It isn't good publicity. http://www.lindajhutchinson.com/
Rebeca Seitz is the president of Glass Road Public Relations, LLC in Nashville, TN. She is the publicist for debut author and former Mrs. Nebraska Tosca Lee. Tosca will be our first Celebrity Sunday guest in 2008. Her book has quickly moved to the top of my TBR pile. Their motto at Glass Road is “A Novel Approach to Reflecting Your Light”. http://www.glassroadpr.com/
Also with Glass Road is Danielle Douglas, whom I’ve been working with to book Dr. Gregory Spencer for September 23rd. Greg writes “of Welken”. I’m currently reading Guardian of the Veil, the second book in the series. Very interesting fantasy. The word-play is entertaining in and of itself.
PJ Nunn of BreakThrough Promotions represents our November 18th guest, Dr. Bruce Cook. I read Philippine Fever several months ago to review for FMAM, and wanted to book this author before I’d finished reading it. PJ has been wonderful to work with. http://www.breakthroughpromotions.com/, http://www.criminalpursuits.com/, http://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Rebelssong (and you gotta love this one!) There's a Dead Guy blog http://heydeadguy.typepad.com/heydeadguy/
We’re planning a “first” for the chatroom in late March 2008. Debut author Jordan Dane will have three books hitting the stores in three consequtive months. More details to follow. I’m currently working out those details with Sherry Rowland of Two Sisters Promotions, LLP. I don’t have a website addy for them, but the phone number is (918) 625-6526.
I have no idea how much these firms charge their author clients, what their contracts include, or how each one operates. I do know that each of them has been exceptionally professional in representing their clients to me.
We have many other guests coming up, who have been booked without the benefit of a publicity firm. Anyone who knows us here at TWC knows we’re not the least bit snobbish about that kind of thing. We’re much more interested in bringing in guests who are entertaining, write well, and are willing to share information with our members.
I just like to give credit where credit is due. These ladies have been terrific to work with.
And, btw, I finally got my own website updated today. I’m ashamed to say how long it’s been neglected. Please don’t do as I have done. It isn't good publicity. http://www.lindajhutchinson.com/
August 20, 2007
Excuses, Promises, and Random Thoughts
Blogs 08/18/07 Word count: 528
I’m ashamed to say this: I haven’t written much since springtime hit.
This was our first planting season in the new house. (It’s new to us, but not a “new” dwelling.) Husband Michael and I have taken the exterior on a wild ride from ugly-dirty-yellow-with-brown-everything-else to vibrant barn red with avocado and cream shutters and doors.
We’ve painted, papered, built shelves, and decorated until we only have three rooms to go on the interior transformation. We’ve moved cabinets around in the kitchen, turned a tiny, dismal, master bathroom into a little piece of paradise, and even run the water line for the refrigerator twice because we changed our minds on its location.
As we’ve gotten to know our neighbors on either side we’ve learned more and more of the history of our home. We now understand why the flowerbeds have recurrent ten-foot-long weed tubers that never seem to get completely dug out. We know why the lawn is more like a thistle feeding frenzy than a grassy bare foot-friendly stroll.
I’ve been taking full advantage of all those allergy shots. I’m actually spending time outdoors and enjoying it! And, I’m learning the names of all the perennial flowers as we’ve planted them in the new beds. Today, we actually “planted” a big white metal headboard in our new shade garden under the twisted, artistically and symmetrically-challenged tree next to the little creek that meanders through our property. (We’re going to tell the grandkids that that’s where our flowers take naps.)
Yep, I’ve managed to make all of my deadlines as a freelance writer because no matter how much my muse has dawdled and dinked around, the thought of disappointing my editors is not something I’m willing to do.
I’ve written epistles to my children and a few friends. I’ve congratulated my friend Ronii on the birth of her eighth child. Yes, eighth! I’ve forwarded funny emails with my comments added.
I’ve written many emails to potential guests for The Writer’s Chatroom, and I’m proud to say we’re booked through the end of 2007! And, former beauty queen and debut author Tosca Lee has agreed to be our first guest of 2008.
We’ll also be heavily involved in the “launch” of debut author Jordan Dane. She’s got three books coming out back-to-back next spring. For a writer, that’s the equivalent of launching a 40-foot sailboat you’ve just spent every available moment building in the back yard for five years.
I’ve honored my commitments. However, my fiction writing seems to have gotten buried in the “back 40” right along with my resolve to write every day.
I’m also ashamed to say that my website hasn’t been updated in so many months I’m embarrassed to give out the address. My blogs have become strangers.
So … Renee Barnes (Trailer Park Gazette and The Writer’s Chatroom fame) and I have committed to writing every day—to get ourselves back on track. And just to keep us honest, we’ve also committed to sending each other what we’ve written every day!
So, here it is Renee! And this was after spending 7 hours outside with dear husband—planting and digging. I promise to do better tomorrow!
Oh … and today would have been my Daddy’s 76th birthday. Happy birthday Dad! I sure do miss you.
I’m ashamed to say this: I haven’t written much since springtime hit.
This was our first planting season in the new house. (It’s new to us, but not a “new” dwelling.) Husband Michael and I have taken the exterior on a wild ride from ugly-dirty-yellow-with-brown-everything-else to vibrant barn red with avocado and cream shutters and doors.
We’ve painted, papered, built shelves, and decorated until we only have three rooms to go on the interior transformation. We’ve moved cabinets around in the kitchen, turned a tiny, dismal, master bathroom into a little piece of paradise, and even run the water line for the refrigerator twice because we changed our minds on its location.
As we’ve gotten to know our neighbors on either side we’ve learned more and more of the history of our home. We now understand why the flowerbeds have recurrent ten-foot-long weed tubers that never seem to get completely dug out. We know why the lawn is more like a thistle feeding frenzy than a grassy bare foot-friendly stroll.
I’ve been taking full advantage of all those allergy shots. I’m actually spending time outdoors and enjoying it! And, I’m learning the names of all the perennial flowers as we’ve planted them in the new beds. Today, we actually “planted” a big white metal headboard in our new shade garden under the twisted, artistically and symmetrically-challenged tree next to the little creek that meanders through our property. (We’re going to tell the grandkids that that’s where our flowers take naps.)
Yep, I’ve managed to make all of my deadlines as a freelance writer because no matter how much my muse has dawdled and dinked around, the thought of disappointing my editors is not something I’m willing to do.
I’ve written epistles to my children and a few friends. I’ve congratulated my friend Ronii on the birth of her eighth child. Yes, eighth! I’ve forwarded funny emails with my comments added.
I’ve written many emails to potential guests for The Writer’s Chatroom, and I’m proud to say we’re booked through the end of 2007! And, former beauty queen and debut author Tosca Lee has agreed to be our first guest of 2008.
We’ll also be heavily involved in the “launch” of debut author Jordan Dane. She’s got three books coming out back-to-back next spring. For a writer, that’s the equivalent of launching a 40-foot sailboat you’ve just spent every available moment building in the back yard for five years.
I’ve honored my commitments. However, my fiction writing seems to have gotten buried in the “back 40” right along with my resolve to write every day.
I’m also ashamed to say that my website hasn’t been updated in so many months I’m embarrassed to give out the address. My blogs have become strangers.
So … Renee Barnes (Trailer Park Gazette and The Writer’s Chatroom fame) and I have committed to writing every day—to get ourselves back on track. And just to keep us honest, we’ve also committed to sending each other what we’ve written every day!
So, here it is Renee! And this was after spending 7 hours outside with dear husband—planting and digging. I promise to do better tomorrow!
Oh … and today would have been my Daddy’s 76th birthday. Happy birthday Dad! I sure do miss you.
May 25, 2007
In God We Still Trust by Diamond Rio
A friend sent this to me recently. I'm not a bible-thumper, but if you ask I'll tell you that God lives in my home and in my heart. I prefer to let my actions speak louder than my words most of the time--a tough comment to dig out of a writer.
My friend's email: "In March, 2005, this song was performed at a Diamond Rio concert. They received an immediate standing ovation, and continue to do so every time they perform it!
Sadly, major radio stations wouldn't play it because it was considered politically incorrect. Consequently, the song was never released to the public.
If this song speaks to your heart, share it with friends and loved ones. Then let us cease being the silent majority and join together as Americans!"
Turn up your speakers!
Click here -----------> http://gunbarrelcityradio.com/InGodWeStillTrust.wmv
My friend's email: "In March, 2005, this song was performed at a Diamond Rio concert. They received an immediate standing ovation, and continue to do so every time they perform it!
Sadly, major radio stations wouldn't play it because it was considered politically incorrect. Consequently, the song was never released to the public.
If this song speaks to your heart, share it with friends and loved ones. Then let us cease being the silent majority and join together as Americans!"
Turn up your speakers!
Click here -----------> http://gunbarrelcityradio.com/InGodWeStillTrust.wmv
April 11, 2007
The Sun Shines at TWC
I sure wish Spring would get here! We had another dose of snow this week—as always seems to happen in April here in Ohio.
The potted plants, peat pots, and seeds are beginning to take up much space in the house and garage while we await warmer planting weather. I’ve even found myself researching bamboo, which I’m sure is some unconscious blathering deep within my soul which has reached near-screaming pitch from the need for sunshine and warmth.
I WANT to take the storm windows off and give the windows a good scrub both inside and out. The front door is in need of fresh paint—I’m thinking geranium red—but haven’t quite sold hubby on that one. The previous owners painted everything that wasn’t beige—brown. Brown just isn’t my color! Give me ruby, emerald, sapphire, garnet, even peridot or aquamarine, but don’t expect me to live with brown and like it. The only two things I like to be devoid of color are water and diamonds. Biggie-size both, please!
Since the weather hasn’t cooperated, I’ve spent my time searching out the best guests I could find for The Writer’s Chatroom’s Celebrity Sunday chats. The lineup Audrey, Renee, and I have come up with is impressive! This Sunday will feature Jonathan Maberry, followed by Vicki M Taylor, Tim Bete, Mari Atherton, Karen Syed, Vicki Delaney, Sandra Tooley (Lee Driver), Cyndy Salzmann, Hailey Lind, Robert Walker, and Bob Avey. Hope Clark of FundsForWriters and The Shy Writer fame is a friend of the chatroom and bi-monthly guest.
I’ve also found renewed inspiration for the newbie writer’s ebook in process. Now if I could come up with a suitable title. That pesky title issue is beginning to poke holes in my dream time. If you have any ideas, let me know.
Hope your writing time and “duties” have been as productive as mine. May we all not lose that momentum when the sunshine doth finally find us.
The potted plants, peat pots, and seeds are beginning to take up much space in the house and garage while we await warmer planting weather. I’ve even found myself researching bamboo, which I’m sure is some unconscious blathering deep within my soul which has reached near-screaming pitch from the need for sunshine and warmth.
I WANT to take the storm windows off and give the windows a good scrub both inside and out. The front door is in need of fresh paint—I’m thinking geranium red—but haven’t quite sold hubby on that one. The previous owners painted everything that wasn’t beige—brown. Brown just isn’t my color! Give me ruby, emerald, sapphire, garnet, even peridot or aquamarine, but don’t expect me to live with brown and like it. The only two things I like to be devoid of color are water and diamonds. Biggie-size both, please!
Since the weather hasn’t cooperated, I’ve spent my time searching out the best guests I could find for The Writer’s Chatroom’s Celebrity Sunday chats. The lineup Audrey, Renee, and I have come up with is impressive! This Sunday will feature Jonathan Maberry, followed by Vicki M Taylor, Tim Bete, Mari Atherton, Karen Syed, Vicki Delaney, Sandra Tooley (Lee Driver), Cyndy Salzmann, Hailey Lind, Robert Walker, and Bob Avey. Hope Clark of FundsForWriters and The Shy Writer fame is a friend of the chatroom and bi-monthly guest.
I’ve also found renewed inspiration for the newbie writer’s ebook in process. Now if I could come up with a suitable title. That pesky title issue is beginning to poke holes in my dream time. If you have any ideas, let me know.
Hope your writing time and “duties” have been as productive as mine. May we all not lose that momentum when the sunshine doth finally find us.
March 07, 2007
New Reviews Are Up at The Review Hutch!
Reviews have been posted at the Review Hutch
"The Grail Conspiracy" by Lynn Sholes & Joe Moore
"T: An Auto-Biography" by Feather Schwartz Foster
"A Red Dark Night" by A.P. Fuchs
"Phil and The French Country Inn" by Cree Forman
Happy reading!
Linda
www.lindajhutchinson.com
http://writerschatroom.com
"The Grail Conspiracy" by Lynn Sholes & Joe Moore
"T: An Auto-Biography" by Feather Schwartz Foster
"A Red Dark Night" by A.P. Fuchs
"Phil and The French Country Inn" by Cree Forman
Happy reading!
Linda
www.lindajhutchinson.com
http://writerschatroom.com
February 20, 2007
Dr. Seuss Writing Romance? Now?
Writer-buddy Lisa Logan sent this to me recently. Computer issues prevented me from posting it earlier. Linda
Author Mix-up Has Dr. Seuss Writing Romance
Redlands, CA February 4, 2007--Fans of Theodore Seuss Geisel, i.e. Dr. Seuss, may be in for a surprise when they learn that the renowned children's writer has changed genres... more than a decade after his death.
Author Lisa Logan had just celebrated the release of her debut novel, Visions, on January 30 when she received a complaint from a Borders in Illinois. They could not find the romantic mystery to order it into their store. In checking other bookseller listings, she discovered an error on Barnes & Noble's web site.
According to B&N, the romantic mystery was authored and illustrated by Seuss in November of 2005. The author/illustrator of forty-eight children's books, including The Cat in the Hat and Green Eggs & Ham, died of cancer in 1991. Logan's cover and title were featured in the listing, which had appeared correctly the day before.
Logan took the mix up in stride. She quipped, "I'm as big a fan of Dr. Seuss as any, but I can't sit by and let the guy take credit for my work. That is, unless they want to send me his royalty checks."
The Redlands, CA author sought help from the publisher of her novel, Draumr Publishing, who is currently working with the distributor to correct the listing. No comment from Barnes & Noble on the error.
For more information, contact Lisa Logan at writerlisalogan@verizon.net. or via her website at http://lisalogan.net .
Author Mix-up Has Dr. Seuss Writing Romance
Redlands, CA February 4, 2007--Fans of Theodore Seuss Geisel, i.e. Dr. Seuss, may be in for a surprise when they learn that the renowned children's writer has changed genres... more than a decade after his death.
Author Lisa Logan had just celebrated the release of her debut novel, Visions, on January 30 when she received a complaint from a Borders in Illinois. They could not find the romantic mystery to order it into their store. In checking other bookseller listings, she discovered an error on Barnes & Noble's web site.
According to B&N, the romantic mystery was authored and illustrated by Seuss in November of 2005. The author/illustrator of forty-eight children's books, including The Cat in the Hat and Green Eggs & Ham, died of cancer in 1991. Logan's cover and title were featured in the listing, which had appeared correctly the day before.
Logan took the mix up in stride. She quipped, "I'm as big a fan of Dr. Seuss as any, but I can't sit by and let the guy take credit for my work. That is, unless they want to send me his royalty checks."
The Redlands, CA author sought help from the publisher of her novel, Draumr Publishing, who is currently working with the distributor to correct the listing. No comment from Barnes & Noble on the error.
For more information, contact Lisa Logan at writerlisalogan@verizon.net. or via her website at http://lisalogan.net .
February 02, 2007
My editor is happy--and that makes me happy!
I’ve been writing monthly articles for a national construction publication for almost a year and a half. I write about concrete and asphalt, heavy equipment, roads, turnpikes, bridges, and mud. Occasionally I’ll showcase a major player in the constuction industry.
I also preach to new writers about how important it is to proofread their work from the pulpit of The Writer’s Chatroom. (http://writerschatroom.com)
This came in an email about fifteen minutes after turning in this month’s story:
Linda,
I just finished reading your Brent Spence story. It was an easy with no errors. Really nice work...just wanted to say that. I look forward to the photos.
Thanks.
The story wasn’t difficult to write. I like writing about bridges, especially old bridges. They just seem to have character, something most freeways lack.
Here’s proof that it’s important to proofread! And a happy editor usually equates to more assignments-and more income.
Linda
www.lindajhutchinson.com
I also preach to new writers about how important it is to proofread their work from the pulpit of The Writer’s Chatroom. (http://writerschatroom.com)
This came in an email about fifteen minutes after turning in this month’s story:
Linda,
I just finished reading your Brent Spence story. It was an easy with no errors. Really nice work...just wanted to say that. I look forward to the photos.
Thanks.
The story wasn’t difficult to write. I like writing about bridges, especially old bridges. They just seem to have character, something most freeways lack.
Here’s proof that it’s important to proofread! And a happy editor usually equates to more assignments-and more income.
Linda
www.lindajhutchinson.com
January 26, 2007
Fibromyalgia and Me
Today I’m writing about my health, something I don’t often do. You see, I have a host of auto-immune issues I’d love to forget about. Unfortunately the pain that keeps me company around the clock won’t allow that.
I have advanced osteoarthritis in my spine (degenerative disc disease), complete with spondylolisthesis and stenosis. What all that means is that my spine is deteriorating.
Visits to the spine institute here in central Ohio proved that surgery would help neither my spine nor my knees.
I endured not one set, but two, of epidural steroid injections—a most unpleasant experience—hoping to stop the pain radiating from my lower back to my knees. Each time, I had two and one half days of relief. Certainly not enough to make another round worth the effort. My specialist agreed.
Back to my primary care physician. She, like the two doctors I’d seen when we lived on the west side of the state, diagnosed me with Fibromyalgia. Damn.
There is nothing quite like having all over flu-like muscle pains and cramps for three years straight. I had to accept that I must have this disease, disorder, or syndrome—what it’s called depends on which report you read. Many doctors believe Fibro is all in your head. May they be blessed to receive it. I’m sure the other three million Americans who have this would agree.
I’ve set out on a self-directed study to find something that will help me—other than the brain-numbing, bone-killing, cancer-causing drugs touted as the end-all by the big drug companies.
Depression is a big part of Fibro. At the urging of my insurance company’s “chronic care” nurse I joined an online self-help group. After two weeks of the pity party, I unsubscribed.
I don’t want pity. Even on the bad days. I want to know how to deal with this frustrating disease to improve the quality of my life. It IS a quality of life issue because the disease, while not fatal, is life-long.
I’m not a doctor, I’m a patient. What works for me may or may not work for you. Fibro has no set-in-concrete symptoms or treatment. Fibro “flares” are caused by any number of things, but stress is highly regarded as a main trigger.
A multi-vitamin, good for most people, isn’t good for me. They are loaded with vitamin C and bee pollen. Vitamin C gives me hives and bee pollen gives me the headache from hell.
After much research, this is what I’m currently doing and taking to deal with MY fibromyalgia:
Yeast Fighters, Inflamation/Immune system
Zinc, Immune system
Vitamin E, Immune system
Echinacea, Immune system
Beta Carotene, Immune system/anti-oxidant
Calcium w/vitamin D, Bone health
Magnesium, Joint health
Glucosamine sulfate, Joint health
Mucinex (guaifenesin), Pain relief
Cayenne Fruit, Pain relief
Alpha Lipoic Acid, Anti-oxidant/free radicals
Fish Oil, Heart health
Folic Acid, Heart and nervous system
Vitamin B-12, Cardiovascular and nerve health
DGL (licorice extract), Enzymatic therapy
Cinnamon, Regulate blood sugars
Odorless garlic, Cholesterol
I take naps when I need to. I work from home so that I can take care of my health. My husband gives wonderful massages—and NO, I won’t rent him out.
Please check with your doctor before adding any of the above to your health regimen! This combination works for me, but it may not work for you.
Other than the vitamins, I’ve added one supplement at a time. Over time, some that had been added have been dropped because they simply didn’t help.
I also take Neuronton (Rx) for the nerve damage and stenosis in my spine, and have muscle relaxers and pain remedies to be used as needed. I avoid NSAIDs like the plague—I do not suffer from an Aleve deficiency.
So there it is. I haven’t had a Fibromyalgia flare since two days before Christmas. My arthritis also seems to be under control. I’m sleeping better. I’m writing every day and meeting my goals.
I urge you, if you have Fibromyalgia, to do your homework. The disease is NOT in your head. You do NOT have to suffer.
Recommended:
http://www.fmaware.org/index.html The National Fibromyalgia Association
“Get a Grip on Arthritis, and Other Inflammatory Disorders” by Lorna R. Vanderhaeghe
That’s it. I’m done writing about my health. I have four articles to get out this week. Deadlines don’t wait.
I have advanced osteoarthritis in my spine (degenerative disc disease), complete with spondylolisthesis and stenosis. What all that means is that my spine is deteriorating.
Visits to the spine institute here in central Ohio proved that surgery would help neither my spine nor my knees.
I endured not one set, but two, of epidural steroid injections—a most unpleasant experience—hoping to stop the pain radiating from my lower back to my knees. Each time, I had two and one half days of relief. Certainly not enough to make another round worth the effort. My specialist agreed.
Back to my primary care physician. She, like the two doctors I’d seen when we lived on the west side of the state, diagnosed me with Fibromyalgia. Damn.
There is nothing quite like having all over flu-like muscle pains and cramps for three years straight. I had to accept that I must have this disease, disorder, or syndrome—what it’s called depends on which report you read. Many doctors believe Fibro is all in your head. May they be blessed to receive it. I’m sure the other three million Americans who have this would agree.
I’ve set out on a self-directed study to find something that will help me—other than the brain-numbing, bone-killing, cancer-causing drugs touted as the end-all by the big drug companies.
Depression is a big part of Fibro. At the urging of my insurance company’s “chronic care” nurse I joined an online self-help group. After two weeks of the pity party, I unsubscribed.
I don’t want pity. Even on the bad days. I want to know how to deal with this frustrating disease to improve the quality of my life. It IS a quality of life issue because the disease, while not fatal, is life-long.
I’m not a doctor, I’m a patient. What works for me may or may not work for you. Fibro has no set-in-concrete symptoms or treatment. Fibro “flares” are caused by any number of things, but stress is highly regarded as a main trigger.
A multi-vitamin, good for most people, isn’t good for me. They are loaded with vitamin C and bee pollen. Vitamin C gives me hives and bee pollen gives me the headache from hell.
After much research, this is what I’m currently doing and taking to deal with MY fibromyalgia:
Yeast Fighters, Inflamation/Immune system
Zinc, Immune system
Vitamin E, Immune system
Echinacea, Immune system
Beta Carotene, Immune system/anti-oxidant
Calcium w/vitamin D, Bone health
Magnesium, Joint health
Glucosamine sulfate, Joint health
Mucinex (guaifenesin), Pain relief
Cayenne Fruit, Pain relief
Alpha Lipoic Acid, Anti-oxidant/free radicals
Fish Oil, Heart health
Folic Acid, Heart and nervous system
Vitamin B-12, Cardiovascular and nerve health
DGL (licorice extract), Enzymatic therapy
Cinnamon, Regulate blood sugars
Odorless garlic, Cholesterol
I take naps when I need to. I work from home so that I can take care of my health. My husband gives wonderful massages—and NO, I won’t rent him out.
Please check with your doctor before adding any of the above to your health regimen! This combination works for me, but it may not work for you.
Other than the vitamins, I’ve added one supplement at a time. Over time, some that had been added have been dropped because they simply didn’t help.
I also take Neuronton (Rx) for the nerve damage and stenosis in my spine, and have muscle relaxers and pain remedies to be used as needed. I avoid NSAIDs like the plague—I do not suffer from an Aleve deficiency.
So there it is. I haven’t had a Fibromyalgia flare since two days before Christmas. My arthritis also seems to be under control. I’m sleeping better. I’m writing every day and meeting my goals.
I urge you, if you have Fibromyalgia, to do your homework. The disease is NOT in your head. You do NOT have to suffer.
Recommended:
http://www.fmaware.org/index.html The National Fibromyalgia Association
“Get a Grip on Arthritis, and Other Inflammatory Disorders” by Lorna R. Vanderhaeghe
That’s it. I’m done writing about my health. I have four articles to get out this week. Deadlines don’t wait.
December 28, 2006
Fishy Tales
My family’s ‘lack of fresh fish’ problem while living in central Ohio has been solved! No more whining for me … at least about the lack of edible delicacies from the sea. (No promises are being made regarding other subjects.)
Recently I reconnected with an old friend from elementary school through a names database. We graduated from high school together and then lost touch. We’ve exchanged information about our classmates, and I made sure to give him contact info for the committee that puts on the reunions, the ones he’s never made it to.
Anyway, it seems that my long-lost friend Dave resides in Anchorage, AK, and is an avid fisherman. In the course of getting to know one another again, I mentioned (heartily berated, is more like it) the fact that edible (read “fresh”) fish is/was non-existent here. And life as a fish-eater wasn’t any better during the ten years we lived in TN.
Dave offered to send me all of the Alaskan halibut and King salmon he had in his freezer!
Last Saturday our UPS delivery driver didn’t understand why I was so happy to see him, nor why I was nearly dancing while waiting for him to hand me the white box marked “Fresh Seafood—Keep Refrigerated” that had been overnighted by Dave. He just didn’t understand why I was so excited about getting fish.
I hauled the box into the kitchen, announcing from the garage door that the “fish man” had arrived, and began opening the box with the first sharp object that landed in my hand. Hubby and son were a little surprised at the size of the box and began to help me get it and the interior styrofoam open. WooHoo!
I began shoveling package after package of naturally red (no dyes added) King salmon from the box. Then came the thick white slabs of halibut filets! We had no way of weighing it all but there was at least twenty pounds of beautiful, natural, naturally caught, vacuum-packaged, and flash frozen fish! This is as good as it gets in a land-locked state, folks.
As we piled our plates high with the baked wonder and added my home-made tartar sauce, we marveled at the beauty of the solid white flesh of the halibut and the moistness of the salmon.
I’ll bet I could write a pretty good erotic story about this experience and you’d never guess I was talking about Alaskan fish! Sorry to let you down—because I’m not going to do that—at least not here.
Recently I reconnected with an old friend from elementary school through a names database. We graduated from high school together and then lost touch. We’ve exchanged information about our classmates, and I made sure to give him contact info for the committee that puts on the reunions, the ones he’s never made it to.
Anyway, it seems that my long-lost friend Dave resides in Anchorage, AK, and is an avid fisherman. In the course of getting to know one another again, I mentioned (heartily berated, is more like it) the fact that edible (read “fresh”) fish is/was non-existent here. And life as a fish-eater wasn’t any better during the ten years we lived in TN.
Dave offered to send me all of the Alaskan halibut and King salmon he had in his freezer!
Last Saturday our UPS delivery driver didn’t understand why I was so happy to see him, nor why I was nearly dancing while waiting for him to hand me the white box marked “Fresh Seafood—Keep Refrigerated” that had been overnighted by Dave. He just didn’t understand why I was so excited about getting fish.
I hauled the box into the kitchen, announcing from the garage door that the “fish man” had arrived, and began opening the box with the first sharp object that landed in my hand. Hubby and son were a little surprised at the size of the box and began to help me get it and the interior styrofoam open. WooHoo!
I began shoveling package after package of naturally red (no dyes added) King salmon from the box. Then came the thick white slabs of halibut filets! We had no way of weighing it all but there was at least twenty pounds of beautiful, natural, naturally caught, vacuum-packaged, and flash frozen fish! This is as good as it gets in a land-locked state, folks.
As we piled our plates high with the baked wonder and added my home-made tartar sauce, we marveled at the beauty of the solid white flesh of the halibut and the moistness of the salmon.
I’ll bet I could write a pretty good erotic story about this experience and you’d never guess I was talking about Alaskan fish! Sorry to let you down—because I’m not going to do that—at least not here.
December 19, 2006
An Update and Merry Christmas
It’s been a busy time! I’ve been writing in between taking care of sick kids and grandkids—and myself—after mothering them back to health.
While in Louisville to help out with the kidlets I was able to attend the holiday party for the Jefferson County foster kids. What a great time! Lots of food, lots of gifts, and lots of smiles! There were about 350 smiling and laughing folks packed into the venue and a multitude of volunteers—some of them dressed as elves.
If you’ve been reading this blog, you know I’ve been doing some copywriting for the Jefferson County Foster Care/Adoption Association. There are many, many groups, companies, and individuals to thank for making the holiday party happen. We’ll be getting those “Thank Yous” out ASAP.
I moderated the annual “Get Organized/Set Those Goals!” chat and a delightful interview with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett (www.penonfire.com) at The Writer’s Chatroom (http://writerschatroom.com) this month. An article about setting goals, written by me, will appear in the first-ever newsletter sent out by TWC next week.
On January 7th at 2:00 PM EST I will be interviewing Oscar-winning screenwriter Diana Ossana (Brokeback Mountain) at TWC. Diana will be starting us off in the New Year with our new format and time. I can’t wait to “meet” her. Check out the schedule page for a complete bio and more information about the chat. Y’all are welcome to attend.
May you and yours have a most Merry Christmas and may all your dreams come to fruition in the New Year!
Linda
www.lindajhutchinson.com
While in Louisville to help out with the kidlets I was able to attend the holiday party for the Jefferson County foster kids. What a great time! Lots of food, lots of gifts, and lots of smiles! There were about 350 smiling and laughing folks packed into the venue and a multitude of volunteers—some of them dressed as elves.
If you’ve been reading this blog, you know I’ve been doing some copywriting for the Jefferson County Foster Care/Adoption Association. There are many, many groups, companies, and individuals to thank for making the holiday party happen. We’ll be getting those “Thank Yous” out ASAP.
I moderated the annual “Get Organized/Set Those Goals!” chat and a delightful interview with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett (www.penonfire.com) at The Writer’s Chatroom (http://writerschatroom.com) this month. An article about setting goals, written by me, will appear in the first-ever newsletter sent out by TWC next week.
On January 7th at 2:00 PM EST I will be interviewing Oscar-winning screenwriter Diana Ossana (Brokeback Mountain) at TWC. Diana will be starting us off in the New Year with our new format and time. I can’t wait to “meet” her. Check out the schedule page for a complete bio and more information about the chat. Y’all are welcome to attend.
May you and yours have a most Merry Christmas and may all your dreams come to fruition in the New Year!
Linda
www.lindajhutchinson.com
October 24, 2006
Foster Kids, Love, and the Holiday Season
Last year--twenty-five years after first meeting my own beautiful foster child--I got a note from her: "I love you. You have been a huge role model for me and I feel that I would not be where I am today without you. Happy Mother's Day."
I do a lot of writing. Some of it helps pay the bills and some of it comes from the heart. Following is an example of writing from the heart and this is a program I believe in.
Please share this letter, and let this committee know you believe in what they're doing. This is but a small part of what they do, but will have a huge impact on young lives this Holiday Season.
(And, yes, the president of JCFCAA is my daughter. This is one family tradition I'm quite proud of.)
Linda
JEFFERSON COUNTY FOSTER CARE / ADOPTION ASSOCIATION
908 W. Broadway 8W
Louisville, KY 40203
Dear Supporter,
The Holiday Season—a time of merriment and joy for most—will soon be upon us. With your help, approximately 350 local children—children who can’t be with their biological families through no fault of their own—will be able to experience just a little bit of that Holiday Season splendor that most of us take for granted.
With your help, the Jefferson County Foster Care/Adoption Association will host a holiday celebration for the babies, pre-schoolers, adolescents, and teenagers in the foster care system right here in Louisville/Jefferson County.
Some of our children have been abused. Some, merely neglected. Some have been used as ashtrays, punching bags, and worse, often by their own family members. The innocent children in the foster care system come to us in daylight or the middle of the night, scared, alone in the world, sometimes torn from those they love and sometimes abandoned, and most often—terrified that this new place they’ve been taken to by total strangers will be worse than where they just came from. Their scars may or may not be visible.
As foster parents, we open our homes and hearts to these precious children who need us, who need love and nourishment and security. But our individual foster family budgets are already stretched to the limits just taking care of everyday needs. That’s why we’re asking you for your help.
Our special needs at this time are:
• Funds to purchase gifts
• Toys and games for approximately 350 gifts
• Holiday decorations / table center pieces
• Gift bags, bows, ribbon, tape, etc.
• Companies to support “$1 Jean Day” events
• Companies to organize gift collection sites
• Gift certificates and Door Prizes for Parents (on the childrens’ behalf)
• Volunteers
You have the power to bring the magic of the holiday season into these children’s lives. Thank you for letting them know they are special and for giving them something to believe in.
YOUR DONATION IS OUR BUDGET. We are a small organization—one made up of foster and adoptive parents. You can make an impact in a child’s life today!
Please make checks payable to Jefferson County Foster / Adoption Association and send to the attention of Chela Miller at the address listed above. We will need to receive your gift of love prior to November 25th.
Please call and let us know how you can help. Our contact information is below:
Chela Miller, VP and Co-chair chela@insightbb.com 502.333.0450
Wanda Holt, Co-chair wandah@pcclouisville.com 502.584.0201 ext 125
Raylene Browne, President raylenebrowne@yahoo.com 502.295.5026
All donations are greatly appreciated! Thank you for taking the time to touch a child’s life today.
Sincerely,
Raylene Browne
President, JCFCAA
I do a lot of writing. Some of it helps pay the bills and some of it comes from the heart. Following is an example of writing from the heart and this is a program I believe in.
Please share this letter, and let this committee know you believe in what they're doing. This is but a small part of what they do, but will have a huge impact on young lives this Holiday Season.
(And, yes, the president of JCFCAA is my daughter. This is one family tradition I'm quite proud of.)
Linda
JEFFERSON COUNTY FOSTER CARE / ADOPTION ASSOCIATION
908 W. Broadway 8W
Louisville, KY 40203
Dear Supporter,
The Holiday Season—a time of merriment and joy for most—will soon be upon us. With your help, approximately 350 local children—children who can’t be with their biological families through no fault of their own—will be able to experience just a little bit of that Holiday Season splendor that most of us take for granted.
With your help, the Jefferson County Foster Care/Adoption Association will host a holiday celebration for the babies, pre-schoolers, adolescents, and teenagers in the foster care system right here in Louisville/Jefferson County.
Some of our children have been abused. Some, merely neglected. Some have been used as ashtrays, punching bags, and worse, often by their own family members. The innocent children in the foster care system come to us in daylight or the middle of the night, scared, alone in the world, sometimes torn from those they love and sometimes abandoned, and most often—terrified that this new place they’ve been taken to by total strangers will be worse than where they just came from. Their scars may or may not be visible.
As foster parents, we open our homes and hearts to these precious children who need us, who need love and nourishment and security. But our individual foster family budgets are already stretched to the limits just taking care of everyday needs. That’s why we’re asking you for your help.
Our special needs at this time are:
• Funds to purchase gifts
• Toys and games for approximately 350 gifts
• Holiday decorations / table center pieces
• Gift bags, bows, ribbon, tape, etc.
• Companies to support “$1 Jean Day” events
• Companies to organize gift collection sites
• Gift certificates and Door Prizes for Parents (on the childrens’ behalf)
• Volunteers
You have the power to bring the magic of the holiday season into these children’s lives. Thank you for letting them know they are special and for giving them something to believe in.
YOUR DONATION IS OUR BUDGET. We are a small organization—one made up of foster and adoptive parents. You can make an impact in a child’s life today!
Please make checks payable to Jefferson County Foster / Adoption Association and send to the attention of Chela Miller at the address listed above. We will need to receive your gift of love prior to November 25th.
Please call and let us know how you can help. Our contact information is below:
Chela Miller, VP and Co-chair chela@insightbb.com 502.333.0450
Wanda Holt, Co-chair wandah@pcclouisville.com 502.584.0201 ext 125
Raylene Browne, President raylenebrowne@yahoo.com 502.295.5026
All donations are greatly appreciated! Thank you for taking the time to touch a child’s life today.
Sincerely,
Raylene Browne
President, JCFCAA
October 17, 2006
I'm Not Usually Envious ...
I’m not usually prone to envy or jealousy. However, my friend Lee (Alys Leann—pronounced A-leece’—which is why she doesn’t use that name because people then call her Alice) sent me an email last week …
She told me all about her new digs and that she was getting settled in, and then happened to mention she’d be out of town for about four days because she and her daughter were headed to Lincoln City, OR. She lives in Tacoma, WA. It’s a nice drive.
For those lucky enough to live in God’s country—which is the rainy side of Washington (where I’m from) and Oregon—I don’t need to explain anything.
Okay, I was a little envious at that point, knowing she’d be doing some very neat stuff in a very neat place for four days, in the company of her very entertaining, highly intelligent, and enlightened daughter.
Yesterday, as I sat at my computer, here in land-locked Columbus, OH—Ohio has NO natural lakes within it (or any hope of the smell of saltwater)—while pounding out a re-write/update for one of my editors with a 1:00 drop-dead deadline, and while eating a canned salmon/cream cheese spread on snack crackers, I glanced at my email and saw that I’d received another email from Lee:
“We’re back. Did some whale watching at Depoe Bay. Slept late, ate, did some shopping in neat places, bought some interesting items. Lincoln City hasn’t spread out as much as I thought it would. Had a good time.”
Thankfully she didn’t give me details about the quaint little shops they'd visited; the ones with all the “beachy” stuff and magnificent artwork. She didn't describe how the pod of whales played as the waves splashed and crashed upon the rocks, spraying a fine mist upon them as they stood in the sunshine watching. And she didn’t mention WHAT they ate!
Did I mention what I was eating at the time—me, someone who grew up on fresh salmon, halibut and trout, sturgeon, ling cod, crab, clams, and shrimp? ("No, thank you" on the haddock, pollock, whiting, or ((UGH!)) muddy catfish available here!)
I looked sadly upon my little bowl of canned salmon spread. Even with the fake liquid smoke added, it suddenly wasn’t very appealing.
I yearn for fresh fish and seafood! I’m green with envy that Lee and Kristen ate at those “on the dock” restaurants! I just know they had Pacific Northwest-style fish and chips (probably halibut), with tartar sauce made with dill pickles—and NO anchovy paste as filler. I just know they did.
Okay, it’s a good thing my favorite color is green.
She told me all about her new digs and that she was getting settled in, and then happened to mention she’d be out of town for about four days because she and her daughter were headed to Lincoln City, OR. She lives in Tacoma, WA. It’s a nice drive.
For those lucky enough to live in God’s country—which is the rainy side of Washington (where I’m from) and Oregon—I don’t need to explain anything.
Okay, I was a little envious at that point, knowing she’d be doing some very neat stuff in a very neat place for four days, in the company of her very entertaining, highly intelligent, and enlightened daughter.
Yesterday, as I sat at my computer, here in land-locked Columbus, OH—Ohio has NO natural lakes within it (or any hope of the smell of saltwater)—while pounding out a re-write/update for one of my editors with a 1:00 drop-dead deadline, and while eating a canned salmon/cream cheese spread on snack crackers, I glanced at my email and saw that I’d received another email from Lee:
“We’re back. Did some whale watching at Depoe Bay. Slept late, ate, did some shopping in neat places, bought some interesting items. Lincoln City hasn’t spread out as much as I thought it would. Had a good time.”
Thankfully she didn’t give me details about the quaint little shops they'd visited; the ones with all the “beachy” stuff and magnificent artwork. She didn't describe how the pod of whales played as the waves splashed and crashed upon the rocks, spraying a fine mist upon them as they stood in the sunshine watching. And she didn’t mention WHAT they ate!
Did I mention what I was eating at the time—me, someone who grew up on fresh salmon, halibut and trout, sturgeon, ling cod, crab, clams, and shrimp? ("No, thank you" on the haddock, pollock, whiting, or ((UGH!)) muddy catfish available here!)
I looked sadly upon my little bowl of canned salmon spread. Even with the fake liquid smoke added, it suddenly wasn’t very appealing.
I yearn for fresh fish and seafood! I’m green with envy that Lee and Kristen ate at those “on the dock” restaurants! I just know they had Pacific Northwest-style fish and chips (probably halibut), with tartar sauce made with dill pickles—and NO anchovy paste as filler. I just know they did.
Okay, it’s a good thing my favorite color is green.
Some changes!
For several reasons, I've decided I don't need two "writer's" blogs. Besides I also have the review blog, and the blog and forum at The Writer's Chatroom.
So, from now on, this blog will be devoted to more personal "stuff".
Thank you for visiting!
Linda J. Hutchinson
www.lindajhutchinson.com
http://writerschatroom.com
http://reviewhutch.blogspot.com
So, from now on, this blog will be devoted to more personal "stuff".
Thank you for visiting!
Linda J. Hutchinson
www.lindajhutchinson.com
http://writerschatroom.com
http://reviewhutch.blogspot.com
August 16, 2006
Sometimes We're Right About Something
The following is from my friend and member of The Writer’s Chatroom, Ed Easley, who is also a writer. Ed spent many years in the newspaper business before dropping out to write and edit fiction. Being somewhat of a dinosaur about marketing—he still thought he had to send press releases and books for review through snail mail …
Well, we at The Writer’s Chatroom had heard enough of his whining about lack of responses to all of his hard work, not to mention the expense. We’d talked to him repeatedly about a Web presence. He didn’t believe it was worth the effort at first. So, during an International chat one Friday I typed in, “Be right back”.
I bounced back into the chat from time to time for the next 10 to 15 minutes and then went back in to tell Ed he had been ambushed and now had his own blog. http://edeasley.blogspot.com I told him to give it about three weeks before he’d see any real responses. Who knew he had a lovely Webpage on his publisher’s site? I did—which is where I zapped that cute picture of him and his beard. Very few others did, it seems.
Anyhow, Ed started adding his publisher’s web addy and his new blog addy to every email he sent out—and every snail mail letter. Three weeks later, again at a chat, Ed reported that Audrey, Renee, and I had been right all along and he should have listened to us. We love hearing that we’re right about something once in awhile!
Web presence is something we preach religiously to all writers. I received the following from Ed today.
Please bear in mind that he writes humor (and has a girlfriend—just thought I’d throw that in):
August 16, 2006
Some time has passed. I’d poked my head into the site regularly, hoping comments to magically appear. They hadn’t. I figured I’d been right all along -- Web publishing was a worthless form of marketing.
I mean think about it; the Web is a really big place. Here I was, sitting in Washington state, expecting to have folks from all over the world magically find me over search engines. Right.
I’ve been to Reno. I’ve played the lottery. I live in Spokane, Wash., and still can’t drop a perfectly good house on my second ex-wife. Not even a used RV. The odds just plain suck. (Sorry to all you folks in Mississippi. Yep, all those trailers sitting on the Delta were mine. Target practice.)
So I whined to Linda. She showed me how to update the page. It turns out that lots of people wrote. They opened up the nuthouse gates, and well, I guess I run the lemonade stand.
You can read some of them at http://edeasley.blogspot.com/ . The best stuff has been the material about the two ex-cons who have been writing me. You meet all kinds of people in cyberspace. These guys just look at the pictures in my book. Pretty as I am, I had trouble getting a date for the prom.
They’d have taken me, if they’d been able to get work release. I’ll let you know when the wedding is, and where we are registered. I suspect it will be on a Sunday, that’s usually when they have visiting day up at Walla Walla’s state prison. (Yes, one of them is from Walla Walla -- just down the road from Spokane. He's the one due for parole in six months.)
I suspect there will be more interesting people who stop by my site. Linda gets all the nice folks. Folks you'd take home to Mom. All the weirdos write me. Go figure.
Y’all are welcome at my place. In fact, there’s a button you can push and write my publisher. How do you think he found me? You can find him to complain at http://www.cloonfadpress.com . I’ll keep you posted. I have a wedding to plan. --Ed
Well, we at The Writer’s Chatroom had heard enough of his whining about lack of responses to all of his hard work, not to mention the expense. We’d talked to him repeatedly about a Web presence. He didn’t believe it was worth the effort at first. So, during an International chat one Friday I typed in, “Be right back”.
I bounced back into the chat from time to time for the next 10 to 15 minutes and then went back in to tell Ed he had been ambushed and now had his own blog. http://edeasley.blogspot.com I told him to give it about three weeks before he’d see any real responses. Who knew he had a lovely Webpage on his publisher’s site? I did—which is where I zapped that cute picture of him and his beard. Very few others did, it seems.
Anyhow, Ed started adding his publisher’s web addy and his new blog addy to every email he sent out—and every snail mail letter. Three weeks later, again at a chat, Ed reported that Audrey, Renee, and I had been right all along and he should have listened to us. We love hearing that we’re right about something once in awhile!
Web presence is something we preach religiously to all writers. I received the following from Ed today.
Please bear in mind that he writes humor (and has a girlfriend—just thought I’d throw that in):
August 16, 2006
Some time has passed. I’d poked my head into the site regularly, hoping comments to magically appear. They hadn’t. I figured I’d been right all along -- Web publishing was a worthless form of marketing.
I mean think about it; the Web is a really big place. Here I was, sitting in Washington state, expecting to have folks from all over the world magically find me over search engines. Right.
I’ve been to Reno. I’ve played the lottery. I live in Spokane, Wash., and still can’t drop a perfectly good house on my second ex-wife. Not even a used RV. The odds just plain suck. (Sorry to all you folks in Mississippi. Yep, all those trailers sitting on the Delta were mine. Target practice.)
So I whined to Linda. She showed me how to update the page. It turns out that lots of people wrote. They opened up the nuthouse gates, and well, I guess I run the lemonade stand.
You can read some of them at http://edeasley.blogspot.com/ . The best stuff has been the material about the two ex-cons who have been writing me. You meet all kinds of people in cyberspace. These guys just look at the pictures in my book. Pretty as I am, I had trouble getting a date for the prom.
They’d have taken me, if they’d been able to get work release. I’ll let you know when the wedding is, and where we are registered. I suspect it will be on a Sunday, that’s usually when they have visiting day up at Walla Walla’s state prison. (Yes, one of them is from Walla Walla -- just down the road from Spokane. He's the one due for parole in six months.)
I suspect there will be more interesting people who stop by my site. Linda gets all the nice folks. Folks you'd take home to Mom. All the weirdos write me. Go figure.
Y’all are welcome at my place. In fact, there’s a button you can push and write my publisher. How do you think he found me? You can find him to complain at http://www.cloonfadpress.com . I’ll keep you posted. I have a wedding to plan. --Ed
August 07, 2006
Lifestyle Changes and Writing
A few simple changes to your lifestyle and writing is the first thing to get swept from your schedule.
Take my recent hospitalization—seven days of being waited on hand and foot, with round the clock care and food to die for (literally)—and they objected to my switching the oxygen meter from my index finger to my toe so I could type on my laptop. Who can type without using their index finger? “They” also didn’t want me to keep the laptop in my room overnight for fear it might be stolen. Hmmm. No writing got done. A total waste of that wonderful wireless internet system they provided. (Of course, this was after the fifth day there because I don’t remember much about the first four days.)
A little over a week after my vacation at Riverside Medical Center, we closed on our new home and started moving. With three men in the house it was imperative we find the kitchen first. Then, and if you’ve ever raised boys you know, the next rooms to settle were the bathrooms. Find the deodorant! Find the shavers! Find the towels!
And THEN it was time to set up the desks and computers. Obviously, no writing got done. But then the “new” dial-up we’re now stuck with—at least in the short term—is so unpredictable I’m still not sure if what I send ever “goes” anywhere anyway. Can’t wait to attempt to send or receive large graphics files … My editors are going to love this!
Life isn’t so bad though. Hubby spent this past weekend building a new work/office center in our den. He started with maple doors removed from a house soon to be demolished on his new building site. We now have these fabulous new workstations that are not only so kitschy and clever they’ve transformed the space into total "chic”, but several issues which had been bothering me have been solved.
Wire management is in place—and hidden from view. My desk clutter—as soon as I find my desktop again—will be hidden from view from anywhere else in the house. We’ve removed all the old mis-matched office furniture and installed two thirteen-foot long bookshelves above the new space to hold my beloved books and other writerly "stuff".
“HE” has a separated space on the other side of the room—facing the other direction—where he can work to his heart’s content while I write.
Hmmm. But it seems the only writing I’ve gotten done so far is this blog entry …
Take my recent hospitalization—seven days of being waited on hand and foot, with round the clock care and food to die for (literally)—and they objected to my switching the oxygen meter from my index finger to my toe so I could type on my laptop. Who can type without using their index finger? “They” also didn’t want me to keep the laptop in my room overnight for fear it might be stolen. Hmmm. No writing got done. A total waste of that wonderful wireless internet system they provided. (Of course, this was after the fifth day there because I don’t remember much about the first four days.)
A little over a week after my vacation at Riverside Medical Center, we closed on our new home and started moving. With three men in the house it was imperative we find the kitchen first. Then, and if you’ve ever raised boys you know, the next rooms to settle were the bathrooms. Find the deodorant! Find the shavers! Find the towels!
And THEN it was time to set up the desks and computers. Obviously, no writing got done. But then the “new” dial-up we’re now stuck with—at least in the short term—is so unpredictable I’m still not sure if what I send ever “goes” anywhere anyway. Can’t wait to attempt to send or receive large graphics files … My editors are going to love this!
Life isn’t so bad though. Hubby spent this past weekend building a new work/office center in our den. He started with maple doors removed from a house soon to be demolished on his new building site. We now have these fabulous new workstations that are not only so kitschy and clever they’ve transformed the space into total "chic”, but several issues which had been bothering me have been solved.
Wire management is in place—and hidden from view. My desk clutter—as soon as I find my desktop again—will be hidden from view from anywhere else in the house. We’ve removed all the old mis-matched office furniture and installed two thirteen-foot long bookshelves above the new space to hold my beloved books and other writerly "stuff".
“HE” has a separated space on the other side of the room—facing the other direction—where he can work to his heart’s content while I write.
Hmmm. But it seems the only writing I’ve gotten done so far is this blog entry …
July 17, 2006
We're moving!
We're in the process of moving out of an apartment and into our new home. After living on a 10-acre gentleman's farm for ten years it's been tough living in an apartment for the past two years, and we're thrilled to be moving into a house again.
Our extended family (including our son, my "little" brother, and our one-eyed cat) will have plenty of room to roam.
Online service will be sketchy for the next few days, but we will check our emails when we can.
Our extended family (including our son, my "little" brother, and our one-eyed cat) will have plenty of room to roam.
Online service will be sketchy for the next few days, but we will check our emails when we can.
July 13, 2006
Free Writing Classes through Barnes & Noble
Free writing classes are now available through http://university.barnesandnoble.com/index.asp?z=y"Barnes & Noble University® is home to some of the best and most varied educational content on the Internet. Dozens of courses and reading groups are offered every month, each taught by an expert in the field, often a bestselling author.Our courses and reading groups operate on the easy-to-use Barnes & Noble University Message Boards, which offer around-the-clock learning and exploration. And they're FREE! Browse our latest offering, and enroll today."Choose a signin, choose your course(s), start learning!
July 08, 2006
Chat With Author J. Thomas Callahan
On Wednesday, July 12th, 2006 at 10 PM Eastern US, I will be interviewing author J. Thomas Callahan:
Where: http://writerschatroom.com
J. Thomas Callahan is a probation officer in Arizona and a former police officer and corporate security manager. With a career spanning more than twenty-five years in the criminal justice field, he has extensive training and experience in dealing with almost every type of crime and offender. He has a Bachelor’s of Science in Criminal Justice from Georgia State University and a Master’s of Public Administration from Arizona State University.
He is the author of three novels; psychosexual crime dramas Vengeance by Proxy and Reflection of Justice of the Clint Wells Detective Series penned under the nom de plume of J. Thomas Callahan, and one science fiction novel, A Different World: 1961, penned under Jerome T. Callahan, Jr.
Where: http://writerschatroom.com
J. Thomas Callahan is a probation officer in Arizona and a former police officer and corporate security manager. With a career spanning more than twenty-five years in the criminal justice field, he has extensive training and experience in dealing with almost every type of crime and offender. He has a Bachelor’s of Science in Criminal Justice from Georgia State University and a Master’s of Public Administration from Arizona State University.
He is the author of three novels; psychosexual crime dramas Vengeance by Proxy and Reflection of Justice of the Clint Wells Detective Series penned under the nom de plume of J. Thomas Callahan, and one science fiction novel, A Different World: 1961, penned under Jerome T. Callahan, Jr.
July 05, 2006
Back from the Brink & Home from the Hospital
I got home from the hospital today, after a seven-day stay. I’m better, but still have a ways to go in the ‘getting well’ department.
It all started with a couple of months of complaining to my Ear/Nose/Throat doctor about headaches and dizziness following an ear infection. He finally ordered an MRI of my head and put me on antibiotics.
The MRI showed I had mastoiditis, which is an infection in a part of the temporal bone, which is a bone in the skull—a left-over from the ear infection. After taking the antibiotics for a week I was twice as ill as I had been the week before. When my temperature shot to 102.7 we headed for the emergency room.
After 20 minutes in the ER we were advised I wouldn’t be leaving anytime soon, and besides the mastoiditis I was already being treated for viral meningitis and most likely had pneumonia too. I definitely had the meningitis headache.
Over the course of the last week my fever has spiked to over 103 twice, over 104 twice, and over 105 twice. I discovered one can experience a heady out-of-body experience during a 105.4 fever spike. I especially liked being packed in ice and used for a pin cusion. I’ve had so many IV’s my veins will now open on request and insert that little plastic tube for you if you show the right medical credentials.
We had a couple of other scares when, first, I “lost” oxygen. I “awoke” at one point to find six nurses standing over me calling my name. Seems my oxygen level had reached “0”. They managed to get my O2 level up to a reasonable 93% about the time my blood pressure started falling. Fortunately, my blood pressure is normally very low, so the climb back to what is normal for me didn’t take much. Yeah, that’s easy to say now!
I’m still facing surgery for the mastoid problem, but that will have to wait until all of the pneumonia is out of my system. Needless to say, I’ve found a new ENT.
I’ll be back to writing in the next couple of days, hopefully. Until then, please say a prayer for us, if you’re so inclined.
It all started with a couple of months of complaining to my Ear/Nose/Throat doctor about headaches and dizziness following an ear infection. He finally ordered an MRI of my head and put me on antibiotics.
The MRI showed I had mastoiditis, which is an infection in a part of the temporal bone, which is a bone in the skull—a left-over from the ear infection. After taking the antibiotics for a week I was twice as ill as I had been the week before. When my temperature shot to 102.7 we headed for the emergency room.
After 20 minutes in the ER we were advised I wouldn’t be leaving anytime soon, and besides the mastoiditis I was already being treated for viral meningitis and most likely had pneumonia too. I definitely had the meningitis headache.
Over the course of the last week my fever has spiked to over 103 twice, over 104 twice, and over 105 twice. I discovered one can experience a heady out-of-body experience during a 105.4 fever spike. I especially liked being packed in ice and used for a pin cusion. I’ve had so many IV’s my veins will now open on request and insert that little plastic tube for you if you show the right medical credentials.
We had a couple of other scares when, first, I “lost” oxygen. I “awoke” at one point to find six nurses standing over me calling my name. Seems my oxygen level had reached “0”. They managed to get my O2 level up to a reasonable 93% about the time my blood pressure started falling. Fortunately, my blood pressure is normally very low, so the climb back to what is normal for me didn’t take much. Yeah, that’s easy to say now!
I’m still facing surgery for the mastoid problem, but that will have to wait until all of the pneumonia is out of my system. Needless to say, I’ve found a new ENT.
I’ll be back to writing in the next couple of days, hopefully. Until then, please say a prayer for us, if you’re so inclined.
June 25, 2006
New Photo for the Website
As we've been house-hunting for the past several weeks while living in temporary quarters here in Columbus, OH, I'm reminded of certain elements at our little farm in TN. One of the things I miss the most, aside from not having neighbors over my head, is the hot tub room.
During one of our more lucid remodeling moments, we designed and built a room that resembles being at the ocean. We cut a hole in the middle of the floor and plopped the hot tub in, sheetrocked the rafters--leaving the joists exposed as an arbor--and put a mural of a tropical beach scene on one wall. I painted the ceiling to appear as a stormy sunset or a serene sunrise, depending on which lighting was used.
This picture takes me back there.
We're getting closer to finding our next dream digs. We've actually put an offer in on a house about 9 miles from where we're living now. We'll know next week if the offer has been accepted.
Our son and my brother, who both reside at our "bed and breakfast" when they're not out in their big rigs, went with us to take another look at the property last night. They're already dreaming of 4-wheeling at the back of the property. Michael has already built his 20 x 40 "workshop" in his head. I'm dreaming about cream colored walls and custom crown mould. (It sure will be nice to dig out my table saw, compound mitre radial arm saw, compressor, and nail guns again.)
My thoughts run to sitting on the covered back patio with my laptop; very conducive to finally finishing my novel.
June 17, 2006
A "Link Share" Chat For Writers
Are you a writer--or have you thought about becoming a writer?
Join us at The Writer's Chatroom Sunday, June 18th, at 8 PM Eastern USA time to share helpful links. Renee' Barnes of The Trailer Park Gazette fame will be our moderator.
Link Share Chat:
Bring your favorite tasty chocolate treat (writers thrive on chocolate), a good notepad & pencil, and your favorite writing links. Join us as we learn what sites have been most helpful to others.
Anything writing related is acceptable. Remember, if you find it helpful, others probably will too.
Examples:
Dictionary/Thesaurus
Research sites
Online libraries
Prompt sites
News sites
Free or inexpensive courses and classes
Grammar check Sites
Auto critique Sites
Contests or Markets
Inspirational Blogs
E-zines
and more....(anything you've found helpful in your writing career).
Bring your best! Prepare to be surprised! Expect to find something that blows your mind!
Guests for chats in the near future will be: Mary Roach, Stephen Spignesi, Hope Clark, J. Thomas Callahan, Tim Bete, and The Renegade Writer (Linda Formichelli and Diana Burrell). Check out the schedule page at http://writerschatroom.com for a complete listing.
Join us at The Writer's Chatroom Sunday, June 18th, at 8 PM Eastern USA time to share helpful links. Renee' Barnes of The Trailer Park Gazette fame will be our moderator.
Link Share Chat:
Bring your favorite tasty chocolate treat (writers thrive on chocolate), a good notepad & pencil, and your favorite writing links. Join us as we learn what sites have been most helpful to others.
Anything writing related is acceptable. Remember, if you find it helpful, others probably will too.
Examples:
Dictionary/Thesaurus
Research sites
Online libraries
Prompt sites
News sites
Free or inexpensive courses and classes
Grammar check Sites
Auto critique Sites
Contests or Markets
Inspirational Blogs
E-zines
and more....(anything you've found helpful in your writing career).
Bring your best! Prepare to be surprised! Expect to find something that blows your mind!
Guests for chats in the near future will be: Mary Roach, Stephen Spignesi, Hope Clark, J. Thomas Callahan, Tim Bete, and The Renegade Writer (Linda Formichelli and Diana Burrell). Check out the schedule page at http://writerschatroom.com for a complete listing.
June 14, 2006
Chat With Author Patrick Ryan Tonight
Join us for a regularly scheduled chat with guest author Patrick Ryan tonight at The Writer's Chatroom.
Patrick Ryan's first book, Send Me, was published in February by the Dial Press, and was chosen by Barnes & Noble for their "Discover New Writers" series.
His work will be included in the upcoming Best American Short Stories 2006. He is the recipient of a 2006 Literary Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Smart Family Foundation Prize for Fiction.
His stories have appeared in The Iowa Review, The Yale Review, One Story, Ontario Review, and elsewhere. He lives in New York City.
The place: The Writer's Chatroom
The time: 10 PM Eastern US
Select "enter chatroom" and choose a sign-on name. The case-sensitive password for tonight's chat is: sendme
I will be interviewing Patrick and also taking questions from the room.
Patrick has donated an autographed copy of Send Me to be awarded to one lucky chatter midway through tonight's chat. You must be present to win.
Patrick Ryan's first book, Send Me, was published in February by the Dial Press, and was chosen by Barnes & Noble for their "Discover New Writers" series.
His work will be included in the upcoming Best American Short Stories 2006. He is the recipient of a 2006 Literary Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Smart Family Foundation Prize for Fiction.
His stories have appeared in The Iowa Review, The Yale Review, One Story, Ontario Review, and elsewhere. He lives in New York City.
The place: The Writer's Chatroom
The time: 10 PM Eastern US
Select "enter chatroom" and choose a sign-on name. The case-sensitive password for tonight's chat is: sendme
I will be interviewing Patrick and also taking questions from the room.
Patrick has donated an autographed copy of Send Me to be awarded to one lucky chatter midway through tonight's chat. You must be present to win.
June 06, 2006
My Article as Teaching Aid
In late March I wrote an article for Construction Equipment Guide about the AK Steel Strike in Middletown, OH. It had been assigned by my editor.
If you’ve been reading my blog you know I’m a regular correspondent for CEG. You also know the story was written while I was in Louisville, KY, attending to the birth of our newest granddaughter.
Teacher Chad Murphy is using my article to teach students how to get involved, negotiate, work as a committee, and solve problems.
You may view his teaching model at my writer's blog.
If you’ve been reading my blog you know I’m a regular correspondent for CEG. You also know the story was written while I was in Louisville, KY, attending to the birth of our newest granddaughter.
Teacher Chad Murphy is using my article to teach students how to get involved, negotiate, work as a committee, and solve problems.
You may view his teaching model at my writer's blog.
May 23, 2006
Sleep Apnea and Congestive Heart Failure
Denise Hartman is a web designer in Michigan. I would never have known that if I hadn’t blogged for SeniorWeblogs last year.
Yesterday, I received an unsolicited email from her. The email ended up in my bulk folder and was nearly deleted as spam. It would have been IF the subject line hadn’t been so carefully crafted to appeal to me.
Denise lost her mother last month. Her mother died from congestive heart failure, recovery impeded by a condition known as sleep apnea.
She wrote to me in response to the following blog entry:
Friday, November 04, 2005
Sleep Apnea Comments? Please!...
Posted at 7:44 AM
Category: Health
The doctors have told me I have obstructive sleep apnea and that I'm not getting enough oxygen because of it. My husband has told me I stop breathing when I'm sleeping. Week before last while in Nashville with my son he said "Mom, do you know you stop breathing, and then cough, and then start breathing again when you're sleeping?". I get it! Nothing new here. I was born with allergies.
I have great respect for my doctor, which is why as we travel around Ohio while hubby builds Walgreen’s stores, I continue to drive to Troy to see the same one. I still see the same allergist/surgeon this doctor recommended. For a couple of weeks I saw a local doctor—only for allergy shots—with the serum provided by the Troy allergist. My arm hurt for a week after the shots and I had welts and bruising. I’m no longer trusting her to give me the shots. It IS about trust.
And now, this most trusted and respected doctor has informed me that if I don’t use the C-PAP breathing machine (note that it only blows room air, not oxygen) I not only may, but probably will, be facing congestive heart failure. He explained all of this thoroughly on Wednesday, stressing that a lack of oxygen doesn’t do much damage to the lungs, but affects the heart in terrible ways.
Still, I can't make myself believe I will sleep any better by wearing a fighter pilot's mask that shoves air in my face, while trying to sleep on my stomach--which is the only way I can sleep. And I’ve been told (duh!) it is the lack of sleep that makes me feel tired all the time. Oy!
IF ANY OF YOU DEAR READERS have sleep apnea and/or use a breathing machine at night, please leave a comment here or contact me at Linda@lindajhutchinson.com and let me know if you think it helps or not.. Obviously, my decision on this issue could mean the difference between life and death.
This is what Denise wrote in her email:
Linda,
I read your health blog and thought you would be interested in my story. You requested information on your site. I am a designer living in Michigan. I just went through the experience with my mother in Florida about a month ago. It disturbs me that the health care professionals at the hospital she was in were not aware of the link between sleep apnea in congestive heart failure patients. After my mother's death I found many articles online stating that this was a problem, that 50% of congestive heart failure patients have sleep apnea, but only 5% are ever diagnosed or treated for it and many doctors think that CPAP lowers the morbidity rate in CHF patients.
I am trying to get the info out, for the next person who has this problem.
I have created a web page chronicling the events of her death. I did this because I watched her die and it seemed to me that undiagnosed and untreated central sleep apnea played a role. Please visit -- Denise's Sleep Apnea Site for the whole story.
Thanks,
Denise
No, Denise. Thank you! This was a wake-up call for me and I am re-considering my stance on that breathing machine only because you took the time to contact me, a complete stranger. I have a doctor’s appointment today.
Yesterday, I received an unsolicited email from her. The email ended up in my bulk folder and was nearly deleted as spam. It would have been IF the subject line hadn’t been so carefully crafted to appeal to me.
Denise lost her mother last month. Her mother died from congestive heart failure, recovery impeded by a condition known as sleep apnea.
She wrote to me in response to the following blog entry:
Friday, November 04, 2005
Sleep Apnea Comments? Please!...
Posted at 7:44 AM
Category: Health
The doctors have told me I have obstructive sleep apnea and that I'm not getting enough oxygen because of it. My husband has told me I stop breathing when I'm sleeping. Week before last while in Nashville with my son he said "Mom, do you know you stop breathing, and then cough, and then start breathing again when you're sleeping?". I get it! Nothing new here. I was born with allergies.
I have great respect for my doctor, which is why as we travel around Ohio while hubby builds Walgreen’s stores, I continue to drive to Troy to see the same one. I still see the same allergist/surgeon this doctor recommended. For a couple of weeks I saw a local doctor—only for allergy shots—with the serum provided by the Troy allergist. My arm hurt for a week after the shots and I had welts and bruising. I’m no longer trusting her to give me the shots. It IS about trust.
And now, this most trusted and respected doctor has informed me that if I don’t use the C-PAP breathing machine (note that it only blows room air, not oxygen) I not only may, but probably will, be facing congestive heart failure. He explained all of this thoroughly on Wednesday, stressing that a lack of oxygen doesn’t do much damage to the lungs, but affects the heart in terrible ways.
Still, I can't make myself believe I will sleep any better by wearing a fighter pilot's mask that shoves air in my face, while trying to sleep on my stomach--which is the only way I can sleep. And I’ve been told (duh!) it is the lack of sleep that makes me feel tired all the time. Oy!
IF ANY OF YOU DEAR READERS have sleep apnea and/or use a breathing machine at night, please leave a comment here or contact me at Linda@lindajhutchinson.com and let me know if you think it helps or not.. Obviously, my decision on this issue could mean the difference between life and death.
This is what Denise wrote in her email:
Linda,
I read your health blog and thought you would be interested in my story. You requested information on your site. I am a designer living in Michigan. I just went through the experience with my mother in Florida about a month ago. It disturbs me that the health care professionals at the hospital she was in were not aware of the link between sleep apnea in congestive heart failure patients. After my mother's death I found many articles online stating that this was a problem, that 50% of congestive heart failure patients have sleep apnea, but only 5% are ever diagnosed or treated for it and many doctors think that CPAP lowers the morbidity rate in CHF patients.
I am trying to get the info out, for the next person who has this problem.
I have created a web page chronicling the events of her death. I did this because I watched her die and it seemed to me that undiagnosed and untreated central sleep apnea played a role. Please visit -- Denise's Sleep Apnea Site for the whole story.
Thanks,
Denise
No, Denise. Thank you! This was a wake-up call for me and I am re-considering my stance on that breathing machine only because you took the time to contact me, a complete stranger. I have a doctor’s appointment today.
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