C. Margery Kempe's Blog: Lady Smut, page 201

Bad Boys and Guilty Pleasures by Gerri Brousseau

Hello dear readers.  I'm very excited that Susan has invited me to contribute on

Thursday as well as Saturday here at Nights of Passion.  Thank you, Susan.  I'm also excited because Thursday is the night my favorite show is on TV … "The Vampire Diaries."  Since I am intrigued with vampires, I have been watching it since it first started a few years ago, and I'm hooked.  If you have not seen it, I will catch you up.  It is the story of Elena Gilbert (human high school girl played by the lovely Nina Dobrev) who falls in love with Stefan Salvatore (a vampire).  Stefan, a very handsome guy (played by the attractive Paul Wesley), has a deliciously evil and devilishly handsome bother, Damon.  I'm in love with the character of Damon (played by the handsome Ian Somerhalder).  In my opinion, Damon is the most complex character in the series.  He's the bad boy who is reckless and impulsive and because he is also in love with his brother's girlfriend, the mortal Elena, he struggles to be a better man.

In watching the show, I had to wonder why it is that I'm always completely attracted to the bad boy, not only in a movie or television show, but also in my real life.  I have given this some serious thought and tried to recall when it was I first was drawn to the bad boy.  Was it in the kindergarten play ground?  Could it have been the hauntingly handsome Lestat?  Was it the handsome rake, Han Solo?  The innocent, but deadly Joe Black?  The cunning and charming Captain Jack Sparrow?  And the list goes on and on.  I asked myself, what is it about the bad boy so many women find so irresistible and attractive.  Is it the dangerous side of them that appeals to us?  Is it our desire to tame their wild side, or to live out our wild fantasy even if only for a 60 minute television show or a few hour movie?

As an author do you love to create these bad boys in your novels?  Personally, I adore the tormented immortal soul suffering to hold onto his last shred of humanity, when

by the very fact he is tortured and suffering is his humanity.  Do you find the bad boy attractive and irresistible?  If not … tell us who your shining hero is?

Vampire Diaries and Castle are the two television programs I am really fond of … and infact, admit they are my guilty pleasures.  What are your guilty pleasures …. if you dare to share.

Filed under: Bad Boys, romance

Writer's Tune Up

How do you Tune up your writing? You might be wondering what I mean by a "tune up" but think about everything else in your life. To keep yourself healthy you may eat a balanced diet, exercise and take vitamins. To take care of your finances you work and try your best to budget bills. To keep your car in good shape you maintain the tires, the engine, the transmission, etc. I truly could go on and on about everything we "tune up" or maintain in our lives. Really, it's astounding how much responsibility we take on and even more so as to how much more some of us could afford to take on. But I digress. The point I'm trying to make is why would writing be any different?

Writing like anything else in our lives needs to be maintained in an ongoing manner. And like anything else we maintain, we do it in stages. You wouldn't but braces on a one-year-old because most likely he or she wouldn't have all her teeth and any teeth he or she did have would be baby teeth. It's just as likely you wouldn't hand a book or article on dissecting complex plots to a newbie writer. Quite frankly, you might scare them away from the profession as plots can be fairly intimidating. Everything has its appropriate time which at times can be frustrating; in many cases, we are ready to run before we can walk.

So where do we start? That depends on you and where you are in your writing. I can say from experience that most new writers, including myself, tend to struggle with overuse of –ing verbs, show versus tell and deep pov. Google is a writer's best friend when looking for help in these areas. This particular link will take you to one article I've found helpful for deep pov:

http://www.hbarwa.com/MemberArticles/DeepPointofView.htm

Next stage (although it always can vary) is usually in regards to character emotions and development. I personally believe this to be a really long stage and I'm not really sure it ever ends as our characters can always be more dynamic. Ann Hood's Creating Character Emotions has always been a huge help and although it's silly to admit, I gain my best understanding of my characters by acting them out aloud (of course when no one else is home!).

Beyond characters, I believe writers get much more complex in their differences. I personally am working on my plots now and understanding their complexities and how they connect to the themes of my books. I'm researching this through several books by James Scott Bell and others by Donald Maass. This doesn't mean I've perfected the deep pov, the show versus tell , the –ing verbs or my characters. Anyone who has critiqued me could clearly point out that I haven't. But I do realize this process of writing is a cycle and I also realize that with time, all my "tune ups" have made me a better writer. What about you? How have you changed? What's your current "tune up" project?

Filed under: Characters, Toni Kelly, Writer's Life, Writing Topics

The Romance of Body Language by Debralee Mede

A majority of communication is done in silence. Even if you know the smoothest of smooth-talkers or someone who can turn a phrase with the best of them, it is really the way he or she can raise their eyebrow, twitch their  lips or wink that will convey more than can be stated in one paragraph.  What is said is often very different from what is done and the romance of body language is the subtlest version of the language of love.  Years of research has gone into studying gestures especially in the enticing dance of courtship.  Here are just a few interesting ways that couples use this type of communication to inform someone else that they are interested.  There are many more that I'm sure that you can conjure them in your writer's minds.

photostock freedigitalphotos.net

Unbroken eye contact between a couple in conversation or across the room indicates interest while continuing to hold that eye contact shows that the other person wants to hear more. A held gaze or staring at someone's lips is just another way of saying "I ready for that kiss handsome" or "Let's talk more so we can get to know each other better."  If, while in conversation, one attempts to match their speech to another's in tone, speed, and evenness, then they are trying to harmonize with their obvious love interest.  Other bodily expressions, like the tossing of hair especially that exposes bare skin combined with an even tone in her voice is a sign of a woman's deeper interest and are strong signals that this women is really trying to get a certain someone's attention.

When a woman thrusts her breasts forward or a man his chest he or she is engaging in signs of physical attraction and flirting; when either contracts the muscles of their chest or breasts they are not only displaying muscle tone and ampleness they are attempting to advertise their virility.  They are indicating to the other that they are the pictures of health, vitality, and strength and that they have the physical ability to sustain themselves sexually.

You may have noticed while at a bar or party that a woman appears to be inadvertently stroking her arms while speaking or listening to someone with whom she seems to be attracted. What she is likely communicating is: "I will be this gentle, tender and attentive to you later."  At the same time stroking objects like her wine glass rim is another kind of caressing display.  And that casual brushing-up against someone can often be more than just casual or accidental; it may be the next blooming romance to watch.  A person who is leaning his or her body towards another is likely saying 'I would like to be closer to you'. It can start with the head in a simple tilt or may the person may use the entire torso. This coupled with attentive listening shows that they are particularly interested in that person.

Lastly the dominant and secure person tends to stand with their feet pointed outward. Their energy is directed towards the world.  Less secure people who tend toward feelings of inferiority stand with their feet pointed inward, showing a desire to be out of the spotlight.

Learning to read body language can be a great help when determining who is interested in whom and more importantly how to display interest between characters. Reading body language can give an informed guess, but not exactly what somebody is thinking or feeling. Body language is one way that two can communicate their romantic desire and lustful intent.

Filed under: Body Language, Communication, Debralee Mede, romance

Weekly Paranormal-Scope by Vampire David Hilliard

I am standing in for Susan this week by doing the Paranormal-Scope.  While I'm not qualified in any way to read neither stars nor planet, being a vampire I am intimately linked with the paranormal in the world.–David Hilliard

The week ahead for:

Aries

Take a lesson from your local vampire.  Take a big bite of life and enjoy.

Taurus

The mermaids are warning you not to get in too deep.

Gemini

Use your energy now and roar like a dragon.  You'll know when it's time to fly.

Cancer

Vampires have a saying.  A smile is worth a thousand words.

Leo

A dancing spider might be hypnotizing but it's still building a web.  Watch out!

Virgo

When you're hot, you're hot.  Be the fire elemental you are!

Libra

Don't follow the fireflies into the woods.  They are not fireflies.

Scorpio

Others will look at you in a new light this week.  You're glowing.

Sagittarius

Changing the shape of things is an art and will benefit you in the future.

Capricorn

Vampires hold you in high esteem, so wearing a scarf is an option.

Aquarius

On the other side of the mirror, things look different even if they are the same.

Pieces

Werewolves are howling over your success.  Be modest.  Remember it takes a pack.

–David Hilliard

Susan Hanniford Crowley

Filed under: romance, Susan Hanniford Crowley, Vampire David Hilliard, vampires, Weekly Paranormal-Scope

Readers; or Why We Do What We Do

Writing is a solitary trade: so often we spend the majority of our time alone with only the voices in our heads. Which isn't so bad, come to think of it: I usually find it entertaining enough, but then — as people always tell me — I'm a bit odd.

But there's no denying that during all those long quiet nights (or noisy nights as they must be for some of us) we do have in the back of our minds the thought that out there somewhere is a reader waiting to read what we've written. Oh sure, if we're doing things right, there ought to be a lot of readers out there. But sometimes the presence of even one reader — one tangible reader — can be enough to sustain us.

Some writers rely on a bevy of betas, readers who peruse the rough manuscript with alacrity, challenging weak spots and praising the good. They can be an essential part of the process, the committee that assures quality control in every story, who offer the writer a network of feedback at a professional level before facing the sometimes daunting whip of the careful editor. All right, most of my editors are real sweethearts who make me look good, but sometimes even they have to be tough.

But I'm thinking now of readers who read purely for pleasure, who inspire just by being out there, waiting for your words. Some of us are lucky enough to have eager readers who give us immediate feedback and oh, let's admit it, much needed praise. The most thick-skinned writer nonetheless has those days where they hunger for appreciation. Some of us can struggle on not only despite harsh derision but sometimes deliberately to spite it. As an academic I have to listen to a lot of scorn for the genres that I write in (not just romance, but speculative fiction as well). Though it's seldom aimed directly at me (I'm sure they do that behind my back after all as I have Harley boots ) it's an unpleasant sneer to bear.

So having appreciative readers who treasure your words enough to tell you is a gift. I know most people read books and even love them without once giving a thought to the person who writes the words, though they may nonetheless trumpet our praise aloud (or on the usual book review sites like Amazon and GoodReads). But a personal word means so much. I have a lot of friends who never read a word I write; the ones who do are golden to me.

Thank you, readers. It's good to know you're out there, waiting. I'm writing for you!

Filed under: C. Margery Kempe, contemporary romance, ebook readers, erotic romance, Flirting, inspiration, Kit Marlowe, Noble Romance, romance, What Are You Reading?, What inspires you?, Writer's Life, Writing Topics

Contest & Interview with Romance Author Ami Blackwelder by Gerri Brousseau

Nights of Passion is very excited to have Ami Blackwelder

with us today.  Welcome Ami.  Please tell us about your current release.

Invasion of 2020 is the first book in the Shifter Evolutions saga: books 1-6.  Five books are out now!   The last book in the series will be out in 2012.  The series was actually written so the reader begins with Shifters of 2040 and then decides to read the past or the future.  So, we see the first book came out next to last.  However, the series may also be read in chronological order.

Invasion lets the reader understand how the alien-shifters came to Earth, their intentions, and why the humans reacted as they did.  We get to learn more about Uri, Dr. Croon, and of course Raul and Marn.  We find out what makes them all tick.  In the second book SCM of 2030, we also get to dive more into Raul's intentions and personality and really discover what made him a madman.

How long have you been writing and what inspired you to become a writer?

I've been writing since I could pick up a pencil.  It is in my blood.

Who are some authors you admire?  And why?

I admire self-published and indie authors like Amanda Hocking, Imogen Rose, Michael Sullivan, Ali Mac, Jim Bernheimer, Rhianna Frater, Katie Salidas and of course, myself.  Because they took their dreams and turned them into success stories …even without traditional publishing. And not because we are bad writers, but because we are ahead of the standard markets.

You have a very interesting blog.  I couldn't help but notice your pictures of

Shifters 2040, which were very interesting.  Is this a graphic novel?  Is it more difficult to write this type of novel versus a straight forward novel?

They are actually novels, but I do have one graphic novella called Rain. Yes, it is different.  You have to incorporate illustrations and write more in comic book style, in my opinion anyway.

Are your novels Shifters 2040, Hunted 2060 and The Day The Flowers Died a series?  Can you expound on your story line?

The Day the Flowers Died is an historical romance novel set in 1930 Munich, Germany before the outbreak of WWII.  The Shifter Evolution series comprises: Invasion 2020, SCM 20203, Shifters 2040, Hybrids 2050, Hunted 2060, and Revolution 2060.  The year is also the giveaway for the order the read the books.

What are your plans for future works?  What are you currently working on?

I am currently working on The Mers, a mermaid dystopian and Midnight, a vampire dystopian.

Ami will be giving a free ebook copy of Invasion of 2020 to one lucky winner.  In order to win, please tell us why you really must have one of her books.  This contest will end on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2011 at midnight Eastern Time, so please get your comments in.

Thank you, Ami, for joining us today on Nights of Passion.  For more information about Ami and her works by visiting her blog amiblackwelder.blogpost.com

Filed under: Alien shifter romance, Ami Blackwelder, romance, science fiction romance

What Does A Rejection Letter Mean?

A lot of writers do not understand what a rejection letter means.  Since I have the privilege of being on both sides of the fence as an author for over 25 years (mostly with short stories in science fiction and fantasy) and these last few years as a paranormal romance author (with a novel and novellas) and being an associate editor with Space and Time magazine (not a romance venue), I've decided to help you unravel the secret code of the rejection letter.  What does it really mean?

When you get a rejection letter for your book or story, it could mean one of several things.

If it says something like:

Thank you for sending your manuscript.  It does not suit our needs at this time.

All the best,

The Editors

This means one of the following:

- It does not suit their needs at this time.  You sent a story about a boy and a dog and they have plenty of boy and a dog stories.

Important Note:  Many editors only read the first paragraph, first page, or first five pages and make a decision.  They don't mean to be unkind, they just have  a ton to read.  By ton, I do mean that literally.  So your first words must be great.

- The person assigned to reading the slush pile doesn't recognize your name as an accomplished frequent contributor.  (They may be reluctant to read  someone new unless you grab them in the first page.)

Important Note:  Never send to  an editor or agent before they go to a conference.  Often they will announce their appearances at conventions on their website.  Wait until after.  Also always check their website to make sure they are open to submissions.  Submissions sent when they are closed are left unread.  Some publishers will delete submissions in their box, before they announce they are open to be fair to those writers reading the directions.  READ DIRECTIONS.

- The person left the company and someone else is sending rejections slips to everything on their desk.

- The person did read it, but did not feel strongly enough about it to send it forward to their boss.

In the above instances your work was unread or lightly read.  What do you do?  Don't fret about it, move on and send it to the next publisher on your list.

What if at the end of the letter, it says "try again with something else" or "send something else"?  That's good!  That means there was a quality about your writing they liked.  Send them something else as soon as possible and in your cover letter, be sure to mention that they told you to send something else.

What if the letter says, we are very interested in your work and would consider publishing it with changes?  Then they tell you what changes they would like.   Excellent!!!  What do you do?  Make the changes and send it back as soon as you can.  Be sure to put in the subject line of the email–Requested with Changes Made.  Also put that in the cover letter.

Remember they are considering it.  They might still reject it, but someone finally took the trouble to write back to you and give you specifics.  Learn from that.   On the other hand, they may publish it.  Congrats!!!

There's an odd rejection letter out there you should know about.  It goes like this:

Sorry we won't be able to use your work.  Thank you for considering us.  Your heroine was weak and needed more backbone.  Your setting was not specific enough, and the sidekick was a dog and right now cats are big.

The Editors

Most people getting this type of letter are confused.  I was too.  Early in my career, one editor would reject my stories and send me six pages of corrections and suggestions on making it better.  I made them all, submitted to another editor, and published the story.  I ran into him at a convention and had the opportunity to sit and chat.  I talked about his letters, and he told me he was puzzled that I never submitted any of my stories back to him.  I told him that he never wrote:  " If you make all these changes, please, resubmit."  He said that's was he meant, but oops he didn't say it.

My suggestion to you, if you get one of those odd rejections with all the recommended changes to your story, is to email back right away and ask, "If I make the changes you recommend, would you like me to resubmit it to you?"   The worst they can say is no, and you change it and send to another publisher and get published.  They just might say yes.  Please, resubmit if you make those changes.  Again when you do, put Requested with Changes in the subject line and bring it up in the cover letter too.

Important Note:  Never resubmit a changed story to an editor or editor's publishing house that has rejected the story without it being requested by them.  It gives the writer a poor reputation and editors and their staff remember and talk to other editors too.  Publishing can be a small world.  You'd be surprised who knows whom.

I hope this has unraveled the secret meaning behind the rejection letter for you.  Remember it's only a bunch of words being rejected.  NOT YOU!  And you can always make a new and better bunch of words that will eventually be a published masterpiece.  Believe!!!

–Susan

Susan Hanniford Crowley

Filed under: A Writing Sirloin Tip, Business, Helping Other Writers, romance, Susan Hanniford Crowley, Writer's Life

Embrace Your Heritage by Gerri Brousseau

One would think with the last name of Brousseau, my heritage would be French …. Not so.  I am of Irish/Italian heritage and recently I am struggling with squelching the deep desire to sell everything I own and go live in Europe for a year.  I can't explain it, but I feel the pull and it is very difficult to resist.  I swear before I die I would love to go to the lands of my father's father and mother's father (Ireland and Italy, respectively).   Two movies come to mind.  The first one, "p.s., I Love You" where the woman goes to Ireland, and the second "Under the Tuscan Sun," where an author goes to Tuscany and ultimately finds herself, her life and love..  Oh would I love to do that.

My Irish heritage is very much a mystery.  My father's parents came from Ireland and I am always drawn to everything Celtic; the legends, the music, the mystery of

the Emerald Isle.

My Italian heritage is no mystery at all.  My mother's family came from Naples.  A large Italian family, surrounded by uncles, cousins, grandparents, god parents, having big dinners involving some sort of pasta, crusty bread and rich red wine, which, of course, was home made.  Memories of my childhood are those of rooms crowded with people, smiling, laughing and all talking over each other.

But, if I were to allow myself to indulge in my whim and go experience my heritage, I would probably start with spending one year in Ireland because, at least here I would not have to learn a new language.  I would love to spend my days exploring the

land of my father's father, finding my roots and discovering the magic of these

lyrical people.

Then there is the heritage of my mother's people and the

romance of life, food and wine known as Italy.   I could get lost in learning the musical language and their passionate way of life.

I don't know if either of those options are in the cards for

me, but in the meantime, I offer you an old family recipe passed down to me from my mother and her mother before her.  My passion for cooking Italian food and enjoying great wines and the comfort of having my family around me come to me from my Italian side of the family … my mother.

I hope you enjoy this delightful recipe.

Italian Summer

Vegetable Stew

2-3 Tbs. Olive Oil

3 cloves of Garlic, minced.

1 Medium to Large Onion, minced

1 Pint of Fresh Mushrooms, sliced

1 Cup Celery, chopped

1 Green Bell Pepper (diced)

1 Red Bell Pepper (diced)

½ lb fresh green beans (cleaned and cut into bite size pieces)*

4-5 Large Zucchini (chopped into small bite size pieces)

2 Large Cans of Crushed Tomatoes

2 Tbs. Parsley

In a Large sauce pan, heat the olive oil.  When the oil is heated, add the garlic.  Cook for approximately one minute.  Add the onion and cook until onion becomes soft and transparent.  Add the mushrooms and sauté until the mushrooms begin to soften.

Add the celery and cook for approximately 1-2 minutes.  Add the bell pepper.  Cook for 1-2 minutes.  Add the green bean and zucchini.  *You can also use frozen green beans (2 packages).  Add in the crushed tomatoes and two cans of water. (use the cans from the crushed tomatoes to measure the water).  Add in the parsley.  Stir to be sure it is mixed well and that all ingredients are covered with the tomato sauce mixture.  Cook on high until it begins to bubble.  Lower heat and cover.  Let it cook for about an hour (or until the green beans are fork tender).  Salt and pepper to taste.

Serving suggestions:  This goes well over pasta.  You can also add in some white cannellini beans or white potato, however if you choose to add in the potato I suggest you cook separately and add in at the last minute as the potato will absorb all the fluid and your veggies will become dry.  I like to have a bowl of this with a fat slice of crusty Italian bread.

And now, in the words of the late and wonderful Julia Child, "Bon Appetite."

Filed under: Embrace Your Heritage, romance

A Shared Responsiblity

As I sat there this weekend thinking about what to write for this week's blog, my mind combed over a conversation I had with my critique partner.  As was common (for she is constantly looking to improve and surpass herself), she attended a workshop and learned a great deal about infusing her writing with more emotions. As she shared what she learned and what she would do to implement it into her latest work, she paused and said, "This is going to be hard." I agreed of course as that was the truth but then she followed it up by a statement that demonstrated her excitement to get started and her willingness to do the work. Thatta girl!

Quite frankly, I must say that we writers are some of the most resilient and hardworking people I know. I've also hammered home that it is a responsibility of ours to be this way; otherwise, there is no way to preserve the quality of works that enter the world. Readers share this responsibility in their support of the industry and the works out there.

So what does all this mean in an industry that is ever-changing? In simple terms, it means to do the best job that you as an individual can. In an environment of traditional publishing blending with e-publishing blending with self-publishing, it is not hard to get your work out there. The struggle now comes internally as to whether our work is ready to be "out there" for the public. If you can't be completely proud of your work, then don't expect others to be. The last thing I'd like to point out is this world is also a world of varying tastes. It is the very crux of our nature to be unique and diverse and it is something that either gets us in trouble or advances us to the next level. When you are ready to push your work to the next level of publishing (whichever avenue you choose), don't hold back based on rejection or varying tastes. You will never please everyone and rejection is an inevitable part of life.  Think of it this way, just as you are working to get your best work out there, that agent or editor or peer reader, etc., has a shared responsibility to do the same. At some point, if all goes well, we'll meet each other half-way.

Happy Writing folks!

Filed under: Toni Kelly, Writer's Life, Writing Topics

Courage by Debralee Mede

This is dedicated to courageous people in all walks of life and especially the dedicated individuals who demonstrated such bravery and valiance during the vicious 9-11 terrorist attack on our country.    The dauntless heroism that they showed will always engender respect, praise and thanks in others, moving us to behave courageously ourselves with a desire to endure cynicism, reckless attacks and defeat. Most recently the US commemorated the fallen heroes who died on 9-11.  Special ceremonies were held across the country with the unveiling of structural elements of the World Trade Center that was attacked and destroyed by terrorists who also attempted to destroy the  Pentagon and either the White House or the U. S. Capitol.  These ceremonies and this anniversary have raised the question, for me, of what heroism and courage really are.

Civilians from over 70 countries were killed in these attacks, with a total of 2,995 casualties. Of those casualties about 292 people were killed at street level by burning debris and falling bodies of those who had jumped from the World Trade Center's windows; 343 New York City Fire Department, FDNY Fire Chaplain, Franciscan Fr. Mychal Judge, 23 New York City Police Department officers, and 37 Port Authority Police Department; and 15 EMTs.  They sacrificed their lives to help others at one of the most horrific events in our American history so that others might continue to live and prosper in safety.  What constitutes courage though?  What exactly is courage anyway?

There are at least three different kinds of valor. One I believe has to do with discipline and physical courage.  The people who demonstrate this most tend to go above and beyond their training and physical comfort zone.  They deal with life-threatening challenges almost daily as they attempt to face danger and save lives while putting their own safety aside.  These people have had to develop physical stamina and have had to learn to overcome fear and rely almost entirely on their training, their instinct and their strong desire to save lives. Intellectual courage is another type demonstrated by individuals had to endure persecution for their ideas: ideas that changed the world. Socrates displayed this type of courage and faced death to stand behind what he believed.  His ideas ultimately helped change and advance society and learning.  These people tend to question and propose alternative solutions and are avid readers.  They are willing to challenge the status quo if it seems wrong to them and even at the cost of popularity or loss of life.

A third type could be considered moral courage as it entails the power and determination to follow a believe system even if you are ultimately criticized, physically threatened and disapproved of by others.  Gandhi's an example of someone with moral courage when he used non-violence as a means of persuading the British government to liberate India.  Another is 42 year old Rosa Parks who on December 1, 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama refused to obey bus driver's order to give up her seat and to make room for a white passenger. Parks' action was not the first of its kind to impact the civil rights issue and had the effect of sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott.  Her act of heroism and defiance became an important symbol of the modern Civil Rights Movement and she became an icon of resistance to racial segregation.  Moral courage requires you to stand up for ethics and principle even when it is inconvenient and it may be to your detriment.  These individuals display a lot of empathy and compassion, and have the ability to understand the needs and hurts of others.

Many of the people who perished as a result of the terrorist attacks that occurred on the 11th of September in 2001 exhibited more than one of these qualities.  They broke from fear and complacency to attain greatness in the eyes of a very grateful country.  Their courageous acts were more than noble and life affirming.  The passion that the  men and women had in order to work tirelessly to save lives on September 11, 2001, still encourage me to want to take action with the desire and to do so with confidence.  They are true heroes in my eyes and they always will be.

Debralee Mede

Filed under: courage, fear