Trisha Sugarek's Blog, page 106

Don't Miss the Conclusion of my Interview with Mark Childress

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TOMORROW is the conclusion of my interview with author, Mark Childress.   Thursday, April 4th

Witty, straight forward, Childress shares his writing world with us.

 

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(photo from movie: "Billy"  Billy Carter's Service Station 1979)

 

 

Childress has also written three picture books for children, "Joshua and Bigtooth," in 1992, "Joshua and the Big Bad Blue Crabs," 1996 (both from Little, Brown), and "Henry Bobbity Is Missing And It Is All Billy Bobbity’s Fault," (Crane Hill Publishers, 1996).

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Start your month off right!! DON'T MISS UPCOMING BLOGS. INTERVIEWS with other best-selling AUTHORS!      A SERIES, "The Writer's Corner"  

I have had a wonderful response from other authors and plan on featuring an interview once a month . I have invited such luminaries as: Ann Purser, Susan Elia MacNeal, Mark Childress, Rhys Bowen, Dean Koontz, Sheryl Woods, Jo-Ann Mapson, Jeffrey Deaver, Elizabeth Gilbert, Amber Winckler, Robert McCammon, Walter Mosley, Nora Roberts, and many others.

So come along with me; we shall sneak into these writers' special places, be a fly on the wall and watch them create!  Mark Childress is our April author.  Robert McCammon is scheduled for May. Caroline Leavitt is June's author.  July features Rhys Bowen.  Sue Grafton is August's author and September will feature Tasha Alexander.

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To receive my posts sign up for my   Go to the home page; On the right side you'll see a box where you can enter your email address. Click on "join my blog". You need to confirm in an email from 'Writer at Play' . Thanks!

Read my novel....FREE..."Women Outside the Walls" (part 85)

(continued)        “Yeah, I can.  She’s a smart cookie.”

“Well, I for one almost fell over when she showed me the letter.  All we got to worry about is books and food.”

Charlie leaned down awkwardly and kissed Alma’s hands. “So we’re on the same page.  You’re not gonna

tell her about this, not until she’s older.  For now just let her believe I got life. Okay?”

“If that’s what you want, Charlie-baby.”

“I don’t want to mess up her head.  She’s doin’ so good.  And when you do tell her, if she gives you grief for

lyin’ you tell her that her Dad wanted it this way.”

“Okay, hon.” Alma swallowed a sob. “You gettin’ her letters?”

“Yeah.”

They were quiet for several long moments, gazing into each other’s eyes….remembering.

“Listen, Alma, about tonight.  I don’t want you there.  It’s no way for you to see me.”

“Fuck that!” Alma cried.

“Alma Jean! I’ve never heard a single swear word come outta your mouth and the first time

you cuss that’s the one you pick?”

“Yeah and you’ll hear a lot more where that come from if you say I can’t be there with you tonight.

For once in your life, you listen to me.”

Charlie grinned but said nothing.

“When they….” Alma swallowed hard.  “…strap you down, I want you to look at me, only me, through the glass.

While they work on you, ya know… puttin’ the needle in, you stay on me.  Don’t look nowheres else. I’ll be talkin’

to you through the glass.  I’ll be tellin’ you how much I’ve loved only you through everything. The last thing

you’re gonna see is me and my love for you.  Understand?”

Charlie’s eyes filled and he smiled sadly.  “Yeah, doll, I got it.  And Alma…?”

“What?”

“Thanks for all the years.  Thank you for giving me such a beautiful daughter.  Thanks for all the time you sat

in that miserable visiting room with me.”

“Ah, baby, where else would I be? I love you. I always have.”

The prison guard glanced at his watch and straightened up off the wall. “Time’s up.”

Alma squeezed Charlie’s hands tight, “Baby, I want you to remember all the good times we had.

Remember that first weekend when you came home and found me dancin’ at the club?

God, I wish you could’a seen your face.”  She laughed.  “Remember that first weekend, baby? We never

got outta bed.  Remember when Chels was a baby and we’d drive the neighborhood late at night ‘cause

that’s the only way she would stop cryin’ and sleep?”

“Visitin’ time is up, lady.”  The guard said as he unlocked Charlie’s cuffs from the table. Charlie and Alma stood.

“You just keep remembering all those happy times. Promise me, Charlie?”

“I will babe.  I love you.”

Alma turned to the guard.  “Can I kiss my husband?”

“Yeah, sure. But make it fast.” The guard stepped away.

Charlie stood there as Alma wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him on the lips.

Alma looked deeply into Charlie’s eyes. “I have loved you since I was a kid.  That’s never gonna change

no matter what they do to us.”

Alma stood there as the guard led Charlie from the room.

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The next segment will appear Friday. Hope you'll return to find out what happens next to the women outside the walls.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Start your month off right!! DON'T MISS UPCOMING BLOGS. INTERVIEWS with other best-selling AUTHORS!     A NEW SERIES, "The Writer's Corner"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To receive my posts sign up for my   Go to the home page; On the right side you'll see a box where you can enter your email address. Click on "join my blog". You need to confirm in an email from 'Writer at Play' . Thanks!

The Writer's Corner...Interview with author, Mark Childress (part 1)

This blogger is so pleased to have this interview with Mark Childress.  Author and screen writer of the movie, "Crazy in Alabama" starring Melanie Griffith, David Morse, Rod Steiger, Robert Wagner.  Mark has kindly shared his writing world with us and his tongue-in-cheek wit.

Q. Where do you write? Do you have a special room, shed, barn, special space for your writing?

A. I cannot upload a picture of my desk because my Mom would be ashamed of me.

It’s really messy. Like the inside of my brain. For only the second time in my life, I live in a house which has an actual

separate office in my house where I work. Usually I’ve worked at a desk in my bedroom because I’ve lived in tiny apartments. Having a separate space is such a luxury and it means I get to leave it as messy as I want and NOT publish photos of it! However, I wrote most of my first two novels on a typewriter in various motel rooms while traveling for a magazine, so I know you can do it anywhere if you apply yourself.

Q. Do you have any special rituals when you sit down to write? (sharpened #2 pencils, legal pad, cup of tea, glass of brandy, favorite pajamas, etc.)

A. Water. Chair. Butt in chair. Turn off the internet. Do not move until you can’t do any more.

Q. What is your mode of writing? (long hand? Pencil? Computer?)

A. Computer. I remember typing 11 complete drafts of my first novel on an old IBM Selectric and boy oh boy was

I glad when they invented cut-and-paste. In college, I made beer money as a typesetter for our college paper

on an ancient “computerized” machine that had a tiny led screen with a three-word display. So these machines do

not intimidate me.

Q. Do you have a set time each day to write or do you write only when you are feeling creative?

A. I sit down every day about 9 or 10 and write until I can’t any more.

Biography: I was born in Monroeville, Alabama. Shortly thereafter Miss Nelle Harper Lee made

our town famous with “To Kill a Mockingbird.” So, for me, being a novelist was always a dimly

achievable goal. Everybody admired Miss Lee and I wanted to be like her. When I read her book,

I really wanted to be like her. I wrote my first novel when I was 15. It was awful but I finished it,

and thus learned the most important thing: if you keep going, you can finish. Also,

did you hear about the writer with severe attention deficit disorder? He......

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Don't miss part II of this interview on Thursday, April 4th.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Start your month off right!! DON'T MISS UPCOMING BLOGS. INTERVIEWS with other best-selling AUTHORS!      A NEW SERIES, "The Writer's Corner"  

I have had a wonderful response from other authors and plan on featuring an interview once a month . I have invited such luminaries as: Ann Purser, Susan Elia MacNeal, Mark Childress, Rhys Bowen, Dean Koontz, Sheryl Woods, Jo-Ann Mapson, Jeffrey Deaver, Elizabeth Gilbert, Amber Winckler, Robert McCammon, Walter Mosley, Nora Roberts, and many others.

So come along with me; we shall sneak into these writers' special places, be a fly on the wall and watch them create!  Mark Childress is our April author.  Robert McCammon is scheduled for May. Caroline Leavitt is June's author.  July features Rhys Bowen.  Sue Grafton is August's author and September will feature Tasha Alexander.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To receive my posts sign up for my   Go to the home page; On the right side you'll see a box where you can enter your email address. Click on "join my blog". You need to confirm in an email from 'Writer at Play' . Thanks!

Don't Miss an Interview with Mark Childress tomorrow

      Author of many novels and screenplays, (Crazy in Alabama) Mark Childress joins us for an interview about how and why he writes.  Tomorrow & Thursday, April 2nd & 4th.

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Quotes from CRAZY in ALABAMA

Sheriff Doggett: 'You're trespassing on public property!'

Lucille: 'I'm the kind of girl who can resist anything but temptation.'

Peejoe: 'I learned a lot of secrets that summer: you can bury freedom but you can't kill it. Taylor Jackson died for freedom. Aunt Lucille had to kill to get it. Life and death are only temporary but freedom goes on forever.'

Assistant: 'You're wanted on the set.'

[image error]Lucille: 'Honey, I'm wanted in seven states.'

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Start your month off right!! DON'T MISS UPCOMING BLOGS. INTERVIEWS with other best-selling AUTHORS!      A NEW SERIES, "The Writer's Corner"

I have had a wonderful response from other authors and plan on featuring an interview once a month . I have invited such luminaries as: Ann Purser, Susan Elia MacNeal, Maya Angelou, Mark Childress, Rhys Bowen, Dean Koontz, Sheryl Woods, Jo-Ann Mapson, Jeffrey Deaver, Elizabeth Gilbert, Amber Winckler, Robert McCammon, Walter Mosley, Nora Roberts, and many others.

So come along with me; we shall sneak into these writers' special places, be a fly on the wall and watch them create!  Mark Childress is our April author.  Robert McCammon is scheduled in May. Caroline Leavitt is June's author.  July features Rhys Bowen.  Sue Grafton is August's author and September will feature Tasha Alexander.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To receive my posts sign up for my   Go to the home page; On the right side you'll see a box where you can enter your email address. Click on "join my blog". You need to confirm in an email from 'Writer at Play' . Thanks!

Read my novel....FREE..."Women Outside the Walls" (part 84)

Chapter 34

Alma ~ two years later

A yellow taxi pulled up to a side door at the state prison.  The heavy rain hit the pavement running in small rivers

it raced down the sewer drains.  Alma, in a dark grey coat and Levis stepped out of the cab.  She tried to open a

bright pink umbrella and the icy rain hit her in the face while she struggled with it.  Leaning into the open

door she told the cabbie,  “Wait for me.”

“Sure thing, lady.  You paying, I’m staying.”

“I ‘ll be about a half hour.”

Alma walked quickly up to the door and pressed a large button in the wall. Next to it was a small metal grill.

From the speaker she heard a loud buzz.  The intercom came alive.

“Yes.  Who is it?”

“Alma Gaynor, signing in to see inmate, Charles Baldwin, number 553892.” Alma said into the speaker.

“Roger.  Ms. Gaynor, as soon as you enter, turn left and face the wall.”

She huffed out a strident laugh and sneered, “This ain’t my first rodeo, buster.”

The door clicked and, opening the heavy door, Alma entered the room, walked to the wall and faced it.

She immediately placed her hands, palms down, against the surface and waited. The prison official took her

umbrella and then waved a wand around her body.

“Okay, put any money or keys into the tray and go into the next room through that door.”

Alma fished into the pockets of her raincoat and dropped some cash and her small key ring into

a plastic tray.  She then entered a small room and sat in a chair at a metal table. She waited alone.

Twenty minutes later another guard opened the door in front of her.  He motioned to someone in the hall and

Charlie walked through the door.  He looked older and paler since Alma had seen him six months ago.

But his grin was cocky as ever.  The leg shackles made him shuffle but he still was able to manage a little swagger.

The guard escorted him to the chair opposite Alma and Charlie sat down. Bolted into the table in front of

Charlie was a large steel ring with a short chain that locked.  The guard lifted the chain and attached it to

Charlie’s handcuffs, securing his wrists to the metal ring.

Alma reached across the table with both hands, and held Charlie’s shackled hands. They silently smiled at

each other as the guard moved over by the door to give them a molecule of privacy.

“God it’s good to see ya.  You’re as beautiful as ever. How ya doin’, doll?”  Charlie asked.

“I’m okay, hon.” Alma smiled.

“How was your flight?”

“Long.”

“Looks like this is it, baby.  Shane ain’t ridin’ back into town anytime soon.”

“Charlie, how can you make jokes at a time like this.”

“It’s all I got left, baby. Besides I love to see your smile.  How’s Chelsea?”

“She’s still pissed at me for moving us back to Reno, but what’s new?  Other than that she’s fine, baby.

She got a full scholarship to Nevada State.  Can you believe that?”

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The next segment will appear Wednesday. Hope you'll return to find out what happens next to Alma and will Charlie really die?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Start your month off right!! DON'T MISS UPCOMING BLOGS.  INTERVIEWS with other best-selling AUTHORS!    A new series, "The Writer's Corner"

I have had a wonderful response from other authors and plan on featuring an interview once a month . I have invited such luminaries as: Ann Purser, Susan Elia MacNeal, Mark Childress, Rhys Bowen, Dean Koontz, Sheryl Woods, Jo-Ann Mapson, Jeffrey Deaver, Elizabeth Gilbert, Amber Winckler, Robert McCammon, Walter Mosley, Nora Roberts, and many others.

So come along with me; we shall sneak into these writers' special places, be a fly on the wall and watch them create!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To receive my posts sign up for my   Go to the home page; On the right side you'll see a box where you can enter your email address. Click on "join my blog". You need to confirm in an email from 'Writer at Play' . Thanks!

Don't Miss an Interview with Mark Childress this Tuesday

      Author of many novels and screenplays, (Crazy in Alabama) Mark Childress joins us for an interview about how and why he writes.  This coming Tuesday & Thursday, April 2nd & 4th.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Quotes from CRAZY in ALABAMA

Sheriff Doggett: 'You're trespassing on public property!'

Lucille: 'I'm the kind of girl who can resist anything but temptation.'

Peejoe: 'I learned a lot of secrets that summer: you can bury freedom but you can't kill it. Taylor Jackson died for freedom. Aunt Lucille had to kill to get it. Life and death are only temporary but freedom goes on forever.'

Assistant: 'You're wanted on the set.'

[image error]Lucille: 'Honey, I'm wanted in seven states.'

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Start your month off right!! DON'T MISS UPCOMING BLOGS. INTERVIEWS with other best-selling AUTHORS!      A NEW SERIES, "The Writer's Corner"

I have had a wonderful response from other authors and plan on featuring an interview once a month . I have invited such luminaries as: Ann Purser, Susan Elia MacNeal, Maya Angelou, Mark Childress, Rhys Bowen, Dean Koontz, Sheryl Woods, Jo-Ann Mapson, Jeffrey Deaver, Elizabeth Gilbert, Amber Winckler, Robert McCammon, Walter Mosley, Nora Roberts, and many others.

So come along with me; we shall sneak into these writers' special places, be a fly on the wall and watch them create!  Mark Childress is our April author.  Robert McCammon is scheduled in May. Caroline Leavitt is June's author.  July features Rhys Bowen.  Sue Grafton is August's author and September will feature Tasha Alexander.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To receive my posts sign up for my   Go to the home page; On the right side you'll see a box where you can enter your email address. Click on "join my blog". You need to confirm in an email from 'Writer at Play' . Thanks!

Read my novel....FREE..."Women Outside the Walls" (part 83)

(continued)       “What’s that?”

“We’d have to move back to Reno.  Then my ‘practicals’ at the college would be free ‘cause

I’m a Nevada resident.”

“I think that’s a good idea, doll.  Go home.”

“Really? “

“Yeah.  Get Chelsea outta here.  Fresh start and all that.”

“But Charlie, I don’t even know if I can finish it. Five months is a long time.  And I don’t know if I’m any good.

I just like to put colors together and it always seems to turn out pretty.”

“Now, you listen to me.  You can do this.  You do have talent.  I am so proud of you for tryin’.”

“Okay, if you think it’s a good idea.” Alma’s tone was still uncertain.  “But I ain’t leavin’ here until you get

your hearing and if you just get extra years, then we’re stayin’ in Illinois.  I can still get my certificate in decoratin’.”

Charlie stared through the glass at Alma.  He dreaded this part of their conversation.  Alma looked back at him

closely and frowned.  “Did ya hear something?”

“Yeah, last week.”

“And?  They reduced the charge right?”

“Naw.  The first degree murder charge is stickin’.  Then I submitted a petition for relief to the Board of Pardons

and Paroles.  It took them less than eight hours to deny it.”

“That’s not fair!” Alma exclaimed. “Ya didn’t mean it. It was kinda self defense. I was there, I saw it.

It should’a been manslaughter!”

“Yeah, babe, it is fair. There were five witnesses who saw me stab Washington to death.”

“But, Charlie that means you’ll never get outta prison.” She cried.

“Now listen, I want you to be brave about this.  You gotta be strong for me and for Chelsea.

They took me back to court and sentenced me right on the spot. ”

“What, Charlie?  What’re ya talkin’ about?”

“They gave me the death penalty, babe.”

Alma screamed and then she screamed again. Alma stood up, still screaming and beat at the Plexiglas

window with her fists.

Who was that doin’ all that damn screaming? Alma wondered. Why doesn’t

somebody come in and shut her up? A prison officer came running into the room.  He rushed over to

her cubicle and grabbed her by the arm.

“Visit’s over, lady. Ya gotta leave.”

At the same time, an officer came into Charlie’s room and taking the phone out of his hand, hauled him to

his feet and tried to forcibly drag him through the door. Charlie fought him off and tried to turn so he could see Alma.

“Alma, baby, I love you. Go home, ya hear?”

Another prison officer ran in and helped subdue Charlie.  Still struggling, he was led from the visiting area.

Alma screamed.  “Charlie!  Charlie!” She fought the officer’s grip on her arm.  “Let me go.  Charlie!”

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The next segment will appear Monday. Hope you'll return to find out what happens next to Alma and Charlie.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Start your month off right!! DON'T MISS UPCOMING BLOGS. INTERVIEWS with other best-selling AUTHORS!      A NEW SERIES, "The Writer's Corner"

I have had a wonderful response from other authors and plan on featuring an interview once a month . I have invited such luminaries as: Ann Purser, Susan Elia MacNeal, Mark Childress, Rhys Bowen, Dean Koontz, Sheryl Woods, Jo-Ann Mapson, Jeffrey Deaver, Elizabeth Gilbert, Amber Winckler, Robert McCammon, Walter Mosley, Nora Roberts, and many others.

So come along with me; we shall sneak into these writers' special places, be a fly on the wall and watch them create!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To receive my posts sign up for my   Go to the home page; On the right side you'll see a box where you can enter your email address. Click on "join my blog". You need to confirm in an email from 'Writer at Play' . Thanks!

Where are you...Writers of Haiku?

Every day I have visits to my web site seeking Haiku images, Haiku poetry, and 'how to write Haiku'.

So my question is,  'where are you, Haiku enthusiasts?'

I know you are lurking out there, wanting to write your own Haiku poetry.  [image error]'Come out, come out,

[image error]wherever you are.......and'

send me what you are writing,  let me give you some critique (only if you want it or you are new to this ancient art form)  and then we will publish your Haiku on my blog.

                      Felus Catus  ©  by Trisha Sugarek

Docile pussy cat

curled content in my lap

meekly purrs  for milk

Blur across the floor

wildness hidden behind eyes

so bright with the hunt

A true deceiver

fool her mistress for a treat

hide the wild nature

An original example of Sumi-E brushwork found in

my book of haiku poetry "The World of Haiku" . The ink and brush work is created by different pressures of the brush and color value of your ink. To learn more about how to write haiku and have your own Journal to write your poetry in....... visit my blog: in 'area of interest box' type in:  haiku

Wind Horse ©  by Trisha Sugarek

(Haiku)

running free, wild, brave

tail streaming high in the wind

hoof pounding the earth

horses turn their haunch

to show their scorn for the storm

and nature’s tantrum

allows man to think

he can command elegance

and tame the wild heart

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Start your month off right!! DON'T MISS UPCOMING BLOGS. INTERVIEWS with other best-selling AUTHORS!      A NEW SERIES, "The Writer's Corner"

I have had a wonderful response from other authors and will feature an interview once a month . I have invited such luminaries as: Ann Purser, Susan Elia MacNeal, Maya Angelou, Mark Childress, Rhys Bowen, Dean Koontz, Sheryl Woods, Jo-Ann Mapson, Jeffrey Deaver, Elizabeth Gilbert, Amber Winckler, Robert McCammon, Walter Mosley, Nora Roberts, and many others.

So come along with me; we shall sneak into these writers' special places, be a fly on the wall and watch them create!  Mark Childress is our April author.  Robert McCammon is scheduled for May. Caroline Leavitt is June's author.  July features Rhys Bowen.  Sue Grafton is August's author and September will feature Tasha Alexander.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To receive my posts sign up for my   Go to the home page; On the right side you'll see a box where you can enter your email address. Click on "join my blog". You need to confirm in an email from 'Writer at Play' . Thanks!

Horse Image by Lori Smaltz

500 Words of Wisdom..from Inspire Me Today.com

             Several months, maybe a year ago, I was invited to share 500 words of wisdom with the world.  InspireMeToday.com asked if they could re-run the article.

'I sit in my cabin in the woods as I write my message to the world. With only five hundred words to use, I am inspired to send my message to young women.  Growing up in traditionalism as I did, I found my freedom and my voice later in life. I discovered that I could be so much more than a wife or mother. I COULD BE ANYTHING I WANTED TO BE.  An old refrain certainly, but it's old because it's TRUE. Don't do it someday, DO IT TODAY!

I started out standing in the second-hand light of a man. (Traditional, remember?) I finally figured out that I couldn't change, fix, repair or control another human being, as hard as I might try. I learned that the only person I could fix or change was me! And I am grateful every day for that lesson'.......to read the whole article go to:   http://www.inspiremetoday.com/

                                                *************************************************

InspireMeToday has asked me to be one of their regulars and contribute to their blog.  Today was "Growth through Writing".   Go to:  http://www.inspiremetoday.com/blog/2013/03/growing-through-writing/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Start your month off right!! DON'T MISS UPCOMING BLOGS. INTERVIEWS with other best-selling AUTHORS!      A NEW SERIES, "The Writer's Corner"

I have had a wonderful response from other authors and will feature an interview once a month . I have invited such luminaries as: Ann Purser, Susan Elia MacNeal, Maya Angelou, Mark Childress, Rhys Bowen, Dean Koontz, Sheryl Woods, Jo-Ann Mapson, Jeffrey Deaver, Elizabeth Gilbert, Amber Winckler, Robert McCammon, Walter Mosley, Nora Roberts, and many others.

So come along with me; we shall sneak into these writers' special places, be a fly on the wall and watch them create!  Mark Childress is our April author.  Robert McCammon is scheduled for May. Caroline Leavitt is June's author.  July features Rhys Bowen.  Sue Grafton is August's author and September will feature Tasha Alexander.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To receive my posts sign up for my   Go to the home page; On the right side you'll see a box where you can enter your email address. Click on "join my blog". You need to confirm in an email from 'Writer at Play' . Thanks!

Read my novel....FREE..."Women Outside the Walls" (part 82)

 Chapter 33

Alma ~ one year later

Alma sat in the grungy little cubicle waiting for Charlie to appear on his side of the glass.   Hanging on the wall

next to her was a black telephone receiver, smudged with finger prints.

I hate this, she complained to herself, not to be able to touch Charlie. Not feel his arms around me if only

for the regulation two minutes. What a stupid rule. Like people would start humpin’ on the tables if you

didn’t make rules. And now, the only contact they’ll let me have is once a month with a dirty, smudged

plastic window between us. All because some guy accidentally got killed.  It wasn’t Charlie’s fault. They

should’a never pushed him so far. Don’t they get that?

Charlie walked through a door, handcuffed in front and wearing leg shackles.  He sat down opposite Alma

and reached for the receiver on his side of the window.  Alma grabbed her phone with her left hand and

placed her right hand against the window.

“Hi, baby.” She said.

“Hey, Lady-bug, how’re ya doin’?”

“We’re just fine, sweetie.”

Alma and Charlie gazed into each other’s eyes speaking without words.

“I love ya, Charlie.”

“I love you too, baby.  You’ll never know how much.   How’s Chelsea?”

“She’s just fine, hon.  She’s doin’ so good in school. All A’s and B’s this year and she seems to have

really settled down.”

“That’s good, babe.  How’s the new club workin’ out?”  Charlie asked.

“It’s okay.  Good tips.  I’m able to save some every pay check.”

“That’s great.” Charlie sighed. “I still wish you could work at some other job, Alma.”

“Well Charlie honey, you might finally get your wish.  Chelsea’s got this crazy idea that I should

explore my love of decoratin’ things.  She enrolled me in a decoratin’ school on line.”

“You?  Using a computer?”  Charlie laughed.

“Yeah...well...Chelsea’s teachin’ me.”

“And what’s this decoratin’ school?  You goin’ be making cakes now?”

“Oh, Charlie, always makin’ with the jokes. Chelsea would kill me if she heard me call it ‘decoratin’.”

“What’re ya talkin’ about babe?” he asked.

Alma straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin. “I’m studying interior design.”

“Wow.”  Charlie couldn’t believe it.

“Remember how much you loved my apartment in Reno?  You even told me I was quite a decorator.

Do you remember?”

“Yeah, I sure do.  You did have a flare for it.”

“Well, Chelsea convinced me that I do have some talent and she showed me how easy it would be for me

to learn on line.  That way I can work and support us and still learn this stuff.”

“Really?  Well, I am impressed, Alma.  How long is it gonna to take you?”

“Five months on line but I also hav’ta go to the local community college and do some, what they call, ‘practical’.

That’s where ya have to actually decorate, oops! I mean ‘design’ a room with furniture and accessories and everything.”

“Baby, I am so proud of you.”  Charlie grinned at her. “Just don’t tell your future customers what you did

in your other life.”

“There’s a catch.” She explained.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next segment will appear Friday. Hope you'll return to find out what happens next to Alma and Charlie.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Start your month off right!! DON'T MISS UPCOMING BLOGS. INTERVIEWS with other best-selling AUTHORS!     
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To receive my posts sign up for my   Go to the home page; On the right side you'll see a box where you can enter your email address. Click on "join my blog". You need to confirm in an email from 'Writer at Play' . Thanks!