Samara O'Shea's Blog, page 2
April 15, 2020
My Husband’s Wayward Easter Poem
Quarantined families fight through bad moods,As this brutal lent season finally concludes.Barred from work, school, and church,Barred from normalcy throughout the earth. Fair warning Sweet Jesus, risen from your tomb,Stay away 6 feet, we shall worship on Zoom.We rejoice your ascension adorned with palm wreath,Yet alas, stay away, thine Original Zombie. For your grace knows []
March 28, 2020
Pandemic (Poem)
What if you thought of it as the Jews consider the Sabbath the most sacred of times? Cease from travel. Cease from buying and selling. Give up, just for now, on trying to make the world different than it is. Sing. Pray. Touch only those to whom you commit your life. Center down. And when []
March 15, 2020
Unrequited Love in the Time of Corona
Looking for something to read during quarantine? My 3rd book, Loves MeNot, went out of print a few years ago. Used copies have been available on Amazon but theres been no Kindle version. Until now! I finally overcame my chronic procrastination and used Amazon self-publishing. The digital book is back and available for immediate purchase []
February 25, 2020
Cyrano for Hire
Last September I put out a call for someone (anyone!) who has hired a letter writer (or asked a friend to write on his or her behalf) to speak about the experience. I reached out to former clients, friends and strangers on social media. Crickets. Then one blessed day, a former client got in touch […]
February 10, 2020
4 Days…
…until Valentine’s Day. Pens and pencils out for letter writing, not just card signing. Don’t discriminate over who you write to. I have enjoyed sending Valentines to friends as well as lovers over the years. If you’re staring at a blank page and need a primer, HuffPost Canada featured some of my letter writing tips […]
December 10, 2019
Working Title & Summary
Winter Schminter. It’s brainstorming season! I have a book idea. Since May, when I first mentioned it, the idea has continued to take form. I have a working title and the bare bones of a book proposal. Earlier this year I thought, I’ll get to it when I do, but now I’m determined to see […]
Working Title
”You know, some people say life is short and that you could get hit by a bus at any moment and that you have to live each day like it’s your last. Bullshit. Life is long. You’re probably not gonna get hit by a bus. And you’re gonna have to live with the choices you […]
November 1, 2019
The Soul’s Holiday
“If you’re lonely when you’re alone, you’re in bad company.” ~ Jean-Paul Sartre I’m an introvert. Seeking solitude comes naturally to me. I realize that’s not the case for everyone. Introvert or extrovert, however, occasional solitude is healthy and restorative. There was a quality article in The NY Times this week about the importance of spending […]
October 10, 2019
Whistle(blow) While You Work
“Whistleblowing is really about as American as apple pie. We passed the world’s first whistleblowing protection law in 1778…It’s interesting to read the original language which really conveys the sense that you have an obligation if you’re a public servant to report wrongdoing whenever you see it. I can read you a passage from the […]
September 30, 2019
Never Have I Ever
Have you ever asked another person to write an emotionally-charged letter on your behalf? The reason I’m asking is because a lovely woman named Cathy FitzGerald is making a thirty-minute radio documentary for the BBC about love letter ghostwriting. She asked to interview me about my time as a ghost-letter writer and was wondering if […]
