Vicki Atkinson's Blog, page 12

Write On!

The other day a dear friend – a fellow writer asked, “How’s it going?” I immediately knew the ‘it’ she spoke of.

We’ve become something akin to accountability partners, checking in about our projects.  Me? I periodically blog here on WP about my writing adventures, sometimes posting on FB, IG and LI, too.

My friend? She thinks social media is the runway to hell. Or it is hell. Depends on the day and her mood. I love her reclusive tendencies, her ability to burrow as a self-care strat...

Bringing the Light

Dr. Stein posted a thought-provoking essay today about friendship. I highly recommend it! I love learning new things from him and in this piece, he offers insight about the nature of friendships, the nuances and varieties.

There’s so much to worry about in the world at the moment but the one thing that sustains me when I’m overwhelmed (especially by media… inconsideration, insults, danger, misdeeds and an oppressive lack of compassion) is friendship. 

This morning, I felt a familiar ur...

“Surviving Sue” – A Riveting Reel

Thanks to my dear friend Alegria for her talents and support. In addition to her riveting review of “Surviving Sue” (which I wrote about here) she created an Instagram reel…a video that made my heart skip a beat. Oh my goodness. See below.

The music, the captioning…Alegria captured the intensity of my mom’s story in a video that still amazes me. I don’t know if my book will ever become a film…but receiving the gift of recognition in a wildly creative, heart-stopping clip? Wow. Just wow.

...

Straight to My Heart

First! Are you following Life with Alegria?  

If you’re not, hop to it, friends!  The WordPress community continues to delight and surprise me with introductions to the most generous souls. Kind and thoughtful humans who create meaningful, provocative content which inspires. That’s Alegria and you’ll love her blog…full of visual feasts and reminders that self-care needn’t be time consuming… or another item on a never-ending ‘to-do’ list. It’s a practice, a habit to develop where renewal c...

When You Crack Yourself Up: Advice from H.G. Wells?

“If you are in difficulties with a book, try the element of surprise:  attack it at an hour when it isn’t expecting it.”

H.G. Wells

Interesting quote, right?

“Difficulties with a book”. Writing or reading, I wondered. Both? Considering how prolific Wells was as a writer, one assumes he meant writing, but for prolific readers…we all know slogging through books (or, ahem…blogs) can be mind-numbing, depending upon one’s mood, the topic at hand.  You get the idea. Maybe he meant r...

Book Review Gratitude

With gratitude galore to the talented and generous author Diana (D. Wallace Peach), I’m sharing her review of “Surviving Sue”:

Surviving Sue by Dr. Vicki Atkinson

This is a riveting memoir by Vicki Atkinson chronicling life with her mother Sue, who suffered from alcoholism, depression, Munchausen by Proxy, dementia, and Alzheimer’s. It covers the author’s life from childhood through adulthood and it’s a heartbreaking, courageous, and frequently compassionate account of Sue’s life as to...

Hopping Genres

I’m in the thick of it, working through another test.

This time, the exploration of writing a novel. I mentioned a few weeks ago that I was in pursuit, wondering if my previous experience in academic and memoir writing could be tapped to conjure a largely fictionalized story.

Along the way, writers will tell you about the curve balls, the speed bumps and the periodic (and yet persistent) insecurities about your lofty pursuit.

Some say stick with it, it needs to come out of you one ...

Where You’ve Always Been

June is a tricky month for me, full of celebrations and remembrances of people loved and lost. Birthdays, for sure, but also anniversaries of loved ones’ passings. Memories swirling together.

As this month winds down, my head and heart are simultaneously full, so I reach for any scrap of paper to play poet. A post-it, an envelope, the notes app on my phone…whatever’s handy so I can capture the flurry. Sometimes nonsensical, sometimes nod-worthy.

Of course, the most resonant voice of ...

Healthy Exits

The Preamble: Does this happen to you? When I begin mulling a certain topic, my brain finds alignment with the theme or concept and before I know it, I have a line-up of scenarios, moments, memories that fall into the same bucket of consideration. It’s fantastic, this awareness business and it makes me think I ought to spend time contemplating bigger issues.

Intent + focus = insight

Last week’s podcast chat, Smiles from the Unemployment Office must’ve triggered thoughts about my ow...

Inspiration for Writers

I’m not a big reader of thrillers. Never have been, but it’s not because I dislike them. I just haven’t taken the time…BUT an encounter with a super successful author is changing my mind. My dear friend, Linda K. invited me to an event last Saturday at Barrington’s White House…the same place I held my book launch last year.  I had to go…if only for sentimental reasons, right? Plus, it sounded like fun!

I’ve been to my fair share of book signings and author events, and I love them but list...