Vicki Atkinson's Blog, page 22

The Mismatch: Words and Deeds

I haven’t shared much about my poetry practice here on Victoria Ponders but it’s a part of my life and a tool that I return to for reflection and resolution.

I love a good ‘free write’ and while I’ve written about other poetry in the past, taking a few minutes to allow a stanza or two to flow, unprompted, is almost always restorative. A different type of ‘meditative moment’.

Why the leaning into poetry this week? I had two difficult conversations recently with people who thought t...

Podcast Friday! Hot Tips for Writers

Oh…this was fun!  Another visit with our friend and writer Brian Hannon talking about our common interests in writing about families. 

I love a good ‘tip list’ to keep me on track and inspire my writing and Brian found a gem of a resource, which he shares in this episode.

I can’t lie, the tip about ‘darkness and humor’ speaks to me, especially because the segments in “Surviving Sue” about sit-com silly, “I Love Lucy” moments with my mom continue to delight readers. Even villains have...

Peek Inside: “Surviving Sue” – Mentoring Matters

I’d like to introduce you to someone special. Someone I adore. Professor John Muchmore, now retired, was a dear college faculty member and mentor and he helped me find my voice…the one that was often squelched by my mom, Sue.  He was a speech and theatre teacher…but to me, he was a maestro and a magician, relentless with his inspiring and encouraging mantras:

 “Authenticity is everything when you take the podium.  Never be afraid to take up space and be seen.  You dare not be demur.”

...

Lisa Gets the Last Word

When people ask me to describe my sister Lisa’s personality, I share that she is sweet beyond belief and fragile, but I also acknowledge her ever-growing capacity to advocate for herself and assert her point of view.

Lisa is simultaneously delightful and determined with a sense of humor like a steam roller.  Coming in. Make way.  If you missed my favorite post about that…take a peek.  Lisa’s a hoot and a human time machine. Capable of savant-like micro recall of every day of her life whic...

When You Crack Yourself Up: “Coffee” Style

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I’ve been doing the “proffee” thing for a couple of years.  You’ve heard of t...

Peek Inside: “Surviving Sue” – Thank You, Patti!

One of the biggest blogging blessings…and there are many…is the introduction to fellow travelers in life who share some of the same foibles, fears and triumphs.  

Connecting with Patti Moore Wilson was a delight – in the exchange of comments as we read each other’s posts and as we enjoy those of fellow bloggers.  When I read a trail of comments and see that Patti’s in the lineup, I invariably lean into her input because it’s often a reflection of what I was thinking or feeling as I read t...

The Disappearing Girl – Part IV

I promise this is the last leg of the “Disappearing Girl” story.  If you’ve arrived here without reading installment #3, head over to Heart of the Matter. You might want to peek at that first…and then come back.  I’ll be here.  No need to rush…but please DO come back to read this last part.  It’s the tear-jerker conclusion that makes me happy, sad and everything in between as I think about how much I loved my dad.

“What we choose to share with the world matters. The truest joy of all exi...

Podcast Friday!

TGIF times a zillion.  It’s been a week around here.  How ‘bout you?  If you have a few minutes, I think you’ll enjoy my latest chat with Wynne…about how to recognize looming disappointment and batten down our hatches.  Speaking for myself, my hatches need battening.

Wynne and I love to laugh – as much as possible – through life’s inevitable swirl and swizzle.  (My new favorite word, thanks to Wynne. Say it with me…swizzle!) 

Listen in, laugh along and commiserate with us.  If you wan...

Top Three? How Do You Choose?!

Thanks to Cheryl Oreglia and Joy Neal Kidney, I learned about a super cool resource for writers and readers a few months ago.  It’s called Shepherd and it’s a wonderful way to learn about beloved volumes. 

When I decided to participate in Shepherd’s latest project, I had no idea I’d be among 882 other authors doing the same.  I think you’ll love perusing the lists.  The Shepherd team did a fantastic job of organizing authors’ pick by genre.  Such a resource! 

Here’s the link:  883 Aut...

Peek Inside: “Surviving Sue” – Learning & Growing

Thanks so much for continuing to ride along as I share more about “Surviving Sue“.  I can’t believe it’s only been three months since her debut!  (Hmm…Three months or three years?) I’ve learned so much about the process of publishing and promoting but even more… about myself. A lot of personal growth has been packed into three months.

Getting comfy and talking about your life in a deeply personal context took some courage, to be sure.  What was unexpected was the sustained level of bra...