Heather Huffman's Blog, page 26

What Were We Thinking?

Eggs from three of my hens. The one on the left is from my son's Delaware, the one in the middle from my son's Australorp, and the one on the right is from one of my buff Bantam Cochins.

As part of my blog redesign, I’m pulling much of the Off-Grid(ish) content over here. In addition to book updates and ramblings from my brain, this blog will now also be a place for me to chronicle my homesteading adventures.

Since we first started talking about wanting to live more closely to the land, there was one response in particular that seemed to crop up: “Are you nuts?” (Or something to that tune…)

I’ve decided answering that question in this post is easier than trying to explain at a dinner party. And yes, if you bring my sanity up at a dinner party, I will refer you to this post.

There are several thoughts that went into our decision.


It seriously bothers us the amount of chemicals, antibiotics, and other stuff that is found in spades in commercial foods. Even before the pink slime debate hit, my family was deeply upset by the lack of healthy food available on the market. We were even further disturbed by the way both farmers and animals are treated by the massive corporations in control of our food. This April 16 article from the Huffington Post does a good job explaining the various sides of the debate raging over our nation’s food supply.
As a family committed to fighting slavery, we can’t in good conscience continue to participate in random consumerism. We’ve reduced how much we buy, and we try to research the products that do come into our home. It horrifies us to think that our enjoyment of something might come at the expense of another human being. If you’re curious about what kind of impact you’re making on the slave trade, check out this nifty website:  http://slaveryfootprint.org/
We can’t afford to grocery shop anymore, at least not without filling our bellies with high calorie, low nutrition junk that’s horrible for us in so many ways. And even then our dollar is stretching thin. Why pay ridiculous amounts of money for nutritionally deficient eggs from abused chickens when we can raise our own chickens, treat them well, have fun in the process, and get healthier eggs for a fraction the cost? To us, it was an easy decision.
It brings us joy.Working the land, being a family, spending time with our animals… it just makes us happy.

We know our choices aren’t for everyone, but they’re the right ones for us! Our timing couldn’t have been worse, starting a homesteading venture right before the drought of the century, but I still love this crazy ride I’ve found myself on. It’s my best adventure yet.

Sorry… I Mean, Peanut Butter

My family is a delightful paradox. On the one hand, we have no problem speaking out boldly against wrong. I’ve seen each of my boys stand up to the school bully without batting an eyelash to say “knock it off.”

On the other hand, all of us worry so much about causing someone upset that we find ourselves caught in “I’m sorry” loops. We apologize back and forth to each other so often that we finally came up with a code word to break the sorry loop. “Peanut Butter” is our signal that either the apology wasn’t necessary to begin with, or it’s been accepted and we need to move on. It works something like this:

“I’m sorry.”

“No, I’m sorry I lost my patience.”

“I’m really sorry.”

“Peanut Butter.”

“Yeah, peanut butter.”

Next conversation…

There’s just something about me, and my boys, that is deeply bothered by the idea that we might have caused someone injury or offense.

Still, as I said before, that’s never stopped any of us from speaking our minds. We simply do it in a manner that’s respectful, or at least we try to.

Until now.

I’ve noticed something about myself lately. It’s been nagging at the back of my brain for a while, but I couldn’t quite vocalize it. It was actually a sermon yesterday that finally jarred it loose. The pastor was talking about the fact that we, as Christians, are supposed to be world changers. Sometimes what we have to say is upsetting, but that shouldn’t stop us from saying it with love. Because some messages are important enough that they shouldn’t be silenced, even if it ruffles a few feathers.

I didn’t realize I was doing it at first – I couldn’t see that I’d stopped being me in my attempts to not offend anyone with any content on my blog or in interviews. And I’m not just talking about my stance on human trafficking, although I do work very hard to not let my fury over the topic run unchecked.

I spent most of my life hearing that I talked too much, that I was too quirky, too odd, too much in general. So I temper myself now without even meaning to.

I also know that being a Christian, a full-on Bible-believing Christian, isn’t always popular. So I very rarely mention the influence of Jesus in my life on my blog, and when I do, I worry that I shouldn’t have. Not out of shame, merely out of respect for those who might feel differently. But He’s a major influence in my life, and talking about that on occasion shouldn’t step on toes.

I’m weird. I sob for days over the death of my pet chicken, but Springfield-style cashew chicken is my favorite treat, though I haven’t been able to bring myself to eat it since Stormy’s death. One of my favorite things to do is sit and watch my animals. But there are also times we move all the furniture, crank up the music, and dance until I can’t breathe. There are also, very rarely, Opera Nights, where we sing everything just for giggles. Weird.

And, I feel compelled to admit, there is usually a box of wine in my fridge. If not, then there’s a $7 bottle of Missouri semi-sweet red with a screw-top lid.

So there’s this thought trying to formulate itself … I’m just not quite sure what it’ll look like when it’s hatched. It feels a little like I’m in an “I’m sorry” loop in my life. I’m trying so hard to please everyone that I’m not pleasing anyone. But I think it’s time for me to say Peanut Butter and move on.

It’s time to own the paradox.

I know I just said “Here’s my blog plan,” but I’m already thinking of scrapping it. A friend recently suggested I shouldn’t keep the Off-Gridish part of me separate. That I should migrate that blog over here and talk about all the many different sides of me in one place. That means some days I’d be talking chickens, some days I’d be talking about my favorite laundry detergent recipe, and some days would simply be a scary peek into my odd little brain. I have to say, I’m toying with the idea.

And while I’ll never beat my Bible and scream that the world is ending, or at least I don’t see myself ever doing that, I will occasionally talk about God because He’s important to me. He’s an integral part of the fabric of my life, so He’s part of the conversation surrounding my life.

So, I have no idea what the next couple of weeks will look like on my blog. It’s a little terrifying, throwing caution to the wind and opening up to people – at least doing so without hiding behind characters in a book, anyway.

For better or for worse, here we go.

Peanut butter.

 

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Friday’s Mark: Close to Home

I used to panic at the thought of something happening to one of my children. I’d hear a tragic story in the news about a stranger’s child and literally forget to breathe I’d be so worried about something terrible happening to my child. I’d console myself with the knowledge that the odds were pretty slim that tragedy would ever strike my family.

Then one day, something terrible did happen to one of my children. An accident left my middle son lying in a coma. The odds had hit a lot closer to home. He’s okay now – there are few reminders left of those scary months of uncertainty. Oddly, I no longer panic at the thought of something happening to one of my kids. I mean, I’m careful with my children, but it doesn’t cause hyperventilation like it used to. Still, there are some ways in which my son’s accident has forever changed me.

I was involved in the fight against human trafficking before the accident. While writing my novel Throwaway, I learned that trafficking existed and I immediately knew I wanted to join the fight. The more I researched, the more I learned about the many facets of modern-day slavery. I wept when I first heard stories of children whose parents had unwittingly put them on social media sites only to have their child stolen by traffickers.

Somehow, my son’s accident made it more personal for me. I think I walked away from that nightmare stripped of my false sense of security, knowing how quickly someone else’s tragedy could become my own.

To some extent, that’s what fuels me as I fight the evil that is human trafficking. The more I work with people on the front lines, the more I learn, the more I understand that this isn’t simply a problem that effects high-risk youth or even a stranger’s child. Traffickers don’t limit their selection to other people’s children. They take our children. It’s our children we need to educate, our children we need to protect, and our children we must provide safe shelter for should they ever fall prey to traffickers and be lucky enough to come out alive.

I look in my son’s shining eyes, full of curiosity and life, and thank God every day for every breath he takes. Whenever I look into those same eyes, I can’t help but think of the countless children who’ve been stolen, carried away into atrocities we can’t begin to imagine, and I wonder who will save them if we don’t.

If my child was taken, I’d want there to be groups in place to rescue him and to keep him safe.

I can’t stop human trafficking single-handedly. Most days, I figure I don’t even make a dent. But I can do my own small part and trust that it will matter somehow and in some way. If we all do our own small part, it’ll add up. We’ll make a difference.

I think that’s why, more than with any other book, I was the numbers on my latest release so hopefully. While writing Devil in Disguise, I loved revisiting the world I created in Jailbird. I had fun with the characters. I love the chemistry between Conrad and Rachel. But more than that, there’s a message in it that’s crucial.

Friday’s Mark posts are all about people using the gifts they’ve been given to make a difference in this world. Devil in Disguise, along with my other books, is my attempt at using my love of writing to save even one child from trafficking. To save one parent the agony of having tragedy strike close to home.

 

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Livin’ the Life

My rooster, Juggernaut, checking the camera out

As most of you have probably heard by now, my family moved to 10 acres in the Ozarks this summer. We found a little place to rent while we search for our permanent homestead. I consider it our training grounds, and it’s been quite the undertaking so far.

Leave it to me to move to a farm right before the drought of the century. That’s certainly made the work harder. Still, we’ve had our share of of laughs and craziness since the move.

I should have known it would be no normal homestead when our first week on the place, the next-door neighbor’s son left their gate open, letting their two bulls loose. The farmer across the street keeps his female cattle and their calves in the field right across from our house. So neighbor #1′s bulls decided to stage a fight in my front yard to show off for neighbor #2′s girls. They took out one of my younger apple trees in the process and almost nailed the car!

We tried to join the backyard chicken craze while still in our suburban home, but the town we lived in kind of frowned on that. (Odd, since it was on the outskirts of suburbia, but I guess that’s neither here nor there.) When my son Blake was in his accident, the chickens had to go live with my sister, and we didn’t try again – for the sake of keeping the peace in our fair hamlet – until I bought some chicks from the local feed store this spring in preparation for this summer’s move. Now we have quite a few chickens and even four ducks.

One of the boys was saying just the other day that they can’t imagine life without our birds. We delight in them; one of our favorite pastimes is to sit and watch their antics in the mornings and evenings.Of course, for the second morning in a row, a chicken has streaked passed me with a snake dangling from its mouth. Apparently we have a recent hatch scarily closer to our yard and they find this quite the delicacy. I’m thoroughly creeped out and my boys are thoroughly delighted.

My dear friend and book manager came for a visit this summer. Her favorite pastime was watching the chicken rodeo. See, now that the chickens have learned where their place is, they put themselves to bed in the evenings. But at the time, they were still figuring it out, which meant they had to be rounded up. Apparently, my family rounding up chickens is a comical thing, or so I’ve heard.

Kayla, lounging in her favorite spot

That’s okay, though, because my darling cat got her back for me. You see, my friend is slightly afraid of the bigger chickens. Unfortunately, we’ve spoiled them and several of these same chickens like to jump up on our laps while we’re sitting outside in the morning or evening. So one morning, while said friend was enjoying her coffee and the serenity of the place, something jumped on the back of her chair. Certain it was a chicken, she leapt to her feet, screamed, and slung her coffee across the yard. She turned to face her attacker, only to find my little gray kitten staring at her with a bemused expression.

I used to love to take road trips – I was always game for an adventure – but lately, I’m loathe to stray to far from this little patch of land. I’ve found I’m on the adventure of a lifetime right here.

You can keep up with what’s going on at my crazy little homestead by following the blog I created to chronicle this particular quest, Off-Grid(ish).

And, while I am making every effort to stick to my new blog plan and keep up with posts, if it goes silent for a week, it’s safe to assume that I’m just busy wrangling chickens or breaking up a bullfight.

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Friday’s Mark: Something Big

I’m thrilled to bring Friday’s Mark back from its short break with a guest who is the epitome of the idea behind Leave Your Mark. Kasey is a mom determined to make a difference in the world. I’m honored to have her on the blog today and for the chance to watch her change the world. ~Heather

One Mom. $2.00 a Day. 31 Days.

Ever since I was little I remember wanting to do the proverbial something big with my life. When I was tiny, something big was feeding homeless people, becoming a doctor-missionary, or, maybe, a princess. As a teenager, something big became much more realistic: a teacher or a journalist, perhaps. I wanted to make a difference in the world, but I definitely wanted that paycheck that came with it. College was a similar story, except something big was acting, and didn’t come with a paycheck.

When I became a mom, my world completely changed. Suddenly something big came in a very tiny package. Suddenly, everyone’s baby became my baby. I began crying over stories of children who are left by their parents at orphanages in Uganda because they want their children to have three meals a day and an education. I rejoiced with the videos of third-world children opening their Operation: Christmas Child presents. And I wanted to be a part of every single opportunity to better other people’s lives.

Of course, I knew that I couldn’t personally donate to every cause, and that’s where the One Mom. $2.00 a Day. 31 Days. campaign began. During the month of August, I will be eating on $2.00 a day to raise awareness for the half of the world that lives in extreme poverty. Each day of that month I will be showcasing a charitable organization that is working to alleviate human suffering.

How can you help? First of all, visit my blog, readingandrunning.blogspot.com. I will be posting daily and will also be hosting a variety of guest bloggers to raise awareness.

Secondly, share my blog with your friends. If you don’t feel comfortable with that, then simply share the links to some of the organizations that we are showcasing. The more people know, the more help goes out to our friends around the world.

Thirdly, support these organizations. I tried to be sure that there were a variety of ways to get involved with each group. You can simply donate, or you could buy a bracelet or coffee. You can run a 5k. Or you can volunteer. Anyone can get involved.

Lastly, you can join in the challenge with me. Make the pledge to eat on $2.00 a day for a day, a week, or the entire month. Raise awareness within your own blog readership, your community, your friends, and your family.

Are you ready for something big?

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Tyranny of the Urgent

I’ve wasted a lot of time catering to the Tyranny of the Urgent. I see the same thing in many of my friends – both online and off. We’re so busy juggling the many hats we wear that we’re forever afraid of dropping a ball or letting something slip through the cracks.

This lovely blog is one of those things that’s been slipping through the cracks. I feel like it’s ages since I’ve had any time to spend here or on Off-Grid(ish) and there are so many things I want to say!

I’m trying to wrangle my personal schedule into submission to be sure I have time to enjoy this little life of mine. I think I’m getting there; I’ll keep you posted on how that goes.

As for this blog, I have a new plan for a posting schedule and I hope it’ll keep me on-track. The first Tuesday of each month, look for a post full of “What’s Up.” Starting this Friday, I’ll get back to my Friday’s Mark posts, where I highlight people who are leaving their mark on this world is some pretty cool ways. The third Tuesday of the month, look for the “Cruise Countdown,” but I’ll get into that in just a bit. The second, fourth and fifth Tuesdays of the month are wide open – I’m hoping to have a bit of fun with those days. If you have a particular topic you want me to touch on, let me know!

As for the cruise I mentioned, I was pretty excited to be asked to participate in a book cruise to the Bahamas next May. I’ve posted details on my website and I’ll talk more about that in upcoming posts, so stay tuned for more information in the next day or so!

One of the things that fell victim to the Tyranny of the Urgent in my life was me taking care of myself. Sometime over the past few years, the woman in the mirror has morphed into someone who isn’t a very good representation of me – not of who I feel like inside. The only way I’m going to reconcile the two again is to start carving out time and ways to take care of myself. I want to be healthy again. I miss having energy. I’d like to get that energy back before my first trip to the Bahamas!

So each month, as I countdown to the cruise, I’m going to write a post about what I’ve done over the month to live healthier and to take better care of myself. My thought is that if I share this piece of my journey with you it will hold me accountable and maybe remind you to stand up to the tyranny of the urgent in your own life and carve out the time to take care of you.

So, no promises on how it’ll turn out, but today begins my attempt to stand up to the tyranny. Wish me luck.

 

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Guest Post: What’s in a Name?

My guest today is Emlyn Chand, author of the Farsighted series. It’s an interesting post. Naming characters is such a time consuming process for me; I like seeing another author’s thought process. I’ll be back with my own post this week – and a big announcement, so stay tuned! ~Heather

What’s in a Name? Our Characters’ Names Matter. Here’s How I Chose Mine

By Emlyn Chand

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”

We all know the famous Shakespeare quote, but as writers and readers, do we agree with it? Would a rose really smell quite so sweet were it to be called a stank blossom or a goon-da-dabby? And how does this apply to the characters that populate our favorite fictional worlds? Should an author assign names to her characters willy-nilly, or is more thought required?

If you ask me, thinking is always a good thing. That being said, I spent hours poring over dozens of name options for the characters in Farsighted. Each moniker was carefully chosen and lovingly assigned. Now I’d like to share the meaning behind these names in this long overdue blog post.

Alex Kosmitoras

I changed Alex’s name three times while writing Farsighted, true story! Originally, his name was Connor Roy, and he had no proud Greek heritage to speak of. Connor is the name of my best friend’s fourteen year-old niece. She was the first person to really get excited by Farsighted, and I wanted to honor her by naming the main character after her. Unfortunately, it just didn’t fit. Connor Roy means “of the wolves, red.” Not super meaningful in the scheme of things. When I changed the character’s name, I still wanted to pay homage, and so Connor Roy became Howie O’Connor. When short for Howell, the name means “seeing clearly.” Cute, huh? When short for Howard, it means “brave.” Both definitions suit the character, but I just couldn’t get over how Howie sounds like someone with a speech impediment trying to pronounce Harry (as in the boy who lived). Seriously, say Howie three times fast. You’ll see. So I changed the name… again. Finally, I landed on Alex, meaning “defender of the people.” That just screams good guy, doesn’t it? I decided to go Greek instead of Irish to strengthen the connection to Tieresias, the blind Theban prophet who serves as the inspiration for this novel. I wanted a meaningful last name, so I got my Google Translate on and invented the name Kosmitoras. I like how it sounds like cosmic while still being thoroughly Greek. I won’t tell you what it means, though. That’s a secret for another day.

Simran “Simmi” Kaur Shergill

The name Simran is Punjabi, just like the character. It means “meditative chanting.” If you’ve read the story, you should be having a little light bulb moment now. [image error] Kaur is the surname given to female Sikhs; whereas, Singh is reserved for men. Kaur is a marker of Simmi’s religion, just like her kara bracelet and long, uncut hair. Shergill is a Punjabi last name. The Hindi word sher means lion or tiger. And what can Simmi’s mother do? Oh, that’s right, she talks to animals. Shapri Teak Shapri is an alternate spelling of the name Shepry, meaning “friendly and honest mediator.” That’s a pretty cool name for someone who can talk to ghosts if you ask me. It’s also unique, just like our girl Shapri. Miss Oleta Teak Miss Teak, mystique. Get it? Yeah, that was a pretty obvious thing to do and kind of kitchy, but I just couldn’t help myself. Teak is an exotic wood, and both Shapri and her mother are described as smelling like nature. Oleta means “truth,” because sometimes I enjoy a bit of irony.

Dax LaFache

Dax is a super cool, underutilized name. It means “leader,” a point that will become important later in the series (cough, cough, spoiler alert). LaFache is yet again the product of Google Translate and my rampant imagination. It’s spun from the French fâcher, “to make angry.” Dax is from a wealthy blue blood family in Long Island, New York. I totally see him as a sophisticated French guy. And, if you didn’t know already, yes, he has anger issues.

Brady Evans

Brady doesn’t mean anything important, technically it means “descendant Of Bradach.” I’ll be the first to admit, I chose this name simply because it sounded like a popular D-bag’s name–perfect for the school bully. I’ve never personally known anyone named Brady; I just went off stereotypes and my knee-jerk reaction to the name. Evans was tacked on because the two names sound good together. Evans can mean “son of Evan” or “young warrior.” Take your pick.

Greg Kosmitoras

Alex’s dad’s name is Greg. Greg is a Greek name, meaning “vigilant, watchful.” Think about it.

Susan Kosmitoras

Alex’s mother owns a floral shop. The name Susan means “lily.” It’s a cute tie in without being too overt. I could have just named her Lily or Rose or Bluebell, but I feel like I used my full kitchiness quotient when I came up with Miss Teak. Also Susan is a good, plain name consistent with the character’s upbringing in a homeschooling farm family.

 

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Final Stops for the Ties That Bind Tour – Grand Prize Giveaway!

A Written Rhapsody reviews Ties That Bind

Jersey Girl Book Review provides a review, excerpt and giveaway

Stop by A Tale of Many Reviews website to learn about the Ties That Bind Blog Tour Grand Prize Giveaway!

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Can You Control Accomplishments? by Gregory Allen

My guest today is Gregory Allen, author of one of the books on my summer “to read” list, Patchwork of Me. ~Heather

Can You Control Accomplishments?
By Gregory Allen

As a writer, my brain is always going and coming up with ideas. Some should never see the light of day and others turn into stories. One of the interesting things to me is when I ‘think’ I know exactly where a story is going to go – sometimes even completely outline it – and then I get into the story and the characters begin to drive the car. I thought I was in control, but it was all a ruse.

Control has always been a huge issue for me in my life. I hate being out of control. I don’t enjoy rides where I feel I have no control (including water slides) and when going on a road trip: I prefer to be behind the wheel.

I’ve often wondered where it all came from. Recently on a trip to Sedona I really tried to get to the root of the issue as I used those spiritual surroundings to guide me. But even knowing it and allowing myself to stop it are two completely different things.

It’s sort of like when asked that old question “what do you feel has been your biggest accomplishment?”

It stops me cold. I don’t want to think I’ve achieved it yet. I’m only in my early 40s. There is still much life to lead. Should I have seen my largest accomplishment? I left home at 18 and moved to NYC to be an actor. I had a fairly decent career before switching gears into that of corporate America where I climbed the management ladder. And then I completely shifted again and went back into the creative arts. This time managing an arts center and concentrating on my writing.

Friends and family are quick to point out all I’ve accomplished, but like a character in my books – each of those moments did not grow out of the previous – it was a twist or a turn that took me to a completely different place. If one were to analyze that for a moment, they would probably deduct that I was not in control for any of it. Control allows us to believe we are viewing the options and making a decision. Though sometimes, it’s the decisions we make that cause the most agita. Actually doing it isn’t so hard, it’s convincing ourselves that we’re making the best possible choice for that particular moment in our lives.

Maybe I can keep convincing myself I’m in the driver seat and making choices. I love trying something new; the research involved, the initial fear following by glow of achievement. But I still don’t want to answer what has been my ‘biggest’ accomplishment. I want to believe it’s still waiting.

And as long as I don’t answer…I can still control that situation.

Buy Now @ Amazon 

Genre – Contemporary Women’s Fiction

Rating – PG13

More details about the author & the book





Connect with Gregory Allen on Twitter & Facebook 

Website http://www.ggallen.net/#/


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Ties That Bind Blog Tour Week!

This is an exciting week – as the Orangeberry book tour for Jailbird wraps up, a new tour is launching for Ties That Bind through A Tale of Many Book Reviews!

I had a lot of fun completing these posts; there’s some good stuff in store for the week!

Ties That Bind is kind of my odd little duck. It’s different from my other books in many ways, but something about this book always makes me smile. Maybe it’s special to me because the friendships are patterned after two of my dearest friends. Maybe it’s because Kate’s journey to self worth was so closely tied with my own. Maybe it’s because it makes me giggle when Gavin teases Kate.

In addition to a bevy of great posts, there are giveaways, so be sure to check in each day to see what’s up for grabs and what you can do to win! (And anyone who comments also wins my eternal gratitude!)[image error]

 

Today, June 25, be sure to stop by Hackaroo’s Reviews for an excerpt from the book and Bookshelf Confessions to read the character interview. (Wow, that was hard to fill out this long after writing the book!)

June 26 I’ll be at The Book Barbies and Insightful Minds.

June 28 I’ll be stopping by Nose in a Book and Tifferz Book Review.

June 29 visit A Tale of Many Book Reviews.

June 30 will be a busy day with stops at A Written Rhapsody, Jersey Girl Book Reviews, and The Autumn Review.

So be sure to check back each day for links to the current stop – I had a lot of fun with this tour; I hope you will, too!

 

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