Kai Strand's Blog, page 58

Leaps of Faith, or Not Knowing What's in the Next Fishbowl by Susan Kaye Quinn

I'ma risk taker, one of those crazy people that tries stuff that seems to terrifyothers. I think risk takers don't actually experience the same level of fear asmost (normal) people—plus the added adrenaline rush urges us on. I'm the girlwho decided at age 10 that I wanted to go into space, and being strapped to theequivalent of a 10 megaton bomb didn't really concern me. Because it was space—how could you not want that? Sure,it was an incredible amount of work, the chances of actually...

Taking a Leap Of Faith by Emily Sonderegger

For the last three days of Share the Love, we changesubjects to hear from those who have taken a LEAP OF FAITH at some point intheir lives. My first guest, Emily Sonderegger, shares how a nudge off thecliff started her leap of faith.
 ***
Taking a leap of faith is a lot harder than it sounds. Insome cases, you leave behind everything you know and jump off into a wholebunch of unfamiliar. It's nerve-wracking at best and absolutely terrifying atworst. You actually have to trust in yourself and...

Two Decades and She Still Lives On - Lost Love by Paty Jager

There isn't aday goes by that I don't think about my mom. She left us twenty-one years ago on Thanksgiving after battlingcancer.  I regret that she never had thechance to see how beautiful and well-adjusted her grandchildren have become orthe chance to play with her great-grandchildren. She loved children and enjoyedlife.
Mom loved toplay jokes. Especially on my husband because he took the jokes so well andretaliated back in kind. On our wedding day, she got into his packed suitcaseand sewed...

My Dad - Lost Love by Dianne Hartsock

Thank you so much, Kai, for inviting me back to your delightful blog. Hasn't this been a wonderful month? Being a floral designer as well as a romance writer, my Valentine's Day preparations began in mid-January and I'm only now putting the last glittery hearts away.
But I'm almost sorry to see it come to an end. This month of romance isn't only for lovers. It's also for family and friends. It's a time that reminds me of all the people I get to love in my life.
It also brings to mind those...

Honoring People Who Graced My Life - Lost Love by M Pax

Lost love week here on Kai's fabulous blog. Thanks for having me on, Kai.
   I chose this topic because loss was on my mind a lot in 2011. My sister lost her husband in 2011 very unexpectedly. The shock was...well, I journaled about it on my way to be with her and her family, then on my way home. I'm not sure it has entirely worn off yet. What? I'm really not going to laugh with him ever again? That can't be true.
   None of that has entered my stories yet because it is still too new and too...

Remembering Grandmother - Lost Love by Mary Esparza-Vela

On the way to grandmother's house, I had trouble concentrating on my driving. It was hard to accept the fact that my maternal grandmother would no longer be in my life. I parked in front of her house and as I strolled down the narrow sidewalk towards to the front porch, I pictured her sitting in her old rocker, a crochet needle in one hand and a ball of yarn on her lap.
Grandma always had her hair pulled back into a bun and as a child, it always reminded me of a large, white donut. Once...

Don't Become Someone's Lost Love by Kai Strand

Such lovely Current Love stories were shared last week. We were even treated to more in the comments. Now it is time to move to this week's topic. LOST LOVE.
When I first developed the concept for the February guest posts, I hadn't decided to compose an introductory post for each week, so it was easy for me to include the subject of LOST LOVE, knowing I wouldn't have to address it myself. But then I changed my mind and now I'm faced with the topic I really don't want to address. I know that...

My Idea Man - Current Love by Michelle Brown

People ask me all the time how I do it. How do I find time to write, raise ten kids (number eleven due in April) and keep my sanity? Well, writing helps keep me sane, and my wonderful husband of twenty-two years makes sure I get plenty of mental therapy. Bob is my idea man (most of my best stories have their roots in his imagination), my cheerleader, and my first reader. Since many of my main characters are middle-grade boys, his male perspective keeps my writing authentic. He coins the best...

All About Heart - Current Love by Shari Maurer

I met the love of my life at summer camp when I was 17 years old. Mat was really cute and funny and I had a giant crush on him. Five years later, we were married. Mat was in medical school and I was at NYU going for my MFA in Dramatic Writing. After his residency, Mat decided to train to become a cardiologist. The day after he mailed his cardiology fellowship applications, our daughter Lissie was born. Five days later, we learned Lissie had a heart defect and would need surgery. Thank...

CURRENT LOVE by Rena Jones

I suppose I could title this The Only Love of My Life rather than simply Current Love. I met Rick in high school. I was a sophomore and just barely sixteen. He was a senior and on the water polo team. My best friend introduced us while I was ditching tennis class. Rick drilled her, wondering why he'd never seen me around. I hated school and was hardly ever there. Two days later, he asked me to a dance. He would have asked sooner, but I stayed home from school those two days. Go figure.
Rick...