Jessica L. Elliott's Blog, page 9

Influence and Inspiration

You ever have one of those days where you just wonder? Wonder if what you're doing is worthwhile? If your dreams are attainable? If all the headaches and troubles are really worth it? I'm sure you have. It's okay, I have those days too. But I can tell you this, you never know the influence you have had, do have and will have. What you see as being small and insignificant may have had a profound influence on someone. 

I'm the oldest of six children and while I have a good relationship with all of them, I'e always been very close to my brother James. We're two of a kind, James and I. At this stage we're often mistaken for twins though there are six years between us. We share our father's face (and goofy smile), though I've got more of Mom's coloring. Even though we live far apart, we talk on the phone often and, despite his New Year's resolution, the conversation always lasts at least an hour. I love talking to him because I can always just be me. We vent frustrations, share triumphs and joys, laugh together and he listens patiently as my kiddos scream through the house. There's not a whole lot unsaid between us.

But every now and again, James surprises me. He called today to tell me about his new job (still so excited for you, bro!) and his classes. He told me that in one of his art classes he needed to introduce himself and list three people who had inspired and influenced him to be an artist.

Now let me first point out that my brother is an absolutely fabulous artist. His art far surpasses my own in quality. At some point during this semester he will be part of an art show at BYU and if you're in the area, you should definitely go check it out (and James you'll need to tell me the dates for that because I still want to see if I can find a way to make it out there!). He is incredibly talented and I'm so proud of how far he's gone to chase his dreams. 

Anyway, back to our story. He said, "Guess who made the top of my list?"

Since we had recently spoken of how much he enjoys the art of Andy Warhol, I made that my first guess.

"No, silly, you."

I was flabbergasted. "Me?"

He talked about when I was in high school and how I always showed such a love for art. It's true, I loved (and still love) art and making something beautiful. It's served me well as I've begun my writing journey. But as he talked about how inspired he was by something so seemingly small, I was greatly touched. Those sketchbooks full of half-finished drawings meant something to someone other than me. The time and effort put into my own artwork had inspired another person to become an artist. I had never known that me drawing everything I saw, spending all my babysitting money on pencils and paper, and taking all those art classes in high school and a few in college had influenced anyone. Honestly, I'd always thought it was one of my more selfish pursuits.

James, thanks for calling me today and telling me that. It may not have been a big deal to you, but those words came on a day I really needed them. I couldn't even begin to describe how I was feeling when you called, but I am seriously so touched and so humbled by your words. I'm glad my hobbies had a positive influence on you. Keep making great art! Someday, I just know there will be an artist who lists you as one of his/her greatest influences. And you should know that you are always an inspiration to me. 

To all you dreamers and artists out there whether you paint, write, sing, draw, sew or whatever your art is. You never know how great an influence you have on those around you. But I promise you, you are making an impact. On those days it's hard to create, or that you start to wonder, I hope you'll remember that. Even if you don't see it, you are making an impact on the world. Even if it's in a small way, influencing one person can make a difference in this world.

An Open Letter to My Mini-Artists

Dear Mini-Artists,

I knew it was a mistake to tell you that my 2016 focus word was "patience." I knew I shouldn't have told you that I was going to try to yell less and smile more, that I would be more easy-going and less panicky. And I definitely should have hidden that big art box from GG in my closet with a padlock and come up with some excuse why you didn't have it. I'm an author, I could have come up with several. Some of them may have even been believable.

But I did tell you I was focusing on patience. I did say I would yell less and smile more. And I still wrapped that big art box up and put it under the tree for you. And then today happened. I came to check on you after washing some dishes and remind you to finish your chores. I didn't find you cleaning up. Instead I found this. My mini-artists "Masterpiece on a Door" 2015 Now I could have yelled, and believe me I wanted to. I wanted to really, really badly. I could have frowned at you and told you how bad your choices were. I could have. Part of me wanted to.

But that word patience came to mind and I smiled and grabbed the camera. Now before you go thinking this is okay, no it's not. You do know better and I know you know the rules. You're very good at telling me what they are. But I didn't get mad at you because once upon a time, a long time ago, I was a mini-artist.

I colored on things I shouldn't have, just look under Grammy and PaPa's table sometime. I colored on walls and I colored on myself too. I was convinced if I colored my eyelids long enough I could change my eyes from green to blue. Never worked. So don't try that one, I can already tell you it is ineffective. I colored on toys, I colored on furniture and when Grammy got lucky, I actually colored on paper.

Someday you'll grow out of this stage, just like I did. Though hopefully you'll still color on paper. Creativity is a very good thing. And perhaps that's the other reason I didn't yell today. Creativity is good and it's important. I want you to develop your creativity, find your strengths and your passions. Just, can we leave the furniture and the floors out of it? 
"Blue on Wood Floor" 2016 Cleaning up We've had a bath and you're all clean again. Well, reasonably clean again. The floor will be washed. And you will be the ones to do it. It's not hard, and I bet you'll think twice about coloring on it again. It's good to be creative, but it's also good to follow the rules.

I'm sure some reading this will think I've gone too easy on you. They probably think I've reinforced bad behavior by taking your pictures. I don't think so. I think you know what you did wrong. I think you also know that Mommy loves you a lot. Even when you color on floors, walls, furniture and yourselves. It's important for you to know that. It's also important to be patient. Learn to laugh at yourself and when things get tough, learn to relax a little. That's why today I chose patience. That's why I didn't yell. 

And, that's why I hope someday you have little artists just like you.

Love,
Mommy

P.S. Crayola, you might want to work on that "Ultra-washable" formula. Just sayin'.

Blizzard's Introductions (Chapter 1)

A couple days ago I told you about my project for 2016 - a novel written throughout the year and posted as chapters on my blog every two weeks. Today we're getting started! I'm already having a lot of fun and can't wait to see where you and I take this story. If you enjoy what you read, share it either through Facebook or Twitter. Be sure to vote each time on the polls to see where the story will go next. Also make sure you check out the video (below)! And without further ado, Scarlett and Blizzard. ​Hello there. I’m Blizzard. And before you ask:
Yes, that is my real name.
Yes, it is on my birth certificate.
No, my mother does not hate me.
No, my mother wasn’t “incapacitated.”
Yes, I got made fun of in school. Still do sometimes.
No, I don’t plan on changing my name when I turn eighteen.
And yes, there is a story behind the name. See, I was due on the very first day of spring and Mom decided that I was going to be the most gloriously beautiful, springtime baby the world had ever seen. So she decided my name would be May, because that’s her favorite month of the year. Don’t know that she even picked out a boy’s name. She was just certain I was a girl and she was right. What she didn’t take into consideration is the fact that babies almost never come on their due date and spring in Wyoming is always, always late. I came a whopping twenty-seven hours early in the middle of the worst blizzard our area had seen in a long time. Bad enough that on the way to the hospital my parents got stuck and I was born on the side of the road in my daddy’s pickup truck. Ambulance got there in time for paramedics to cut the cord and whisk the three of us to the hospital. Since my mother has a warped sense of humor, or justice (you be the judge), she pushed May to the middle and named me Blizzard. Blizzard May Jannsen, if you must know. Why didn’t Daddy stop her? Well, let’s just say he probably hadn’t forgiven me yet for the mess I helped make in his pickup. Men are sensitive about those things you know.​Anyhow, I’m the baby of the family. My older sister, and only sibling, is Scarlett India. Yeah, there’s a story there too. The way Mom tells it there are some women who crave weird foods when pregnant. You know, pickles with peanut butter, ice cream and hot sauce, that sort of thing. Some women become superhuman and can keep their houses spotless while creating every new baby craft under the sun and then some without so much as a wink of sleep. But some women crave activities and stories. Mom craved Gone With the Wind. She read the book at least a dozen times, watched the movie until her old VHS tapes stopped working and she could recite it from beginning to end. Mom even built a scale model of Tara which now resides in my sister’s room with the thirteen dolls in Civil War Era gowns Mom also made while pregnant. Daddy teased her that they must be expecting a boy named Rhett. Mom retorted that they were probably having Scarlett, since she was so in love with all the ball gowns, but if the baby turned out to be a boy he’d be Ashley Rhett. Scarlett’s glad she’s a girl. I did ask Mom once why she felt the need to use rival names for her. Mom shrugged. “Why not? They’re pretty together.” But Scarlett’s every bit as sassy as her namesakes, so I guess it works out.
There are ten years between Scarlett and me. Despite that, I’ve always felt close to her. She never left me out or got annoyed when I copied her. Well, if she did get annoyed she didn’t show it. We grew up on Starwood Acres, Daddy’s ranch. I remember lots of days riding horses through the pastures, watching the sun set over the hills, chasing butterflies through the yard and general country fun. Wherever Scarlett went, I did too, usually. Sometimes she went out with her friends and I stayed home, but always with the promise that we’d stay up late and she’d tell me all about her adventures. But things got tough as she got older. I was eight when she went off to college. While she visited as often as she could, it wasn’t the same as when she lived there. Instead of weeks together, it was just days and sometimes she couldn’t play because she had homework to finish. It didn’t last long though. Just before my tenth birthday Daddy had a heart attack during the night. He was gone before the paramedics arrived. Scarlett came home and announced her intentions to quit school and help Mom with the ranch. This created a monstrous fight which lasted nearly a week. Scarlett threatened to purposely flunk out of all her classes and Mom cried that Scarlett was throwing her future away. In the end, Scarlett agreed to finish the semester to get her associate’s degree if Mom agreed to letting her come home after that. 
But that pretty much brings you up to speed on the Jannsen girls. Mom reminded the world why she was nicknamed the Iron Cowgirl during her rodeo days by sticking it out through all the difficulties after Daddy’s passing. She handled business with her head high and never let on that she was hurting. Not when people could see, anyway. The years passed and life continued on as normally as could be under the circumstances. Starwood Acres is still the prettiest spread in Wyoming. It’s set near the Grand Teton National Forest and it is a glorious sight. Mountains and trees melting into open rangeland. The air smells of pine and tall grass. There’s a little pond we go fishing in and a stream that sparkles through the pastures. At night you can see the stars dancing and twinkling and even in winter you can make out the Milky Way. It’s paradise on earth. Nearest city is Jackson, but for most of our everyday things we just travel to Pine Springs, a dinky little town. But even dinky towns have their celebrities. And ours is in the form of Josiah “the Bear” Meddleton. He was the star at all the school rodeos and when he left after high school to do the professional circuit, he left a slew of broken hearts behind him, including my sister’s. Needless to say, he’s not exactly on Scarlett’s list of favorite people. Why bring him up then? Well, because it’s his fault I have a story to tell anyway. If he hadn’t, well, I’m getting ahead of myself. 
It all started this past spring when Josiah’s father had a stroke. He survived, but he was in pretty bad shape. Josiah left the rodeo circuit and came home to start running their ranch, the Double Rocking B. Pine Springs gave him a hero’s welcome and Scarlett started finding every excuse possible to avoid going to town. At first I couldn’t understand why. I mean, I knew she had dated him and all, but it didn’t seem very likely that she’d run into him there. Then I saw what happened when she went to the local quilting boutique to get a birthday present for our mom. “Isn’t it wonderful? Josiah Meddleton is back in town.” the proprietress gushed.
Scarlett stiffened. “I’d heard the Bear was back.”
She twittered, “Oh, Scarlett, it’s so odd to hear you use that name for him. Aren’t you excited?”
“Should I be?”
“Everyone knows you two were an item…”
“Yeah, he and every other girl my age were too, Amelia,” Scarlett retorted.
“Oh, honey, that was just high school. We all knew he only had eyes for you.”
I could hear Scarlett’s teeth grind as she plastered a smile on her face. “He did a good job hiding that from me, I guess. After all, it was just high school.”
“Well, perhaps now you can reacquaint yourselves.”
“I doubt it. He’ll be far too busy with his daddy’s ranch. How much for the fat quarters and yarn?”
Amelia rang up the purchase and began chirping about how wonderful it was to see children indulge their mothers’ hobbies.
“Actually, it’s purely mercenary,” I said. “If we get her fabric, she’ll make us quilts.” 
Amelia laughed and waved us from the store. “Give Josiah a call, Scarlett. I’m sure he’d appreciate hearing from you.” 
When we got out to the truck Scarlett tossed her purchase in the backseat, muttering under her breath. I watched her as she sat down and turned the ignition. “I know you’re going to ask,” she growled, “so just get it out of your system now.”
“Maybe I won’t, just to annoy you,” I said.
She glared at me, though she was smiling. Then she sighed. “Yes, this is why I’ve been avoiding coming to town. Everyone’s making such a big deal about him being back. Yeah, it’s all well and good that he’s come to take care of the ranch. But that should be expected, not celebrated. It’s what any responsible child would do. It’s what I did, and no one made a big deal out of it.” Her eyes looked out the windshield, but I could tell she wasn’t seeing the storefronts. I don’t know what she was seeing, but her expression was so sad I wanted desperately to make her feel better.
“Are you going to call the Bear?” I asked, holding my hands up as paws in front of me.
“Ha! When snow falls on the Fourth of July,” Scarlett muttered, before pulling out of the parking lot and heading down the familiar road to home. 

Resolutions and Me and You

It happens every year. You would think I'd learn, but I never do. Each year I make resolutions I can't possibly keep. By February and March, most of my resolutions have been so far forgotten, the only memory I have of them is my January 1 journal entry about them. Even when I try to give myself some kind of accountability, the resolutions don't last long. Do you have that trouble?

The past couple of years I've tried doing weekly short stories. It's just not going to happen this year. I'm not even going to try. The trouble is, I'm not very good at short stories. I write these short stories and then suddenly the characters have names and faces and long, complicated stories. But by making it a short story only, I don't have the time to delve into them like I want to. The girl with the scarlet scarf doesn't get to have the college romance I see in her future. The Kansas homesteaders don't get to finish out a year. I could go on, but I think you get the idea. 

But even though I'm not very good at short stories, I am pretty good at longer stories. This year, one of my resolutions is to write a chapter in a story every two weeks to be posted on my blog. Here's where you come in. You, the readers, will drive the story. I'll put polls at the end of each chapter to determine where the characters go next. All you have to do is read the chapter as it's posted and then vote in the poll. Sounds fun right?

So let's get started! I've been throwing around some ideas and I think I've decided to do a modern(ish) retelling of Rose Red and Snow White. It was one of my favorites growing up and one that I didn't get to work into the Charming Academy series. Need a refresher?

The way I remember it, there were two sisters: Rose Red and Snow White. They lived with their mother in the woods. One day there was a winter storm and they found an injured bear. He begged them to take him to their home and help him heal. If they did, he would ensure they were protected through the winter and pay them well at springtime. Perhaps overly trusting, the girls took him home and cared for him. They were kept safe during the winter and often found jewels where he rested near the fireplace. When spring came, he left. They followed his trail, but inside of finding the bear they found an imp/dwarf (memory's a little fuzzy). They rescued him from drowning and he disappears, several jewels left behind. They took these home and told their mother (and the returned bear) about their adventures. The upshot is the imp/dwarf thing had placed a spell on the bear (who of course is actually a prince) and stole all his wealth. The bear and girls come up with a plan to force him to remove the spell and return the prince's wealth. There's a battle of wits and in the end the bear turns back into a prince, he marries Rose Red and brings Snow White and the girls' mother to live at his palace where they all live happily ever after.

I need to read it again a few times, but I've got some ideas on how to work this out. What I need today are character names. So, take a look at the polls, choose your favorites and on January 1st, you'll get the first chapter of, well, the title will need to be determined too. :) P.S. Don't forget there are only two days left on my Christmas sale! Check out the Special Sales page and help me reach my goal of a three-digit donation to the Community Enhancement Foundation of Plains. (More about that here.)

Jess Strong - A Tribute

Jess Strong via Amazon Author Page A good author will connect with other authors in order to cross-promote, share the spotlight, and increase followings on social media. 

A great author will befriend other authors in order to rejoice in their successes, encourage them when they begin seriously contemplating that four-letter word banned from every artist's vocabulary (I'll give you a hint, it starts with "q"), and offer advice, humor, and love in an increasingly difficult market.

Jess Strong was a great author. Like many of the authors I have connected with and befriended over the last couple of years, Jess was just an online presence to me. I never had the privilege of meeting her in person. And yet she was one of those people you felt you had always known. Jess helped polish the dreaded blurb of many an author. She shared author events and attended them via Facebook. She was great retweeter and helped spread the word about new releases, sales, and general posts. Her posts could make you laugh, no matter how down you were feeling. She offered constant support, encouragement and love. Jess loved other authors. You could feel it through her posts.

Unfortunately, her time on earth was far too brief. Earlier this week, the authors at Clean Indie Reads were rocked by the news that Jess had unexpectedly passed away. We have mourned her untimely passing and prayed for peace for her family, her friends, and us. I don't know who started the idea, but it was decided that today, the day after Christmas, each of us would try to purchase at least one of Jess' ebooks. It may seem like a small condolence, but not really. There are over 2000 authors part of Clean Indie Reads. If each of us buy just one book, Jess' rankings will climb. A higher Amazon ranking means it will be easier for other readers to see her books.

So today, I won't ask you to fill your brand-new Kindle with my books. I won't ask you to look at my special sales page and put those gift cards to use there. No. Today, I want you to go to Jess Strong's author page at Amazon. Pick a book, or buy her whole collection, and make a purchase. The money earned in royalties will help her family and perhaps together we can make her a bestseller. It's not much. And perhaps it may even seem like a vain effort. But it's something simple that we can do.

Rest in peace, Jess my friend. You will be sorely missed. May God grant peace to your family and loved ones.

Daddy's Cookies

Illustration from "More Precious Than Gold" I love Christmastime and I love baking. When I was growing up, we spent every Christmas Eve baking the day away. We made cookies in three or four varieties, various candies and fudges which we then gathered up into foil tins and delivered anonymously to families we knew. It was the ultimate Ding Dong Ditch and I loved it! 

As a young girl, and even as I got older, my dad always had the assignment of helping make the Oatmeal Gingersnaps (recipe below). Mom always said it was because the recipe was stiff and needed "a man's strength" to stir it. Knowing that my mom is no weakling, and as a mom myself, I'm beginning to understand why that became a tradition.

Sure, it's fun baking with my kiddos. In fact, there's very little in this world I enjoy more. But after a while the fighting over who's turn it is to stir the cookies (and resulting flour and sugar poofing all over my once-clean counters), having to wash someone's hands every few seconds because they've licked the sugar...again, and general craziness that is baking with small children can be taxing. But Oatmeal Gingersnaps are the best cookies for young chefs to help with. There are many parts they can help with, and who doesn't like watching a three-year-old try to figure out how to roll the dough ball around so every orifice is coated in sugar? 

This morning we started baking for a Cookie Exchange I'm having tomorrow afternoon. My kiddos are still a bit too young for the Ding Dong Ditch Cookies, though that is certainly a plan for the future. But it doesn't mean we can't enjoy that blessed time in the kitchen. My kiddos are learning how addictive those gingersnaps are (especially since they can't have any more until tomorrow). They're learning how delectable cookies in the oven smell. And they're learning how to take turns and cook in a clean(ish) way. 

But it's exhausting too. It would go a lot faster if I just made them myself, that's true. And I'd even enjoy it since I love the kitchen so much anyway. Yet, despite knowing that I'm going to spend half my time rewashing licked fingers and scooping bits of dough back into the bowl to be stirred in again, I love this time with my kiddos. I sometimes think though Mom was right. Oatmeal Gingersnaps need a man's strength. It isn't just the muscular kind, though trust me: if you double a batch of Oatmeal Gingersnaps you will need the strength. It's the patience too. My dad could handle us kids being, well, kids while baking easier than Mom could. And perhaps it's because every other time she was cooking she had one or more "helpers" and just enjoyed the break. I know sometimes I need it! Dad would laugh as he washed our hands...again. He'd put a finger to his lips as he snuck us bits of dough while Mom wasn't watching (even if she was watching). He'd wink and sweep up the messes and say, "A little flour never hurt anything." And more than once he snapped a wooden mixing spoon from the sheer effort of mixing the ingredients. We'd laugh and he'd show us his muscles before getting a new spoon. 

One of the most precious parts of Christmas baking with Dad was how he always had a Christmas story to tell us while we baked. I can't even begin to count how many times I heard the Schofield abridged versions of Christ's birth, A Christmas Carol, The Other Wise Man, and other tales I'm pretty sure my daddy made up just for us kids. He sang Christmas carols with us, getting everyone in on the fun. And Mom watched us play together and laughed and sang and occasionally nabbed a child who'd licked their fingers without getting caught by Dad. These memories of Christmas Eve baking together are some of the best memories I have. Mom told us about having Christmas in Hawaii, Japan and other places she'd lived as a "Navy junior" (Dad always says she was actually a Navy brat). Dad talked about the snow in New Mexico and how he truly did have to walk through three feet of snow uphill both ways to get to school. 

Yep, some cookies just need a man's strength. You dads of the world have so much strength to give. And I'm not just talking your muscles. Your kids need your laughter, they need your stories. They need your goofiness and mischief. They need your tenderness and your love. They need these moments with you to help them build strong character and to see what it really takes to be a good person in this crazy mixed up world of ours. Your kids need you. There are unique things only you can give and your children need that from you. 

So yes, Oatmeal Gingersnaps are tough to make. So tough, I think I might just need a man's strength the next time they need baked.

P.S. Daddy, I love you! 
Me and my daddy Oatmeal Gingersnaps:
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
3/4 cup rolled oats
sugar
Preheat over to 375 deg. F. Cream together shortening and brown sugar. Add egg and molasses and stir till well-mixed. Add 1 cup flour and baking soda, ginger, and cloves. Stir until well-mixed. Add remaining flour and oats. Stir until a stiff dough forms. Put sugar on a plate. Create 1 inch balls with dough and then roll in sugar. Place on a baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake 8-10 minutes. Makes between 2 and 3 dozen depending on how big you make them. :)

Christmas Giving

Did you know there's such a thing as a food desert? I didn't either, until I moved into one. As defined on the USDA website, food deserts are "urban neighborhoods and rural towns without ready access to fresh, healthy, and affordable food. Instead of supermarkets and grocery stores, these communities may have no food access or are served only by fast food restaurants and convenience stores that offer few healthy, affordable food options." Plains, Kansas does not have a grocery store in town. For Plains residents to go buy groceries, we have a 28 mile round trip to the closest store. Now you might be wondering, "What does a food desert have to do with Christmas giving?" The Community Enhancement Foundation of Plains is raising funds to bring a grocery store to our town. It's time for my annual Christmas sale and this year all profits will be donated to the enhancement foundation to help bring a grocery store to Plains. The books you purchase through my website, any of my ebooks purchased through Smashwords or Amazon, and print copies bought through Amazon and CreateSpace will all contribute to this donation. I'm also going to include profits made through my Sanalbereth Souvenirs estore. Why does it matter? Good question. It may not seem like a big deal to have to drive out of town to buy groceries. If you've got a good car and the conditions are nice, it can sometimes be a little adventure. Especially if you stop by the park with your kiddos before doing your shopping. But let's change things up a bit. Let's say the kiddos are having a bad day. Or maybe it's snowing, sleeting or even just raining. Maybe you've got some engine troubles. Your car does okay over a couple miles, but the longer the distance the worse your car does. Or maybe, you don't have a car at all. If you're living on a tight budget, the money you'll have to pay for gas to get to the store might take away from what you have available to purchase groceries with. There are a lot of reasons why having a local store is important. Many groups are working to bring grocery stores to areas considered food deserts. Our community enhancement foundation is one of those groups. Not only would we have convenient access to groceries, but the plans are to make this store a learning center as well. Classes would be offered on healthy eating, food preservation and cooking. There would even be make-and-take classes so you can either freeze the meal at home to save for a later date or cook that evening. Delivery options will be set up to provide groceries to elderly and disabled patrons. There is a pharmacist committed to provide prescription pick-ups at certain times, which would eliminate the need for traveling 28 - 44 miles (round-trip) depending on a person's insurance. The grocery store will be run by the non-profit Community Enhancement Foundation of Plains. This year as you do your Christmas shopping, why not give a gift that keeps giving? Your purchase will give someone a book that they can read and enjoy over and over again. It will also provide funds to bring a grocery store to a community which needs one.  If you want more information about the Community Enhancement Foundation of Plains, or wish to make a direct donation, contact me and I can get you in touch with the foundation's president.

Open Mouth, Insert Foot

First of all, I want to offer an apology to a dear friend of mine. Yesterday you posted a copy-and-paste status to your Facebook and you unfortunately got a knee-jerk reaction from me. It was not fair of me and I didn't articulate myself well at all. So today, I'd like to offer my apologies for acting before thinking. It would have been better for me to keep my temper in check. Second, I'd like to offer a better explanation than what I was able to give yesterday.

Anyone who has used social media has seen the copy-and-paste statuses for such-and-such cause or in memory of fill-in-the-blank disease/issue. I see them constantly and honestly, I never repost them because I personally don't like them. Half the time, I don't even finish reading them all the way. For myself, I don't see how they help. If I'm going to post about a cause/disease/issue whatever, I'm going to use my own words. I know not everyone is comfortable doing things that way and for them perhaps a simple copy-and-paste works better. And that is okay. But for me, that is not how I do things. It's my personal choice. I will use my own words to express my thoughts and it is a rare thing when I use a copy-and-paste. Generally if I do, it's something fun like "post one word of how we met" or "give me a number and I'll tell you that many unique things about me".

It seems that about 75% of the copy-and-paste statuses I've seen recently are about cancer. They take up a lot of the memes I see too. And I understand why. Cancer is prevalent in our society and there are very few lives that haven't been touched in some way by it.

Which leads to my knee-jerk reaction yesterday. A friend posted a copy-and-paste status which I normally scroll past. But this phrase caught my eye:

" I know many of you do not give a damn about this message because of course, the cancer has not touched you."

I hardly saw the rest of the post because then I was seeing red. And unfortunately I took it out on the wrong person. Now that I've been able to collect my thoughts a little better, let me try to explain why this angers me so much.

My entire life I've been told that I'm a deeply empathetic person. It is probably why I can write about things I have little to no experience with and still make it sound believable. It is why I was often told I should become a therapist. I mean, seriously, if I had a nickel for every time someone had said that to me, my husband and I could retire early to the Bahamas. I haven't experienced everything in life, but I have experienced a lot. And I listen to people and allow their troubles into my heart and I begin to feel an inkling of what they do. Do I understand them completely? No, perhaps not. But I do understand enough to be a supportive shoulder to cry on and a listening ear when they just need to talk. And I'm not the only person with this attribute. I have met many people who though they haven't personally experienced something have been able to lend comfort, strength and counsel to someone who has. 

Even without that, making the assumption that someone doesn't care because cancer hasn't affected them is brash and rude. More than that, it is juvenile. It is just as juvenile as the teenager who tells his parents they're too old to understand what he's going through. Because the reality is, almost anyone you meet has been in some way affected by cancer. Whether directly or indirectly, it has affected us all. Even my four-year-old has been touched. A wonderful woman in our congregation recently passed away after battling cancer. When this woman started doing chemotherapy, I gently explained to my son why her hair was gone. He made a point to find her on Sundays and say hi to her. She patiently and lovingly listened to him as he prattled on about whatever fascinating subject he'd come up with for the day. She always had a smile and a hug for him. This fall I had to sit him down and explain that she wouldn't be at church on Sundays anymore because she had passed away. While it led to a wonderful lesson about heaven and how much our Heavenly Father loves us and loves her, his tears broke my heart. Yes, he has been touched by cancer. He has felt its loss. And so have I. I have watched a friend become cancer-free only to years later have it come back. She is still fighting. I watched my grandmother fight breast cancer and am so grateful she is now cancer-free. I lost a cousin to a brain tumor, leaving his wife and young family behind. Perhaps hardest of all, I lost my grandfather to pancreatic cancer. I know you shouldn't have favorites, but I'm honest enough to admit that Grandpa Boardman has always been mine. 

Each of these experiences have touched me and affected my life dramatically. But the pain I felt when my grandfather passed was different than the pain my mother, his daughter, felt. It was different than what my grandmother felt. And I am sure that the pain she felt at his passing was different than the pain my cousin's widow felt when Mark died. They're both widows, but it was a different experience for each of them. No one can fully understand what one person feels because we are all different and our experiences in life and how we react to them vary so much. But the stark reality is that in this day and age, you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who has honestly never been affected by cancer.

One of my favorite scenes in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is when Bilbo attempts to return to the Shire and is stopped by Bofur. They then have this conversation:
Bofur - "You're homesick. I understand..."
Bilbo - "No, you don't! You're a dwarf. You're used to living like this, to never settling in one place, to not belonging anywhere!"
Bilbo immediately stops when he sees Bofur's face and realizes he's just stuck his foot in it.  He tries to apologize and Bofur stops him. But let's think about it for a second. In his own pain and loneliness, Bilbo had lashed out at someone who was the very embodiment of homesick. All Bofur wanted was a place to settle in, a place to belong where he wouldn't be looked down on any longer. Bofur desired this so desperately he was willing to go on a life-threatening quest to gain someplace to call home. Isn't this exactly what being homesick is like? Wanting to be in that place you belong so badly that you will do anything to get there?

When we blind ourselves with our own sorrows and pains, we can become like Bilbo. We can inadvertently push away people who do know, sometimes more keenly than we do, what it means and what it feels like. While each person will experience it somewhat differently, certain elements can be felt by all.

It is frustrating to see posts that make the claim that you only care if you've been affected. It is even more frustrating to see posts claiming that no one else understands because no one else has been touched. Now, you can say all you want that I'm being too sensitive, and perhaps you're right. I'm one of those wear-your-heart-on-your-sleeve people. But I also tend to be very private when I'm struggling through something. I suppose because I always want to be available to others, I have a bad habit of keeping my own worries and heartaches to myself. And I've always been that way. As a young girl, my dad was probably the only person who really knew all the things that were bothering and upsetting me because he was the only one I talked to about them. As I got older, I added Mom into my confidence. When my youngest brother was born and he and Mom were in the hospital for 10 days, probably the only two people with any clue how terrified I really was were my dad and our bishop. I put a brave face on for my siblings because I knew they needed to see that I was still optimistic and believed that everything would be fine. I put a brave face on for the members of our congregation who came with meals and to check how we were doing. It's what I do. At this stage in my life, my husband is the one who gets to see and hear all my woes. And I still rely heavily on my parents. But I don't often put things out in public. And I know many of my friends are the same way. I can't even begin to claim to know everything that has happened in any of their lives. I don't know all the battles they have fought or might still be fighting. All I know is that I want to be there to support them in whatever way I can. And I would hope they know that. 

This is why I don't like the posts stating, "you don't care because you haven't been there." I don't know if you've been there or not. And it would be extremely insensitive of me to say it, particularly if you've been secretly fighting that battle. I don't want to be the one to throw salt in an open wound. I'm sure sometimes I've done it without trying to. And I apologize for any times I may have blinded myself to someone else's pain. I think we all have times when we're like Bilbo. But I hope most of the time, I can be more like Bofur. 

I am not opposed to copy-and-paste statuses. And I normally don't become offended by them. I'm not going to make some excuse about yesterday being a bad day, because it wasn't. I won't even try to tell you I got upset because I was tired, because I really wasn't. I got upset because even though I knew the post was not directed at me specifically, that's how I read it. And I let my temper get the better of me. I am all for people sharing support and raising awareness for the causes dearest to them. I believe you should reach out to and remember those who have battled or battle still with cancer, mental illness, bullying, or any of the other myriad problems faced by our society. But please don't tell me that I don't understand or that I don't care. Just because you haven't seen my battle, doesn't mean I haven't fought it.

Author Interview - Sarah Daley

I've had the opportunity to meet lots of other indie authors and one of the things I love most about them is the willingness to help out a fellow writer. Meet Sarah Daley, a talented author working on a mermaid series that is both unique and fun! She has graciously donated a digital copy of her novella Drowning Sandy for the release party of Prince Charming's Quest.

Welcome, Sarah! Tell us a little about yourself.
 I have no clue where to begin with this question. Hahahaha! I’m a mother, wife, aunt, and daughter. My family is super important to me, which is why I’m so slow getting my books out. I love to camp, bake, read, and paint. I’ve been a total book nerd for as long as I can remember, and it is truly realizing one of my biggest dreams to have Drowning Sandy published.

I think you and I need to get together! Those are some of my favorite activities. What inspired you to become a writer?
This may sound kind of weird, but I was inspired to write by the books I’ve read. I read for the escape from reality, and the magnificent worlds they’ve created inspire my imagination. It just made sense to start writing down the ideas and dreams that kept invading my thoughts.

Reading and writing do seem to go hand-in-hand. When you're not writing, what do you enjoy doing?
I love to spend time with my family. My husband has a very difficult schedule, so when ever we can we do something fun with our 5 year old that is what I enjoy most. When that’s not possible, I love to either read to my son or paint.

Family time is precious.  Who is your favorite author?
This is an impossible question to answer. I have sooooooo many favorite authors! I’d say my recently discovered new favorite authors would have to be C J Hill, Joyce Di Pastena, and Jennifer Griffeth.

Tell us about the books you write.
​I write a little bit of everything. While Drowning Sandy is the only thing I’ve managed to finish, I have an LDS Perspective Historical Fiction that I’m currently undergoing edits for a potential publisher, I have a Contemporary Paranormal that I’m hoping to have done by the end of the year, and loads of other ideas just waiting for the chance to be paid attention too.

I'll have to keep watching. Where can readers go to learn more about you and your books?
 My blog is the best place. I frequently post promos and reviews for clean reads on the home page, but you can keep tabs on what’s coming out here: http://semishort.blogspot.com/p/books-by-s-e-daley.html  Tell us a little about Drowning Sandy.
 Well, Drowning Sandy is all about a half mermaid who makes one tiny mistake that will effect the rest of her life.

What was your inspiration for this story?
 Growing up only a few miles from Lake Ontario, we spent most of our summers either out on the lake, or along the shore. For a few years my dad owned a small sail boat. My favorite part of sailing around Lake Ontario, was sitting on the edge of the boat, my feet dangling in the water. The water isn’t super clear, so only a few feet down all you can see are the shadows of fish. I used to imagine what it’d be like if there were mermaids in the lake, fantasizing that some of those shadows were tail flicks from mermaids or mermen who’d swum to close to the surface. So when I was invited to contribute to a summer/beach themed compilation it was the only thing I could think of.

I have a little girl who likes to imagine that same thing. I don't think I've ever seen a mermaid story that took place in a lake rather than the ocean before. How did that decision come about?
 We all know about the ocean mermaids. It’s the lake ones who have managed to hide the longest.

Tell us a bit about the world your mermaids live in. There are a lot of interesting technologies mentioned.
 I’m not sure which came first, ocean mermaids or lake mermaids, but either way they’ve been around for centuries. I think I’m still learning about the fascinating city of Ario. Bioluminescent bacteria are their main source of light, and a special waterproof film is used to waterproof the few modern land-lubber things they want to bring into the lake. Like phones, books, and pretty much anything else they want too. The issue there is not upsetting the council.

Oh, yes, the council is a little scary. What kind of research did you do? 
 I’ve read lots of mermaid books over the years. The most recent, and my current absolute favorite would be the Avenging series by Holly Kelly. 

I was just about to ask that. Do you have a favorite book within that series?
 Oops. Guess I got a head of myself there. I think the second book in the Avenging Series is my favorite. Descending.

The characters in this book are so easy to love and relate to. Was one of them your favorite to write? (We won't tell the others.)
 Dylan. Hands down, I LOVED writing Dylan. Though I bet Sandy knew that.

He is a fun character. I absolutely loved your description of Sandy's parade. What was your favorite scene to write?
 The very beginning. It was so much fun writing her transformation. Imagining it, and wishing I could grow a fin myself.

The beginning is great. Like many good books, this one ends too soon! Are there plans for another and if so, when will it be available?
 The hope is that this is just a prequel to a super awesome series of books featuring funny little romances stories based in the Lake Ontario/ Pulaski, NY area with a sprinkle of fantasy. It’d be a ripple effect type of series. Mermaids, to fairies, maybe some brownies, definitely will have to have some trolls, and who knows what other fantastic creatures may pop in.

Where can readers go to order Drowning Sandy?
Drowning Sandy is available in most stores, though the only way to get it in paperback is through Amazon or Barnes & Noble. iTunes Oyster Scribd Kobo Barnes & Noble Amazon Thank you for joining us today! And thank you for offering a digital copy of Drowning Sandy for the giveaways during my release party on the 31st. Good luck in your writing!
​Sarah Daley lives in Arizona with her best friend and husband, Chris, their adorable monster child, and neurotic dog. 

At the age of six, she became a reading machine. Devouring everything she could possibly get her hands on. In high school she almost failed English three times because of her detest for writing book reports. Today, Sarah writes whatever stories haunt her dreams, and struggles to focus on one idea at a time. When she isn’t enjoying time with her family, or writing, you will find her nose stuck in a book, or out walking and enjoying the sunshine.
Drowning Sandy is her debut novella!

Links to find out what is coming next:
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/S.E.DaleyAuthor
Twitter: @SEDaleyAuthor
Pintrest: https://www.pinterest.com/prplmormonchic/
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sarah-Daley/e/B00XFYDA8M/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_3
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1087199-sarah
Blog: Semishort.blogspot.com
Blog Subscription: http://goo.gl/forms/dKI4guPSwt
Or contact her at SEDaley22@gmail.com

Super School Giveaway!

There are three things I'm really passionate about:
1) Writing
2) Kids reading what I've written (or just reading in general)
3) Inspiring young people to love literacy.

Seeing kids and teens discover the joy of being lost in a good book or developing stories of their own gives me the best kind of thrill. I love hearing from young people that they loved my stories or that I'm their favorite author. (Seriously, that birthday message tugged on my heartstrings something fierce!)

Prince Charming's Quest is just weeks away from release. As I've been planning and thinking what I could do to really celebrate this milestone with a bang, my sweet, amazing and genius hubby said, "Why not get schools involved?"

Have I told you my husband's a genius yet? He totally is! 

We talked it out, going over the details and what would be involved and what the goal is. And this is what we've come up with:

Charming Academy Super School Giveaway
I've stated that I love watching kids read my books. I also love interacting with kids and telling them about writing, reading and the indescribable thrill of chasing one's dreams. This release, instead of just giving away a copy of the book to one person (though I'll get to that giveaway in a minute) I want to give a set of my books to one lucky school library as well as a day of Skype interviews. Sounds good, right? This is how it's going to work.

1) Nominate your school.
On Monday at 8:00am CDT, I will start the nomination post on my Facebook Fanpage. You will need to comment on that post with your school's name and get 5 people to like that comment. At 9:00pm CDT, I will add all the qualifying, nominated schools to a new contest page on this website. Once that page is live, voting will begin. 

2) Vote for your school.
All nominated schools will be listed on a contest page at this website. On that page you will be able to vote for your school. Voting will take place from 9:00pm CDT on Monday, Oct. 19 through 9:00pm CDT Friday, Oct. 30. Each person can vote once per day. Votes will be tallied at 9:00pm CDT each evening to determine who is in the lead and how each school is doing. Votes coming after that time will be counted with the next day's votes.

3) Share, share, share!
Give your school the best chance at winning by sharing the daily Facebook post or simply sharing the contest page via Facebook, Twitter or email. Each person can vote once daily and the more you share, the more votes your school will receive! The more voters you have, the better the prizes will be. 

Prizes
Because we really want to get a lot of involvement in this giveaway, we've done a tiered set up for the prizes. The more unique voters we get, the better the prizes will become. Here's what it looks like:
50 voters - A day of Skype interviews with the author and 1(one) signed copy each of Charming Academy and Finding Prince Charming.
150 voters - A day of Skype interviews with the author and 1(one) signed copy each of Charming Academy, Finding Prince Charming, and Prince Charming's Search
300 voters - A day of Skype interviews with the author and 1(one) signed copy each of Charming Academy, Finding Prince Charming, Prince Charming's Search, and Becoming Prince Charming.
600 voters - A day of Skype interviews with the author and 1(one) signed copy each of Charming Academy, Finding Prince Charming, Prince Charming's Search, Becoming Prince Charming, and The Ultimate Prince Charming.
1200 voters - A day of Skype interviews with the author and 1(one) signed copy each of the entire series: Charming Academy, Finding Prince Charming, Prince Charming's Search, Becoming Prince Charming, The Ultimate Prince Charming, and Prince Charming's Quest. 
Any school which receives more than 100 votes will win 1(one) Skype interview with the author and will be given the opportunity to purchase signed books for their library at a specially discounted rate.

And don't forget, your school isn't the only winner. Everyone who votes will be entered into the Ultimate Charming Academy Fan Basket giveaway! This will include 1(one) signed copy of Charming Academy, 1(one) signed copy of Prince Charming's Quest, 2(two) original illustrations (one painted in acrylic on 8x10 canvas and one colored pencil drawing on 9x12 paper), 3(three) handmade bookmarks, 1(one) hand-painted figurine of Zephyr, and a baggie of surprise goodies.

Doesn't that sound awesome? Here are some things to consider:
Which schools are eligible? Any school worldwide whether public or private is eligible. We are also accepting homeschool co-ops for entry. Please note that the books are in English and the interview will be conducted in English. Shipping costs may apply to book winners outside the US. 
What if I miss the Oct. 19 nomination post? Not a problem! Simply comment on the most current contest post on Facebook with your school nomination and get it liked by five people. Your school will be added to the page during our evening tally. Voting for your school would begin after 9:00pm CDT that night.
Do I have to buy anything? No. There is no purchase necessary to participate in the contest.
How do the Skype interviews work? Schools which win interviews will need to contact me to schedule a date and time for their interview. The grand prize winning school will need to schedule a date and times for their interviews. They can be conducted with the entire school, with specific classes, or specific grade levels at the school's discretion.
I have children in different schools. Can I vote for both of them? Not on the same day. However, since you can vote one time each day, you can vote for a different school on different days. While both schools won't be able to win the grand prize, you can help both schools reach enough votes to win a Skype interview.
Why do you want my email address? We are using email addresses to keep track of unique voters. While two people may have the same name, no two people will have the same email address. Your email will never be shared and we will only contact you if you win the Ultimate Charming Academy Fan Basket or you opt to sign up for our newsletter. After the contest is over, any email which has not been opted to receive the newsletter will be deleted from our files.
When will we find out who the winners are? The winning school and individual winner of the Ultimate Charming Academy Fan Basket will be announced during my Facebook release party on Oct 31.

Any other questions? Please ask them in the comments and I will get to you just as soon as possible. Let's make this a huge success!