It’s the weekend and for many of us that means time off from work. Yay! What do you have planned?
BC19 (Before COVID-19) the weekend was a time for gatherings and socializing, which is off the books for now. Today may be the time for a solitary bike ride through interesting landscape-whether that is the desert’s unique formations or under a canopy of trees.
I’m not trying to get political here, so no comments about the pandemic, social distancing, or mask-wearing, please!
I’m encouraging you to enjoy the beautiful summer day! Sonja
When a story doesn’t unfold in my brain, it’s a struggle to get it down on paper–or, rather, in ones and zeros. I’m having this issue with Lady Zepherine’s story. She is reluctant to tell her story, and I am having a difficult time writing it. Difficult is putting it mildly. It’s like hammering dull nails into an oak board with a sponge. Yes, that’s impossible.
The hard thing is not writing her story. But I feel like it’s a tortured mess. That’s what editing is for, right?
It’s also tough because parts of her story are so personal to me. Diving into my memories, and interacting with the mean girls and bullies who live there, makes me sad. I wish I had the knowledge that I have now, back then, so I could stand up to them and defend myself instead of ‘taking it’ like I did.
Even now, I try to take the high road and not get pulled down into what I consider trite arguments. The unfortunate side of that is the number of people (who I though were friends) believing the liar and rumor-spreader.
Aren’t you glad that it exposed your false friends? Yes, but it makes for loneliness, too. I wish they had taken the time to find the truth rather than believing the person who had no issues dragging my name through the mud. I hope I haven’t made the same mistake.
This afternoon I get to indulge in one of my favorite things-chatting with another author. Today, it’s thriller writer J.A. Jance.
I get to be involved because of the Author Chat series sponsored by Tucson Festival of Books.
Sometimes, these chats are good, sometime they aren’t, but I think it’s fun to listen to the advice and encouragement of successful NYT Bestsellers. It’s a dream of mine to make that list.
I write every day, less so now since I’m recovering from surgery and typing send tiny shards of pain up my wrist. On the thumb side. Where the bone graft came from. Sigh.
My body also likes to put my nerves on high alert after surgery, so I’m working to desensitize those suckers. It’s uncomfortable, but worth the pain. As is the stretching to get more movement in my wrist.
What can also be uncomfortable is writing. (Nice segue, huh?)
The most difficult part of writing for me is the first draft-I much prefer editing and fleshing out the story. But it’s all fun, no matter how difficult it is to get the words down.
I hope you are able to indulge in something you love. Sonja
The Voyage: A Story of the Wing Family and Its Migration from England to the American Colonies was on sale in celebration of the U.S. Independence Day. I hope you were able to get your free ebook!
The Voyage tells the story of John Wing as he grows up in England and attends Oxford University. As the monarchy changed England’s religious views, he searched throughout Europe for a place to give him the freedom to preach his way.
After traveling and preaching in several European locales, he decided to take his large family to the American colonies–to Plymouth Settlement. He died without realizing this dream, but his widow and sons did arrive and eventually helped found Sandwich, Massachusetts.
The Voyage is an easy-reader and illustrated by the same artist who does the Guinness the Therapy Dog series You can search for the book using my name in the Amazon search bar, or use the quick links on the left side of this website.
(c) 2020 A non-fiction look at the search for religious freedom in the 1600s
To celebrate U.S. Independence and my ancestor’s roles in the formation of the United States, the ebook of The Voyage is FREE on amazon.com!
You can search for the book using my name in the Amazon search bar, or use the quick links on the left side of this website.
The Voyage is an illustrated easy-reader and tells the story of Reverend John Wing as he studies at Oxford, and then flees the religious edicts of the English monarchy.
This book is illustrated by the same artist who does the Guinness the Therapy Dog series.
Today is a day in the United States for reflection and gratitude. To reflect on our nation’s history and be thankful for the sacrifices made by those men and women all those years ago.
I have a patriot who fought in the Revolutionary War for independence from Great Britain– as well as the subsequent membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).
I have an ancestor who came from England to Plymouth Colony on the Mayflower.
And, I have a Scottish ancestor who was captured by the British in 1650, endured the horror that was Durham Cathedral, and started over again in the New World after a sea voyage aboard the ship Unity. He returned to his homeland, but his children emigrated to the eastern seaboard of the colonies.
Today, I thank these brave men, the courageous women who accompanied them, and the children who came before me. I have a rich past that is similar to, or lesser than, many others. It doesn’t matter if you come from someone ‘notable’, or descend from humbler stock. Your ancestors made you the person you are today.
Perhaps you wish that private was actually a Major-General… But you would be a completely different person, or maybe not even here. Be thankful for your ancestors and for whatever role they played in your personal history, as well as the world’s history.
To celebrate the birth of the United States and my ancestor’s roles in its formation, I arranged for the ebook of The Voyage to be offered for FREE on amazon.com. You can search for the book using my name in the Amazon search bar, or use the quick links on the left side of this website. The book is an easy-reader and illustrated by the same artist who does the Guinness the Therapy Dog series. The ebook will be available for FREE TODAY AND TOMORROW ONLY!
It’s important to do things that are outside your comfort zone. Think about it. At one time, everything you did was new. Then you decided to do it again. And got good at it. And maybe it became your favorite thing.
But first, you had to try it for the first time.
I encourage you to try something new every month–every week if you’re really brave. It doesn’t need to be something big. Take your walk going a different way. Part your hair on the other side. Tie your shoes using bunny ears or a half-hitch-or Google a new way to lace your sneakers.
