Words from the Heart

Today, I am delighted to share an interview with Sybil Baker, author of Talismans , an anthology of short stories inspired by Sybil's travels around the world. Sybil is participating in a Blog Tour with Women on Writing. Sybil Baker spent twelve years teaching in South Korea prior to accepting a position as an assistant professor of English at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga after earning her MFA in Writing from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. During her extensive travels throughout Asia, she became increasingly interested in the allure and alienation of American travelers and expatriates, and this has heavily influenced her writing. She is the author of Talismans (C and R Press, 2010) and T he Life Plan (Casperian Books, 2009). Her short stories and essays have appeared in Transnational Literature, Upstreet, The Writer's Chronicle, and elsewhere. Learn more about Sybil by visiting her website www.sybilbaker.com , and her blog, An Ex-patriate's Musings o...

Image via Wikipedia This is the time of year for Christmas wishes. You know the drill, it's been asked of you since you were old enough to speak.   "So, what do you wish Santa to bring you this year?" some well-meaning adult would ask.   I would lower my eyes afraid to say what really was on my mind, whispering, "Oh, whatever he brings will be fine." Had I my druthers, I would have answered, "I would love peace and quiet.  A total day where people didn't yell at each other, where there is plenty of food to eat and where love is the gift that everyone gets." But, what does a kid know? It's been more than half a century since those days.  My Christmas holidays have become quieter.  No one yells, or says mean things.   My beloved and I usually spend the morning happily sharing each others company over cups of tea, breakfast and meaningful gifts we have gotten each other.  What is actually quite funny, is that we often get each other ...

Image via Wikipedia The last thing I thought I would be writing about today is bullies at school in kindergarten.  But, that was before I read a post by my daughter on how my granddaughter didn't want to go to school for fear someone would make fun of her.  This is not an isolated incident.  She had stopped wearing a shirt because someone started teasing her when she wore it. My mother cat spirit immediately shows her hackles when things like this happen.  It makes me so sad to hear stories of children being abused by their peers.  Immediately, my mind starts looking for a way to end this problem.  Wisdom tells me, though, that we must find a reason why the problem begins in the first place. Great minds in child development feel that bullying stems from insecurity and the need to feel powerful.  I understand this, but why do kindergartners need to feel powerful?  What is it in their environment that causes them to need to hurt others verbally...

Today, I have as my guest, Karyn Climans, who is the entrepreneurial spirit behind Tail Wags Helmet Covers, a company devoted to encouraging children and adults to wear their safety helmets.    Karyn suffered a serious ski accident but fortunately she was wearing her ski helmet. The helmet saved her life! One goal of her company is to help prevent unnecessary injuries and it is her passion for safety awareness along with her imaginative flair that are the key ingredients for Tail Wags’ success.   Karyn tells us about her business in the article below.  She is an inspiration to all!    Building My Business One Helmet Cover at a Time! I always knew if I was going to return to the work force after being a stay-at-home mom for 15 years, it was going to have to be in a job that provided me with the flexibility to continue juggling the needs of my two special needs sons. I was also determined to find a job, which provided an outlet for my creative side. As wel...