Words from the Heart

This week, I have the pleasure of sharing with you a new book, The Last Conception that I found captivating as well as enlightening.  The Last Conception   surprised me in that it kept me glued to the computer screen.  Right in the middle of reading it, my computer crashed.  You know that feeling you get when you are all wrapped in a great episode of your favorite series, like Dr. Who and suddenly the credits start rolling before things are resolved?  Well, that was me a few weeks ago when the computer crashed and I had to wait to upload the book again. Anyway, fellow educator and writer, Gabriel Constans , the author of this book has been so patient with me.  He has also been most gracious in answering a few questions I had when I first started reading his story about a young, professional woman from the East Indian culture, who finds herself in the middle of Major - with a capital M! - life choices.   ~~~~~~ Gabriel, how did you co...

Today, I am delighted to have one of my favorite fellow writers, who has been a guest here before, join us.  Please welcome back, Melissa Foster ! Award-winning, bestselling author Melissa Foster is a touchstone for the indie publishing community and a tireless advocate for women. She is the founder of the World Literary Café, Fostering Success, and The Women’s Nest. Melissa writes emotionally-driven contemporary fiction and suspense with passionate characters that remain with the reader long after they’ve read the last words. Melissa is a friend, mentor, brownie connoisseur, and book fiend. In addition, Melissa is a dynamo of literary energy.  She, like many women today, has her hat in multiple arenas, which is why she is sharing her thoughts on controlling the chaos of life.  Her post is part of her summer blog tour . As always, Melissa, I am delighted to have you visit!   Linda, I am honored to be sharing your blog space today, thank you....

Nature has a lovely way of surprising us.  So often, where we see decay and waste, suddenly we see beauty spring forth. Nature teaches us lessons.  Bloom where you are planted.  The daffodils in the picture above are a brilliant example.  Hanging tenaciously to the side of the pond, they are blooming in profusion; a welcome sign of spring. They could be washed away if there are heavy rains or crushed underfoot, but in spite of that, they bloom. We, too, can bloom where we are planted in spite of difficulties and hardships.  This is a lesson I have learned over the years that once again has become evident in my life. Image via Wikipedia The past year I have been struggling to find a full-time position.  I have several part-time jobs writing and teaching, but nothing permanent and nothing that gives benefits.  I could look at this as a negative, but instead, I have found that it is an opportunity, almost a calling, to do something new with ...

I remember as a girl hearing the adults talking about a Fellini movie that was "Banned in Boston!" When I asked my mother what it means to be "Banned in Boston," she explained that the Boston diocese of the Catholic Church had forbidden people from seeing the movie.  She went on to explain that this upset her because it took away her freedom to decide for herself if something was appropriate or good or worth her time. Momma was a very progressive thinker for her day  She was a civil right activist long before the term was in daily life.   In the recent issue of the AARP Bulletin, there is a full-page listing of books that are banned in schools and libraries across the country.  To me, this seems unbelievable, especially when I read the list of books.  I can understand not allowing porn into a school library, but The Diary of Anne Frank or Fahrenheit 451 ? I read Anne Frank as a young girl in Junior High.  It opened my eyes to how someone could fa...

My mother, bless her, gave me many solid ideals upon which to base my life. One of her favorite bits of advise was, "If you don't have something good to day, don't say anything." You see, words, regardless of what the nursery rhyme states, do hurt. They can literally maim another person's spirit, integrity, and mind. Alternately, words can be the balm that heals the spirit, builds the integrity and comforts the mind. While we may have all the intentions in the world of saying something good, I have learned that sometimes, what we say can either be mistaken or said in a careless way that unintentionally hurts others. I know this first hand, because, as my mother told me, I had chronic foot and mouth disease (F&M)...in other words, I was constantly putting my foot in my mouth by saying things that I shouldn't. As an extremely inquisitive child, I wanted to know why people had crutches, why our skin was different colors, why some people didn't have clean...