I am honored that the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Florida, asked me to present a seminar at “Better Together,”  its 2011 Annual Meeting and Conference at the Sheraton Orlando Downtown, Fl, December 2-4. I will be presenting “Coping with your child’s mood disorder, practically, emotionally and spiritually.”  I will draw on my first-hand experiences–my mistakes as well as my successes–to give this talk. I look forward to it and hope I can help others by passing on the insights I’ve gleaned on my journey.

When I was a young journalist at the Lynchburg News, Virginia, I started out as a feature writer and thus didn’t face hard deadlines. When I moved to the city desk, that changed. Early in my tenure, I had to produce a complicated story on a hospital sale and had only thirty minutes. When I sat down at my computer, my mind froze and my fingers hung motionless over the keyboard. Five minutes ticked by and I had yet to write a word. I turned to my phone and dialed up my sister, Anne, who was then an editor at the Richmond Times Dispatch. I quickly explained the problem.

“Writer’s block,” Anne said, “is simply fear. It’s the fear that what you write won’t be ‘good enough.’ And that’s true. The first thing you write won’t be good enough, but it will give you something to play with, something you can flesh out and polish to make good enough. So just start writing. Write anything. Write how much you hate the story or how mad you are at your editor or whatever comes to your mind. Just start writing because once you get something on the page, then you can play with it. As long as the page is blank, you have nothing to play with.”

I took her advice and started typing. I wrote quickly, without stopping to consider or edit. I hate this story, I wrote. I hate my editor. I don’t know how to write this. I’m going to get fired. What’s this story about anyway? Why am I writing it? Because one of the biggest employers in Lynchburg is about to merge with another hospital. Suddenly, there I had it, the lede. And I was off and running. I made my deadline.

Falling into the Sun is a 2011 Gold Recipient of the Mom’s Choice Awards! I’m very honored. Check it out!

http://honoreeblog.momschoiceawards.com/2011-honorees/2011-books-and-print-materials/2011-adult-leisure-parenting-how-to/

I’m very honored!

This is the third major recognition for Falling into the Sun! In 2009, Falling into the Sun won “Best Published Novel of 2009″ from the National League of American Pen Women, Florida Association. In spring, 2010, it was a Finalist in Foreward Reviews Book of the Year Awards.

For all those readers who have asked for Falling into the Sun on Kindle:

http://www.amazon.com/Falling-Into-The-Sun-ebook/dp/B00413Q05Q/ref=sr_1_1_title_1_ke?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1317993520&sr=1-1

Got back last Monday from a wonderful trip to Los Angeles to visit former St. Petersburg Times writers, now LA Times editors, Bill Nottingham and Susan Denley.  We took a two-day jaunt into the Santa Barbara and  San Luis Obispo wine country (known for Pinot Noir and Chardonay). Talked to the Orange County National Alliance on Mental Illness and held a book signing at the Costa Mesa Borders on Saturday, selling lots of books at both, before heading back the Nott/Denleys for a lovely private book signing party there. Lots of good company, good wine and great laughter. Not to mention an inspiring rendition of “Oh Canada” by Bill.

Returned home to find that Falling into the Sun is a FINALIST!! in Foreword Reviews 2009 Best Book of the Year Awards! Winners will be announced in May at BookExpo America, in New York. Can’t think of a better way to end a fantastic trip!

2009 has been a great year. Not only did my first novel, Falling into the Sun,  get released in July, but it won a very nice award in November–”Best Published Novel” in the 2009 Letters Competition of the National League of American Pen Women, Florida Association. Woohoo!

Better than any award is the positive feedback I continue to get from readers. I’ve received e-mails from fans as far away as New Zealand! Just got a very uplifting e-mail this week from a fan in Canada, Cathy Hardy, who writes: “I felt like you dared to write many of the things I’ve experienced and feel but often don’t have the courage to say out loud.” Some of the themes she particularly enjoyed: “becoming aware of how we are all so connected to each other and all things”;  “the growing awareness of being an artist and learning to take the deep risk in being one’s true self”; and the transformational power of trust, as opposed to “fear based religion.”   Cathy is a musician and released her second CD in 2008, titled Trust: Inspiration from Taize. In my novel, Kate listens to music from Taize when she fears she is being haunted by evil. Check out Cahty’s CD at http://www.communitascare.com/enter-store.html?page=shop.browse&category_id=41&vmcchk=1

I love hearing from fans. Keep writing, please.

Yesterday I spoke to Ray at Haslams Book Store in St. Petersburg, Fl, about doing a book signing at his store. He was hesitant at first–right up until the point I said I used to work for the St. Petersburg Times. Then he was all for moving ahead. Why? As he put it, he now knew the book would be really well written. Wish I could claim this compliment, but he was really complimenting the St. Petersburg Times. And the compliment is well-deserved!

Tuesday the kids go back to school and I’m already depressed. I especially hate the first day, when I drink my second cup of coffee of the morning in a house that is empty and silent!

Just got back from a five-day horse show in Venice, Florida. My 13-year-old daughter, Emma, competed on her paint pony “Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” or J.J. for short, in cross rails. She was reserve champion in both the hunter and equitation divisions and won the cross rails hunter classic, which had a $50 purse! Was really proud of her and her pony, which was a rescue and had been treated pretty poorly (beaten and starved) before falling into the loving hands of Miss Emma. We gave him lots of treats!

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