Writing Challenges

I Still Am An Author and Writer In Progress…Literary Ramblings and Random Thoughts While Writing My New Books During a Pandemic.

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WELCOME EVERYONE,

“What strange and unusual times we are now living in during this pandemic of  Corona Virus. It’s like we all woke up one day and life had changed overnight and still feels like this is all a “bad dream”…

Just a few months ago, it was like life was another normal day. Then this virus began to spread like wildfire and out of control while devastating everything its path. Families heartbroken losing parents and grandparents. Young and old are contracting this cunning virus and who knows how many are walking around with it and don’t even know it. Hearing too many friends also losing a parent, or a loved one has it and battling to get better. I don’t think life as we knew it will ever be the same with no cure light at the end of the tunnel.

With that said, I have learned to not take life for granted. I am blessed we have been safe and healthy and feel a little guilty that I am taking this time to begin finishing my second book, and hopefully get my third book to the finish line.  Hopefully to be able to publish when this pandemic slows and we get back to some kind of new normal.

As around late February into mid-March, my business side of things began to get slow and seemed harder to get results for my authors, and I don’t like taking money if I can’t keep some sales and reviews coming in for them. I thought I’d take a break. It has never been this slow before in the year’s I have been book marketing and thought maybe it was time to finish my own projects and get the writing juices flowing to decrease some stress over this whole pandemic.

At times it is a little challenging to focus and have been trying to stay away from TV news, backed off social media, and stop reading all the spin and stories online a well. I just try to be ‘in the know’ of the health risk and if our cases are still rising here in my state of Arizona.  One thing that has kept me sane during the few months, well, two things actually.

The first is I had started journaling more since this pandemic continued to start spreading. As it began to spread and before I knew it, everyone began wearing masks, gloves, and my husband would come home to tell me another sanitizing story the have changed at his work. He works in an “essential workforce” yes, you guessed it, a large chain grocery store as he is a Seafood Manager and Meat Supervisor. My anxiety around this is he just turned 61-years-old and still working in the middle of an unknown, you can die from, this virus.

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Well, he is a big boy who is allowed to make his own decisions and my husband is a “go-getter” and very healthy. So after a two-week furlough mandated by the meat union, he continued to work as they were becoming very short-handed. So I hold the household fort down with my three fur babies Mr. Boots, Miss Princess, and Old Simon. Needless to say, they have been getting loads of attention with brush-outs, nails trimmed, cat snacks, and ears cleaned too!

Second, my dear friend and fellow author who happens to be a fantastic life coach, Ms. Maureen Scanlon who has been coaching me by phone through a lot of my fears around this virus and many topics too! She has strong shoulders who knows how to put this CAT straight and get me on the right path to my life and long-term recovery. Everyone should hire her and at least for a couple of sessions. She puts life in prespective in uncertain times like these. I hope she knows how much I appreciate her and our friendship. I had shared with her about me still being a felon. Now, this time in life I am not proud of. But when you continue to use “addiction thinking” in the choices we make? We can still wind up a FELON.

AND? As I have been writing my second book. I have been revisiting this time when I was at the tail end of my gambling addiction and started my recovery path. I also shared some of this in my current book and memoir, ‘Addicted To Dimes’ about the time the police and sheriff came knocking on my door one evening around 4:15 PM. I was making dinner and my husband had not gotten home from work yet. We both had recovery counseling appointments that night after dinner and I was going to make the Gamblers Anonymous meeting after my appointment.

Well, God has a sense of humor and it was obvious he had other plans for me. I was arrested, handcuffed, and carted off to jail, while people outside watched the whole thing unfold. You’ll have to read my first book as I go in detail as to the WHY, HOW, and I wasn’t even gambling!! I was only there for a few hours as they fingerprinted me, took my mug shot, and then let me go. I had never had a run-in with the law before, LOL!, nor had I ever had a criminal record until then.

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16 Mugshots Of Adorable Animals Gone Bad

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So I have been writing this past week and this second book will be about more memoirs and the “Lighter Side to Recovery”…I have so many things to share since my first book came out back in 2013 and now that I have been maintaining long-term recovery, I can actually look back on some of the ridiculous things I did when beginning my recovery journey, dumb things while I was within my addiction to gambling and real advice on how to make that first year and beyond. And yes, some of it is funny.

Now, I am not saying addiction is funny, not at all. But 13+yrs in? There are some things that are from way back then, and if I can’t call out MY SHIT? Who will call out my shot? Might as well be me!! We should not take ourselves or life to seriously, even while maintaining recovery.

And in being honest and transparent, yes, I made the poor choice in 2006 to have stolen from someone. Yes, she pressed charges, and yes, I went to jail for a few hours. Yes, I took ownership and accountability for my actions. It had been the one and only time I had done anything remotely illegal. And yes, I accepted the punishment and did my community service, paid fees, court and probation fees. And LEARNED MANY LESSONS.

And I got say, there is another whole side to this as some is kind of funny. I also want to share all the amazing things that have haapened to me since my first book released! Most all by believing in a “power greater”…But you will have to wait and read all that in Book Two which will be the follow-up to “Addicted To Dimes: Confessions of a Liar and a Cheat”... I am still bouncing some book titles around for the book as well.

I shared with Maureen I was thinking of the title below and she said it was funny and that if she saw that title walking by a bunch of books in a store she would immediately buy the book!!  Would you? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!!

Cat 

WOMAN DIES A FELON

More Memoirs, Musings, & The Lighter Side of Long-Term Recovery

By Author Catherine Townsend-Lyon  

 

For Writers Eyes Only ~ Write Your Way To Some After-Holiday Cash! Courtesy of ‘Two Drops of Ink’…

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WHO Doesn’t Need Some Extra “After The Holiday” Cool Cash? Well, if your writer? Get your writing chops on over at “Two Drops of Ink” and  WIN you some cash! All The Details Are Below and HAPPY WRITING!

 

Best 1000 Words for the Image Contest

Note from the Editor-in-chief, Marilyn L. Davis:

The idea that a picture can convey what might take many words to express was voiced by a character in Ivan S. Turgenev’s novel Fathers and Sons, 1862: “The drawing shows me at one glance what might be spread over ten pages in a book.”

But, is a picture always worth a thousand words? Not necessarily.

So, here’s the challenge for all of Two Drops of Ink’s ~ Cat Lyon’s Reading and Writing writers and readers.

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Capture the Image Using the Power of Words

 

 

 
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Many times, an image is captured without a backstory, and that’s where the writer has the advantage of using their words to give us context for that still photo.

 

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As the writer, you get to describe the picture. But it’s got to be more than just a park bench in autumn, regardless of how beautiful the leaves are. Show us how this park bench gave relief to the elderly couple who walked that path for twenty years or sat forlornly waiting for the bulldozer so the city could have another parking deck, or how this bench and all it stood for united a community.

Now I See It!

Do you see how those words add meaning? See how those words evoke a feeling in the reader? That’s the power of words and images combined.

Let’s have a contest to see if the words don’t carry the message better than just the image or create a memorable story from a picture prompt.

 

Contest Rules

  1. For this contest, you’ll write at least 1000 words to tell a story, enchant us with a poem, or provide memoir-based problem-solving for the blogger or writer from the images.

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  2. Our monthly contributors may enter as well. It gives them an opportunity to get outside of their comfort zones and entertain, educate, or enchant us.

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  3. In the subject line of your submission, write, “Best 1000 Words for the Image Contest.” Send to twodropsofinksubmissions@yahoo.com

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  4. Deadline for this contest is December 8, 2018

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  5. Then, we’ll let the readers vote for their favorite.

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  6. The post that gets the most “likes” is the winner. The “like” button is below …

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    “Help us share” button. And do be sure to share!

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    We’ll post the winner on December 24th, 2018.

    For this contest, any genre is welcome. Short fiction, how-to, memoir, essay, or poetry. And what do you get for your efforts? $100.

     

    Pick Your Prompt

    In many cases, the image will dictate what type of post you submit. Poetry, short fiction, memoir-based, or helpful hints … So go visit my dear friend Marilyn Davis and this article here  “Two Drops of Ink” and pick which IMAGE calls you and the hints and get writing!

 

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Tell your friends and families after you’ve submitted. Every vote counts.

Two Drops of Ink: The Literary Home for Collaborative Writing

Happy Memorial Weekend Guest Post By Blogalicious and Diane Lockward, Author ~ Poet.

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Hello and Welcome Everyone and Especially Authors! Today’s Guest is Poet and Author, Diane Lockward. I visited her blog and read two posts she had shared about the changes GoodReads has made to Giveaways and crossed over with Amazon KDP and a different way to do Promos and Giveaways. I hope it helps all of you to understand the “objectable and annoying” changes. Just how I and Diane feel about it! Lol. Happy Memorial Day Weekend Reading!

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Goodreads Turns Bad

Back in January Goodreads changed their Giveaway program. Prior to that time, authors could post a Giveaway for a book. No Fee! Members of the site could sign up to win a free copy. After the conclusion of the Giveaway, a winner would be picked, the author would be notified with a name and address, and a free book would go out in the mail. An author could offer multiple free copies and also run subsequent Giveaways.

I liked the program a lot. When I did a Giveaway for any of my poetry books, I’d get around 300 signups. When I did a Giveaway for one of my craft books, I’d get as many as 600 signups. These people who signed up would often indicate “I Want to Read” for the title. My book got in front of a lot of eyes and I felt kind of popular.

I liked the program so much that when I started Terrapin Books one of the promotion suggestions I routinely made to my authors was that they run a Giveaway at Goodreads. I can no longer make that suggestion, nor will I again run a Giveaway for one of my own titles. That’s because, since January 8, 2018, authors and publishers are required to pay a fee for the formerly free service. That may be how the business world operates, but poets and poetry publishers simply cannot afford to pay the fees. 

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Goodreads now offers two fee options:

1) the Standard package for $119 for up to 100 copies (either Kindle ebook or print book). 
2) the Premium package for $599 is available for either print books or Kindle ebooks. 
 
Full details can be seen at the Goodreads site.

I’m not at all convinced that either of these options will generate sales for authors, certainly not for poets and publishers of poetry books. And there is no way that I will pay for the service, nor can I ask my authors to do so.

For one thing, while I liked the program in the past and enjoyed having my book page fill up with Want to Reads, I never saw any spike in sales following a Giveaway. Maybe I’d get one new review. I wondered if other authors shared my feelings and experience. So I put the question out to a Facebook group that I belong to. I asked if authors had found that a Giveaway generated any sales.

Not one person said Yes. Not one. Not one person said she’d pay for the service. These people, by the way, included prose writers as well as poets. One author described her experience as “I did it but I don’t think it’s made any difference. I will not do it again.”

Another said, “I did it and zero effect!”

Another said, “I did get reviews on Goodreads from my Giveaway but no sales that I could see.”
A publisher said, “it did not increase the sales at all.“

One author who paid for the new service said, “I did it right when they opened it up to ebooks and it was half off! I didn’t pay for the ‘featured’ status or whatever but I ended up there anyway because it was brand new and there weren’t many other ebooks. I’m glad I did it then because honestly, it was worthless. Will not do it again.”

Not too encouraging, is it? I rarely go to the Goodreads website since the change. I wonder if I’m alone in that.

I also wonder if it would be worth trying out an Amazon Giveaway. So I’m trying it out. I just created an Amazon Giveaway for The Crafty Poet II: A Portable Workshop. There’s a form that had to be filled out. Within an hour I received a confirmation of the Giveaway request. That was very similar to a confirmation of a purchase.

Then this morning I received notification that my Giveaway had gone live. The notification included a link that I can share so that people will sign up, but Amazon also somehow advertises the Giveaway. I just offered one copy. There is a cost for the person running the Giveaway—the price of one book and postage. I expect that the postage fee of $8 will not actually be that high. Amazon, unlike Goodreads, ships out the book. Not free, but more affordable than $119. Let’s see how this all works out! Till Next Time …

Goodreads Turns Bad, Part 2: Amazon

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WELL, In my last post, I complained about the recent elimination of the free Giveaway at Goodreads, now replaced with a costly Giveaway. The fee imposed makes the service prohibitive for poets and small press publishers. I decided that the time was right to try an Amazon Giveaway for my craft book, The Crafty Poet II: A Portable Workshop. That experiment is now over. Here are the results.

It was easy to set up the Amazon Giveaway and it went into effect immediately as Goodreads now does also (used to be a 7-day wait period). While a Goodreads Giveaway allows the user to select the length of time the Giveaway will run, there is a 7-day time limit on the length of the Amazon Giveaway, but that time will be cut off once a winner has been selected.

There are several options for how a winner is selected. My Giveaway was over within hours of its start time. I selected that there would be one book given and that each entrant had a 1 in 100 chance of winning. I would increase the 100 if I were to do another Amazon Giveaway as that would extend the time.

Amazon provided me with a Giveaway page code, but I never used it as the time was up so fast. They quickly sent me statistics. I had 424 Hits (people who looked at the Giveaway), 175 Entrants (people who entered the Giveaway), 14 Page Visits (people who went from the Giveaway page to the book page).

So the exposure for my book with an Amazon Giveaway was far less than with past giveaways I ran at Goodreads, but I could increase the exposure if I changed the odds.

I was given the name of the winner as I was with Goodreads, but with Goodreads, I had to mail out the book while with Amazon they mailed out the book. Before Goodreads turned bad, the only cost I incurred was the cost of one book, envelope, and postage. Amazon charged me a “setup cost” of $27.09 and later refunded $.06. The price for my book at Amazon is now $18.64 discounted from $21.99. So I was charged $8.39 for postage and handling. It would cost me less if I mailed a copy from my own stash and paid the postage.

Conclusion: I doubt I’ll do another Amazon Giveaway as I don’t see any particular benefit to it. It’s far less costly than a Goodreads Giveaway, but had no apparent effect on sales.

But just to continue this experiment one step further, I’m going to try a Giveaway on Facebook. I’ll let you know how that turns out and hopefully, Cat will fill you in on those results! Lol.

Poet and Blogger, 
Diane Lockward

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I am Diane Lockward, I live and write poetry in New Jersey. I am the author of four full-length poetry collections, most recently The Uneaten Carrots of Atonement. My earlier books are Temptation by Water (Wind Pub, 2010), What Feeds Us, which received the 2006 Quentin R. Howard Poetry Prize, and Eve’s Red Dress. I am also the author of The Crafty Poet: A Portable Workshop, a how-to book for poets; and the sequel, The Crafty Poet II. My poems appear in a number of anthologies such as Garrison Keillor’s Good Poems for Hard Times and in such journals as Harvard Review, Spoon River Poetry Review, and Prairie Schooner. My poems have been featured on Poetry Daily, Verse Daily, Ted Kooser’s American Life in Poetry, and The Writer’s Almanac. I am the founder, editor, and publisher of Terrapin Books, a small press for poetry books.

Visit Terrapin Books, a small press for poetry

 

About My Book, My Writing, and My Book Blogging Ramblin’s. . .

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Hello and Welcome All,

Now it is no secret that many of my blog friends,  my followers, and readers who come for a visit know that a live life in recovery. I share this a LOT. But I also need to keep in mind those of my visitors that are new to my book promoting blog may not know this about me. They may not know that my current book titled; Addicted To Dimes, Confessions of a Liar and a Cheat, is some what my Memoir of my life, starting as a wee little girl to about 2012.

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Product Details
Addicted to Dimes (Confessions of a Liar and a Cheat) Nov 2012

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And I can honestly say that my life has changed in SO many ways since my book was released on my 50th birthday! Yes, I’m 50 something, but age is just a number people! That was in November 2012. My book was written & shared with the intent to make readers who also live in recovery from any addiction know they are not alone.
That they can recover and overcome!

I can also honestly say, that my writing has become so much better as well! LOL. We all know great editors can help make our words come to life, and they can make our words within the pages of our books look and sound good. But as a writer, the rest is up to me.
Is my storyline strong enough? Or did I grab the reader, did I hold their attention with my craft and prose till the end of my book?

These are many questions all of us as writers ask. One of the ways we learn what readers think about our books is through the power of book reviews. I take all my book reviews from 100% organic readers very seriously. Now, not to brag or toot my author horn, but I have been blessed with most all 5 star Amazon Reviews, and one 4.8 review. Not bad for a first time writer/author. But I did work very hard for those reviews. I do believe all writers and authors do. And we take our craft as writers seriously. Not to say you can’t have some fun along the way right?

I always tell many in recovery, “we all have a story within us to tell.”
And I do believe that. Look, over 8 years ago, if some psychic lady told me I’d be a writer and published author in my lifetime? Man I would have laughed in her face. Really! I would have, as it was never on my life radar.

Now, am I a good writer? Well, I hope so. My readers seemed to think so as far as their book reviews of my current book. Writing for me is a release. Yes, my book maybe hard subject matter, but many who have never experienced addiction, or the joy of triumph in recovery, or even may not know anyone with addiction problems, but many readers say they learned much from story.

In recovery, we all know that our words and stories of recovery can be a powerful tool to help those who do live life in recovery. But through my book, and my other blog, my recovery blog: https://catherinelyonaddictedtodimes.wordpress.com/
they are meant to not only help those in recovery, those reaching out for help, but also they are about creativity. Many people journal in recovery. I do, and I have for years because it was the only way to see my positive progress in recovery, and also my weakness’ where I needed to work harder in those area’s.

Well I look at writing the same way. We as writers are always learning and evolving. We grow in our craft as writers the more we write. Wring came natural to me because I was already journaling a long time. Now, that is not to say because one writes in a journal or diary, that now you’re a professional writer. Oh no, but many of us who do write enjoy it as it puts our mind, heart, and our imaginations to work. Of course, these are just my own experiences.

Since my current book is non-fiction, about addiction, my life, and recovery, this topic is much harder to write. There is a very fine line for sharing a story of addiction without readers feeling you are using excuses, rationalizing, or blaming things on someone or something other than my poor choices when I was deep in my addictions.

I feel the same when writers write fiction. The characters and storyline needs to come alive. And that can be a tough job. My own struggle is the darn endings, or close out of my books, that is my weakest area as a writer. When this is accomplished with your books, and readers tell you through their reviews or maybe comments on your blog or website, there just is no other fantastic feeling ever as writer. It is also why I book promote as my business. I enjoy helping other authors find their readership, and have the honor of reading many fabulous books they have written. If you’re an author and need some advice or tips on how to promote your books? Then check out my new Feature Page of Book Promoting tips here on this blog.

Many authors hire me to just pure book promote for them, so they can continue to write more books, and have the peace of mind knowing I’m getting out there for them promoting their work through all forms of social media, book promoting sites, with a dash of sending out Press Releases announcing their books to many media outlets, book bloggers, and internet media. I enjoy doing this for all authors at very affordable prices. I want all of us to be successful, and make sure readers find all our amazing reads.
My clients are authors helping authors.

I hope you enjoy my Book Promoting Blog while your here. If you’re a reader, check out my Monthly Hot Book Picks page, and if you’re a writer? Keep Writing!!

Until next time everyone!

Much Happiness & Success All,
Author, Catherine Townsend-Lyon

Weekly Writing Challenge: Power of Names…HHHHMMMMM

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“What Is A Name Worth To You? Does It Mean Access”?

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Weekly Writing Challenge: Power of Names
Names are powerful objects. Our names are significant to us and we keep them private, sharing rarely if at all. Sometimes names are used as a sort of “Get out of jail free” card, as in the classic fairy tale Rumpelstiltskin. Names can give you access that others don’t have. Literature and fairy tales are obsessed with the power names can have over people and objects. This week, we’re asking you to take a look at what names mean to you…
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I remember one special thing my publisher told me before my current book was published and released out into the big wide world. He said, “You will now be known as Author, Catherine Townsend-Lyon to the world. And you’ll find that many doors will open for you.”…..
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Well, a little of what he shared with me that day was true. But I’m not a “vain” person. My book was not written to become a literary “Best Seller,” or to become rich or famous. It’s intension is to bring “HOPE” to others like myself who have been “judged” because of “STIGMA” around issues that have effected, and touched my life personally like, Addicted Gambling, Mental illness and disorders, and Child sex abuse survivors. I wanted my name to leave an impact on others to be known as a woman who turned her life around to do some good in this world.
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See, even though my name is becoming well-known in the recovery, mental health, and abuse survivors communities, I have noticed some differences when I use my name as, “Author” Catherine Townsend-Lyon.” It seems many take me more seriously, and in a more professional manner. I guess it comes down to how comfortable we are with sharing our name in this manner. I don’t write, author books, or blog to  become a “professional writer,” I don’t see myself that way. I want my name to stand for something “positive” in the world.
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Not to be remembered as the “Sick, Addicted, Crazy Woman” of my past. I have come so far in my 7 year recovery for that! To continue to help “Shatter Stigma,” inform and raise awareness of these very important issues. That’s what I want my “name” to represent.
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Yes, my name as an “Author’ has brought me many “blessings” like being interviewed as “Guest Author” on several radio shows, and “Guest Author & Blog Expert of gambling addiction” for  a month on websites, have had many articles written about me, my book, and recovery. I’ve been asked as “Guest author speaker” at conferences, and more. So I guess in that aspect, my “Name” has given me some access, and a wee bit of privilege. But ALL for the right reasons! That’s what is most important to me about “My Name”…
I’m far from being a “professional” writer, author, blogger, and advocate,” but, “I AM A Work In Progress”!
What’s Your Name’s Hidden Meaning?  “A few things it told me about “MY NAME” of
Author, Catherine Townsend-Lyon;
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You are usually the best at everything … you strive for perfection.
You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive.
You have the classic “Type A” personality.
You are a very lucky person. Things just always seem to go your way.
You are a seeker. You often find yourself restless – and you have a lot of questions about life.
You are truly an original person. You have amazing ideas, and the power to carry them out.
Success comes rather easily for you…..HHHHMMMMMMM.

“Lets Walk Without Our Shoes Down Childhood Memory Lane”

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A New DPChallenge Accepted!
1/27/2014
Weekly Writing Challenge: Leave Your Shoes at the Door…

“I am a woman in recovery from addicted compulsive gambling for 7 years, a child sex abuse survivor, and a “Writer in Progress”  living with Bipolar II disorder, with Manic Depression and Panic with Agoraphobia.
YES, I know,…that sure is a mouth full, but it is my life, and “It is what it is.” But man, wish I could leave my present life, and go back in time to those childhood days of innocence…..
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Those days that all we worried about was hearing the school bell ring, so we can get home and play with all our neighborhood friends! Play until it was dinner time, then come back out after, and until it got dark. Yes, those were the good days of “Just Being A Little Kid.”….
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Today, I’m a first time published author, writer, and blogger, and it seems I always tend to write about all the “BAD” stuff that I have been through in my 51 years of life on this earth. So when I seen what this weeks “DP Writing Challenge” was about, I thought it would be great to kick off my flip-flops, and take time to walk down memory lane of “The Good Times” I had as a child, instead of all the depressing stuff of life today.
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I also feel this challenge is another “De-vine” moment from God that has happened, ( Yes, it happens a lot to me! ), because yesterday I had an old childhood friend contact me. He found me through my “Facebook Author Fan Page”!! Then today when I went to see what this weeks writing challenge was, I got goose bumps that my old pal “John Harris” found me. See this weeks challenge is to write a little about:
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“This week, we’re asking you to consider things from a different point of view — to walk a mile in someone’s shoes. Leave your moccasins and bunny slippers at the door, and tell us a tale from a fully immersed perspective that is not your own.
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Most of us remember a time when we couldn’t imagine living the life we live now. Work? Marriage? Kids? School? Tattoos? Running five miles a day? A crush on someone who doesn’t have a mullet? Write a few paragraphs about a memory from your perspective, then, write about how someone else might remember that same event.”…..HHHHMMMMM….
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I already write much on my perspective of my life today in recovery, from abuse, and mental illness as them being part of my life. I try to give “Awareness and Insights” to these issues. Much does come from the negative experiences I have had, starting as a little girl. So it will be nice to share some “OLD” memories that John and I had as little kids, when he and his family lived across the street from us from 1971-1975 in Highland, CA. All I know is, when they moved, I was “Crushed”….My first real “Love Crush” was leaving me!!
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Little_boy_and_girl : Cheerful boy and a girl are lying together on the white background
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When I saw John’s friend request on Facebook, and then a message popped up that said, “Hey, Cat…don’t you remember me? I remember you “Bubba Gums”…..
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YES, kind of embarrassing, my nick name as a young girl was “Bubba,” thanks to my older brother. And then John’s “Uncle Eddie”added the “GUMS”….because I lost all my front upper baby teeth at the same time, so they called me “Bubba Gums.” John and I used to get in so much trouble together.
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My father and his were in the Air Force. We all went on family trips together, had BBQ’S and many dinners at each others houses. His mom Millie made the best homemade tacos! So when I found out it was Johnny, I asked for his phone number, and I called him right away! He was at his mom’s, they put me on speaker phone, and John, Millie and I caught up, 40 years worth! Then John and I started walking down “Childhood Memory Lane”….
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And just so you know, I was ALWAYS getting in trouble for not wearing shoes as a kid! And to this day I’m the same way, not trouble, No Wearing Shoes!…LOL. I go barefoot all the time. I hated wearing shoes, which now, my feet have so many childhood scars to prove it. From skateboards, fish-hooks and wire stuck through my big toes. Smashing my toes trying to stop myself on my bike on curbs.
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All us as kids used to go out in the middle of the street and play games like, “Red Rover,  Red Rover, and Red Light Green Light”!! John and I did talk a little about how our lives evolved as we grew up. See, those “Bad” things that happened to me as a little girl didn’t happen until after they moved away. Good times we spent as kids were “Young & Innocent.” I remembered all the days we spent out at the Air Force Base public swimming pool. All us kids spent many summer days at the pool.
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Little_boy_and_girl : little girl telling his brother a secret
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We both had a few accidents along the way too! Mine was in his backyard, while he was cutting their lawn. Johnny forgot to put the grass catcher on the mower, so he was going in his house to get us some cold drinks. He told me to keep pushing the lawn mower, and if it got to much grass or clogged, to just move the grass out-of-the-way of the mower.
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WELL,…..it did,  and I moved the grass out alright, I almost lost a few fingers from putting my hand in to far of the mower!! So he comes back out and see’s that my hand is bleeding. I didn’t feel it. He told me NOT to look down at my hand as he took me in the house to his mom, but I did, and I almost passed out! Blood every where. I think Millie dumped a couple of bottles of “Peroxide” on my hand, and almost lost a finger that was just hanging there!! Of course it was a trip to the base hospital ER, along with needles and stitch’s. Both our families went out to “Wong’s Chinese Food” that night, and all I could feel was my hand and stitched up finger in pain and throbbing.
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But my accident wasn’t as bad as Johnny’s. We were out riding bikes, and he decides to come down this hill on the road before you turn onto the street we lived on. With only a pair of cut-off shorts on, no shoes, no shirt, and waving BOTH arms in the air instead of them being on the handle bars of the damn bike, he crashed!!! It really was bad, I cried my eyes out. So much blood, and John laying there lifeless.
He was knocked out. He told me he didn’t remember the fall, only that he woke up in the hospital with gash and scabs all over him. He really gave BOTH FAMILIES a scare.
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I did forget to ask John if he remembered the family trip both our families took together to San Diego. We went to SeaWorld and the Zoo. We spent a couple of nights at a motel, so John and I went swimming in the motel pool, even though it was cold and overcast at the end of the day. We didn’t care, just because we were having FUN together.
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I also don’t know if he remembered when we were at the zoo, we were all standing by the different monkeys, apes, area. This lady was teasing the monkeys with treats, and one of the “Huge Apes” picked up a piece of “CRAP” and threw it at the lady!! We all ran back from the fence laughing so hard we were crying!!  Yes, so many wonderful childhood memories. Kind of embarrassing that one time John and I got caught playing nurse and doctor, that didn’t go over to well. What can I say,..”kids will be kids”…LOL.
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Yes, so many good memories. So we vowed that we will stay in close touch now, but I have to tell him “Thank You,” thank you for finding me, and sending me that friend request through Facebook. For sharing, and for being a part of my life. The part that we “Shared Together.” And like you said, “when we were young and had not a care in the world.” We were just happy being little kids. I sure do miss those days…..
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