Launching Party

Finally, I'm ready to announce my book signing party. The big event will be held on Saturday, July 18 from 10:30 am until 1 pm at my home. It will be a party held for children with games and prizes for all those who attend. There will be drawings every 1/2 hour and delicious refreshments featuring the Journey cakes and prickly pear jelly, as well as buffalo jerky that I talk about in the book.

I hope to see many of you there. For directions you'll have to respond to this blog.

An Amazing Book

I recently read a book by my friend Jill Vanderwood called What’s It Like, Living Green? Kids Teaching Kids, By The Way They Live. This is an amazing book. I was surprised to learn some of the things that kids are doing to make a difference in our world. They are remarkable.

I don’t want to appear too dumb, but honestly, I haven’t paid a lot of attention to some of the things being said about living green. Yeah, I know about the recycling, but have never given reducing and reusing much thought. As a young girl, we did reuse lots of stuff, that’s just what you did back then. Now I just go buy new stuff, but I can see what I’m doing wrong, and I intend to correct this.

Actually, I’m not even doing the recycling thing correctly. The ABCS of recycling include lots more things than what I’ve been doing. Besides the aluminum, it also includes brass, copper, and stainless steel.

I’m sure the rest of you understand and are interested in healing the world for future generations. After reading this, I certainly want all my grandchildren to be aware of the ways they can save the world. Everyone can do many things to help. I hope every school will emphasize and start teaching this to all the students.

I learned that it doesn’t matter how old you are, kids can and do make a difference. Many kids are out there learning how to help the environment, helping others, and earning money in the process. Encourage your family to become a part of this.

A Contest I'm Entering

Sheila of whynotbecasueisaidso.blogspot.com is having a contest because Author Annette Lyon donated a copy of her new book, There, Their, They're: A No-Tears Guide to Grammar From the Word Nerd. I’m sure this is a great book for anyone to own, even if you’re not a writer. Annette is known in the LDS Writer's circle as the Queen of Grammar.

I’m only telling you this because I would love to win the contest. I’m not telling it to you so that you can beat me out of it. If I don’t win the contest I will spend the money to purchase this book because knowing Annette I’m sure there is lots of worthwhile material for every writer.

Martha's Freedom Train

This blog is to announce that I have a middle grade book coming out soon. In a few weeks, I'll reveal the date and time for a fun party (probably in July) to celebrate this event. Following is a brief description of the book.

With help from the Underground Railroad, Martha (age 12) and her parents escape slavery. When they find an entrance to a station hidden in a hill, they finally feel safe. Mamma has caught pneumonia because of the rainy weather and the cold rivers and streams they crossed. Papa learns about a wagon train of Mormons traveling west, and he takes Martha to meet them. Her heart almost breaks when he insists she go with these strangers. Martha encounters many exciting adventures. She helps put out a fire, and after Martha falls asleep beside the trail, they accidentally leave her behind. Upon reaching her destination, Martha wonders if she’ll ever see her mamma and papa again.

Crazy Eight

Just when I’m getting comfortable and think everyone has forgotten about the fun games of tag we played as children, someone tags me again. This time Nicole caught me and I guess I have to be a sport and do this.

Here be Da Rules:
1. Mention the person who tagged you.
2. Complete the list of 8's.
3. Tag 8 other bloggers.
4. Tell them they have been tagged.

And here are my answers:
Eight Things I Look Forward To:
1. Getting my next book published
2. My mother leaving the hospital
3. Holding my new book, Martha’s Freedom Train
4. A writing retreat
5. Not owing anyone any money
6. Good health
7. Time to write
8. Going on vacation

Eight Things I Did Yesterday:
1. Got up an hour early
2. Visited my mother at the hospital
3. Had a meeting with the case manager at the hospital
4. Went to lunch with my brother and sister
5. Checked out a rehabilitation center for my mother
6. Went to work for a couple of hours
7. Read some of my emails
8. Collapsed into bed

Eight Things I Wish I Could Do:
1. Go along ways away
2. Have more writing time
3. Have more time everyday to do what I want
4. Find someone to publish my next book
5. Travel to new places all the time
6. Have no bills
7. Have enough money to travel
8. Have no weeds in the yard

Eight Shows I Watch:
1. News
2. Perry Mason
3. Murder She Wrote
4. My Three Sons
5. I don’t know what else is on. I don’t start watching anything until after 9 pm
6. This is a hard question and I have no answers.
7. A good movie if there is any on.
8. I don’t watch much TV because I’d rather write or read.

Eight Friends I’m Tagging: I have no idea who has already been tagged so some of these may be repeats.
1. Karen Hoover
2. Mary Greathouse
3. Jane Sills
4. Janice LeFevre
5. Joshua Perkey
6. Jenn Wilks
7. Daron Fraley
8. Trina Boyce

There you have it. Have fun. Crazy eights!

Treasured Memories of My Mother

A few years ago, I was asked to give a tribute to my mother in a Relief Society Meeting. Some of these things I’ve already talked about, but following is what I wrote at that time.

My Mother is Great! Following are some of the things she has taught me.

M MEMORIES are important. Our family did things together to build good memories. One thing we did was travel together. Some of the memories were very spiritual because my parents went to see and visit Temples. Some of the memories were fun – seeing beautiful sights and camping with scouts. My mother was always willing to entertain my friends. She had birthday parties for me and other parties, as I grew older. She built many happy memories for me.

O OPPORTUNITITIES await each of us. I was encouraged to participate in all activities that came my way. I was taught to look for opportunities to serve others.

T TALENTS need to be developed. She always taught me to develop my talents. I took violin lessons, dance lessons – tap, ballet, hula and acrobats. I was encouraged to act in plays, sing, and to speak to audiences. My mother didn’t want me growing up being frightened of being in front of other people as she was. I really believed I could do anything I wanted if I just worked at it. She was always there to see my performances.

H HELPING me with challenges was always a top priority. She taught us to help one another. It didn’t matter if we were boys or girls we worked in the house, on the car and in the yard. We helped one another and helped both our mother and father.

E ETERNAL families work together and play together. We did laundry together with an old wringer washer. We hung clothes on the line. We cleaned our rooms and helped keep the house clean. We made candy together. We sang together. We played games together.

R RESPONSIBILITY was given to each of us at an early age. I did housework and fixed dinner before my parents arrived home from work. I did dishes before leaving on dates. I was taught if something is worth doing then it should be done right.

S SERVICE was taught by my mother’s example. She was a teacher in primary. Every week we walked not just a block or two but much farther to primary. My parents served as dance instructors in mutual and they served as stake missionaries. The most unusual time of service was when my mother and I both served at the same time as Relief Society presidents in our own wards, which met in the same building. She has taught me you are never too old to give service.

Our destiny is to become QUEENS for all eternity – forever, and ever and ever! My mother will certainly be a QUEEN FOR ALL ETERNITY.

Families Are Important

My parents always took time to visit with their parents, and brothers and sisters. They also attended all family reunions. They felt that extended families were important and we should all know all of our aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Sometimes we travelled long distances to attend these reunions. My mother’s family on her father’s side (Koyle) had reunions every year. Because of this, we know that side of the family. Her mother’s side (Jex) only had reunions occasionally. My father’s family (Smith) rarely had a reunion and his mother’s family (Ellison) had them when I was younger.

Have you ever thought about how many relatives you really have? Maybe you don’t have as many as I do. It seems all my relatives had large families, and I must have hundreds and hundreds of relatives. Out of all those people, I hardly know any of them. The sad thing is – the only time I see them is at funerals and sometimes at weddings. I think it’s sad that we don’t take time to visit one another at other times. All I have left on my father’s side is cousins, and on my mother’s side, she has one sister-in-law and one brother-in-law left here on earth.

Because to my parents families are important, I also think they are important. I’m glad that by example they taught me this important concept.