Have you ever let fear keep you from doing something? If that something is physically dangerous, then fear might be the first step toward your survival. But what if the something you’re afraid of can’t physically hurt you? What if the fear of it holds you back—keeps you from moving forward or enjoying life to its fullest? Shortly after I started my first novel, I saw an ad … [Read more...] about Trusting Your Instincts
bully
Checking on the sisters
The Himalayas The twins, the ladies, the girls, the sisters, the Himalayas: Whatever you call them, you want to keep them as safe as possible. I went for a mammogram on Wednesday morning. First thing I did was sit down with the intake person. I had to fill out some forms, answer a few questions. You've been there. You know about the paperwork. In her office, above her … [Read more...] about Checking on the sisters
The last night of summer
The door squeaked opened. Footsteps approached. "Someone else is in here," I thought, scrambling up from the cool tile, clunking my head against the bottom of the stall wall. Mama would have been mortified had she seen my pale face resting against that bathroom floor. But where else could I calm my stomach? I wasn’t sure how long I’d been there, but my clothes had already … [Read more...] about The last night of summer
In my dreams
I awoke from a dream before 5 am, heart pounding. There were no zombies, no shadows chasing me across dark parking lots, no threat of my untimely demise--just a room full of strangers. I was supposed to be speaking at some sort of conference, but no one would acknowledge my presence. They just kept talking to each other. Even when I addressed them individually, they ignored … [Read more...] about In my dreams
What makes a bully?
For Audio I used to live near this woman named Melanie. Melanie's girls were 3, 5, 8, and 10. For a while, every time my niece, Nicole, came to my house, she'd play with the 8 year old. Well, one morning, Nicole went over, hoping for some fun. She was back a minute later. She stared down at her pink Converse high tops. "The girls can't play today." Less than an hour had … [Read more...] about What makes a bully?
