Hello, Kids and All Readers– Happy New Year! Let’s get 2021 off to a great start with a little humor. The following was sent to me by a friend who got it from somewhere on Twitter. So, get a clue, Readers. I wish you a truly happy 2021! And please, pay it forward–whatever positive thought,…
Dear Readers, Perhaps 2020 can best be described as dichotomous. We can all enumerate the sacrifices we’ve made, but we are also invited to reflect on our many blessings. Despite what has happened to us and our loved ones this year, we are still here, with books to read, food to eat, and a healthier…
Dear Readers, Since it’s December, I’m figuring that about 75% of us have already experienced a “Pandemic Birthday”–a very different kind of birthday since last March when the lockdowns began, and our friends and favorite restaurants were closed to us. My birthday just occurred on December 7, and for many months prior to it, I’d…
Dear Kids and All Readers, On the first of each month, I find a treat in my email inbox. It’s the monthly “Now Playing” program guide from Turner Classic Movies (TCM). I have been a movie buff of Hollywood’s Golden Age films (uh, kids, that’s from the 1930s and ’40s) since I was a…
Dear Readers, Bad news: My books are in prison! Good news: Their time in the slammer is temporary. What crime got them “booked” and incarcerated? None! It’s all my fault. I’m having a beautiful new bookcase built. It won’t be ready for installation until New Years, so my sweet book friends are doing time in twenty-three…
Dear Readers and Other Visionaries, To clarify, the only time I have 2020 vision is while wearing my eyeglasses! Actually, that’s not even the kind of vision I mean here. I’m talking about my vision for the New Year, appropriately, 2020. Some might call a vision a resolution or goal, but I prefer vision in…
Dear Readers and Holiday Revelers, There is nothing quite like a great book to relax by the fireside during the holidays. My recommendation is A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens (1812-1870), with the unforgettable character Ebenezer Scrooge. (You can get the eBook on Amazon Kindle for $0.99. The Audible version is available for free. Wow! Merry…
Dear Kids and all Writers, Need inspiration for writing? Check out this true story . . . As I was decorating my home for the holidays recently, my mind transported me back to the late 1990s. My daughter was in high school then. Despite it being a weekend that December day and so close to…
Dear Kids and All Readers, The season when many of us focus more intently on our blessings has arrived. Years ago, when I was still a classroom teacher and raising a child, I taught my students and my daughter the value of saying thank you, especially for gifts they receive at this time of year…
