Skip the Ugly Sweater. Write a Christmas Card Instead

For many years, the bulk of the mail I received around the holidays came from charities, or stores I rarely, if ever did buisness with. Like all environmentally conscious people, I did my best to request that the offending businesses no longer send me voluminous mailings. However, my attempts to “wrangle the beast” felt more like “whack a mole” than anything else.  The catalogs seemed to breed like rabbits, and I never seemed to get ahead of it. It is true that junk mail is, indeed, a sad waste of natural resources. Much of it was never requested by the recipient in the first place and therefore, is never read. So, off to the landfill or (if we were lucky) the recycling bin it goes….

“Please Write” a Chanticleer Book Award Short-Lister

The next list of the Hearten Awards for Inspiring and Uplifting Nonfiction is here, and I am happy to say that I made the next cut. I am officially a “Short-Lister” along with other fine authors. Here is more information on the Chanticleer Hearten Book Award process. The full list of authors is here: HEARTEN SHORT LIST Making it to the Short List means that the judges saw something they liked in our books. From this point on, the competition gets a bit tougher. Book awards are a wonderful way to get feedback on the books we all worked so hard on. I want to wish all the other short-listed authors luck as we move closer to the judges’ final selections.

An Important Letter, Never Delivered

Without warning, the sand beneath my feet disappeared and the water became too deep for me to touch the sandy bottom. Suddenly, we had been transported much farther from the shore. It was all a blur as we tried desperately to dog paddle and swim back to where we had been. Now, I know that this was the worst thing we could have done. Our efforts were futile, and we continued to get further from my parents and the safety of the beach. We both started to tire, and then sink, then desperately try to get to the surface for a breath of air. At that moment, I became terrified that we might drown. It became obvious that I could not win this struggle with the lake for my young life. I was 9 years old, and Lee was 11.   

Book Fests Encourage Storytelling

I am so grateful that people still read real books and participate in book festivals in their communities. I recently participated in my first book festivals as a new author– one in Mankato, MN, the other in St. Paul. MN. There is a vibrant and collegial writing community in this state and wonderful support of writers by the public. At the Mankato sale, I was fortunate to share a table with author Rob Jung, and to be next to another seasoned writer, Eleanor Jane. Both were extremely generous in the sage advice they offered me as a new author. In between customer visits, I enjoyed learning about their experiences with writing and selling books.    It was a real treat talking with the folks roaming…

Letters Mingle Souls

The medieval poet, John Donne (above), said it best. “Sir, more than kisses, Letters mingle souls….”. In the private, quiet moments when our minds are freewheeling and our defenses are down, the pen becomes the perfect tool for translating our soul’s complex energies, thoughts, and emotions into words on paper. Letters are the vessel that capture our true, raw essence in a way that allows others to peer through the curtain and to see more of who we are at a soul level.   I am an introvert, yet I enjoy knowing and socializing with people. The key for me is keeping the size of the group of friends or relatives on the smaller size. I generally try to avoid larger gatherings, mostly because I…

Thank You for Your Letters, Vincent Van Gogh

I became acquainted with Vincent Van Gogh when I was 12 years old, and he became a reliable friend of a sort. I am a native of Chicagoland, growing up in a northwestern suburb of Chicago, about 30 miles from the city. Our town was easily and splendidly connected to Chicago’s city center by the Northwestern Railroad (now Metra) train line. This train system allowed us to easily toggle back and forth between the gritty, mesmerizing experiences of one of the world’s great cities, and a rather idyllic, peaceful small-town existence. We lived near downtown Palatine, which sprang up along the Chicago rail lines in the 1800’s. Walking to the train was a pleasant experience, including walking over Salt Creek, my elementary school playground, and…

Midwest Book Review

Please Write: Finding Joy and Meaning in the Soulful Art of Handwritten Letters makes a case for handwritten letters as an important source for communication even in a digital age, tapping personal experience, anecdotes, and the enthusiasm of avid fellow letter-writers to make its case. From why putting ink to page creates a different legacy and feel than a phone call or email to different kinds of writings that inspire not only connection, but art, Lynne M. Kolze reviews the history, methods, and purposes of effective letter-writing using a lively voice that will inspire readers to cultivate their own letter-writing skills and circles. Kolze makes a powerful case for choosing writing over dashing out an email: “Today, emails work well to convey one’s homesick feelings to…

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