Even homebodies roam. Perhaps to a local theater, store, or restaurant. Wherever your meanderings take you, the places speak volumes about what you value. To be clear, we may love our home region and still yearn to explore areas farther flung. During the Covid-19 shutdowns, the message was, Shop local!” That mantra holds true today. Your local stores, eateries, museums (and so on) need your patronage. Your local parks need your volunteerism. And the history of this state waits to be revealed to passersby who stop and read storyboards about the National Women’s Professional Baseball League, the Sauk warrior Black Hawk, the I&M Heritage Corridor, or the Viking ship that sits in a small Illinois town (cared for by volunteers). Every state offers a great deal, and Illinois is no exception. In fact, it is exceptional.
If your time is finite, and we know that it is, how will you…(click the title to continue reading)
10, 9, 8, 7, 6....the new book has been launched into readers’ orbits and it is sparking ideas all around Illinois to visit statewide gems. We know time is precious…does the way you spend spare time reflect this adage? As the Land of Lincoln, we are…. (click title to continue reading)
Someone recently said to me that I make writing books look easy. I'll take that as a compliment even though it's far from true. Behind the scenes of any nonfiction book you'll find thousands of hours of research, interviews/polls, travel, plus the writing, editing (and more editing!). That last part -- the editing -- is both crucial and can drive a writer to tears. As in, "You must kill your darlings!" — a phrase for writers that means you must delete phrases (often whole pages) or turns of words that you love but really don't work!
So, here I am, at the end of a year that began with me in a serious burnout from writing 3 books in 3 years (2019 - 2021), and I'm announcing a fifth book to come out in spring 2023. I’m not crazy! Bear with me as I explain.
I had planned to……. (please click blog title to continue reading)
Managing a blog comes with responsibility, and sometimes, I’m not up to the task. As a writer, the words don’t necessarily flow from my fingertips. It’s not like Facebook. This forum comes with its own “push” mechanism that pushes it out to subscribers’ mailboxes. And so, when I post a blog that I end up later kind of hating, it’s a wake-up call to stop trying to write for writing’s sake. That’s called a journal (or diary). Here, I endeavor to give people something to think about, and hopefully the topic is related to one of my passions — women’s rights, mental wellness, and a whole host of history topics.
But sometimes... (please click Post Title to continue reading)
I was convinced that no one was reading my words. It was December 2021, and something had crept into my psyche. It seemed that no matter how hard I tried, or how much I wrote, or how many people I invited to discover something I’d written, that no one cared. They call it hitting a “wall.” And I hit it hard. I was cranky. Despondent. Deflated. And I felt like quitting. Completely. (CLICK BLOG TITLE TO CONTINUE READING….)
Here’s the link. Writer’s Shed—Writer’s Burnout with Melanie Holmes
Unless your name is J.D. Salinger, in order to successfully market a book, you will need to speak in front of an audience. When I watched the great Delia Ephron (bestselling author, screenwriter, playwright) speak in front of a group of 400 people at the Chicago Humanities Festival (2013), it reinforced what I already suspected….(Please click on the Post Title to continue reading)
2021 has been a tough year for America and the world. A pandemic. A siege of the Capitol in Washington. A vaccine that is being ignored by many as Covid-19 mutates and continues. A man (and others) who wanted to overturn election results at the eleventh hour, despite state after state having re-certified results. And now, Betty White has died at age 99, just three weeks shy of her 100th birthday.
Like oodles of young girls of the 1970s, I grew up watching the Mary Tyler Moore Show, with Betty as a….(Please click the Post Title to continue reading)
The title of this piece brings to mind virtues that are often hard to adhere to; namely, compassion, gratitude, and forgiveness. Having compassion for those with whom we disagree can bring a certain inner peace; it allows us let go of the idea that others will see things as we do. Focusing on gratitude for what we have means letting go of expectations of perfection. Yes, we all have visions of sugarplums in our heads; we want peaceful families, friends who call us just to say hello, and we want to be able to forgive or be forgiven when the mess-ups happen. And they absolutely happen.
When we are in the company of our better selves, we try…. (CLICK ON TITLE TO KEEP READING)
Beginning a second career later in life means playing catch-up. And that’s what I’ve been doing since The Female Assumption came out in 2014. Followed by A Hero on Mount St. Helens in May 2019, then Manteno: Images of America in Feb. 2020, and The Secret Life of Postcards in April 2021. Each book has brought varying degrees of fulfillment, and is important in its own way.
This new book examines my grandmother’s vintage postcard collection (1906-1930s). At the height of their popularity, postcards cost half of what a regular letter cost. That was 1 cent for a postcard; 2 cents for a letter. Why would a penny matter? Let me spell it out….(PLEASE CLICK ON TITLE OF BLOG POST TO READ THE REST)
The new buzz phrase is “cancel culture,” which brings with it the gnashing of teeth and the feeling that the old ways just weren’t good enough. I call what happens from year to year, and decade to decade “change.” Or “evolution” of thought. But that’s me. I feel that words matter. The old, “sticks & stones” rhyme is something we learned in kindergarten, but we were given that argument by parents or teachers who wanted to make us feel better. In truth, words really do matter.
People hear that they should no longer revere Confederate statues, and they wonder…Why not? People hear… (CLICK ON THE TITLE TO READ THE REST OF THIS POST)
My mother died of Covid-19. That is the context in which I write this blog post. She was 90 years old and lived in a nursing home. Those two factors made her easy prey early in the pandemic. Before the staff were tested. Before masks were required. My mother’s roommate died first. Then my mom. A few days later, it was the woman across the hall. Her daughter and I are…
When we moved to our new home in 1994, we thought we’d stay for about five years. Twenty-two years later, we finally boxed up our belongings. Our old neighborhood was a good one for raising kids, but we were empty nesters and we needed a change. However, a house is more than walls and a roof. It represents one’s roots. One’s past. That home saw….
As 2020 dawned, I was planning for the 40th “eruptiversary” at Mount St. Helens in southwest Washington state, where the book I’d written a year earlier would receive the attention its subject deserved. David Johnston’s death and his last words (“This is it!”) are well-known, but the 30 years that came before it are not.
As planning for the May event was unfolding, which would have included Bill Nye and a wonderful art exhibit in Portland, Oregon, my third book hit the bookshelves. I had committed to….
I am living the life many dream of. That of a freelance writer of books, blogs, and poetry. One book earned an award; another has garnered the praise of high-level scientists; and still another book has earned the respect of historians in my hometown. I don't relate all this to impress. Rather, to set the context for my next statement: Almost no one in my life understands that being a writer is a "job"—and a full-time one at that. Each invitation I receive on a weekday requires an assessment of my work schedule. Just like other demanding jobs I have held over the….
Writers are always writing. That may seem self-evident, however, it might surprise the average person just how much writing goes on behind the scenes. Emails. Verbiage for marketing pieces. Staying relevant on social media. And of course, notes for the next project. Even as the first book I wrote is near/dear to my heart (The Female Assumption, 2014 Global Media Award), and the Johnston/St. Helens book is still getting noticed by those who have a passion for history and geology, I have authored a third book, this time a pictorial history book to be published by Arcadia (The History Press) in their “Images of America” line. That book comes out February 10, 2020, and as soon as…
ON RUSSIA
As a freelance writer, I’ve written hundreds of articles or poems that have never graced anyone else’s PC screen but my own. I revisited one I wrote in 2014 right after Malaysia Airlines #17 was shot out of the sky and crashed over eastern Ukraine. All 283 passengers and 15 crew were killed. Sanctions ensued. And acrimony and finger-pointing. Then Time magazine printed an article that stopped my eyes on their page. After which I delved into Russian-American foreign relations. I tried to place this article with an editor; she thought it a quality piece but not right for their venue. A freelance writer often cannot find a place for all their words, especially in the early years. I’ve given up trying to place this one, sharing it here so it doesn’t disappear.
Anti-American Sentiment
Hate of America is “spoon-fed to Russians along with mother’s milk.” This assessment came from editor-in-chief of Russia’s only independent news channel in 2014 after ….
How can one book cover 13.5 billion years of history? Ask Yuval Noah Harari, who combines physics, biology, culture, economics, and other disciplines in his book, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind. Harari uses easy language to ensure laymen “get” these heavy topics. And as he explains one of the 3 great revolutions of humankind, the Agricultural Revolution, he translates the “iron clad rule that luxuries become necessities” into 21st century examples. Many people expound on bits and pieces of history, but this book enlarges the picture…for all to see. I was honored to write a Book Review for Laura Carroll’s website, where she highlights nonfiction books that help us “live true to oneself, others, and the world.”
Another book you may appreciate is Ursula Le Guin’s No Time to Spare: Thinking About What Matters. Sadly, the title couldn’t be more appropriate—Le Guin died 33 days after the release of this book; she was 88. Her essays are funny, deep, and thought-provoking. Le Guin spent her life as a writer, and the world is richer for her efforts. This is another book included on Laura Carroll’s website, and again, I was honored to write a Book Review for it. Even though Le Guin is known for her fiction and poetry, her nonfiction is on-point. Born in 1929, she lived through and saw a lot. I discovered her heroic writing mere days after she penned her last words, and I'm very glad I did. I think you too will appreciate reading about "what matters."
Robert Louis Stevenson and Ralph Waldo Emerson and the New York Stock Exchange all define “success” differently. I’ve been asked to write about my answer from the perspective of the writer that I have become. That last statement is part of my answer—I now refer to myself as a “Writer.” It took decades for that aspect of who I am to bubble to the surface. Even as a person who wielded the pen in powerful ways throughout my adult years (e.g., a well-worded letter about bad customer service led to free brunch for four at a fancy restaurant, another letter led to a free night at a resort…you get the picture), even as I put words in the mouths of others by writing speeches and letters I never signed, it took a magical spark to push me toward where I’m at today. What began seven years ago as a fervent desire to match words to my thoughts, to say what I wanted to say to the person I wanted to say it to, led to…a book. When my fingers started slamming into my laptop keys, little did I know a New York City agent would be interested in the text that flowed from my fingertips. Nor did I envision that my little book would garner an international award. I was lucky. I received support and the courage to move forward. And here I am, years after the first pounding out of my ponderings, and I have a second book in the works. A very different book than the first, with words that are just as necessary to share. But here’s the thing—and there’s no getting around it—I do not feel like a success. Partly because...
Maxine Trump is a powerhouse, who does the kind of meaningful work that resonates within her soul, whose creative spark comes from her heart. I was honored when she asked me to sign one of my books (The Female Assumption) that she intended to give to her mum (her mum is in the UK). I wrote this book to open the door to conversations that often don't get started. Maxine listed 10 books on her website that she recommends for gifts (for yourself or someone else), and she included mine. Again, I'm honored and humbled. These books speak to various experiences from women who may have wanted, or may not have wanted children. It's the "hot topic" of the day, but it doesn't have to be. We can accept that each of us need and want different things. And for those who wanted the motherhood journey and didn't find it, you're not alone. Join your sisters; they are...
Humans are born with a natural tendency to hope. As children, we hope for ice cream or a puppy or one more story at bedtime. As teens, we hope for opportunities for jobs, freedom, education, love. As we grow, we experience loss. And hope ebbs a bit. The more losses, the deeper the losses, and it can become hard for hope to work its magic--to lift our...
Our ideas about right and wrong lead us to a path that feels authentic to our values. But what happens when our ideals are challenged? If someone doesn’t believe as we do? None of us were born to judge; this is a learned response. And one that we can work toward unlearning. Following are a few steps to help: ....
You wake up each morning as a new person. Yesterday's "you" is no more. This has exciting connotations. We can continue to change, evolve, and grow throughout our lives. However, at times, we feel stuck, as though our feet are in mud. Then the mud dries, it hardens, and weighs down our movement. And we trudge through our days as though we have no say in the matter.
Today, imagine what you could do if you weren't...tired, afraid, stuck. There are many visions that go unnourished because...
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Catherine-Emmanuelle Delisle honored my book, The Female Assumption, with an interview on her award-winning website. Based near Montreal, most of her interviews are in French; this one is in English. She endeavors to, "Rally childless women by life circumstance or choice." There are many women who need understanding on this topic. When a women expects motherhood but doesn't find it, such as Catherine-Emmanuelle, it is hard when those close to her use words that assume...
Taking a walk can connect you to the Earth if you’re mindful of your surroundings. There are invisible (unreal) things to pursue while walking in the woods, such as geocache and Pokemon. There’s also a cache of experiences available to those whose eyes turn to the splendor of the natural world. On a recent walk, my cell phone chirped with a new text. A goldfinch called out for my attention as well. The goldfinch won. As I silenced my phone, I noticed a turtle sunning itself in a pond. Walking past wildflowers, I had a Remembrance of Things Past moment. I was plunged back to my youth; a time when...
My widowed grandfather wrote a Lonely Hearts newspaper ad in the 1950s that helped him meet his 2nd wife. One of my good friends met her husband of 15 years through a dating service. New ways to meet people continue to crop up in the form of on-line dating services; some cater to bicycling aficionados, Star Trek fans, even...interestingly...salad lovers. That's right, you can find your Salad Soulmate! I was recently contacted by the creator of a new dating website called YesChildfree. Meeting people who are not interested in having kids is a niche market, and a dating site like this puts the topic on the table from the start. I was allowed a peek at the site and their membership is worldwide. Since I know 2 people who met...
If you want firsthand knowledge about what it was like to live before the 2nd Women’s Movement, ask a woman who lived through it. I asked my mom. During childhood, we get bits and pieces of our parents’ stories, and the significance of the details increase as we age; perhaps because we imagine what they were like as we reach certain thresholds of adult life. Drastic changes in our lives are like demarcation lines. On one side of the line is “before,” and on the other side is “after.” Perhaps “before” for you is before you landed your great first job, or before your heart was broken the first time. Perhaps “after” for you is the accomplishment of a life goal, or after the loss of a loved one. The “befores” and “afters” are moments in time that we remember, forever. “Before” for my mom was the moment she was told she couldn’t work in her job anymore because she was pregnant. The company said...
The practice of holding assumptions extends to many areas of our lives. Someone hurts us and we assume they don't care. Someone gets in our way on the roadway and we assume they're careless. Please, be cautious of your assumptions, because "that person" could be suffering in ways you cannot see. Perhaps they are the main caretaker for a chronically-ill loved one. Perhaps they're in fear of losing their job or the love from ....
2015 kicked off with me in Washington DC in January to accept a Global Media Award for my first book, The Female Assumption, from the Population Institute, because of my message of equality and education for females. The Female Assumption has been featured in Psychology Today blog, Boston Women’s Health Collective Our Bodies Ourselves Blog, Huffington Post, and made the blog world tour with interviews by Michelle McGrath, Sydney, Australia, Unclassified Woman podcast , Lesley Pyne’s blog based in the United Kingdom, and...
Having this book in Audiobook is a true service to those with different needs. Some are constantly on the go and love to listen as they drive, walk, roam. Others are unable to enjoy reading except through audiobooks. The latter includes people with vision impairments, as well as those with dyslexia. And let’s be honest, there are some whose concentration levels do better with the audio version of written material.
Narrated by the formidable Seattle Meteorologist (King-TV; retired) and scientist Jeff Renner, who was a journalist covering Mount St. Helens in 1980, and captured David’s famous line in his microphone, “It’s like a dynamite keg; its fuse is lit, but … (click title of this Blog Post to continue reading)