Beneath The Words

             Beneath The Words

Someday 

For 15 years I taught middle school students in Las Vegas, Nevada. The unique platform that came with teaching provided an opportunity to share stories with students — stories to challenge, to motivate and to inspire. I love to tell stories! I especially love sharing true stories. This book contains one of those. Only this one is both true and personal. It is etched upon my heart. This one I’ll never forget. This one countless students over the years have heard and encouraged me to write it down. I thought, someday I will… Someday came years earlier than I planned.

A year ago I was hospitalized with a kidney stone blockage that propelled me into kidney failure and sepsis. What a difference one small stone can make! The adverse effect upon my health was unexpected, altering my plans, yet not my creator’s…

 “For I know the plans I have for you…” ~Jeremiah 29:11

 Months later I was adjusting to the inevitability of an unplanned medical retirement. On January 2nd, just two days prior to the official start, I was searching on my computer for a talk I had given at school a few years earlier. I knew it included the story about my dog, Blue. When I opened up what I thought was that talk, I discovered something else. It was indeed Blue’s story, but it was a children’s version that I didn’t remember writing. I read through it and loved it. I instantly knew what I’d be working on. And so I began this new adventure by delving into writing.

The encouraging memories of students and colleagues kept me writing. The manuscript evolved in the best kind of way. I sent it to a few dozen people and received comments, suggestions and critiques that I poured over. I included something from each one and watched the words on the pages come to life with a depth I didn’t know was missing. Thank-you each for the gift of your honesty, support and love.

Then, I met the illustrator, Dima Eichhorn, on facebook. It wasn’t long until we discovered that her gift of telling stories through illustrating, paired beautifully with my desire to capture this story in words. Thank-you for seeing beyond the written word and enhancing my story with your beautiful creations.

Nine months later, “A Squeaky Toy, a Leash, and a Prayer”, was published. Someday arrived.

                                                                                  “We are each of us, more than we seem;                                                                                                                                                      more than the sum of our merely human components.                                                                                                                                         There is a divine spark animating each of us, and                                                                              that divine spark also animates our art.” ~Julie Cameron

I invite you to stay tuned for there is so much more beneath the words.