It was minus 18 yesterday morning at our house. And trust me that’s cold, really cold! So cold that when I walked the dog he tried to walk on three feet, alternately shifting his weight to save one foot at a time because the snow burned his little paws.  Our walks have been for necessity only and quite short.  As I write I have a small electric heater under my desk blowing warm air my way.  And I’m a hot flash queen!

I’ve been diligently working on my critiquer’s recommended changes for ”It Happened on Willow Lane”.  I have finished this book several times and with each completion it gets a little better than the time before. But I believe it is very near to it’s final completion. I am thankful for my circle of loyal readers who have offered me honest feedback which I have utilized as I continue to tweak this collection of short stories.

For this book I’ve tapped into my years of experience as a psychosocial RN which allowed me to develop keen insights in emotional survival.  (Why do some people gain strength through adversity and others crumble?) The Willow Lane stories deals with totally different situations, the kind that people face alone and quietly everyday. Willow Lane  characters bring humanity to divorce, deceit, alcoholism, Alzheimer’s disease, domestic abuse, suspicion of terrorism, attempted murder, suicide and the accidental death of a young child.

This collection of short stories is a bit edgier than my previous books but the writers voice still offers a smidgen of wit through the various characters.

I’ve continued to read and have enjoyed some good books and suffered through a couple not so good books that I’ve wondered, how in the world did this writer ever get published?

We’ve seen some good movies and a couple that we felt cheated out of the time we invested in viewing, not to mention the money we paid for the tickets.  We loved “True Grit” so much that we rented the John Wayne version from the video store and watched it the following week. Both were excellent though the original was much more like a Disney film in comparison. We also really liked “The Fighter”.

Till next time…keep reading and stay warm.

I’ve been home for five days and am still reeling from the wonderful conference I attended last week end in Cincinnatti. I met many new writing friends and the workshop presenters were awesome. The city itself is very impressive and easy to navigate, thanks to my friendly little Garmen, (GPS).

I had time after dinner on Saturday evening to finish writing my presentation for the local Christian Womens Connection, scheduled for Tuesday morning, Sept 14. Public speaking is outside the comfort zone of most writers, though the more I do, the easier it gets. Tuesday mornings’ was well received and that’s always a relief.

The editor who read the first fifty pages of my next novel gave me invaluable feedback and strong encouragement. He liked my writing as well as my plots, pacing and characters. He told me I write suspense.  I said , “Oh, I don’t think so, I write slice of life stories.” He said “Yes, you do but there’s also plenty of suspense…”

While driving home last Sunday afternoon I stopped at a McDonalds in Columbus, Ohio to eat lunch and use the lavatory.  A young man in crumbled poorly fit clothing approached me as I got out of my car, he was clean and nonthreatening. He asked if I would give him money for a hamburger. My standard answer in situations like that is always, “No, but I’ll buy you one if you come on inside with me.” He did.  All he wanted was a $1.00 hamburger. I told him, “Nope, can’t do that, I’ll buy you a meal deal, do you want a Big Mac or a Quarter Pounder?” His eyes became like saucers, “I haven’t had a Big Mac for months.” He decided on Coca Cola for his drink. I went to the lavatory, then ordered my own food and walked over to his table. “Mind if I join you?” He was shocked and nodded his head. So I sat down and asked, “So, what’s your story?”

I felt sad for the young man who seemed to be adrift without much direction in his life. He was 27 and said he had trouble waking up in the mornings. That very day, he’d planned to attend church but had slept late and missed the church van that usually picks him up. He talked about his work background that seemed to be quite sketchy. I know there were many chapters to his life that we didn’t touch upon… 

I asked him, ”Do you know the secret to getting up early in the morning for work or church?” He stared at me and shook his head as if bewildered. I smiled and said, “Go to bed earlier the night before.” He grinned as if I’d given him a gold coin and thanked me again for lunch and talking to him.

I stopped to see my dad since he was leaving the next morning for Texas for several weeks. I told him about my lunch in Columbus and he shook his head sadly, “Nobody ever taught that boy work ethics.” 

In families where no one ever learned the value of work, there was no one to teach the next generation. My dad was always big on work ethics and my siblings and I learned early on that a good days work was something to be proud of.

This week proved to have its own sets of adventures and misadventures and all my plans to get back to writiing full time were thwarted. But it looks like next week will finally be the opportunity I’ve been waiting for to really start writing again. I can hardly wait!

I’m glad that at least it’s still January, since this is my first entry in 2010. I hope all my readers are well and the new year will bring you and yours peace, prosperity and good health.

I read a lot of books and few shake me up as much as one I read last week, Still Alice by Lisa Genova. I read it in one sitting because I couldn’t stop…it was phenomenal. I highly recommend it to all readers. It’s about a woman who is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease at age 50.  A very powerful and wonderfully written book. The research is top notch. As an RN I’ve worked with several Alzheimer patients and most literature does not capture the true essence of the disease. She captured it perfectly.

Presently my mother seems to be in a state of remission. This is a relief to all the family. She refuses any further chemotherapy. She is not in pain and her appetite is a little better. She has maintained her weight for the last three weeks. The oncologist told her the cancer is still there but may be dormant for awhile until something disturbs it… She is a beloved  mother and grandmother, she helped raise a granddaughter who is happily married to her college sweeetheart, who is now a young MD in Texas and they are expecting a their first baby next summer. Twin boys! Mom is very excited about those babies, the first set of twins in our family. We are all hoping she will live to watch those babies celebrate a few birthdays.

I had the pleasure and honor of speaking to a wonderful local group on Jan. 13 over lunch…about writing and Runaway Grandma.  And I’ve been working on my fourth novel and it is so good to get back to doing what a writer likes and must do…write! So I’ll make this short and get back to my writing.

Till next time… be well and happy reading!

 Some days I feel like being in this play, The Dixie Swim Team, has taken over my life. It is so much fun and yet so much work, to learn all the lines and where to stand or sit when I say them, and how to say them. And if we flub our lines and ad lib, then we mess up the next actor’s lines who was waiting on our correct line for her cue. It is much more involved than I ever dreamed it would be. But I’m glad I’m doing it, it’s a great learning experience.

Meanwhile I’m a little more Dinah in my speech and behavior each day as I try to get into her character. The hardest thing, (probably for my poor husband…but then it was his idea that I audition and give this a try!), is she’s totally opposite me. She’s a southern woman, hard drinking successful trial lawyer, very sarcastic and never married with no children. And did I mention it’s really fun too??

Show times are Friday, Oct. 16 and Saturday, Oct. 17 @ 7:30 p.m. and Sunday afternoon @ 2 p.m. at Universtiy of Pittsburgh at Bradford Bromely Theater, Bradford, PA.

I finally have a literary agent. I hope she’ll be able to sell my new novel, I know the wheels of the publishing world move slowly for all of us who are not celebrities. But to have an agent is a big deal for me as it is for most writers. Now I’ll be able to really focus on writing instead of all the business connected with it…well, once this play is over. 

Till next time… Ann

         My dad is a farmer and it’s not unusual for him to reply to a ‘How are you?’ question with a report on the weather. I used to say, ’But Dad that’s what it’s doing outside, I want to know how you are doing.’  He rarely seperates the two. This winter with each passing blustering day, I felt more like the famers’ daughter than ever before!

But today the sun is shining and spring is officially here, soon the grass will be green again. The spring perennial flowers are already poking their green shoots up through the cold earth. In a few months I may complain of weeding the garden, etc.  But I hope I’ll somehow remember the seemingly endless winter that came early and lingered on long after it’s welcome was worn out.

Of course, in this part of the country we know we’ll probably get at least one more snow storm. However, I still made an appointment today to have my snow tires changed. We have a set of summer tires to put on, the tire service man said, ‘Well, April 15 is the standard for changing winter tires, so you are rushing the season by changing them two weeks early. ”  I’ll take my chances…

I received my new book , It Happened on Willow Lane, back from the editor last week and have been working at correcting the errors. After the corrections, then I must make several copies of the manuscript to send off to the reviewers. This writing business is a never ending process. I’ve registered to attend one day of the Pennwriters Conference in May. It’s in Pittsburgh this year, it will be long day of driving, but I’m sure it will be worth the effort.

Please feel free to leave me a message on my website email, I love to hear from my blog readers. Well, I must get back to work…Happy Spring to all!

Ann

This summer Runaway Grandma has kept me on my toes. It’s selling well and reader response remains enthusiastic. In fact, it went into a second printing!

On June 18 I was the guest on Jerry’s Morning Radio Show in Coudersport , PA. We gave four books away during the interview and it was such fun… Jerry said she’d never seen her phone lines light up so quickly with so many calls!

I visited Clarion, PA Presbyterian Church Book Club on June 23. 

On June 24 I was a guest of the Kane, PA  Library Book Club.

I visited the Crane Ridge Book Club near Springville, NY on July 16. (It was a lovely evening for their summer picnic on the secluded beautiful deck of a club members home, enjoyed by 35 members… I was fashionably late since in my brillance I locked my keys inside my van when I stopped at McDonalds to change into crisp white slacks! AAA saved me from complete disaster 45 minustes later…)

On July 21, I visited the Portville NY Library Book Club.

Runaway Grandma was the book of the month for each of these Book Clubs and lively discussions proved that diverse backgrounds produce a wide range of opinions! Sometimes I have to remind the readers that it is just a story! Each group was unique and my time with each one was very special to me.

On July 26 I had a Book Signing at the Forest Nook Restaurant in Cooks Forest, PA. I met campers from Erie, Pittsburgh, Indiana, PA, Corning, NY, Ohio and many other areas. There was a Wilcox Winery Wine Tasting going on at the same time…and yes they have very good wines!! It was a fun day…the books sold well, I met new friends and my parents even came to visit and have dinner. Oh yes, and The Forest Nook has excellent food.

On the Internet side of Runaway Grandma, PageOneLit.com has given an excellent review and author profile. This info was shared with AuthorsPressReleases.com and Book-And-Authors.net.

Meanwhile, I continue to complete my writing goals at a snails pace but making slow progress is better than none at all. 

Till the next blog, adios!

Due to many requests, here are the winning essays from the Run Away Giveaway Contest. I found all the essays to be very touching and inspiring. The children’s contest were essays of the Why My Grandma Would Never Run Away.  The contest was open to children under the age of 12. There were four first place winners, each received a copy of Runaway Grandma and a $50.00 savings bond. There were also seven honorable mentions who each received a copy of Runaway Grandma to give to their grandmothers.

The adult contest was to write an essay about memories of a grandmother or significant older lady in the essayist’s life. The four winning essayists received an autographed copy of Runaway Grandma.

     *Judging was very difficult since there were soo many wonderful essays!

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#1     Of course my grandma would never run away. She loves making her delicious sunny side up eggs. She lives on a farm so she can’t leave her animals. Here are some other reasons why my grandma would never run away…

The number one reason why she would never run away is because she LOVES my grandpa. I mean, I wouldn’t blame her, I do too. I mean everyone should love their grandma and grandpa too. The second reason why my grandma would never runaway is because she loves her job. She loves her farm. She loves all the animals on her farm, plus all her dogs. Last but not least she loves her whole family and we all love her, too.

In conclusion now you know why my grandma would never run away. She can’t even stop planting trees because she loves it so much. Most of all, she loves everyone and she’s a nice and caring person.   by Nicole,  grade 5

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#2      My Grandmother would not…runaway…Well, I couldn’t say that. It’s a real funny story. My dad pastor’s a church called Mt. Zion _____ ______, right. So my mom’s mom is sort of…well, let’s just say crazy. One day, she said, “What better place to run away to than Africa?” So she buys her plane tickets and leaves. But at the same time she left, violence ratings were at an all time high in Africa. So she buys another ticket and comes back home. When she returned, she stays with us in MY room. We both weren’t happy. She is a huge Cleveland Browns fan, but I’m a huge Pittsburgh Steelers fan. It just so happens my room is designed in Steelers colors, merchandise and anyother Steelers item you can think of. It was funny ’cause …well…she hates the Steelers. Grammy stays in our house for a month, and then the violence in Africa calms down. So, she buys yet another ticket, right, and goes back to Africa. We were all sad because we have no idea where she is. Now, my dad gets everyone in the church all …well… TERRIFIED! But that’s from my point of view. As you would think, I, as well as everyone else, am scared. I think about Grammy and what she is doing and wonder where she is. I picture her in a desert in Kenya…wondering what could be happening right now. Let’s just say comparing Africa to home is night and day. It felt like forever before she’d return and I’d know she was safe.

Months later, it was Sunday, church day. The big announcement spread all over the church. My dad stood at the altar and said into the microphone, “We are happy to say that our MISSIONARY Cheriane ___ is home from Kenya!” My mouth fell open I knew she wouldn’t run away forever. My mouth stayed open until she was safely home.     by Noah,  grade 5

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#3    Last summer I went to visit my grandma. We went to the beach. We had a cook out and we had a lot of fun. And we met a lot of people.

As the sun went down we decided to go home. When we got home my grandma’s sister was there. They had not talked in thirty years. The reason they had not talked to each other was because they had a big fight over money.

 When I woke up the next morning, I went to check on my grandma. She had left a note that said she was running away because her sister threatened to tell her terrible secret if she did not pay her the money.

We decided to go on a bike ride to look for my grandma. We found her by the pond crying. We asked her why. She said she had a secret that would hurt her family. After talking to her, she decided to come home and tell the secret.

After telling the secret herself and having a long talk with the family, they decided not to have anymore secrets because it breaks families apart.        by Justin,  grade 5

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 #4    I am writing this to explain why my grandma wouldn’t run away. I will use five details to explain my response. I will also use a conclusion to finish the response.

My first reason is that my grandpa can’t take care of himself. He can cook, but he couldn’t get up if he falls. My family would miss her and her homemade aplesauce. My mouth waters when I think about it. She would miss her sewing business. Besides she loves to sew. I believe that she would miss her walks in the park. On the weekends I spend the night, we walk together and watch the river’s water go by.

Finally I believe she would miss the tasty freeze down the street. When I go to spend the night we go to get ice cream.

In conclusion, I believe these are the reason that my grandma wouldn’t run away. I worked my hardest to to complete this response carefully. I know I may not win but writing this was very fun.           by Jessica,  grade 5  ********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************       

                                               ADULT ESSAY WINNERS

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   #1                   NEVER A DULL MOMENT WITH GRANDMA       

  Now, a grandmother myself, I appreciate even more the friend I had in my Grandma. When she came for one of her visits, life seemed like an adventure to me.

There were five children and two parents in the home where I grew up, and there were four bedrooms. The children consisted of two boys and three girls. You can do the math to figure out that one bedroom contained two girls, another bedroom two boys, third bedroom the parents and one lucky person who had her own room. I was that lucky person, and the reason for that was because I was messy and neither sister wanted to room with me. But when Grandma came she didn’t mind bunking with me at all. And I certainly didn’t mind sharing my room with her. In fact I loved it. Usually she would stay for a week and then Dad would drive her back home to Bradford where she lived alone.

When the lights were out and all were supposed to be dozing off, Grandma and I talked and laughed and sang. Quietly, of course, so no one would know. We sang duets. Old songs like “In the Good Old Summer time” and “In the Gloaming.” However sometimes we must have sung too loud beacuse my dad’s voice would come booming up the stairs, “You girls settle down up there.” My Grandma would chuckle to think that he thought it was the other two girls. I would join in her amusement.

We didn’t go to libraries, but Grandma did. So when she came to visit she brought library books. No TV then , so in the evnenings we took turns reading chapters form books like “Little Women.” I didn’t know there were books like that and I loved the reading evenings. On reading evenings we shared popcorn. All except the reader, of course. No butter on library books.  

We cut and sewed carpet rags and rolled them into balls so mom could make rugs later. We hulled wild strawberries in the early summer and shelled beans if it was fall. Grandma never seemed to lack for things to do.

But one visit Grandma stepped over her limits as far as Dad was concerned and she went home early. We, as usual, were conspirators, and I thought it to be a lot of fun, but when my father found out and I looked at his face, I knew we were in trouble.

It happened when someone whom my Dad worked with gave him a calendar with nude or nearly nude women on every month’s page. He never hung it up in the house, but if guys came he would show it to them. Grandma and I knew he had it and where he kept it tucked away.

So one day when he was at work we made clothes for all the nude models and glued them on. Whne he started to show his calendar to someone and noticed that they all had dresses or pajamas or slacks; he wasn’t amused. Right away he seemed to know who the culprits were and glared at both of us and threw the calendar aside. Grandma decided the next morning that she should go home and Dad was glad to take her. We never confessed and throughout all of her life, whenever we got together, we had another chuckle about our good deed of making clothes for all those cold naked women.   by Mary,  New York

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          #2                       TRIBUTE TO AUNT RUTH

  Our Aunt Ruth was a simple woman. Now that is not an eloquent or wordy statement but it is the simple truth. When she was born in 1912 the doctor, as the story goes, arrived for delivery intoxicated. Using his impaired judgement, he is alleged to have used forceps on Aunt Ruth’s head, thereby doing some damage ot the cognitive areas of the brain. Now that is a word-of-mouth story that has filtered down to those of us who knew and loved her best, her neices and nephews. I’m one of the niece’s that basked in her happy smile every time I entered a room.

No matter what stage of life I was going through, the smile on her face remained steadfast and re-enforcing whenever I visited her. One of our Aunt’s trademarks was no matter what the occasion; if she received a present she immediately put the bow on top of her head and then prosceeded to open her present. So invariably everyone followed suit. There we would sit with bows on our heads, quietly acknowledging our love and support.

Aunt Ruth passed away last week. As the Pastor finished the serivce, he asked that we all once again put the bows that had been provided on the top of our heads.With smiles and tears one and all placed the bright colored bows on their heads for the last time. Our simple act of love.           by Carol,  New York

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  #3             MY GRANDMOTHER’S AFFECT ON ME 

  My only living grandmother in my lifetime, was my paternal grandmother, who we all loved and called “Mam-ma”. She lovingly got this name, thanks to my oldest brother who set the pace when he couldn’t say”Grandma”– instead it sounded like “Mam-ma”!

Mam-ma lived next door to us, and my only paternal Aunt lived onthe other side of her, next door. So, as a child and growning up, I was blessed to have three places  I called “home”; and spent much time each day at all three houses.

Mam-ma was a dear, sweet soul, who gave a lotof herself each day to all of us, including  my step-Grandfather, known as “Pappy”.

we played together and worked together at home as well as her teaching us Sunday Svchool and playin the piano in Church. Born on August 20, 1880, she seemed to always be a matronly  looking ladym having show white hair at an early age. For everyday, she wore floral printed hosuedresses with a full apron over it to protect the dress; and short square heeled  black shoesthat tied up to her ankles; except on Sundays, when she wore her very best dress, her white tie-up shoes in the summer time and abig beautifulhat. I can still see her standing out in the yard all dressed for church and stopping to smell her sweet bush of blue hydrangeas.

Mam-ma was with us until she died on April 15, 1959 at the age of 79. I  was a senior in High School at the time, and I clearly  remember her last days as I sat outside my house on the front steps by myself, thinking about her sadly. Part of me was excited about my upcoming  spring concert at school and graduation; while the rest of me was wishing she could be part of it all. Her last words to me were “be a good girl”!

Until then , we had a lot of good times with Mam-ma, who loved us unconditionally and made a strong impact on each of us. She was my first pirano teacher and taught me all the basics of playing the piano and learning waltzes and marches. I would run  up to her  house many days after school and homeworkd  to ppractice  anbd have another lesson. Inthe eevnings , after supper at our house, my sister and would go up to visit Mam-ma and Papppy; and we would find them sitting in the dark in their reception  hall, listening to their old-timey antique stan-up radio. We would be greeted with a hug from Mam-ma and a tickle from Pappy, which I can still feel as he poked his fingers into my ribs. They would be eagerly waiting for us and would get up and take us into their dining room to play a game of “Authors”; possibly where I first heard about people like Louisa Mae Alcott, Robert Louis Stevenson and William Shakespeare. Muy first experience with writers.

When it was time to go home, our Mother woiuold call us on their “house to house” crank-up  telephone that Dad had installed  just for the tow houses to calleach other! Mom would have the porch light on and be standing  on the porch waitng for us, while Mam-ma turned her light on and stood on her porch watchin us until we got home safely; even though our houses were only a few yards apart. I remember skipping home on the yellow line in  the middle of the road on my 10th birthday, being all excited about being two digits. Only in a little country village like Kantner, in Pennsylvania in 1952 would one be able to safely do this.

Probably the biggest impact she had on my life, was in 1954, when I was 12 years old, and we were attending a revival service in our sister church in Hooversville. At the end of the service, when the Pastor gave the invitation, I felt compelled to go forward but wasn’t moving. Mam-ma must have known this, because all she had to do was touch my hand and ask me if Iwanted to go forward. That very moment, I was raised out of my seat and soon kneeling at the altar asking  Jesus Christ  to be Lord and Savior. For this, and much more, Mam-ma will forever live in my heart.                by Judith,   Maryland

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    #4                 ROSIES’S WEEKEND ADVENTURE

On one particular Friday morning, Rose hurried to buy a newspaper. She carried a bag which contained her purse and a nightgown. Rose always wanted to be prepared for any adventure that might come along.

As she hurried down the street, a commotion at the railroad station caught her attention. Looking in that direction, she noted a crowd gathered near the train. The train, it’s engine sending out puffs of steam and making hissing noises, gave the impression it was anxious to be on its way.

After buying the paper, Rose was curious enough to go to the station. As she was about to inquire about the gathering, one of the ladies asked, “Are you one of the chaperones going to Akron?”

Realizng that she hadn’t left anything on the stove and in her haste to get to hte store still had her apron on. She whipped it off, stuffed it in the bag and said, “Why yes, I guess I am. What should I do?”

Rose rode the train to Akron helping to supervise some children entered in the Soap Box Derby. In Akron, she kept busy with the activity concerning the derby. That night she stayed in the hotel with the group. The following day she attended the actual race. That evening she went to the banquet and had a wonderful time.

On Sunday she came home with the group arriving at noon. Saying goodbye to her new-found friends, she crossed the street to her house and went inside. Putting on the pot for a cup of tea, she took out her newspaper and sat down to read the two day old news.

Rose was my mother-in-law and I was always amazed at her ability to find adventure. Her zest for life was contagious and I never tired of hearing the stories only she could tell.   by Lois, New York

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My thanks to all of you who took the time to write from your hearts and share your precious memories. These essays showed me once again that we are never too old to influence those we take time to interact with and love. Till next time…. Ann

Since my last entry some very good things have happened…my doctor called to report my biopsy was cancer free. Woo Hoo!! And then I began to feel a bit guilty and wondered why I’d been spared when soo many have not been. One thing related to this that’s been a real challenge is the fact my doctor insists NO MORE  HRTs. None. “Tough out the hot flashes.” So much easier said than done…thank God for jackets and sweater that come off and on as needed. Anyone who has ever suffered the indignity of hot flashes knows exactly what I’m talking about!

Last week I discovered Runaway Grandma has been listed by Bookmovement.com as one of the top 100 Book Club choices in  the country. I was absolutely thrilled with this news! I’ve continued to visit Book Clubs and Libraries and did one more radio interview. It is such a fulfilling experience when readers get caught up in my novels.

And Jodi Picoult, one of my favorite writers, emailed me a nice note in response to a short note I’d sent her. I never send celebrities letters but felt compelled to write a message to her. I put her note inside one of her books for safe keeping!

Then this past week end, fifteen of our immediate family  members went to Morgantown, W. VA to celebrate our granddaughter’s college graduation. She set an excellent example for all her younger cousins and we were all so proud of her; it was happy time.

 If you’d like to respond or ask a question, write a message on my web site email. And please check my blog in a week or so for the next post.

I can’t believe it’s been a month since I blogged! My only defense is it’s been really busy time for me. I’ve done three more radio interviews which have become easier and more fun as I’ve learned to relax and enjoy the interview process. I’ve spoken about Runaway Grandma to two Women’s Groups in Mckean Co. and the New Bethlehem Library Book Club in Clarion County, PA. 

I’ve also enjoyed visiting three elementary schools to talk to   students about the writing process as well as collect their essays for the contest on Why My Grandma Would Never Run Away. During my visits I shared some children’s stories I’ve written. And of course I encourage them to read, read, read! One child said, “But I’m not a good reader.” I told him, “Keep reading, the more you read, the better reader you will be!”

Now, I have to tell you the essays were incredibly difficult to judge, way too many of them read like winners to me. So I ended up adding an Honorable Mention category where seven additonal essays won a copy of Runaway Grandma for their grandmothers. Total of eleven youth winners. The Four First Place Winners of a $50.00 savings bonds plus a copy of the novel are: Jessica and Nicole of Bradford. Justin of Smethport and Noah of Olean. The seven H.M.s are: Lexi and Sarah of Bradford. Julia, Brody and Hayley of Smethport and Tia and Delanie of Bolivar, NY. Certificates were given to all the young writers who particiapted. The response was super and the essays very touching!

Now, for the winners of the adult essay contest about a grandmother or other older woman in their memory or life today. Again the response was terrific and the judging difficult. The winners are: Carol and Lois of Olean, NY. Judith of Chesapeake Beach, MD. and Mary of Bolivar, NY.

A sincere thank you to all of you who took time to write your hearts out about your grandmothers, aunts or other loved ones. There were so many beautful tirbutes!  

I’d like to wish all the Mothers who read this much more than a Happy Mothers Day…more like enjoy everyday because you’ve earned the right to be honored and happy more than just one day a year!

Till next time…Ann

I love the change of season! Even though it’s a bit muddy and slushy when I walk our dog, I love that everyday the grass is a little greener. And  I know that the snow is mostly gone till next winter. By then I’ll be excited with the beauty of the first snow flakes, meanwhile I’ll be watching the trees for their first buds.  

Runaway Grandma promotions continue to keep me busy. Iwas interviewed last week by Wayne Brocious on the Clarion Radio Morning Show and I enjoyed  talking about the book and the legal aspects of finnacial elder abuse. Several happy callers rec’d free copies of Runaway Grandma.

I’ve been busy sending Runaway Grandma Press K its to potential book reivewers. This week I’ll be speaking to the Bradford Women’s Club.

And the essays keep coming in for the Runaway Giveaway Contest. May first is the deadline. If you wanted to enter, please read the rules on my website and submit your entry as soon as possible. 

That’s all for now…