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Cathy C. Hallhttps://cathychall.wordpress.com/I write, write, write. Then I rewrite, rewrite, rewrite. THEN I submit all those polished-up words out into the world and sell 'em. It's a plan that's worked pretty well.

Tooting My Horn Tuesday , Thanking Dad (And Chicken Soup for the Soul)

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I don’t think of myself as the sentimental type…maybe that Irish-German mix that runs through my blood cancels each other out. But when I opened my copy of Chicken Soup for the Soul’s Thanks, Dad to read my story, I sorta, kinda sniffled.

Truly, it’s not a sappy story. It’s about the first car I ever bought. On my own. Because Dad wouldn’t help me buy it. Even though my job was part-time and I didn’t have 10 bucks to my name. I mean, c’mon. That’s not a teary story.

And yet, when I think of the lessons I learned from that experience, and how my father prodded and pushed (and sometimes dragged me kicking and screaming) to be the responsible woman I am today, I’m not only full of gratitude but also love. (What is wrong with me? I’m getting a little flekempt right now.)

Then I went back to read the first story of the book, and I sorta, kinda sniffled again. Same for the next story, and the next, and the one after that. Maybe it’s a Dad thing. All I know is that my Dad’s getting a copy of Thanks, Dad for Father’s Day. (Not the one I’ve been dripping tears on.)

And maybe you’d like Thanks, Dad for the dad in your life. So, leave a comment here through April 11th, and if I randomly draw your name, you can win my extra copy. (Not the one I’ve been dripping tears on.)

Writing and Zero Candy Bars

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Now, I know what you’re thinking. And no, I don’t mean that fleeting thought you just had, wondering if you’ll still fit into that pair of killer capris from last year after eating an Easter basket full of chocolate. (P.S. You probably won’t. Go have another malted milk ball egg.)

I’m talking about the next thought you had. Namely, what does a Zero candy bar have to do with writing? Hear me out, ’cause I think I can make this work.

It all started with an innocent tweet along the lines of “why is it I always have to find a gas station to get a Zero candy bar?” As it happens, Zero is my fave candy bar. But I have to depend on a fill-up in order to come by said candy bar. In fact, a Zero just doesn’t taste the same without the smell of gas fumes intermingled with the chocolatey goodness.

So, one of my writer friends tweeted back, basically saying, “Yeah, what’s up with that?” LuAnn loves the Zero, too. But she lives out in the middle of nowhere (and by nowhere, I mean “Nebraska”) so getting a Zero is quite the jaunt for her. She was so riled up about the situation, she wrote an email to Hershey’s (Here’s where a little creative writing comes in). Hershey’s did not exactly share her riled-upness (I just made up a word–more creative writing!).

Then I suggested that we should start a fan page on Facebook (even more creative writing!) And LuAnn, who is much more technically proficient than I, went right to work. And that is how I WANT MY ZERO CANDY BAR (AND I DON’T WANT TO HAVE TO FIND A GAS STATION TO GET IT) began. If you’re on Facebook, and you love the Zero, then rush over and join the group. Cause the pen is mightier than the, um, just-complaining-and-not-doing-anything ploy. (See? TONS of writing going on here. In fact, I kinda outdid myself.)