The Good, the Bad, and the Cold

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blur-celebration-christmas-760110First off, it’s cold here in the sunny South and that’s the bad news. I mean space-heater-chugging-by-the-desk cold. Libby burrowed-under-FOUR-blankets cold. The trash-can-wait-another-week-because-I-don’t-want-to-take-it-out cold. So secondly, I have good news: something to warm you up.

It’s a nice and toasty post over at The Muffin called “Making the Most of Memories.” I promise it’ll give you a warm and fuzzy feeling. And I know there are some of you out there thinking, “Oh, there goes Cathy again with one of those writing posts.” But it’s mostly about heart-warming memories and how to keep them, and that’s important stuff, y’all.

So I hope you’ll take a look. And I hope it warms up soon because it’s also too-chilly-to-think-or-write cold. (And before all of you in the blizzard zone feel compelled to throw something at me…well. There really is no defense for my whining about 47 degree weather, is there? So go right ahead and smack me with a snow ball.)

Becoming Real

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IMG_20181107_103920387_BURST000_COVERSo in between the constant robo-calls and the ceiling cracks and the flooding on the floor AND the non-stop barking because ringing phones and working folks in the house call for non-stop Libs patrol, I have managed to come up with something over at the Muffin.

And considering that as I’m typing this post, Libs is cowered behind me, in my office chair, because the YARD MAN IS HERE WITH TOOLS OF DESTRUCTION (leaf blower at the moment), it’s kinda amazing.

Um…just to be clear, the blog post itself is not that amazing. It’s just me, speaking my truth in “This I Know 2.0.” But after I read it this morning, I realized that I’d left out something very important that I know. Which is not too surprising, all things considered (see above).

And so I’m glad I have this spot here to add another truth, to share this I know as well:

That writers appreciate their readers. Not because they need reviews or want people to buy their books, though of course, either of those are nice. And not even because of lovely comments or the occasional thank-you note or email, though those are certainly swell, too. But mostly, writers appreciate readers because…well, I guess it’s sort of like this quote from The Velveteen Rabbit:

“Real isn’t how you are made,” said the Skin Horse. “It’s a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.”

Readers give writers validation. Readers make us real. And so thank you to all the readers who make me a real writer. Even when my efforts are less than stellar due to extenuating circumstances (see above).