tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25753323753860881452024-03-29T07:02:12.493-04:00Write On TargetLittle by little all your sweet dreams come trueDebra Lynn Sheltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238268767406623274noreply@blogger.comBlogger323125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2575332375386088145.post-33952456823334974542021-06-05T13:05:00.001-04:002021-06-05T13:05:54.957-04:00<p><span style="color: #666666; font-family: verdana;"><b>COLORADO BOUND!</b></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjryH6KrgFkZVgpm0h66cfX5M0yGjXuWBE504xSiUpNhDtigrdKK_zI64188rJxQek0FIQXXCJFnEFohFFF2v4jKkrsd_hLeHi-PdxcGIUtHPZo974buEDWIO3QeTk5wvto8ZN7CwcbY2X-/s1725/colorado+bound.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="1725" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjryH6KrgFkZVgpm0h66cfX5M0yGjXuWBE504xSiUpNhDtigrdKK_zI64188rJxQek0FIQXXCJFnEFohFFF2v4jKkrsd_hLeHi-PdxcGIUtHPZo974buEDWIO3QeTk5wvto8ZN7CwcbY2X-/s320/colorado+bound.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="color: #666666; font-family: verdana;">I'm leaving today to fly from Philly to Denver where the vast majority of my immediate family live. Am I excited? <strike>Please, send help.</strike> HELL YES!!! I love my family. <strike>It's true, I do. Not sure why I crossed this out.</strike> They're some of the greatest humans alive. I raised them well, and they <strike>put up with me because what else can they do?</strike> are grateful for my astute tutelage (aka tute tute). I even raised my parents, who are arguably older than me. It's a long, complicated story. I won't bore you with the details here. </span><p></p><p><span style="color: #666666; font-family: verdana;"><i>So, Colorado, here I come! </i></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-BDP0SOxiXfd2H_7Lk7QDWokSwmeEHF3H6uFxZFwybEKFpxX6MK_C9gG9L_UQJQnhVv_UxS613DnCBIZqI93VWyPOPobcB4Esh0d873l5rkdOZFyNpt6bOiHWSf4K7U_3_vJhdIFJImTC/s740/Foam+at+the+mouth.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="740" data-original-width="740" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-BDP0SOxiXfd2H_7Lk7QDWokSwmeEHF3H6uFxZFwybEKFpxX6MK_C9gG9L_UQJQnhVv_UxS613DnCBIZqI93VWyPOPobcB4Esh0d873l5rkdOZFyNpt6bOiHWSf4K7U_3_vJhdIFJImTC/w193-h193/Foam+at+the+mouth.jpeg" width="193" /></a></div><span style="color: #666666; font-family: verdana;">I know you can't wait to see me. <strike>Colorado tries to lift itself off the map and move to Canada. </strike> Since you, my countless readers <strike>my mom and a homeless guy who happened upon one of my posts in the library</strike> are foaming at the mouth to know, I'll give you a few deeply personal details. <br /></span><p></p><p><span style="color: #666666; font-family: verdana;">I'm the oldest <strike>aka wisest</strike> of four girls, or FAW GAWGISS DAWDIZ, as they say in our native NY. My younger siblings are beautiful, talented, successful, and kind, but they don't sing as well as me. It's okay. Nobody's perfect. I tried to teach them, but they insisted on singing off-key. Not my fault. I gave it my best. <strike>I never tried to teach them to sing.</strike> </span></p><p><span style="color: #666666; font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOLobX-Bm-3tosG7x5ZzvS1jNCVeqsP0dDMmEXY_nUF3TqO3JYjQsHyInF47cRqppBvYjKseRnEZggSlRLttRiYou9C93QwRVU4hnCHRdORGx03Om-w3zsqqhjrlf-zyKYEjtJ0bh37vSR/s1440/lady+godiva.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1159" data-original-width="1440" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOLobX-Bm-3tosG7x5ZzvS1jNCVeqsP0dDMmEXY_nUF3TqO3JYjQsHyInF47cRqppBvYjKseRnEZggSlRLttRiYou9C93QwRVU4hnCHRdORGx03Om-w3zsqqhjrlf-zyKYEjtJ0bh37vSR/w291-h235/lady+godiva.jpeg" width="291" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #666666; font-family: verdana;">And, my parents? Legit rock stars! Judy and Fred are the parental units everyone dreams of. My dad makes a joke out of every word that comes out of anyone's mouth, even if world hunger or Covid deaths are being discussed - a truly special talent - and my mom thinks everyone should eat red meat and never parade naked in public. I tried to explain I only did once. Okay, maybe twice, but seriously? Is it such a bad thing? I mean the God I don't believe in brought us into the world this way, so He/She/It must've wanted to SEE OUR STUFF HANGING OUT ALL OVER THE PLACE, RIGHT??? </span><p></p><p><span style="color: #666666; font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQY-5PKH80o9tDAgZKOZcnt8AJ9JTu3vmKg773wMIxoAG1Jad6rYurddRwV_0c41iWcLF6cPXSVwXJ5GeXzPZ-Qke0zGHkkX4_p_j1p2hZZUalYOCFK2XhmMKQ930liAiabqZSzJobIwXc/s1200/kid-flipping-the-birdjpg.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="629" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQY-5PKH80o9tDAgZKOZcnt8AJ9JTu3vmKg773wMIxoAG1Jad6rYurddRwV_0c41iWcLF6cPXSVwXJ5GeXzPZ-Qke0zGHkkX4_p_j1p2hZZUalYOCFK2XhmMKQ930liAiabqZSzJobIwXc/s320/kid-flipping-the-birdjpg.jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #666666; font-family: verdana;">I'm also going to see my oldest son, Adam, whom I adore <strike>almost</strike> as much as my younger son, Ethan. Unlike my parents, he's an actual rock star. He strums guitar, writes songs, and plays drums better than most people walk, breathe, or flip other people off for no apparent reason. Check out his personal blog <a href="https://purifier222.blogspot.com/">here</a>.<br /></span><p></p><p><span style="color: #666666; font-family: verdana;">Anyhoo, I need to wrap this up or I'll miss my flight, which would be a <strike>blessing</strike> travesty. I'll send pics of my beautiful niece's wedding and other Colorado adventures. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.4px;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: verdana;">Until then, be kind to one another, treasure the moments, and get your sweet self vaccinated. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.4px;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: verdana;">Please and thank you.<br /></span></p><div><span style="color: #666666; font-family: verdana;">Big love,</span></div><div><span style="color: #666666; font-family: verdana;">Debbie xo</span></div>Debra Lynn Sheltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238268767406623274noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2575332375386088145.post-53119843723162837752021-05-30T18:23:00.003-04:002021-05-30T20:39:03.582-04:00<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>BROOKLYN, <strike>WE </strike>I HAVE A PROBLEM</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtKjZLATMlWbImYMGeKycOXqdI6RaAAGWHZKeBDgok57hl6ASycNp6Gkoff3ZSyX9-W8dqTEV1I4iZuMNVreIXQ1sQJyD2tWipB2H0K_5TqI8KyJM0qpkv8yizHOyB-2rBkoEDwG_4hhXZ/s1254/Umpbrella+in+the+Rain.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="836" data-original-width="1254" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtKjZLATMlWbImYMGeKycOXqdI6RaAAGWHZKeBDgok57hl6ASycNp6Gkoff3ZSyX9-W8dqTEV1I4iZuMNVreIXQ1sQJyD2tWipB2H0K_5TqI8KyJM0qpkv8yizHOyB-2rBkoEDwG_4hhXZ/w227-h151/Umpbrella+in+the+Rain.jpeg" width="227" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The only thing better than having a long weekend at the shore is having a long weekend at the shore with bad weather so you can edit without guilt! Can't be on the beach, can't be outside on the deck, can't be walking around town, so what else can you do? EDIT TO YOUR HEART'S CONTENT! GUILT-FREE!</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii4Pi_x11ilpjZIOqpAjW5zlsts6OlaM5l-mpX8Uz4V1p5r2om4Lq1B0RiVnFFtHhfyYaPshGnitl_HCUSu-4hV2NRB5Epv3F_m8y1u2wbE9olqjv1Hgpv5CWC4W5V__oguBrK7-OGeDtx/s1000/Best-Sandboxes-1-1.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii4Pi_x11ilpjZIOqpAjW5zlsts6OlaM5l-mpX8Uz4V1p5r2om4Lq1B0RiVnFFtHhfyYaPshGnitl_HCUSu-4hV2NRB5Epv3F_m8y1u2wbE9olqjv1Hgpv5CWC4W5V__oguBrK7-OGeDtx/s320/Best-Sandboxes-1-1.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">As many writers can attest, we're most happy and complete when we're in our own little worlds scribbling fantastic thoughts on a page or computer screen. This is certainly true for me, and as much as I <strike>suffer through</strike> enjoy writing a first draft, editing is where I get to <strike>dance naked with a lampshade on my head</strike> deepen my manuscript. It's like a grown-up sandbox. Toss some sand here, build a castle there, dig a moat around the edge there. When you know the foundation (first draft) is solid, you can build on top without worrying the castle will collapse into the moat. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Okay, enough with the metaphors. (You're welcome.) </span></p><p><b><i><span style="font-family: verdana;">PSYCH!!! </span></i></b></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Okay, so I lied. Here's one more:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp1R7zgavC3W9qpW6LyX5_OKfRXpob6MVYB-l3NIfZhqRetDGprmmargwRqA9ZMdr4rNVS4GmF5LLx8brmPt0SgF9MFporKJY_i0s-AGIp4vE-y1GlaRzvR15hYHNK2amK9ku7r_CFcsPb/s1024/Lady+with+a+Parasol+-+French+Impressionist.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="395" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp1R7zgavC3W9qpW6LyX5_OKfRXpob6MVYB-l3NIfZhqRetDGprmmargwRqA9ZMdr4rNVS4GmF5LLx8brmPt0SgF9MFporKJY_i0s-AGIp4vE-y1GlaRzvR15hYHNK2amK9ku7r_CFcsPb/w297-h395/Lady+with+a+Parasol+-+French+Impressionist.jpeg" width="297" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Writing a first draft is akin to <strike>getting a gold medal for a high dive in the<br /> Olympics</strike> sketching a picture in pencil on a large canvas. When you've got all the trees, mountains, flowers, pathways, ladies lounging by the lake with parasols (my imaginary painting is from the 1800s), sun, clouds, animals, and houses sketched in a comprehensive and pleasing manner, then...VOILA!!! Your first draft is done. This is when you <strike>party like Keith Richards</strike> pat yourself on the back and take a long nap. THEN... when you take out your paints or colored pencils and start shading and brightening and clarifying and adding or erasing animals or plants or ladies with parasols, that my friend, is called the editing process. That's where the magic happens. That's where the sand gets kicked in the bully's face. (Did I not mention that in the earlier metaphor? Oops, my bad! Yes, when you're in the sandbox, always remember to kick sand in the bully's face. It's the law in all 50 states and the territory of Puerto Rico. Not sure about the US Virgin Islands, but feel free to Google it.) It's a slow yet rewarding process, and it's how we writers write books.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">So, here I am in the sandbox carefully digging my moat, except for one little thing...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I HAVE A PROBLEM. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYakHJhfc8FPvptf2vjkMW_Ohx1-mHS1Kn5pGuQXEQoi2-kBtSOfoTrbPZtBVJBtkBghSEHT4RCPZf0UDv84IVOJgq1Bc1-LFDvhAdvv0RSXl7c-kXDER-QpjCXX0nxVxqPHX_-MoHZxFn/s242/Born+in+Brooklyn.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="208" data-original-width="242" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYakHJhfc8FPvptf2vjkMW_Ohx1-mHS1Kn5pGuQXEQoi2-kBtSOfoTrbPZtBVJBtkBghSEHT4RCPZf0UDv84IVOJgq1Bc1-LFDvhAdvv0RSXl7c-kXDER-QpjCXX0nxVxqPHX_-MoHZxFn/w292-h251/Born+in+Brooklyn.jpeg" width="292" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">"What is your problem?" you ask, because you're kind and caring and, okay, a bit nosy. Well, I was born in Brooklyn, that's my frickin' problem. Besides being rude and having a foul mouth, people born in Brooklyn have this thing called an IG, code for: Impatient Gene. So, rather than simply kicking back, relaxing, and enjoying tossing sand in the bully's face while digging that freaking moat, I think, <strike>God, I'm pretty!</strike> "I SHOULD BE DONE BY NOW!!!" To be clear, it's not my fault. My parents are to blame. They could have brought me into the world in say Little Rock, Arkansas or Bainville, Montana (a real place, I looked it up, pop 208), but NOOOOO - they thought their DDD (Darling Daughter Debra) should burst forth into the world in Brooklyn, New York. So, here I am loving writing and hating that it takes so much GD time to write.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I hope this gives you a clearer picture of the life of a <strike>Jewish American Princess</strike> hard-working dedicated writer. If you have questions or wish to be showered with even more <strike>annoying</strike> sparkling metaphors, please let me know.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Until then, be kind to one another, treasure the moments, and get your damn self vaccinated. Please and thank you.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">xo</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Debbie</span></p>Debra Lynn Sheltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238268767406623274noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2575332375386088145.post-40187670111447277962021-05-23T19:30:00.002-04:002021-05-23T19:30:57.828-04:00<div class="separator"></div><div class="separator"></div><div class="separator"></div><p><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>EDITING <strike>HELL</strike> UPDATE</b></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMRuFLecAp3yvSiKtGh0z3Cgvkg7XbyN8kMnz-6jCpTRv4o7AboP8VXpfYjHMITiveeJRIRTE-sZzGJoC2T_8S0uekjRUTKMAce0KLITp_9p_aCTs9xBIH_nIPbYCQWwVvK1Z10pOtiJOk/s512/Editing.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="512" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMRuFLecAp3yvSiKtGh0z3Cgvkg7XbyN8kMnz-6jCpTRv4o7AboP8VXpfYjHMITiveeJRIRTE-sZzGJoC2T_8S0uekjRUTKMAce0KLITp_9p_aCTs9xBIH_nIPbYCQWwVvK1Z10pOtiJOk/w240-h240/Editing.png" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Friday morning I finished my second full edit on my shiny new manuscript. I took the advice from my CP regarding tweaking the plot, and I'm glad I did. Her suggestions greatly improved the flow of the story. I'll take some time away from the book and dive back in with fresh eyes in a few days. I'm sure there will be plenty more editing to do, but it won't be as massive as reframing the plot and dialogue. After that, I'll send it off to my editor and do some READING FOR PLEASURE!!!</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">So, what else is going on in my world? Hmm... where to begin. I'll start with three things:</span></p><p><b style="font-family: arial;">1) LOSE THE MASK! </b></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxQNH43w8D4BH8ePJdfcA07uh-pdSL-FIQ8TS0JKGblebUtteJda2ibTQCmN7fwETcWN5Ph3-0puEw4IpkJnLII4P1Hb8tovrWbIUqf2X7bSANfHXhMOE2BvzmKRtUyVuxyqnRceCy5JKY/s1663/Deb+in+LGBTQ+Mask.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1663" data-original-width="1340" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxQNH43w8D4BH8ePJdfcA07uh-pdSL-FIQ8TS0JKGblebUtteJda2ibTQCmN7fwETcWN5Ph3-0puEw4IpkJnLII4P1Hb8tovrWbIUqf2X7bSANfHXhMOE2BvzmKRtUyVuxyqnRceCy5JKY/w161-h198/Deb+in+LGBTQ+Mask.jpg" width="161" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">I'm fully vaccinated and look forward to wearing my mask less and less until NOT AT ALL! I'm also grateful we have a leader in the White House who doesn't believe in conspiracy theories or lie to us on a daily basis, and who cares about getting America past this life-stealing global pandemic. Seeing the country start to return to the Before Times is encouraging. Of course, things will never be as they were "before," which isn't a bad thing. First off, The Traitor - the guy responsible for the January 6th insurrection - IS GONE! That, in itself, is miraculous. My blood pressure and the blood pressure of millions of Americans are lower. It's a fabulous, beautiful, wonderful thing. </span><p></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>2) CATS RULE</b></span><p></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="878" data-original-width="1246" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKRFxqkcr6PhRGFGIxCJMwPi6qVJRveSwEBs_mJv7ahCjjaYHtlzUDIEVHBtEiTiHODDDbIy8eBWSJqc1l6awW5JKfSKupDLZrL8kn3FH_g6U2WSfJdJqfa0zW8e7Jg-oUR_so6zx-7tk9/w287-h202/Emma+May+2021.jpg" width="287" /></div>My feline overlords, Emma and Mia are alive and well and living in PA. However, Emma, aka Emmy Lou Cupcake, is getting up in years and down in weight. 15 and 8, to be exact. She has had some serious kidney issues, which have been quite scary. She's been my soul-kitty since 2006 when she looked at me with her sweet blue eyes and stole my heart. I'm spending as much time with her as possible, giving her wet and dry treats, and sleeping with her nearly every night. She loves to play fetch with an old guitar string - her favorite game since she was a kitten hanging out in our music studio. At night, she curls between my legs, and I try my best not to disturb her. It's Emma's world, and I'm just living in it. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnhSMbeA12ca1aKp6DmHnfGRaW28IhWjhsncGtByG7gdwdoGyOHPgFOrn6jiGDs9lRq1OwwbViEhIw9goPGUk7ABL1SJfZWrGt3SDEXKWsqXURxgHztCwPo3k-eHqT6dgzsnqbz1DiH5Pj/s2048/Emma+on+a+chair+May+2021.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1798" data-original-width="2048" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnhSMbeA12ca1aKp6DmHnfGRaW28IhWjhsncGtByG7gdwdoGyOHPgFOrn6jiGDs9lRq1OwwbViEhIw9goPGUk7ABL1SJfZWrGt3SDEXKWsqXURxgHztCwPo3k-eHqT6dgzsnqbz1DiH5Pj/w263-h231/Emma+on+a+chair+May+2021.jpg" width="263" /></a></div></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">My other kitty, Mia, aka Princess Mia Grace Princess of all the Princesses, is as adorable as she is neurotic. She loves tummy rubs and head kisses but freaks out at the slightest unfamiliar sound. She's also hungry 25 out of every 24 hours. Her favorite toys are small cloth "mice" and crinkly balls, but she doesn't play fetch. She can, however, play alone with her toys and chase her tail in circles for impressive amounts of time. She's quite pleased with her special talents, and we </span><strike style="font-family: arial;">pretend to be</strike><span style="font-family: arial;"> are, too.</span></div><div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiedoitje-LqSj7GIEDXEqxbFTKdvfecfqKoer4vaDHOJsxyAQ6CVaJb1eC2FQ6PoiPdmEVmwNqkERyY9KrYOQ_Km8coAra6nDmLeaKKnkcZXTwftF-9aPqh6-c6XawIN2yuu0QMzMVPd8H/s2048/Mia+and+Emma+2021.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiedoitje-LqSj7GIEDXEqxbFTKdvfecfqKoer4vaDHOJsxyAQ6CVaJb1eC2FQ6PoiPdmEVmwNqkERyY9KrYOQ_Km8coAra6nDmLeaKKnkcZXTwftF-9aPqh6-c6XawIN2yuu0QMzMVPd8H/w283-h160/Mia+and+Emma+2021.jpg" width="283" /></a>Unfortunately, they've never gotten along well with one another. Still, they manage to get by and even "sleep together" in separate beds in the front window soaking up the sun and getting their beauty rest. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I love them, and they love me, and <strike>not</strike> only when I feed them. </span><p><b style="font-family: arial;">3) I'M IN LOVE</b></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4dXdbb5kpdykL5VG7SdEiLsIHxZAsKV1eMutjJ9h-Md5htCh7-q7HhJcVog5pjcrtZXDyh6KTEkfkW0a0ARYDmd2iF0BgZYPWoV2871pth8CEy0o473ZEoj8PRPBf2UirbT5BpHDQk028/s750/Wedding+Pic.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="750" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4dXdbb5kpdykL5VG7SdEiLsIHxZAsKV1eMutjJ9h-Md5htCh7-q7HhJcVog5pjcrtZXDyh6KTEkfkW0a0ARYDmd2iF0BgZYPWoV2871pth8CEy0o473ZEoj8PRPBf2UirbT5BpHDQk028/w300-h199/Wedding+Pic.jpeg" width="300" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">My honey and I are heading towards our eighth wedding anniversary this September. I am one lucky gal to have landed my knight in shining armor. He found me at my lowest and helped raise me to my highest (figuratively speaking, people, although we do have pretty wild Date Nights!). We're quite different in nature - I'm a full-on artist and he's a full-on not-an-artist, but we balance each other well. He's my partner, my lover, and my best friend. I'll stick around as long as he'll have me.</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqx8edMrUm7LKsZ3k4qbMUPOMpLkjqZjBlinkLtFcnpihh4otuAF1qGWmhOSgj3_U6659ZmIstSlmQUXewrBnxsqkYWIYLDuEIZ8Y3S7vBQTiw7-ykQKvxo9C3Zz1Fe3bXmRHCw88ZazM0/s1440/NYE+2021.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1399" data-original-width="1440" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqx8edMrUm7LKsZ3k4qbMUPOMpLkjqZjBlinkLtFcnpihh4otuAF1qGWmhOSgj3_U6659ZmIstSlmQUXewrBnxsqkYWIYLDuEIZ8Y3S7vBQTiw7-ykQKvxo9C3Zz1Fe3bXmRHCw88ZazM0/w206-h200/NYE+2021.jpeg" width="206" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;"></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Will share some more next time. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Until then, be kind to one another, hug often, and treasure the moments.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">And, if you haven't already, get vaccinated. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Do it. Now. Seriously. Go. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">xo</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Debbie </span></p><p> <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">NYE 2021</span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></div>Debra Lynn Sheltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238268767406623274noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2575332375386088145.post-1295104887185763532021-05-19T01:13:00.001-04:002021-05-19T13:52:01.827-04:00<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><b><span style="font-family: arial;">SHE'S ALIVE!!! </span></b><div><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFb5tSQ6uSI1kSDYhSf71QOnTpZK91TSa0QMK13iCPih0rPPjj8i9HK_CxdAZ5_GTSBiFkQwyatswIExewNDLdqS_DJIEbsiRor2hd0c_Ys2twnDFmlL5NL9kGip_0zqAk4MotHXG8ILcf/s600/i-miss-you-quotes-and-pictures.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="400" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFb5tSQ6uSI1kSDYhSf71QOnTpZK91TSa0QMK13iCPih0rPPjj8i9HK_CxdAZ5_GTSBiFkQwyatswIExewNDLdqS_DJIEbsiRor2hd0c_Ys2twnDFmlL5NL9kGip_0zqAk4MotHXG8ILcf/w164-h247/i-miss-you-quotes-and-pictures.jpeg" width="164" /></a></div>For those of you who remember me, thanks for that. I remember you, too. And I've missed you. Desperately. Terribly. Horribly. Very Much. A Whole Helluva Lot. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I'm happy to report, my short, little, eight-year break from blogging is officially over. <br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">"Why?" you ask, which is a very good question.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Because my son, Adam, through his honesty and openness in his newly minted blog, made me realize I missed this little corner of the interwebs. You can follow his inspiring posts about getting clean and all things related <a href="https://purifier222.blogspot.com/">here.</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">"So, what have you been up to all these years, Deb? Have you climbed Mt. Everest? Created world peace? Called your mother? Cut back on chocolate?" </span><span style="font-family: arial;">(No, No, Yes, and No.) </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Again, all very good questions. I can see you've put a lot of thought into this. Impressive!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">When I last left off, I'd just gotten remarried, was a slave to two feline overlords, and had bought a new house. The marriage is better than ever and I'm still subservient to Emma and Mia, but the homes (yes, two) have changed. I'll get to that another time. For now, I want to return to the original purpose of this blog...WRITING!</span></p><p></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">IN A NUTSHELL...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgJ4ai5ZfzeUIcRR-7-M5CQmZN2GjlPMbNBEB92pBP4DbPVUHDuNU9I7JmDV_xCqczQzq9W_LhPO9Teb_KoNhK95u6TiZcTj2YTiTIk8pyTG2yETFjfx4MrcCCQjn-XC8e4ut5vgH3HvP3/s835/girl-nutshell-idiom-showing-50509589.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="835" data-original-width="796" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgJ4ai5ZfzeUIcRR-7-M5CQmZN2GjlPMbNBEB92pBP4DbPVUHDuNU9I7JmDV_xCqczQzq9W_LhPO9Teb_KoNhK95u6TiZcTj2YTiTIk8pyTG2yETFjfx4MrcCCQjn-XC8e4ut5vgH3HvP3/w173-h182/girl-nutshell-idiom-showing-50509589.jpeg" width="173" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">During the past eight years, I've worked hard at my craft. I've written a few more books and self-pubbed two of my earlier works: </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">MURDER ON TWILIGHT CIRCLE, an Agatha Christie-type murder mystery and, </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">THE SECRET KEEPER, a young adult paranormal romance. You can check out my author's website and purchase my books <a href="https://www.debralynnshelton.com/">here.</a> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgStYOc8bNhl3zcUwBOGU69_6QvyEzJ6XkykZwbjKyTWjWhOYF0OxDrzqEXXbwbNNbq1TmXWMsCi33dxilCwjp2FuUHTW6VaBU20ut69rgyEUwlRUkTGTfDY-toYOWA2N2wQBD53WMwKtYp/s1000/editing-your-own-writing.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="507" data-original-width="1000" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgStYOc8bNhl3zcUwBOGU69_6QvyEzJ6XkykZwbjKyTWjWhOYF0OxDrzqEXXbwbNNbq1TmXWMsCi33dxilCwjp2FuUHTW6VaBU20ut69rgyEUwlRUkTGTfDY-toYOWA2N2wQBD53WMwKtYp/w257-h130/editing-your-own-writing.png" width="257" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Currently, I'm editing my latest manuscript, a women's fiction domestic suspense novel. Wife, mistress, serial killer. You know, the usual stuff. Like many of my books, it's based in a fictitious town in the suburbs of Philadelphia. I'll be sending it off to a much-trusted editor soon, and once I feel the book is as good as I can make it, I'll dive back into the query pool to do a few laps and search for a new agent. In this arena, I hope the third time will, indeed, be the charm. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Another wonderful thing is I've hooked up with a brilliant critique partner (CP) who lives outside of Ontario, Canada. She is an award-winning novelist who has made a big difference in the direction and focus of my current manuscript. I'll introduce you to her in an upcoming post.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">So, that's my quick update. If you have questions, comments, or (especially) compliments, feel free to leave them in the comments, and click "Followers" on the right to add your beautiful face to my page. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>IN SUMMARY:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It's great to be back. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Cats rule (literally).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Didn't climb a mountain.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Still eat copious amounts of chocolate.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Call my mom regularly.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Get vaccinated if you haven't already, and n</span><span style="font-family: arial;">ever miss an opportunity to tell those you love how much you care.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">xo</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Debbie</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></div>Debra Lynn Sheltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238268767406623274noreply@blogger.com3Trappe, PA 19426, USA40.1989921 -75.476292711.888758263821153 -110.6325427 68.509225936178836 -40.3200427tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2575332375386088145.post-21532594337310055972013-09-27T19:10:00.000-04:002013-09-27T19:10:56.850-04:00Returning to Regular Programming...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Depending on your point of view, this will either be good or bad news: <b>The rumors that I've fallen off the face of the earth are untrue.</b> What is true? I've been crazy busy and decided to take a break from posting on my blog for the summer.<br />
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Since May, I sold a house, bought a house, decorated a house, and got married. In addition, I'm in the process of opening my own business - a home decor/gift shop - where I'll have my computer with me at all times, allowing for plenty of writing time.<br />
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Since a picture paints a thousand words, I think I'll let the pictures do the talking: <br />
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Home I sold:<br />
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Home I bought: <br />
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Before/After Decorating Pics:</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(Notice my feline overlord, Emma, on the rug!) </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(We opened the wall to the living room and replaced the solid basement door with a French door.) </span></div>
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Backyard:<br />
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Wedding Pics: <br />
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So, there you have it. I promise to be back to regular programming now that things are settling down. Peace and love to all. - Debbie Debra Lynn Sheltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238268767406623274noreply@blogger.com142tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2575332375386088145.post-79111857879548667212013-08-13T12:48:00.001-04:002013-08-13T12:48:16.628-04:00PLEASE WATCH: These May Be the Most Important 30 Minutes You Ever SpendI know every one of you is extremely busy. But, please, do me this one favor: WATCH THIS VIDEO!!! <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2013/08/09/werner_herzog_texting_while_driving_documentary_from_one_second_to_the_next.html">Werner Herzog Documentary on Texting While Driving</a><br />
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<br />Debra Lynn Sheltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238268767406623274noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2575332375386088145.post-58201641502202782402013-04-30T09:48:00.000-04:002013-04-30T09:48:12.605-04:00So Much Going On, So Little To Do<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New/Old House. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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That doesn't seem to make sense, right? But that's what it feels like. I'm selling my current home, buying a new one, and both closings are on May 30th. Having been a professional interior designer, I'm dying to pick out paints, hard woods, and bathroom fixtures for the new/old house (built in '59), but I can't do any of that for another month. It's driving me crazy. Of course, there's packing to do, but who wants to pack? <i>Not me, that's for sure! </i></div>
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Also, I'm getting married in a few months, so there's that... Again, lots to plan, yet not much to "do" yet. </div>
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All of this causes stress, but good stress - the kind of stress most of us look forward to in life. However, it's still sleepless nights-shaking hands-racing heartbeat-stress. In the midst of it all, I remain focused on how grateful I am for so many things:</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me & my "babies" Ethan (L) & Adam (R).</td></tr>
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<li>My kids are kind-hearted, brilliant musicians, doing well in college, and are looking forward to the great possibilities life has to offer. <i>Nothing makes me happier than seeing my "babies" happy and engaged in life! </i></li>
<li>My fiance is a great man who cares more about me than I can even wrap my head around. Plus, he's funny, sweet, hard-working, Irish (yes, he sometimes wears a kilt and no, I won't tell you what's underneath!), loyal, and damn sexy! <i>I'd say more, but he <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me & my man.</td></tr>
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embarrasses easily. </i></li>
<li>My family is healthy. <i>Is there anything more important than that?</i></li>
<li>Did I mention a Caribbean honeymoon cruise in January!<br /><i></i></li>
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The one thing I'm NOT doing now is writing. I began a new book about a month ago, but decided to take a break. I've been writing almost non-stop for five years, and I feel I need to step back, read, and see what life looks like while not writing/editing for a while. </div>
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So, that's where I'm at. What about you?</div>
Debra Lynn Sheltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238268767406623274noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2575332375386088145.post-32555742741036166742013-03-26T15:41:00.001-04:002013-03-26T20:10:18.420-04:00Is it Time to Stop Pursuing Publication? A Post by Jody Hedlund<br />
<a href="http://jodyhedlund.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/jodyhedlundphoto.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-93" height="320" src="http://jodyhedlund.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/jodyhedlundphoto.gif" title="Author Jody Hedlund" width="244" /></a> As I pursue my dreams of being a published author, I often wonder if my books are meant to find their way into the public domain. I sometimes self-sabotage by allowing doubts to haunt my thoughts and keep me from moving forward.
In my mind, every moment I spend <i>not</i> writing, is a moment wasted. Then I blame myself for not working hard enough and it becomes a vicious cycle. Fortunately, I'm an optimist by nature, so I don't usually let that type of
negativity hold me down for long. <br />
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I know I'm not alone on this, so for those of you wondering if/when it is ever time to stop pursuing publication, please read <a href="http://jodyhedlund.blogspot.com/2013/02/how-to-know-when-to-quit-pursuing.html">this post</a> by the talented writer <a href="http://jodyhedlund.com/">Jody Hedlund</a>. Jody is the author of several novels and an advocate for writers everywhere. She is a great "writer friend" and incredibly inspirational.<br />
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Please visit her website, treat yourself to her vast wealth of knowledge in the area of writing and, perhaps, pick up one (or more!) of her books. <br />
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And if you get a chance, pop back in and let me know your thoughts on the subject. <br />
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Debra Lynn Sheltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238268767406623274noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2575332375386088145.post-83846008665666928262013-02-28T11:39:00.000-05:002013-02-28T15:31:54.413-05:00What Else Do You Do?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn1YcFWzqePoyyrUptoAUBvG_BhFw9cdmPpGUvsvbWJ2XuTnoUpG7Sqz1wZj__GBLJOi91b8RrqA5XETk0PclZBbfam5UAxxxP9DfKV1tZhzDor0uw4bkI2oON9XZE1I6MT_OnvRNrdhqA/s1600/creativity.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn1YcFWzqePoyyrUptoAUBvG_BhFw9cdmPpGUvsvbWJ2XuTnoUpG7Sqz1wZj__GBLJOi91b8RrqA5XETk0PclZBbfam5UAxxxP9DfKV1tZhzDor0uw4bkI2oON9XZE1I6MT_OnvRNrdhqA/s320/creativity.jpg" width="258" /></a></div>
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Many of my writer friends are multi-talented. I'm not surprised by this; I believe it goes with the territory. Creative people have a deep-seeded need to create, and many have more than one outlet.</div>
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Some writers cook, knit, paint, draw, garden, dance, or invent things. Some take photographs, others arrange flowers. Some sew while others make furniture. Like creativity itself, the ways we can create are limitless. </div>
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I couldn't cook my way out of a kitchen if all the ingredients were provided in the exact right amounts with instructions even a baby could follow, and if I tried to knit, I'd probably poke my eyes out. I do draw, however. I draw a cartoon character named Mrs. Qurly Q. She's a plump variation of a stick figure with a single long curl drawn out of the top and sides of her head. It's actually embarrassing that I still draw her on cards and letters, but old habits die hard. After all, SHE'S FRIGGIN MRS. QURLY Q!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ5SoJF421c5HJDnTum5FyqBg5Dd825y5Zuqu_DXT3TXAXhLs2yUq2H3k72zPm2j2PHHZzs6_gsvZgg61ssLYxhqoMSwjiO1F1j8oUPfLwdYPCb5i2HU2ewnVisFwhPgXad3Wa317caOeZ/s1600/1326867511_IMG_0245.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ5SoJF421c5HJDnTum5FyqBg5Dd825y5Zuqu_DXT3TXAXhLs2yUq2H3k72zPm2j2PHHZzs6_gsvZgg61ssLYxhqoMSwjiO1F1j8oUPfLwdYPCb5i2HU2ewnVisFwhPgXad3Wa317caOeZ/s320/1326867511_IMG_0245.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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For me, my additional areas of creativity are interior decorating and music.<a href="http://www.reverbnation.com/debralynnlazar"> Here's the link to my music website</a>. Please feel free to listen and share. </div>
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So tell me - besides writing, what else do you do? If you have a website, please include the link. And also, feel free to share about your creative process. </div>
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Happy creativity to all!</div>
Debra Lynn Sheltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238268767406623274noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2575332375386088145.post-41398206944569053762013-02-04T19:44:00.001-05:002013-02-05T16:52:40.119-05:00The Four Stages of Writing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5_yoGHa0nLrSD77Y8iV79eW6xOepchiHBE5qWYxkHu-TylOkOSBL1TDsCnOp_xZeutthyphenhyphentL1xzm2r8pOJo4rNVPdHjS4zg4WfEuVDc89Hfaxxj3U-TOEVu4p3pHFYCEs_esVIg4DywHAc/s1600/a+happy+writer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5_yoGHa0nLrSD77Y8iV79eW6xOepchiHBE5qWYxkHu-TylOkOSBL1TDsCnOp_xZeutthyphenhyphentL1xzm2r8pOJo4rNVPdHjS4zg4WfEuVDc89Hfaxxj3U-TOEVu4p3pHFYCEs_esVIg4DywHAc/s320/a+happy+writer.jpg" width="294" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>I am here, not only to entertain, but to enlighten. Hence, <span style="font-size: x-small;">I give you </span>THE FOUR STAGES OF WRITING<span style="font-size: x-small;">.</span></b></span><span style="color: red;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><b>STAGE ONE: FIRST DRAFT</b></span></div>
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When I'm writing a first draft I'm happy. Make that borderline ecstatic. I'm doing what I'm meant to be doing in the world, and I feel powerful and free. Except, that is, for the moments when I'm terrified. The terror comes from staring at a blank computer screen and not knowing if my muse will grace me with brilliance or if I'll be at a complete loss to mentally capture anything remotely resembling words. The conversation in my head goes something like this:</div>
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<i>"Hang in there, Deb. You can do this! You've done it before, you'll do it again. If you were [insert character's name here] what would you do? Where would you go? What would you say? See, it's not so difficult. It's just like kindergarten. All you have to is pretend you're [character], go in the backyard, make some mud pies, and eat them! Writing is that easy!" </i></div>
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This type of inner dialogue is common when I'm writing. My mental cheerleading squad brings out their pom-poms and yells,<i> "Go, Debbie, go! Beat the other team!"</i><i></i> I have no idea what 'other team' they're referring to, but I'll be damned if those imaginary cheerleaders don't get the job done. Before long, with the exception of those pesky blank-screen-terror bouts, the first half of the book is moving along quite well. Characters are appearing, plots are forming, and action is happening. Life is good. And at the end of each day, I pull out my writing journal and joyfully record the number of words I've piled up, which is usually between 500-2000. I wink at myself in the mirror and treat myself to Stella Doro Chocolate-filled cookies. This goes on until...</div>
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<b>Tragedy strikes. </b></div>
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Somewhere around the two-thirds mark in the book, I completely lose my mojo. In an instant, the entire story seems silly, tired, predictable, boring. At this point in the process, I have an epiphany: I totally suck at writing and should have pursued accounting or geography or some other subject I hated in college. Maybe then I wouldn't feel like a total loser. </div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjScwj9HiB8JwTY3bTOZPAOcF3msb1gx5QkXNYDWCiJvdQ8OWtjI3aorWVjneaaMutVXvKq_rmxthi3q9d4TlEJKST5405cAoRm6KTXyXcQy6FraMF4dSDBVMw31fUUegBi2ODCBtF3MVrw/s1600/00012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjScwj9HiB8JwTY3bTOZPAOcF3msb1gx5QkXNYDWCiJvdQ8OWtjI3aorWVjneaaMutVXvKq_rmxthi3q9d4TlEJKST5405cAoRm6KTXyXcQy6FraMF4dSDBVMw31fUUegBi2ODCBtF3MVrw/s1600/00012.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hot Cheerleaders aka Cheap Ploy to Keep You Reading.</td></tr>
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The mental cheerleaders roll their collective eyes and hold special practices to keep me from doing what I'm threatening to do: toss out all of the stupid, uninteresting, lame, ridiculous verbage I've written up to that point and salvage whatever might be left of my dignity. Most times, after days of torturing myself, the rah-rahs prevail, and I trudge onward through the arid desert known as "the second third of my book." This goes on until... </div>
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<b>Magic happens! </b></div>
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A perfect ending appears like a picture of Jesus in a dollop of ketchup on a double cheese-burger with onions and lettuce, followed by visions of writing awards, TV appearances, and millions of glorious dollars piling high in my bank account. The cheerleaders don their finest uniforms and, in perfect rhythm and surprisingly impressive harmonies, cheer, <i>"Go, Debbie, go. GO, GO, GO!"</i> The heavens part, the harp-holding angels rejoice, and the world becomes 'one.' </div>
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The sprint to the end of the story is a joyful, self-indulgent, glorious collection of happy, brilliant writing moments. The plot twists weave together with satisfying clarity, the characters who haven't died in a tragic car crash or been poisoned with a toxic cocktail of anti-freeze and Gatorade, pull out their finest crystal and pour glass upon glass of the most expensive Dom Perignon, and then the moment of true glory occurs: I write the two most precious words in the English language....</div>
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<b>"THE END."</b></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><b>STAGE TWO: REVISIONS</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9uhyphenhyphenXc0czFSfhH3KsIWP_WV364Qlc8YHaVruep85cP1mARLcqwlX9THTVh0Xqi78fRMuOW9PZSYwSx2ui6z4CwRiIzt1cz3nC8k1bRlYofhiEl2pwQvxxk8PX3r_WzJ28zegt7L2k5cOb/s1600/ecig+where-can-i-buy-electronic-cigarettes-in-the-uk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9uhyphenhyphenXc0czFSfhH3KsIWP_WV364Qlc8YHaVruep85cP1mARLcqwlX9THTVh0Xqi78fRMuOW9PZSYwSx2ui6z4CwRiIzt1cz3nC8k1bRlYofhiEl2pwQvxxk8PX3r_WzJ28zegt7L2k5cOb/s320/ecig+where-can-i-buy-electronic-cigarettes-in-the-uk.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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After a brief but glorious bout of post-coital first draft joy, I grab an electronic cigarette and begin the real work of writing: revisions. The process of revising, though somewhat less terrifying than staring at a blank page, is daunting. It is here that a writer flexes their muscles and attempts to turn a rough sketch into a glorious masterpiece. </div>
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After I'm certain my manuscript could not be even one drop more brilliant, I do what I learned as a parent - I send my precious baby out into the world to spend the night with total strangers. These people who've never met my baby are called "beta readers" and although they can be strange (after all, they're writers!), they are some of the most patient, kind, and supportive people on Earth. These are folks who put their own writing (and episodes of Homeland, HGTV, and Nashville) aside in order to help you become a better writer. They grab their beta magnifying glasses and go over every, single word with painstaking care. Then, they send your precious baby back covered in red marks and scribbled with helpful comments like, <i>"How did Jenna jump out the window if she was sitting cross-legged on the floor meditating?"</i> Or, <i>"Did you really mean to put a comma after every single 'and' in your story?"</i> </div>
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After realizing your brilliant manuscript is not quite so brilliant you, once again, put your revision cap on and get back to work. Mine is a black leather cowboy hat adorned with feathers and turquoise. (Okay, so I don't actually have a revision hat, but I do have a big imagination which, given my "occupation," is like totally way better.) After months of sleep-deprived nights and wine-deprived days, I arrive at the point when I can no longer envision a way to make my story better. Then, and only then, do I move on to the third stage of writing...</div>
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<span style="color: red;"><b>STAGE THREE: QUERYING (OR SUBMITTING TO YOUR AGENT)</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwK9thvyrJNFxUP943nMI_wmAqmYq9Ho7YLYzT3LYgDPrkfwg9JTCMut43gDtvgANotRdu8TD23jtra8CbricuL_LJAikn6AuKM4TCGUc0GLiamj4Llam-uxNEh-zQwhIdTJSsmFlsqIBO/s1600/query-letter31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwK9thvyrJNFxUP943nMI_wmAqmYq9Ho7YLYzT3LYgDPrkfwg9JTCMut43gDtvgANotRdu8TD23jtra8CbricuL_LJAikn6AuKM4TCGUc0GLiamj4Llam-uxNEh-zQwhIdTJSsmFlsqIBO/s320/query-letter31.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Whether you have an agent or not, this is a nerve-wracking time. In my case, I had an agent but I'm currently looking for a new one. This means, I'm querying again. (Hits head against wall.) Many writers would sooner endure water-boarding or being forced to marry Octo-Mom than to query agents, and, really, who could blame them? To write a query letter, you must shrink your three-hundred page manuscript into two paragraphs. It would be easier to squeeze a five-hundred pound person into size two jeans. But you have no choice, so, you do your best to describe -- in several, short sentences -- what you've nearly killed yourself writing for at least a year. Once this sadistic process is complete, you research agents. This process is painstaking and intimidating and involves scrutinizing Publisher's Marketplace, Query Tracker, Agent Query, and agency websites in order to pour over agent's bios, find out what genres they accept, what other writers have said about them, and how many books they've sold. Once you find an agent whom you feel you have at least a one-in-a-gazillion chance with, you send a query letter their way and... </div>
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Wait. </div>
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And wait. And wait some more.<br />
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For me, when my email inbox dings, I pop an ativan. Most times it's nothing more than a spam offer to make my penis larger or date gun-toting born-again Christians, but every once in a while there is an email from a real, live, actual agent. When that happens,I slowly, ever so slowly, open the email...</div>
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<i>Dear Author,</i></div>
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<i>Sorry about the impersonal nature of this letter but we receive far more queries than we are capable of responding to. We are also sorry to inform you that XYZ Agency will not be pursuing representation with you. We found your writing bland, uninteresting, and sophomoric. Plus, your genre has been beaten to death like a dead horse. But, don't worry. There are many agents who, if exceedingly drunk, might feel differently about your "work." </i></div>
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<i>Please don't contact us by phone or in person or we will have no choice but to seek a restraining order against you.</i></div>
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<i>Best of luck,</i></div>
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<i>XYZ Slush Pile Junior Assistant</i></div>
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I transfer the depressing email into the "Pass" folder (because "Pass" sounds less debasing than "Rejection") and tell myself this is a good thing; that I'm now one step closer to finding the perfect agent. (Being a writer entails not only writing fiction, but also believing it.)</div>
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When a request for a partial or full does come through, it is literary manna from heaven. I position myself into a perfect Downward Dog, offer my feline overlords up as a sacrifice to the Writing Gods, and hope and pray this will lead to an offer of representation. It happened before, so it must be possible again, right? (Refer back to "believing fiction.") Waiting to hear back on a full or partial is more torturous than watching Snookie talk about, well, anything. And that, my friend, is pretty damn painful. </div>
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Whether or not you acquire or already have an agent...</div>
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<span style="color: red;"><b>STAGE FOUR: NOT WRITING</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA3J19Oc29oyUXZUQRQDsv_V_YotUoklovsmHra9slfo1HQlEmZ_dhrJI0n8jfmz7_pUYm4bZKNYPDYasthIiyx8S97ZRg-5x8UMIbxq4k5U6jH5huS6wBbFMHKaAold5XO6deG6nzQukc/s1600/010+NoWriting1-300x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA3J19Oc29oyUXZUQRQDsv_V_YotUoklovsmHra9slfo1HQlEmZ_dhrJI0n8jfmz7_pUYm4bZKNYPDYasthIiyx8S97ZRg-5x8UMIbxq4k5U6jH5huS6wBbFMHKaAold5XO6deG6nzQukc/s1600/010+NoWriting1-300x300.jpg" /></a></div>
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This may not sound like a stage of writing, but it is, in fact, an important one. It's the time in between books when story ideas simmer and percolate. (Suddenly craving coffee, which I don't even drink.) At first, this is a joyous time; after all, you've completed writing a first draft, finished revisions, and are querying or waiting to see what your agent thinks. You think, "Wow! Look at all this time I have on my hands! I could sleep, read a book, drink a bottle of wine, watch TruTV, or take a walk! <i>Hell, I could do all of those things at once! </i>OHMYGODTHISISAMAZING!!!!" But for me, the longer I'm not writing, the more I start to feel useless (why am I here?) and hopeless (what is there to live for??) and fearful (what if I never write again???) and you delude yourself into thinking you actually miss the torture of staring at a blank screen or getting to the dreaded two-thirds point in a novel or receiving humiliating rejection letters from literary agents. </div>
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At this point, there is nothing to do but tell the cheerleaders to ready their pom-poms and and pray, once again, to the Writing Gods. And, what, you may ask, are you praying for now? For STAGE ONE, of course! Because writing, like life, is an ongoing cycle.</div>
Debra Lynn Sheltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238268767406623274noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2575332375386088145.post-91072857620444809202013-01-30T12:38:00.000-05:002013-01-30T12:38:09.259-05:00Word Count: Size Matters<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin4c5UCJ67LXEwfWqkx_Wd-fBXOpGCzJ4DeM5fDd_5ii_W_4ZHQLWbCqcBOdr1-I73PNB1MZ4sykEsGIVUK2FoeU0VTvuQ_PhCZjA_1mXGu1H_i0TjxbOxIsuVBZSkTKkUvlkikr7RA-v1/s1600/Word+count.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin4c5UCJ67LXEwfWqkx_Wd-fBXOpGCzJ4DeM5fDd_5ii_W_4ZHQLWbCqcBOdr1-I73PNB1MZ4sykEsGIVUK2FoeU0VTvuQ_PhCZjA_1mXGu1H_i0TjxbOxIsuVBZSkTKkUvlkikr7RA-v1/s400/Word+count.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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I thought I'd share a <a href="http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/word-count-for-novels-and-childrens-books-the-definitive-post">link</a> here that has gotten a lot of attention on my Twitter page. It's an article from the ever helpful and brilliant <a href="http://www.chucksambuchino.com/">Chuck Sambuchino</a> on the subject of 'Word Count.' </div>
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Do you want to know what the word count is for women's fiction? Science Fiction? Picture books? YA? MG? Westerns? Memoirs? Then you'll love this post. </div>
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If you have any questions, let me know and I'll do what I can to get you an answer.</div>
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Happy writing, y'all!</div>
Debra Lynn Sheltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238268767406623274noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2575332375386088145.post-86797324592178390402013-01-16T08:22:00.001-05:002013-01-16T08:22:45.098-05:00Tightening the Screws<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7J-XpoTPHqNaKAY8ZNsYsAD_WeU63-YoJnLv9CIqji9My7NiW1fZzdyrum7InnDO8Eibgu9KSqFarFUyJHrZsV9_1GvAC6h5Lo0wn9BRH1q98nNJTWPNWtiorQDSkSZJCzmDzqParY35q/s1600/screw-tightening.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7J-XpoTPHqNaKAY8ZNsYsAD_WeU63-YoJnLv9CIqji9My7NiW1fZzdyrum7InnDO8Eibgu9KSqFarFUyJHrZsV9_1GvAC6h5Lo0wn9BRH1q98nNJTWPNWtiorQDSkSZJCzmDzqParY35q/s320/screw-tightening.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
QUICK UPDATE!<br />
<br />
I'm here, I'm alive, and I'm excited about 2013. I just got back from a Caribbean cruise, my feline overlords haven't killed each other (or me!), I'm tightening the screws on my women's fiction novel (damn you, commas!) while I selectively query, and I'm making wedding plans. Yup, it's a good life. <br />
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How are things in your world? <br />
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<br />Debra Lynn Sheltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238268767406623274noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2575332375386088145.post-17867899048402969352012-12-26T20:39:00.001-05:002012-12-26T20:39:14.456-05:00My Holiday Treasures<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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MY HOLIDAY TREASURES<br />
Spending time with my sons, Ethan (with his new recording software) and Adam (with his new Yamaha acoustic/electric guitar) in my basement.<br />
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Additional treasures: Supporting my honey in the kitchen (and by "supporting" I mean handing him beers as he cooked a fabulous holiday feast - hey, don't judge me - I baked chocolate chip cookies and a dark chocolate cake) and watching Carleigh Rebecca open her presents. <br />
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What were some of YOUR holiday treasures?<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Chanuka<span style="font-size: x-small;">h/</span>Christmas, 2012</i></span>Debra Lynn Sheltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238268767406623274noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2575332375386088145.post-85901410501545797692012-12-14T20:43:00.003-05:002012-12-14T20:43:48.988-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2NN9nEb7r-uPqCoS76Txovu1rSoj0ICitjaODvRCvp0yP7wX8l36w9f3TmWHUfKUzQscHGFEiV-jRnCsBEChwUSrOkSfTW2iyMMCHrZExC0_owHV9A7gdWi-L-rktAht2vBdXcOmNmMEg/s1600/crying_woman_by_World_War_victim_memorila_in_%C4%8Castotice,_T%C5%99eb%C3%AD%C4%8D_District.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2NN9nEb7r-uPqCoS76Txovu1rSoj0ICitjaODvRCvp0yP7wX8l36w9f3TmWHUfKUzQscHGFEiV-jRnCsBEChwUSrOkSfTW2iyMMCHrZExC0_owHV9A7gdWi-L-rktAht2vBdXcOmNmMEg/s400/crying_woman_by_World_War_victim_memorila_in_%C4%8Castotice,_T%C5%99eb%C3%AD%C4%8D_District.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Today, there are no words...Debra Lynn Sheltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238268767406623274noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2575332375386088145.post-87841902224515468652012-12-03T22:12:00.000-05:002012-12-04T12:59:10.552-05:00Short and Sweet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNdjVRTpbj1AjzGIQhPVJ-tHN5sspf4wkzmdu5yAas4F8AHH6FLaJb7tcO8wRZTdjM6Gu7jwxaPf6Z080s2U7W9yhjDOAUZIxZ6hTKJmSt62Xchv7JPAN7LVPZNaqMSKgHSv45ipYh-D53/s1600/zen_cat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNdjVRTpbj1AjzGIQhPVJ-tHN5sspf4wkzmdu5yAas4F8AHH6FLaJb7tcO8wRZTdjM6Gu7jwxaPf6Z080s2U7W9yhjDOAUZIxZ6hTKJmSt62Xchv7JPAN7LVPZNaqMSKgHSv45ipYh-D53/s400/zen_cat.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
This is the shortest but possibly most important post I've ever written.<br />
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<i>It's amazing what happens when you set the "shoulds" aside and simply revel in the moment. </i><br />
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Love those in your life with all your heart and all your soul.<br />
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Namaste, y'all. Debra Lynn Sheltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238268767406623274noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2575332375386088145.post-83558644768803460772012-11-20T23:54:00.000-05:002012-11-21T00:17:35.364-05:00HAPPY THANKSGIVING! From My Family to Yours<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU2cK4uKiYcNFYFSkgz4hLRlSEFwo88jvExFKBSCOSEUhOeOSxb-PJeV1TZm_w8SC6Hq20pcmRqA0lJr-Ecw7AWIkgVxItVQc_L-f6zM38Yh3FdRd_w4HdnbVdx7AmYLk8_Xib4a7dDTdj/s1600/6a00d8341c2d0753ef0134897df458970c-500wi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU2cK4uKiYcNFYFSkgz4hLRlSEFwo88jvExFKBSCOSEUhOeOSxb-PJeV1TZm_w8SC6Hq20pcmRqA0lJr-Ecw7AWIkgVxItVQc_L-f6zM38Yh3FdRd_w4HdnbVdx7AmYLk8_Xib4a7dDTdj/s640/6a00d8341c2d0753ef0134897df458970c-500wi.jpg" width="640" /></a>Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, not just because of the delicious food and enticing adult beverages, but because I get to spend it with those I love most in this world: my family. I wish you and yours a happy, healthy, and peaceful Thanksgiving. Remember to be grateful for your blessings, say "please" and "thank you," and let those you love know how much they mean to you.<br />
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Here is my family in all their wonderful glory:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9EyLpQE6r7Kye5_RKsC3-47qlrtYIcMUP9zKJ7rE2h43-WI_FIGKPUdTumJ-acWxNrpV3qLixfLhx-drHr0c_sgpHToYtBKou5VXiKJYc3itG0Nwejv7xHAeemVGPRx4Jnq7MqNvZ3xoP/s1600/More+Denver+Pics+005+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9EyLpQE6r7Kye5_RKsC3-47qlrtYIcMUP9zKJ7rE2h43-WI_FIGKPUdTumJ-acWxNrpV3qLixfLhx-drHr0c_sgpHToYtBKou5VXiKJYc3itG0Nwejv7xHAeemVGPRx4Jnq7MqNvZ3xoP/s320/More+Denver+Pics+005+(2).jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bobby, Me, Mom, Dad</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw2tQN0q_A9yYxFWCGVQ3n3s4blxhA-DGCLff0uXuy1NUdTZIGs79q7kKRqrhyFz4GvcrSrNO3mUL4KxyJqzTaDDbd-0ib1sTRx71CuBXCp1Mvb9oEdv8-MGyN9OLipyeGnjvfuYaMZ3h6/s1600/ENGAGEMENT%2521%2521%2521+031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw2tQN0q_A9yYxFWCGVQ3n3s4blxhA-DGCLff0uXuy1NUdTZIGs79q7kKRqrhyFz4GvcrSrNO3mUL4KxyJqzTaDDbd-0ib1sTRx71CuBXCp1Mvb9oEdv8-MGyN9OLipyeGnjvfuYaMZ3h6/s320/ENGAGEMENT%2521%2521%2521+031.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My niece, Josea, & my son, Ethan</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIFw6Ji-_g0RTqGFku7Ny6g3lE83F-NFAydY0lZ2AyJB-0m2MdqH7ORRBGgIDqVlK-Ep8_pbqMdb5EY6AkU0eFr75HVDoxXwJyv7Mep2V3EM6PzuMiAJhVlcmeaF7SVZ9yDaVNT8Fbo6sD/s1600/Carleigh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIFw6Ji-_g0RTqGFku7Ny6g3lE83F-NFAydY0lZ2AyJB-0m2MdqH7ORRBGgIDqVlK-Ep8_pbqMdb5EY6AkU0eFr75HVDoxXwJyv7Mep2V3EM6PzuMiAJhVlcmeaF7SVZ9yDaVNT8Fbo6sD/s320/Carleigh.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Step-granddaughter (to be), Carleigh Rebecca</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizjsraJ6laMvGco2wUN2bAMgmf_zm9iIhr52K_hxOvYBU1IrJ8wOhDWSYKPyh_0w6o2lUgNiuMa7F3bAV6O2KTF9VUemTZYghfg7dBgSob98daPfEOrw83rl0ekK-oNJ6CzsCBA_0fDqzJ/s1600/More+Denver+120.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizjsraJ6laMvGco2wUN2bAMgmf_zm9iIhr52K_hxOvYBU1IrJ8wOhDWSYKPyh_0w6o2lUgNiuMa7F3bAV6O2KTF9VUemTZYghfg7dBgSob98daPfEOrw83rl0ekK-oNJ6CzsCBA_0fDqzJ/s320/More+Denver+120.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My son, Ethan, my sister, Michelle, her son Nash, & my son, Adam</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEn3s7pSa6d51OFkgZkuImAn23XjgGSKow1m5ZE_BtbKQ80N1-Euft8-p_oT-f15z5vKz0gHRSLEjLoe257aAz5tvVVtE39bl9ZWhqz6w-CEKLDqOTiwBOixoGn_PFbNJesc_N6pBVUOZW/s1600/Adam+drumming+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEn3s7pSa6d51OFkgZkuImAn23XjgGSKow1m5ZE_BtbKQ80N1-Euft8-p_oT-f15z5vKz0gHRSLEjLoe257aAz5tvVVtE39bl9ZWhqz6w-CEKLDqOTiwBOixoGn_PFbNJesc_N6pBVUOZW/s200/Adam+drumming+2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adam</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfU8x672-iEDkYxwaXih9HvfkDlaRhgQhHdrRzcn3kxswWcEJA4bDOJ5M1_MF1p9eIsqWA-Ym22bkmz96ziYbgEYLZ_HEdFj6VfVhB2XWaX5f1ePg0NgYA3xKuVvVsGYy3qdo9dvi8lhML/s1600/IMG_0087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfU8x672-iEDkYxwaXih9HvfkDlaRhgQhHdrRzcn3kxswWcEJA4bDOJ5M1_MF1p9eIsqWA-Ym22bkmz96ziYbgEYLZ_HEdFj6VfVhB2XWaX5f1ePg0NgYA3xKuVvVsGYy3qdo9dvi8lhML/s200/IMG_0087.JPG" width="177" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me & Adam</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIPhDgyu6TutDRDbJV1itau0P_0tbJ0pCyzR1UoUsty3072vl4cEehz85vJj6_39WDDvtGcIO2uhvocvcHXHS-ScwGtZo03pMl11dhkqSSgSrKHuWyv19YuA0l_ZIznZyr-O27DUMa8cT3/s1600/Thanksgiving+-+Denver+2010+026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIPhDgyu6TutDRDbJV1itau0P_0tbJ0pCyzR1UoUsty3072vl4cEehz85vJj6_39WDDvtGcIO2uhvocvcHXHS-ScwGtZo03pMl11dhkqSSgSrKHuWyv19YuA0l_ZIznZyr-O27DUMa8cT3/s200/Thanksgiving+-+Denver+2010+026.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My niece, Arissa & my nephew, Jalen (Twins!)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDgCONbDQn5t1jFpvmLD9mzj4eA7kdpUrEgIMPfQ19c9gFu8rSIa1MrMywgjXQ0s88SdV54RHGsC6hkBX3OpJR5MiXoioSHC9Z-QJWjUFQ9EXwj71oMEZLk56lK9un8NSMTHuLUgzIBQLJ/s1600/More+Denver+112.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDgCONbDQn5t1jFpvmLD9mzj4eA7kdpUrEgIMPfQ19c9gFu8rSIa1MrMywgjXQ0s88SdV54RHGsC6hkBX3OpJR5MiXoioSHC9Z-QJWjUFQ9EXwj71oMEZLk56lK9un8NSMTHuLUgzIBQLJ/s200/More+Denver+112.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My niece, Devyn</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin5iVgwrSxkWU7oTqhMPl2fwZwKRwjwJHymge3wGaNncbdXCuIiTVdGIWL_s2aSu_ZKrpuiutbYbi_qvycEPkhgcs8p9BmTgBxepXneLJJx4kd12diLQs1q8O4E-s_l98kQrkO424O4Vud/s1600/More+Denver+061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin5iVgwrSxkWU7oTqhMPl2fwZwKRwjwJHymge3wGaNncbdXCuIiTVdGIWL_s2aSu_ZKrpuiutbYbi_qvycEPkhgcs8p9BmTgBxepXneLJJx4kd12diLQs1q8O4E-s_l98kQrkO424O4Vud/s320/More+Denver+061.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bobby, Adam, & Ethan</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh56R2xU07TRzkZXkjLlWL0_zII7ob-f-wI_k7rhaXVup2ZtZFLeLNRNylixBZUyGcYZ6MqQ_-Zp8pZymXz3exqPfKW5yGOmSIGzRT5VeBL3VfzabdCvqSOzFGkw16xT4RUce4j8uazuuyb/s1600/State+College+-+8.25.12+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh56R2xU07TRzkZXkjLlWL0_zII7ob-f-wI_k7rhaXVup2ZtZFLeLNRNylixBZUyGcYZ6MqQ_-Zp8pZymXz3exqPfKW5yGOmSIGzRT5VeBL3VfzabdCvqSOzFGkw16xT4RUce4j8uazuuyb/s320/State+College+-+8.25.12+013.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ethan & his girlfriend, Morgan</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO9NSzQl5W0MIfwt2-yI_gVdZO7V5uewyp9TGMcWkmBMrrDO9IsMai1r1ezJ6C_FmnCsmHadvF3Kgrd5fNtdtAgnei3eDIKiDyBKnnDHOtplx-tSPuHUOHsrjEbuX-klAlSp36X4cB-5LH/s1600/Nicole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO9NSzQl5W0MIfwt2-yI_gVdZO7V5uewyp9TGMcWkmBMrrDO9IsMai1r1ezJ6C_FmnCsmHadvF3Kgrd5fNtdtAgnei3eDIKiDyBKnnDHOtplx-tSPuHUOHsrjEbuX-klAlSp36X4cB-5LH/s320/Nicole.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Step-daughter (to be), Nicole</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMK7oKJUy2fZwM09IPQn6H7Cc6IZogFVdazCUCYnCG_Rz9sSBgAnJGBu72rHhN6ItVpqj7xour-InT1wBL6aYmWPRvsic-_rQk72hVn_tZPw45gTCgSNPPvIAfdn5hZouSEUKSkO6mrWbS/s1600/Mom+&+Dad%27s+Visit+-+August+2011+032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMK7oKJUy2fZwM09IPQn6H7Cc6IZogFVdazCUCYnCG_Rz9sSBgAnJGBu72rHhN6ItVpqj7xour-InT1wBL6aYmWPRvsic-_rQk72hVn_tZPw45gTCgSNPPvIAfdn5hZouSEUKSkO6mrWbS/s320/Mom+&+Dad%27s+Visit+-+August+2011+032.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bobby's Mom, Diane, & My Mom, Judy</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV7eMSCQ1CLJMIh_EwsaufeieFqI9-8EdObLNePhiYEfW1vuFPtvVwnYIeSHmbfoLI1ylorngFrS141nLWdKmpSdqtQ5ZCTWCxHSWwocKUaXrlm-YQ7D-4fRA75yuZVLx-iBDkHct2CHmM/s1600/More+Denver+Pics+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV7eMSCQ1CLJMIh_EwsaufeieFqI9-8EdObLNePhiYEfW1vuFPtvVwnYIeSHmbfoLI1ylorngFrS141nLWdKmpSdqtQ5ZCTWCxHSWwocKUaXrlm-YQ7D-4fRA75yuZVLx-iBDkHct2CHmM/s320/More+Denver+Pics+003.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom & Dad aka Judy & Fred</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx-7ngTi7dYNb211MfUdq6EiKewcO78Bh5F1voVSsSTWpA5nzlHDNP6nzTXwjE4ZqdwGJDaEHrjmHQ0mBBO3iE8fUgnYwcLtLjs-b9RBQNMpKBbs6CQw5KIsJbRa0BRdvhTWdf4OWtU2WT/s1600/More+Denver+Pics+022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx-7ngTi7dYNb211MfUdq6EiKewcO78Bh5F1voVSsSTWpA5nzlHDNP6nzTXwjE4ZqdwGJDaEHrjmHQ0mBBO3iE8fUgnYwcLtLjs-b9RBQNMpKBbs6CQw5KIsJbRa0BRdvhTWdf4OWtU2WT/s320/More+Denver+Pics+022.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Sisters: (Front) Laurie & Sharon (Back) Michelle & Debbie</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVhF_SVXE5-9PevKGQ2M0Zr8gpcESQpAbuczQcCxhNE0B6SslLHaQGVT4rhDnkedH77MAA7-kWNDDhNClyoqtpr6rNdJ0wcgR_4RC-fqb78ad6NeG0WYuEV16b0URLmuP_NRzKwZOy-4I7/s1600/More+Denver+Pics+028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVhF_SVXE5-9PevKGQ2M0Zr8gpcESQpAbuczQcCxhNE0B6SslLHaQGVT4rhDnkedH77MAA7-kWNDDhNClyoqtpr6rNdJ0wcgR_4RC-fqb78ad6NeG0WYuEV16b0URLmuP_NRzKwZOy-4I7/s640/More+Denver+Pics+028.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sisters & Honeys: Travis, Michelle, David, Sharon, Bobby, Debbie, Laurie, Peter</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv3IFN3ORMoHYWOrEvhO_v4fl396NMIkAvKtEUxFmczDdNl9Mp6Gwz7C3F6X9KQ5pZ-s8xyNJ12Hta4AXeQbUV0PLLyaSUonn5UPJSRBd81iZTTmbDdXJ2dtCb49FtWN5wmqgY5nDvwikn/s1600/Thanksgiving+-+Denver+2010+078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
Debra Lynn Sheltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238268767406623274noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2575332375386088145.post-36238293461091973042012-11-12T08:00:00.000-05:002012-11-12T09:36:35.255-05:00Steve Ogden - HEADSTONES AND MONUMENTS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoGJpS2WhtNnatKPFDe8T5f98e-r2hlgPSeDAn4Rwj66yJHuTmUS7anghVQMK3-iO5k__BXp45NJFue0kE9N4faNYbkR9S8a299NpdVWTIvZKRRgvO87gFnNymebOL-0LoIsHvpj81HpQj/s1600/H&Mcover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoGJpS2WhtNnatKPFDe8T5f98e-r2hlgPSeDAn4Rwj66yJHuTmUS7anghVQMK3-iO5k__BXp45NJFue0kE9N4faNYbkR9S8a299NpdVWTIvZKRRgvO87gFnNymebOL-0LoIsHvpj81HpQj/s400/H&Mcover.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Every once in a while I have the wonderful opportunity to promote a friend who is also an immensely talented writer. This is one of those times.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Steve Ogden ("Og") and I have been virtual friends for some time. He is an extremely talented artist and writer, and has written a new book I highly recommend. It's called, HEADSTONES AND MONUMENTS and is a collection of scary short stories. This book would be the perfect holiday gift for the person in your life who loves to be frightened. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Here are a few of the short, spooky stories included in HEADSTONES AND MONUMENTS: </span></span></div>
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<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Three kids awaken a dark presence in an abandoned house and find themselves fighting for their lives as adults. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">A young girl faces off against a demon on an otherwise ordinary day in music class.</span></span></li>
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<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">A skeptical historian is forced to confront Civil War ghosts at Gettysburg. </span></span></li>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSXW827u2ySR1wdeKPA24izbcvnMUxQd3hZeVjBo_ovUVexXllOqKUt6CrcZm1lsEuIms0Lz6Uk3v5JTPY4yvtZA7jMuuLHMqSPm51JiCVAAlyJC36aUwIDSi7cbt5rHNFyJo0o1ksGtNG/s1600/il_570xN.292885293.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSXW827u2ySR1wdeKPA24izbcvnMUxQd3hZeVjBo_ovUVexXllOqKUt6CrcZm1lsEuIms0Lz6Uk3v5JTPY4yvtZA7jMuuLHMqSPm51JiCVAAlyJC36aUwIDSi7cbt5rHNFyJo0o1ksGtNG/s320/il_570xN.292885293.jpg" width="320" /></a>These are just a few of the tales in HEADSTONES AND MONUMENTS. These stories perfectly capture the fears of our current lives and the nightmares of our past. Mr. Ogden even includes some <i>true</i> ghost stories from his youth. Rather than cheap scares or grisly tales of man's inhumanity to man, this collection is comprised of sympathetic characters confronted by unsettling situations. Fans of Stephen King and Neil Gaiman will enjoy this creepy read. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Og is also an extremely talented comic book artist and writer. His comic book, CROAKER'S GORGE can be viewed and purchased <b><span style="color: red;"><a href="http://steveogden.com/croakers/">HERE</a>.</span></b> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Again, if being spooked is your thing or the thing of someone you love, I highly recommend HEADSTONES AND MONUMENTS. You can check it out and read some of the book <span style="color: red;"><a href="http://steveogden.com/blog/2012/h-m-ebook-for-sale/"><b>HERE</b></a>. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><b>Steve
Ogden</b>
has been drawing since he was three years old, and writing since he was six. Ogden
has found a voice for his writing in the game industry, working for such
luminaries as Cyan (Myst, Riven) and Firaxis Games (Civilization, X-COM). He is also the creative force behind the long running comic
strip Croaker’s Gorge and the graphic novel Moon Town.
Headstones and Monuments is his first
volume of published prose. He lives just north of Baltimore
in Maryland’s
wine country with his wife and three sons. Visit him at <a href="http://steveogden.com./">steveogden.com.</a></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>Debra Lynn Sheltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238268767406623274noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2575332375386088145.post-22677074148389788542012-11-07T10:51:00.000-05:002012-11-07T13:05:22.407-05:00FOUR MORE YEARS! Sanity Prevails or Magical Goblins of the Universe<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1BQfDJ39U1ApemCOCW0gwzF93LPPmZ6giSdkAjc90f1ZxRP7wUtjuki16UtnDGkARxU2gmv_qFd5p0nT44js7Oy_HtNsAGr8UKgXWLKVbRILp1V5gu2vADyou3DAklXkvsrg_B0LdhYbQ/s1600/aObamas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1BQfDJ39U1ApemCOCW0gwzF93LPPmZ6giSdkAjc90f1ZxRP7wUtjuki16UtnDGkARxU2gmv_qFd5p0nT44js7Oy_HtNsAGr8UKgXWLKVbRILp1V5gu2vADyou3DAklXkvsrg_B0LdhYbQ/s1600/aObamas.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">The Beautiful Obamas</span></span></td></tr>
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Last night I watched the election returns from the comfort of my bedroom with my honey and my feline overlord, Emma. I was so nervous that my entire body shook from head to toe. Since I'd promised myself a thirty-day hiatus from alcohol only three days earlier (I know. Dumbest. Thing. Ever.), I had an epiphany: I was screwed. <i>No wine to calm my jumpy nerves? What the hell was I going to do? </i>Then I remembered I had a certain something left over from when my ex left me for another woman and nearly ruined my life a little over two years ago. <i>Ativan, sweet, Ativan, you're the queen of my soul... </i>Okay, that is a ridiculous exaggeration. No drug is the queen of my soul, merely a pawn in my inability to control my own emotions. However, as I'd done two years earlier, I placed a lot of faith in the powers of a small, white pill.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Eh7RZ5NZDBR1YjnDLiIbiHiRH9YRC5IdkCXbhS2teeh2lJbKUI_bvaX5nED3wSveJ9cdhWGmmVjPi3-0HewdQW4qtOsYPIzyW16wTOzW3pYoUZa9DXbHSb2R728t0QrqYkVfuCLNlaW4/s1600/agoblins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Eh7RZ5NZDBR1YjnDLiIbiHiRH9YRC5IdkCXbhS2teeh2lJbKUI_bvaX5nED3wSveJ9cdhWGmmVjPi3-0HewdQW4qtOsYPIzyW16wTOzW3pYoUZa9DXbHSb2R728t0QrqYkVfuCLNlaW4/s1600/agoblins.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Magical Goblins of the Universe, </span><span style="color: red;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Edward, Bella, and Jacob</span></span></td></tr>
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Once the calming drug kicked in... <i>Oh, wait! It never did!</i> I shook just as much before taking the damn thing as after, so really, what was the point? There wasn't one. It was then that I realized I had to suck it up, watch the returns, and pray to the <span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Magical Goblins of the Universe</span></span> (MGU for short - don't mock me. They're real. That's them over there to the right. Edward, Bella, and Jacob Goblin.) that I wouldn't drop dead of a stress-induced heart attack before the night was over. </div>
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Anyone who knows me either in "real" life or via the wonders of social media (shout out to Facebook and Twitter, yo!) knows I'm a political junkie. If I had a dollar for every RWNJ (Right Wing Nut Job) I argued with on Twitter regarding Obama's policies and how they are working, or how women's rights are vital to society, or how gays have just as much right to be miserable in marriage as straight people, or how climate change actually exists and isn't a message from God opposing gay marriage and abortion, or how women should be paid the same as men for the same work, or that who those in the military love is their own damn business, or that there is, in fact, no such thing as "legitimate rape", I'd be richer than Donald Trump, the egomaniac who kept trying, and failing, to inject himself into the campaign.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLIPcuuNiStb_psj1CEMlaE5rJP2vw4zwGFK1x-VttTf-7KNbVquL2D2Voh9sYz-P14nSpyqJPuJL6gXrC4UMMaKkqdFPgurbO2GJ8aiBhWP3sPEIjMpwC-D4pMn6cfZVsYCXZrlpGvFf-/s1600/41784_144251848938006_5399_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLIPcuuNiStb_psj1CEMlaE5rJP2vw4zwGFK1x-VttTf-7KNbVquL2D2Voh9sYz-P14nSpyqJPuJL6gXrC4UMMaKkqdFPgurbO2GJ8aiBhWP3sPEIjMpwC-D4pMn6cfZVsYCXZrlpGvFf-/s1600/41784_144251848938006_5399_n.jpg" /></a></div>
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Adding to the insanity of the evening was the fact that I knew a
certain talented and beautiful agent was planning on spending part of
Election Day reading my YA manuscript**. That, combined with the prospect of Mittens in the White House, made me feel like the blood in my veins had
been replaced with Mexican jumping beans. </div>
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Thankfully, now the election is over and the best man has most definitely won. The jumping beans have retreated and I can type these words without the need of pharmaceutical assistance. I'm grateful to the MGU that sanity prevailed and that the bigots and religious zealots have lost to the open minded, inclusive, and forward thinkers among us.</div>
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President Obama is a blessing to us all - a blessing born from the goodness in our own hearts and the visions for a better future for our children. Hopefully, the Mitch McConnell's of the world who vowed Obama's failure from Day One have learned a useful lesson: working together always trumps (hah!) working against one another. </div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRjjZGCCngv2TLESvYHuXcLXa7t58qrEyRBzP3avlUB6-q1pse5Ffab0IY9qvEuiYGOCYQd89ggNX6X-HYLYliVLkY-vuO12PuxaZXu9AFRsGihSEIgsUXtVttCaNRdXR9GWevMVTlVz0Y/s1600/abookdeal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRjjZGCCngv2TLESvYHuXcLXa7t58qrEyRBzP3avlUB6-q1pse5Ffab0IY9qvEuiYGOCYQd89ggNX6X-HYLYliVLkY-vuO12PuxaZXu9AFRsGihSEIgsUXtVttCaNRdXR9GWevMVTlVz0Y/s320/abookdeal.jpg" width="209" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="justify"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Part of my version of The American Dream</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Here's to four more years of continuing to revive our economy, to giving gay people the right to marry, to bringing our soldiers home, to keeping the health and destiny of women within their own control, to healing the climate of our precious planet, and to working together as Americans to be an example to our children and to the world of what is possible when liberty and justice are, indeed, the tenets we honor and uphold. Here's to what is possible when we believe ALL Americans are created equal and have the right to pursue their version of The American Dream.</div>
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<i>(**Turns out said beautiful, talented agent didn't get to my book yesterday. She had editing and kids and an election to deal with, blah, blah, blah. She's reading it today, though.
Damn, I wish I hadn't made myself that stupid not-drinking-alcohol-for-thirty-days promise! What was I thinking? I must have been drunk.)</i><br />
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I'd love to hear your thoughts on the election, gay marriage, Mexican jumping beans, The Donald, or anything else you'd like to share. <i> </i></div>
Debra Lynn Sheltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238268767406623274noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2575332375386088145.post-79139326499320430102012-11-05T10:29:00.000-05:002012-11-05T10:29:14.062-05:00Make Sure You VOTE!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyHjyJqSAAFCP7AzGe3rA7DSACgZ5Tx6nmuEuCJ3ayfyexxGYnf3g_q7jZQgCmTfI4VgSaA48JMOssPFCZEcec4Ag00ZaPBkPAICa8DYUUOCvPOk0DgDCPnIP_rKczdflksOOMuZz1Pia5/s1600/vote.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyHjyJqSAAFCP7AzGe3rA7DSACgZ5Tx6nmuEuCJ3ayfyexxGYnf3g_q7jZQgCmTfI4VgSaA48JMOssPFCZEcec4Ag00ZaPBkPAICa8DYUUOCvPOk0DgDCPnIP_rKczdflksOOMuZz1Pia5/s320/vote.jpg" width="253" /></a></div>
<br />Debra Lynn Sheltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238268767406623274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2575332375386088145.post-438897603508658392012-10-17T17:59:00.000-04:002012-10-17T19:26:10.835-04:00Romney/Ryan: An American Horror Story<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD27ZQ7A8OmCl3yMHf6fBiMZNKR-ihnagr89QOclLLAsmxkitU6SA7b65rjrvOoYMCWpyGdslwio-biFshZo1UEqkLSKI3mzuwhETGxt2qT_z_BTm2Bukynp_1JiAqT7LsuAIk8DYpIGYo/s1600/Palin+Cartoon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD27ZQ7A8OmCl3yMHf6fBiMZNKR-ihnagr89QOclLLAsmxkitU6SA7b65rjrvOoYMCWpyGdslwio-biFshZo1UEqkLSKI3mzuwhETGxt2qT_z_BTm2Bukynp_1JiAqT7LsuAIk8DYpIGYo/s320/Palin+Cartoon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Okay, I have to chime in here on politics. Four years ago, I had more fun than should be legal, and I owed it all to the uninformed and multi-weaponed Sarah "Moosehead" Palin. Sarah not only packed a lot of heat, she also packed binders filled with <strike>women</strike> unintelligable comments that became fodder not only for late night comics, but for bloggers and tweeters worldwide.</div>
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Unfortunately, this election isn't nearly as funny. In fact, it's downright sobering. And I'm not a huge fan of sober.<b> </b><br />
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<b>Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan would be a disaster for this country.</b> </div>
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Here's why:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga1RGEQds7CWEI0meuj-o3uwF_J_aeC5_kj_KI5yRGAHvjD_rd5wx5SV-pvN4S8ryTCOmcYAHx44g98BUKOwDBHRi1Fvyk6yJEtJntV88Auh-szbgvTZou-HmEHrIfTRb_4z5wmACEv-hQ/s1600/esq-paul-ryan-soup-kitchen-photo-101612-xlg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga1RGEQds7CWEI0meuj-o3uwF_J_aeC5_kj_KI5yRGAHvjD_rd5wx5SV-pvN4S8ryTCOmcYAHx44g98BUKOwDBHRi1Fvyk6yJEtJntV88Auh-szbgvTZou-HmEHrIfTRb_4z5wmACEv-hQ/s320/esq-paul-ryan-soup-kitchen-photo-101612-xlg.jpg" width="320" /></a>Not only would they deceive the American people by pulling bullshit stunts like showing up at a soup kitchen to clean a few dishes for a photo op, but they would deceive us by pretending to be <i>for</i> women, <i>for</i> the middle class, and <i>for</i> the environment, all the while formulating policy to the contrary.<br />
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FOR EXAMPLE: They would incorporate <span style="color: red;">anti-woman policies</span> (Romney is committed to overturning Roe v Wade, and Ryan is against abortion EVEN in cases of rape, incest, and harm to the mother. They also want to cut ALL federal funding for Planned Parenthood [see graph below]), <span style="color: red;">tax cuts for the wealthy</span>, <span style="color: red;">disdain for nearly half of all Americans</span> (Yes, <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_786897&feature=iv&src_vid=XnB0NZzl5HA&v=MU9V6eOFO38">47%</a></span> is nearly half, Mittens, and THAT mother-fucking math DOES add up!), and a <span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: red;">total lack of regard for the environment</span><span style="color: black;">.</span></span> (DRILL BABY DRILL! And, global warming? Nonsense! The globe's not warming and coal's not dirty. Silly scientists!) </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZLX4qN_oTwNSHU8Uhh6FmfBHFo1RwJvABvVQT7KbfqN95xhZZ4Wz69TI27hyphenhyphenQbHWXs8Nep34KxRsy8X_PCtVmB3BmGNjOzppYkDj9_TrSAAYAZl5_ajo5JFakxWAz-K-KhSeRKObZwnWC/s1600/British+Prime+Minister+and+Romney.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZLX4qN_oTwNSHU8Uhh6FmfBHFo1RwJvABvVQT7KbfqN95xhZZ4Wz69TI27hyphenhyphenQbHWXs8Nep34KxRsy8X_PCtVmB3BmGNjOzppYkDj9_TrSAAYAZl5_ajo5JFakxWAz-K-KhSeRKObZwnWC/s320/British+Prime+Minister+and+Romney.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Then there's Romney's peculiar ability to offend foreign leaders, even on the most benign of trips. Like, England, for example. Mitt managed to <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/OTUS/romney-london-olympics-candidate-angers-brits/story?id=16864875#.UH7eRIbCaSo">insult the Mayor of London and the Prime Minister of England</a> over his accusation they weren't prepared for the Olympics. Really, Mitt? That takes a special kind of stupid. Or is it nothing more than arrogance? And, on foreign policy, denouncing the administration about Libya before you even knew what was going on shows a complete lack of common sense and leadership. In fact, speaking out before you know what's going on regarding issues as delicate as those, can be deadly. </div>
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It seems Romney's belief about being "above" others began early on. In high school, <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/mitt-romneys-prep-school-classmates-recall-pranks-but-also-troubling-incidents/2012/05/10/gIQA3WOKFU_story.html">he was a bully,</a> and in college a <a href="http://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2012/06/23/mitt-romney-impersonation-police-officer-high-school-and-college/3jTRhzcmp1C4XT70s1PbmK/story.html?camp=pm">borderline criminal</a>. Then again, maybe you think tackling someone to the ground and cutting their hair or setting lights on top of your car, pretending to be a cop, and pulling people over is <strike>batshit crazy</strike> normal. If so, I'd like to suggest ongoing psychological therapy.</div>
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And, Mitt, do you honestly think the American people don't want to see your <strike>magic underwear</strike> tax returns? Well, we do. If we have to show two years of tax returns to <a href="http://www.realestateabc.com/loanguide/things2.htm">qualify for a mortgage</a>, shouldn't you have to show a decade's worth when running for the office of MOST POWERFUL PERSON ON EARTH? Of course, you <i>should</i>, but you'd hate for us peasants to see how many hundreds of millions you've got stashed away in overseas accounts. And while we're on the subject of money, your take on the meaning of "middle class" leaves much (tens of thousands) to be desired. To you, middle class is, "Anyone making $250,000 and less." Do you have any idea how many middle class people dream of making $250,000? Approximately 100%. Again, you do the math. (FACT: Median income for American families is $50,054). <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/business/investopedia/article/Which-Income-Class-Are-You-3899258.php">Click here for "class" breakdown</a>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPj3JZxV-CqsULcm3cxEkst3o43c6o3I9aDDJ4XbIiQEGIU2s0SjOkR3s2EhhMVemZZUOIV2ftQkoRTzKoW16R8h_TSDn0a8IS1UjMCstVXJbfZd94viDu-C2JRjFwZLF8PQQe6i2kfirx/s1600/plannedparenthood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPj3JZxV-CqsULcm3cxEkst3o43c6o3I9aDDJ4XbIiQEGIU2s0SjOkR3s2EhhMVemZZUOIV2ftQkoRTzKoW16R8h_TSDn0a8IS1UjMCstVXJbfZd94viDu-C2JRjFwZLF8PQQe6i2kfirx/s400/plannedparenthood.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan are not in favor of marriage equality. They want to stop funding for Planned Parenthood and public broadcasting. (Poor Big Bird!) Regarding equal pay for women, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/17/mitt-romney-lilly-ledbetter_n_1973446.html">Romney says he was against the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, but won't repeal it.</a> What a <strike>douchebag</strike> <strike>tool</strike> <strike>chauvinist pig</strike> guy. How can you not believe women deserve equal pay for equal work? Great question! Maybe we should ask Paul Ryan. He stood up in congress and proudly voted against the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. </div>
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In a nutshell, Mitt Romney is a wildly wealthy businessman who will magically pull twelve million jobs out of his ass, and Paul Ryan is a career politician who is <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/27/opinion/paul-ryans-social-extremism.html?_r=0">"as pro life as a person gets." </a>They are, in no way, shape, or form, advocates for anyone besides the wealthiest of Americans, and, they are not qualified, nor do they deserve, to occupy the White House.</div>
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And, for those of you who think Obama hasn't accomplished anything in the past four years, here's a partial list of his administration's achievements: (Of course, if you're anti-gay or anti-woman, you won't appreciate some of these accomplishments. And, you are the exact <strike>racist idiots</strike> people Romney and Ryan are banking on to help them win the election.)</div>
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<li>Signed Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act (first act as President)</li>
<li>Reversed Don't Ask Don't Tell (allowing ALL soldiers to serve openly)</li>
<li>Brought troops home from Iraq</li>
<li>Saved the American Auto Industry </li>
<li>Signed the Affordable Health Care Act into law (allowing millions access to health care, millions more with preexisting conditions can no longer be denied health care, and those twenty-six and under may remain on their parent's health insurance)</li>
<li>Killed Osama bin laden (Cue Tea Partyiers chanting, "USA! USA!")</li>
<li>Passed Wall Street Reform (so we never have a collapse like we did during Bush's administration)</li>
<li>Tightened sanctions on Iraq</li>
<li>Passed Credit Card Reform</li>
<li>Expanded Stem Cell Research </li>
</ul>
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If that's not enough, here's a <a href="http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/magazine/march_april_2012/features/obamas_top_50_accomplishments035755.php">bigger list</a>.</div>
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<b>MOST IMPORTANTLY: </b></div>
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The Supreme Court currently has four justices in their 70's. The next president will, more than likely, have the opportunity to appoint at least one justice to the Supreme Court. If that happens, Roe v Wade could be overturned. For those of you who are against abortion due to your religious beliefs, remember what Joe Biden, a practicing Catholic who does not personally believe in abortion, said in the Vice Presidential Debate: </div>
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<i>"I don't believe that we have a right to tell other people that women, they -- they can't control their body. It's a decision between them and their doctor, in my view. And the Supreme Court — I’m not going to
interfere with that.”</i></div>
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In a democracy, leaders should not impose their personal beliefs upon the masses. We elect our leaders with the assumption they will respect the beliefs, religious and otherwise, of all. Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan have stated unequivacably they will not respect the fact that there are millions of women who believe they have the right to decide what to do with their own health and their own bodies. Add one more pro-birth* justice to the Supreme Court, and Roe v Wade could indeed be overturned. WE CAN NOT LET THIS HAPPEN!</div>
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<i>*Pro-life is a farce. If people were pro-life, they would care about what happens to the children after they're born. They don't. That's not their problem. That's God's problem. All they care about is the child being born. And pro-birth politicians are more than willing to vote against programs that help single moms and low income families, like welfare, Planned Parenthood, and Obamacare. </i></div>
<div id="pmc-js-copy-text" style="background-color: white; color: black; display: block; font-size: 14px; left: -99999px; position: absolute;">
<br />
Read More at:
http://hollywoodlife.com/2012/10/12/paul-ryan-joe-biden-abortion-stance-vice-president-debate-2012-vp/#utm_source=copypaste&utm_campaign=referral</div>
<div id="pmc-js-copy-text" style="background-color: white; color: black; display: block; font-size: 14px; left: -99999px; position: absolute;">
I
don’t believe that we have a right to tell other people that women,
they — they can’t control their body. It’s a decision between them and
their doctor, in my view. And the Supreme Court — I’m not going to
interfere with that,”<br />
<br />
Read More at:
http://hollywoodlife.com/2012/10/12/paul-ryan-joe-biden-abortion-stance-vice-president-debate-2012-vp/#utm_source=copypaste&utm_campaign=referral</div>
<div id="pmc-js-copy-text" style="background-color: white; color: black; display: block; font-size: 14px; left: -99999px; position: absolute;">
I
don’t believe that we have a right to tell other people that women,
they — they can’t control their body. It’s a decision between them and
their doctor, in my view. And the Supreme Court — I’m not going to
interfere with that,”<br />
<br />
Read More at:
http://hollywoodlife.com/2012/10/12/paul-ryan-joe-biden-abortion-stance-vice-president-debate-2012-vp/#utm_source=copypaste&utm_campaign=referral</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4dI7DMXl6iac266QiYvBVvxYc3U1HXE3MBIv8bAjE56Xd0oa3XePAY_Vz3rZbT7ReJ9zqMcfBpShMz4Ff4z3EAaFCRA9O1g9FEQQIWDZYKC5GJnOvpjzDkmol6N8EdtZ986uUgWmGZ4LI/s1600/obama+biden+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4dI7DMXl6iac266QiYvBVvxYc3U1HXE3MBIv8bAjE56Xd0oa3XePAY_Vz3rZbT7ReJ9zqMcfBpShMz4Ff4z3EAaFCRA9O1g9FEQQIWDZYKC5GJnOvpjzDkmol6N8EdtZ986uUgWmGZ4LI/s320/obama+biden+2012.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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So, there you have it. My <strike>rant</strike> opinion on this most important election. Whatever your take is on the candidates, make sure you get out and vote on November 6th. As Americans, this is our single greatest freedom. DON'T TAKE IT FOR GRANTED!</div>
Debra Lynn Sheltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238268767406623274noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2575332375386088145.post-85881946480433634642012-10-02T11:49:00.002-04:002012-10-02T11:49:20.623-04:00Interview on YAStands!The lovely Julie Duck at YAStands was kind enough to interview me on her blog. Click <a href="http://yastands.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-rock-n-roll-of-ya-writer.html">HERE</a> for the link. Hope you enjoy, and feel free to leave comments!Debra Lynn Sheltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238268767406623274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2575332375386088145.post-77319062425335711502012-09-24T12:23:00.001-04:002012-09-24T13:02:17.637-04:00Reinvention<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwgrme8k9n4xVIRtTbO4JcSyKmzApvIzq4pAdAAUsVy31Z0p5nquHhUbkC-8dSE-JAe8axZx26fUHF9h2sz7trfIWEZ7mGVF3gAJ_hecuiMZ0mP0u0PQe7kZ_WaUSqd8Ddzlwhu0h8nsEt/s1600/reinvent-necklace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwgrme8k9n4xVIRtTbO4JcSyKmzApvIzq4pAdAAUsVy31Z0p5nquHhUbkC-8dSE-JAe8axZx26fUHF9h2sz7trfIWEZ7mGVF3gAJ_hecuiMZ0mP0u0PQe7kZ_WaUSqd8Ddzlwhu0h8nsEt/s200/reinvent-necklace.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Life is an ongoing process of reinvention. Certain artists, like Madonna, manifest this more transparently than others. Throughout my life, I've tried to keep things fresh and interesting. Part of the process of reinvention involves my physical look (changing hair styles, clothing, make-up, etc) and part of it involves my art.</div>
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Writing new books and songs are ways in which I artistically reinvent myself, and another fun and creative way is through my blog. </div>
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I started this blog four years ago after attending my first writer's
conference in NYC. At the conference, I received savvy advice from a few
writers I met there (shout out to Sarah and Wendy!), and when I returned
home, I dove headfirst into the blogosphere. Even though I posted far more often then (2-3 x/wk) than I do now (2-3 x/mo), I still love my blog. </div>
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I decided early on that my blog would be an expression, not only of my writing life, but of my <i>entire</i> life. Along with funny and political posts, I've written some pretty personal stuff. My hope is that, by sharing deeply personal things, others have been inspired along their paths. </div>
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Over the years, I've changed the overall look of my blog several times.
Once again, I felt it was time. These days, there are many choices on how your blog looks. In blogger, backgrounds, fonts, layouts, colors, and gadgets are ways to transform the look of your blog. I took a lot of time and tried out many different things before deciding on this particular look. I also, got rid of a lot of "stuff" (gadgets) on my sidebar.<br />
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I'm curious to know what you do to reinvent yourself? Do you take up a new sport? Try something you've never tried before? Travel? Read? Do something creative? Listen to new music? I'd love to know. (I'd also love to know what you think about my new blog "do"!)</div>
Debra Lynn Sheltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238268767406623274noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2575332375386088145.post-10505516907851538242012-09-17T07:00:00.000-04:002012-09-17T08:59:48.333-04:00Inspiring Images<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9gz8eXhDi5Eblm7xMwbE4hnd00P7XE4dkh_-kB8HVWnjw5FjoM1N5Np637sMH1uZhiOMNOMX1xxdgHljn4C6hFik_4hzM2JwwztTWKElMeGjFt43MX_kFuC94eMr_Fx5AlpWsPgm3ZHmh/s1600/piano.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9gz8eXhDi5Eblm7xMwbE4hnd00P7XE4dkh_-kB8HVWnjw5FjoM1N5Np637sMH1uZhiOMNOMX1xxdgHljn4C6hFik_4hzM2JwwztTWKElMeGjFt43MX_kFuC94eMr_Fx5AlpWsPgm3ZHmh/s400/piano.jpg" width="391" /></a></div>
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Being a musician, I can't listen to music while I write. For me, it's not inspiring, it's distracting. I get utterly lost in the music and can't concentrate on writing. However, images inspire my writing.</div>
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Here are a few pictures that have inspired me lately. I hope they bring a smile to your face, joy to your heart, and inspiration to your soul.</div>
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Maybe one will even spark a story. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV-tjU9Vry_Qjf4tRvNC03ny2cYxSFyblH2EdwmGOoNpO4qzOTabv3YEVvx2FI44qeTaFj7Zy081ecvvZFZ-O3-oeNzJml7WkSliJX6dzXG-2imxALk8C1jCrDdU9cpzt64hAs7_XS_IM1/s1600/darling+buds+of+spring.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="385" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV-tjU9Vry_Qjf4tRvNC03ny2cYxSFyblH2EdwmGOoNpO4qzOTabv3YEVvx2FI44qeTaFj7Zy081ecvvZFZ-O3-oeNzJml7WkSliJX6dzXG-2imxALk8C1jCrDdU9cpzt64hAs7_XS_IM1/s400/darling+buds+of+spring.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Darling Buds of Spring</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX6LMSe15paH1waq6WzgDNrfly-A5jYZ4LOSqorNrtR2CQFKOnJV6kBgYXl_bfw_ibz8CaZGmIVpJXQgJyIyGEU2i5h-KMylOp8UZvaD9K7BBGCDM8k9iUqRye12-at-uq21sZsnaIhR4c/s1600/Leanne+Mahanke+-+Spring.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX6LMSe15paH1waq6WzgDNrfly-A5jYZ4LOSqorNrtR2CQFKOnJV6kBgYXl_bfw_ibz8CaZGmIVpJXQgJyIyGEU2i5h-KMylOp8UZvaD9K7BBGCDM8k9iUqRye12-at-uq21sZsnaIhR4c/s400/Leanne+Mahanke+-+Spring.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leanne Mahanke, Photographer</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I took this one. </td></tr>
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<br />Debra Lynn Sheltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238268767406623274noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2575332375386088145.post-84012872029643424172012-09-09T19:33:00.002-04:002012-09-11T16:19:38.130-04:00It's "That Time" Again & Awesome Flash Fiction Contest!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoIWLPONLPJX6tS0dJbbTnTsdSftqTi9AI96RHGuofqWCyhlyii_TJOpEmBRmYmXDqE5SK5h7CdviulHCFwM2pa2GQpIWlNRVac15PfsPqKvzy6RU_la9LjYkL93Jvgz4phZoLN4Wq8DBq/s1600/barackMitt_2211950b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoIWLPONLPJX6tS0dJbbTnTsdSftqTi9AI96RHGuofqWCyhlyii_TJOpEmBRmYmXDqE5SK5h7CdviulHCFwM2pa2GQpIWlNRVac15PfsPqKvzy6RU_la9LjYkL93Jvgz4phZoLN4Wq8DBq/s320/barackMitt_2211950b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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It's that time again. The time that comes around every four years. The time where huge distinctions are drawn and friendships and family ties are tested. The time when political ads rule the airwaves and bumper stickers declare our allegiances. The time when we look deeply at who we are and determine what values define us.</div>
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I believe this election provides the clearest choice in modern history. The candidates are distinctly different not only in their race, religion, and backgrounds, but - and this is far more important - in their vision for America.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiht_LCle-Eq7Cqd-JhHOtwG7k5Y9xRr2k6IwR7BjYEspmAFpO0QqIMpHnvoh4szIRbrvn25Zu7WzlI5haBOOOgUTVPjKOVBZduMcWeM0TQmM4uNhTS5VTC-bMLSmYh_OI26PG5TyUL7mKu/s1600/Sarah+Palin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiht_LCle-Eq7Cqd-JhHOtwG7k5Y9xRr2k6IwR7BjYEspmAFpO0QqIMpHnvoh4szIRbrvn25Zu7WzlI5haBOOOgUTVPjKOVBZduMcWeM0TQmM4uNhTS5VTC-bMLSmYh_OI26PG5TyUL7mKu/s320/Sarah+Palin.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I love politics, but I have to say, I'm a little disappointed this election cycle. Sarah "Moosehead" Palin was far more entertaining than Paul "Blue Eyes/Black Heart" Ryan (or as my fiance calls him. "Captain A-Hole.") Truth be told, I had <a href="http://debralschubert.blogspot.com/2009/07/alaska-will-never-be-same-again-itll-be.html">so much fun</a> during the last election. Of course, I can't take all the credit, after all, Sarah made it SO easy. (I'm a maverick! You betcha!)</div>
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This time, however, it's not nearly as funny. In fact, it's downright serious and some might argue, frightening. That's because this time we've got two candidates whose values, visions, ideals, beliefs, backgrounds, and ideas for the future couldn't be more distinct.</div>
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Here are a few of the basics: (Links included so you don't think I'm making this stuff up.)</div>
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<b>Obama/Biden:</b></div>
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<a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/video/obama-sex-marriage-legal-16312940">FOR Gay Marriage</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/30/us/politics/30ledbetter-web.html">FOR Equal Pay for Women <span style="color: black;">(First law signed into law by Obama)</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Where_does_Barack_Obama_stand_on_abortion">FOR A Woman's Right to Choose</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.healthcare.gov/law/timeline/">FOR Affordable Health Care Act</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.politico.com/multimedia/video/2012/09/obama-were-bringing-troops-home-from-afghanistan-by-2014.html">FOR Bringing our troops home from Afghanistan by 2014</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/energy">FOR Alternative Energy Sources</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ian-reifowitz/obama-immigration-reform_b_1778435.html">FOR Finding routes towards citizenship for immigrants </a></div>
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<b>Romney/Ryan: </b></div>
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<a href="http://redalertlive.com/2012/09/05/gay-vietnam-veteran-confronts-mitt-romney-video/">AGAINST Gay Marriage</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/22/paul-ryan-todd-akin-abortion_n_1821284.html">AGAINST A Woman's Right to Choose (The Republican platform states, even in cases of rape and incest)</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXsD6ZBDvwU">AGAINST The Affordable Health Care Act (Romney says it's one of the first things he'll overturn)</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/23/us/politics/romney-tries-to-refocus-campaign-on-economy-and-obama-turns-to-education.html?_r=1">FOR Big Oil Companies and Drilling</a></div>
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F<a href="http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/09/mitt-romney-vows-god-will-stay-in-gop-platform/">OR Keeping God in the Republican platform</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/wp/2012/08/11/ryan-wants-to-give-the-wealthy-even-bigger-tax-cuts-than-romney-does/">FOR Tax cuts for the wealthiest</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.npr.org/2012/07/06/156381703/where-they-stand-obama-romney-on-immigration">FOR Self Deportation of illegal immigrants </a></div>
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Of course, this is just a brief overview, but the choice is chillingly clear. We will either have...</div>
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<li>An America that believes in equality for all, or equality for some. </li>
<li> An America that is guided by <a href="http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2012/08/11/ryan_our_rights_come_from_nature_and_god_not_from_government.html">personal religious beliefs</a>, or by what is best for <i>all</i> Americans regardless of religious (or non-religious) beliefs. </li>
<li> An America where men are valued more than women, or one where women are equal to men. </li>
<li> An America where gays are denied the right to marry, or one where they are granted the same rights as straight people. </li>
<li> An America where women can choose what is best for
themselves and their families, or one where the government makes those choices.</li>
<li> An America where healthcare is withheld from millions of people, or offered to all. </li>
<li> An America where those on welfare are considered "bleeders," or simply people who need help when they fall. </li>
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And if the big issue for you is fiscal, then remember this: America has created more jobs and done better fiscally <a href="http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2012/sep/06/bill-clinton/bill-clinton-says-democratic-presidents-top-republ/">EVERY SINGLE TIME A DEMOCRAT HAS BEEN IN OFFICE</a>. Trickle down economics doesn't work. Or, let me rephrase. <i>Trickle down economics doesn't work for anyone who isn't fabulously wealthy.</i> Although the GOP wants us all to believe the myth that the Republicans are better at all things fiscal, it's simply not true. And, assuming you're not a bigoted, right-wing zealot, I imagine you agree the GOP's conservative viewpoints on social issues are anything but inclusive, practical, or kind. Therefore, if they are not better fiscally OR socially, why on Earth would you vote for the backwards values of the GOP? </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Ba9ICm9VkVLl9NnXQVj1NBZo6mp0087fZNhjG8kJfP_Vh0Y-mS4GCDl_M0gvDFv6pPL_ZHcewwvLOata04q17rVuh2OMgTTZTelpAdcY2nGxi62L7Oolzc3PWFWXhiFQJmtCNTavC6Hb/s1600/ann-and-mitt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Ba9ICm9VkVLl9NnXQVj1NBZo6mp0087fZNhjG8kJfP_Vh0Y-mS4GCDl_M0gvDFv6pPL_ZHcewwvLOata04q17rVuh2OMgTTZTelpAdcY2nGxi62L7Oolzc3PWFWXhiFQJmtCNTavC6Hb/s320/ann-and-mitt.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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In case you missed the conventions and haven't been following Mitt and Ann's story, here they are<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2575332375386088145#editor/target=post;postID=8401287202964342417"> talking about how they struggled</a>. Mitt actually had to sell some of his stocks when they were in college in order to pay the bills. (I know, hold back the tears.) I, for one, can't imagine how difficult that must have been. </div>
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So, what are your thoughts on politics, my friends? I'd love to hear them. </div>
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<b>Also, I have a question for my fellow writers</b>: Are you of the mind that you should keep your mouth shut on politics and religion because you may alienate readers, or do you feel life is short and nothing should hold you back from speaking your mind? </div>
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(Obviously, you know how I feel, but please don't let that stop you from stating your point of view.) <br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394;">Also, writers, don't miss this <b>AWESOME FLASH FICTION CONTEST</b> going on right now over at my friend <a href="http://suzyhayze.blogspot.com/2012/09/contest.html">Suzy's blog</a> with an opportunity to have your query or first ten pages reviewed by agent Anne Bohner of Pen and Ink Literary or editor Vicki Lame of St. Martin's Press. But, hurry! The deadline is midnight EST on Saturday, September 15th.</span></div>
Debra Lynn Sheltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238268767406623274noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2575332375386088145.post-3244892525340353222012-08-11T19:50:00.001-04:002012-08-15T15:08:37.753-04:00The True Meaning of "Success"<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-rHWCRS2E-smdJMKMcs5AsnD9k_BQjnMo8uSA2a8cFLwhMPYgEl-x9XH72omIaAI1aGbRk-7ctHGAHNaR7VmONOIkDkEmdThBAesMgQ0NeV9kZtr4mKYQixJhn8MUsOn3rikURyz207Pn/s1600/LightbulbIdea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-rHWCRS2E-smdJMKMcs5AsnD9k_BQjnMo8uSA2a8cFLwhMPYgEl-x9XH72omIaAI1aGbRk-7ctHGAHNaR7VmONOIkDkEmdThBAesMgQ0NeV9kZtr4mKYQixJhn8MUsOn3rikURyz207Pn/s320/LightbulbIdea.jpg" width="200" /></a>The first inkling of an idea for my YA novel came to me nearly three years ago. Although, the title was all I had, those three, little words wouldn't leave me alone and, before long, a vague idea for a story began to blossom.</div>
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At the time, I was in conversation with a wonderful agent. She was entertained by my tweets, and loved two different novels of mine. She just didn't think either book was "the one." I told her I had another idea that was banging around in my brain, though it wasn't fully fleshed out. She asked about it, and I explained it as best I could. She loved the premise, and told me to let her know the minute I had the first draft complete.</div>
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The rest, as they say, is history. Or, is it?</div>
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I did sign with her, but things didn't work out. (She's <i>awesome</i> and I have nothing but good things to say about her.) Afterwards, I received an offer to publish my YA novel with a well known vanity press, but decided that wasn't the way to go. </div>
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In the meantime, I wrote a women's fiction novel and sent it to Portland for a full edit by the brilliant editor and former agent, <a href="http://www.cogitatestudios.com/">Gretchen Stelter</a>. I planned to dig into it as soon as I got her notes back, but instead, my YA novel had, once again, taken hold of my brain. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha9_vgIh-qp48j3VoIWT5QuTEY3p1jFHTkP30xc66nnJHvSb_5tby7aUmyP3yW6HyBS7flgTiGRj-5obLTAT5pIEfGihFiHrnRkXiFHBKt90_oodnCX0qDdmCP6iV4HmvL1QtL4rzSGLv8/s1600/badparagraph.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha9_vgIh-qp48j3VoIWT5QuTEY3p1jFHTkP30xc66nnJHvSb_5tby7aUmyP3yW6HyBS7flgTiGRj-5obLTAT5pIEfGihFiHrnRkXiFHBKt90_oodnCX0qDdmCP6iV4HmvL1QtL4rzSGLv8/s320/badparagraph.jpg" width="280" /></a></div>
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After seeing the enthusiasm of some of my talented writer friends who have recently self-published, I thought perhaps that was the way to go for my YA project. I'd received suggestions for a grueling, but brilliant revision from an agent I genuinely admire, so I knew before I self-published, I had more work to do. Nearing the end of the long yet inspiring revision, I decided to email the agent who'd made the suggestions in the first place to see if she'd want to take another look. </div>
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"Of course, I would!" she said.</div>
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It occurred to me, then and there, that I should try the traditional route once more, and that's where I am right now; sending my YA novel back out into the world in much, much better shape.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcrhEAsz_P3haUgysxNK_b2cPGjWBUU_bQxwRMYI0YYIlWFPAX0CFlwBswQSuWig8U38WAGpijVLmLqqn1BdSBFbM6vaX1CR92ZYf503DnHvlFftlmRPqXeOBVzXFBBuTkT1Eaffw34hGc/s1600/Book+dealz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcrhEAsz_P3haUgysxNK_b2cPGjWBUU_bQxwRMYI0YYIlWFPAX0CFlwBswQSuWig8U38WAGpijVLmLqqn1BdSBFbM6vaX1CR92ZYf503DnHvlFftlmRPqXeOBVzXFBBuTkT1Eaffw34hGc/s320/Book+dealz.jpg" width="227" /></a></div>
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One of the greatest challenges we writers face is deciding when our novel is "done" and ready to query. As any writer worth their weight knows, the novel is not done when you write, "The End." Far from it. In fact, that's when the real work begins. The problem is, we often think our novels are query-ready long before they are. </div>
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Fortunately, if you're focused, passionate, and determined and don't give up on yourself or your work, your writing will improve. And, whether you choose the traditional publishing route or self-publishing (or both), working hard and honing your skills will indeed make you a better writer. </div>
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And being a better writer, in my book, is the true meaning of success.</div>
Debra Lynn Sheltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238268767406623274noreply@blogger.com5