Read an excerpt from my new book

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author, books, ebook, entertainment, Family, Humor, Life, relationships, writing

Suzette ran into Dougie, a midshipman who was the same age as she was, although his small frame made him look a lot younger. Many of the other boys teased Dougie about getting into the movies for the price of a twelve-and-under kids’ ticket. She remembered the night he got stuck in the ductwork above her bathroom, last year. Some older boys had forced him to sneak down with a camera to get photos of the commandant’s daughter in the shower. Fortunately, she heard him first.

“Hey there,” Dougie said with a shy smile.

“Congratulations on surviving to sophomore status,” Suzette said. “I bet it feels good to have a whole class of freshmen midshipmen starting below you.”

“Yeah,” he nodded. “It does. How’s life at the convent?

Suzette laughed. “Off to a great start. I’ve got two projects due next week, including one on finding a universal definition of spirituality. I guess I’ll have to go to the library because I know zero about it.”

Dougie raised his eyebrows. “I might be able to help you out. I’ve got a couple of books in my room about spirituality.”

Seeing Suzette’s puzzled expression, he shrugged. “My parents are extremely religious— church every Sunday. They packed a lot of reading material for me— not that I’ll ever use it. C’mon up to my room and I’ll dig through the stuff in my trunk until I find it.”

“Women aren’t allowed above decks,” Suzette stopped in her tracks.

“So? You’re not a woman,” Dougie said, over his shoulder. “Hurry up. My door is right at the top of the stairs.”

She glanced at her father’s office and noticed that it remained empty—no faculty and no secretaries in sight. Suzette took the wooden steps two at a time and was relieved to see the corridor was clear when she reached the second floor. She found Dougie rifling through a large metal trunk at the foot of his bunk, scattering books on the floor.

Suzette stood with her back against the dorm door, but instinctively turned to open it when she heard a knock.

“Hey Dougie, my fake I.D. worked! Let’s celebrate.”

She heard the sound of a pop top on a can and felt a chilly mist spray over her. Foam dripped from the end of Suzette’s nose and landed on her T-shirt, which was enough to make her reek of beer.

Dougie sat frozen on the floor, too horrified to move, while two midshipmen stood in the doorway, clutching aluminum cans.

“Shit, I am so sorry. Oh no. Oh, my God.”

Suzette wiped her face. “Are you guys crazy? What are you doing with beer, for heaven’s sake? That’s totally illegal, in case you didn’t know. I can’t walk into my parents’ place like this. What am I going to do?”

Dougie grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the bathroom.

“You’re going to rinse off.”

“Oh, a great idea. And what possible explanation will I have for being soaking wet?”

“Maybe you fell in the swimming pool…?”

Standing in the porcelain tub and arguing with Dougie, Suzette failed to notice another boy turn the nozzle. Hot water from the shower head hit her with such force that she screamed. And then, she screamed again.

“No, stop it, right now. Turn off the water,” she sputtered.

Seconds later Mike McGrath burst through the door. A senior and the second highest-ranking officer in the school, Big Mac gaped at the scene in the bathroom.

“I heard screams and I…”

He was looking at Suzette, who stood dripping wet and furious. The outer edges of his mouth twitched slightly but he fought to keep from laughing. “Um, you know ladies aren’t allowed above decks,” he said

“No kidding?” she replied. “I can see why.”

She turned to Dougie and glared. “Get me a towel.”

“You two.” Big Mac nodded toward the boys with the dripping beer cans. “Sit down.”

He peered into the hallway and closed the door.

“We’ve got to get you out of here before evening inspection. You can’t go down the main stairway because you’ll run into some of the faculty.”

Dougie scratched his head. “What about the fire escape?”

Big Mac counted the number of doors between Dougie’s room and the end of the hallway on his fingers. There were only six. “It might work.”

Big Mac stood with his hand on the doorknob and waited as Suzette toweled off. Her rubber sneakers squeaked along the hardwood floors as she slid between the beer-can boys who surrounded her like an invisibility cloak. When the hallway was clear, he opened the door and stepped out, extending his arms to block the view. At six-feet-four, Big Mac stood taller than most of the senior class and wider, too.

The others scurried toward the fire escape, leaving a watery trail on the wooden floorboards. Big Mac ordered several guys to towel the floor dry before the Captain arrived for evening inspection.

“We’ll go down with you,” Dougie said. “If anyone is watching from a window, they’ll just see our gray uniforms.”

Suzette frowned at him.

“And don’t worry. I’ll bring the religion books by your apartment later,” he added.

 

Anchored Together is now available on Amazon.com

 

 

Master bedroom madness

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author, books, business, Design, Home, Life, lifestyle, writing

The Houston Association of REALTORS® announced it will no longer sanction the use of “master bedroom” or “master bathroom” in its MLS descriptions.

According to Realtor Magazine, “The decision to remove the term comes after a group of real estate professionals said the term ‘master’ on property description represents a potential stigma.”

In addition to Houston, Chicago realtors and builders like David Weekley have announced they will also refrain from using terminology like “master bedroom” and “master suite.” (David Weekley Homes now refers to the space as the “owner’s retreat” instead.)

Many argue that the term has no actual relationship to racism – neither does the term Master’s Degree. “Master bedroom” first appeared in the early 20th century to denote that the room was reserved for the master of the household, who almost always was a man. Why not the “mistress bedroom?” (Okay, that has another weird connotation.) Or the “biggest bedroom?” (Not very exciting.) Maybe the “significant sleeping space?”

Anyone have a better suggestion?

 

 

Award-winning author Renee Garrison will release her new book, Anchored Together, in September

 

New book, new cover

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Doing less, being more

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author, books, Dementia, Family, inspiration, Life, relationships

 

The pandemic taught us that we’re all caregivers, for ourselves and each other. However, I was thrust into the role several years ago, when my mother-in-law’s descent into dementia accelerated.

Today as we celebrate her 95^th birthday, it seems like a good time to reflect on the lessons this retired school teacher has imparted to our family. I learned that care giving is an act which nurtures our best traits while healing our worst. She has taught me that communication involves more listening than speaking.

At its best, care giving is not a fight. It’s a practice…that never ends. It is not political and it transcends skin color, nationality, wealth, gender, and age. Care giving should not destroy, since discarding the flawed would mean discarding all of us. Finally, caring for someone often means doing less, but being more.

I realize that many of the kindest gestures we’ll ever make, and the most important things we’ll ever do, won’t come easy and will never be seen publicly.

Let’s do them anyway.

 

 

 

 

Award-winning author Renee Garrison has completed her second novel, “Anchored Together,” which will be released in the fall.

Renee Interviews Author Mary Flynn

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Mary Flynn is the author of “Disney’s Secret Sauce–the little known factor behind the business world’s most legendary leadership, which took honors in the 2019 Royal Palm Literary Awards. Her recent book, Wishbones and Other Short Stories, is an eclectic and imaginative mix of humor, pathos and irony that explores the human experience -usually with a surprising twist.

Tell me about your background. Where you grew up, where you live now, education, work experience? Share some interesting things about yourself that we should know about. 

Born and raised in Brooklyn. Irish, Italian Catholic. Those values, cultural aspects and neighborhood settings show up in my novels, which take place in the fifties. I like to write about times before technology when people could not easily or quickly reach each other. I believe it offers more opportunity for tension and suspense. Did you even notice in many dramas or comedies how the lead character somehow manages to lose or destroy their cell phone – out the window, down the toilet. They know something. They know that tension really heightens when there are no bars.

I traveled extensively and lived in Turkey years back as an Air Force officer’s wife. Great and wonderful experience, which dribbles into my writing. In one of our locales, Kansas City, I managed to land a full-time job at Hallmark writing greeting cards, a gratifying and extremely useful experience that has stayed with me. A great training ground living the creative life day in and day out.

Many years later, I believe that experience made me a better writer and speaker in my role as an international conference speaker for Disney Institute, where I presented Disney’s approach to leadership and service excellence. I now do speaking engagements on the business side, as well as my humorous “Confessions of a Hallmark Greeting Card Writer,” both of which have proven to be excellent ways to promote my writing.

It’s been an interesting life journey straddling the fence between business and creative positions. I was on editorial staff of the leading publisher of guided reading materials used in the U.S. public school system; became a senior staff consultant with the two largest companies, respectively, who conducted downsizing and career transition programs for more than sixty industries; became certified in Neuro-linguistic Programming by that methodologies creator, Richard Bandler, who was Tony Robbins instructor; became a certified phobia counseling aide.. I now do a live radio show for Salem.

I believe this eclectic mix shows up in my writing, a hop, skip and jump across genres – children’s rhymed and illustrated, middle grade novella, novels, non-fiction business, poetry and just recently the release of my book of short stories. I love to write and to coach newer writers…and I really enjoy my associations with others in our vibrant writing organizations and culture.

What inspired you to write this book? What is the story behind the story? 

Unlike longer forms, short stories satisfy in me those “little” ideas that tickle around in the imagination. Unlike the driving force behind a novel, short stories typically come from what I call the little dodgy thoughts that can be so easily overlooked.

That early Hallmark experience taught me on a daily basis not to overlook any idea…but to drill into it. So, it becomes truly a what if game—what if a thug finds a new way to settle an old score? What if the harried looking shopper whom the good-hearted woman gives a ride to is not what she seems? And, like O’Henry’s delicious tales, what if there’s a twist at the end? Ha.

What has been your biggest challenge or obstacle? 

My biggest obstacle over the years was trying to do serious writing while maintaining a full-time job. Unlike J.K. Rowling, I am not the kind of person who can sit in a coffee shop with, let’s say, a child in a stroller and write an epic novel. Then, of course, husband and kids must come first. So, before long, years go by.

One of the very first stories that I wrote then I retired from Disney seven years ago was “Jeremiah’s Orchard.” I had told that story to my father…the idea, that is. He died in 1978. So, that whole time, this story-to-be sat in a folder on a shelf. I’m so gratified to say that story, which is in my latest release of short stories, first appeared in the Saturday Evening Post’s 2014 Anthology of Great Fiction.

What has been your biggest “aha” moment or success?

A little hard to say. Definitely, having “Jeremiah’s Orchard” selected for that Saturday Evening Post anthology. I mean – that’s where Hemingway and Scott Fitzgerald were published. But then, I recall how dazzled I was when an observational humor essay I submitted to The New York Times appeared on their Sunday Lifestyle cover page. Yikes. Then again, I truly was blown away when my debut novel Margaret Ferry took home the gold medal in Fiction, the silver medal in Christian Writing, and the silver medal in Religious writing…even though it’s mainstream fiction. Hard to pick one.

What people or books have had a strong influence on you or your writing? 

I credit my mother, first and foremost, who read to me every single night when I was a child. Then…I’m Irish, after all…my Aunt Katie would hold me spellbound with the oddest, most delightful story-telling. She was quirky and funny, and I know I carry that inspiration with me to this day. Also, importantly, I attended Catholic School where, by God (literally, I think), the nuns wouldn’t have it any other way but that every child would speak and write well. When I entered public high school at the age of thirteen, I didn’t know what an atom was, but I could write for The New York Times.

Do you write every single day? Any writing rituals? 

Yes, every single day. But “writing” for me doesn’t mean necessarily sitting at the computer or with a pad in my lap. I abide John Hersey approach: he liked to go fishing to do his back-of-the-head work. I don’t go fishing, but I definitely do a lot of back-of-the-head work. I wouldn’t dream of sitting down to a blank page to “create.” I believe this is where the concept of writer’s block comes from. People sit down to that blank sheet of paper and get frustrated trying to make something up. I make it up elsewhere…until I actually get into the writing of it.

What are your interests outside of writing? 

People, friends, faith, food, going out, staying in—I have no trouble spending time alone—a true blessing from God. I favor the woods over the ocean, small gatherings over large groups (imagine a Disney retiree not liking crowds. Ha.). I’m a big movie buff. I learn from movies—how much or little a character uses to express an idea or emotion teaches me something about writing and about character. My all-time favorite movie is the original King Kong—the special effects for that time are astounding. I think silent films are brilliant.

Share some tips for other Authors or Aspiring Authors: What would you do differently? What would you do the same? Please share anything you think would be beneficial to those reading this. 

Allow me, please, a little list:

1. Stop letting the idea that you’re not good enough keep you from writing.  Nobody is quite good enough in the beginning. By the way, that’s what good editors are for. Without Max Perkins, Hemingway and Fitzgerald might not have gotten into print.
2. Find the industry. May sound odd, but writing is a complex industry with vast resources, and there is much to learn. Join a critique group. If it doesn’t nourish you with respect and encouragement, find another that does. Take the feedback; it’s a gift.
3. Pay attention to the tiniest of ideas, drill down, ask what if. If it’s a common, everyday kind of thought, look at it from every angle. Imagine if you could think one brand new thought every day.
4. Please don’t follow the advice of writers who think self-publishing or indie publishing means you don’t need outside professional help. To be perfectly candid, if you’re planning to publish, it’s going to cost money. It doesn’t matter that you taught English, you cannot edit or proof your own work. And the tragedy is that a reader who catches your mistakes in those first pages or chapters will never buy another one of your books.
5. Don’t buy into the idea that you should only write what you know. It’s all about what you can know. That’s what research is for. Otherwise, how could Shelley have created Frankenstein’s monster? How would Moby Dick have come about? Get comfortable making stuff up…but do it the smartly.
6. Get used to research…even for things you assume to be true. Authenticity is paramount. I was writing a story in which a grove had to catch fire. I called a grower to ask a question and was shocked when he said the grove would not burn—the trees are fresh. “Burn something else,” was his advice. I’m glad I did.
7. Get in the habit of entering contests. They are a great proving ground. Plus, if you happen to win, place or show, it will be a good way of beginning to build your platform. Agents, editors and publishers…even festival coordinators…want to see what you’ve done. First chance you have to brag on paper, do it.
8. Skip the long descriptive openings. Get your reader right into the action.
9. Skip the long passages of backstory. It slows the pace and bores people.
10. Don’t be afraid to say, he said or she said, instead of silly things like, he cajoled, she bemoaned.

 

In praise of business cards

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Call me old-fashioned, but I love business cards.

I asked my son for his business card recently, and it was as if I’d asked him for the Holy Grail. Today, it appears that digitally-minded young executives don’t use them (sales and business development officers seem to be the exception.)

Yet, the Vistaprint company reportedly prints nearly six billion business cards each year.

I have hundreds of them, collected from acquaintances or representing jobs I’ve left behind. I view them as sentimental: Mementos of my career path representing a little slice of time or career milestones.

(Full disclosure: I pitched the ones that were so old they didn’t include email addresses or websites. What could I do with them? Origami?)

Thanks to the rise of smartphones and LinkedIn, business cards are becoming extinct. Like the dinosaur or the dodo bird, they may disappear one day. Until then, I’ll carry mine – just in case.

 

 

Renee Garrison is currently writing the sequel to her award-winning book, The Anchor Clankers.

 

 

Renee interviews author Ashley Brown

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Ashley Ellington Brown is the author of  the award-winning guide, A Beautiful Morning: How a Morning Ritual Can Feed Your Soul and Transform Your Life.

Tell me about your background. Where you grew up, where you live now, education, work experience? Share some interesting things about yourself that we should know about.
I grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana, and I ALWAYS had my nose in a book when I was younger (and often do today, as well!). Some of my childhood favorites were A Wrinkle in Time, the Narnia books, and From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.
I graduated from the University of Virginia with a degree in Foreign Affairs, which I never used! But I’d always enjoyed writing and I wrote a lot of papers in those courses, so it was helpful in that way. Learning about other cultures (I focused on China and Japan) was also fascinating.

I’d had a summer job as assistant to a marketing director during college and found that field very interesting, so I went to work at a small ad agency after graduation. I started as a receptionist and worked my way up to copywriter and account executive. I also worked as a book editor and an internal communications manager for a multinational corporation that owned and operated funeral homes and cemeteries! I went freelance in 2000, when my husband and I moved to Pensacola, Florida.

What inspired you to write this book? What is the story behind the story?
I was sitting outside with my coffee one morning, which was part of the morning ritual I had begun a few months earlier in an effort to start my days more cheerfully and peacefully. I had just started an online writing class led by Martha Beck, and I was wondering what she did each morning. Then I thought of other women who inspire me, and wondered if they had some sort of practice they did each day that helped them live their best lives. It occurred to me that that would be a very interesting book, and I decided to try to write it.

What has been your biggest challenge or obstacle?
Believing in myself. I didn’t get a lot of support for being a writer when I was younger, and was encouraged to go into a field that would make money (which is why I chose advertising, and didn’t even consider full-time writing as a career). When I got the idea for the book, I was nervous that I wouldn’t be able to do a good job. While I had more than 25 years of experience as a professional writer, it was always for clients or bosses. This was the first time I’d done something for me, and the first time I’d written a book. But being a published author had been a childhood dream (I wrote multiple “books” when I was little), and I didn’t want to let doubt keep me from accomplishing it. Plus, every time I interviewed someone and learned how vital their morning practice was to them, it reaffirmed my initial idea that this book could help others, and that spurred me on.

What has been your biggest “aha” moment or success?
Publishing my book, and then having it get positive reviews and win multiple awards, was certainly my biggest professional success. I poured a lot of my heart and soul into creating it, and worked very hard to make it as good as I could. Especially since I self-published, it was extremely fulfilling to have external validation that the book was well done, and that others found it appealing and helpful.

What authors do you like to read? What books have had a strong influence on you or your writing?
I love so many authors and books, it’s hard to choose! But some favorite authors are Madeleine L’Engle, C.S. Lewis, Judy Blume, Anna Quindlen, Elizabeth Berg, Ray Bradbury, Antoine Laurain, Alexander McCall Smith, Jincy Willett, Anne Lamott, Mary Oliver, May Sarton, Michael Chabon, Ursula K. Leguin, and Erin Morgenstern. Some of my favorite nonfiction/personal development authors are Martha Beck, Elizabeth Gilbert, Julia Cameron, Thich Nhat Hanh, Brené Brown, and Gretchen Rubin.

In terms of an influence on my writing, I love Stephen King’s On Writing, Ray Bradbury’s Zen in the Art of Writing, Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird, and Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones and Wild Minds, as well as The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron, Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh, and Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach. Those last three are not only inspirational and full of priceless wisdom, but the writing has such a lovely, peaceful, uplifting rhythm. I tried to have a similar feel in my book.

Do you write every single day? Any writing rituals?
I was doing Morning Pages (from The Artist’s Way, where you write three pages longhand every morning), but I’d gotten out of the habit. I’ve just re-dedicated myself to writing something every day, as it really does keep the pump primed. I’ve found that when I sit to write at my computer, it feels like work; if I want to access something more personal, I need to be somewhere other than my office, with a notebook in my hand.

What are your interests outside of writing?
I love to travel and I find great joy in planning our next trip. I also enjoy learning new things, going to the beach, doing yoga, baking, and getting creative (I like to play with paints and explore fun tools like alcohol inks).

Share some tips for other Authors or Aspiring Authors: What would you do differently? What would you do the same? Please share anything you think would be beneficial to those reading this.

I wouldn’t have waited so long to work on my own writing. I wish I’d continued to explore my own voice when I was younger, rather than focus solely on client work. It’s difficult to get out of the mindset of writing for others (and writing as a job rather than a passion).

And when you have an idea, keep going! The feeling when you finish is truly magnificent, and worth all the effort. Also: what you have to say is important. The world needs your voice. Writing is a sacred act that can be healing for you and for others. Be brave and put yourself out there. And gather a team around you to cheer you on. Doing this alone is so difficult; having someone to encourage you will make a huge difference. Try to talk to other writers, or get professional assistance. I worked with a book coach (Cynthia Morris) who made the process less overwhelming and gave me valuable advice.

Emotional objects

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author, Family, inspiration, Life, love, relationships, writing

I own a new bathrobe.

It’s Turkish white cotton and it replaces one that I have worn since 2007. When my mother died, I brought her bathrobe home with me and, for a decade, it served as the hug she could no longer deliver. It wasn’t expensive – its value was in its sentiment. Big and fluffy, it tumbled through the washer and dryer thousands of times until loose threads began to appear and, like my mother, it perished.

Finally, I was ready to let it go. Parting with an item (like a robe) may simply be a matter of accepting the end of certain relationships and understanding how the physical objects around us have served as their emotional accomplices.

I still miss my mother, of course, but I think she would be pleased to see me wrapped in a new bathrobe – especially one that looks a lot like hers.

 

 

Renee Garrison is the award-winning author of The Anchor Clankers.

Name that book

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When it comes to giving your book a title, less is definitely more. (Think Dracula. Emma. Twilight. Ivanhoe. Mockingjay.)
I struggle with two choices for my upcoming sequel to The Anchor Clankers.
1. Anchored in Love
2. Anchored Together
I studied Amazon’s book list to see how many books have the same title and discovered “Anchored In Love: An Intimate Portrait of June Carter Cash,” which was published in 2007.

Would that be a problem? Too confusing?

Author Madeleine L’Engle once admitted, “We had to search for the proper name for ‘A Wrinkle in Time,’ and it was my mother who came up with it, during a night of insomnia. I went into her room with a cup of coffee in the morning, and she said, ‘I think I have a title for your book, and it’s right out of the text: A Wrinkle in Time.’ Madeleine goes on to say that many titles had been considered and all vetoed before her mother mentioned A Wrinkle in Time.

I wish I had an insomniac mother who could come up with a great book title.

Exercise

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daughter, entertainment, exercise, Family, inspiration, Life

“Renee, have you ever been to SoulCycle?” my daughter-in-law asked innocently.
No, I hadn’t, but when the family gets together, I’ve learned to be flexible. That’s why at 7:30 one recent morning in Chicago, I trudged to a “Breakfast with Beyoncé” class with two daughters-in-law and my daughter. Wearing Lululemon duds borrowed from the girls, I was fitted with cycling shoes that locked into the pedals.
Wow, these look a lot like bowling shoes. (I quickly learned nothing could be farther from the truth.) A fresh, white towel was folded over the handle bars, with a tiny rack beneath it for a water bottle. The lighting was subdued and I was in the back row.  So far, so good.
A pleasant young man with a microphone praised everyone for coming to class and amped up Beyoncé’s “Halo” to a decibel level clearly designed to induce deafness. I spotted an employee wearing a SoulCycle T-shirt, who was prowling the periphery of the room. I waved frantically.
“Did I see a jar of earplugs at the front desk,” I shouted. She said something (God knows I couldn’t hear her) and returned with two yellow cushions in her hand. I inserted them immediately.
That’s when I heard the man giving instructions: Sway to the left. Sway to the right. Tap once. Tap twice. The bodies in the rows ahead of me bobbed up and down like pop tarts in a toaster. I did not, fearing that I might lose my balance and land on the floor while my feet – which were prisoners of the pedals – would continue spinning. I refused to end the family visit with a trip to the ER.
Periodically, my daughter would look over at me and yell, “Are you okay, Mom?”
“Yes,” I bellowed back, wiping sweat from my face and neck. When my towel accidently slipped to the floor, I stared at it. If I bend over to pick that up, I’ll probably land beside it.
Mercifully, the hour ended and I managed to snap my right shoe out of the bike pedal. The left one refused to budge, so I simply removed my foot. The bike shoe continued to cycle, reminding me of those boots in the stirrups of a rider-less horse at military funerals. At least I didn’t die.
We limped back to my daughter’s house (okay, I limped and the girls sauntered) in time for breakfast. My sit bones were sore, but my smile was wide. Guess you can teach an old dog new tricks.

 

 

Renee Garrison is the award-winning author of The Anchor Clankers.