As a child, I was described as ‘feisty’ — ;never a Southern Belle.’ After my father died, I read some of his collection of diaries, reading about his description of me at the age of two. Paraphrasing here, “Although only two-years-of-age, Barbara likes to be the center of attention. Tonight at a Parent Teachers meeting …
This has been a sad week for news, especially related to news of significant women, considered icons. First, we lost the stunning beauty and advocate, Elizabeth Taylor. Today, we learn about the loss of Geraldine Ferraro. Geraldine Ferraro was iconic because she was the first woman to be nominated as the running mate for the …
Today the world grieves an icon, a legendary actress who stood her ground, even when the chips were against her. Elizabeth Taylor, a beauty, a legend and a woman of stunning magnitude, even in her ‘senior years,’ died today around the comforts and love of her family. I remember how much my mother admired her, …
Today has been a sad day for me, one I haven’t experienced since 1999. Today, I visited a close friend at Hospice. If you have never visited a Hospice, be thankful. It is an eerie site as you enter. Entering the pleasant, appealing facility, I signed in and started walking along the wide, open corridors, peering …
So, here I go again — free writing. Much too exhausted to think, and I need to work on upcoming projects, research, newsletters and such, but — I’m too tired. Last night, I awoke at 3am — the usual time. I fought to go back to sleep, afraid that if I fell into a deep …
I have a special friend who is slowly leaving our special group of friends. The situation she is in is truly breaking my heart. All of this came to a reality shocker after the holidays. As a group, the twelve to sometimes twenty of us, have grown extremely close. Our blending is interesting. Let me …
Today has been a ‘typical’ Monday, starting off with the phone ringing — shall I say — almost continuously, along with the doorbell. Apparently a service company I shall not name forgot to tell me during a phone conversation that they were scheduling the service for early Monday morning. Since I was not exactly dressed …
Yesterday was a good day – a day of deadline completions and working on my story, “Chattahoochee Child.” For many years, I have worked on this story – writing a synopsis, outline and the manuscript. For many years, I recognized that I really didn’t have much of a plot, that is, until my mother died. …
Hooray! Completed another story today, after letting it ‘cool’ over night. That is truly my most valuable tip for any writer — allowing a story to rest or ‘cool’ over night, so the writer may go back to it in the morning to proofread it with their eyes — not just spellcheck of the computer! …
For many years, when I’ve attended writing workshops, the facilitator’s have stated writers should free write daily for five to ten minutes. What exactly is free writing? In my definition, free writing is a way for someone to simply write, without considering grammar, spelling, plot, actions, characterization or anything. ‘Just write,’ they say — without consideration …
Barbie Perkins-Cooper, Author 