Barbie Perkins-Cooper, Author

Dearest Readers:

Today is Memorial Day. I’ve written about it, posting it on my blog. Now that hubby and I have spent a quiet day together; I chose to post something here. A few weeks ago, I lost an acquaintance/friend who battled cancer during the Pandemic. Since I was in significant pain from a broken back and I have asthma, I could not visit her. I was still wearing a cumbersome back brace. When she died, I couldn’t attend the funeral since asthma was causing me to cough violently. Another friend and I sent flowers to her funeral. I’m still hoping they were received.

This week, another acquaintance passed away. Well, I believe it was last week. She had a heart attack at the age of 46-years-old. Never did I meet her in person, but I do feel her loss. Occasionally, she would ask me questions about writing since she desired to write. I told her to ‘write from the heart.’ When she posted some of her stories on FB, I enjoyed reading them, along with her fans.

These two losses are talking to me, just like the voice would speak to me after losing my father. After his death, I spent days and nights working diligently to finish the story, CONDITION OF LIMBO. One year later, it was published. 

In 2005, I became a travel writer, targeting the Eastern and Southern states, focusing on hospitality, travel, and food. During this time, in the middle of the night, I thought of a title for a book. CHATTAHOOCHEE CHILD. When I mentioned the title in my writer’s group, I discovered the story’s plot was missing. Yes. I had characters I could quickly develop, but what was the story? 

I placed the title in my Works-in-Progress file, keeping it tucked away. After losing two friends, I’ve realized again just how short life is. I’ve found myself saying I don’t want to write, or I’m too tired to write. My writing sucks. I hate writing, and of course, I’ve procrastinated, telling myself I can write tomorrow.

But wait. What if I don’t have a tomorrow, and what if CHATTAHOOCHEE CHILD remains as an outline. Nothing more? I feel it must be told, shared with my reading public. I must share this poignant story about the relationships of mothers and daughters who cannot make peace with one another. 

So, tonight while I sit at my computer writing, I am making another commitment to:

1. Revise and submit the book proposal I began many years ago.
2. I must stop listening to those dreams I constantly have telling me a) You are not a writer; b) What makes you think you can write? c) If you complete CHATTAHOOCHEE CHILD, everyone who reads it will know. d) I told you many times you couldn’t write or sing, and now you see I was right!
3. I will complete the story of CHATTAHOOCHEE CHILD while submitting the book proposal to agents and publishers.