Ribbons, Bows & Jeanette Walls, author of The Glass Castle

When I was 12, my little sister Becky had a birthday party. I dressed her up in a cute red apron dress and did her hair in French braids. I always admired the little girl’s at church, with their matching dresses and bows in their hair and lacey socks. My family didn’t have money to buy Becky bows or lacey socks.

After her birthday presents were unwrapped, I had an idea. I collected the ribbon that had been wrapped around her presents and placed them in a grocery bag. For months, I had a variety or ribbons and bows to tie in her hair.

I could match the ribbon with the color of her outfit.

Monday night I went to hear author Jeanette Walls speak about her book The Glass Castle. When she walked on stage I started crying because I love her book.

Jeanette came from an interesting past, so interesting; Brad Pitt’s movie company just purchased the rights to turn her book into a movie.

Jeanette grew up poor. I don’t mean without ribbons or bows, I mean homeless.

Her parents roamed from town to town, living in old shacks by the railroad, broken down cars and worn-out pieces of walls she called home. Her brother had to sleep with an old tarp covering him, because when it rained the roof leaked where he slept. She rarely, if ever, had running water and electricity. At times, she had to search for her own food, always sharing with her siblings. Her dad was an alcoholic and gambled away any money he earned.

But Jeanette didn’t just survive; she discovered how strong she was. She loved school, received an education and moved to New York City.

And now she’ll never go without again.

Several years ago, she found her mom living on the streets in New York City. Jeanette, who now lives on a beautiful ranch in West Virginia, bought horses to convince her mom that she needed help taking care of them. Her mom agreed to move to West Virginia and at 76; she takes care and rides the horses on Jeanette's ranch.

Listening to Jeanette’s story was spiritual. I laughed, I cried and I remembered my own childhood and smiled.

Jeanette’s message is this:

Never be ashamed of your past. Use it to empower your future. Learning to fall is essential to realizing just how strong you are. We all have different perspectives and that’s alright. Forgiveness is about accepting others for who they are.

I recommend reading The Glass Castle. It is a journey worth taking.

Ten Things I've Learned From Rachel Carson

I have a dear friend whom I’ve never met. In fact, she was dead before I was even born. If I think about this fact for too long, I want to cry. I find myself thinking of her everyday. I call on her words when I need inspiration. I believe there is life after death. I want to have a nice long talk with her by the sea someday.

In one word I can describe Rachel Carson:

wonderful

She cared for the world before the words “environmental issues” were ever spoken. A visionary? She saw herself as a writer first, than a scientist. I see her as my hero.

Rachel Carson was born in 1907 and died in 1964. In her short life she wrote several pieces of literature. My world changed in 1996 when I read a book called The Edge of the Sea. Writing so passionate and poetic; it felt like reading scripture.

If I dared to introduce my own writing genre I would call her writings: nature romance. Her words take me dancing in the forest on a bed of damp ferns. I’ve heard we may forget facts, but we don’t forget feelings. When I’m out in nature, I feel Rachel Carson’s words speaking to me through my feelings.

Think of the most wonderful attributes about a child you love.

Rachel displayed those very attributes throughout her adult life. She loved being outside. She carried buckets and pails with dirty worn-out shovels. She got on her hands and knees to look under rocks. She drew pictures of the birds and un-hatched eggs in their nests. Crabs were always fascinating, as were starfish, sea urchins, snails and other creatures that were always changing. Water was something to be touched, not just looked at. It didn’t matter if it was cold, she wanted to be exploring outside. One particular outing, she was gazing at a tide pool of little creatures. After several hours, her knees buckled. The cold water left her legs numb. A friend lifted Rachel’s petite frame and carried her back to shore, but like a child, she couldn’t wait to get back into the water.

In honor of Rachel, I named my little son Reef Carson.

He already loves the sea.

And creatures of the sea.

Here are ten things I’ve learned from Rachel Carson:

1. Watch birds
2. Carry a journal when out in nature
3. Learn from a child’s natural curiosity
4. Real women wear gloves
5. Anything radical is not pure
6. It’s easy to protect the earth when remembering who created it
7. Write letters to friends
8. Study what you love
9. Visit the ocean regularly
10. Honest and passionate writing can change the world

Thank you, Rachel, for all you’ve taught me and my children.

Meeting Barbara Kingsolver, New York Times Best-Selling Author

I hope I’m cordial and gracious when I see a celebrity, but the reality is I get all hyper. I such a sucker for famous people and I love to meet them.

I don’t care if you’re an Emmy winner (Sam Shepard) or a local news anchor (Janine Ford), a musician (Jesus Jones) or a morning radio D.J. (Gwen Foster), as long as your famous I’m energized and want to talk to you.

And if I walk past you in the airport (Dan Majerle, Phil Jackson), I’ll give you a shot-out.

If I see you in a mall (Mike Tyson), in the crowd at a sporting event (Carl Lewis) or in a dark parking lot (Charles Barkley & Michael Jordan), I’ll stop to say hello.

If you’re a personal assistant (Jewel) or massage therapist (Gwyneth Paltrow)of a famous person, your in luck because I’ll give you the same eager attention I’d give that famous person herself.

My interest in famous authors started in college. I attended multiple author readings while at ASU and recently started attending author lectures again (Glenn Beck, Kerry Lynn Blair, Janette Rallison, William P. Young).

Last week I went with a darling friend, Martha, to hear New York Times Best-selling author Barbara Kingsolver (www.animalvegetablemiracle.com).

As a teen, her book, Pigs In Heaven made a huge impression on me and I’ve followed her career ever since.

The auditorium is full and the book reading is about to start, but I have to make one more bathroom break (pregnancy does this to a girl). The lobby, with its bright lights and costume drapes, has cleared out and who do you think walks into the lobby? Yes, you guessed it: Barbara herself.

She is a beautiful lady, tall and thin, distinguished and articulate, even in how she moves through the opened glass door. The shimmering gold scarf running down her neck is for royalty and I stand motionless; speechless. She stops and smiles at me and my mouth opens as wide as my bulging eyes.

I don’t introduce myself, I don’t say hello. I just stare. At this point in my life, a New York Times best-selling author is a bit too intimidating to me.

Later, when she signs my book and my mouth is all dry, my necklace catches on the book jacket and springs back into my face; a shot gun to my already shaky ego. So much for grace, but at this moment I tell her Pigs In Heaven was the first adult novel I read and it started my love for reading. I walk away with her signature in my book and the message of her lecture “Write your passion and never give up.”