Since my last post, I have been working on my third novel,
which is a continuation of my “Life” series about true events on the life of my
family, mostly from my mother’s side. I have to be honest—I’m not sure if this
third novel will actually be published.
I’m pretty sure I have mentioned before that it is intended to be about
my life with my husband. Now it’s one thing to publish stories about people who
have passed on. I really don’t think
they mind all that much. And even though
there are people in both of my current novels who are still among the living,
they are more or less incidental characters.
The main characters of this third novel are still very much alive. The
plan is to write out the story and then decide if it will go to print, which it
probably will, but fair warning, I may chicken out!
I don’t think our story is necessarily unique. There are
countless couples who have had to move far away from their childhood homes,
moved many more times than I have. No question they have endured more hardships
than me. So why do I think I have a
story about me and hubby to tell? I guess it’s mostly because we have had a lot
of funny, and sometimes not-so-funny, things happen to us along the way. Our
dogs have given us some wonderful Disney moments that I would never have
believed could happen other than in a cartoon had I not seen it myself, such as
the time a moth landed on my dog’s nose, fluttered there for a second or two,
while Barley wagged her tail madly at the little thing, as if they were having
a conversation. Granted, there was a screen separating the two, but they were
definitely having a friendly chat.
As I did with my first two novels, I hope to inspire my
readers to perhaps write their own stories, even if not for public viewing, or
maybe learn a thing or two from my family tales. Much of what I have had to
face with my husband might have torn some marriages apart, but it always made
us stronger, so my story will include sadness, tragedy, difficulties, but more
importantly, it will show how we faced it all with humor, strength, and faith.
So maybe it won’t be so hard to share that with you after all.
If you are a regular reader of my blog, you know I have
mentioned before about writing down your story, even if just for yourself. As we grow older, we always seem to have
questions about our families, and so often we can’t ask them, because our loved
ones have passed on. I so wish my family
members had kept journals. My Aunt Vera was the only one who did, and that was
just for a year. You can read some of
those excerpts in A Life Well Loved. I included them verbatim. Anyway, it can also be fun to keep journals
for other areas of your life. I have a travel journal I take with me when I go
on trips. Another one deals with my
childhood, my likes and dislikes, such as favorite foods or places, hobbies,
just little ordinary tidbits about me. Yet another journal I started on the day
my husband left for Idaho ahead of me to start our new life in the West.
I don’t write in these journals every day. In fact, I
sometimes go months before writing a new entry. I choose one and write in it
when the mood strikes me. I hope they will be enjoyed by my family for many
generations to come once I’m gone. How cool would it be for a niece or nephew
100 or 200 years from now reading about their “Aunt Patty?” My only worry is
that they won’t be able to read my writing.
I have been typing for so many years now, that my handwriting has become
quite annoying! The nuns at St.
Sebastian would be keeping me after school for sure to work on my
penmanship.
