My Journal #2

March 8th 2019

Here I am again. Hard to believe I stopped by to post here. My days are pretty uneventful.  I want to take a moment to give my sister(s) credit. I love each of them for their individuality.

Kathy Is three years younger than me. We fought like crazy growing up. It wasn't until many, many years later I found out she thought mom liked me better than her. Me the one who always got the worst whippings because I sassed and disobeyed. Kathy got better grades because my nose was in a book and not a textbook. I was the more outgoing one until I began to gain weight, then I became self-conscience. Kathy in now my friend and sister. We talk and share and care for our mother. I can bounce ideas and plots off her and she gives me her thoughts. She reads more widely than I do (audio book) and has a good handle on plot movement and where I lack it. She and I will go to our parents "beach" house (7 miles from the water) and I give her my latest plot or work and she helps me fill in the holes with ideas of what she thinks might work.

Susie She is 12 years younger than me. She is most like me in temperament and personality. She's the first to respond to my plot or book posts. I just sent an email out yesterday with my latest book and she responded first thing this morning with where it failed and where I needed to go. Ideas are what I need. I'm too close to the story and need that outside view. She came up with great ideas of what might make it more suspenseful. I still have figure out how to implement them into the story. She loved the story and said it kept her interested to the end. She told me the good parts and the weak parts.  I have to go to work on it again.
She's the caregiver and nurturer of our family, like our mother. She's in great demand amongst the extended circle we move in. We both love books (our whole family are readers). We had the best time a number of years ago when Susie, Kathy and I joined a book club. During that two year period, we read books that later became movies and best sellers. Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (when it was first out in the USA) The Help, The Secret Life of Bees, The Art of Racing in the Rain (one of my picks) all read before they became what they are today. Who knew we could pick such winners. There were others I can't remember, some good some, MEH.

Carol What can I say? I love my sisters, but Carol is the middle child, born 10 years after me and has always had the middle child syndrome. She's feisty, opinionated and it has to be her way or not at all. She's the expert and let's us know. When we had an indecent that upset her she didn't speak to any of us for years. Now we're older and not as volatile.  She's still a prima dona, but we love her. She isn't as supportive to anything the rest of us do, but want's our support. She's losing weight and wants us to know how good she's doing. I'm proud she's passed a milestone and heading down to her goal. I don't hear much from her in the way of feedback. I don't expect it either.

I have a brother, Greg, the baby of the family born 17 years after me.  I love him and he's a great care giver to our mom. After my dad died 5years ago (how fast time flies) He moved back to Oregon and in with Mom. He cares for her in a way none of us can. We are married with families and he's divorced. It's a good fit. Mom still tries to mother him and also treat him like a spouse. Ha that doesn't work. He balks at that. 

Greg was 4 years old when my daughter, Lani, was born. He couldn't figure out why I called his mom, Mom. I didn't live at their house, I wasn't his sister. He still thinks that was funny. Lani is just like me and Susie. She is much like a younger sister to my sisters. We have a FB messenger group called The Fun Sisters and Niece Since Lani is about 7 years younger than Susie. She's crafty like they are and the four of us together have a lot of fun. Carol doesn't come to see us, so is more a long distance relation. She and Lani hang out together as often as they can. They're about 3+ hours apart.

I'm saying all this to show as a family, my sisters support me and my writing. They aren't afraid to give me hard critiques. I don't bristle and tell them they aren't writers. They're readers. They know what works and doesn't from the readers perspective. I value their opinion. On the other hand, I value lots of opinions. I know that as a writer, I only get better when I get good criticism. I'm not obligated to accept it if I don't agree or it doesn't fit where I'm going with the story.

Enough family today. Have a good weekend.