DOCTOR ORDERS EXCERCISE. UGH!! AND, TAM INSTRUCTED TO ENDORSE ORDERS. WILL TAM - WITH HER SOFT HEART - BE SUCCESSFUL?

August 28, 2013

By Olivene Godfrey

During my doctor visit this week, I told her that I was having a problem standing up and walking.  She smiled and said, "You know what to do."  And then she said I had to resume my exercises, and she added, looking at Tam, "You have to make her exercise!!"  I told Barry about it and he said, "The problem is Tam's soft heart."

So, I have to start my exercises which, I hate to do.  And, I promise I won't take advantage of Tam's big heart when I don't want to exercise.  One reason, I am trying to follow my doctor's orders, is that I have gained some weight recently and am having a hard time with "too tight" clothes.

I hope each of you have a happy Labor Day.  We will probably cook out here at home.  See you next time.  (As told to Tam)

BLACK BEARS AND OTHER WILD ANIMALS IN YARD, GROCERY LISTS AND MORE

August 22, 2013

By Olivene Godfrey

When Tam came to work one day last week, she was still scared of the black bear she had seen on the side of the road near our house.  I told her about the black bear I had seen recently in our yard.  We see deer quite often as this is in the path they take coming from Grassy Mountain.  We have also seen a variety of wild animals in our yard as our house is located at the foot of Grassy Mountain and the National Forest.  Barry and I stay in the house at night.  I guess that is the price we pay for living among so much natural beauty.

Since I was a young bride, I have made a grocery list before going to town to buy our food and supplies each week.  Over the years I've noticed that only a few other shoppers had a list.  I wondered if the people who didn't have lists have such superior memories that they don't need lists.

Since Barry started doing our cooking, he has made lists, too.  He says he never sees any other shoppers with a list.  One of the check out ladies noted recently that Barry had a list, and she thought it was a good idea.  We wonder if people without lists go to the store several times a week.

I have an appointment with my primary care doctor and eye doctor next week.  I hope I get good reports.  The scaring I had following my recent eye lid surgery is about gone, thank goodness!

Remember if you own a Kindle, you can read my novel, "Seasons," at a low price.  Comments welcome.  See you next time.

(As told to Tam)

I'M DISAPPOINTED IN "SEASONS" SALES

August 16, 2013

By Olivene Godfrey

Frankly, I'm disappointed in the sales of my novel, "Seasons," on line.  This novel is different than the other novels I wrote during a prolific period in the 1980's.  "Seasons" was the last novel I wrote and I wonder if I broke a rule of mine, "if we try to please everyone, we end up pleasing no one."  I think "Seasons" is a sweet love story but isn't a block buster.

My other novels are more dramatic and I hope will attract more readers when they are released.  Tam has started working on the most controversial novel I've written, which will probably be published under a pen name.

I'm not computer literate but the way I understand it, my paper manuscripts have to be re-typed onto a gadget that transforms the manuscript computer ready for publishing.  Since Tam has only a short time to work on the manuscript, it takes time to get the novel ready for publishing.

My problem is marketing.  If no one is aware of the novel it doesn't get read.  I'm not financially able to spend a lot of money to advertise a book.  So, if any of you have any marketing ideas that you would like to share, I would be grateful to hear about them.

Barry and Tam think it's amusing that I've been reading my novels that haven't been published, and become engrossed with the books as if someone else had written them.  I am also amazed at the time I spent on research in the 80's before the internet made research much easier.

Meanwhile, if you haven't read "Seasons" yet, why not give it a try?  The price is affordable and the novel is short.  Thanks.  Comments always welcome.

See you next time.  (As told to Tam)

A WHIFF OF MEMORY CAN SEND YOUR MIND BACK IN TIME

August 12, 2013

By Olivene Godfrey

Just a whiff of memory can send your mind back in time.  That happened to me this past weekend.  Son, Barry and I were talking about the recent sale of my novel, "Seasons" and he said when he was a kid, he thought everyone's mother was a writer.  He asked when I knew I was a writer.  I told him it seems to me that I was born with story plots that just come to me.

Before I learned to read, my daddy, bless him, read the "funnies" in the newspaper to me.  After I learned to read, I read the daily newspaper every day.  Once, when my parents set up a budget to try to save some money, daddy canceled the delivery of the paper.  I was usually a good natured child.  But, when I discovered the newspaper had been canceled, I threw an awful tantrum, upsetting daddy so much, he started taking the paper again.  During those early years, my love affair with newspapers began.

At the age of nine, I wrote, produced and directed a play for the neighborhood children to perform in my daddy's barn.  We charged three cents admission and the parents seemed to love it.  I thought the play was a serious drama, but the parents seemed to think it was a comedy, as they laughed a lot.  I didn't know how to take that at nine, but it was a learning experience.

I still loved fiction and I filled a notebook with my little stories.  (I wish I had saved them.)  As a teenager, I read everything I could find about journalism.  I wasn't able to go to college, so I tried to educate myself.

There have been times when most of my writing was letters to relatives and friends.  I guess I had to do a heap of living before I could write fiction.

Several newspaper editors helped me to learn the rules of journalism.  I've had several thousand by-lined articles published in newspapers and magazines.  And, I'm grateful to those editors.

I've had four novels published (three in Germany) and my recent "Seasons".  I have several other novels I hope to have published and pray I'll still be around then.

I thank those who have bought "Seasons" and hope they enjoy it.  I haven't had any feedback on the book, which worries me.  Comments welcome.

See you next time.  (As told to Tam)

YESTERDAY WAS A GOOD DAY FOR ME

August 7, 2013

By Olivene Godfrey

Yesterday was a good day for me.  First, Dalton's The Daily Citizen, published a great article about myself and my book, "Seasons".  As a result, I've sold more books and added new readers to my blog.  As one of the characters in "Seasons" would say, I'm beholden to Daily Citizen's city editor, Victor Miller, for the super article.

More about "Seasons".  As a writer, I took a risk writing the novel, as it's different than the others books I've written which are more dramatic and exciting.  "Seasons" was written for myself, as it doesn't follow any guideline and is about ordinary people coping with their problems with grace and dignity.

The next novel I plan to release has been described as "powerful".

Tam has read this novel and told me, she couldn't "put it down" and that she cried several times while reading it.  Comments welcomed.

See you next time.  (As told to Tam)