Be Your Own Hero

Growing up, I remember all the cartoons of princesses sitting there looking beautiful but miserable...and they never found happiness until a rich and handsome prince rescued them from whatever was ailing their lives.


I don't write love stories like that. My heroines always meet their prince (or princess) but they aren't sitting there waiting to be rescued.

Take Kimberly for example. She's got the handsome Carlos helping her, but in the end, she really rescues herself by coming to terms with who she is now, hearing loss and all.

There's no contest what song I choose for this book and as you read it, I'd love for you to keep the lyrics in mind and remember...

There's a hero

If you look inside your heart

You don't have to be afraid

Of what you are

There's an answer

If you reach into your soul

And the sorrow that you know

Will melt away...

So even if, or when, a hero comes along, save yourself by looking deep within you. The hero is right there. As the song says, YOU can survive. If you look around you, you will see survivors everywhere. You may not even know their stories. Like Kimberly, they may have hidden disabilities.

Try to take a moment everyday to remind yourself of this.

Thumbs up to Mariah Carey for her song, Hero. *I posted part of the lyrics because some of my followers are deaf/hard of hearing and the video is not cc'd. I have no intention of stepping on anyone's copyright. 

A Healing Love can be purchased on Amazon.

Stay for a Song

Love Request: a story about two people reconnecting on the Internet and a young woman discovering she can indeed be truly loved despite her "disability" while at the same time, facing down the bullies from her past. She could have been beaten down, refused to face it, went through life resentful and distrustful, but instead she chooses to open her heart and forgive.


I couldn't settle on one song for this book so I'm sharing with you today two songs, both by Amy Grant. I'm a huge fan of her.

The first one: Stay for A While. This is how Ciara remembers Hunter, years later.

Long time since I've seen your smile,

But when I close my eyes,

I remember

You were no more than a child,

But then so was I,

Young and tender.

Time carries on;

I guess it always will,

But deep inside my heart

Time stands still

The second one...this one has always touched a place deep inside me and though Ciara was never sexually abused, she faced a trauma of a different sort: bullying. Bullying does have long-term effects on people. The feelings of insecurity, fear of people, and extreme self-consciousness stay with people long into adulthood. The question is...how does one handle it? Can they be like this woman in Ask Me? Can they look in the mirror at a lovely woman face and see no more frightened little girl? Or do they still see that frightened child afraid to go to school for fear of what will be done to be her that day?

Now she's looking in the mirror at a lovely woman face

No more frightened little girl, like she's gone without a trace

Still she leaves the light burning in the hall

It's hard to sleep at all.

Not an official music video, but I love it. Someone named Terapath made it.

Make sure you don't live your life as a victim. Live your life as a person.

Choosing a Rhythm for Ride for Rights

Last week, a lady who runs a radio show was asking me if I wished for her to mention my YA historical novel on a special radio program for teenagers. How could I say no?

But then she asked me if there was a song I associated with it, a special soundtrack. After all, it's a radio show, and radio shows are about sound...

I had to really think on it. After all, I'm deaf and though I can hear some music if I connect an iPod to my hearing aid, I'm afraid I don't make it a habit of sitting here jamming. It takes too much concentration.

But I knew there was by Pink I liked. She always does these strong women music videos and stuff. So I sat down and browsed YouTub until I found one that I felt suited the story. Why I associate it with Ride for Rights?

First of all, Angeline and Adelaide are making trouble everywhere they go in the novel--even though it's not intentional. They are for the underdog too--women. Like Pink in the music video, they get themselves arrested, but they don't let it stop them from their goal. And though they come from a life of wealth, they can get nitty, gritty, and dirty when necessary. 

And my fingers

Are bejeweled

With diamonds and gold

But that ain't gonna help me now

And I imagine...if those two sisters ran across a town full of oppressed whores, they'd free them too. LOL

On that note, I'm just sharing the video with you. I'm gonna see what else I can come with for my other novels because truly, this was fun.