Author Archives: Mary

Take Winter by Storm

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Damage from the Columbus Day Storm of 1962 in Newberg, Oregon Courtesy: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Fifty years ago, the Northwest suffered a deadly windstorm, named Columbus Day Storm of 1962. The storm was the strongest non-tropical windstorm in American history ever to hit the lower 48 states. Winds peaked at 150 mph along the Oregon and Washington coasts, with gusts of more than 100 mph in many parts of the Western Washington interior.

Hopefully, we’re more prepared today than we were then, but our world has changed in the last fifty years presenting new challenges. In today’s high-tech society, we rely on electrical power to conduct every day business. In stormy conditions, it’s entirely possible that we’ll have to do without modern conveniences for a matter of days. We can do much to minimize the impact of storms, earthquakes and man-made disasters.

Make a Plan Everyone, including kids, should have a plan for how they will communicate during an emergency and where they will meet family members if separated. Here are suggestions for family communication during disaster:

– Establish an out-of-area contact. This person would receive calls from various family members, letting callers know the status of the others.
– Be aware that texting may still work even if phone calls can’t go through.
– Telephone land lines may work. Surprisingly, long-distance calls will often go through even where local calls cannot.
– Establish a nearby meeting place where members will meet if it’s unsafe to go home.

Build a Kit Have on hand basic supplies, enough for your family for a minimum of five days. Include:

– Nonperishable ready-to-eat food
– One gallon water per day per person
– Medications and hygiene items
– Sturdy shoes and warm clothing
– Blankets
– Radio and batteries so that you can be aware of local conditions
– Flashlights and extra batteries. Candles are NOT recommended because of fire hazard
– First aid kit
– A whistle
– Pet supplies

Get Involved Disasters are managed by people who have taken the time to work together and learn life-saving procedures.

– Know your neighbors. Discuss emergency procedures with them.
– Learn CPR and basic First Aid. These skills can make a difference between life and death.
– Volunteer with community disaster programs. The American Red Cross offers training and resources as do local emergency response teams.
–Attend community events that discuss emergency preparedness.

We can’t stop disasters, but we can take realistic steps to survive them. By being prepared, we can not only protect people and property, we can have peace of mind knowing we’ve taken positive steps to protect ourselves from disasters.

Reference: “Be Prepared for Severe Weather,” Lynne Miller, King County Office of Emergency Management

Photo Credit: Damage from the Columbus Day Storm of 1962 in Newberg, Oregon Courtesy Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

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Book Review: One Island, One Ocean

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Alarmed by the condition of the world’s oceans, Captain Mark Schrader and a group of friends set upon an idea to organize an extended educational voyage to “raise awareness in meaningful ways and change behavior.” Schrader, a veteran solo ocean circumnavigator, began the intricate process of making the challenging voyage a reality. One Island, One Ocean by Herb McCormick chronicles and illustrates the epic journey of the first-ever continuous circumnavigation by sail of the American continents.

Outfitting the steel cutter Ocean Watch involved more than just preparing the vessel for the rigors of sailing 25,000 nautical miles through rough seas over a 13-month period. It also entailed installing analytical equipment, computers and the myriad equipment to meet the needs of the various disciplines to observe, record and report findings.

The core crew of four were joined by educators, scientists, an oceanographer, a photographer and other guests who supported and added talent to the voyage. Critical roles were also played by various partners, contributors, educators, scientists and other practical shore support.

The book’s photography is impressive with exquisite details of the journey, starting in Seattle, circling the Americas, and back to Seattle. The documentary is written in four parts: “North to the Ice,” the ship sails north from Seattle to Newfoundland via the Arctic Circle and Northwest Passage. Next, the “The Long Slog South,” the ship crosses the equator sailing from the Canadian Maritimes to the Falkland Islands. The third part, “Cape Horn to Starboard,,” celebrates the triumphant rounding of the Horn and a sobering passage through Patagonia. Finally, “Closing the Circle,” a Pacific passage where they encounter El Nino, the Baja Bash where they endure extremely rough weather, the Golden Gate and finally, home to Seattle.

Their findings? Fisheries are being shamefully depleted. Coral reefs are being diminished. Plastic and chemical pollutants are clogging and poisoning life-giving oceans. Ocean acidification is jeopardizing all sea life. The remedy? R. Bryce Seidl, Pacific Science Center President and CEO, who wrote the Preface for One Island, One Ocean says, “The degradation of the oceans is the result of billions of us doing small, largely inadvertent things that in their totality are hugely damaging.” Conversely, billions of us making small changes in our lives can result in positive influences on our oceans.

One Island, One Ocean documents the importance of ocean conservation. Captain Schrader also lectures and presents a slide show, which we were fortunate to attend. Both the lecture and the book leave lasting impressions. Our oceans are changing for the worse which will eventually affect human life on the planet. The decline, both chemical and physical, are visible and measurable in virtually all of the world’s oceans. It is clear: We must take steps to reverse this environmental damage.

 

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Book Review: The Boarding House

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Marcia Melton’s The Boarding House (Raven Publishing) brings the early 1900’s to life. Although listed as a Young Adult novel, adults will also love this slice of Montana history.

When eleven year-old Emmie Hynes’ father dies in a mining accident, her world changes forever. In those days, mining companies didn’t take financial responsibility for families of injured or killed miners. The small family–her twelve year-old brother Conrad, her mother and Emmie–move from Butte to a small town across the mountains to Philipsburg, Montana to run a boarding house.

The family scrapes by. Conrad’s slacking off of chores comes to an abrupt halt when his scheme to earn money backfires. Both children support their widowed mother, still fragile from their father’s death. In addition to running the boarding house, Emmie’s mother works with mine officials for financial benefits for families of miners. In addition, Emmie’s mother also supports the growing suffrage movement and takes her children to rallies.

When the owner of the boarding house dies, it looks as though the little family will lose their new-found security. Although the children try to be helpful, there is no way they can close the looming financial gap that faces them. How will this family survive?

The author’s library and teaching experience serve her well. The Boarding House
is written with knowledge of the life and times of the era. The novel is a fun read, yet readers are reminded of many things we now take for granted, such as workers’ compensation and women’s right to vote. This excellent story was inspired by the experiences of the author’s mother and uncle. I recommend this novel for all ages.

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Book Review: Crossed Trails

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Crossed Trails (Whiskey Creek Press) by Eunice Boeve is a fast-paced, skillfully crafted and exciting western.

After trailing a herd of longhorns from Texas to Montana, Joshua Ryder is determined to settle near the Pacific Ocean, a place where no one would know his father was a violent outlaw and his mother a prostitute.

In the spring of 1877, Josh begins his journey west when he encounters a Nez Perce woman and her newborn baby. The woman is unresponsive and unable to care for her new-born on her own. He feels obligated to do what he can and takes them to Virginia City, Montana. Knowing the town will not welcome an Indian woman, he finds a home for them with an old washerwoman, Jesse, who has met with an accident and is unable to work. In order to pay the woman for board, Josh takes on whatever work he can find. Their lives are further complicated when a little Chinese girl joins the make-shift family.

As their lives become entwined, Josh’s intentions to move on become more distant. With all these complications, he can’t in good conscience leave. Adding to their hardships, the old woman becomes ill and Josh must hire someone to take care of her, the Nez Perce woman and her child, plus the little Chinese girl.

As much as he tries to avoid admitting it, Josh is smitten with Jolene, the young woman he hires to help. But a relationship is impossible. He won’t subject her to someone with his past. In any event, if she knew about his parents, she wouldn’t want anything to do with him.

Along comes Eli, the old woman’s worthless grandson, and their world turns from troubled to dangerous. Josh is framed for a murder. He could run from the law, probably successfully. Or he could stay and face his accusers. But can he hide from his past? In either case, he’s bound to lose those he’s come to love.

Crossed Trails is a sequel to Ride a Shadowed Trail, though each book stands alone. Boeve provides the reader with enough of the first story’s details to enhance the threads of the second. Boeve is a gifted storyteller and knowledgeable about the times and mannerisms of the era.

To learn more about the author, visit www.euniceboeve.net

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A Writers’ Platform

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From Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, illustration by Sir John Tenniel, 1865(Picture Caption: From Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, illustration by Sir John Tenniel, 1865)

 
I used to think of a platform as a raised surface to stand on, a stage for public speaking, something to give the audience a better view of the speaker.

Today’s platform, at least in a writer’s sense, is really the same thing. It’s a way for people to see us, get to know us, to be recognized. For writers, a platform is a necessity, particularly with the decline of promotional assistance from publishers. Here are ways we as writers can build our platforms:

A website is a must for writers. People crave information about their interests. An attractive, uncluttered website offers readers a chance to get to know you, your work, and how to achieve the bottom line, buy your books. Adding links to other points of interest helps enrich your visitors’ experience, along with your Google ranking..

Videos have become a popular way to show your work. My husband Bruce recently created a video on the popular venue, YouTube, for my latest book, a memoir, TUBOB: Two Years in West Africa with the Peace Corps. In this video he featured many of the images and sounds of Africa. There was a learning curve, even for a computer savvy person like Bruce, but he found a free program to accomplish what he wanted to do. You can view the video here:

Social media such as Facebook and Twitter provide a way to reach out to the world. Facebook allows people to build connections, express identities and tell their unique stories. Many writers have a personal page and a professional page. This allows two types of contacts and helps to reach a wider audience. Not always, but on occasion a writer may want to link back to her website to emphasize a point, to share a video or a good review..

Twitter provides bite-sized updates on people you have chosen to follow or those who follow you. It’s another way to stir up interest in your passion, your book, or to open up your world to others’ ideas. The point is, social media provides an avenue of communication otherwise not possible.

Although there are other social media besides Facebook and Twitter, such as Google+, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Tumblr, most of us have to limit our time and energy to two or three types of social media. Each one is distinct with different benefits and abilities to engage and connect with others.

Many authors are finding a terrific niche in on-line sales. They’re reaching an audience they could never have tapped before.

Blogging provides an excellent venue for marketing our work. I was a reluctant blogger, but once I started I realized it opened a new world of communication for me. I can write about anything that interests me, knowing that some of what I blog about will interest others, too. I vary my topics, interspersing book reviews, health tips, pieces about travel destinations, topics relating to my own writing, such as research, or even writing tips. My blog is mine to do with as I please. As my list of readers grows, so does my reputation. Interviewing others on your blog and being interviewed on other blogs also widens your reach. Making meaningful comments on others’ blogs is another way to reach out.

Newsletters are an excellent way to stay in touch with readers. It has been my observation that writers either blog or send out newsletters. It would be hard for me to imagine having time for both. Newsletters are great for bringing people into your life with up-to-date information on what you are doing.

Media publicity such as local newspapers, radio and television, are rich sources of promotion. Right after I received my first shipment of Tubob, I sent our local newspaper a press release and followed up with a phone call. The editor asked for additional information and a copy of the book. From the resulting article, I could tell the reporter had not only read the book, he referred to material from my website.

Some people feel this type of promotion should be done well before the release of a book, even as long as six months. In my experience, I have found it works better to have the book in hand. We live in a fast-paced society and people demand instant gratification or they lose interest.

Printed Material, such as business cards, bookmarks and postcards, give people a tangible reminder of who you are and helps to showcase your work.

Personal appearances are a powerful way to be noticed. Setting up a table to showcase my books at arts and crafts shows, fairs, retail store events, local festivals and speaking engagements bring me the biggest sales. The problem with this is that it isn’t practical to go too far from home unless you are funded. Within a reasonable distance from home, book stores, libraries, community centers, and specific clubs aimed at your genre, would love to have speakers, either on the topic of writing or specifically about your book, such as its required research, or even what you learned from writing your book.

With a variety of low-cost or even free aids, writers can build a platform to reach readers who otherwise would not have noticed us. Through a well-designed website, videos, social media, blogging, newsletter, media publicity, printed material, and personal appearances, our interests and our creative works can be shared all over the world.

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Book Review: Broken for You

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Broken for You (Grove Press) by Stephanie Kallos is a beautifully crafted debut novel, a story of repair, healing and redemption

Elderly Margaret Hughes lives alone in the Seattle mansion where she spent her childhood, surrounded by valuable antiques her father collected. She can identify each object and spends her days alone, caring for her house and its precious contents.

Wanda Schultz, although able to capably function professionally, is nursing a broken heart. Her only goal in life is to find her boyfriend who has left her to “find himself.” Abandoned as a child and now as an adult, she clings to the idea of what never seems possible to her, a solid relationship.

Margaret learns she has a terminal illness and forms a plan to take in a boarder. Wanda, who, after her boyfriend left, is living at the YWCA, takes up residence with Margaret. Although their relationship is formal at first, they soon form a bond.

The population in the mansion increases as one person after another finds their way to Margaret’s home, each contributing a vital role. Although on some level Margaret knows where many of her antiques came from, she is suddenly faced with the horror and guilt that they had once been possessions of European Jews and confiscated by Nazis. The household bonds in their determination to do the right thing by these stolen treasures.

This novel is many things, but primary are the importance of family and the power of forgiveness. The many irresistible characters Kallos has woven into this memorable tale all have a story, but eventually their paths lead to the same destination.

Raised in Seattle, I loved the setting and could picture the author’s vivid sense of place. Kallos furnishes just the right amount of detail, so that readers not familiar with Seattle will have an understanding of the area.

Broken for You is a moving, endearing story of survival and triumph.

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Book Review: Stone Heart’s Woman

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Stone Heart’s Woman (Wild Rose Press Publication) by Velda Brotherton is a finely crafted historical romance. Brotherton’s vivid descriptions quickly bring the reader into the thick of the story, whether it’s a passionate love scene, or a stark, frozen landscape.

Seriously injured in battle, Stone Heart, the son of a Cheyenne woman and George Armstrong Custer, painfully makes his way to what appears to be an abandoned sod house.

Aiden Conner, deserted by her financ , is run out of town in the dead of winter as a “loose woman.” After walking a distance and nearly freezing, she seeks shelter in a run-down soddy. To survive she must build a fire in the pot-belly stove and goes out to collect wood. When she returns, she finds a fierce blonde-haired Indian.

At first, Stone Heart speaks only his native tongue, having made a vow that he would never again speak the language of his father. It becomes clear that in order to survive, Stone Heart must accept the help of Aiden to treat his wounds. Likewise, Aiden needs his help to survive the wilderness.

Stone Heart is filled with hate for his father who betrayed the Cheyenne. His people have been forced from their land, starved and slaughtered. He lived with his mother until he was twelve, then sent away to be educated in white schools, passing as a white boy. He knows both worlds and has returned to live the life of a Cheyenne to do what he can for his people.

Aiden wants only to return to the safety of her family in the East. But once Stone Heart speaks English and they converse, they find a passionate attraction. But it appears to be a hopeless love–they have opposite goals and neither wants to interfere with the other’s plans.

A gifted story teller, Brotherton weaves an unforgettable tale. Stone Heart’s Woman passionately describes the plight of the Indian and the ensuing terror on the frontier.

To learn more about the author, visit www.VeldaBrotherton.com

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Writing TUBOB: A Dream Fulfilled

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Well, it’s about time. What I had fantasized about for so many years–writing about our two years in West Africa–has at last become a reality. What took me so long? I wonder that myself. I guess in my mind it was such an overwhelming experience, so personal and heart-felt, I wasn’t sure I could put it adequately into words.

For me, it’s easy to make up a story. I’ve done it since I was a little kid. My older sister taught me. I’d beg her to tell me a story and she finally said, “Mary, make up your own story. Think of something you’d like to hear or read, and tell yourself a story.” That first time, she gave me an opening sentence and I took off from there.

Along the way my need to tell stories became three novels, all contemporary western, all well received: Tenderfoot, McClellan’s Bluff, and Rosemount.

But to tell something that’s true, that represents our own heart-felt and hard-won experiences, is different. For some reason I couldn’t get past the idea that it wasn’t a “story,” it was true to life, sometimes painfully so.

Sure, I could write little snippets and I did write about a few experiences on my blog with favorable results and encouragement to write a book. But these were usually positive experiences, and our two years in Africa were not all positive. They were often grueling, discouraging, even scary. But are we glad we did it? Absolutely!

Finally, I decided I would have no peace until I at least tried to write the story about our Peace Corps experience in The Gambia. We had asked our families to save our letters to them. I couldn’t stand the duplication of effort to keep a journal and write home. This was before email, so all our letters were either hand written or typed (I had sacrificed space and weight to take a manual typewriter).

I sorted through all the letters written by both of us, putting them in date order. I began to see I needed to have some sort of index so that I could avoid volumes of data entry, so I created a computer index with various subjects: names, Bruce’s work, my work, animals, etc., and referred to a coded recipient and the date. Soon, I had 42 pages of categorized key words. And I had my inspiration. I relived those years, remembered the sweat and tears, and the joys. Despite the elapsed years, thanks to our letters home, I could recount details that would make the story real to readers.

It took me two months to go through and annotate all the stacks of letters. In January, 2012, I began to write my memoir and wrote straight through to May. Editing and proofing is another matter, but I enjoyed that part, too.

I had worried that I might offend some people we knew in Africa. In most instances, I use actual names for real people. But in a few cases, I have changed the names to avoid hurt feelings or embarrassment. In a couple of instances, in the interest of clarity, I have combined characters.

Bruce took hundreds of 35 mm pictures while in The Gambia. We had mounted the slides in trays and every once in awhile we viewed them or shared the pictures and stories with others. Once I could see an actual memoir in the making, we invested in the equipment necessary to convert the slides into digital form. Bruce spent countless hours selecting and editing the pictures so that we would have meaningful images for the beginning of each chapter. Bruce also designed the book’s cover, using his artistic talent to make a cover representative of the story.

So, finally, we have produced an honest recounting of our two years in The Gambia with the Peace Corps. I have made every effort to be objective, and to fairly and honestly tell the story of our time in a third-world country.

Perhaps I needed to wait 30 years so that I could be more objective. Surely, I have gained in wisdom and global awareness in that time. We have never been back to The Gambia, but I hear from people who have and they report not much has changed. Electricity does not reach many homes, people still haul water from a well, many of the struggles remain the same. Education is more available. With the Internet, Peace Corps volunteers now have better communication with family and friends back home. That would be a huge improvement and eliminate many of the anxieties we felt.

Some lessons I learned remain. You take the bad with the good. You live in the moment. And in the bad times, remember that “this too shall pass.”

TUBOB: Two Years in West Africa with the Peace Corps is available at local bookstores, Amazon.com, or through my website, www.MaryTrimbleBooks.com

 

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Book Review: The Proof is in the Poodle

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The Proof is in the Poodle: One Veterinarian’s Exploration into Healing by Donna Kelleher, DVM, gives readers a chance to explore alternatives to traditional treatment for ailing dogs, cats and horses. Kelleher seeks to treat the whole animal, the physical, emotional and spiritual facets of their lives.

In her youth, Kelleher works on Saturdays with Iris, a neighborhood healer. Gardening with Iris, Kelleher learns the healing qualities of plants, how to preserve them, how to prepare them to make teas or salves. From Iris, she also learns that public opinion isn’t as important as following your heart.

While attending Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Kelleher becomes aware of certain practices that are contrary to what she believes would be better, more effective healing treatments. She finds the common practice of dispensing chemicals repugnant, of euthanasia as being a choice too easily taken.

Kelleher becomes further trained in veterinary acupuncture and chiropractic medicine and becomes a member of the Veterinarian Botanical Medical Association. Using these skills along with those she learned from Iris, her childhood mentor, she finds ways to holistically treat animals without pharmaceutical intervention.

Not everyone will agree with Dr. Kelleher’s views. Eking out another week of an old dog’s life may be difficult for many to grasp. But to cure a disease with herbs rather than with chemicals that often introduce harmful side-effects, may make sense to many.

The Proof is in the Poodle: One Veterinarian’s Exploration into Healing offers well-founded viewpoints on healing. Whether or not you’d want to take this path, the small volume offers enlightened opinions on healing and treating the whole animal. The book is written with humor and heart.

To learn more about Donna Kelleher, DVM, visit www.wholepetvet.com

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Obesity: It’s Time to Act

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It’s a national problem. Look around and you’ll find obese and overweight people outnumbering the healthy and fit.

The statistics are grim. About 34 percent of kids 2 to19 years old in the U.S. are obese or overweight. One third of adults are obese, another third overweight.

What’s the difference between obese and overweight? Overweight means a body exceeds the recommended weight for height and bone structure. Generally, obesity in adults means 100 pounds over their recommended weight. Childhood obesity occurs when a child is well above the normal weight for his age and height.

A serious problem with childhood obesity is that it puts the child on the path of adult obesity and introduces associated diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Childhood obesity can also lead to poor self-esteem and depression.

Genes play a role, but DNA in humans has not changed in the last generation. The American lifestyle and eating habits have changed.

What can be done? How can we reverse this trend? Adults need to take the lead, not only to promote a healthy lifestyle for themselves, but for their children as well.

Following are ideas to embrace a healthy lifestyle:

– Think in terms of a healthy life style, rather than the negatively perceived “losing weight.” Do not restrict food, instead have a variety of healthy foods available. Avoid labeling foods “good” and “bad,” but rather emphasize that protein and calcium will give strength in sports performance. Fresh fruits and vegetables will give luster to skin and hair. Walking and/or running will make your legs shapely.

– Kids, and adults, will eat what’s in the pantry and refrigerator. Stock only healthy foods. Keep a bowl of fruit handy on the kitchen counter. A parent’s example is stronger than anything you can tell a child. Don’t expect a child to reach for an apple when he sees a parent munching on potato chips.

– Make meals count. Eat at the dinner table, not in front of the TV or in the car. Be mindful of what you eat. Make family dinners a pleasant event and a time for sharing thoughts. Prepare dinner plates in the kitchen to ensure balanced meals. After everything on the plate is eaten, allow second helpings of favorites. Serve the family’s favorite fruits and vegetables more frequently, giving everyone a say in what is served.

– Health experts suggest covering half the plate with fruits and vegetables. Fresh fruits and vegetables will satisfy appetites better than snack foods.

– Educate the family on healthy food. A diet soft drink isn’t a healthy choice, even if it has fewer calories. Praise family members and friends when you see they make healthy choices.

– Don’t use food as a reward. Instead reward yourself and your children with some fun time out that involves physical activity.

– Become physically active. Walk, play ball, swim, join a health club. Try to do something physical for at least an hour a day. Children should spend even more time with physical activity. Limit time in front of a TV, computer or cell phone.

As a nation, we must act on this unhealthy overweight epidemic. I often see people buying cases of soft drinks, giant packages of chips, super sized bags of candy. This trend must stop or we’ll have a nation crippled by our eating habits. Change won’t happen overnight, but it’s imperative we start NOW.

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