All year long, families who are raising special needs children give tirelessly to those that they love. Without complaint the needs of others take over our daily lives putting the thought of ourselves on the back burner. Today the HOPE Network recognized many of these caregivers and offered them a day of pampering...to give their caring hands a day of rest.

The goal was to take the weight of our worries and temporarily put them behind us. For once we were to focus on ourselves. With the help of the community, we were offered manicures, pedicures, massages, makeovers, and we're treated to a wonderful brunch. Seventy women to told to go have at it...and we did!

Pat enjoyed a manicure while I started my day with a relaxing massage. I would have fallen right to sleep if I didn't need to be alert for the speech that I was giving midday. So I spent the time finding the words that I wanted to say while getting a knot worked out of my shoulder. After that I was talked into getting my eyebrows waxed for the first time ever. I have one word to say to that...OUCH!

even though I had practiced The testimony that I planned on giving, I was caught off guard as I teared up talking about the struggles my daughter endured the first few years of her life. end the end it made me more relateable to the audience and I managed to get a few chuckles and a big round of applause. Every attendant walked away with a copy of Sometimes the Wind Blows Sideways, and the offer was extended for each of them to write their own story for the sequel.

A big thank you goes out to Carissa Lagoe, Lori Sills, and everyone else involved in the Northside Baptist Church HOPE Network. They work year around to offer services for our children to enjoy that they might not otherwise be able to have access to. For more information on their programs please visit Northsideonline.com.

I love the digital age. Not only was I able to revise my print edition to add a bonus story, I was also able to convert my files into a kindle ready book. The title can be digitally downloaded within seconds to your kindle or ipad, which includes free wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet.

Product Description from Amazon.com:

Raising a child with special needs can be both challenging and rewarding. In this special collection of short stories, families and caregivers share their struggles, laughs, and tears as they celebrate the lives of individuals who
have  triuimphed over unimaginable hurdles.
  
With topics that range from Autism, Down Syndrome, Cystic Fibrosis, Developmental Delays, Brain Tumors, physical impariments and even the death of loved one, this book is a wonderful resource for parents, teachers, friends and neighbors whose lives have been touched by a disability.

To purchase a kindle edition of Sometimes The Wind Blows Sideways: Our Lives with a Special Needs Child, you can click here:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00757ISSM

Since I am a member of KDP select, those of you who are a kindle owner AND a member of amazon prime, you can download this book free of charge.

To purchase a paperback of Sometimes The Wind Blows Sideways: Our Lives with a Special Needs Child, you
can click here:
http://www.amazon.com/Sometimes-Wind-Blows-Sideways-Quonce/dp/1466419180/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1328327597&sr=1-1

**Remember that customer reviews are always welcomed on Amazon.Com.

Who says change isn't good?  During this past week, inspirations have guided me to tweak not only one, but three ways that I could improve on for my readers in 2012.

First, I have decided to not only expand the way that readers are able to access the book, but to branch out and start preparing for the book's sequel. Over Christmas vacation I had all but tore my hair out trying to properly format the book so that it could be accessed on kindle.  Eventually I gave up and walked away because the thought of looking at the files one more time honestly made me want to vomit.  I went back to work and put the thought of the looming files out of my mind and concentrated on other things.  Well life has a funny way of catching up with you, and sends gentle reminders of what path you need to be taking.

After I opened my recognition letter from Senator Patty Ritchie for the work done on the book, I knew it was time to look into what I could do to finish my goal of putting it into an e-reader.  I contacted kindle and asked if they offered conversion services that I could use.  Unfortunatly they said that they did not, but offered me a list of companies that do offer that very sevices.  Wouldn't you know that my publisher was one of the companies on the list?

So of course I contacted them right away to see what I needed to do start the process.  Easily enough I only need to allow them to convert my current files and I would be all set, but the problem was that I had a 'bonus' story ready to go into the kindle book.  If I converted my book as it, that story wouldn't make it into the e-reader.  But the more I thought about it the more I realized that this wasn't a problem, it was a sign of something greater.  I needed to adjust the files in my paperback book to include this 'bonus' story and at the same time add to the back matter the announcement of the book's sequel.  Yes...a second book is on the way and it needs your stories!

Any new books purchased through my estore (www.createspace.com/3703816) and at Amazon.com will contain the new material.  In there I have added an announcement that I will be accepting new stories for the second book.  Soon I will be adding more details on my website as to when the cut off will be for submissions and the anticipated date of release.  But the most exciting news is that I am extending this invitation to anyone who lives in the United States.  While my first book was focused on families in Central New York, many of you have friends and family who live in other states that would love to take part in this.  So please pass the word on, I would love to hear stories from as many places as possible!

Stay tuned for updates on the latest developments! 

I love unexpected surprises.  Walking to my mailbox this morning my only expectation was to unleash another handful of bills and junk mail.  So when I saw a large envelope cradling the mounds of ordinary small white ones my mind started racing to figure out what it may be.

Eagerily sliddding my fingers underneath the tab, I reaveled a nice note of achievement from my local seantor.  Her office had seen a newspaper article about my book Sometimes The Wind Blows Sideways: Our Lives with a Special Needs Chid and she wanted to congratulate me on my work.  The hard laminate note will forever be preserved as an honor within my presentation binder of all my work.

The note was simple, but enough to keep me geared up to continue my writing.  A sequel to the first book is a definate possibility, as many of the readers are now moved to share their own stories.  Thank you Senator Ritchie for noticing the work of people within our community, and for encouraging me to keep following my dreams

It sounds crazy, doesn't it?  Starting off the new year without making any unrealistic promises that are well meaning yet have no chance of ever materializing.  But I propose just that.  I will not begin this year setting myself up for failure, instead I propose to simply follow through on the projects that seem worthy enough.


Last week my goal was to have my book ready for kindle by the time I return to work on Tuesday morning (or Wednesday if we're lucky enough to get a snow day  LOL).  I tried....I really did.  Hours were spent each day formatting and converting files, only to end up with my friend holding me back from throwing my computer out of my window.  A dajavu moment that I had while trying to format my paperback book.  While I did end up outwitting my computer back in November, sadly I have not won the battle yet this time.  It doesn't mean that I have given up.  No, quit is not in my vocabulary.  It just means that folks who got a kindle for Christmas may have to wait a little bit longer to download my book.  Since the physical version is still available in bookstores and online, I am okay with that.  I would much rather be behind schedule than produce something that wasn't right.

So I started off my new year not exactly where I had anticipated, but in firm belief that everything happens exactly when it is suppose to happen.  Maybe there is some unknown reason why I shouldn't be producing an e-book right now.  My friend Lisa thinks it's because I should be concentrating on revising my book proposal and query letter for my other book.  I have a hunch that she's not too far off with that one.  The fresh ideas are brewing in my head and I would like to get them out of the brain clutter and onto paper before I forget what they are.

The year ahead is still vast, and with 364 unexplored days in front of me I have ample opportunity to create wonderful things in my life.  Hopefully I will take some time and squeeze a vacation in there somewhere because working full time and writing as a second job sure does drain the life out of you.  I will however pledge to take each day as it comes, and enter through any doors that are opened for me.  I am hopeful for a productive year, full of good health (Lord knows we have hit our limit last year with unexpected setbacks) and happy memories.  Welcome 2012, may you be the best year yet!

In anticipation of my upcoming book, Sometimes The Wind Blows Sideways: Our Lives With A Special Needs Child, I decided to take part in a public reading down at the River's End Bookstore will some fellow writers within the community.  As always, the bookstore hosted a wonderful evening and we heard from many talented authors.

When it was my turn to share, I took out a piece that I had written, and read during the SUNY Oswego Summer Writing Institute.  It was not a story that I could share without shedding a tear back then, and it seems that time has not changed things for me. By the last paragraph, my voice was fighting to come out and the words were lost through the sounds of my tears.  It was not a sad story that I was reading, yet one very dear and close to my heart.  You see, it was the story of how my doctor advised me to abort my daughter, and instead of listening to his advice I listened to my heart.  Over the past fifteen years I have watched my daughter struggle, grow, and become a beautiful  loving human being.

The reason I shared this particular piece was simple.  I wanted to show the community what kinds of stories they will find in my upcoming book when it is realesed this December.  I want to show that just because somebody is labeled with a disability doesn't mean they can't become a valuable member of society.  And with this anthology we will show the world how the word 'unique' can also be defined as 'spectacular', 'amazing', and 'inspiring'.

Asides from the fact that I was almost too chocked up to finish reading my work, that night was a huge success.  Some people took my information to pass along to families that they knew who may want to contribute stories to the book and I got to mingle with the other writers who bravely took center stage to share their own precious words.

I'm sorry there is no picture to post with this blog.  I had my video camera running so that I could post the video to my blog, but when I finished my reading and went to click the stop button I realized that it froze 42 seconds into taping and I ended up with nothing more than me introducting myself to the audience.  Then when I came home to download the pictures I took with my camera, of course that did not want to work either.  But as you all know things happen in threes and the best part was that my last name had accidently been printed wrong so I started out the evening with a new identity.  Ce La Ve...what else can you do but laugh?  I had a great time and that's all that matters !