How I Celebrated my 85th birthday #Beating the Blahs

Looking for ways to beat the blahs? Do something that makes you laugh, preferably at yourself.

I wrote a poem.

On a gray and foggy morn

Many years since I was born,

I looked into the dismal sky

And said, “Oh, dear, how can I

Do something cheery

And beat a day that's  dull and dreary?

“Yesterday my family came,

Cards and emails did the same.

More good friends are also due;

I need diversion until two.”

 

Then a bright idea struck,

No longer was I sad or stuck.

“Aha!" I cried. "At seventeen

I wrote a mystery book for teens.

 

“The perfect day to dig it out,

For I recall I had no doubt:

That it would sell, although my first.

(Ouch. 😘 Turned out to be my worst!)

 

So, “The Staircase Mystery” lured,

Although for months I only heard

“Not for us,” until one day

Fortune changed and smiled my way.

The book that I secretly claimed

Would put dear Nancy Drew to shame

Had brought a contract, and high praise!

After months, and years, and days.

 

I let out a joyful holler . . .

Then, “Eighteen hundred dollars?”

They want me to pay them money?

What a joke--but not so funny.

 

"It may as well be twice the fee . . .

Well, they won't get a cent from me."

So the manuscript lay hidden

For decades,’til at last, driven

By morning dark and dreary

I needed laughs to make me cheery.

Break

It took so long to polish my poem, I decided to wait and read the manuscript after visiting with friends and taking a walk in the sunshine. Now my house is filled with gorgeous bouquets, cards, and many email greetings from wonderful friends.

 The story goes on . . .

So, I whiled away the hours.

As the story over-powered

Even amateurish writing

(For the story is  exciting ) 👮

 

Now the fog and gloom have lifted. 

I reached THE END and feel I'm gifted 

By the story done at night

In the rays of pale lamplight. (A kerosene lamp. We had no electricity.)

 

* * *

Gifted? In spite of all the book’s flaws? Yes. Why?

The rest of the story.

I was close to tears. “All that time I spent writing. Wasted.”

Dad put it in perspective. “Not at all, Colleen. It taught you a lot. By persisting, you wrote a full-length book [190 double-spaced typed pages.] You had a wonderful time. You created characters, a plot with lots of action, and a believable setting.  Readers knew in the first paragraph what the boys wanted. You continued to submit even though no one bought your novel. Those things will all help you when you write other books.”

He chuckled. “You also have some great chapter titles. My favorites are ‘The Cave of Horrors’ and ‘The Spook Cruise.’ They are intriguing without giving away the contents."

Dad was right. My first book-writing experience, even the false flattery from the vanity press (I hadn't known such places existed) that praised the book (!) proved valuable.

The full story of this incident, including excerpts from The Staircase Mystery plus the acceptance letter, are included in Lamplight to Limelight: Journey of Joy. The title traces my often-rocky road to authorship from dreaming of becoming an author to the fulfillment of my dream and contains timeless writing tips learned along the way.

It includes a bonus book, Countdown to Christmas.

Luke 2:16 tells us that after the angels announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds in the field, the shepherds “came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.”

Their gift was joyful adoration that the long-awaited Messiah had come. They worshiped Jesus, then went forth to spread the good tidings.

Our greatest gift is to welcome Jesus into our hearts and homes every day of the year.

Award-winning authors Colleen L. Reece and Julie Reece-DeMarco present heart-warming stories and suggestions for activities designed to bring families closer to our Lord and one another while preparing for Christmas during Advent.

 Both titles also available on Kindle. 

Books available at