The Curse of the Magic Mirror is finally a book! Bursting onto bookstore shelves everywhere in less than a week! It has been a long process. It starts with the idea (of course!) put into words. It progresses to a video phone call with the famed and talented illustrator, David Trumble. We brainstorm and inspire each…
We don’t know what the future holds, as nearly every shift in a trauma hospital reminded me. I would encounter patients who never expected that their day, and sometimes their life, would end in the ER or ICU. John Lennon wrote “Beautiful Boy” for his 5 year old son: “Life is what happens while you…
Overlooking Washington, DC, a lone guard treks back and forth, 24/7. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier located below the Memorial Amphitheater in Arlington National Cemetery (ANC) is guarded 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. If the government closes because of blizzard or Nor’easter, the guard remains at place of duty. In the blazing…
When we were visiting our son who is stationed near Pensacola, we drove alongside a pickup truck—a common vehicle on the roads. What shocked us was the olive-drab machine gun mounted on the truck’s cab. While there was no visible ammo and we assumed it was non-operational, it’s the thought that counts. What message does…
To what or whom do you owe loyalty? Reading about the resignation of Ralph Peters, a retired U.S. Army intelligence officer, from Fox News made me wonder about how many willingly or thoughtlessly sell their souls to attain wealth, power, position or fame. Peters claimed the network had “degenerated from providing a legitimate and much-needed outlet for conservative voices to…
While the U.S. Army’s recruiting slogan “Be all you can be” has been superseded by “Army Strong,” the women who spoke at the Army Women’s Foundation (AWF) Annual Summit on March 12th, exemplify the qualities embedded in both mottos. Captains Kristen Griest and Shaye Haver, the first two women to earn Ranger tabs from one of…
What a century of war it has been since the “War to End All Wars.” The First World War lasted from 1914–1918, although the United States didn’t declare war against Germany until April 1917 in response to President Woodrow Wilson’s request to make the world “safe for democracy.” The Armistice ending the fighting was signed…
Read Across America Day celebrates Dr. Seuss’s birthday on March 2nd and promotes literacy and the joys of reading. Books can transform: There is power in simple storytelling and colorful images. While we tend to think of Dr. Seuss in terms of juvenile fiction, he said: “I don’t write for children. I write for people.”…
“It must be true—I read it on the internet.” The 2016 presidential election is just one example of how many people place their trust in social media. A group of like-minded ‘friends’ can amplify messages, whether true or false, adding to a toxic online commentary that spreads falsehoods or partial truths. Without subjecting information to…
Habits are actions that we repeatedly do, like brushing teeth, driving a car, or getting dressed. When you watch a toddler learning to get dressed, it makes you realize some advantages of mindless performance rather than thinking about the steps that go into choosing an outfit or putting on a shirt. Life without habits would…
It is so exciting to receive a book as a gift, and GIVE MORE H.U.G.S generated a lot of excitement last week in four schools in Port Chester, NY by holding their annual book share fair. This group’s Mission is begins in its name: Helping Unite Giving Souls to provide students in need with the tools to inspire a love…
This Thursday in the Connecticut Building. From 1:30 to 5:30 I will be at the Big E signing books in the Connecticut Building! I will be at the booth of the Connecticut Authors’ and Publishers’ Association, signing, smiling and handing out free stickers. If you have never been to the six New England States’ fair…
