Katsblog77

Desecration of the Honor or Heroes

2012-01-10T19:32:00.000-05:00

Hello, my friends,

They’re at it again and I’m mad as hell!

Westboro Baptist Church, an independent Baptist church based in Topeka Kansas and headed by Fred Phelps and family, is nothing more than a legalized hate group; not too far afield of Nazi-ism if you ask me . . . but . . . I digress.

These people go all over the country touting their so called “religious” beliefs—disguised as Christians who defile the American flag but shroud themselves in the Bill of Rights—by protesting at the funerals of the very heroes who died to preserve those rights. They preach hate and intolerance and are constantly monitored by the Anti-Defamation League. They advocate prejudice against all who do not follow their practices and deem them “Satanic” and bound for hell. This is not true Christian behavior. Christianity advocates love, honor and respect for their leaders and the warriors who are charged with the protection of the people.

How can this be allowed? You might ask. Well, this issue was brought before the United States Supreme Court in March of 2011 and in a vote of 8-1 ruled in favor of the church.

It seems that they have the right to disparage the honor of our fallen heroes as often as they like and just about any manner they choose because it is in the Bill of Rights. You know, that line about freedom of speech and the separation of state and church. But I ask you this: How could a group of people who so openly abhor this country and shout as loudly as they can that God hates American and we should all be destroyed, they hold up signs that say “Thank God for dead soldiers”; a group that has ridiculed America, expect to be protected by the rights those same dead soldiers they protest against, died for? Can you say: “double standard”?

Just this past Saturday, January 7^th, 2012 one of the fallen heroes, a young Pfc. named Justin M. Whitmire, only 20 years old, was laid to rest in Simpsonville, South Carolina and this band of hoodlums tried to stage a protest. Do they not realize the agony the families of these fallen young men and women are going through? This young man was training to be a medic; not only was he a soldier to protect his country but he wanted to be a healer as well and these . . . I have no words to describe them! Scum? Disciples of Lucifer? However you describe them they are heartless and soulless to celebrate the death of one so good and pure of heart.

They tried to dishonor a hero. They tried to discredit his life’s purpose. But they failed! Halleluiah, AMEN!

The Patriot Guard Riders, a group of motorcycle riders that formed in 2005 to protect the families of deceased soldiers, was on hand at Pfc. Whitmire’s funeral and stood to protect his loved ones from the protest. I’ve also heard it on good authority that Hell’s Angels were on hand as well. From the “grapevine” I heard the Hell’s Angels blocked Frank Phelps and his hoard of heathens from even attending the funeral by blocking the parking lot of a store where they had convened: to “pray” I would imagine.

This country was founded on freedom. Young men and women have suffered, bled and died for over two centuries to protect those freedoms and I for one believe they should be given proper respect. There is a difference in “freedom of speech” and down right “hate propaganda”. Frank Phelps and his “hoard of heathens” he calls a church’s actions may not be technically defined as treasonous, but what do you call it when a group of American Citizens spew out such diabolical rhetoric defaming this country’s military? It aids the enemy in breaking down the morale of our citizens. It gives an opening to home grown terrorists to step in and stoke the flames of discontent within our borders. This administration’s approval rating is at an all time low as it is, not to mention this is an election year and focus is split in a myriad of directions.

The “hoard of heathens” are aiding and abetting terrorist activity. For the sake of and the safety of this country we all need to do something about this situation. I suggest everyone write their city council, state representative, governor, congressman, hell write the president and let them all know we will not tolerate the desecration of the honor of our fallen heroes.

I only have one last thing to say to those who hate America: Don’t let our borders hit you in the ass on your way out!!!!!

God Bless America, and have a great day.

Kate

A New Year; A New Attitude!

2012-01-05T20:52:00.000-05:00

Hello friends;
Well, it's a new year and all things are possible!
Just think: the turning of a new page means that you have the chance to start fresh. Begin anew. Old things are passing away and new things are about to begin!
By all means I would never suggest that you leave behind the things that are important such as your loved ones, bills that need to be paid, that place where they hold your paycheck hostage and you dread leaving the house every morning just to put in your forty plus hours. Those tangibles that we must endure to survive in a world spinning out of control. The rampant commercialism, mud slinging political campaigns, (it is an election year after all); looming global economic collapse and, well, I think you get the picture.
Hmm, not exactly the most promising picture I'm painting is it?
That's where the turning to a clean page comes in: Everyone knows and suffers with the tangibles . . . but what about those intangibles? Like attitude? Self esteem? Tolerance of others?
Let's take these intangibles one at a time:

Attitude: Webster's New World Dictionary defines this as: 1 a bodily posture showing mood, action, etc. 2 a manner showing one's feelings or thoughts 3 ones disposition, opinion, etc. 4 (slang) a quarrelsome or haughty temperament or manner.
If you ask me these are all things that we have total control over--in ourselves that is. I have decided that the way people perceive me is due to the attitude that I project from within. No one controls that except ME. I am in total control of my attitude. So that can only mean one thing: If I don't like what I see in the mirror I am the only one that can change it.

Self esteem: 1 self respect 2 undue pride in oneself; conceit
Yes, I have spent a lot of my life with what could be termed "Low self esteem" I had no respect for myself, and was my own worst enemy. I was also a self-saboteur. I felt I was unworthy of anything better and for many wasted years I did nothing to change that until I saw the light with a simple remark that my best friend told me about twenty five years ago, give or take a couple of years, "People will treat you the way you teach them to treat you." WOW! That one took me by complete surprise when I realized that it was absolutely true. I projected a poor attitude of myself and others picked up on that. If I didn't like me then why should they? I never saw myself as attractive, desirable or even smart back then. I've always thought of myself as plain, common and nothing special. And thinking that way about me I sent out these tsunami waves of negative energy and others picked up on them.
Once I realized what I was doing I did what I had to do. It wasn't easy and I fell back into that "woe is me" attitude on occasion but I have finally come to realize that I am special: to myself. I am attractive and desirable, (someday someone will realize that I am unique and special but I refuse to wait around until that day comes. I can do what ever I wish to do because, "I CAN"). I am an intelligent woman and I learn new things every day. I stopped believing the worst about myself and I finally convinced myself that I wasn't really a waste of fresh oxygen and chromosomes. I would catch myself putting me down with degrading remarks such as; "I am so stupid. Why did I do something so dumb?" Or, "Look how fat I am." And the coup de gras "I wish I looked like (fill in the blank with the current supermodel here)." These are all things that told me I was not good enough and I was lacking.

But, you know what? Like that old song by Patti Labelle "I've Got A New Attitude"

I stopped telling myself what was wrong about me and started finding things that were right about me. Each day I told myself something good about myself and that no matter what I was going to find something good to make even my darkest day just a little bit brighter.

If not, well, Tomorrow will be a brighter day!

Tolerance: The last item on my intangibles list. 1 being tolerant of others' views, beliefs, practices, etc. 2 the amount of variation allowed from a standard 3 med. The (developed) ability to resist the effects of a drug, etc. (this one has no bearing on my point but thought I should add it anyway.)

Well, this one is pretty self explanatory I would think. You should have a little more tolerance for yourself when you make a mistake. Don't beat yourself up over a bad decision, a broken relationship that should never have been a relationship in the first place, or backing into that pole the other day. Things happen, deal with it and move on. Easier said than done, I know, I know. I am my own worst critic and I should practice what I preach and for the most part I do.
It's not the mistakes we make that make us, it's how we deal with those mistakes and what we learn from them.

It's all in the attitude, self esteem and tolerance.

Tomorrow will always be a brighter day . . . even when it rains it could be always be worse. You could be living in a country that shuns democracy and advocates the subjugation of women.
Think about it.

Start your New Year with a Great New Attitude!
Later
Kate

Happy Holidays, welcome home!

2011-12-19T13:50:00.000-05:00

Happy Holidays to all and welcome home to those military service people that have finally returned home from Iraq.
It is so great to have you home and with my deepest gratitude THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!!!
There is no way to say in words how much your sacrifices are appreciated. I would like to bestow on you and yours all the blessings and greatest wishes for the new year and hope you will all find the success and happiness you deserve.
I know that this transition will be extremely difficult for you. Your life has been a constant vigilance, finding danger from all sides, always on your guard against treachery from those who posed as friend and ally. Even walking along the roadway brought danger and death. You could never place your trust in anyone other than your brother or sister in arms. Fear and suspicion was your constant companion.
Now, you are home, the enemy you faced over there are no longer such a prominent threat.
But your demons have followed you home.
The training can't be unlearned, you will always be vigilant. The horrors of war that you faced will always be in your mind, in your dreams as it has been for all warriors, soldiers, fighters throughout history. And the grief you feel for the loss of those friends who gave their lives and fell in battle will leave a deep and painful scar on your heart and soul.

Perhaps while you were there, as rockets burned across the night sky and you shielded yourself behind a wall, a rock, or where ever as bullets hailed like hellfire around you, something like,"I am so afraid to die, I don't want to be here. I want to go home." went through your mind and guilt assailed you for it. Those thoughts are not the thoughts or needs or wants of a coward. Those are the thoughts and needs and wants of a brave and valiant human being that put the needs of others before his own needs.
It has always been said, through time immemorial, "There is no greater love than to lay down your life for another". The true sign of a hero is not that he is not afraid, but that in spite of his fear he does what needs to be done. That, my friends, is what our US Military has done for this country and we should all, each and every American citizen should be thankful for: our military service personell from the highest ranking general to the filing clerks. They have all played a part in keeping us safe so that we could celebrate this Christmas season as we see fit. From the birth of Jesus Christ to Hanukkah to Kwanza to no religeous belief at all, we have them to thank.

You are brave. You are appriciated and you are loved!

Always remember to thank a soldier for their service. It doesn't matter why they joined, only that they did.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to one and all!!!

Kate

Hubris of youth, joy of hope

2011-12-06T19:55:00.000-05:00

Reality has very rudely slapped me in the face!

This attention grabber came at me in the form of a photograph that surfaced recently after being buried in the obscurity of my life’s history.

I was young, I was free and I was HOT!!! And I was nineteen when this particular image was captured for posterity. Oh, those were the days . . . 1976 . . . summer time to be exact and as I recall the times were the best of my life. I look back on them fondly and with some regret. The halter tops, bell bottoms and mood rings were all the rage and I was grabbing the good times with both hands and wringing every drop of fun and excitement I could squeeze from those fun filled days. It was the summer to beat all summers. Life was just waiting for me and I had no time to lose.

            Looking at that picture I remember the dreams I had and the future that I fantasized about. And I had big dreams but they were always for tomorrow.
            Now, here I am approaching my . . . ouch . . . 55^th birthday—man that hurts—and I remember. Those dreams and fantasies have never come to fruition. That hurts even more, I think.
            I suppose we’ve all had our fair share of dreams at that age; some of us made those dreams a reality and reached the goals we’ve set for ourselves. Then, too, there are those of us, myself included, who had no real idea how to set about making those dreams a reality and thinking “oh, I’ve got lots of time yet” and felt they would, “just happen” when the time came.
            Alas, they didn’t happen. I never had those 2.5 children, the house in the Burbs and that $100,000 a year dream job in a top executive position. I never attained that bullet proof cape of “Super Woman”, leading the charge of righteous feminism into the future as a hero to womankind.
            There was the devastating disappointment of my first marriage that had the life span of a soap bubble; one of those really bad choices a young woman makes when faced with great looks, broad shoulders and a forked tongue. Honestly, we’ve all been there at least once in our lives, haven’t we? Some wake up before it’s too late and the rest of us have to learn our lessons the hard way. What can you do?
            There were incredible highs like buying my first car or winning an all expenses paid trip to Jamaica. Sun, surf and lots of turquoise water to dance in. Not to mention all the buff, tanned beefcake you could feast your sunglass shaded eyes on. And there was that moment . . . that one special moment when you look into a pair of the most compassionate, warm, loving brown eyes and know you have seen your own special heaven. The feeling of being treasured beyond all things flows through you like warm honey and satin and you know you have finally become whole. I’m no Plato but I do believe we all have another half of us that makes us feel whole and there is nothing to match that feeling when you find that person.
            I’ve never been blessed with children of my own but I’ve known the joy of watching my nieces grow and find their own way in the world. I’ve experienced the ecstasy in finding that one special love that made me whole. And I’ve been blessed with the most amazing friend who has stayed by my side, literally and figuratively, over the years and has never let me down. She was my life line when I lost my husband, my soul mate, to cancer some years ago. An angel named Anna.
            I have lost good jobs, money, friends and loved ones. I’ve even lost my dreams but the one thing that I have never lost was hope.
            There were moments, however, when my grip on hope was tenuous at best; but I held on to it. I clung to it like a scared child clings to its mother after a nightmare knowing that should I lose my hold on hope, I would be lost.
            As the saying goes “that which does not kill us . . .etc.” You know what I mean.
            The disappointments in my life, the losses and the confusion have tempered me to a resolve of steel. It has made me strong enough to endure almost anything, I think. Every morning when the alarm sounds it gives me an opportunity to make old dreams real or create new ones if needs be. Every time the sun rises over the eastern horizon I have renewed hope that this day will be better than yesterday. And if it isn’t? Well, tomorrow the sun will rise again and hope will be reborn.
I may be more mature now than when I was nineteen but with that maturity comes life and with life comes friends, family, hopes and dreams. Joys and disappointments. And, God willing and if the fates allow, I’ll have many more sunrises ahead of me that renew those hopes and dreams.
With a new day, come new challenges to be met. With a new year comes a chance at a new dream.

What will your dream be?

Hope to see you here again.

Kate

Share your blessings

2011-11-13T13:26:00.000-05:00

Well friends, it's that time of year again and everyone is about to start their frenzied Christmas shopping. To tell you the truth, if I had to go to the mall between Thanksgiving and New Years Day, I think it would throw me into psychotic episodes. I haven't been to the mall since Don passed away over eight years ago except to run into a certain store for one item and then I felt as though I'd stepped into the Twilight Zone on crack!
    Oh, I remember the days when I lived for going to the mall! Alas, as I have matured my priorities have matured too. I miss those younger, fun filled days.
    I envy those who have the ability to clad themselves in the armor of persistence, aggressive attitude and the battle knowledge of how to surveille the stores for the ultimate gifts for those special someones on their lists. And to find that perfect gift at the absolute best price would be like winning the holiday lottery . . . only the winnings would be wrapped in brightly colored paper, bound with festive ribbon and placed lovingly under the artificial, pre-lit tree that had been sitting in the prime spot in the living room for weeks, until Christmas morning.
    When I was a kid, the tree was a real honest to goodness tree fresh from the Christmas tree lot and filled the house with fresh pine scent, not something plastic and pre-lit with fancy white flashing lights and shiny glass ornaments purchased from specialty stores with no real meaning to them other than they were "pretty". No sirree, when I was a kid those trees were real, the lights were strung in multi colored strands by my grandfather while the rest of us waited with baited breath to hang that first home made ornament on the first bough we could reach. Many of the ornaments we had back then were homemade but some were also memories of happy times in far off places like . . . New York City maybe, or some other place my grandparents had visited in their own younger days.
    Christmas meant something back then; it meant that it was a time for families to come together and help one another, to love one another and yes to fuss at one another too. But isn't that what families do? We all have our own memories of this holiest of holidays; some good memories, some fabulous memories and some bad memories. I have had a lot of holidays to remember in my . . . we won't go into how many Christmases I've had, suffice it to say there were many . . . lifetime and the majority of them I am happy to say have brought me a great deal of pleasure and I thank God for those memories.
But--and here it comes--there are so many who have nothing this holiday season and those of us who can will do what we can to help them. If you don't have the money to give maybe you have some canned goods in your cupboard that you could donate to a food pantry so someone less fortunate can have something good to eat over the holidays. Or maybe you have a few extra blankets that the homeless shelter could use; maybe a coat or jacket that has been hanging in the back of your closet that you never wear could be donated to a shelter for abused women and children. There are so many ways to help others if you just put forth a little effort.
    And what of those who have family over seas in the military that will not be able to make it home for the holidays? What of the men and women on the real battle lines where live bullets and road side bombs are more of a threat than not finding that perfect gift at the mall? Maybe you can pick up a few things like magazines, toothbrushes, books and other little things that the soldiers over there miss, and put them into a box and ship a nice Christmas package from home. Even if you don't know them personally there are ways to brighten another person's day just by saying "I'm thinking of you and you are appriciated". If you want to give a special gift to a soldier, contact your local VFW, I'm sure they would be more than willing to help you find the right way to send a Christmas package to a soldier overseas.
    Sharing your blessings is the real reason we should celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. After all, didn't he share the ultimate gift with us?

May you all have a blessed holiday season.
Kate

Welcome Home!

2011-10-30T16:19:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,

It’s been a decade awash in blood and tears.

The men and women who have so selflessly sacrificed more than they should have ever been asked deserve our unending, heartfelt gratitude.

            It is because of those courageous, valiant souls that I have the freedom to write this without fear of persecution for voicing my thoughts in a public forum.
            Since time immemorial the strong have stood for the weak and bled for them. They have been our champions and guardians. They battled back those who would stand for evil over good, wrong over right, greed over altruism.
            In our history we haven’t always been so gracious to our warriors returning home. The heroes returning from the Second World War were met with parades and revelry and praise for a job well done. But those who returned from the jungles of Southeast Asia were greeted with scorn and ridicule and protests. How could we have been so cruel to those who gave so much? They fought and bled and died as soldiers had done for centuries and yet we treated them not as the heroic warriors they were but were shunned and persecuted for doing what they were sent to do. They fought in our stead so that we could sleep in peace.
            Though it is years past time to say thank you to the veterans of Vietnam, I still want to tell them they were and are appreciated by many more than they really know.
            The men and women returning home from Iraq will be met with gratitude and open arms by most of the American people. I will be one of them.
            There will be those dissenting few who will look down their noses and sniff in disdain at them for what they might perceive as unnecessary cruelty and violence toward a country that we had no business sticking our political noses in. I say to them, “THEY DREW FIRST BLOOD!” 9/11 wasn’t the first attack against America; it was just the first attack on our turf. We are now more vigilant and it will be the last time we are taken by surprise.
            We could no longer turn the other cheek when terrorist groups bent on destruction of democracy in favor of their religious tenets that dictated nothing but subjugation of women and death to any who do not believe as they do.
            Our men and women in uniform have upheld the democracy and freedom this country was founded on and still stands for. They’ve done their patriotic duty not because they were paid a wage for their loyalty but because they believe in what they are fighting for.
            They are strong, they are proud, they are Americans with honor.
            Please join me in saying to all of those returning home from Iraq.

WELCOME HOME

The war isn’t over and many more are destined to die until terrorism is defeated. For now, we can rejoice in the fact that there are those with the strength of heart and soul to stand and say, “Not on my watch will your evil enter here!”

May God bless all of our military and keep them safe.

Until next time,

Kate

A Timeless Battle

2011-10-22T17:52:00.000-04:00

Hey y'all,
It's coming up on Halloween and I thought I would share a poem that Anna and I worked on a few months ago. It seems fitting for this time of year and hopefully it will bring the chill bumps cheerfully raising on your skin. Just remember that all myths have a grain of truth at their inception. It really makes me wonder about the legends of vampires, werewolves and other creatures of the night.
I have recently been re-reading my collection of Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark-Hunter series and believe me it has given me a lot of pause for thought. The woman is a master when it comes to mixing Greek Gods and vampires to make it all sound so . . . reasonably plausible? Who knew? If you haven't read anything by her this would be a great time to check it out. I really enjoy her work and if you get a thrill out of Gothic vampires in modern day situations mixed with thousands of years of torturous memories that haunt her characters, and how they deal with the humans they inevitably come into contact with, you will love it

Now, here is the little ditty that I promised you:

The Timeless Battle

On wings of silence the wind swept, in evil defiance the mist crept as the new moon ruled the night

Lurking among shadows underneath heaven's gallows, the malevolent bastards started the fight

The gossamer veil grew too thin between spirits and ghosts and men as the battle for souls raged on

The Furies took their stand claiming souls of the recently damned as they greeted the blood red dawn

Magic dark and magic light ravaged each other through the night but only one will claim the power

It can be said the inception of this nightly obsession began at the dawn of the Golden Hour

Voices were raised in futility as darkness died in humility and they all screamed in pain

The dawn lay bleeding from the celestial feeding when the Gods were dark and insane

And the demons of fear demanded entry here as they beat bloodied fists upon the door

As the new moon set and the God's collected their debt, the evil ones retreated once more

To the depths of hell where Hades hailed, and the shades of Tartarus wailed in constant pain and woe

The evil ones will try to flee from there, the lost souls will do what they dare to end what they know

Forever in hunger and pain and thirst, to this existence they were cursed for the sins in their life

So know it now when offered this deal, some of the myths and legends are real, in your time there is goodness inside the strife.

Heed this warning for your immortal soul, evil has but only one goal: to return to life in the sun

As the world endlessly turns, their thirst for your blood burns if you fall the end has begun.

Oooo! give you the chills yet? Think about it on all hallows eve!

Have a great Halloween.

Kate

Tomorrow will be a better day!

2011-09-26T14:38:00.003-04:00

Hello,
Now that summer is almost over and the heat and humidity have decreased, I have found myself looking back over the past year. The beginning of the new year was difficult with joint replacement surgery and the financial burden that placed on my already screaming wallet. But as I look back over the past nine months, and the years behind me as well, I realize that recovering from anything, be it surgery, loss through death of a loved one, divorce or financial problems, it is all in how you feel about yourself whether you come out of it with painful scars that cause perpetual remorse or lessons learned and move on with your life.
Many of you who know me know that I lost my husband to lung cancer nearly nine years ago; this was the most painful time of my life and I didn't think I would ever get over it. With the memories that Don and I made to sustain me and the unconditional love he had shown me for the thirteen years we were together I made it through those years. This past weekend I found some pictures of some of those memories and it reminded me of where I had been and where I am now; the people that have passed through my life and those who still remain. I will always be grateful to everyone who has touched my life for I have gained something from each and every one of them; the good and the bad made me what I am today: a strong and independent woman of middle age perfectly capable of taking care of herself come what may.
In my youth I lacked self esteem and feared being rejected, feeling that I was unworthy of being loved and thinking that I had to do what ever I was told to make sure I was loved. This drove me to marry the first man that said he loved me at the age of twenty. What a disaster that was! We were separated within a year and divorced by the second year. As I mentioned earlier the good and the bad helped shape the person I am and how you feel about yourself will determine how you handle a given situation. Over the years I have learned this one truth: "TOMORROW WILL BE A BETTER DAY SO DON'T LOSE HOPE!" If tomorrow isn't what you want it to be, then do something about it and the next day will be better.
There is no reason a person must settle for less than what they truly want. Not even the lack of financial support should stop you. If you need money and you can't find a job, use your own imagination to create your own income whether it is as simple as baby sitting your neighbors kids, taking in outside laundry or offering to cut your neighbor's grass on Saturday evenings or as complicated as starting your own home based business, there are ways to improve your situation.
If money isn't your problem and human companionship is what you crave, try keeping a smile on your face even when you don't feel as though you have anything to smile about. A simple smile and a cheerful "Good Morning" will be more readily accepted and appreciated by friends and strangers alike than a constant frown and foul language. The old saw "Misery loves company" is so true, but the opposite side of that coin is "A smile is more contagious than the flu"

A friend once told me something that literally changed the way I felt about myself and I am going to share that bit of advice with you in hopes that it will help you feel better about yourself:
"People will treat you the way you teach them to treat you."
Huh! Imagine that! If you treat yourself badly others will pick up on that. If you treat yourself with love and respect, they will pick up on that as well.

I hope my little ramble has helped you have a better day.
Lots of love
Kate

A taste of "Secrets"

2011-09-12T12:37:00.000-04:00

I had a brainstorm this morning, or perhaps it was a brain fart but I guess we'll just have to wait and see what the results are from this "idea" that popped into my head. I've been mulling it over all morning and I have come to the conclusion that I have to stop limiting myself and just put it out there for any and all to catch a glimpse of; to see if there might be a spark of interest that could be fanned into a hungry flame with the potential of a raging inferno. I'm talking about posting a very small passage of my completed manuscript titled Secrets in Bethlehem on this blog.
As this is my baby, and I its mother, I am very proud of my finished work. Seeing as how it is the first of my creative endeavors I realize that a published author with years of successes under their belt would beg to differ. I am a novice; I admit it. I have no resume to speak of and this is my first foray into this arena but I have been told that I am very tenacious. I will accept any and all creative, and constructive suggestions from those who have been in the business and have learned what is needed to become a successful published author. I have taken fiction writing classes, creative writing workshops, correspondence writing courses and read insatiably. I know that writing a best seller right out of the gate is not an every day occurrence and I have no delusions of this happening. I do, however, intend to see one of my fiction creations in print.
A word to those who suggest a "Vanity Press" or self publication: NOT IN THIS LIFETIME!!! My ego is healthy and I may be a little obsessive when it comes to my writing, but not to that point and my wallet doesn't allow for that type of self-indulgence. I have more respect for my gift as a writer even if no one else does at this point. Perhaps I am being naive about it in this economy but there you are.
Anyway, here is a little snippet of one of the several high impact scenes:

                                                            Secrets in Bethlehem
                                                                      Written By:
                                                                     Kate Donns

. . . Travis broke through the closed door at the end of the hall like a human battering ram. Leading with his shoulder the wooden door, weakened by age and neglect, splintered and gave under the brutal force. He stopped dead as though he had hit an invisible wall. A tall, powerfully built man with a scar slashing his left cheek from eyebrow to chin stood behind Janey, one arm around her neck, holding her close to his chest the other holding a gun to her temple. An ugly purple bruise was starting to form on her cheekbone. The sight of that evidence of abuse had Travis’s blood seething, hissing an oath between clinched teeth.

Her head was tilted slightly to the side at an unnatural angle and Travis could hear the breath as it heaved out of her lungs fast and harsh. In the dim light he could see the courage in Janey's eyes where he had thought he would see fear; not in his Janey, he decided and it filled him with wonder. It filled him with the need to put his hands around the throat of the man who held her and squeeze the life out of him for putting that gun to her head. For putting his hands on her.

“Drop the guns on the floor and kick them to me. All we want is the kid.” Bogarde said. “Give him to me and you can all go free. No harm done.” Bogarde knew that Jasper had to be dead. The two gunshots he’d heard and the two men standing in front of him were proof of that and realized his chances of getting out alive had drastically decreased.

“Don't hurt her.” Travis begged as he lowered and carefully set Jasper's gun on the floor in front of him. “Look. I'm putting down the gun. Now let her go.” Do what he says, Travis thought, and keep him distracted. There had to be a way out of this; he couldn’t lose Janey. Not after all they had been through.

“Just tell me where the kid is.” Bogarde demanded as he pushed the gun hard against Janey's temple. “All I want is the kid.” Sweat beaded across the man’s forehead, dripped down his face. Travis could almost smell the fear emanating from the man holding Janey and that wasn’t good. Desperate men tended to take desperate measures.

The soft, sweet voice saying, “Travis?” came from behind him. It broke through Travis's concentration. He whirled around to see Jesse standing in the door way and sick dread lodged in Travis's throat, terror and fury such as he had never known before, gripped him stopping time, all but stopping his heart. . .

Hope you enjoyed it. Let me know what you think. I'll be looking for your comments and suggestions.
Thanks again,
Kathy

Thank You! In remembrance

2011-09-11T13:02:00.000-04:00

Hey, y'all,
Just a quick update to let you know what is happening here in the great state of South Carolina; Greenville, to be specific.
The weather has cooled a great deal and is now very pleasant in the mid to high 70's and lower humidity with sunshine and an all in all perfect Sunday afternoon.
The memories of 9/11/2001 are all around us today and I have seen a lot of respectful salutes to those who have lost their lives in the war against terrorism.
For instance: I went to Waffle House for breakfast this morning and I was very pleased and comforted to see that the Waffle House employees had replaced their usual uniform of blue with the patriotic choice of red, white and blue as a salute to the hero's of this day in history. I, myself, donned a tee shirt with a flag emblazoned across the front, and flag earrings as well, to show my support also. We all remember that black day ten years ago and we all remember the horror as we watched the towers fall in a cloud of black smoke knowing that there were so many who did not make it out alive. The World Trade Center, The Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania are all sites to be remembered as well as the battle fields of the Middle East. The anger that fueled just about every American still has not calmed in many of us and even though Osama Bin Ladin is dead, his fanatical zealots still are reeking havoc all around the world.
It is a sad thing that in the twenty first century we still have this type of thing going on because we don't believe as others do and therefore should not be allowed to live in peace and worship our own God or follow our own beliefs. When does it end?
This is a day of remembrance and to say "Thank You" to not only our soldiers fighting now, but those who fought for our freedom since this country was founded.

Thank You!

P.S. Just a little personal footnote; I have started a new book,the first in a series to be exact, and I have decided to write under the pen name: Kate Donns. The new book is about a team of vampire slayers based in the historic city of Charleston S.C. I can't wait to get it finished. I am still working on getting the other one, "Secrets in Bethlehem" published so wish me luck on that front too.

Writer's workshop

2011-08-28T06:59:00.000-04:00

Hey Ya'll,
I have to let you know what happened at the Writer's Workshop that Anna and I went to in Macon, Georgia last Saturday. I have to tell you I had the most fantastic time and in that one hour I learned so much. Sarah Domet led the workshop and I am sure by what I learned about her that she must be a wonderful and enlightening teacher. She made learning sound like a fascinating adventure into Alice's Wonderland.
The people that made up the group were fun and constructive with their own information and writing foibles and, I have to tell you, I have never in my life met a group of strangers that I had that instant connection with. I suppose it's because this was my first workshop of this nature and I have never been with more than one or two people that had the same creative interests that I have. I guess you could say we were all of a like mind even though our writing interests were varied from Romance to Mystery to Science Fiction and more but we all had one thing in common: we wanted, no, needed to write. It is a part of us that we have to give free reign or lose a part of ourselves.

I've always wanted to write. Even as a child I would write odd bits of poetry that, as I grew older, became songs and developed into short stories and themes. I wrote to please myself and for the joy of seeing something of myself on paper. When my husband died over eight years ago my muse took a sabbatical. About three or four years ago she returned with a vengeance. Several times since then she has tried to escape but I grabbed her by the hair and yanked her back; she is now bound to me with the unbreakable chains of creativity. Since that time I have completed two manuscripts and have the workings of at least six or seven more. However, I've never quite gotten the hang of the process of how to get the novel I am writing to flow as it should. Until Sarah Domet explained it to our group in simple terms that just finally settled in the corner of my brain and gave me that "ah ha!" moment. The one thing that always gave me the shudders . . . outlines! If you don't know what is happening how can you write about it? And character bios; if you don't know your character how can you tell others about them?

Needless to say, I bought her book 90 Days to Your Novel and I am studying it from cover to cover.

I have also started the character bios and an outline for a new novel that I am writing. I haven't gotten the other two published yet but I am still working on it. This new novel is a going to be better because I am going to follow the guidelines that have been working for years.

My advice to all of you is "Trust the process, it works for a reason".

Bye now and have a great day.
Kate Porter

It's a hot summer

2011-08-01T21:05:00.000-04:00

Hi all,
yes it's definitely a hot one this summer. I have been trying to keep cool like everyone else but I draw the line at going to a public pool. Me in a bathing suit is not a pretty sight so I keep my cool by staying inside where it's air conditioned.

I have been doing a lot of work on my book, rewrites and revisions and I am almost finished with it. I am hoping to be finished by next weekend. I have rewritten my query letter, yes again, this makes something like . . . oh, maybe . . . thirty one thousand six hundred and twenty times, give or take. Okay, maybe not that many but it sure seems like it. I have very high hopes that I will be able to capture someones attention this time around.

I have found that writing the book is the easy part. It's the rewriting and revising that holds the key. The most difficult part is getting someone to read it that can put it in a publisher's hands. There is so much competition out there and the economy is in such bad shape that there really aren't a lot of people out there that would be willing to back someone that has never been published before so they tend to be very critical. I haven't lost hope though. The best way to success is to keep at it and don't give up.

Now, with that little tidbit of advice I think I will get back to my book. Right now it is over 125,000 words and 401 pages long. I am now on page 332 of my revision work. I can't wait to get if finished but I refuse to rush through it. Take my time and get it right.

I have already made notes on three other books that I intend to write but I needed to finish this one first. I know me, if I don't discipline myself I will jump from one to the other and never finish any of them. That was the trap that I had fallen into for so many years and that is why it has taken me until I hit my fifties before I finally finished a whole book.

Now I know better.

Take a lesson from someone that learned the hard way, go ahead and make your notes, but finish what you started before starting the next one.

Later to all of you,

Kathy

Happy 4th of July!

2011-07-03T12:59:00.000-04:00

It's the 4th of July again and boy is it hot here! by ten o'clock this morning it was already 90 degrees. This is the kind of day that you really wish you could be in the pool most of the day. But when you have a phobia of being seen in public in a bathing suit, well, you tend to shy away from things like that. I'll just stay here in the air conditioning and work on my book.

In my last blog I posted the poem entitled "The Cost of a Hero". It is so important today, as always, to remember those who risk their lives to keep us safe. Not only the men and women in the military but also those who are on the front lines here at home: police officers,fire fighters and any other "First Responders". Like on 9/11 so many people died that day doing what they were trained to do, saving lives and helping those in trouble. Although we have seen in the news that the wars in the middle east are supposedly winding down and some of our military will be leaving the battle fields, we are still indebted to them for doing what they do and the sacrifices they have made to keep us safe. I hope you will all join me in thanking them this weekend for all that our "HEROES" have done for us.

Now I will come down off my soap box.

Here at home I have been adapting to no longer owning a television. Yep, that's right, I no longer own a television. The one that I had went out on me last weekend, not that I watched it that much anyway, and since I didn't have a TV to watch I had my cable disconnected also. That should save me about sixty dollars a month and every little bit helps this day and age. I love to read anyway and this gives me more incentive to do just that. I will read and reread my favorite books until the spine breaks and if I really like the book, I will go and buy another copy and read it again. This will also give me the chance to read some of the classics that I haven't read in too many years to count. I have found that I like reading more than watching television anyway because it makes me think more and after I have finished my book I imagine what might be happening after that last line has ended. Did the hero and his lady love live a life filled with love and adventure? Did they settle down into the mediocrity of normal life? Did they get married and have kids? You see, the adventure never ends even though the book does and that is what makes me want to be a writer. You just don't have that same tingle when you finish watching a television "reality show" that seems to make up most of the stations lineup these days.

In short; read a book and let your imagination soar!

The Cost of a Hero

2011-06-26T09:13:00.001-04:00

The Cost of a Hero
A few weeks ago Anna suggested a great idea! Since we both love to write and we have been best friends for over twenty years we pretty much know more about each other than any one else. We both have been writing since we were old enough to string words together to make sentences. (My mother still has a copy of the first article I had published in my high school news paper when I was sixteen. I can't believe she held on to it this long. I won't go in to how long ago that has been!) Anna suggested that we write a poem together. She wrote the first line then e-mailed it to me, then I wrote the next and e-mailed it back to her. This went on back and forth until we had, what I think, is a really fun and really great piece. I am, with her permission, going to share it with all of my other friends. We have decided to call it "The Cost of a Hero", in honor of the soldiers who have died fighting for our freedoms throughout the history of our country and the loved ones they left behind.

1 Well this isn't right, three hours past midnight and still I stare at the wall
2 the stars are hidden and the moon unbidden as I learn of my lover's fall
3 I'll miss you he said and got out of bed on that gray and misty morn
4 He caressed my cheek, making me weak, his touch so soft and warm
5 It's hard to believe that I couldn't conceive a life of solitude then
6 He was in my heart, he became a part of my soul from beginning to end
7 The thoughts of the finish begin to diminish in an amber pool of whiskey
8 It seems so wrong now that he's gone I still feel when he kissed me
9 Those are the days in my manic haze that bring him back to life
10 I prayed to the gods with held back sobs I was a warriors wife
11 finally I fell, two miles into hell and there at the bottom I stayed
12 It raged in my mind time after time, memories of the love that we made
13 Somber days seen through a purple haze, the tribe has lost their hero
14 As I count the cost of all I have lost, it burns me to the marrow
15 Now that it's done there's no where to run and the loss is too great
16 It's over you see now it's just me, all because of their hate.

Hope ya'll have a great July 4th and remember not only those who have died, but also those who gave of themselves and survived. They all need our honor and our support. Where would we be without them?

It's been a while

2011-06-26T09:10:00.001-04:00

Saturday, June 25, 2011It's been a while!
Hi all,

It is now 4:30 in the morning and I am wide awake. I don't know why that is but there you are. That happens sometimes so what can you do but get up and post a blog.

I know it has been a really long time since I have updated my blog and to tell you the truth I can't say when the last time was. I guess I have just let life get in the way as so many of us do.

I have so may things that I have been doing that I don't know where to start. I guess the first thing to let you all know is that the final draft of my manuscript entitled Secrets in Bethlehem is completed and right now I am doing a little more polishing. I am really excited about it and have already sent out several query letters via e-mail and snail mail. I am hoping to hear back from literary agents in the near future.

In case you haven't heard what Secrets in Bethlehem is about I'll give you a little hint:

Jesse Daniel Messenger is a tow headed, blue eye five year old boy with a smile that could charm the music from a harp . . . and he has been targeted for termination by a group of the world's most powerful men. Why? Because this little boy is the only person on earth that can bring an end to the power The Committee has held on to for over one hundred and fifty years. He, and his new guardians, Travis Brody and Janey Carmicheal, must evade the hit men sent after them by The Committee as well as a stranger with a bone to pick with Travis.

There is heart pounding suspense, thrilling car chases and blood pumping romance! You'll have to read it to find out if Jesse, Travis and Janey survive long enough to find the peace and happiness they all long for.

My best friend, Anna, and I have plans to go to a writer's work shop in Macon GA in August. We are sure the workshop will help us both in our writing.

I have several other projects in the works also but nothing near completion other than Secrets in Bethlehem. I want to get that one on the road to publication before I dive into the next one.

Well, it's been fun catching up with ya'll and I promise it won't be so long until my next post. Hopefully I'll have some exciting news then.

It's been a while!

2011-06-25T04:48:00.000-04:00

Hi all,

It is now 4:30 in the morning and I am wide awake. I don't know why that is but there you are. That happens sometimes so what can you do but get up and post a blog.

I know it has been a really long time since I have updated my blog and to tell you the truth I can't say when the last time was. I guess I have just let life get in the way as so many of us do.

I have so may things that I have been doing that I don't know where to start. I guess the first thing to let you all know is that the final draft of my manuscript entitled Secrets in Bethlehem is completed and right now I am doing a little more polishing. I am really excited about it and have already sent out several query letters via e-mail and snail mail. I am hoping to hear back from literary agents in the near future.

In case you haven't heard what Secrets in Bethlehem is about I'll give you a little hint:

Jesse Daniel Messenger is a tow headed, blue eye five year old boy with a smile that could charm the music from a harp . . . and he has been targeted for termination by a group of the world's most powerful men. Why? Because this little boy is the only person on earth that can bring an end to the power The Committee has held on to for over one hundred and fifty years. He, and his new guardians, Travis Brody and Janey Carmicheal, must evade the hit men sent after them by The Committee as well as a stranger with a bone to pick with Travis.

There is heart pounding suspense, thrilling car chases and blood pumping romance! You'll have to read it to find out if Jesse, Travis and Janey survive long enough to find the peace and happiness they all long for.

My best friend, Anna, and I have plans to go to a writer's work shop in Macon GA in August. We are sure the workshop will help us both in our writing.

I have several other projects in the works also but nothing near completion other than Secrets in Bethlehem. I want to get that one on the road to publication before I dive into the next one.

Well, it's been fun catching up with ya'll and I promise it won't be so long until my next post. Hopefully I'll have some exciting news then.