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My Place BESIDE You…
“My place beside you…” That’s the start of the sacred oath the characters recite in The Green Ember that resonated deeply with me when it first flowed from my fingers into the tale and has since moved...
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It’s a Great Day to Disbelieve Lies and Ignore Prompts to Outrage
Today is a great day to ignore social media and traditional media prompts to hatred, envy, outrage, and despair. It’s a good day to love real people we’re in real community with and to try super hard...
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A Grateful Writer: Thanks, Walt
https://wordlily.wordpress.com/2010/08/24/walt-wangerin-teaches-hutchmoot-keynote/ “This is what shapers do for those who have neither universe, nor personhood, nor name: We weave the world around...
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MY BLOOD FOR YOURS: Why My Kids Books Are Not Safe, But They Are Good—And...
“Parents beware!” One of my critics on Amazon warns parents of the intensity of my Green Ember kids stories. She’s not altogether wrong, and I am kind of sympathetic. My stories are dangerous. But I...
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Stay In Your Lane During Wartime: It’s a Long and Winding Road to Your True...
I’m never sure what to say when world events are so intense and the words of an ordinary children’s author from West Virginia on social media feel so unnecessary. “Stay in your lane,” I tell myself....
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Growing Givers Not Poor Unfortunate Victims
I got to hang out with a bunch of writers last weekend. I enjoyed meeting up with friends and making some new ones. I loved meeting readers and listening to their encouraging words about the books...
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My Dad Treated Black Folks Different
It’s the confluence of Father’s Day and Juneteenth (both yesterday) and West Virginia Day (today, happy 159). So, let me tell you some of what my dad taught me about race growing up in our beloved...
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If You Have Something to Share With the World, You HAVE to See This
Prefer to watch? Check out the video version. Hey Friends, This is one of my best stories for anyone who has anything they want to share. I was your typical shy kid in many ways. If you could have...
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Some Advice, Encouragement, and My Blessing, Son
My son. I remember you on my chest, that first blessed night, sleeping easy just above my grateful, glad heart. Your mom was well—had not nearly died, this time—and we felt such intense relief and...
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Encouragement to Create + Jack Zulu…Newbery Contender?
Don’t Wait. Create! Making. Believing. Make believing. Make Believe HQ for me? The Forge. We converted a little garden shed to a writing hut/office. It’s ten feet from the house, so my commute ain’t...
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Memorial Day Fidelity
Don Roberts was a top turret gunner and engineer on the B-17 Omar the Dentmaker. He was killed in action over Pas de Calais, France on March 26, 1944. Don was never married, nor had children to carry...
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Fidelity Over Arrogance
God is the author of the human story. He loves most and he knows best. To speak of love is to speak of him. He created us all and all that is. That’s the first part of the story and it’s good news....
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