Penelope Meriwether's Blog

Bullies have been in the news a lot lately, physically, emotionally as well as cyber-bullying anyone who's different, weaker, stronger, prettier, uglier, nicer, smarter, dumber, cooler or uncool, just to make themselves feel better about themselves. The thing is, it's usually kids and teenagers. But I have recently learned a fascinating fact about so-called adults, people who are supposed to be the role-models for their children, helping them make good decisions including how to get-along with others of the human race no matter how different they are. However, what I have found out is that it's the adults who are the bullies, therefore, it is they who are teaching kids to be bullies themselves.
I am being bullied. Plain and simple. Almost everyday now, lies are being told about me and it is very discouraging. I'm being hunted now, or should I say, my book is being searched for in order to write bad reviews about it,(and now, even here on Goodreads) I suppose in order to stop anyone from reading it. But my story has already helped one young woman I know of, whom I had never met, and who searched me out to thank me for telling my story, and that's all that matters. This is why I wrote the book in the first place! It's not for the money as my adversaries seem to think.
Another thing, they are calling my book fantasy and made-up, but, HELLO, if my life was not hard to believe, I wouldn't have written about it. I swear, my life could be a movie!

But back to being bullied, and this is to help those who are, or know someone who is bullied. Let it hurt. Talk about what was said with someone who is unbiased. Think things through before acting out. Analyze each thing that was said, and if it's not true, let it go. I find myself reading these bad reviews and wondering what book these people actually read. I don't understand how they can pick-out certain things and twist them around to coincide with what they have heard. Anyway, I could go on and on, but I'm sure they will eventually read this, and I don't want to give them more ammunition to twist around and attack me with. It's all just ridiculous.

Well, my book has struck some nerves, even after twenty years. I received another bad review on Amazon from another ex-family member who, along with the other, is unable to read my story without prejudice. They accuse me of blaming everyone else for my actions, when that is the last thing I am doing. Doesn't anyone understand that I am writing about how I felt at the time, not how I feel now?? Also, do they not understand that if my life had started out differently, all of my actions would have been different? But because my life started with abuse, the path I took in life was the result, which I have to include and explain in order to get to the end where I realize my choices were my choices and what I've learned from my choices!
Oh well, I guess I should expect more bad reviews from more ex-family members soon. So if you are reading this and I don't know you, please ignore the hate.

Hi there! Just want anyone who is interested that my book is available for download on Kindle. It's the easiest way to purchase books in my opinion and way more economical! Just go to Amazon and download it there for $3.99! What a deal!

Have a great day!
Penelope

Has anyone ever used Grammarly.com? I have, and thought I had found the answer to my prayers when it came to editing my book. They have settings for general, business, creative, academic, technical and casual editing available. I used mostly general, and some creative while editing my book, Anatomy of a Life. But the problem lies in what Grammarly thinks is correct grammar and punctuation, and how readers read the so-called correct grammar and punctuation. I personally spent months inserting each and every paragraph of my book into the Grammarly program, thinking I was correcting every mistake known to man, when in actuality, and in re-reading my book...just one more time...I found myself stumbling over sentences that I had corrected! So, as it turns out, I've been accused of being uneducated because of these mistakes. Yes, I only have a high school education, and maybe I was a little rusty, okay, a lot rusty, when it came to writing in proper English, but hey, I'm a housewife and mother who took on a monumental seven-year book-writing task, and I didn't have the money to pay a professional editor for the 648 pages my book eventually became, so, I edited it myself. In the end, I may have some mistakes, but soon, a new edition will be out in which I can assure you is, 99.9% correct, and hey, think about it, if my book and I become famous, those of you who have the first edition with "my mistakes", may have the most sought after edition after all, as it is with Charles Dickens! Yeah!! ;)

Hi there! I just wanted to talk about the difference between then and than, seeing as how, when I wrote my book I seemed to have absolutely no idea when either should be used but have since corrected. So to all you lucky readers of the first edition of my book, you get the honor of reading over six hundred pages...with this simple mistake.
Then...referring to the next action.
Than...referring to comparison.

There, now we know. I'm shocked at my own stupidity sometimes.

I hope your day is better than yesterday,
then maybe the next day will be better than tomorrow. Penelope

So, I emailed Amazon and explained the situation with the negative review for my book, but they refuse to remove it because it doesn't violate any of their rules and restrictions. But I say, if someone uses the review area to personally attack someone, they should remove the review. The reviewee responded in anger, over what exactly, I'm not sure. My book is about my frame of mind over the last twenty years, not at all about how I'm feeling about my past experiences now. I guess I'll just have to keep a positive attitude, and hope the old saying, any publicity is good publicity. Maybe this is a blessing in disguise. :)

Hey there! I've never done this before, blogging, but I thought I'd give it a try. Especially after being personally attacked on Amazon by my ex-husband's wife, who is step-mom to my first two children and whom I've never met or spoken with once. I sent copies of my book for my now grown children to read, which my daughter then gave to her step-mom to read, which lead to her attack of my book, and therefore, me.
I suppose her vicious words spring from the fact that she has only ever gotten a one-sided story from a jilted husband and so decided I have made-up my story. This is so not true, and I let this woman know in my responding comment on Amazon. I so hope this slanderous review will not keep anyone from reading my story, which I want the world to know...if only to help others with mental illness. If you have any questions regarding the review, please ask. I have nothing to hide.