Tonya Coffey's Blog - Posts Tagged "family"

I've had a busy week. It was my anniversary(15 years), my sons birthday and my book signing.
I didn't know what to expect when I walked into the public library. It was my first and hopefully not the last.
The ladies at the library set up a table for me and I stood up my poster, fanned out my book marks and stacked my books for people to buy if they didn't have one. I walked around for a moment and took a million deep breaths because I'm not one for public speaking or being the center of attention. But when I sat in that seat and watched as people came in, stopped and began asking me questions about my book, I quickly became relaxed.
My family came of course and stood around and talked. They wanted to support me and I love that about them. They had places they could've been but decided to sit at the library with me.
My husband, who isn't a reader, and my boys came. I noticed they were looking at books and trying to stay focused but they don't like the same things I do and I appreciate what they did for me. They Do love me.
My mom and dad came. I always said, Mom was the one who got me started in writing. She didn't mind when I was young and made up crazy stories and proceeded to act them out. She encouraged me.
My oldest sister couldn't come, she had surgery last week, breast cancer and I think of her each day.
My next oldest Sister had a camera attached to her face. She took two hundred pictures and out of those, half are great.
My sister born seven years before me, came with her daughter. She took a break from work to make an appearance. I really appreciate her. Her daughter, Victoria, is the person I wanted for my cover. She is gorgeous: long dark hair, big brown eyes and she's petite.
The library staff was great. I couldn't ask for a better group of ladies who set this up for me. So to them, Thank You!
Of all the people who came in and bought my book, I have to say one stood out more than any other. She was 14 and she wanted to be a writer when she grew up. She told me about books she had already started writing and of newspaper articles she wrote. She was thrilled to meet me and I wasn't any different than her.
If I can meet one person like her each time I set up and speak to the public, I will be thrilled. That's what it's all about. Reaching others who want to succeed.

When I was younger, I would argue with people over my family. I would tell them I had a family who would stand together and it didn't matter what would happen, we were one. The older I get the more I realize people change. We may still talk and spend the holidays together but we have out own lives and our own responsibilities.
My older sister hasn't had an easy life. She has struggled with who she is and what she wants out of it but the one thing she stands up for is her kids. She has three. They are all older and the youngest is why I ask my self about family.
When my sister divorced her husband, the youngest daughters dad, my niece was fifteen. She went a little wild and went against both her mom and dad but she ended up staying mostly with my mom.
Long story short, she got pregnant. My mom helped her through high school and baby sat while she worked. My parents aren't young but they love my niece and her son.
When my niece met a new boy, she decided my parents weren't good enough for her or her son so she left and refused to talk to anyone in the family or let anyone see the boy. This of course broke my parents heart and my sister still cries over it.
The heartache of the story is, my sister found out recently she has breast cancer. After she found out, she begged her daughter to see her grandson but she won't even answer the phone for her.
I don't understand how she-the daughter-can be so cruel to her mother. Her life wasn't perfect but my sister and my parents done everything they could to make her happy and she still doesn't see they were helping her.
It's been a year since then and my sister is going through chemo. She struggles with the loss of her hair. I know that is petty to most people but to her it was everything next to her kids. And it was all she had since the kids are all gone with lives of their own. And my niece, she has another child. A girl. My sisters only two grand-kids and she isn't allowed to see them.
It breaks my heart that a daughter can be so cruel to her mother when there is daughters out there who would give anything to have a mother like her.

I'm pretty excited about my second book. I know all writers get anxious and all that when they get closer to finishing.

I decided to start a giveaway, again. I wanted more people to see the book and maybe fall in love with the cover and read it. I didn't realize how hard it would be to promote your book. I'm one of those people who goes to town (grocery store and pay the bills)once a week. I go to Walmart maybe three times a month but I doubt it. If it's a special occasion then I go more.
I'm trying hard to talk to schools about the book. They don't seem to be interested unless I donate two books to them. I would love to donate to each and every school but I can't afford it. But I'm not in it to get rich only to share my stories with others.
So, the reason for this ramble, I'm going over Snow Moon. I've reworked it and added some things. I started reading it from the beginning and realized how much I loved these characters. They are my family just as my kids and husband are. I would be lost if they weren't in my life. If I couldn't read what they were up to.
That makes me laugh and so does Micha.
I was worried about Micha in the book. I made him a little emotional. He has been through so much in the short time he has known Jessa but before that, he's been through more. We find that out in this book.
I can't wait to share this book with you and the world. I think you will be surprised by Micha's life and their relationship. I hope it turns out the way I want.

I have found the holidays are not what I expected them to be.
It is hot for one thing. I live in Kentucky. It doesn't always snow on Christmas but it is usually cold and since I put Christmas lights up outside in a short-sleeved shirt it is kind of ridiculous. But I am glad that the kids can go outside and run around.
I've been so focused on trying to promote my book that I haven't finished picking up presents for the family. If I had a credit card, I would buy everything online so I don't have to go to the store. It would just be easier...
I've also been a little discouraged. I thought my family would be more supportive of the new book. But it seems as if they don't even acknowledge it's been published...(Sigh).
I know everyone has other things on their mind but couldn't they comment on the cover or the title. They don't have to read it -yet- but I do want some reviews from them by the end of January.
Am I being selfish for wanting them to focus on me for a few seconds?
I guess I need to forget about the book until after the holidays and then focus on it full-force, until the next book is ready to be released. I do know one thing for certain, I will make sure the next book comes out in the spring, so I don't have to worry about other things, just the book.

I am a big animal person. I would have to be since I grew up on a farm. When I was little, I always imagined myself having dozens of cats, dogs, sheep, goats and horses.
Unfortunately I don't! I have a dog and a cat.
Back in November, the cat that my son found had become part of our family for two years and a few months. If was the first cat my husband liked. I felt as if he was a part of our family. When he was hit by a car, it broke us. We were devastated by the loss. My son who had adopted him wanted another. I wasn't so inclined on taking in another cat since we were so close to the other but we did. He found one on Facebook that he loved and we brought him home. He was tiny. The woman we got him from sad he was 8 weeks old but I don't think he was. I believe closer to 6. Any way that cat has made me love him. I tried not to like him because no matter what I did I thought of the other cat. Our new one will hide when you walk out the door and bounce sideways with his back stuck up in the air. It is so cute. And like the sucker I am, I love him. I call him my baby and I despise the road in front of my house. My son locks him up at night so he doesn't wander off but he has been taking longer strolls in the day. I think he's looking for another, if you know what i mean. lol. Well two nights he was gone. He didn't come home till late in the morning. Today, when I let him out of his cage, he took off in a run for the woods. It has been 6 hours and I haven't seen him.
It makes me sad. I hope he comes home.