“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32 As children entering time, we act as Recording Angels, recording all we see, sense, and hear; and we do not edit. Thus, as adults we have become prolific at casting characters, especially ourselves. Stage set… An account of life unedited, 'Desperadoes' features a cast of passion players running down the dream, even Anna Lee who stands in the footlights on a worthy new role, ‘Woman Validates Self,’ while Co-star Ben Langley stands by until she comes upon former significant other, Bob Dalton; and 119,000 homeless children graced by Man’s Best Friend. Of all the ghosts that bring you down, what’s your story? If overcast, ask your favorite song! So saddle up, for each of us are always a little bit lost, but once love starts taking care of itself, we shall understand why we’ve been able to love those deemed unloveable. And who knows? As the credits roll, one of these characters just might resemble someone whose name you sign. Sweet Dreams!
Short & Sweet, as Career’s Day Speaker at a New Hampshire High School, I told a classroom of aspiring young writers that the word ‘career’ was not part of my vocabulary. Try adventure! Also an author of Westering themes, Louis L’amour said of his love affair with learning that school interfered with his education and, even as I can relate, I have been an English Teacher of college-bound students & remedial students classified as juvenile delinquents. Time later, to meet monetary needs after being abandoned in marriage with three small children, I bought, restored, and sold antique homes, and I even taught my kiddos how to sheetrock walls! As literistic instincts continually flared, I began writing a book about a man of a thousand dreams before working an award-winning NH newspaper as reporter, photographer & freelance feature writer. Roads beyond, I engaged as housekeeper, or, as I prefer defining the role, ‘Keeper of the House.' Chance encounters? Still looking for that one man who will love me as do the central male characters love the leading lady in my books. Am I a dreamer or a creator? Both, and now I will share an auditory dream of three years ago: “Barbara, I’ve been looking for you all my life.” “Well,” I’d like to ask, “on the page or on the set?” Thus, the creative nonfiction book about messengers with a poignant message, ‘Outlaws & Angels’ commingles thematically with the contemporary romance novel, 'The Backside of the Page.' And even though romance novels are considered books for women, 'The Backside of the Page' is also a good read for men. Why? As we’ve all been on the backside of the page, I’d say it’s time we all asked the real question! Subsequently, believing that Act Three of 'Outlaws & Angels' could be a book of its own, sensed in words just so, I brought Leading Lady Anna Lee front & center in 'The Universal Casting Studio.' As I had some difficulty summing up exactly how the abridged version differed from 'Outlaws & Angels,' upon hearing me digress, a friend said, “UCS is distilled down to its purest essence.” So I’ve got Cowboys & Indians blazing trails! And O, there’s another brand of four-legged forged in loyalty, the timely Life Segment cut from ‘Outlaws & Angels’ about a character whose namesake still rides the silver screen with Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid, none other than Etta Place! Or, 'Just my dog...' So saddle up & ride over to the Address Bar! ‘Outlaws & Angels’ www.createspace.com/3489331 ‘The Backside of the Page’ www.createspace.com/3889984 ‘The Universal Casting Studio’ www.createspace.com/3977394 ‘Just my dog…’ www.createspace.com/4224425