Five P's for Positive Progress

     At the close of this year, I’ve been contemplating what to write about, going over those things I accomplished and those things I failed to see through during the previous 365 days. I was fortunate to publish two books in 2017: Slaying Dragons―a book of poetry, quotes, and short stories―and Eena, The Two Sisters from my epic fantasy series, The Harrowbethian Saga. My oldest son return from a mission where he served in Tokyo, Japan, and I helped him settle into a dorm room at a state University. I sent my second son to New Zealand where he is currently serving a mission. I worked as a committee chairman for my youngest son’s Boy Scout troop, and I also helped him to prepare for a performance in the local high school musical. I wrote a little poetry and penned a few words of wisdom, but overall I was unable to spend as much time writing as I hoped. There were goals and resolutions on my "to-do" list that were not accomplished.

     Pondering why I was able to see some goals through to the end while others I either partway finished or completely set aside, I came up with what I call the Five P's for Positive Progress. Catchy title, huh? Let's take a look at each one.

1) Priority: The goals I set as top priorities were the ones I saw through to the end. I learned that whatever moved to the forefront of my to-do list was accomplished. Things not considered a priority were neglected.

2) Planning: I have found this to be a huge determiner in accomplishing any goal―planning what, when, where, and how I intend to carry out each step. Writing down the reasons why I want to attain a certain goal motivates me to work at it. Neglecting to plan frequently results in failed attempts.


3) Partitions: My goals were more likely to be achieved when partitioned into small tasks that could be done in short stretches of time. Five or ten-minute tasks I fit into my schedule while time-consuming projects often took a back seat. The impressive thing was watching those five-minute efforts add up to big accomplishments.


4) Preference: The truth is, preferable activities tend to find a way into my daily routine. Goals that I find enjoyable I am willing to sacrifice for, be it a lunch hour or a little sleep. I can get by on five hours of sleep if it means reading a few more chapters in a book I love.


5) Profitable: There is motivation in profit, be it monetary or other benefits. When small accomplishments toward a larger goal result in pleasant rewards, it simply encourages more success toward achieving the end goal.


     This new year I once again made personal resolutions. I want to edit and publish book V and book VI in the Harrowbethian Saga before 2018 comes to a close. My son has challenged me to reach a running goal, one he set for himself as well. I also hope to work on writing more poetry with the intent of putting together a book of my best poems. The Five P's for Positive Progress will help me attain these goals. I know that I have to make them a priority and plan how I intend to accomplish each goal. That plan must include partitioning the whole into small tasks that can fit into my busy schedule. Lastly, I need to make the work both enjoyable and rewarding in order to motivate myself. It is doable!
I hope that these suggestions give you something to ponder as you set your New Year's resolutions. Good luck and Happy New Year! Happy reading too!

"If I must start somewhere, right here and now is the best place imaginable." 

— Richelle E. Goodrich, Making Wishes

Ask the Author

     For me, the absolute best thing about writing is the time I spend in make-believe worlds where I share adventures with characters of my own design. It brings great joy into my days and often helps me cope with real life characters whom, unfortunately, I cannot shape to my liking with an enchanted ink pen.




     I'm inspired to write in a number of ways. I surround myself with pictures and objects that remind me of stories I'm working on, things like dragons, pirates, model sailing ships, glittering butterflies, and my favorite statue of two fairies embracing. One of the best inspirational tools for me is to simply daydream for a while. Soon enough, I'm reaching for a pen and notebook to write down the dreamed adventure.




     First, if you want to be a writer, then WRITE! Spend less time thinking, studying, researching, learning, worrying about the art and just write! Write a sentence, a paragraph, a page every day of your life—about anything and everything. Scribble out a poem, a quote, a set of instructions, a portion of a developing novel, a letter to a friend, and so on. Read your work over and edit it. Then set it aside for a while before reading and editing it again. The point is,writing and re-writing are the exercises for authors that lead to excellence.

     Secondly, READ everything. Read books, articles, recipes, blogs, letters, cereal boxes, and so on. Pay attention to the details that draw you in. Note what causes you to lose interest. Keep a journal of what you learn, and refer to it now and then.

     Thirdly, pick up a basic GRAMMAR book and memorize it; put that knowledge to use.

The Tarishe Curse - Continues for 2017

The time has arrived!

My annual Hallows Eve tale has continued! I posted the next installment of The Tarishe Curse on my author blog for your reading pleasure. So get reading! I hope you enjoy it.
​ — Richelle E. Goodrich


This is a developing online book with new chapters added by the author every Halloween. Visit The Tarishe Curse website to read this story in the making.

Summary: Catherine fights every Hallows Eve to protect her village from creatures of the night. She has sworn to avenge the deaths of loved ones, but a witch's curse may prove a stumbling block impossible to overcome.

A thrilling piece of fantasy fiction from the Queen of Werefolk's point of view. It is challenging enough for Duvalla and Kresh to protect their young family in a world of Hallows Eve creatures, but such a feat proves near impossible when a witch bent on vengeance against the werewolves casts a Tarishe curse that manipulates both heart and mind. The fight is not only with the sword but an internal struggle to love the ones Duvalla has sworn under a spell to hate, and hate the one who through evil enchantment manipulates her heart.

Year Six of The Tarishe Curse

       It's getting close to that spooky time of year, All Hallows Eve.  You know what happens about this time, I add on another few pages to my ongoing Halloween tale starring the queen of werefolk.  If you haven't read the previous portions of this cursed story, now is the time to do so!

       Are you wondering how this tradition began?  I'll tell you.

Six years back, I decided to write a short story for a friend who could easily be crowned Queen of Halloween (she is that obsessed with the holiday.)  After reading the story, she asked me an unexpected question.

       "What happens next?" 

       Uh. . . well. . . nothing.  It was supposed to be a simple Halloween short story. 

       But she got me thinking.  What might happen next if I were to continue the tale?  That started an annual writing tradition that continues today.  Every Halloween, I add to an ongoing adventure that includes werewolves, a powerful and vengeful witch, devious vampires, treacherous gargoyles, and other frightful creatures of the night.  It is a spooky delight!

       So prepare yourselves!  

       Read the beginning chapter of The Tarishe Curse and either enjoy it for the first time or refresh your memory of Duvalla and Kresh.  By request from my friend, Cathie, (to whom this story is dedicated) I am posting the next portion of The Tarishe Curse on October 27^th, 2017.  Get ready!

#AuthorConfession

Have you been following #AuthorConfession on Twitter?  No? You should! I've had a great time participating in this daily question-and-answer activity, and I've learned lots about other authors and their WIPs (work in progress.) 

How does it work?  The hosts provide a question for each day of one month, and authors post their answers. It's that simple! Sometimes the questions are easy; others take a bit of thinking. Overall, it's been a blast! So much so that I thought I would blog my answers to the following questions...just in case you missed them on Twitter:

(Day 1) Introduce yourself and your WIP.

My name is Richelle E. Goodrich, American author and poet. I'm working on the 5th book in the Harrowbethian Saga (YA fantasy series) - Eena, The Tempter's Snare.

(Day 2) What's your favorite thing about WIP?

I love the many characters, their distinct personalities and the way they interact. I've fallen in love with a number of them.

(Day 3) What embarrasses your MC (main character)?

Public attention. And flowery compliments.

(Day 4) Tell us three things about your WIP.

1) It mixes known mythological characters with new... plus dragons.
2) Mallawum ball is big - sword fighting meets basketball?
3) Surprises wait around every corner.

(Day 5) Tell us three things about you.

1) Hot cocoa is my drink of choice.
2) I love the smell of myrrh & eucalyptus.
3) I have one freckle on my lower lip.

(Day 6) What is your MC's most important memory?

My MC's most important memory is recalling her royal identity after twelve years of believing she was someone else.

(Day 7) Who is the class clown in your novel?

The closest person to a class clown in my manuscript is Edgar, because he lacks any real cares, other than for himself.

(Day 8) Which character in your WIP would survive a zombie apocalypse?

I think all my main characters would survive a zombie apocalypse, only because Eena would step in and save them.

(Day 9) Describe your protagonist in three words.

Queen Eena is headstrong, impetuous, and very persuasive.

(Day 10) Character swap!

Swap Queen Eena for Kira the Mishmorat. The citizens of Harrowbeth would have to loosen up... a lot!

     Kira the feisty Mishmorat and Queen Eena of Harrowbeth

(Day 11) What's tough about this WIP?

What's tough about my WIP is the world refusing to be put on hold to allow me time to finish it! Priorities straight.

(Day 12) How do you treat yourself?

When I complete a writing goal, my greatest treat is to read it thru & think "that was awesome." Then I call my mom.

(Day 13) Best compliment you've had.

Honest truth: a woman read my saga after hearing about it and said, "I loved it more than Twilight." Made my year!

(Day 14) What's the big conflict in your WIP?

Whether to battle enemies alone or put friends at risk by accepting their help.

(Day 15) What's the strangest thing you've Googled?

I don't know that I've googled anything that strange. I suppose googling my own name is the strangest.

(Day 16) What makes your story shine?

Relatable, lovable characters. Fall in love with my characters = fall in love with the book.

(Day 17) What are you currently reading?

I just finished The Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe and now I'm reading Leven Thumps & the Gateway to Foo.

(Day 18) How would your WIP change if it became a musical?

My WIP is kind of a musical already; it has songs in it. But if it were a full-blown musical, there'd be lots of dancing!

(Day 19) What's your favorite comfort food?

Hot cocoa or pb&chocolate ice cream, depending on whether it's chilly or warm outside.

(Day 20) Which of the seven dwarves best fits your MC?

With her healing touch, Eena is definitely most like the Disney dwarf, Doc.

(Day 21) If you could time travel, where would you go?

If I could travel in time, I would go back to the creation of our world and watch how it's done.

(Day 22) Favorite fall activity?

"Trick or treat!"

(Day 23) Where else can we follow and support you?

Support my writing on my author website where there are links to all my social media. RichelleGoodrich.com

(Day 24) Selfie Sunday.

Sunday selfie: dressed up to go to church. I don't write on Sundays. I guess that's not too weird--or is it?

(Day 25) What's your coffee order?

If you dragged me into Starbucks, I would probably get a strawberry smoothie. Add whipped cream.

(Day 26) Word count report!

Word count for WIP is 80,432 - closer to "the end" than "in the beginning"!

(Day 27) What's your writing theme song?

Lately, my writing theme song has been "Unstoppable" by Rascal Flatts. I love them.

(Day 28) What are your tips for rejection?

I remind myself, many popular authors suffered repeated rejection before finding success. Why would my road be any easier?

(Day 29) Shout out an author friend.

Meet author Graham Downs from South Africa! Find a little fantasy, magic, & drama in his books.

(Day 30) What other talents do you have?

I illustrate my own books and play a little piano now and then. I'd like to learn to play the guitar too.

Writer's Block

     Writer's block can be a real hurdle (or at least a speed bump) for authors. Most deal with some form of writer's block on and off throughout the creative process. As for me, there is always a story or a poem or an observation about human nature brewing in my head wanting to be jotted down. At times, the words flow smoothly. Other times, I struggle to put my ideas into sentences. Regardless, I force myself to write when I have the time, knowing I can edit my work later.

     One thing I do naturally that helps me avoid writer's block is switch between two or three works in progress. I might type out five chapters in one book and then set it aside while writing a few new chapters in another. If I'm unsure about a developing story, I work on some other book until inspiration sorts out the hazy details in the first. Knowing I can juggle works in progress alleviates the pressure to force out chapters when I'm up against a mental wall.

     The bottom line, however, is a writer must sit down and simply write. Have faith. Writer's block or not, great ideas emerge most readily when engaged in the process of actually writing.

     ― Richelle E. Goodrich

What Love Means

I stand in the night and stare up at a lone star, wondering what love means.  You whisper your desire—do I love you?  I dare say yes.  But my eyes drift back to that solitary star; my mind is plagued with intimate uncertainty.   

What art thou, Love?  Tell me.   

I contemplate what I know—the qualities love doth not possess.  Love lifts no cruel or unkind hand, for it seeketh no harm.  It shirks from constraints and demands, for tyranny is not love.  A boisterous voice never crosses love’s lips, for to speak with thunder chases its very presence from the heart.  Love inflicts no pain, no fear, no misery, but conquers all such foes.  It is said love is not selfish, yet it does not guilt those who are.  On a heart unwillingly given it stakes no claim.  Love is nothing from Pandora’s box; it is no evil, sin, or sorrow unleashed on this world.   

My eyes glimmer as the star I gaze upon twinkles with brightness I do not possess.  I recognize my smallness—my ignorance of the One whose hands placed that star in the heavens for me.   

He is love.  By His own mouth He proclaimed it.   

Again the whispered question hits my ear—do I love you?  I dare say yes.  But my eyes squint tight, wishing on a lonely star, wondering what love means. 

 

― Richelle E. Goodrich, Smile Anyway

10 Things You Want to Know About the Book

The fourth book in the Harrowbethian Saga has been released! Eena, The Two Sisters is now available for purchase at most online book-retailers. Feed your curiosity with the following ten things you want to know about the book:


1. The book stars 17-year-old Queen Eena of Harrowbeth.

2. Two unscrupulous immortal sisters seek to gain their freedom at any cost.

3. Killer dragons are involved.

4. This book brings readers to the two-thirds mark in the Harrowbethian Saga.

5. The story was inspired by the author's fantastical youthful daydreams.

6. A love triangle builds and intensifies. Or is it a love quadri-angle?

7. Global maps of Eena's planet, Moccobatra, are included in this book.

8. A crazy and unexpected proposal is made. Make that two.

9. A traditional Harrowbethian birthday game is explained.

10. Learn to speak a few lines in the Bethan language.

Early Reviews of Eena, The Two Sisters

In one week, I will be releasing the 4th book in the Harrowbethian Saga—Eena, The Two Sisters.  I know it has been a long wait for some.  Let me tell you, it will be worth it! I thought you might enjoy a few reviews from my beta readers.  Yes, I have some amazing beta readers who help me mold my works in progress.  Maybe their comments will get you pumped to read this next book in the saga for yourself.

"This is the 4th of the Harrowbethian Saga. It is a a science fiction, love novel about a young queen who is confronted by enemies who appear unbeatable and who pose a deadly threat to her and her people. She, her fiance and her protector battle against enormous odds and what appear to be a hopeless struggle. This is probably one of my favorites of the four. It is packed with adventure, romance, mystery and delivers quite an emotional punch towards the end. It about breaks your heart, lots of sniffles, however, this book is not the end of the saga."~ Arlene

"Eena continues her struggle against two immortal sisters bent on freeing themselves of their prison on Eena's planet. In order to further his own agenda of getting Eena to forfeit her responsibilities as queen and join him, Edgar constantly splits up Eena and Derian and throws her across the globe with Ian. It certainly makes for an interesting love triangle (quadri-angle?). All hope of not freeing the witches and/or escaping alive seems lost." ~ LeiAnn


"A lot of interesting things happen in this book, and I am honestly torn on what I think of them. This book is the hardest to review, because if I say anything, it might spoil it for others reading the book. I can say I really like this cover. It has beautiful colors and a nice perspective. There are some definite surprises in this book. I am certainly curious where it might lead next. My mind is full of question marks." ~ Jackie

Richelle E. Goodrich Author Interview by Arvenig

Recently, I was granted the opportunity to be interviewed about my experiences becoming an author. I talked a little about the books I have published since that pivotal turning point in my life. The interview is posted on Arvenig.it  or scroll down to read it here.   Enjoy!

Posted on 22/07/2017 by Arvenig

Hi everyone!
This is the nineteenth post of my featuring authors series. Today I’m going to feature Richelle Goodrich that has written The Tarishe Curse, Making Wishes , Eena, The Dawn and Rescue (The Harrowbethian Saga #1), and many other ones! In this post there will be a bio about the author and one of her books, an interview and a giveaway!
To see other authors I featured click here! To be featured contact me here!

About Richelle Goodrich:
Richelle is a native of Washington State, graduated from Eastern Washington University with bachelor’s degrees in Liberal Studies and Math/Science Education. Her quotes have been published in a number of books including the Oxford Philosophy Being HumanCourse Book, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Christmas in Canada, and in a Revlon magazine ad campaign. She has a strong love of the arts―drama, choir, sketching, painting, literature. This author writes whenever and wherever opportunity presents itself. She describes herself beautifully in the following quote:

“I like bubbles in everything. I respect the power of silence. In cold or warm weather I favor a mug of hot cocoa. I admire cats―their autonomy, grace, and mystery. I awe at the fiery colors in a sunset. I believe in deity. I hear most often with my eyes, and I will trust a facial expression before any accompanying comment. I invent rules, words, adventures, and imaginary friends. I pretend something wonderful every day. I will never quit pretending.”
~ Richelle E. Goodrich

website | goodreads | twitter | facebook | instagram

About the book Eena, The Dawn and Rescue:
Sevenah Williams lives a quiet farm life with her parents and best friend, Ian. Life is good and predictable until the unexpected yanks her from the only reality she remembers. Forced from home, her tragic and forgotten past is pieced together revealing that Sevenah is in fact heir to the throne of Harrowbeth; she is the last living of royal blood able to don a peculiar heirloom necklace. Given the new name, Eena, she and Ian set off for a new home, dodging nightmarish enemies in the process. All the while great powers granted by the enchanted necklace slowly emerge and develop.

Eena is assisted by militia sent to retrieve their queen, commanded by the bossy and intimidating Captain Derian. Though Ian and Derian endeavor to protect her, Eena is abducted by a charming, silver-tongued man. She finds herself forced to choose sides in a civil war she hardly understands. Which rival has the power to convince her of his nobleness and gain her ultimate support?

goodreads | amazon

Arvenig: Tell us a little about yourself and your background!

Richelle: My name is Richelle E. Goodrich. I am native to the Pacific Northwest area of the United States. I attended Eastern Washington University in my younger years and graduated with two bachelors degrees: BAEd Natural Science/Mathematics and BA General Studies. I am married and have three teenage boys who are nothing alike. I love all forms of art and literature, especially imaginative epic sagas. I have authored fourteen original works, eight of which are self-published and available for purchase in ebook and paperback forms online. I write poetry and life quotes, as well as fantasy-scifi-romance sagas and moving novels that appeal to both young adults and seasoned adults. My personal favorite self-authored book is Dandelions: The Disappearance of Annabelle Fancher because many events in the story were taken from the lives of my friends. It is a realistic story mingled with moments of make-believe. My absolute favorite book of all time is Les Miserable by Victor Hugo.

A.: When did you first realise you wanted to be a writer?
R.: Quite honestly, my interest in writing was sparked later in life. While in school I concentrated more on the sciences, mathematics , and art. Writing was less appealing to me. It wasn’t until I turned 38 that I had a flicker of inspirational thought that spurred me to attempt to write a book. It was meant to be a fun challenge. It took me two years to complete my first book–Eena, The Dawn and Rescue–during which time I fell in love with storytelling. I never thought I would love writing as I now do. If you would like to read a more detailed account of how I came to be a writer, visit my blog post, Whatever Made You Want to Write a Book? http://regoodrichnews.blogspot.com/2012/05/whatever-made-you-want-to-write-book.html?m=1

A.: Is there a message in your book that you want readers to grasp?
R.: The Harrowbethian Saga was written purely as a world of fantasy in which to get lost. If a message does exist in its pages I would say it is this: getting to know yourself is a never-ending journey filled with surprises.
Dandelions: The Disappearance of Annabelle Fancher was written to shake people up. It is meant to make readers peel away their blinders and pay closer attention to where their help is needed.
My three quote/poetry books–Smile Anyway, Making Wishes, and Slaying Dragons–are filled with motivational, inspirational, and thought-provoking messages for every day of the year.

A.: What are you working on at the moment?
R.: I am presently working on the final touches for the cover to the 4th book in the Harrowbethian Saga–Eena, The Two Sisters. Its official release date is set for August 10th, 2017. Preorder options will be available in July. Afterwards, I will dive right into editing the 5th book in this epic saga–Eena, The Tempter’s Snare. The 6th book will follow–Eena, The Companionship of the Dragon’s Soul. It is the final book in the series.

A.: Any last thoughts for our readers?
R.: When you find an author you like, one whose works you truly enjoy, the kindest, most helpful thing you can do is post reviews and ratings for his/her books at online book sites like Goodreads, Librarything, Amazon, BarnesandNobles, Kobo, iTunes, etc. It is a tremendous help to a struggling author. It can also be a sweet form of praise that affects the hopeful heart of any writer.

Cover ART for Book IV in the Harrowbethian Saga

To be released August 10th, 2017!

Book IV in the Harrowbethian Saga

Eena, The Two Sisters

COVER ART REVEAL!

Who wouldn't want to ride on the back of a dragon?

Preorder Eena, The Two Sisters

for KINDLE    NOOK   KOBO    iTUNES

or at SMASHWORDS

Prepare for unpredictable trials and adventure with the young Queen Eena.
Read the first three chapters on Richelle E. Goodrich's author blog.

Queen Eena sees her world crumbling, chiefly the lives of those she loves most. Affected by a compassionate heart, she tries to console one man who mourns for a lost love while endeavoring to assure another she does indeed plan to marry him... someday. But emotions are sensitive and doubts strong, especially when provoked by the lying tongue of an immortal scoundrel.

All the while, the young queen continues to search for a way to defeat two devious, indestructible sisters who seem capable of manipulating outcomes regardless of Eena's attempts to thwart them. The closer she gets to fulfilling the final demands of these witches, the more it appears only one way exists to save herself and her world—by agreeing to join the enemy. But would that make her a hero or the ultimate traitor?

Look for the beginning books in the Harrowbethian Saga.

I Learned from my Father

      Lately, my house has been a frenzy of graduation prepping, picture taking, formal ceremonies, and congratulatory parties. I am blaming all of this wonderful craziness for allowing Father's Day to sneak up on me. So here I stand on the threshold of Father's Day, realizing I have yet to write down any personal thoughts. No better time than the present.

     It seems to me that much of what we gain from a father—what we learn from him—comes through observing the way he lives his life. What I wrote two years ago I still believe to be true.

"The greatest lessons I learned from my father didn't come from lectures or discipline or even time spent together. What has stuck with me is his example. From watching, I chose whether to be or not to be like him."
— Richelle E. Goodrich, Smile Anyway

     Example is a mighty teacher, but that was not all my father offered me. He was good for words of advice that fell from his mouth more than once. One of his top maxims helped solidify my self-confidence at a young age: "Do your best and nothing less." He told me this when I first started school, and I took those words to heart, believing on some internal level that it was my duty. As a result, I put forth my best effort in school and in developing budding talents. That full effort to "do my best" made my accomplishments more impressive than they might have been otherwise. In the process, I earned compliments and recognition that bolstered my developing confidence. Thanks to my father, I have seldom considered any goal above my ability to achieve.

     Another repeated word of advice I heard often was "Don't waste your time worrying about what other people think of you. So long as you can look yourself in the eye every morning with a clear conscience, that's all that matters." I will admit, criticism and praise both affect me. Words have that power over most human beings. But this advice from my father did help develop a most unique and useful ability. I take criticism and hold it apart from me like a book which I read and evaluate and then toss aside if my own opinion differs. Likewise, I have learned to treat praise in a similar manner, appreciating kind words but then setting them aside rather than internalizing what might puff up my ego. My father taught me to form my own opinions and to be true to them. People will enter and exit my life, but I am eternally stuck with me. So, as Shakespeare declared, "To thine own self be true." I do not mean in an egotistical or selfish manner, rather showing sincerity and goodness to oneself. The same as you show to others.

     I recall one day coming home from work—one of my first jobs after high school—and grumbling to my father about how difficult the work was and how my boss wanted a greater amount of production from me than I felt able to give. I wanted to quit. And why not? I was unhappy. The job was a menial position that could easily be replaced by another. Why return to more days—weeks—months of having to endure criticism from a grumpy boss? My father set the bar for me at that moment, one I would sustain for the rest of my life. He said, "You don't quit. Struggling at work, being unhappy, feeling disliked, enduring rebuke, or any other hardship that might come along is no excuse to quit. You get in there and you work hard. You make yourself reliable and teachable and available. And after all of that, if they fire you then fine—they fire you at your best. But you don't quit."

     So I went back to my lousy job and did as my father said. I worked hard. I learned to move faster. I found ways to make better use of my time. By the end of that year, my grumpy boss promoted me to assistant supervisor overseeing the other workers. I was given the task of scheduling hours and granted the power to fire and hire employees in certain positions. My father taught me that rewards do come to those who stay the course and endure well. You don't quit.

     There are many other things I learned from my father, other words of advice that helped shape my character. I won't list them all. I think I turned out alright by him. So I would like to say "Thank you, Dad" for the valuable lessons. I love you and wish you a very happy Father's Day.

The Unique Rewards of Friendship

     “What is so rewarding about friendship?” my son asked, curling his upper lip into a sour expression.  “Making friends takes too much time and effort, and for what?”

I sat on the edge of his bed, understanding how it might seem simpler to go at life solo.

“Friendship has unique rewards,” I told him.  “They can be unpredictable.  For instance...”  I couldn’t help but pause to smile crookedly at an old memory that was dear to my heart.  Then I shared with my son an unforgettable incident from my younger years.

“True story.  When I was about your age, I decided to try out for a school play.  Tryouts were to begin after the last class of the day, but first I had to run home to grab a couple props for the monologue I planned to perform during tryouts.  Silly me, I had left them at the house that morning.  Luckily, I only lived across a long expanse of grassy field that separated the school from the nearest neighborhood.  Unluckily, it was raining and I didn’t have an umbrella. 

“Determined to get what I needed, I raced home, grabbed my props, and tore back across the field while my friend waited under the dry protection of the school’s wooden eaves.  She watched me run in the rain, gesturing for me to go faster while calling out to hurry up or we would be late.  

“The rain was pouring by that time which was added reason for me to move fast.  I didn’t want to look like a wet rat on stage in front of dozens of fellow students.  Don’t ask me why I didn’t grab an umbrella from home—teenage pride or lack of focus, I’m not sure—but the increasing rain combined with the hollering from my friend as well as my anxious nerves about trying out for the play had me running far too fast in shoes that lacked any tread.  

“About a yard from the sidewalk where the grass was worn from foot traffic and consequently muddied from the downpour of rain, I slipped and fell on my hind end.  Me, my props, and my dignity slid through the mud and lay there, coated.  My things were dripping with mud.  I was covered in it.  I felt my heart plunge, and I wanted to cry.  I probably would have if it hadn’t been for the wonderful thing that happened right then.  My crazy friend ran over and plopped herself down in the mud beside me.  She wiggled in it, making herself as much a mess as I was.  Then she took my slimy hand in hers and pulled us both to our feet.  We tried out for the play looking like a couple of swine escaped from a pigsty, laughing the whole time.  I never did cry, thanks to my friend.

      “So yes, my dear son, friendship has its unique rewards—priceless ones.”


This story is from the book, Slaying Dragons: Quotes, Poetry, & a few Short Stories for Every Day of the Year, by American author and poet, Richelle E. Goodrich

Remembering Our Honored Soldiers

This day I  pay tribute not only to our fallen soldiers but to those in the armed forces who suffered the loss of comrades while serving to protect the rights and freedoms we cherish.  I have overwhelming respect and admiration for those who stand strong in our armed forces, those willing to defend the defenseless.  

My grandfather, my father, and my husband served in the army at different times, under different circumstances.  Included here are pictures of their days in service.

Not too long ago, my father gave us the gift of his memories regarding the war in Vietnam in which he fought.  He wrote out the experience in a book and then handed out copies to family members.  Below is the preface to his story, which I think is quite fitting for this holiday:  

I begin this history of my Vietnam experiences by stating a fact.  One that all readers should be made aware of and keep in mind throughout this reading. That fact is no one who has ever been in actual combat can make a non-combatant understand what war is like; neither mentally, spiritually, or physically. You must be a participant to understand what war does to both body and soul. Those who’ve been there understand. Those who haven’t should be thankful and appreciate the sacrifices of those who did participate on their behalf. I hope all will understand that this writing is an effort to tell my own story. My goal is to bring all non- combatants closer to an understanding of what war does to the combat soldier.   I do “not” want to infer to the reader that I’m against war. War is “Hell” and should always be a last resort, but to resist war to the point that it jeopardizes freedom is cowardly and not what the creator of man intended. May God bless all those who have been willing to fight for the freedom of others. 

My father wrote about his first real combat experience, including how frightful it was.  I am sharing his words in hopes that it will cause all who read it to stop and ponder the thousands in our armed forces who have shared similar experiences.   Fallen soldiers and survivors alike deserve our best thoughts and highest regard.  

To insure our security we were sending out platoon size patrols to check out the area around us to insure the enemy was not infiltrating to a position of advantage around the LZ. We were careful to not establish any pattern to our patrols to hopefully make sure we wouldn’t walk into an ambush. Several patrols had been hit by sniper fire and had found evidence of movement in the area. We were told the purpose of our relocation to this fishhook area was based on the reported existence of a large NVA (North Vietnamese Army) battalion in the area. 

It was nearing twilight and the third platoon from our company was out on patrol. They were hit by an ambush taking two KIAs and two wounded. They were pinned down about 300 yards from our perimeter. We got orders to saddle up and move out to assist them and bring them back in. We moved out carefully in a column of threes. My squad was on point walking in the center. We moved to the right flank of the third platoon and set up to provide cover fire across their front in a “V” type arrangement. We opened up with everything we had and third platoon withdrew behind us taking their dead and wounded with them. 

The plan was for us to move across their front and withdraw with covering artillery fire. The NVA are the hard-core regular army of North Vietnam. They opened fire on us and had us in crossfire, staying in close to prevent us from calling in the artillery fire to cover us during our withdrawal. We crawled into a nearby bomb crater for cover. Miraculously none of us had been hit. We returned fire and called in artillery, using the crater for cover. It was now dark, too dark to safely try a withdrawal. We resolved ourselves to spend the night and wait for daylight to initiate a withdrawal. Our FO (Forward Observer) set up pre-planned artillery positions to cover our front in case the NVA got brave and decided to overrun our position. 

This was the first major combat I had been involved with and I was scared to death. You don’t get scared while the gunfire is going on. You don’t have time to think. You just react with your adrenaline flowing at a high rate. It’s after the firefight is over and you start to think about what happened that the fear sets in. As I lay there in the dark thinking about what had happened I started to shake all over. I crawled over to talk to the men in my squad. They were all huddled against the sides of the bomb crater just looking out into the dark. 

The lieutenant crawled over to me and told me what sector he wanted my squad to defend. We agreed we would keep three men in each squad on guard though the night and no one was to fire unless he was sure of a target. We did not want to give away our exact position prematurely and provide the enemy with an easy target. I was not very happy with our position, with about 30 of us crammed together in this bomb crater. It was too easy for the enemy to toss a grenade and get us all. The area was however heavily wooded with trees and bushes, which made throwing a grenade a risk for both them and us.  

I told my men to dig in as best they could and to be prepared by daylight to move out on command. The crater was 65 feet in diameter. I guessed it had been a 1000-pound bomb. The bottom of the crater was white gooey clay, which stuck to everything. I slowly dug me a stand-up foxhole up to my neck using my helmet. I don’t think any of us slept that night. It was the first time in my tour when I wasn’t sure I’d make it. I’m not ashamed to say I did a lot of thinking about home, and a lot of praying to the man upstairs. 

Later that night the lieutenant crawled over and told me the plan for our withdrawal in the morning. The squad to the right of us (first squad) would move out while we covered their front then my squad (2^nd squad) and the third squad would withdraw covering the rear. We would all move upon command from the lieutenant. Artillery would lay down some cover fire before we moved out. Two other platoons were going to be in position to give us cover fire on our way in so it was important we stayed tight and retreated directly toward the LZ. 

It was a long night and every little noise sounded like the enemy was crawling in on us. Everyone kept their cool and kept quiet. As soon as it was light the artillery cover fire started up and we all ducked our heads. They were laying them in pretty close and you could feel the ground shake around us. They lifted the artillery fire and the command to move out was given by hand signal. The point man and the back up man made it out of the crater when shots rang out and the point man fell. 

We all opened up with cover fire and the back up man pulled the wounded point man back into the crater. The medic worked on him furiously to stop the bleeding. The lieutenant told us to limit our field of fire to the front because the two backup platoons were moving in to cover for us. I thought a sniper from the trees had wounded the point man as I had only heard two shots. Two cobra gun ships were brought in to provide cover fire for us. Our job now was to get the wounded on a chopper and off to medical care. 

It was only seconds later when a medivac chopper appeared over the crater. I was to the front as the chopper approached so I lay on my back and guided him in. It was like flying down a chimney. I can still see the pilot holding that stick and looking down at me as I would motion him to maneuver right, left, front, or rear to avoid hitting the trees. I remember asking God not to let the enemy shoot the chopper because we would all have been killed. 

About a half dozen of the men lifted the wounded point man up to the chopper and I waved the pilot to pull it up. As soon as he cleared the trees they were gone and we prepared to withdraw back to the perimeter. We didn’t receive any fire during the withdrawal. This further convinced me the enemy had left behind a sniper and had withdrawn their main force during the night. 

This incident gave me the ultimate respect for the medivac pilots. I witnessed many other brave acts by these pilots to pick up our wounded in the field. They are true heroes in my book. We later learned the point man had died on the way to medical treatment from massive blood loss. It was my first time to witness a KIA.

Take time to remember the great heroes who have fallen as well as those heroes who suffered and survived.