Luna and I picked Brazil on a globe today, researched a little about Brazilian foods and also looked up favorite Brazilian girls’ names. Here is her story: From Brigadeiros to Donuts Ana and Arete are twin girls who live in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Their family is moving to Los Angeles in the United States because…
Author: lenleatherwood
I am a native Texan who has lived for the past 26 years in Los Angeles. I am a published author of both short memoir and fiction, a Pushcart nominee, a nationally award-winning writing teacher, an editor, as well as a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Texas. In addition, I am the mother of three grown daughters of whom I am extremely proud, a grandmother of three darling children and the wife of a man I still love after 39 years.
Elvis, Hand Sanitizer and Covid-19
I have a student in my current “20 Minutes a Day” class (where students write 6 days a week for 20 minutes for 30 day), who wrote in her entry today that she had a doctoral professor who liked to use the phrase, “Relish and squid.” This referred back to a lecture the professor had…
When a Faulty Memory Leads to a Near-Death Experience
This is a story that happened a few years back right around this time of year. I would say this is the very closest I’ve ever come to facing my dying moment – and killing poor Ray in the process. Thank God for a little Divine intervention when we both really needed it. I have…
Luna’s Next Story
Seven-year-old granddaughter Luna had a lot of fun today “shocking” Grandma by using the word “fart” in several variations in her story today. She giggled several times and even said at one point, “I can’t believe we’re writing about Fartsburg,” but I decided to just enjoy the writing process with her. As it turned out,…
Spray Paint Bender
I have been on a bender – no, not a drinking bender – a spray paint bender. I have been up at our orange grove and have spent the past two days spray-painting yard furniture and funny little decorative items. These have been pieces that have been on the “never-never,” meaning Ray and I had…
Two Lists that Focus on Gratitude
During this time of Covid-19, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. I found these lists I made a couple of years ago and discovered that just reading them made me feel better. I invite you to make similar lists if you need a little picker-upper. You are welcome to share them in the comment section…
An Orange Grove Night
It’s 10:23 pm and I am sitting in our Airstream up at the orange grove. Ray has gone back to LA for the night and I’ll be returning with Liz and Ron in the morning. They are over in their snug-as-a-bug-in-a-rug little house an acre and a few hundred orange trees away. The night is…
My Orange Grove Haircut
Today, daughter Elizabeth cut my hair. No, she doesn’t know how to cut hair, but two YouTube videos gave her a few tips. I helped by urging her to make that first three inch cut. “It’s really short!” she said. “No problem,” I replied. “Anything you do will be better than this helmet I currently…
Congratulations to Daughter Rachael Heading to Grad School in English Literature
My youngest daughter Rachael has just learned that she has been accepted into the MA program in English Literature at Loyola Marymount University here in Los Angeles. LMU has an excellent English program, which means that Rachael will have the chance to work with an array of English scholars with a wide range of interests….
A New SCN Class I’m Teaching and the Writing that Is Touching Me
I started teaching a new class yesterday for Story Circle Network called, “20 Minutes a Day of Writing for 30 Days.” I have 14 students, which is more than I’ve ever had at SCN since we pride ourselves on small classes and because online teaching can be intense, especially when giving detailed critique. But this…
