I am sitting in my den. It is 7:02 on this Sunday evening. Rachael’s dachshund-mix puppy, Hazel, is curled up on the chair next to the window. The grandfather clock in our living room is tolling the last of seven chimes, clearly off by two minutes. I’ve made a vegetable and rice soup in the…
Author: lenleatherwood
I am a native Texan who has lived for the past 30 years in Southern California. I am a published author of both short memoir and fiction, a two-time Pushcart nominee, a nationally award-winning writing coach, 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 four darling children and the wife of a man I still love after 44 years.
Learning from the Masters
Today, I spent most of the afternoon listening to Margaret Atwood’s master class on fiction writing. This is through http://www.masterclass.com and is part of the unlimited series that I paid $180/year for when I signed up for the Billy Collins workshop on poetry. Unlike poetry, I have spent quite a lot of time working on…
Some Assembly Required
To all who took the time to either give me a thumbs up or write a comment about my thoughts on restarting my blog, please accept my heartfelt thank you. I truly appreciate your support and was touched by your positive messages. Day 2 of 20 Minutes a Day: I have worked for the past…
A Swift Kick in the Butt from Daughter Liz
Okay, I am going to try this again. To get back into the groove of writing and posting to my blog. This came after daughter Liz gave me a “Come to Jesus” talk yesterday, calling me a “weenie” for not recognizing that what I write has value even if it is not always political. …
My First Attempt at a Sonnet
I have never studied poetry so I decided to take an online Master Class with Billy Collins , who was the Poet Laureate of the United States from 2001-2003. I like Billy’s poems because they are accessible and often about everyday things. The class is just Billy lecturing in 10-15 minute blocks, which works very…
Happy 39th Anniversary, Ray.
When Ray and I got married in 1980, I was 27 and he was 22. Here we are with the judge of Stone County, Arkansas, who was presiding over our tiny wedding. As Ray said today, “Our getting married was a good decision.” Yes, I would have to agree it was. We have had our…
A Window into Grandbaby Lyla’s Birth
Almost a month ago, I had the profound privilege of being present for the labor and delivery of Sarah and Gregorio’s third child, my third grandchild, Lyla Gabriella Pacheco Beaty. With firstborn Luna, I was the very first person to see her little face when she was born and was able to cry out, “Oh,…
Happy Birthday, Rachael!
Today is Rachael’s birthday. She is 28 today. I am very happy to have this young woman in my life. She is quite a little jewel not just to me but to all who know and love her. We have a favorite story in our family about Rachael. When she was around 3, she had…
Flash Fiction: Hidden Benefits
I sink the trowel into the soft ground, digging down to sever the root of the offending dandelion. I can’t help but feel half-guilty removing these vivid yellow flowers from my brown lawn right in the middle of winter. Still, I know it’s a gift to have such an unseasonably warm February weekday to garden when most people have to…
Congratulations to My Students Who Are Regional Winners in the Scholastic Artists and Writers Contest
I am very pleased to announce that I have three writing students who have won awards in the Scholastic Artists and Writers contest, the oldest and most prestigious writing contest for youth in the United States. These regional winners competed with writers from many states for this highly coveted recognition. Nationally, this contest draws around…
20 Minutes a Day 