The Hardest Part Is Saying Goodbye!

Here in this world, there are many beautiful, wonderful, and sometimes terrible things that happen. Some experience more or less of each, but for TJ Atchison, he has witnessed more life changing events in his twenty-two years than most people will see in a lifetime.

His car accident last September was a walloping blow - leaving him paralyzed from the waist down and a feeling of uncertainty for what the future would hold (*chapter snippet from THC below).

Then in October, becoming the first participant in Geron's stem cell clinical trial made him hopeful that life would not be as difficult as he once thought. This trial had become a huge part of his life, but it was not going to consume him. TJ quickly realized that God had a bigger plan for his future, and he was not going to question another minute of another day.


The children and I were able to spend some time with TJ and his family this morning before he headed back to college. It was heartwarming to witness the love and support shown from his family and friends - his roomate, Kyle Dees carried box after box to the car and reassured TJ's parents that he would take the very best care of their son.

As you can see in the photo above, TJ is not allowing his circumstances to keep him from reaching his goals. He is more determined than ever to return to the University of South Alabama Nursing School in Mobile, Ala. and complete his nursing degree. And his mother, Anita could not be happier for her oldest son. For months, she has devoted every hour of each day to TJ, waiting on his every need and making sure his spirits remained high. Certainly this is a difficult time for her to let go, but she sees the excitement in his face and knows this transition of returning to college is exactly what her son needs.

For those of you who know TJ Atchison well, I'm sure you will agree that he is one of those kids who knocks it out of the park each time he's up to bat. He never gets down or frustrated with being young and disabled. Instead, he has turned this negative experience into something astounding - a true testament of TJ's faith in God!

It is his goal to be an inspiration to young and old, which as you can tell by the smiling faces above, my little ones think TJ Atchison hung the moon! For thousands of other young and disabled, TJ hopes to show it is possible to live a normal, productive life, and that their dreams can be fulfilled with a little patience and determination. He believes that it's how you react to life's surprises that determine if you can hit the ball out of the park or simply strike out.

I must admit that when I gave TJ that final hug and said goodbye, my heart sank and eyes filled with warm tears. Just as his mother feels, I too am overwhelmed with happiness and joy for this young man, but the selfish part of me hates the afternoon visits and weekend get togethers will be very hard to come by.

Although the toughest part is saying goodbye to those you care for, it gives me great comfort to know that TJ will be much happier in school with his friends and moving closer to earning his nursing degree. And because I want nothing but the best for this young man, I was able to give him a warm hug and say the words, "Goodbye, TJ!"

When we left, my son Conner tapped me on the shoulder and informed me that when he grew up, he wanted to be just like TJ. I smiled and said, "That would make me very proud, Conner!"

In closing, TJ and I would like to announce that the book proposal for The Human Candidate is currently on submission with editors from across the country. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers that in the coming weeks/months, we find the perfect match for his story and move closer to putting The Human Candidate on bookshelves across the world. Until next time, have a great one! Love, Tory

Mr. Cinderella!

While surfing the Internet this past weekend for stories of inspiration, I stumbled across a fascinating article about a man who was determined to become a published author, hence the title for this post. Now, some of you may feel a bit nauseous at the idea of writing a 400 page novel, but hopefully somewhere in your inner soul there is a life-long dream that you wish to become a reality.

Before I go any further, I want to share the link to this amazing article in hopes you'll become as enthusiastic about chasing your dreams as I have: From Rejection Notes to the Pulitzer! http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/19/books/19harding.html?hpw



Okay! If you didn't follow the link, then you're really going to be clueless with the final portion of my post. So. Please. Follow. It. Now. :)

As a former elementary school teacher, and now, the mother to four young children, I rely heavily on my education background (Organizational skills are a fundamental necessity for being an effective school teacher!) in order to keep our motley crew on schedule and out of harm's way. So, yes! Goals and accomplishments are of major significance in my daily routine; whether I'm counting heads around the bathroom sink to make certain each child has brushed his/her teeth, or on all fours in the living room in search of a missing polka-dot flip-flop, the goal is usually the same: DO NOT lose sight of the main objective or everything else will dissipate like a sandcastle in a windstorm.

As you can see, my belief in goal setting is extremely important to how I work through the obstacles and uncertainties in my day. And just as Mr. Harding believed in himself and the stories he created, his journey to publication has given me confidence to know that what I do is more than just wishful thinking. Being able to use my talents in order to create stories that will hopefully brighten the lives of young readers is what motivates and inspires me. It helps me strive to be the best mother, friend, daughter, sister, wife, and person that I can truly be.

I believe Mr. Harding's journey is a true testament for anyone hoping to fulfill their dreams. What about you? Perhaps you'd like to share something about goal setting in the comment section below.

In closing, I'd like to leave you with a quote of inspiration:

“The more intensely we feel about an idea or a goal, the more assuredly the idea, buried deep in our subconscious, will direct us along the path to its fulfillment.” Earl Nightingale,(US motivational writer and author, 1921-1989)

Have a great evening, everyone! Tory

The Weight of Our Words!

Tonight, as I sat on our soft and comfortable sofa watching Yo Gabba Gabba with my rowdy bunch, all I could think of were two important things. The first: I tried to escape from DJ Lance's obnoxious laughter by calculating when Catie needed her evening dose of antibiotic and pain medication (Yes! Strep throat has crept into our safe haven once again.), and two: Ultimately, I tried to convince myself that Gram's salt-water pool did a terrific job of cleaning the youngest three kiddos and this justified me skipping the half-hour screaming match of who has more bath bubbles than the other.

So, just when I was beginning to feel somewhat relaxed and proud of myself for all I had accomplished in one day (seeing my children cuddled next to one another on the sofa nearly made a few tears escape my eyes), Trae called and said he needed to spend the night in Gainsville due to a late customer ordering fifty-four bails of hay for delivery ASAP tomorrow morning.

Perfect. A-b-s-o-l-u-t-e-l-y perfect!

But instead of shrivelling up into a tight ball and rolling myself out the front door of our home, I thought back a few hours to the moment I bumped into Mr. Jan, one of the greatest supporters of my writing endeavor, at the Washington County Public Library.


Mr. Jan, I'm sure if you're reading this post, you're a bit confused as to why I'm namedropping you into this rabbit chase. Well, the reason is simply because it wouldn't be fair to exclude your contribution to my happy ending.

The point I'm trying to make is that while most of us never realize the impact or "weight" of our words until something spectacular, or in other cases, something disastrous occurs, there are some, however, that do notice, and they are better people for it.

Lucky for me, when I approached the lady from behind the information desk at the library, Mr. Jan and his wife rounded the corner of the media center and gave a cheerful, "Hello," that followed by, "We sure hope your book gets published soon so we can read it!"

Mr. Jan, it was almost as if you knew what to say with your kind words and thoughtful questions about the status of my querying to perk my spirits. Not only did you inspire the idea for this post, you also reaffirmed that folks are truly reading my words and even some look forward to hearing more about my journey to publication.

So thanks to you, Mr. Jan, I found reason to tear myself away from Yo Gabba Gabba and take note to my children cuddled so sweetly with one another on the sofa! Thanks to you, I found reason to sit in front of this computer and free myself from the stress and turmoil that wanted so badly to tear my sanity into shreds.

Now, I feel confident that my head will hit the pillow softly and all the chaos in my life will disappear. So THANKS. THANKS. THANKS. Mr. Jan, for being such an amazing person!

In closing, I'd like to know if your mood has been altered lately by the words of others? If so, please feel free to share in the comment section below.

Good night, everyone! Tory

Short and Sweet!

Given that it's a holiday weekend and two of my four spunky monkeys are sick with sinus infections/sore throats, there will be no fancy shmancy post for tonight. Sorry!

Instead, I leave you with a quote from one of my favorite authors:

Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead. - Louisa May Alcott

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! Tory

Grateful For The Smaller Things In Life!

Recently my family (including my parents, siblings, brother-in-law, and nieces & nephews) decided to plant a huge vegetable garden at the edge of my dad's property in Millry, Alabama. This beautiful acre of land runs parallel to our backyard, so it's basically a hop, skip, and a jump for my children to visit the countless rows of cucumbers, onions, squash and tomato plants.

On this particular evening, after delivering thermoses of chilled water to my dad and kiddo #1, I was taken aback by Dad's appreciation for the smaller things in life. In his subtle, yet gentle voice, he reminded Catie and me of the importance of spending time outdoors and enjoying the beauty of our natural world. "Our lives are full of distractions," he said while pulling clumps of weeds from a row of tomato plants. "Once upon a time, I remember when there were no cell phones and computers." With sweat dripping from the tip of his nose, he shot Catie a wink and a smile. My nine-year-old grinned sweetly and continued hoeing around the okra plants.



You see, when Dad gets in one of these melancholy moods, we can't help but listen. His words are rich in wisdom and his forethought defies the norm for the average sixty-four-year-old man. But on this sweltering evening, what surprised me the most was his remarkable ability to sense where Catie and me were in life. Somehow, he knew exactly what we needed to hear. Not only did he strike a nerve in me (Yikes! What would I do without my word processor?), my dad also taught Catie one of the greatest lessons in life: To be grateful for the little things that God has given us!

How about you? When is the last time you stopped and enjoyed the smaller things in life?

If nothing more, I hope this post inspires you to head outdoors and enjoy our natural world. It truly is a beautiful place! Have a great Thursday, everyone! Tory

Is "It" Really Worth It?

Now that I'm working on a new project, I find myself reflecting on the previous months as I birthed book #1, and must admit, the second time around seems a whole lot easier. Just as in raising children, perhaps it's because I know what's around the corner.

The advantage I have with book #2 is that I'm aware of the highs and lows where the ideas come and go quickly. As a result, I've placed a writing tablet and pencil in every room of my home. And then there's the inevitable cycle of self-doubt. For some odd reason, I'd be willing to bet my signing advance check that good ole Mr. Self-Doubt will do his best to whisper over my left shoulder, in hopes of convincing me to throw in the towel.

Some may ask, "Is it worth it?" I suppose the "it" in this question refers to the amount of time and energy a writer puts into each project.

My response to this question is, "Do I have a choice?" Those of you who write understand exactly what I'm talking about. There is no choice! Either you allow your imagination to roam freely, or chain it down and suffer through the consequences. I choose to go where my thoughts allow me and brace myself for the ride!

You see, this newfound gift/talent/curse (take your pick), is something I have not forced upon myself. I believe it's always been inside, but I've never gone out on a limb and tapped into it. Now that I have, I hope to never let go. And I assure you, when you're a stay-at-home mom to four children under the age of ten, you reach out and grab hold to anything that keeps you emotionally and physically charged.

So, YES! Writing YA fiction is totally, most undeniably worth it! Even when I'm old and gray, I hope to have a writing tablet and pencil hidden in every room of my home.

Have a great Tuesday, everyone! Tory

Worth Every Minute!

After attending an Easter Egg hunt with my children today near a beautiful pond in Cullomberg, Alabama (there were even real ducks floating around and a forty-foot rope-swing hanging from a mammoth Oak tree), an idea for my daily post came to mind: My precious little children that dug beneath mounds of pine cones and searched through clumps of sprouting daylilies in hopes of finding the golden egg, were the reason I wrote this book in the first place. They were the force that pushed me to the end, and inspired me to use my creativity like never before.

I love my children, of course, and I'd like to think that every mother out there feels the same way. But I don't love the idea of not being able to provide the things they need in order to live a safe, healthy, and happy life (I'm talking about healthcare, insurance, shelter, education, etc..., and NOT Nintendos, Wii games, and 4-wheelers, although I'm sure my bunch would be thrilled for the latter).

So, for them, I will ease out of the bed at 11:00 P.M. to finish the end of a chapter, or rise before daylight to begin a new one. You see, my rowdy, yet adorable munchkins are worth every minute!

Everyone Has a Story!

I'm sure you've all heard the cliche', "Everyone has a story to tell." Well, if you're like me and barely have time to concentrate on anything other than the safety for yourself, your kids, and the passengers in the vehicle as your speeding down the highway to get to the next appointment that you're already ten minutes late for, then you rarely take time to sit back and think about the person standing next to you.

This brings me to the point of today's blog post. Shortly after I completed the outline for my book, I began to look at people differently. I began to pay close attention to peoples' mannerisms, their choice of words, their attitudes when faced with adversity, and most importantly, their motivation to do something good in their own life and the life of those closest to them. Yes, this may be deep thinking, or summing someone up by their actions, but it's given me a perspective of what a dynamic character should be like in a story. Although my novel is fiction, or based on make believe characters, events, locations, etc..., the characters within my story are very realistic, and endure situations that truly exist in our society today. Therefore, over the course of four months, I used bits and pieces from what I observed on a day-to-day basis and tweaked them enough to create an interesting, yet believable young adult book.

Well, now that I've perked some of your interests, I hope you continue to follow along to learn more tidbits of how I created my story. Maybe this will inspire some of you to sit back and think of what kind of story the person standing next to you is trying to tell. You never know, one day it might come in handy! Have a great weekend everyone!