Comments on: Changes for the New Year http://meredithefken.com/blog/2008/01/01/womens-voices/changes-for-the-new-year/ Stories of extraordinary every-day women, stay-at-home moms (SAHMs), and adoptive parents. Fri, 04 Jul 2008 18:34:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: April Hamilton http://meredithefken.com/blog/2008/01/01/womens-voices/changes-for-the-new-year/#comment-27459 April Hamilton Tue, 05 Feb 2008 03:39:58 +0000 http://meredithefken.com/blog/2008/01/01/womens-voices/changes-for-the-new-year/#comment-27459 I've been inspired by Meredith's success to return to my own writing, and my goal is to write a new novel this year. I've entered a comic, 'hen-lit' novel I wrote some years back in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest, and it's currently a semifinalist. It's called "Adelaide Einstein", and it's a story about a very traditional wife and mom who's facing empty-nest syndrome, feeling like the best years of her life are over. As she herself says at one point, "I thought I was done, the way a cake is done, and people would just keep taking little pieces of me away until nothing was left." When she volunteers at a hospice, Addie meets a college professor who sees more potential in Adelaide than even she herself would've believed, and despite her fears and insecurities, she decides to go back to school. Little does she suspect she's destined to take over for the ailing professor, eventually becoming part of a team that's up for the Nobel prize in Physics. Along the way she earns the admiration of her upstart daughter and the respect of her dismissive son, and learns to believe in herself. The contest is like an American Idol for novelists, where customer reviews are supposed to determine the winner (which will be published by Penguin Books). Amazon customers can download free excerpts from the entries and enter their reviews at Amazon's site. The next elimination round will cull us down to the top 100 by 2/19, so if my book sounds like something anyone here would like and you have an Amazon account, I'd be very grateful for any reads and reviews between now and 2/10. Here's a link to my entry's page: http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/B00124COKM Thanks in advance, and here's hoping we can all make at least one of our cherished dreams come true in 2008. =') I’ve been inspired by Meredith’s success to return to my own writing, and my goal is to write a new novel this year. I’ve entered a comic, ‘hen-lit’ novel I wrote some years back in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest, and it’s currently a semifinalist.

It’s called “Adelaide Einstein”, and it’s a story about a very traditional wife and mom who’s facing empty-nest syndrome, feeling like the best years of her life are over. As she herself says at one point, “I thought I was done, the way a cake is done, and people would just keep taking little pieces of me away until nothing was left.” When she volunteers at a hospice, Addie meets a college professor who sees more potential in Adelaide than even she herself would’ve believed, and despite her fears and insecurities, she decides to go back to school. Little does she suspect she’s destined to take over for the ailing professor, eventually becoming part of a team that’s up for the Nobel prize in Physics. Along the way she earns the admiration of her upstart daughter and the respect of her dismissive son, and learns to believe in herself.

The contest is like an American Idol for novelists, where customer reviews are supposed to determine the winner (which will be published by Penguin Books). Amazon customers can download free excerpts from the entries and enter their reviews at Amazon’s site. The next elimination round will cull us down to the top 100 by 2/19, so if my book sounds like something anyone here would like and you have an Amazon account, I’d be very grateful for any reads and reviews between now and 2/10. Here’s a link to my entry’s page:
http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/B00124COKM

Thanks in advance, and here’s hoping we can all make at least one of our cherished dreams come true in 2008. =’)

]]> By: barbara http://meredithefken.com/blog/2008/01/01/womens-voices/changes-for-the-new-year/#comment-26974 barbara Tue, 29 Jan 2008 14:57:32 +0000 http://meredithefken.com/blog/2008/01/01/womens-voices/changes-for-the-new-year/#comment-26974 2007 went out with a bang for me - kidney cancer incidentally found when a surgeon was looking for a hernia that wasn't there - God is good!!! 2008 came in with a bang for me - a heart attack that cannot be explained because the tests all look so good - except for the ones that show I did have a heart attack - the week before my 58th birthday. I raise my hands to the sky, praise God and ask what He would like me to learn from all this - two miracles in 30 days? Thank you, Lord, and may I have another? Good to see your post here, Meredith - looking forward to finding out what your changes will be. 2007 went out with a bang for me - kidney cancer incidentally found when a surgeon was looking for a hernia that wasn’t there - God is good!!!

2008 came in with a bang for me - a heart attack that cannot be explained because the tests all look so good - except for the ones that show I did have a heart attack - the week before my 58th birthday.

I raise my hands to the sky, praise God and ask what He would like me to learn from all this - two miracles in 30 days? Thank you, Lord, and may I have another?

Good to see your post here, Meredith - looking forward to finding out what your changes will be.

]]> By: Audrey Hebbert http://meredithefken.com/blog/2008/01/01/womens-voices/changes-for-the-new-year/#comment-26479 Audrey Hebbert Mon, 21 Jan 2008 21:47:12 +0000 http://meredithefken.com/blog/2008/01/01/womens-voices/changes-for-the-new-year/#comment-26479 I found you, Meredith. I check some blogs every day, and it dawned on me that I don't event know the name of yours! Nice. Right now I'd like to change this cold Nebraska weather! I look out the window all day as I work, but I think twice about getting out into the freezing cold. I know--be content in whatever state you're in, and Nebraska is cold! Check my blog, too? www.audreyhebbert.com. I'd love to have you! I found you, Meredith. I check some blogs every day, and it dawned on me that I don’t event know the name of yours! Nice. Right now I’d like to change this cold Nebraska weather! I look out the window all day as I work, but I think twice about getting out into the freezing cold. I know–be content in whatever state you’re in, and Nebraska is cold!

Check my blog, too? http://www.audreyhebbert.com. I’d love to have you!

]]> By: Sally Bradley http://meredithefken.com/blog/2008/01/01/womens-voices/changes-for-the-new-year/#comment-25526 Sally Bradley Sat, 05 Jan 2008 04:17:22 +0000 http://meredithefken.com/blog/2008/01/01/womens-voices/changes-for-the-new-year/#comment-25526 Of course, there's lose weight and organize. But I'd like to be content where I am as a writer, whether God keeps me unpubbed this year or gives me a contract. Looking forward to hearing about your contracts, Meredith. Of course, there’s lose weight and organize. But I’d like to be content where I am as a writer, whether God keeps me unpubbed this year or gives me a contract.

Looking forward to hearing about your contracts, Meredith.

]]> By: Meredith Efken http://meredithefken.com/blog/2008/01/01/womens-voices/changes-for-the-new-year/#comment-25425 Meredith Efken Wed, 02 Jan 2008 21:54:39 +0000 http://meredithefken.com/blog/2008/01/01/womens-voices/changes-for-the-new-year/#comment-25425 I think that's a great change, Pattie! Any ideas on how you're going to go about it? I think that’s a great change, Pattie! Any ideas on how you’re going to go about it?

]]> By: Pattie http://meredithefken.com/blog/2008/01/01/womens-voices/changes-for-the-new-year/#comment-25419 Pattie Wed, 02 Jan 2008 21:17:27 +0000 http://meredithefken.com/blog/2008/01/01/womens-voices/changes-for-the-new-year/#comment-25419 The change I want to make is in my attitude: living on purpose, positively. The change I want to make is in my attitude: living on purpose, positively.

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