Thursday, May 31, 2012

Taking Off the Cape . . .

Lately it seems like things are spinning out of control.  I hate admitting this now, not because I want to be a ball of pride but because my writing career has really taken off--which is amazing.  More people have heard about Zeke and his story.  I've spoken at fifteen assemblies and had eight signings in the last two months.     
    With Sky getting sick, though, with certain people--who are close to me--not being supportive of my writing . . . things have gotten tough.  I won't give up even if I do need to slow down.  
    Being a mother of four is busy, and as you all know, my kids need to come first.  Plus, doing all of this career stuff, well, it's like trying to be Wonder Woman--and I learned while skydiving, I suck at flying.  So, I'm going to take off my cape.  According to many, capes can be quite dangerous anyway.  

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    I'll just be posting every Wednesday for the next while.  Fishducky has generously offered to post every Monday and Friday while I'm slowing down.

So, back to the Hippie . . .   
    The doctors still don't know exactly what's going on with her.  We really do appreciate your prayers.  Melynda called yesterday and said her family was praying--in French!  The Hippie thought that was awesome.  (Remember when she was thrilled with Altoids since they're made in Great Britain.)  And later she even told me, "Someday I'll go to France because the people there already like me."  
    We were at the hospital for a while again yesterday.  She's had so many blood tests.  We finally got bored in the waiting room and so I pulled out an advance copy of my next book The Best of EC Writes, and started reading it to the Hippie.  For you to see how funny this was, I need to show you the front and back cover:
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Yes, the following picture is of me on the toilet again.
Read that story HERE
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    Well, I read a very silly chapter to the Hippie.  It was about how I bought a planter barrel.  I grabbed it at the entrance and when some old man yelled, thinking I stole it, instead of politely telling him I'd paid, I started running.  Still . . . I don't know why I ran, but it WAS hilarious.  Anyway, some of the people in the waiting room looked at me as I read.  A couple of them snickered quietly.  That's when I noticed a fancy woman staring at the cover of my book.  
    "You know," she whispered to the girl next to her.  "The cover looks like the woman who's reading the book."
    I knew they looked at me and then the cover.  Then the young girl said, "Oh my gosh!  Is that YOU . . . on a toilet?"
    "Shhh." her mother said.  "Of course that isn't her . . . on a toilet.  No one reads a book with their own picture on the cover."   
    I cleared my throat.  "Actually, it is.  I'm checking it for typos.  It's the final proof copy."
    "Are you kidding, can I look?" she asked.
    "Sure," I said.  And by this point, the Hippie seemed a bit amused.  I hoped the whole situation took her mind from the pain.
    The lady opened the book, read for a long time, went from red to pale.  She laughed so hard at one point, wiped the tears from her eyes and gave it back. "I have to buy that."
    "What story did you read?" I asked, clutching to her words.  It must have been the best story in the whole book! 
    "Oh, just about the time you got The Clap."
    Then MY face went red.  Of all the stupid stories--why had she read that one!
    "I'm gonna be laughing about your book all day."
    "Mama," the Hippie said later, "what's The Clap?"
    "I just found out last year.  Trust me, you do not want to know!  Like Uncle Shane said, no one ever told me about The Clap's true meaning.  They said the less I knew about it, the less chance I'd have of getting it."
    The Hippie just looked confused.
    "Never mind, I'll tell you when you're older." 
    "Not that again.  Mama, people are praying for me in French!  Can't you tell me grown-up things now?"
    "No, Honey.  Not until people are praying for you in Italian."


    If you'd like to find out what I thought The Clap was, please go HERE
    I'll be back next Wednesday.

17 comments:

  1. Hahaha, I love The Clap story! If I knew Irish, I'd be praying for the Hippie in that but I don't, so you can just tell her that I have a small family of leprechauns praying that she will get better and they will send a rainbow soon so she knows they are praying ;)

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  2. Dear Elisa, I applaud your decision to take some time off. All bloggers need to do that from time to time. Please take as much time as you need. And if Wednesday becomes too stressful, take that off also! Fishducky will hold down the fort well. Peace.

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  3. Io prego per la vostra guarigione, piccolo.

    Now...start telling her about The Clap. ;oP

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    1. Beat me to it, Joshua. :)

      Anyway, no worries, Elisa. Take care of your family (and yourself). We'll be here for you when you have time to post.

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  4. I'd be more than happy to hold down the fort if you'd LET ME IN THE FORT! I thought you were going to post I'M SORRY, MOM, part 3 today. Can you do that later, please?

    So glad The Hippie is better enough to laugh!!!

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  5. LOL the clap was one of the best ones ever. I hope everything is getting better with the hippie, nothing worse than not knowing what it is.

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  6. I hope The Hippie will be okay. I don't blame you for cutting back. Family comes first. :)

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  7. Only you! I think this is one of your funniest. I agree time to take some CAPES off. You are wearing entirely to many and anyways I'm Wonder Woman so you can't have that one. Don't quit no matter who tries to discourage you. You have worked to hard for this and what those people don't understand is if they take THIS from you, you'll just find something else. You are like the energizer bunny on crack. You will never be ok just sitting around looking pretty. (although you are beautiful. Even IN curlers! lol)

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  8. One of the best parts about being a mom is when your children stare at you in amazement and wonder for all of the wonderfully useless things you can share with them! I pray that Hippie is better very soon and that it all turns out to be a harmless case of Unicorn toe jam or something equally benign...

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  9. Our little Hippie needs to get better. I wish I were there to provide support. As for people who don't support your writing, maybe you could talk about it less with them, but please, please don't quit unless YOU want to do so. Giving up your dream will lead to disappointment, which could ultimately lead to resentment. I know from experience. Don't give in to a dream stealer. My goodness! You are prolific, young lady. I haven't even gotten Bible Girl yet and you're coming out with another book. I'm such a slow poke, but I have to spend quite a bit of time job hunting because I'm worried about my health insurance running out in November. If I don't have insurance, I just know I'll be one of those people who gets sick the minute I no longer have it and I'll end up sleeping in a cardboard box with the boys.

    Love,
    Janie

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  10. Praying for your little Hippie. Poor doll. I can imagine what you are going through. I completely agree, family must come first. You are doing the right thing. {{hugs}}

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  11. Family comes first, and we all understand if you have to take some time off. We'll always be here when you get back...:) I hope the Hippie feels better soon. Please keep us in the loop, lady!

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  12. Of course capes are dangerous - haven't you seen "The Incredibles"? Edna Mode gives a whole list of heroes who died because of their capes! ;)

    I hope they figure out soon what's wrong with Hippie. It's getting worrying! Oh, and I'd pray for her in Italian - if I had learned it growing up! My Italian relatives seemed to focus more on the food than the language :P

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  13. I'm sorry I got pissed off at you for not running my post today, but it's not my fault. Apparently someone broke into my brain during the night & stole Thursday. I woke up KNOWING that it was Friday. It wasn't. I hope they didn't take anything else!!

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  14. Please, don't teach her Italian... those Italians know all about the clap...

    I hope she gets better soon. ((HUGS))

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  15. I pray she is feeling better. I got to tell you that your story cracked me up. Maybe it was the clap mention but too funny! Sending lots of luv EC. =)

    Blessings,
    Daniel L Carter

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