Category: Excerpts

Sarah on Candid Camera #SixSentenceStoryThursdaylinkUp #Excerpts #Inspiration

Welcome to another Six-Sentence Story Thursday Link Up. This week’s given word is “remote,” and the idea is to write something in exactly six sentences, using the word at least once.

My contribution is an excerpt from Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me. Ten-year-old Sarah is in the hospital after having her appendix removed. Her sister Natalie, sixteen, who’s telling the story, has recently developed an interest in photography, and Sarah asks her sister to take her picture.

***

“That’s a great idea,” I said. “Do you feel like sitting up? The photo might look better that way.”

“Yeah,” she said. “Nurse Sherry told me there’s a button here that can lift the head of the bed.” She reached for a remote control attached to one of the rails and found the button.

***

Why does Sarah want Natalie to take her picture? What happens next? Read the book, and you’ll find out.

Thanks to GirlieOnTheEdge for inspiring me to post the above excerpt with her six-sentence prompt for this week. You can click here to participate on your blog and enjoy other six-sentence creations. Thank you for reading.

 

Abbie wears a blue and white V-neck top with different shades of blue from sky to navy that swirl together with the white. She has short, brown hair and rosy cheeks and smiles at the camera against a black background.Photo Courtesy of Tess Anderson Photography

Photo Resize and Description

by Two Pentacles Publishing

 

If you haven’t already done so, please subscribe to my email list to receive my monthly newsletter and other announcements. This is a one-way announcements list, meaning the only messages you’ll receive will come from me. So, you can rest assured that this list is low-traffic. Send a blank email to:  newsfrommycorner+subscribe@groups.io  You’ll receive a confirmation email. Reply to that with another blank message, and you should be good to go.

New! Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me

Copyright 2021 by Abbie Johnson Taylor.

Independently published with the help of DLD Books.

The cover of the book features an older woman sitting in a wicker chair facing a window. The world beyond the window is bright, and several plants are visible on the terrace. Behind the woman’s chair is another plant, with a tall stalk and wide rounded leaves. The woman has short, white hair, glasses, a red sweater, and tan pants. The border of the picture is a taupe color and reads "Why Grandma Doesn't Know Me" above the photo and "Abbie Johnson Taylor" below it.

Photo Resize and Description

by Two Pentacles Publishing

 

Sixteen-year-old Natalie’s grandmother, suffering from dementia and confined to a wheelchair, lives in a nursing home and rarely recognizes Natalie. But one Halloween night, she tells her a shocking secret that only she and Natalie’s mother know. Natalie is the product of a one-night stand between her mother, who is a college English teacher, and another professor.

After some research, Natalie learns that people with dementia often have vivid memories of past events. Still not wanting to believe what her grandmother has told her, she finds her biological father online. The resemblance between them is undeniable. Not knowing what else to do, she shows his photo and website to her parents.

Natalie realizes she has some growing up to do. Scared and confused, she reaches out to her biological father, and they start corresponding.

Her younger sister, Sarah, senses their parents’ marital difficulties. At Thanksgiving, when she has an opportunity to see Santa Claus, she asks him to bring them together again. Can the jolly old elf grant her request?

The “Do Re Mi” Challenge #SixSentenceStoryThursdayLinkUp #Excerpts #Inspiration

Welcome to another Six Sentence Story Thursday Link Up. This week’s given word is “challenge,” and the idea is to write something in exactly six sentences, using the word at least once.

Being a caregiver had its challenges. But the one I’m talking about in today’s excerpt from My Ideal Partner: How I Met, Married, and Cared for the Man I Loved Despite Debilitating Odds happened while my late husband Bill was still in the nursing home.

***

One day, Bill’s speech therapist said to me, “Bill says you’re a good singer. I don’t sing very well, but if you could get him to sing every day, it would improve his speech.”

Unlike Dad, who had had trouble finding words since his stroke in 2000, Bill had no trouble speaking, but his voice no longer had the same lilting quality. Having once been a music therapist, I rose to the challenge. Bill loved The Sound of Music, so we started with “Do Re Mi.” I sang each line and encouraged him to sing it after me.

***

What happened after that? Read the book and find out.

Thanks to GirlieOnTheEdge for inspiring me to share the above excerpt with her six-sentence story prompt for this week. You can click here to participate on your blog and read other responses.

 

Abbie wears a blue and white V-neck top with different shades of blue from sky to navy that swirl together with the white. She has short, brown hair and rosy cheeks and smiles at the camera against a black background.Photo Courtesy of Tess Anderson Photography

Photo Resize and Description

by Two Pentacles Publishing

 

If you haven’t already done so, please subscribe to my email list to receive my monthly newsletter and other announcements. This is a one-way announcements list, meaning the only messages you’ll receive will come from me. So, you can rest assured that this list is low-traffic. Send a blank email to:  newsfrommycorner+subscribe@groups.io  You’ll receive a confirmation email. Reply to that with another blank message, and you should be good to go.

 

New! Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me

Copyright 2021 by Abbie Johnson Taylor.

Independently published with the help of DLD Books.

The cover of the book features an older woman sitting in a wicker chair facing a window. The world beyond the window is bright, and several plants are visible on the terrace. Behind the woman’s chair is another plant, with a tall stalk and wide rounded leaves. The woman has short, white hair, glasses, a red sweater, and tan pants. The border of the picture is a taupe color and reads "Why Grandma Doesn't Know Me" above the photo and "Abbie Johnson Taylor" below it.

Photo Resize and Description

by Two Pentacles Publishing

 

Sixteen-year-old Natalie’s grandmother, suffering from dementia and confined to a wheelchair, lives in a nursing home and rarely recognizes Natalie. But one Halloween night, she tells her a shocking secret that only she and Natalie’s mother know. Natalie is the product of a one-night stand between her mother, who is a college English teacher, and another professor.

After some research, Natalie learns that people with dementia often have vivid memories of past events. Still not wanting to believe what her grandmother has told her, she finds her biological father online. The resemblance between them is undeniable. Not knowing what else to do, she shows his photo and website to her parents.

Natalie realizes she has some growing up to do. Scared and confused, she reaches out to her biological father, and they start corresponding.

Her younger sister, Sarah, senses their parents’ marital difficulties. At Thanksgiving, when she has an opportunity to see Santa Claus, she asks him to bring them together again. Can the jolly old elf grant her request?

Indecision #SixSentenceStoryThursdayLinkUp #Excerpts #Inspiration

Welcome to another Six Sentence Story Thursday Link Up. This week’s word is “farm.” As usual, the idea is to write something in exactly six sentences, using the word at least once.

My contribution is an excerpt from My Ideal Partner, in which I explain my reaction to my late husband’s proposal letter. At the time he asked me to marry him, I thought he wanted me to move from my hometown of Sheridan, Wyoming, to Fowler, Colorado, where he lived, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to do that.

***

According to Bill, the little farming community had none of the amenities I enjoyed in Sheridan: no public transportation, YMCA, Walmart, or theater. In Sheridan, I sang in a women’s barbershop group and attended monthly writers’ group meetings, but there was none of that in Fowler. Pueblo, Colorado, a town thirty–six miles away, had all this, but how was I to get there?

I thought back to the time we first met in person. Dad and I were driving to visit my brother, Andy, and his family in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Since Fowler wasn’t too far out of our way, we arranged to visit Bill at his home.

***

What happened when Bill and I met for the first time? Read the book to find out.

Thanks to GirlieOnTheEdge for inspiring me to post the above excerpt with her six-sentence prompt for this week. You can click here to participate on your blog and read other six-sentence creations. Thank you for stopping by.

 

Abbie wears a blue and white V-neck top with different shades of blue from sky to navy that swirl together with the white. She has short, brown hair and rosy cheeks and smiles at the camera against a black background.Photo Courtesy of Tess Anderson Photography

Photo Resize and Description

by Two Pentacles Publishing

 

If you haven’t already done so, please subscribe to my email list to receive my monthly newsletter and other announcements. This is a one-way announcements list, meaning the only messages you’ll receive will come from me. So, you can rest assured that this list is low-traffic. Send a blank email to:  newsfrommycorner+subscribe@groups.io  You’ll receive a confirmation email. Reply to that with another blank message, and you should be good to go.

 

New! Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me

Copyright 2021 by Abbie Johnson Taylor.

Independently published with the help of DLD Books.

The cover of the book features an older woman sitting in a wicker chair facing a window. The world beyond the window is bright, and several plants are visible on the terrace. Behind the woman’s chair is another plant, with a tall stalk and wide rounded leaves. The woman has short, white hair, glasses, a red sweater, and tan pants. The border of the picture is a taupe color and reads "Why Grandma Doesn't Know Me" above the photo and "Abbie Johnson Taylor" below it.

Photo Resize and Description

by Two Pentacles Publishing

 

Sixteen-year-old Natalie’s grandmother, suffering from dementia and confined to a wheelchair, lives in a nursing home and rarely recognizes Natalie. But one Halloween night, she tells her a shocking secret that only she and Natalie’s mother know. Natalie is the product of a one-night stand between her mother, who is a college English teacher, and another professor.

After some research, Natalie learns that people with dementia often have vivid memories of past events. Still not wanting to believe what her grandmother has told her, she finds her biological father online. The resemblance between them is undeniable. Not knowing what else to do, she shows his photo and website to her parents.

Natalie realizes she has some growing up to do. Scared and confused, she reaches out to her biological father, and they start corresponding.

Her younger sister, Sarah, senses their parents’ marital difficulties. At Thanksgiving, when she has an opportunity to see Santa Claus, she asks him to bring them together again. Can the jolly old elf grant her request?

A Philosophical Discussion #SixSentenceStoryThursdayLinkUp #Excerpts #Fiction

Welcome to another Six- Sentence Story Thursday Link Up. This week, the given word is “turn.” The idea is to write something in exactly six sentences, using the word at least once.

My contribution is an excerpt from Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me. Sixteen-year-old Natalie and her mother and sister are visiting her grandmother, who suffers from dimentia, in a nursing home. Her grandmother has just told her that nobody chooses to be born.

***

That was the grandma I remembered from when I was little. She was always telling me that nobody chose to be put on this earth. As far as I knew, she’d never told Sarah that.

My little sister now said, “What do you mean, Grandma?”

It was Mom’s turn to sigh. “Honey, your grandma is trying to say that God created us and we had no say in the matter.”

***

What prompted this discussion? What happens next? Read the book and find out.

Thanks to GirlieOnTheEdge for inspiring me to post the above excerpt with her six-sentence story prompt for this week. You can click here to participate and read other six-sentence creations.

 

Abbie wears a blue and white V-neck top with different shades of blue from sky to navy that swirl together with the white. She has short, brown hair and rosy cheeks and smiles at the camera against a black background.Photo Courtesy of Tess Anderson Photography

Photo Resize and Description

by Two Pentacles Publishing

 

If you haven’t already done so, please subscribe to my email list to receive my monthly newsletter and other announcements. This is a one-way announcements list, meaning the only messages you’ll receive will come from me. So, you can rest assured that this list is low-traffic. Send a blank email to:  newsfrommycorner+subscribe@groups.io  You’ll receive a confirmation email. Reply to that with another blank message, and you should be good to go.

 

New! Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me

Copyright 2021 by Abbie Johnson Taylor.

Independently published with the help of DLD Books.

The cover of the book features an older woman sitting in a wicker chair facing a window. The world beyond the window is bright, and several plants are visible on the terrace. Behind the woman’s chair is another plant, with a tall stalk and wide rounded leaves. The woman has short, white hair, glasses, a red sweater, and tan pants. The border of the picture is a taupe color and reads "Why Grandma Doesn't Know Me" above the photo and "Abbie Johnson Taylor" below it.

Photo Resize and Description

by Two Pentacles Publishing

 

Sixteen-year-old Natalie’s grandmother, suffering from dementia and confined to a wheelchair, lives in a nursing home and rarely recognizes Natalie. But one Halloween night, she tells her a shocking secret that only she and Natalie’s mother know. Natalie is the product of a one-night stand between her mother, who is a college English teacher, and another professor.

After some research, Natalie learns that people with dementia often have vivid memories of past events. Still not wanting to believe what her grandmother has told her, she finds her biological father online. The resemblance between them is undeniable. Not knowing what else to do, she shows his photo and website to her parents.

Natalie realizes she has some growing up to do. Scared and confused, she reaches out to her biological father, and they start corresponding.

Her younger sister, Sarah, senses their parents’ marital difficulties. At Thanksgiving, when she has an opportunity to see Santa Claus, she asks him to bring them together again. Can the jolly old elf grant her request?

 

A Startling Revelation #SixSentenceStoryThursdayLinkUp #Excerpts #Inspiration

Welcome to another Six Sentence Story Thursday Link Up. This week’s word is “text.” The idea is to write something in exactly six sentences, using the word at least once.

In the following excerpt from Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me, Bill and his wife Claire are having a conversation after Bill hears, for the first time, from his biological daughter, who he didn’t know about before. As the scene opens, Bill is speaking. Enjoy!

***

“Now what?”

 

“Did she write anything?”

I clicked back to the text and read the message aloud.

Dear Bill,

I hope it’s okay if I call you Bill, at least for now. If you want, I could call you Dad, but I still think of Daryl as my dad, so I don’t know.

Here’s a selfie I just took.

***,

Thanks to GirlieOnTheEdge for inspiring me to post the above excerpt with her six-sentence story prompt for this week. You can click here to participate and read other responses.

 

Abbie wears a blue and white V-neck top with different shades of blue from sky to navy that swirl together with the white. She has short, brown hair and rosy cheeks and smiles at the camera against a black background.

Photo Courtesy of Tess Anderson Photography

Photo Resize and Description

by Two Pentacles Publishing

 

If you haven’t already done so, please subscribe to my email list to receive my monthly newsletter and other announcements. This is a one-way announcements list, meaning the only messages you’ll receive will come from me. So, you can rest assured that this list is low-traffic. Send a blank email to:  newsfrommycorner+subscribe@groups.io  You’ll receive a confirmation email. Reply to that with another blank message, and you should be good to go.

 

New! Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me

Copyright 2021 by Abbie Johnson Taylor.

Independently published with the help of DLD Books.

The cover of the book features an older woman sitting in a wicker chair facing a window. The world beyond the window is bright, and several plants are visible on the terrace. Behind the woman’s chair is another plant, with a tall stalk and wide rounded leaves. The woman has short, white hair, glasses, a red sweater, and tan pants. The border of the picture is a taupe color and reads "Why Grandma Doesn't Know Me" above the photo and "Abbie Johnson Taylor" below it.

Photo Resize and Description

by Two Pentacles Publishing

 

Sixteen-year-old Natalie’s grandmother, suffering from dementia and confined to a wheelchair, lives in a nursing home and rarely recognizes Natalie. But one Halloween night, she tells her a shocking secret that only she and Natalie’s mother know. Natalie is the product of a one-night stand between her mother, who is a college English teacher, and another professor.

After some research, Natalie learns that people with dementia often have vivid memories of past events. Still not wanting to believe what her grandmother has told her, she finds her biological father online. The resemblance between them is undeniable. Not knowing what else to do, she shows his photo and website to her parents.

Natalie realizes she has some growing up to do. Scared and confused, she reaches out to her biological father, and they start corresponding.

Her younger sister, Sarah, senses their parents’ marital difficulties. At Thanksgiving, when she has an opportunity to see Santa Claus, she asks him to bring them together again. Can the jolly old elf grant her request?

***

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