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BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!! Thank you all for entering the “Guess the Release Date” contest! I’m happy to say we have a winner …!!! The lucky guesser came within Two Days of the actual release date! Even if you didn’t win, stay tuned, because we have more contests coming—and even BIGGER REVEALS! ********** COMING SOON COVER REVEAL & OFFICIAL TITLE OF BOOK ONE I know, I can’t wait either! 
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 Happy Fall Y'all! Thank you for the overwhelming response to my newsletter sign-up!! I’m thrilled to hear from folks as far away as California, Florida, Colorado, Texas, and Arizona! And my beloved New Mexico . . .oh, how I miss the hatch green chilis this time of year. And of course, my classmates in Louisiana – Blue and Gold forever, yes? Seriously, thank you all. Especially those I’ve never had the privilege of meeting. I’m encouraged and inspired by your interest. I can’t wait for y’all to read Book One in the Shady Gully Series!  Special News Coming Soon!! Guess what? I have an actual, honest to goodness release date! How about we celebrate a little? Anybody up for a little contest? A little giveaway? Keep reading to learn the details . . . Yes, I know --> patience. Don’t you just hate it? It’s hard, especially when you’re excited, and it’s so close . . . and you must wait a little longer. That’s me. Right now. Hand-twisting the days away. Not really, I’m working on Book Two of the Shady Gully Series, but that’s a story for another newsletter. My point is, I’m learning patience. And trust. And I’m letting the professionals do their jobs. My debut novel is now in the very capable hands of my publisher, who along with a team of experts is diligently working on a beautiful cover for my book, along with painstaking details like printing and digital formatting . . . and other particulars way above my pay grade. So, while I’m being patient, I thought I’d tell you a little more about my book. Beyond what you’ve read on my website, or on Facebook. How about what inspired me to write my book? And why I wrote it? ** Wouldn’t it be sad if we woke up one day, perhaps around middle age, and realize we’d wasted the best years of our lives chasing things that didn’t matter? That’s what happens to my main characters, Désirée and Robin, who meet just before high school. They’re insecure, and full of self-doubt. They don’t fit in, or feel pretty enough. No matter what they do, they always fall short. Have you ever felt like this? But what if over time, we become defined by our insecurities? To the point that fear drives every decision we make, and shame beats us into isolation, preventing us from enjoying a full life? Can you imagine? As guilt and regret shape Desi and Robin’s choices, their worlds become smaller, and they begin to believe the lies the devil tells them about themselves. Shame escalates into distrust and suspicion . . .and as they grow older and have families of their own, it pits them against one another. Desi and Robin inspire me because they’re relatable. And redeemable. They’re journey depicts real struggles in our lives, things like our doomed quests for perfection, feelings of inadequacy, loneliness – and jealousy. When I was young, I remember asking my mama questions like: “Am I pretty enough?” “Will the other kids like me enough?” “Am I good enough to make it?” She’d take a moment, squinting as she considered me. And then she’d wink and say: “You’ll do.” Yes. I will. And so will Desi and Robin. And so will you. That’s why I wrote the book. ** And now, (see how patient you were!), on to the contest! 😊 I plan to announce the release date of my book on September 30th. In the comment section below, leave your best guess as to the date. Whoever comes closest to the actual date will win a free digital copy of my novel! Here’s a hint: Patience. And to the few of you who already know the date, you're disqualified. You know who you are. 😉 And lastly, if you know someone you think might enjoy my book, please encourage them to sign up for my newsletter. Have them take a guess as well! If they win the contest, you’ll both get a free digital copy! Please share my newsletter! Spread the news! Kids These Days Millennials. I know. I get it. Even the word--millennials—sounds ominous, right? Can’t you almost hear the rising crescendo of the Da-dumf . . . Da-dumf from the JAWS soundtrack? I’m joking, of course, but let’s be honest: millennials are different. Born between 1980—1994, this generation has a reputation for being soft and entitled. They evoke eyerolls from Gen Xers, and apocalyptic mutterings from Boomers. They’re wired differently. They’re digitally driven, digitally motivated and sometimes even digitally enhanced. These rascals were hatched around the time the internet was invented, so they never had a chance to be normal! They can’t do things that older people can do. Really important things. Like dialing a telephone. Reading a map. Or using a card catalog. Without these basic life skills, you might wonder, how would they ever fend for themselves? Well, it turns out, their talents lie elsewhere. For instance, they can book a reservation on Open Table before you can put your glasses on, dial the number, and ask to speak to a real, live person. They can call an Uber quicker than you can spell it. They can jot down notes on their phone before you can find old school tools like pen and paper. They can order groceries and have them delivered before you can decide if getting out in the rain is worth it. Only a super sharp millennial, or a beloved daughter, would give up an evening wading through a colossal header/footer/page number mishap in a 360 page document . . . all to help a technically challenged middle-ager. Thanks sweet Bree :) Pretty impressive, right? Well, sure, those are generalizations, but let me tell you a true story that involves a friend . . . of a friend . . . of a friend. This lady, I won’t say her age, because that would be rude, but let’s just say she qualifies for AARP. She’s a writer. She’s written a few screenplays, some novels, and finally, at this …ahem . . .mature stage in her life, she is called upon to “get a website.” She does her research. You know, the ads that pop up on Facebook? ANYBODY can create a website, the flashy ads say—in an hour! How cool is that? Now I …uh … this lady, considers herself to be reasonably intelligent, so she generously pencils in a whole week on her calendar. That should do it. Fast forward a month later. Why? Because I . . .I mean, this friend . . .doesn’t want to relive it. Let’s just say this reasonably intelligent woman has now been reduced to a miserable basket case. Truly wrecked. Consumed with despair and self-doubt. How would she ever publish a book when she couldn’t even create a website in a month? Much less an hour! Surely this was a sign that her time had passed, and it simply wasn’t meant to be. And then, one day, in a particularly bad moment of dejection, she receives a text. (What? You thought it would be a letter in the mailbox?) Yes, a text. And in that one magnificent, glorious, “ding” . . .everything changed. Her burden lifted. A month of frustration instantly fell away. All because a smart, capable, and kind millennial—let’s call her Rachel—rescued her. “Of course,” Rachel said. “I can totally do a website for you! It won’t be a problem at all.” Folks, this wasn’t just a halfhearted toss of a life preserver. This was an all-out SEAL Team mission complete with enthusiasm, willingness and confidence. Amid a horrible pandemic, Rachel showed great fortitude and patience with me. Yes, me. And beyond that, I acquired a whole slew of life skills from her, and learned the benefits of virtual teamwork. So now, as we slowly tip-toe our way out of the Covid 19 crisis, I want to celebrate not only our seniors, who endured the brunt of the pandemic of 2020, but also our young, whippersnapper millennials, like Bree and Rachel, whose digital cleverness kept us laughing amid the fear. Gave us hope. Lifted our burdens. Bravo to all millennials! You make our world better! Hallie Lee Take a look around. Sign up for my newsletter. Share a post about your favorite millennial. 😊
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