Saturday 28 April 2012

#AtoZChallenge - BLOGGERS WERE CHILDREN TOO! - Y is for Young, Lynda Young, W.I.P it...AND....Yeomans, Roland, from Writing in the Crosshairs.


Hello!


BLOGGERS WERE CHILDREN TOO! is going in for a double whammy post today - Australian Lynda Young and Roland D Yeomans from the US. Both super bloggers with over 1,000 followers. I count myself lucky to call them my blogger friends. I'm sure many of you do too! Excuse the long post (Roland is not known for brevity) but I think you'll be rewarded if you manage to read both entries...


Yesterday was Deniz Bevan...


Firstly, today:
Y is for Young, Lynda R Young from W.I.P. it


I WAS BORN IN:  Sydney, Australia

A cutsie little girl with flowers in her hair

I GREW UP IN: I grew up in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney and moved to the southern suburbs when I was 19 after my parents split up and I went to live with my mum. It's the one and only time I moved. I never actually moved out of home because I simply bought my mum's place from her after she moved out. I have lived here ever since with my hubby and cat.

The Sydney Harbour Bridge - the biggest 'coathangar' in the world
 and the place to see the best fireworks on New Years Eve!
Image - Sydney Rocks!

MY FAVOURITE HOME WAS IN: My current home is my favourite even though it's so dated and is in bad need of renovations. I'm not a big fan of my childhood home because it was haunted with both bad memories and...other things. This is not to say I had a bad childhood--it was brilliant--it's just that some bad stuff happened that will always be connected with the house.


Aussie beach babe

MY BEST CHILDHOOD MEMORY IS: I can't possibly pick just one. There were so many. I have great memories of long talks with my mum, reading and creating artwork, making chocolate cakes, exploring new places, bushwalks and camping. Oh, and Christmas. I loved everything about Christmas and still do.

MY WORST CHILDHOOD MEMORY IS: Hmm, second worst childhood memory involved a book that moved on its own and a nightmarish visitation. To understate it, it creeped me out. lol.



A teenaged Lynda, first day of high school. Cute uniform!

TODAY I LIVE IN: The Shire--God's Country, as the residents say.

RANDOM FACT ABOUT ME: Disaster follows me when I travel. Nothing happens to a place while I'm there, but soon after I leave there's been massive hurricanes, tragic crashes, and other disasters. So when you travel, make sure I haven't been to your destination in recent times ;)


Bio:




Lynda R. Young has been married for thirteen years. She has found success as a writer of speculative short stories, an artist and an animator. She is currently writing novels for young adults. In her spare time she also dabbles in photography and all things creative.You can find Lyn's blog here: http://lyndaryoung.blogspot.com



I hope you enjoyed reading about Lynda. She is approaching 1,000 followers (UPDATE: Past that milestone now) so I know many of you know her. 


Now, here is Mr Mystery Guy...



Y is for YEOMANS ... you know Yeoman as in all those unlucky red-shirted Away Team members on STAR TREK!


I WAS BORN IN DETROIT, MICHIGAN:
     All my memories of Detroit are of knee-caps and hub cabs since I left when I was ten.  I had double pneumonia thrice.  Living in that cold basement apartment wasn't an aid to great health to a sickly child.  Although my first bout of it when the ice storm hit was the catalyst for the tales my mother created of Hibbs, the cub with no clue, who grew into the bear with two shadows.  She was certain I would die that frozen-in weekend and wanted my head to be filled with wonder not fear.
I GREW UP IN ...

Yes, I am the model for the young 
Victor Standish fighting Shamblers in a 
nightmare Detroit.

         My mother married an airplane mechanic, one who read poetry and studied science in his free time.  My family left Detroit when I was ten as I said earlier. The further south we went, the hotter it got.  So I was glad when we stopped in Lafayette, Louisiana.  I was real sure the next stop would have been Hell.
         A year there taught me to say "Sir and Ma'am" and to pronounce David and Richard in really strange ways when they were last names.  And it was not a pretty sight when I said Comeaux for the first time.
          Lake Charles was the next stop.  I remember standing in the front yard of our new home, watching the drunken neighbor across the street beating in his front door (his wife had locked it) with a fence post.
          I looked up to Mother and said, "You know if I had a degree in Psychology, I would bet I would probably understand what's going on there."
           She ruffled my hair and smiled down on me.  "Lots of luck with that."
           Mother was right.  A master's degree in psychology hasn't unlocked the why's of the pain I see.  It has just helped me put fancy labels on it.

MY BEST CHILDHOOD MEMORY:



"There is a garden in every childhood --
an enchanted place where colors are brighter,
the air softer,
and the morning more fragrant than ever again."
- Elizabeth Lawrence.
BEAU GESTE --
     Its first sentence : "The place was silent and aware."  Mystery.  A desert fortress manned by the dead.

     Every French Foreign Legionnaire was standing at his post along the wall. Every man held a rife aimed out at the endless sands. Every man was dead. Who stood the last dead man up?
     That question drove me to check out a book as thick as the Bible.
     I remember sitting down that April 1st with my four junior high chums in study hall. They couldn't get over the size of the book. They looked at me like I was crazy. Then, I told them the mystery.
     Tommy and Gary snapped up the remaining two copies in the school library. Raymond and B.J. (we called him Beej) had to go to the two different branches of the city library for their copies.
     And then, my four friends, sluggish students at best, were racing with me through the pages to discover the solution to the mystery.
     But then came stolen jewels and desert danger. We were hooked.
     Mid-way through the book, I discovered the classic movie marathon that Saturday was going to show BEAU GESTE, starring Gary Cooper and Ray Milland.  The five of us roughed it that night in front of the TV.
     After the movie, we planned on sleeping on the floor of my front room. It would be like we were French Foreign Legionnaires on a mission. We were enthralled. We booed the bad guys. We cheered on Gary Cooper. And we sniffed back embarassing tears when he died.
     But with the mystery solved, my four friends didn't want to go on.
     The solution fizzled the fun of the reading. We all moped. A throat was cleared. We turned around.
      Mother sat with a leather-bound volume in her hands, and with her voice blessed with the magic of the Lakota Storyteller and the lyrical beauty of the Celtic bard, she smiled, "Let me read you five something --
     Mother, in her rich, deep voice, read low like distant thunder :
     "Imagine a person, tall, lean and feline, high-shouldered, with a brow like Shakespeare and a face like Satan,
a close-shaven skull, and long, magnetic eyes of true cat-green.
     Invest him with all the cruel cunning of an entire Eastern race, accumulated in one giant intellect, with all the resources of science past and present, with all the resources, if you will, of a wealthy government-- which, however, already has denied all knowledge of his existence.  Imagine that awful being, and you have a mental picture of Dr. Fu-Manchu, the yellow peril incarnate in one man."
     She put down the book on her lap and intoned, "That, young men, is the insidious Dr. Fu Manchu. Do you want to hear more?"
     Man, did we! And so the League of Five was born.
     For every Saturday night for the rest of that year and all through my last year of junior high, we sat cross-legged on the front room floor and listened to all thirteen of the Fu Manchu novels ...
along with the adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starting with "The Adventure of the Speckled Band." I never went to sleep after that without looking at my headboard!

MY WORST CHILDHOOD MEMORY:
     It goes back to Detroit.  Mother divorced my biological father for reasons we shall give Mother her privacy.  He was a charmer.  He persuaded my babysitter when I was six that he and Mother had reconciled.  I was so happy to see him again.
     He drove me to the roughest, most dangerous street in Detroit.  He promised me an adventure if I would get out.  Then, he drove away without looking back once.  I know I watched as I watched stunned.  I ran after him, screaming, "Daddy!  Daddy! Come back! Pleeease!"
     That was the last time I saw him.  Six weeks of nightmare followed.  A street woman in a wheelchair noticed the silently sobbing young boy sitting on the curb.  Her little dog, Tufts, licked at the tears on my cheek.  She was not totally sane.  But hers was a great heart.  The two of them are immortalized in the beginning of my FRENCH QUARTER NOCTURNE.
     It took six weeks for her to overcome her paranoia of uniforms to take me to the closest Salvation Army Center.  They reunited me with my frantic mother.  Hence, my Christmas donationg of all my books' profits to the Salvation Army.  100% of THE LEGEND OF VICTOR STANDISH still goes to them.

TODAY I LIVE IN ...

Lonely roads as a blood courier
     In an enchanted world ... if you believe some of my fellow blood couriers at Lifeshare Blood Centers in Lake Charles.  I sometimes get to travel the fabled Creole Nature Trail on my blood runs.  I try not to think of my home burning down around my ears, killing my cat, Pebbles, and Norwegian Elk Hound, Hercules.
My favorite run is along the Creole Nature Trail
      Hibbs, Victor Standish, Alice Wentworth, and Samuel McCord crowd around my keyboard in my new two bedroom apartment.  Each are eager for me to tell THEIR story.  The ghost of Gypsy just yawns and purrs, "He'll do whatever tickles him.  Writers!  Give me mice anytime!"


Gypsy
We're all pretty exhausted, but I thought it was magical learning more about Roland and what gives his writing such depth and at times, pain. Visit him @Writing in the Crosshairs.
 But there's more as we limp towards the finishing line...on Monday 30th...my final blogger childhood post is for Zan Marie. Be sure to come by.


A very lovely blogger, Ciara Knight has her book Rise from Darkness free today only. Click here to download...



97 comments:

Roland D. Yeomans said...

I'm so sorry that my response took me until April 9th to reach you due to work going crazy.

Wow. I did get long-winded, didn't I? It's not fair for our friends to be hit in the eyes with a blunt instrument of my prose.

Just take down my part of the post so that our friends can get to know the lovely Lynda better. She is a special lady. I was glad to get to know her better.

Denise Covey said...

Roland I won't take your post down. I'm sure our readers can decide whether to read one, both, or none! They'd miss out too much if I deleted yours now. Sorry mate. In your case, better late than never.

Lynda is a lovely lady and knew she was sharing with you.

Denise

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

Thank you so much, Denise, for including me with the awesome Roland!

I'm bowled over by Roland's worst memory. That must have been such a frightening experience.

Roland D. Yeomans said...

It was wonderful to put a face and some depth to the person whose blog I read from the cyber-shadows. Being deserted in Detroit was tough but it gave me material for my Victor protagonist at least.

Denise, my part is too long and the photos did not come out. My entry makes your delightful post of today look shabby. Please delete my part in it so as not to punish our visiting friends. Please, Roland

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

It's not too long at all. It's wonderful!

Roland D. Yeomans said...

Thanks, Lynda. You're very gracious. It still needs to go though. It detracts from your lovely bio. So you have paranormal memories? Me, too. They can be quite scary for a young child.

You leave hurricanes in your wake, do you? The Lake Charles Chamber of Commerce asked me to ask you to visit Florida!! LOL. I'm glad I got to know you better, Roland

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

I did visit Florida. Back in '92. Hurricane Andrew followed almost the exact path I took, lol.

Denise Covey said...

I went through and reposted Roland's pics. I'm waiting for someone to tell me if they can be seen now? I wonder if yours are okay Lynda? Why does this happen??

I'm enjoying your conversation BTW. Please don't stop. I'd really love to drive that Creole Nature Trail. Would be nicely spooky at night I wager.

Denise

Denise Covey said...

And I must ask you to post your travel plans before you take your next trip, Lynda, so I'll know where to avoid. D.

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

Well, I'm heading to the Isle of Pines and Noumea in a week ;)

I'm not sure why sometimes the photos don't work. Occasionally I get the problem with links. I'll paste a link into blogger and blogger will add symbols that weren't there and break the link.

Anonymous said...

It was delightful coming across this post since I follow both Lynda and Roland.

Now I understand what's behind Roland's writing.

Denise Covey said...

I'm hoping to head there in August so the danger should have passed, lol! D.

Roland D. Yeomans said...

Ah, you understand what's behind my writing. Could you tell me? LOL. Isn't Linda, delightful?

Denise, the photos now show up. Blogger just hates me is all! :-)

Roland D. Yeomans said...

Denise: the Creole Nature Trail is awesome in its beauty. I just drove it again two days ago. Hawks, egrets, alligators, moss hanging from Cypress trees. It was stunning. Roland

Kyra Lennon said...

Excellent post! I am a big fan of both Linda and Roland and it was cool to get an insight into their lives!

Kiru Taye said...

Hello, Lynda and Roland. You both have interesting childhoods.

Hi Denise, sorry you had problems downloading AVC. Here's a link to it on Smashwords instead. https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/127783

Denise Covey said...

Thank you Kiru. I'll try Smashwords. D.

Adura Ojo said...

Lynda, it was nice to read about you.

Roland, it's nice to see how you've carved your way...Really admire that.

Adura Ojo said...

It's hard to even begin to contemplate why a person would subject a six year old to what you went through, Roland. Glad you are who you are, now. All the best.

Adura

Scarlet said...

Thanks for introducing these writers Denise. It makes me appreciate their journey specially the one of Roland. I can't imagine such an experience.

Happy weekend to you ~

Denise Covey said...

Thanks for visiting Heaven. Everyone's journey is unique, but Roland's has been especially painful at times. I was a proud host to two great people. D.

Li said...

Two talented and fascinating individuals. Hey Denise, maybe next year for the A to Z you could collect paranormal experiences of the blogger community :-)) (Oh my, am I REALLY thinking about next year already? I'm a sick individual...)

Charmaine Clancy said...

More great interviews, I enjoyed this because I frequent those blogs! Wow, I'm really late with my Y post, at this rate it may even go up on Sunday - gasp! :)

Denise Covey said...

Li, wash your mouth out! I'm already saying never again, but I probably will...All I need is to gather a few creepy stories from these two, you think?

Denise

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Wonderful learning more about my blogger buddies. Lynda, your old haunted house sounds creepy. Roland, that was a terrible thing for your father to do.

Brian Miller said...

thanks for popping in today....was nice to get to know you a bit int he first part...sounds like your birth home was interesting to say the least...grew up with a cemetery in the back yard myself, so i understand that one...ugh on the bad memories though...i like Li's idea though...

Denise Covey said...

Hee Hee Charmaine, you're such a crack up! Sunday is definitely a no no, y'know!

Thanks for coming by. I must return the visit.

It was awesome learning about the childhood of so many blogs we follow!

Denise

Denise Covey said...

I hope to see it one day, and the bijou and everything...it'd be amazing. Might even meet Victor Standish! D.

DEZMOND said...

ooh, loved reading about our dear Lyndy's childhood! And love her teen pic :)

Donna K. Weaver said...

How fun is this? Great way to do Y for the challenge

Luanne G. Smith said...

Ha! Lynda, I've noticed the same thing when I travel. A week after I get home some terrible story comes on the news about a place I've just been. This last time it was the airline I used. They had a terrible scare in the air and a pilot strike. Just missed it. Whew!

And Roland, wow. Can't understand what state of mind a person has to be in to do that to a child. Glad you were able to channel it into some creative writing.

Zan Marie said...

Lynda and Roland,
Without the past there is no future. I'm convinced that our hurts and dreams fuel our writing and you two are great examples. My current WIP's MC has a lot of my personal pain in her. We are what we've lived. Grow strong in the telling and share the glory, too. Thanks for sharing.

Tonja said...

Linda, thanks for the warning about the post-vacation disasters. I'm guessing you aren't planning a trip to Ohio, so I'm probably safe.

Roland, I'm sorry that happened. It's inspiring that you were able to survive that kind of trauma.

RaShelle Workman said...

Great post. Love Lynda & Roland. Didn't know Lynda was raised in Australia. Now I'm super jealous of her too. =D

Loree Huebner said...

Fun blog, Denise! My first visit here. I jumped over from Lynda's blog.

Lynda, so fun to get to know more about you!

Rekha said...

Both seem delightful bloggers. Loved and hated thie stories.
Roland...I wish you had hired assassins and shot that vile human being in his limbs, leaving him to bleed to a well deserved painful death.

Carol Riggs said...

Wow, this was very cool, Denise! So fun to get to know more about Lyn and Roland. Loved all the pics and read every word of both--very enjoyable. And horrifying, Roland...6 years old and stranded in the bad part of Detroit? Criminy.

Jarm Del Boccio said...

Roland...my heart goes out to you! I can't even imagine what that would have been like to be left behind. And Lynda...I, too, leave disasters in my trail. My latest was to Cairo...I left three months before the revolution in January 2011! We better not be on the same continent at any one time! Not to worry...I'm an American. Although I'd love to visit Australia again, I don't plan to soon.
Http://4ambassadorsofchrist.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

The pics are coming through just fine. I follow Lynda's blog and her post directed me here.

Roland, so sorry that your dad just left you like that. How sad.

Ciara said...

Thank you so much for the shout out about Rise From Darkness being free today. You are so sweet!
It was great getting to know Lynda better. I'm sorry your childhood home is connected to a bad memory, but I'm glad you found happiness in your current home.

Anonymous said...

It was a long scroll to the comments box but it was well worth it! Thanks for sharing. :)

Anonymous said...

I'm acquainted with Lynda, and now I know her better, thanks to you, sis. And Roland -- what can I say? He's incredible. What a fascinating person. He has let us see a bit deeper into his wonderful soul! This is one post I want for my files.
Ann Best, Memoir Author

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

Yeah, after last year I said I wouldn't do it again, but I did! lol. Never say never ;)

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

hehe, it's one of those rare photos that came out ok ;)

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

Oh my gosh! You're the only other person I've come across that has the same probelm with travelling!! I wonder what would happen if we travelled together somewhere... ;)

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

I don't know... Ohio sounds like a cool place to visit... ;)

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

Thanks so much Loree :)

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

In an odd way it's good to know I'm not the only one! I always wanted to visit Cairo, but I just haven't been game.

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

Thank you so much. The happiness I've found washes away every bad thing that ever happened. :)

Theresa Milstein said...

Nice to see little and teen Lynda. Beach babe made me laugh!

Love Roland's picture along the Creole nature trail.

Botanist said...

I'm glad to have become better acquainted with both of these bloggers.

Lynda, so many of the things you talk about on your blog feel like old friends because I have a friend who lives just outside Sydney, and she talks often about the beaches and vineyards.

Roland, that was one childhood nightmare. Who could honestly do that to a young boy? It was so lucky you were found by someone with her heart in the right place. Do you know what became of her in later years?

Paula Martin said...

Hi Lynda - great to meet you here - and what cute childhood photos!
Roland - your story of being abandoned by your father is so horrendous, I'm still tearing up at the thought of that scared little boy screaming for his daddy.

Beth Camp said...

Amazing author interviews. Thank you for setting up your A-Z Challenge to profile such fascinating writers. Happy Saturday . . . I'm off to explore your two writers profiled today!

Denise Covey said...

Beth, thanks for stopping by. You'll be pleased to check out these two. Fascinating, aren't they? D.

Denise Covey said...

Thanks for coming by Ann. Yes, these are stories to make you think and appreciate the richness of the blogging community. The empathy for Roland's story has been heart-warming. D.

Denise Covey said...

You're welcome to the shout out Ciara. I hope you have reached many more readers. D.

Denise Covey said...

Hello Carol. Thanks for coming by. And thanks for reading all! I really didn't want to edit Roland's tales down to the bare bones. He has a story to share.

I think they made a great pair to focus on for Y. D.

Denise Covey said...

Loree, thanks for dropping by! D.

Nicole said...

I'm visiting from over at Lynda's writing blog. It was nice to read about her...I must say, that is a spectacular shot of the bridge in Australia! It's a blessing to be able to still live in a house that you grew up in, especially in an area that you love :)

~Nicole
Blog: The Madlab Post
@MadlabPost on Twitter

Luanne G. Smith said...

The Zombie Apocalypse, no doubt. Perhaps that's why we're on different continents...just to keep the world safe from total destruction. :PP

Denise Covey said...

Thanks Nicole for your visit. Yes, our Sydney Harbour Bridge is spectacular. D.

Jemi Fraser said...

Yay! 2 completely awesome people today!

Lynda - love that you live in the same home - what memories it must hold for you :)

Roland - I'm glad you found your way through such darkness to the light. Good for you.

Denise Covey said...

Thanks for visiting Jemi and reading about our two wonderful Ys. D.

Marta Szemik said...

What a beautiful post! I follow both Lynda and Roland and you're absolutely right in saying they're wonderful. Awesome, awesome post:)

Denise Covey said...

Thanks Marta for coming by and for your touching words. D.

Unknown said...

Wow, Lynda, that's such a creepy tidbit about your childhood. What were you reading?

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

Aw, but how cool would a Zombie Apocalyse be??
Erm, you might be right, though ;)

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

At that age? Only happy stories and adventures. The book that moved? Hmm, I can't remember what it was. Probably just a school book because I didn't leave novels I loved on the floor ;)

Roland D. Yeomans said...

Thanks for visiting my blog, Marta. Do come back, Roland

Roland D. Yeomans said...

Jemi, sometimes the dark returns for all of us, but friends like you and Denise are candles to light the path.

Roland D. Yeomans said...

A street person by the name of Maudie and her little dog, Tufts, soon found me. Though she was not quite sane and it took her 6 weeks to take me to the Salvation Army, I felt protected and loved. The two are immortalized in FRENCH QUARTER NOCTURNE and in my soon to be released BEST OF ENEMIES. Thanks for caring, Roland

Roland D. Yeomans said...

Botanist, sadly, no. Mother tried to find her to say thanks, but her paranoia of uniforms made her go to another area of Detroit. I have immortalized both her and her little dog, Tufts, in FRENCH QUARTER NOCTURNE and BEST OF ENEMIES.

Roland D. Yeomans said...

Thank you so much, Ann. You are a special lady, Roland

Roland D. Yeomans said...

Being uprooted seems to be a part of my life. Even as an adult, my home burned down and Hurricane Katrina and Rita both forcibly evacuated me from where I was living. Thanks for caring, Roland

Roland D. Yeomans said...

Maudie, the street person, who found me had stronger words than Crikey! Tufts, her little dog, just growled. Me, I just tried to understand why. Still don't. Thanks for caring, Roland

Roland D. Yeomans said...

He was an alcoholic with only one kidney. He probably killed himself with his addiction. Mother and I never found out. The best revenge is to live well - my mother always told me that. When I found out Oscar Wilde wrote that, I felt he must have somehow stolen it from her because I heard it from her first! LOL!

Roland D. Yeomans said...

He just donated sperm. I cannot think of him as a father. But it helped shape me into whom I am today - and I like me, so it was not wasted! :-)

Roland D. Yeomans said...

When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then You knew my path. —Psalm 142:3

L.G. As a child I didn't know that verse. But as a child I always felt watched over by The Father.

Lynda! A zombie apocalypse fun? You haven't read the first part of my THE RIVAL! Seven year old Victor Standish on the run in a Detroit over-run by zombies! (And yes, it was partly inspired by my own life on the streets in Detroit! Something good came of that at least!)

Talli Roland said...

Yay for Roland and Lynda!

I'll really miss this series when it comes to an end, Denise. Thank you for doing it!

Denise Covey said...

It was a pleasure to do Talli.

Denise

Michael Di Gesu said...

Hi, Denise, Lydia, and Roland...

Such wpnderful bloggers you features here Denise. It is so nice to know more about them...

Lydia,
Fun pics from the past! I see your fun sense of humor.

Roland,

I do know much if your story through our friendship, but I always get a lump in my throat and a chill up my spine when I hear your childhood trauma.

A line in my current novel reflects your situation... "You are my real dad and you still treat me this way!" quoted from Aidan.

Tracy said...

Oh Lynda, how fun was that to see the childhood photos and read of the memories! and you still live in the house you grew up in? How cool is that :) I love the beach photo!

L. Diane Wolfe said...

You have an interesting job, Roland. Really terrible you lost your dog and cat in the house fire. Hate to think of losing my cats that way.

Empty Nest Insider said...

Lynda, I enjoyed your wonderful childhood memories, and photos!

Roland, I can't even imagine what you went through when you were apart from your mother in a strange place for so long. Thanks goodness, a kind hearted woman looked after you. I really admire you for having overcome so many tragedies. Julie

Nas said...

Cute toddler Lynda and beautiful teen Lynda! I loved her photos. Glad to know more about her!

Roland blew us all away with his background story. What a job he has. And that favorite run of his sound intriguing.

Thanks Denise.

Catherine Stine said...

You both sound as if you had saintly moms! Roland, OMG, what an awful tale involving you and your stepdad. No wonder you love the Salvation Army. So many gut-wrenching stories. This A to Z thing was really emotional!

Denise Covey said...

Thanks for coming by Nas. Amazing stories. D.

J.L. Campbell said...

Roland's experience was poles apart from Lynda's, which speaks to the different experiences we all have growing up. Interesting stuff. Love that first picture of Lynda and the one in uniform. Denise you had a wonderful stroke of inspiration when you decided on your Challenge theme. I've barely made it over the finish line.

Golden Eagle said...

Two fabulous bloggers!

It was really interesting to read about Lynda and Roland. Writers have such a range of backgrounds.

Denise Covey said...

Hello Joy and thank you for your kind words. It was an inspiration and made the challenge so much more meaningful to me personally. That's why I had to be so pre-organised. There was such a lot to do for most of my bloggers.

Thank you for letting me use your childhood story. Such a cutsie pie you were/are!

Denise

Sharon K. Mayhew said...

It was great to read more about Lynda and Roland. :)

Denise Covey said...

Hello Sharon.Thanks for stopping by. D.

The Poet said...

Hello Lynda.
Nice to meet you. My niece-in-law is a Lynda too. I can't believe you STILL live in the same house! It was nice reading about you. Thanks for sharing.

Well, trust Sir Roland to steal the show! (LOL) Your childhood is as colorful as your stories. To leave a six-year old stranded like that is just unfathomable. Thank goodness it all worked out in the end. Nice to learn a bit more about you, my friend. Thanks for sharing.

Denise, you have done an amazing job with these features. Well done!

Unknown said...

Denise, thank for sharing this! I'm a devoted follower of Roland. Roland, your worst childhood memory ripped out my heart, my friend. You have lived an incredible life and it has made you into the fabulous person / writer you are today. What doesn't kill us, only makes us stronger. ~Candy

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Denise .. I'm still not sure I've done justice to both Linda and Roland .. but so good to read - one who hardly moved throughout her life, while Roland who obviously dreams large and wide - but his backstory explains some of his obviously knowledge of pain and sadness.

Great choice of A - Z .. cheers happy weekend or what's left of it for Aussies .. Hilary

Unknown said...

Dear Roland,
Thank you for sharing your childhood memories. I love what you have written about your mother. It makes me want to work even harder to help my children with their reading, especially my son who is dyslectic.

Your worst childhood memory makes tears blur my vision as I write. Children should not have to suffer like that. But you have turned the bad into somthing good. Bless you for that, Roland.

Thanks also for showing the photo of you as a boy.

Best wishes & hugs,
Anna

Unknown said...

Dear Lynda,
Nice to meet you! I don't want to just leave a comment to Roland without leaving one to you as well. What a sweet photo of you as a little girl!
I think Denise has the right idea to point out that bloggers and writers all were once children. I have a son who is ten and a daughter who is soon eight. I hope they will have happy memories from their childhood, but they have already had their share of unhappiness since their parents divorced a year ago.

What are you writing? I'll have to look at your blog and get better aquainted with you!
Best wishes,
Anna
Anna's RFW challenge 35