Scribes Valley Notes

Today, the world lost the strongest, most loving woman I have ever known: my mother-in-law, Shirley Trantham. The epitome of the Southern Lady. After a short but ferocious battle with a disease that knows no mercy, she has moved on to her just reward. I will never forget her spirit and determination. She taught me so many things: how to truly look at life and see what most do not see, to appreciate what I have now because it can all be taken away in the flash of a moment, to see myself as someone with worth and value who has much to contribute, to love so deeply it hurts, to laugh with complete abandon. In her life, and the lives of her husband and youngest daughter, who were waiting on the other side to welcome her, I found the true meaning of unconditional love as they accepted me, a knight in not-so-shining armor sweeping in to carry off the eldest daughter, as if I had always been a member of the family. I was accepted not for who I could be or who they wanted me to be, but s

Our newest short story contest anthology will be released on March 10, 2011. VISITING ELSEWHERE is the fifth anthology in our “Elsewhere” series. It is clear to see why the authors and stories in Visiting Elsewhere are contest winners. Each story is a gem and well worth the read. We’re always fascinated when we read contest entries, never knowing where the stories will take us. The hardest part is deciding on and choosing the winners! To see a list of the Visiting Elsewhere authors, and find out more about this new anthology, click HERE .

I am not a pervert. I am not a child molester. I am not a kidnapper. I am not a psycho with a penchant for young people. Now that I have your attention…and have told you things that I am not…let me mention something that I am: flabbergasted. Flabbergasted that in this day and time, parents do not watch their children in public places. In two separate and recent incidences happening on the same day, I observed five sets of parents with callous disregard for their children’s whereabouts or safety. And, again based on my own observations, it seems to be a growing trend. I list below the two most recent incidences, but way too many others have occurred lately. SCENARIO NO. 1: THE PLACE : a local and very busy department store. THE PARENTS : two sets, involved in seemingly lighthearted conversation just inside the front doors of the store. THE KIDS : about six of them, all appearing to be under five years of age, laughing and running around, pulling items off nearby shelves, impedin