Summer Snapshots Wednesday, Jul 15 2009

Dropping in to fill you in and to dust away the ghost poo and to say: I hope you are having a great summer! 

The ALA was great.  29,000 attended reports PW. I signed a hundred copies of The Unbreakable Child in about an hour.  A few hiccups but nothing major.  I packed miss-matched heels.  So how hard is it to find a Chicago shoe store in x amount of time?  Heh, don’t. even. ask.  I arrived at the convention center and was directed to the wrong distributor/publishing group.  I was chatting it up with Ingram Pearson Group INSTEAD of IPG. EEP!  Ingram was great and they led dragged me to my booth.  I was three minutes late and a line had formed.

Immediately got down to business.  The librarians and educators were awesome!  And, I found many teens are reaching for my book. They were saHweet and adorable.  IPG was wonderful and helpful!

Met my purgy, bootay shakin’ sister, author friend.  Nice

Met a cool reporter.  Nice.

Learned a lot.  Nice.

Stalked  Met Neil Gaiman. SahWeet!

Friend, Chi baby, took me to Carmines.  We had a pasta dish, loaded with delicious seafood such as red snapper, salmon, octopus and shrimp.  And Chi baby had a special dessert: killer chocolate with a wicked-good raspberry sauce, delivered afterward to mark my ALA event.   :smoooches to Chi baby:

I’ve been able to give a little time to Habitat for Humanity. I came in on the final phase of this lovely house which was donated.  It was gutted out, and now houses a single mum, her mum, and her two children.  SahWeet Family–SahWeet House!  The half-broom and shovel was a reminder to self to buy HfH some dust pans and brooms.  The next house I’m working on starts from the ground up.  And I get to use the hammar.  Yay! …  And the power tools if the men let me. ; )

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’ve also been filling boxes (lots) for a group home for troubled teens, which I’ve promised.  There are 158 teens who desperately need and require many many teen items.  And many of the charities are suffering due to our recession. So, I’ve been trying to be creative by filling the boxes with journals, teen books, lipstick, hair accessories etc. I’ve met the teens and they are smart– beautiful, and although they have been severely abused, they are thriving in a caring environment. They love to knit, garden, wear make -up, read and just be a teen. They sew and handcraft beautiful blankets, then donate them to the mission houses, amongst but a few. There is a small ’boutique’ on the grounds. The teens earn pretend money, and then are allowed to go into the ’boutique’ where they can shop and purchase donated items. The shop is sorely lacking …

Happy summer to you, peeps!  I miss you — each and every one of you!!  

Did I tell you I love you today, huh?!

What’s playn’ on my ipod:  Eve, Kevin Moore Dream Theater

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Book Trailer, The Unbreakable Child, ALA 2009 Conference Thursday, Jun 18 2009

Kim Michele Richardson at American Library Association Conference 2009, Chicago, IL

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Saturday, July 11, 12:00 PM
Kim Michele Richardson, author, The Unbreakable Child, book signing and meet n’ greet at the ALA 2009, in the IPG Distributor’s / Kunati booth no. 1824

Address: McCormick Place West, 2301 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60616

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100 Posts Later Tuesday, Jun 9 2009

     … yup, it’s my hundredth post and one-hundred posts later and nearly two years of yada yada blah blogging here: I’m taking a vacation.

There are many things I need–want to do this summer.  After a phone call with a dear friend; I realized the need—the right for such.  A little Me time.  And now that the weather has turned nice; I’ll be continuing my work with one of my favorite charities, Habitat for Humanity, doing a few book signings, vacationing and taking care of my family—me.  I’ll still be available and will be checking in on you from time to time and try to deliver an occasional random post.  But for the most part; grabbing the keys, putting up my ’see you later gator’ sign and heading out the door.

 

Lovely and happy summer to you, peeps!!

What’s playn’ on my ipod:  Corinne Bailey Rae, Put Your Records On

 

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nothing, but… Thursday, Jun 4 2009

there is really nothing you must be
and there is nothing you must do
there is really nothing you must have
and there is nothing you must know
there is really nothing you must become
however it helps to understand that fire burns

and when it rains the earth gets wet

-japanese zen scroll

 

The Unbreakable Child, Book signing and TV interviews.

PBS KET TV Time and scheduled appearance and soon to be streamlined into their site.

Saturday, June 6 at 10:30 EST/9:30 am CT on KETKY

Saturday, June 6 at 1:00 EST /12:00 noon CT on KET ED

Sunday, June 7 at 8:30 EST/7:30 am CT on KETKY

Sunday, June 7 at 1:00 EST /12:00 noon CT on KET ED

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BOOK SIGNING

Barnes & Noble

Saturday, June 6th at 2:00 pm

801 Hurstbourne Lane

Louisville KY.

 

Lovely weekend to you, peeps.

What’s playn’ on my ipod:  Gabriel Yared, Spreading Wings

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Going Once Going Twice … Saturday, May 30 2009

One day, 12 hours left to head over to best selling author, Brenda Novak’s site for her annual auction for Diabetes Research. Check it out.  Brenda has some really cool stuff for writers … there is something for everyone this year.  Want to go on an African Safari, talk with a big house editor, need some new shinys?  Cool auto books?  My book, The Unbreakable Child, is up to twelve bids, and you still have time to come see moi, Kimmi, and stay at my crayola cottage, Summer Shade, now up to 31 bids.   I’ll be out at the cottage, deep into edits this weekend, something I love to do. 

 Lovely n’ safe weekend to you, peeps!  

What’s playn’ on my ipod, Kid Rock, All Summer Long

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Girls of Summer Friday, May 29 2009

I suddenly realized, while looking at their prior Bow Wow doggie camp summer pictures, my rescue pound pups — my girls of summer, needed some summer preparations: a bath, flea protection and another one of those cheap kiddie pools like I get every summer.  Lady always gnaws a hole in the pool by the third week and I will go through perhaps three, until I locate an empty, discarded whiskey barrel they can dunk their heads in and cool off.

 

                              Cost of Girls Summer

One bottle of Tropical Breeze Scent (they still smell doggie, so don’t let the pretty pink packaging fool you) Groomers Best Doggie Shampoo: 6.99

One small plastic Baby Pool: 17.99

At least two more doggie vacations back to camp Bow Wow this summer:  $$$

One much needed — much deserved Human vacation for moi: ____

One box of Frontline Plus, 6 applications: 90.00

One new Garden Hose after Georgia attacked and punctured it during her bath: 24.00

One tube of Antibiotic Ointment for Lady’s ear after Georgia accidentally bit her instead of the hose: 8.49

A dab of Lady’s antibiotic and a band aid on my blood-nipped hand from Georgia’s miss of the beastly hose: .25

One of my favorite Hello Kitty flip flops (what I thought was indestructible and have owned for years) now broken as I tripped—tried to restrain Georgia from attacking the hose.  6.00

One bottle Of Gorilla Glue to attempt to fix my favorite run-out-the-door — run-out-to-anywhere comfy flip flop. 5.89

12 Home-Made Doggie Biscuit treats to calm Lady.  3.25

One cup of strong chamomile tea to calm me: .45

Two precious pups waiting for their, I wuz soo guud, mum, treats: Priceless 

To read more of Lady’s and Georgia’s adventures.

For those near their tube tonight, I’ll be on PBS TV KET 2, the One on ONE with Bill Goodman tonight at 7:30 pm EST speaking about The Unbreakable Child. I believe you can watch it on their site as well this PBS station feeds into seven other states.

What’s playn’ on my ipod: Don Henley, The Boys Of Summer

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Grab Your Change Jar n’ Head Over To Brenda Novak’s Wednesday, May 27 2009

  Every year, in the month of May, bestselling author, Brenda Novak, runs an online auction for Diabetes Research.  This is the fifth year. Want a bargain?   Pick up some cool jewels, have lunch with a famous author, travel or have a super agent evaluate your manuscript or proposal or have a big house editor review?   You can help others for mere change while you enjoy yourself.  

I’m happy to be a part of Brenda’s auction this year.  You can get an auto copy of my book, The Unbreakable Child.  Or stay at my retreat, Summer Shade, where mimosas cradle and crayon my hundred-year-old cottage.

Head over to Brenda’s site and support this most-worthy cause. You’ll be glad you did.

I’ve noticed a lot of your places are blooming, literally!   Beautiful spring blooms.  And I believe: a home is not complete unless it has a library and a garden.   And like so many of you I enjoy seeing them both grow.

        Some of my shades

 

 

 

 

… three years later after I rescued this twig of a snowball bush, it finally bloomed.

 

 

 

 

 

The pears are growing.  I’m not too fond of pears, but the old Bartlett produces in abundance and soon I’ll donate the fruit to the nursing home.

 

 

And this is  my most precious.  St John’s wort.  I’ve had many stop by and take cuttings, leaving behind, hatchet jobs until I finally found a nursery who would order for them.  

 The first week of June, without fail, it will produce these beautiful flowers until late September.

What’s growing in my Library;  Karen Harrington, Janeology

What’s playn’ on my ipod:  Rob Thomas, Her Diamonds

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Collecting Life Lessons Tuesday, May 26 2009

  

Reposting while I play catch up. I hope everyone is doing great and I’ll be stopping by and contacting you all.  Thanks to Jamie for watering the plants. ; )   

 

Joanne was talking about collecting on her blog, and I thought I’d dig out my collection of seaballs to share. Besides having a strong attachment to woods, i.e. being a huge collector of primitive wood ( note my 100 plus year dough bowl ) these nautical balls fascinate me—their journeys even more so.  And more importantly these tangibles also serve as a reminder of one of my favorite quotes: the life lesson taken from James Patterson, Suzanne’s Diary for Nicholas.

 

 “Imagine life is a game in which you are juggling five balls. The balls are called work, family, health, friends, and integrity. And you’re keeping all of them in the air. But one day you finally come to understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. The other four balls—family, health, friends, integrity—-are made of glass. If you drop one of these, it will be irrevocably scuffed, nicked, perhaps even shattered. And once you truly understand the lesson of the five balls, you will have the beginnings of balance in your life.”

 

 I love the seaballs’ imperfections—their flaws.  A keepsake of their journeys—the badges earned along the way.

 

 

And you can actually see the wear pattern on the balls, i.e., a net pattern image—that occurred when the netting disintegrated over time…

 

 

This ball has what is called a frosted look—from surf and sand wear. And a small bubble hangs from inside under the seal buttons on these. This all determines age and rarity. I’ve always wanted a cranberry color… simply for no other reason, other than challenge…

 

How about you—do you have any favorite quotes, life lessons to share?

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What’s playn’ on my CD: Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Zephyr

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The Unbreakable Child Podcast, Gumbo Writer Interview, WHAS TV Appearance Monday, May 25 2009

Below is the audio link of Psychjourney’s interview with me for The Unbreakable Child. 

*Psychojourney Podcast — Jamie Mason Interview Me On The Unbreakable Child* 

21 min, 7 seconds

A special thank you to:

Psychjourney Podcast Blog
 
Psychology Memoirs
 
Jamie Mason’s Blog

 In addition, I’m posting my interview with Gumbo Writer and WHAS TV interview after requests.

  -interview by Angie Ledbetter, Gumbo Writer  

“… get a cup of your favorite beverage, sit back and enjoy the discussion…then get a copy of Kim’s book if you don’t already have one! [It's not an easy read, but it's an important one.] Then go hug every child you see, and lastly, bug your friendly neighborhood librarian to stock THE UNBREAKABLE CHILD. *Imagine the strength and balm an abused child would find there waiting in the library shelves if it’s available to him/her.*— 

GW: Do you ever regret publishing your book?

 KR: No. And I get to justify that answer again because it was only just a few minutes ago I hung up from talking with an abuse victim who told me they had just finished The Unbreakable Child yesterday.  She said, today for the first time, she went into work feeling so much stronger from having read The Unbreakable Child.  And all her siblings were reading the book and getting so much strength from it.

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GW: Through your trials (literally and figuratively) how did you keep your faith and sanity? What do you do for escape?

KR: The attorney, William F. McMurry, walked the journey of the book with me.  And I dragged him along through the rain-drenched streets of my mind with hideous draft after draft, even though he knew nothing about the publishing world.  At the time he was the calm I needed to fight the storm.  Faith comes from my most precious gift–my family.   And exercising helped.  Especially those black punching bags at the gym, ya know, the ones you get to name before the first kick.  ; )   … eta: Did I really really say and use the adjective; calm ?! …

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GW: Are you writing another book? If so, give us the scoop!

  KR: I have two projects on the back burner and a collection of poetry I’m working on. But for now I’m focused on touring and am heavily committed to the promotion of The Unbreakable Child.

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GW: What can supporters do to help get the book “out there” and also to help stop child abuse?

KR: I believe it takes a community to raise a child.  It also takes a community to abuse a child.  As a wife of a police commander I know child abuse is an issue that knows no boundaries.  It is a commmunity’s responsibility, a watchful eye and strong voice that we owe to our most precious gifts – our children.  And although this book references clergy abuse there is no doubt that the opportunity for abuses exists in any childcare setting.  Child abuse is not limited to any one group and is not really a religious issue as much as it is a HUMAN issue.

 

More importantly: I hope government officials, religious authorities and childcare institutions, their employees, instructors, etc. will take a more active and aggressive role to arm themselves with education to prevent child abuse and to insure the safety of vulnerable children. I hope The Unbreakable Child will become a tool for those in the childcare, healthcare and legal societies, and a healing for the many many victims of childhood traumas and as well for any person just looking for a story of justice, strength and redemption.

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GW: Tell us some secret about your personal writing process.

 

KR: :laughs:  There were so many unpredictable and strange twists that happened along my writing journey. …

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GW: What’s the best Cajun/Creole food you’ve ever had?

KR: Easy-breezy, hands down, that would be the author of Tender Graces, Kathryn Magendies’s husband, Good Man Roger’s, creative cajun cuisine!!  THANKS!

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One last writerly nugget from Kim which I read in a recent interview~~“Be the little engine that could— keep chugging and remember rules are nothing more than just guidelines. Don’t be afraid to go out of your comfort zone.”   

 –Angie Ledbetter, author, editor

 

WHAS TV interview with Rachel Platt

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Irish Commision Report And Catholic Orphanages Sunday, May 24 2009

10:09 PM PDT, May 22, 2009

The Pen and Palette is asking the question, “Who Wears the Face of God? the target seeking missile question woven throughout Kim Michele Richardson’s inforgettable memoir, The Unbreakable Child.  And the release of Ireland’s commisioned report on edemic rape and abuse in Church-run schools and orphanages and last month’s release of The Unbreakable Child, bookends this tragedy on the other side of the world. 

“The Face of God: In Ireland? Memphis?

On April 16th, 2009 I did a post called, “Who Wears the Face of God?” which was a book review of Kim Michele Richardson’s book, The Unbreakable Child. I was so struck by the importance of getting Kim’s story out there (she was one of many orphans abused by nuns and priests in a Catholic orphanage in Kentucky) that on May 1st, I also posted an interview with Kim. …

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So when a friend called on Wednesday to ask if I’d seen the articles about the Irish Commission’s report after ten years of investigation into the abuse of more than 30,000 children in Irelandover a seventy-year span, I immediately looked up several sites, starting with The Guardian and then the Bloomberg Report. Finally the news made it to Memphis with a short piece in Thursday’s Commercial Appeal.

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Ritualized beatings and rapes that have been covered up by the clergy for decades. The report…” 

 read more

–Susan Cushman

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