Beth Williamson’s Blog

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what defines who I am. Sometimes I’m unhappy with my self-esteem, my choices, or whatever else I can think to be unhappy about. But really, I have a good life, a growing career as a writer, fabulous friends, and a wonderful family. I even have a really nice house and a sweet car. So what I do I have to bitch about? Nothing.

On the radio last Thursday I heard the story of this seventeen year old girl named Rebecca who had been fighting leukemia for four years. She was the “spokesperson” when the radio station did their annual Duke Children’s Hospital fund-raising marathon. She was one of those teenagers that was always chipper and sweet, yet she was dying. Rebecca had to stop going to school because of her health, but she’d earned enough credits to graduate. The school went to her house Friday afternoon and had a special graduation ceremony just for her.

Friday night, Rebecca died.

That girl showed more courage that ten people put together. That’s what defined her. Courage and the will to enjoy the life she’d been given for as long as she had it.

It’s humbling and made me step back and re-evaluate what I was doing with my life. I’d like to think I live by the “Carpe Diem” philosophy and make each day count. However, that’s not always true. Wallowing in self-pity over something that I can change is not the way to live. Seize the day and make it your own. Each day is truly a gift and we need to treat it as such.

So I’m going to take a moment to shout out to my friends, my family, and anyone else that popped by for a read. I wish you a good journey and the joy of life. Pay it forward, y’all.

So, I’m a best seller ho’. I love to go check best seller lists everywhere looking for my books and books from authors I love or know. I admit it, I’m an addict… I’ve been stalking the best seller lists on Amazon to see where my new release from Samhain, The Gift, places in the Romance>Western best seller list.

Now, I’ve had up to four books at one time in the top 100, but this morning *deep breath* all FIVE of the Malloy books are on the best seller list in Romance>Western! Check it out, I took pictures *dork*

The Prize - #25
The Bounty - #28
The Treasure - #34
The Gift - #35
The Reward - #40

Wow. I am blown away. Completely. Y’all are amazingly wonderful. Thank you so much!!!!

My new name is Tootsie Farkletush…..

We all need a little stress-reliever! This only takes a minute. Please don’t be a bore and ruin it. Share it with to everyone! Sometimes when you have a stressful day or week, you need some silliness to break up the day. If we are honest, we have a lot more stressful days than not.

Here is your dose of humor…

A. Follow the instructions to find your new name.

B. Once you have your new name, put it in the subject box and forward it to friends and family and co-workers.

The following is excerpted from a children’s book, Captain Underpants And the Perilous Plot Professor Poopypants, by Dave Pilkey, in which the evil Professor forces everyone to assume new names…

So:-

1. Use the third letter of your first name to determine your New first name:

a = snickle
b = doombah
c = goober
d = cheesey
e = crusty
f = greasy
g = dumbo
h = farcus
i = dorky
j = doofus
k = funky
l = boobie
m = sleezy
n = sloopy
o = fluffy
p = stinky
q = slimy
r = dorfus
s = snooty
t = tootsie
u = dipsy
v = sneezy
w = liver
x = skippy
y = dink y
z = zippy

2. Use the second letter of your last name to determine the first half of your new last name:

a = dippin
b = feather
c = batty
d = burger
e = chicken
f = barffy
g = lizard
h = waffle
i = farkle
j = monkey
k = flippin
l = fricken
m = bubble
n = rhino
o = potty
p = hamster
q = buckle
r = gizzard
s = lickin
t = snickle
u = chuckle
v = pickle
w = hubble
x = dingle
y = gorilla
z = girdle

3. Use the third letter of your last name to determine the second half of your new last name:

a = butt
b = boob
c = face
d = nose
e = hump
f = breath
g = pants
h = shorts
i = lips
j = honker
k = head
l = tush
m = chunks
n = dunkin
o = brains
p = biscuits
q = toes
r = doodle
s = fanny
t = sniffer
u = sprinkles
v = frack
w = squirt
x = humperdinck
y = hiney
z = juice

Thus, for example, George W. Bush’s new name is: Fluffy Chucklefanny.

Now when you SEND THIS ON…use your new name as the subject.

And remember that children laugh an average of 146 times a day; adults laugh an average of 4 times a day. Put more laughter in your day

Now if I use my first/last name instead of middle/middle names… I’m Boobie Pottyhump. *snort*

Pop on over to the Writers Across Time blog! Read why a turn of phrase can ruin a book…

It’s a pretty number, isn’t it? Six is the number of pounds I’ve lost since January 1. It’s been a really rough eight weeks and lots of factors have conspired to try and stop my exercise/weight loss regimen. Stress also plays a factor, but y’all know about that, don’t ya?

I’ve had eczema breakouts (steroidal cream - can you say bloat/gain?), schedule disruptions, enough drama to fill Shakespeare’s works, and a truly hellacious writing schedule (my own fault, but I love it anyway). Yet here I am, still going strong and I’m down SIX pounds. I’m really pleased with myself, can you tell? In two weeks I start a belly-dancing class with two friends. Oh man that’s going to be awesome! And it should definitely help with my exercise goals - I do use my stepper every other day (except today, I could barely crawl out of bed I was so tired), but that won’t help my belly fat. I hate that stuff.

The crappy thing is that three years ago, I lost 50 pounds. Yes, 50! Then I gained back 10. Okay, no big deal, then it crept up and up and suddenly I’d gained back 30 pounds. So my goal is to lose that 30 and an additional 10 by my 40th birthday in November. Using my rudimentary math skills, that leaves 34 pounds to go.

Game. Face. On.

Anyone else out there?