Expecting another baby soon!

This is the picture on the cover of 'Toby's Tales.'

This would have been on the cover, but I lost it. I just found it in 'My Pictures'. So that is how it goes. I think the desert scene will do okay. The book's cover is basically Red, I like it.

About the Baby!

From the time I started telling stories I have wanted to do a book of short stories for children. I have told stories to children and adults for so long I have a problem separating them. Tonight I finished my first short story book. I think there may be one new story. The rest are stories I have told the grand children and some audiences over the years. I don’t know whether they are for kids or grownups.
I owe a lot to the internet family; I get ideas from everywhere, and many situations. There are two of my favorite Bible stories included. One is a very obscure story, well, obscure when you consider David and Goliath and Noah etc.
For years I have looked for a vehicle to tell stories. I toyed with many ideas. ‘Tales from the Skiff’(a talking boat), ‘Wanna Swing?’ (a talking swing), “What the Preacher’s Kid said!”, I even used the title once ‘The Kid in YOU’ for some stories. etc. TRUE STORY... I was toying with the ‘Kid in YOU’ as I was sitting on a street in Atlanta writing a story, waiting on Sherry who was attending a seminar. As I wrote, unaware there was a crowd gathering, looking up at the building across the street. A man was ten stories up threatening to jump. No one yelled ‘JUMP’ as I have heard. Most folks I heard said, I hope he doesn’t jump. I sat, stopped writing and started drawing; I drew his picture as he sat on the ledge. The police talked him in, thank goodness. (Later I did come up with a logo for the 'Kid in You’, but it did not work).
But we all have met a very nice unassuming, gentle lady on the net that talks to cows. She has a favorite cow she calls ‘Shellie Marie’. She calls herself a wanna be Cowgirl. She also writes poetry; serious to silly! Paula of paulinescountrytales at http://pl78064.blogspot.com/ .
She once mentioned a turtle she called Toby, she fed and talked to him. The idea began to form, ‘Toby’s Tales’. So I started researching turtles. They are very interesting and live over a hundred years, some above 125.
I asked Pauline what she thought of the title, she liked it. I then leaned on her good nature for a poem to use, she graciously sent me several to pick from. Since I liked them all, I then pushed it and asked if I could us them all. She graciously said yes.
So tonight (with Paula’s help) I have finished ‘Toby’s Tales’. Seven stories and seven good poems. It is 114 pages in large print. It will be available soon, but I will advertise it in the Fall in time for Christmas presents. Amazon and Target will list it for $8.95. It is worth it for Paula’s poems alone. I am thrilled with this one. I cried when I read about little ‘Mephibbie’ again tonight. That is Mephibosheth’s nick name. You do know him? Right?
Thanks for letting me brag on our latest baby.
Nite ShipsLog
PS:
I have a wonderful friend in Maine, Judy. Her mother is 90+ years old and still an avid reader. She read Sticky and Rags and said they are great! Now I must finish ‘S’gar’, I dropped it to finish 'Toby's Tales'.

I am starting to understand myself. When I built houses, I build the ones I would enjoy living in. Now I write a book, that I enjoy reading, and that moves me.