I Met My Husband Learning to Shag at the YMCA

July 6, 2016October 21, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 22 Comments

“Today I’m participating in a group blogging! WOW! Women On Writing has gathered a group of blogging buddies to write about finding love in unimaginable places. Why this topic? We’re celebrating the release of Michael French’s twenty-fourth novel. Once Upon a Lie (Terra Nova Books) is an exploration of the secrets families keep, and the ways those secrets can tear a family apart.

Visit The Muffin (http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com) to read what Michael has to say on finding love in unexpected places and view the list of all my blogging buddies. Visit Michael’s website (http://www.michaelrfrench.com/) to find out more about the author.” You can find a review of the novel here (and a giveaway): http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/2016/06/once-upon-lie-book-review-and-giveaway.html

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Growing up in South Carolina, one would expect me to know how to Shag. No, not shag – I’m an American, not a Brit. I mean, I had two daughters, so I knew how to shag – but I didn’t know how to shag. Okay, that’s way too much information and not what I was trying to say.

Let me start again – I grew up without learning how to do our state dance, the Carolina Shag – a partner dance done primarily to Beach Music. I loved dancing but as a single mom, I had long outgrown my high school dance moves. It was time to learn more adult moves – I meant to say sophisticated dance moves. Jeez. Getting this story out is harder than I planned.

When the time came, after my divorce, to get back into the dating game I decided a good place to start was to learn our state dance. Our local YMCA offered lessons and I signed up. However, with two little ones, a busy work schedule, and a very tight budget, I was unable to attend those first round of classes.

Months later, I tried again and with both young daughters in tow, I showed up at the YMCA ready to dance. Settling the girls in a corner, the oldest child with her homework and the youngest her blankie and pacy, I joined the other late bloomers for my first lesson in the art of the Carolina Shag and then the unimaginable happened. On the very first night, I met my husband – the love of my life.

I still remember the first time I saw him walk through the door. Tall, dark and handsome wearing black slacks and a red sweater, his dark brown eyes had me at ‘hello’. Over the course of eight weeks, I learned to shag, twirl, spin, and follow his lead. That was nearly thirty years ago.

I went to the YMCA to learn to dance, but I found love. Unimaginable.

I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story and look for me on Facebook at SheilaMGood, Pinterest, Bloglovin, Twitter@sheilamgood, Contently, and Instagram.

Books Worth a Reading a Second Time Around

February 6, 2016October 21, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 2 Comments

The Daily Post: Second Time Around by Michelle Weber

Tell us about a book you can read again and again without getting bored — what is it that speaks to you?

Two books instantly came to mind when I read this prompt.

A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick

Set in Wisconsin in 1909, we meet Mr. Truitt, a lonely businessman standing on a train platform awaiting the arrival of a woman he has never met.

Catherine Land, traveling from Chicago answered Mr. Truitt’s newspaper ad for “a reliable wife.” From the moment she steps off the train, Mr. Truitt’s world is turned upside down. This beautiful woman was not the woman who answered his letter. But, he wanted companionship, an heir, and one day, love. Catherine wanted his wealth and before the year’s end, she would have it all.

Truitt has secrets of his own, and as their story unfolds, they both get more than they bargained.

What moved me most about this book is the humanness portrayed on every page. The language is beautiful and the way the author takes on a mesmerizing journey of these two very different strangers.

Book two is Defending Jacob by Willaim Landay

If you’re a parent, this book will keep you up at night. It has been a long time since a book made me feel the range of emotions I felt reading this. At times, I had to close it, but only for a moment.

When Andy Barber the District Attorney is faced with investigating the murder of Ben Rifkin, a friend of his 14-year-old son, Jacob. When the evidence begins to point toward his son, he and his wife are faced with a decision no parent should have to face. The author gets inside the mind of a parent better than any story I’ve ever read. This book is more than a legal thriller. It will have you wandering what extent would you go to protect your child?

I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story and look for me on Facebook at SheilaMGood, Pinterest, Bloglovin, Twitter@sheilagood, and Contently.

The Last of The Erin Solomon Pentalogy – a Review

October 12, 2015October 18, 2015 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / Leave a comment

This is the first series, in a long time, I’ve read to the end. I give four stars to the last two books of this five book series.

If you like a long-runningAmazon Reviews mystery filled with childhood secrets, murder and mayhem, tension building romance, and characters that outsmart the devil himself, you’ll enjoy the Erin Solomon Pentalogy, five book series.

Book 4: Before the After (Erin Solomon Pentalogy Book 4) by Jen Blood

In book four, more of Erin’s childhood secrets begin to surface as ghostly visions. Driven to find the truth, Erin pushes forward. With each dangerous leg of the journey, a kibble of truth is dropped in their path and Erin follows them like a dog catching a scent.

As in the first three books, Erin and Diggs barely survive the chaos. Filled with more fast-paced action, book four, it’s secrets still unrevealed, will propel you to pick up the final book in this series and read.

Book 5: The Book of J. (The Erin Solomon Pentalogy) (Volume 5) byJen Blood

If the other four books were fast-paced, book five is in full throttle. Erin Solomon and her long-time lover, Diggs will uncover the truth, or die trying.

Once again, I found myself asking, how can two people survive so many beatings, gunshot wounds, and bombs as these two characters?

I loved the intrigue and romance of this series and with each installment anticipated loose ends to be tied up in a pretty bow of resolution. It didn’t happen; too many characters vied for the spotlight leaving behind unanswered questions.

Although, I enjoyed the writer’s voice and loved the characters in this series, stretching the storyline to five books was a bit tiring. My biggest beef with all five books was the indestructibility of the characters against every type of violence imaginable, but I kept reading. You may have a different view. So, check out The Erin Solomon Pentalogy and let me know what you think.

I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story. And as always, you can follow me on Facebook at SheilaMGood, Pinterest, Bloglovin, Twitter @cofcmom, and Contently.

Forget About Getting Rich

September 27, 2015October 21, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 14 Comments

via The Average Earnings of Authors | A Writer’s Path and Guest post contributed by Sara Wolf at the Blooming Twig. The Blooming Twig is an independent publishing house that also produces writing blog posts. For more information, check out the Blooming Twig and A Writer’s Path.

A big thanks to Ryan Lanz and Sara Wolf for bursting my bubble. I’m no Stephen King or J.K. Rowling, but hey, I have aspirations for my still unfinished novel. I imagined my book on the New York Times bestselling list and after selling the movie rights, visions of rolling in money. But, according to a report by the University of London, it ain’t gonna happen.

Photo Courtesy of toonbarn.com and Google

Here are the highlights of the University’s study (based on 2,500 working writers):

54% of traditionally published authors and 80% of self-published authors earn less than $1,000 a year.
In 2013, 17% of authors made no money writing.
Less than 1% of self-published and more than 5% hybrid writers earn more than $100,000 per year. (Hybrid writer -an author who utilizes both the traditional and self-publishing systems in order to retain control of her own work).
According to award-winning author, Phillip Pullman, over the past ten years, publisher’s earnings have remained steady; writers incomes have decreased an average of 29%.
Fiction authors make more money than non-fiction or academic writers.
Women writers make 80% of what male writers make. (What! Who’s surprised?)
The report summed it nicely, “It appears that writing is a profession where only a handful of successful authors make a very good living while most do not.”

There you have it; not many of us will become rich from writing. Most of us write because we love to; it’s part of who we are.

I published my first article in 1989 and the excitement I felt is hard to describe. It’s an accomplishment of which I am still very proud. That first article happened a long time ago, but each time a story or article of mine is published, I get those same feelings. There’s something special about knowing other people are reading and enjoying the words I have written.

What about you? Do you write for fame and riches? Have you earned income from your writing? Share your success. Want to read the full article? You can find it here.

I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story. And as always, you can follow me on Facebook at SheilaMGood, Pinterest, Bloglovin, Twitter @cofcmom, and Contently.