You are viewing a website created by a seventy year old woman who doesn’t have the foggiest idea of how to make a website. She (that would be me) is doing it anyway.

For starters, take a look at the photo of me at the top of this page.

If the authors of my self-help books, saw it, they would throw up. First of all, it was not done by a professional photographer in his studio. My daughter took the photo with her cell phone after we each had a glass (or two) of wine. The photo is not cropped. You see the salt and pepper shakers and my handbag on the shelf. I am sitting in darkness, and the wine glasses are more highlighted than I am.

But, I’m leaving the photo there because if I try to make this website perfect, I will get frustrated and fat(ter)  from stress eating.

It has taken me many days, months, years to get this far, and if you are a perfect person and you want to be absolutely sure you are not wasting your valuable time, then go forth and click elsewhere, with my blessing—you should live and be well.

On the other hand, if you are human, screw up often, and still keep screwing up, then a hearty welcome to you! Pull up a chair, take off your shoes, and wiggle your toes through the holes in your socks. Let’s talk.

Writing is about conflict. I have loads of conflict, but I bet you do too. Here’s mine. I will use a template that I used as a teacher when I taught kids about finding the conflict in stories.

Name wants___________, but unfortunately _______________. So therefore name  __________________________, but then_______________.

Rose wants to write and publish a book, but unfortunately no one will know about the book because Rose knows diddlly squat about using social media and marketing. So therefore Rose tries to learn this technology anyway  and uses the few remaining years she has left to try to write a blog, post on Twitter and Facebook and create this website; but then she experiences even more conflict because she realizes she is not doing what she really wants to do….which is just, plain–write!

I have always wanted to write, but conflict just seems to follow me in my pursuit of that passion. In 1961, Mr. Joseph Mikulsky, my high school English teacher, called me up to get my essay, which he had just read aloud to the class.  As I walked to the front of the room, I got tangled in the straps of somebody’s handbag, and I fell. The class laughed. I righted myself, arrived at another handbag, and fell again. Everybody laughed again, including Mikulsky.

When I was raising two kids, being a wife, a daughter, a daughter in law, teaching full time, working in the after-school program (college was coming), I wanted to write too. I got up at 3 in the morning (drenched in my night sweats) and wrote about fifteen chapters about that perimenopausal time.  I called my future book Zest. How’s that for an oxymoron?

Oops. Perimenopause, menopause, and post menopause came and went. I actually wrote a book proposal and submitted my query letter to about twenty gatekeepers. One of them actually wrote a personal note saying, “I love it, but it’s not what we need at this blah, blah.”

So, still no book. I did get a couple of educational features published in national educational magazines and a couple of bridge phobia pieces published in the local newspaper.  Honestly, holding those letters of acceptance was almost as wonderful as holding my newborns in my arms. Yes, husband Jerome,and as wonderful as holding you in my arms too.

BUT…now! Yikes! The gatekeepers have changed! You, my friends, are my new gatekeepers. Give my writing a read, please.

• Click on some of my pages at on the bar at the top of this website.
• Learn in “About Rose” of my roots in the fifties, and click on “My Imaginary Friends” and meet my pals, Grim Streaker and Overthinker.
• Click “My Blog, The Nothing Expert”, and explore some of my writing categories that may resonate with you.
• Click on “Let’s Connect” and let’s talk. I’d love to hear from you.
• Click on “Rose’s Book” and read my elevator pitch that I am too nervous to recite out loud.

Also, it sure would be great if you bought my book!

To do that,  just go online to Amazon, Barnes and Noble, I Books; or Kobo and type in “Still Playing in the Dirt” and order either a print book or an eBook!  Reviews are also welcome!

Have fun too! I am, even though my teeth are worn from all the gnashing.

Rose