Category Archives: Writing

Being Fourteen, Then and Now

Allison 10th Grade 1984

For me, being fourteen was pretty cool.  In looking back for this post, I’m surprised by how much of being fourteen I remember. One thing is for certain, my fourteen is far different than the fourteen of today. In some ways it was so much simpler and kinder, but perhaps my nostalgia is sugarcoating my memories. There wasn’t the pressure there is today, and yet I had so much more responsibility than my children. I also had more freedom, yet they have the world literally at their fingertips. Continue reading Being Fourteen, Then and Now

Big News!

 

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So, today is the day I get to announce (SHOUT!!!) that I’m going to be a published author! As some of you know, this has been a LONG time coming. I’m so proud, grateful, and fortunate that along with some amazing writers, my work will be included in an upcoming anthology. The anthology is a collection of stories about postpartum depression and anxiety. I wrote my essay about the anxiety I experienced while on bed rest with my twins, which continued on during their time in the NICU and those scary first months at home.  The book was compiled and edited by the creators of the Her Stories Project, Jessica Smock and Stephanie Sprenger.  Mothering Through the Darkness, is going to be published by She Writes Press in November of this year.  I’m not sure of all the details yet, but not to worry, I’ll let you know as soon as I am.  I promise to try not to drive you crazy with my excitement and self-promotional antics. But I am required to help get the word out, so be prepared.

To start, you can read the announcement and learn about my fellow contributors by clicking here.

I’ll post more in the coming weeks, but I couldn’t wait another minute to share the news with my readers.  Thank you so much for sticking by me.  I really appreciate it!

Whatever Happened to My St. Patrick’s Day?

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You’d think that as an Irish girl I’d do it up right on Saint Paddy’s Day.  And if you do – you’re wrong.  The day has become quite the boring non-event for me.  In preparation for this post, I looked through my digital picture files of the last ten years, and I was surprised to discover there is only one March 17th file -from 2005.  We’d just sold our home in Maryland and in a burst of nostalgia, I took a picture of every room, from every angle.  There isn’t one picture of my children dressed in green, of us eating corned beef and cabbage, or of me imbibing Irish whisky.  If I have time, I’ll check my old photo albums.  Certainly there must be one picture – somewhere?!?! Continue reading Whatever Happened to My St. Patrick’s Day?

Call for Autism Angel Submissions

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To promote Autism Awareness Month last year, I featured a series of posts about individuals who have helped my son on his autism journey.  I wanted to celebrate and thank the angels in our lives whose skill, kindness, dedication, patience, and support have helped get Barrett to where he is today. This year, I thought I would feature guest posts from other writers about their Autism Angels.  If you have or know an autism teacher, therapist, parent, or respite provider who has touched your life, or the life of  someone you love who lives with autism, I’d love to feature them on my blog during the month of April.  The submissions can be in a traditional essay or interview format and contain links.  I’d also like to feature pictures.  If you’re interested, please email me at allie@thelatchkeymom.com.  I will accept submissions from March 15th to April 15th.

To read about our Autism Angels, please click on the links below:

Cindy Pruitt:

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Jodi Hammond:

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Bobbi Jo Corcoran:

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Alicia Harris:

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Jackie Moore:

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