Rylee Morgan - Shooting Into the Sun

Today's featured heroine in the celebration of National Women's History Month: Women Weaving Stories of Women's Lives is Rylee Morgan from Shooting Into The Sun.


I'm a professional photographer. I don't have time for nonsense. Some people don't understand that, among them my kid sister, Lexie. You'll have to meet her sometime. But I'm here to tell you about myself. Which is a challenge. I don't like talking about myself or about my life. What good is rehashing the past? You can't change anything. You just fix a goal for yourself and set one foot in front of the other and don't deviate from the path. Then you'll be fine.

Except I made the mistake of deviating from my path. To give you a little background, I learned photography in my childhood from my dad, Ryan Morgan. See, I'm named for both my mother and father--Ryan and Lee Ann Morgan. Hence, Rylee. But I was always Daddy's girl. At least until Daddy left. 

I still have the old camera he gave me right before he got into his car and drove away sixteen years ago, never to be seen or heard from again. I studied photography and then got hired at the school I graduated from. And, now, I have a major opportunity to travel around the country for the summer, shooting America. It's a lot of driving and hotel rooms and strange places, but I love the solitude when I work. And that would have been fine by me if it wasn't for Lexie having a life crisis. See, I'm more of a mother to Lexie, who is eight years younger, than my mother is for either of us.

I was looking for a summer of travel and adventure and work. I was NOT looking for a summer of teasing and loud music and explaining myself every five minutes. I also was NOT looking to pick up a hitchhiker (way outside my comfort zone and list of rules) and then fall in love with him. Where did that come from?

One of things I like about photography is that it has certain rules attached in order to get the best results. Not the least of which is: You never shoot into the sun. I thought life worked the same way. I'm not one to easily admit I'm wrong, but....well... I suppose we all are at one time or another.

Read more of Rylee's story in Shooting Into The Sun at Amazon.com and in trade paperback at Champagne Books.

Lynn - Next Time I'm Gonna Dance

The continuing celebration of National Women's History Month and Women Weaving Stories of Women's Lives. Let me introduce Lynn, one of Emmie Steele's closest friends and her sister-in-law.


Since Polly already made it clear that she's Emmie's "best" friend, I'll have to settle for being one of her closest friends. But I do have the singular distinction of being Emmie's sister-in-law. We're family but, then, all of us women are Emmie's sisters.

I met Emmie and the others later when my family moved and I transferred into their school. I thought it would be hard being the "new girl." But I was only the new girl for half a day, then I was Emmie's friend and, by virtue of that, friends with Brett, Chris and Polly. That's Emmie--she only knows a stranger for ten minutes and she's quick to act to ease another's discomfort.

That was the challenge for me when Emmie was diagnosed not once, but twice, with breast cancer. Being there for her despite my own fears. Being with her despite the panic and desire to run. Making her more comfortable. I didn't think I could feel any closer to Emmie and the others. But by including us in her struggle, Emmie brought us all even closer.

I'm usually the voice of reason, the one with the level head of our group. Brett, well you've met Brett. She's a lawyer so everything's kind of black and white. Polly, the soap opera writer, is all about the drama. And Chris. What can I say about Chris? She just so darned--good. But she's has that devilish side, too. Yeah, she's a nun, but not all rigid and stuffy and holier than thou.

What would they all say about me? They'd say I'm good in an emergency. They'd say I can cry at the drop of a hat. They'd say I chose teaching to fulfill my desire to have a child--something that never happened for my husband and myself. Emmie opened me up to new possibilities. What else would my friends say about me? That I'm not too old to learn.

Read more about Lynn, Emmie and all of their friends in Next Time I'm Gonna Dance at Amazon.com and in trade paperback at Champagne Books.

Polly and Chris - Next Time I'm Gonna Dance

Women Weaving Stories of Women's Lives--this is the theme for National Women's History Month. Today, meet two women--Polly and Chris--two of Emmie Steele's closest friends from Next Time I'm Gonna Dance.


Hear that, Chris? We're Emmie's "closest" friends. Whatever happened to "best" friends? BFFs?

Polly, don't start. You can't have more than one "best" of anything. Being the best means you're--well--the best--alone.

Then I'm Emmie's best friend and the rest of you are close friends? Ha, ha. Gotcha, Sister.

Fine, Polly. You got me. Feel better? You know, there is wisdom in choosing your battles. If you get a choice. Emmie didn't get a choice. We had the choice of whether to stand beside her or protect ourselves and keep a distance. Breast cancer in any woman is so scary.

It is. But, Sister Chris, you have an advantage over the rest of us. A hotline, if you will.

Lay off with the Sister stuff. Yes, I'm a Catholic Nun, but I'm no different than you or Emmie or any other woman, Polly, when it comes to something like breast cancer. I was terrified for Emmie. And getting my head shaved almost cost me my job. The Monsignor did not understand why his Pastoral Associate was sporting a bald head. He didn't like the colorful scarves much, either.

Yes, Sis---Chris. You know the easy part was holding Emmie's head while she puked. I never thought I'd say that out loud. Watching what Emmie went through with so much courage made me consider the times I've taken the easy way out. That was one of the reasons why it was easy to quit my job and pursue what I really wanted. Best decision I ever made.

Oh, Polly. We pick at each other and tease. But at the end of the day, we have one another covered don't we?

You bet your rosary beads we do.

You can get to know Polly and Chris and more of their stories in Next Time I'm Gonna Dance, available in ebook at Amazon.com and in trade paperback at Champagne Books.

Brett - Next Time I'm Gonna Dance

March is National Women's History Month and the theme is Women Weaving Stories of Women's Lives. I'm sharing the story of a different woman from my books every day in March. Meet Brett, one of Emmie Steele's best girlfriends.

That's girl friend, not girlfriend. I mean, Emmie and I are friends, but not that kind of friend. Oh, why do I bother? I don't owe you an explanation of my relationship with Emmie. I'm an attorney and work in an environment that's often hostile to women. It helps that I stand nearly six feet without heels. I try my best to be imposing. I can take a hit with the best of them and bounce right back.

But, I have to tell you, my girl Emmie has more spunk, more determination and courage than anyone I know. Even in the middle of her own battle with breast cancer, Emmie is able to listen to my problems, caution me about my choices, and hold my hand when I'm falling apart but refuse to cry. I'm tough, or at least I like to think so. But Emmie's taught me a few things about being tough and about being vulnerable. It wasn't until I let myself be vulnerable that I truly found happiness. I often thought of dancing as a metaphor for what I do in court. I guess I learned to dance, too, in a different way.

To find out more about my fancy dancing, read Next Time I'm Gonna Dance. Also available in paperback at Champagne Books.

Emmie Steele - Next Time I'm Gonna Dance

March is National Women's History Month and the theme is Women Weaving Stories of Women's Lives. I'm sharing the story of a different woman from my books every day in March. Meet Emmie Steele.

I've always been an optimistic person. Perhaps some of that optimism came from my best friends all the way back to grade school--Lynn, Brett, Chris, and Polly. We kind of have a pact that no one cries alone and we always have one another's backs. When I got my first diagnosis of breast cancer, it was only natural for me to stop right outside my doctor's office and call one of them, who in turn called the other three. Within an hour, we were crying, laughing, drinking and making promises to get through this together. When my husband--my now ex-husband--Wes left me high and dry in the middle of chemo treatments because, and I quote him, "I can't bear to stay and watch you suffer like 
this." What a load of crap that was. And, yes, I remained                                                         hopeful that I would come through both the chemo and a                                                        divorce and be just fine. And I was.



I admit my optimism began to waver when the doctor gave me this second diagnosis--the cancer was back in my one remaining breast. And, so, Lynn, Brett, and Chris met me at one of our favorite bars to hatch our treatment and recovery plan. Polly, who lives in New York, was brought on board later that evening via phone. The girls assured me they had my back and, well, my front, as I made decisions for surgery and treatment. Unlike the first time, I knew what to expect. Unlike the first time, I entertained the thoughts of many possible outcomes. I dodged the bullet once. I wasn't all that sure I could do it again. This time was different and I considered regrets. It's funny. There were many things I could regret--like my marriage (though that produced the most beautiful, intelligent and caring daughter ever). But I could only think of one thing--that I never really danced. I have my talents, but dancing is not one of them. I could barely dance at my own wedding (and perhaps that should have been a sign.) I was determined that, if I got another chance, I would learn to dance. What I did not anticipate was having Sonny Palucci step in as my dance partner.

Get my whole story and meet the best friends a girl could ever want in Next Time I'm Gonna Dance. Also available in paperback at Champagne Books.

Abby Walker Mulgrew - The Restoration of Abby Walker

March is National Women's History Month and the theme is Women Weaving Stories of Women's Lives. I'm sharing the story of a different woman from my books every day in March. Meet Abby Walker Mulgrew.

If anyone had asked me if I knew what it takes to keep a marriage vital and alive for twenty-five years, I'd have said, "Of course. I've been married for twenty-five years." I would have said it takes mutual respect, compromise and, most of all, love. And then I'd stick a bow on that pile of crap and smile.

I'm sorry. I get a little bitter when I think about my marriage. See, my marriage to Wil Mulgrew was good. Until it wasn't. And I was the last to know. Oh, there were little signs along the way, but I conveniently explained those to myself and ignored them. And, when I couldn't explain those little things away any longer, I bought sexy lingerie to take along on the cruise Wil and I planned for a twenty-fifth wedding anniversary.

Let's just say that was NOT smooth sailing. Now, here I am, living on the Maryland coast with Blackjack, my adopted Labradane. If you ask, "What's a Labradane?", I'll tell you--it's a really big, really loving, ferociously loyal dog. He's been known to take up half the bed and stare at me while I cry and then to pin a man to the wall for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

If you ask my advice on marriage, I'd say: Don't ignore the small stuff because it feeds on that ignorance into big stuff. Don't take anything for granted. Don't stay where you're not wanted.

If you ask my advice about divorce, I'd say: Make the best of it. Do whatever you have to do to reclaim the best of yourself that marriage may have stripped away. I went into antiques restoration, both because it's something I've always loved and because I needed a business to sustain myself. I discovered a lot about restoration, such as, "If you restore something beyond its age, you remove the patina--the essence of what it is, where it's been." Also, "If you restore, rather than refinish, you bring the old finish back to life." Oh, you think I'm talking about furniture? Well, it applies there, too.

To read more of my own story of restoration, check out The Restoration of Abby Walker. Also available in trade paperback at Wings ePress.

Janet (Hope) DeMarco - Finding Hope

March is National Women's History Month and the theme is Women Weaving Stories of Women's Lives. I'm sharing the story of a different woman from my books every day in March. Meet Janet (Hope) DeMarco.



Hope. We all need a little hope now and then. I, however, needed a lot. Have you ever had the experience of having your buttons all pushed at once, your last nerve stepped on? Well, you've heard all the cliches used to describe that moment when you decide you are through. You're not putting up with things the way they are for one more minute. It was an unfortunate series of events that led me to quit my job, change my name, color my hair and resign from my family roles.

I even posted a letter of resignation. And since other women have read my story, they've told me how much they'd like to post the same or a similar letter. I encourage them to do so. It was very freeing for me. Well, here--you'll see what I mean. (Of course, it was a shock to my husband and two teenagers.)

Dear family,

I quit. Effective immediately, I am no longer the cook, laundress, shopper, housekeeper, chauffeur, landscaper or resident problem-solver. Oh, I’m also not the banker or the ATM. I am, however, the instructor. Classes will begin tomorrow and seating is limited, so you should sign up early.

A cooking class will be conducted at five-thirty sharp. Bring your inquiring mind and appetite. A cook book will be available. On Saturday, I will offer two sessions—general housekeeping and laundry. Supplies will be provided. However, if you are attending the laundry session, please separate clothing into lights and darks and bring those with you. This class begins at nine a.m. in the basement.

Housekeeping will commence at ten, once you have mastered washing machine settings and drying times. Rubber gloves are recommended for those who have delicate skin or have had expensive manicures recently.

Other workshops, such as money-management, will be scheduled as needed and announcements will be posted. Don’t be late and get left out in the cold.

Janet R. DeMarco,

Wife, Mother, Person

(not necessarily in that order)

I took the name Hope. I didn't know why at the time, it was just a name I'd always liked. I needed to remake myself. I became a blonde. And I met the most interesting woman--Joy. We joked at times that we just needed one more person--Faith--to round out our trio. Joy had every reason to not be joyful and yet she'd made peace with herself and her life. Not everyone understood Joy's decisions. Even I had a hard time coming to terms with the way she lived. She was a complete conundrum to me, but she taught me so much about being true to oneself even when that makes no sense to everyone around you. Because in the end, you have to make sense to yourself. I went on a search for hope and became Hope. As an added benefit, my husband learned to cook, my kids learned to clean, and my son will make some lucky woman a wonderful husband one day. And my daughter is already asking those important questions I waited years to ask. Yes!

You might find my story hopeful, too. Finding Hope (Also available in paperback at Wings ePress.)