A Cut Chapter from Adopting Grace

As I worked with my writing coach, he helped me to double check the "arc of the story" of Adopting Grace: A Parenting Journey from Fear to Freedom. I imagine that it is a challenge for all writers to see the bigger picture on their own projects. The coaching process and a set of more objective eyes led to one perfectly good chapter getting the heave ho. 

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The Joy of Presence, Part 2

As I wandered home and returned to my backyard, my next door neighbor called over the fence, "How are you?" "Better now," I responded. I told her I was doing final edits on the story of my daughter falling from the magnolia tree - this story is one familiar to our closest neighbors. No explanation was needed. "I can talk sometime if you need to" she shot back over the fence. "Thank you, but some things need to be done alone." We nodded our heads and hearts. As mom, we each knew what this meant.

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