These boots are made for writing

P.S. In the context of today’s post this stands for “Pre-Script.” Allow me to explain.

Not too long ago I met a virtual friend in person. At the proverbial Starbuck’s. Have you ever done this? Just randomly met up with some stranger, in person, you had spoken with via online social media? Well, this was a first for me.  This is how I met Leanne Shirtliffe.  Turns out she spends a fair bit of time in Starbuck’s.  That is, when she isn’t teaching.   It is her home away from home as she is a writer.  A newly published author to be exact.   She asked me to be part of her “Street Team” of people who help get the word out there about her book.  Of course I tried to look like I knew what she was talking about,  me being a blogger and all.  Ha!  Didn’t take long to see through that smoke screen.

So, to make it brief,  a street team is a group of people  that help someone promote something.   In this case a book.   There are a few perks involved for us street folks – an early e-copy of the book,  some PR for our own blogs,  invites to a book launch and other events. Here was a wide open door with tons of possibilities.  Through it I walked.

“Don’t Lick the Minivan” (don’t you just love that title) is  funny!  Leanne is the mother of twins and the book chronicles their arrival and with it the adventure called parenting.  One of my favourite quotes is made in reference to the term Tiger Mom  to which Leanne puts her own spin, “I prefer Tigger mom: the energetic, encouraging kind who can pounce if need be and then run far away.”

I also happen to know that in days gone by Leanne was an avid letter writer.  Her sister spilled the beans at a book event we both attended.   Apparently her sister recently found a box full of letters Leanne and she wrote back and forth.   There were letters in there from childhood.  Letters to cousins.   All of it.   In Part Five of the book entitled “Kindergarten, or Why I Had a Breakdown” Leanne writes about a making cards with her daughter, Vivian.  Now, you need to understand, that by her own admission Leanne does not do crafts, or anything remotely connected to glitter.  Here is an excerpt from the book:

“I bounded upstairs to my closet and pulled out a package of sparkly multicolored paper, the kind that can bring the staff of Michaels to their knees.  Vivy followed.
‘Where did you get this Mommy?’
‘I got it a long time ago when I thought I might make my own cards to give people.’
‘Did you ever do that?’
‘No.’
‘Why?’
‘Because I realized I can’t cut.’
‘You can cut,’ Vivy said.
‘A little. But I’d rather write.’
She smiled.
‘Can we make cards, Mommy?’  I can do the cutting and you can do the writing.”

 Clearly, these boots are made for writing.