Mary C. M. Phillips

Megan Bekkedahl and Melaina Lausen launched their first book, Beyond the Clouds, in order to write productively while Megan’s husband was deployed to Afghanistan.

Megan Bekkedahl

Both writers and moms, they designed anthologies of two-minute tales for women on the go.

Their new book for moms, Beyond the Diaper Bag, is a collection of humorous stories, inspirational moments and helpful tips from real moms and, authors’ proceeds are donated to The Mommies Network.  My essay, Kissing Millard Fillmore, is one of the essays included in the book.

“How does it feel to see your vision now realized  — with writers from all across the globe  — contributing stories to your books?,” I asked Megan.

Melaina Lausen

We’re just incredibly happy and amazed from the overwhelmingly positive response.  We had planned, after Beyond the Clouds, to take a short break before the next book, but then we were contacted by MOPS  who graciously invited us to exhibit our books at this year’s convention.  We quickly said “Yes,” and now here we are.   

(They are currently in the editing stages of their third anthology;  Beyond the Uniform, which will be published later this year).

I’m excited for both Megan and Melaina, and Beyond BOOKS.  And I’m also happy to have met other contemporary women writers, who like me, journal their lives into narrative essays.

So, Hurray for Beyond BOOKS and another productive relationship formed via my ongoing love/hate  relationship with facebook.

Click HERE to purchase Beyond the Diaper Bag. 100% percent of proceeds are donated to The Mommies Network.

Since 1977, Bad Hemingway (an annual writing competition), 
published the best pieces of Hemingway mockery you could imagine from here to where the sun also rises.

The rules were simply that the writer mention Harry’s Bar & American Grill (Hemingway’s favorite watering hole), and be written in Hemingway’s style.

Joining the ranks of Bad Hemingway and Bad Faulkner books now comes Bad Austen…as in Jane.

I’m delighted (but, by no means proud!) to report that — in the spirit of  Pemberley — my short story will be included in the upcoming Bad Austen available in bookstores in November!

I have two stories in the new A Cup of Comfort for Christian Women from Adams Media.

This past week I had a chance to read the entire anthology and can’t be happier with my sisters-in-page!  

After dropping my son off at a birthday party today, my husband and I spent some time in Barnes & Noble and found the book prominently displayed.

So, I went ahead and snapped a couple of photos; humility waning.

A good day.  I saw my book in the store and there were no injuries during laser-tag at the party!

God is good.

“Love is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being in love which any of us can convince ourselves we are.

Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Your mother and I had it, we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two.”

From Corelli’s Mandolin