Baby Steps
From loss and heartbreak back to words and books
Friends, thank you for your continued support and for being a part of my writing community. This is my first Substack since mid-June. I never could have predicted that less than two weeks after that post, my world would change, and my dad would pass away. It’s a summer of profound feelings.
In case you missed any of them, I’m including links to my last six blog posts:
July 1st: In Loving Memory of My Dad (a tribute to my dad. My dad passed away in late June. His death was the reason behind my silence here on Substack.)
July 8th: The Non-Rules for Writing When You Live with a Chronic Illness (that’s the title of my personal essay published on the Brevity Blog)
July 15th: On a Scale of … (my personal essay won first place in the 2026 Streetlight Essay/Memoir Contest)
July 22nd: 1000 Words (highlighting the writing craft book written by Jami Attenberg)
July 29th: The L.A. Indie Book Crawl (my reflections after participating in the first ever Los Angeles Indie Book Crawl)
August 5th: The Exit Strategy (including some of my favorite passages from this debut novel written by Lainey Cameron)
Writing Prompt:
Today’s writing prompt comes from Rupi Kaur’s box of Writing Prompts. The directions are simple: set a timer for five minutes and write. Don't worry about punctuation and spelling. Don’t worry if you get off topic. Just keep your pen moving across the paper (or your fingers typing on the keyboard).
“Something that always makes me smile is …”
Something I’m Wondering About:
Who made the decisions for the words we use to express our ideas? Recently I listened to Nancy Sinatra’s hit song, “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’,” and I noticed some of her lyrics include phrases we don’t ordinarily use. For example, “You keep lying when you oughta be truthin’” and “You keep samin' when you oughta be a-changin'.“ Truthin(g) and samin(g) make sense, yet these phrases are not considered part of our standard English. Who decided that? Or who decided that “orange” would be the name of a fruit and a color? After all, blueberries are not simply called “blue”?
Anyone else ever think about words like this, or is it just me?
And, if you’re curious about the Nancy Sinatra song I referenced above, here’s the official video for the song:
Wendy Stamp of Approval:
Because I really enjoyed The Exit Strategy (check out my August 5th blog post for more about this debut novel), I went on YouTube, hoping to find out more about the author, Lainey Cameron. I found this four-minute video in which Lainey talks a bit about her inspiration for the book.
This Date in History:
Today, August 9th, is Book Lovers Day! What are you currently reading? Let me know in the comments. I’m currently reading, and enjoying, The Shippers by Katherine Center!
Author, Founder and CEO of Joy 101, Broadcast Journalist, and Mom Hoda Kotb was born on August 9th, 1964.
Until Next Time —
I hope you’re taking the time to feel the sunshine on your face — and to savor your favorite ice cream before it becomes a melting mess.
Reminder: My next blog post publishes on Wednesday, August 12th. If you haven’t already, please visit my website to sign up. You can expect my next Substack to arrive in your inbox on Sunday, August 23rd.
So sorry for your loss, Wendy. Hope you’re doing all right ❤️