19 Nov Writing for a Reason: Kissed by an Angel

An Anthology of Short Stories for Middle Grade Readers

I admit it. I spend a lot of time on Facebook. But it’s not just for the political posts, the jokes, or even the cute puppy pictures. The majority of my time on Facebook is connecting with other writers. I’ve taken classes, I’m in critique groups, and I’ve met some amazing people. All of that is great, but the best thing that has come out of these connections is the opportunity to not just write, but to WRITE FOR A REASON. And I found a good one.

My friend, Robyn Campbell, invited me to join a group of other writers working on an anthology to benefit the Sturge-Weber Foundation. (http://www.sturge-weber.org/ ) My first thought was that I wasn’t good enough to hang with these other writers. I didn’t want to mess up the anthology. But I took the plunge, and I am so honored to be part of this project.

Sturge –Weber is a brain disorder that can cause seizures, glaucoma, strokes, migraines, blood clots and a myriad of other symptoms. Sturge-Weber affects people differently, and the severity of it varies. Robyn’s son, Christopher, unfortunately has a very severe case. Without getting into specifics, it’s enough to know that Christopher and his family face very tough and frightening decisions almost daily. But the severity of Christopher’s case did not send Robyn into a deep hole of self- pity, although it would for many of us. For Robyn, Christopher’s situation, as scary as it is, led her to try to find help for all Sturge-Weber patients.

I can’t write about this anthology without mentioning Christopher, himself. Doctors told Robyn that Christopher wouldn’t live past two years old. He is now twenty nine. He has difficulties, for sure, but he keeps going, and he brings light to the lives of people who know him. When a young Christopher asked about his port wine stain on his face, Robyn told him that he was “kissed by an angel.” Robyn, you are an angel for so many Sturge-Weber families.

The anthology will be available mid-December. ALL proceeds go to The Sturge-Weber Foundation. I will be sharing the link as soon as it’s up. Please consider buying this anthology. This was a labor of love for all of us involved, and your purchase will serve to help others. I want to thank the writers who came up with this idea and thank Robyn for her invitation to take part. I will be posting more details on this blog, so I hope to see you all back here.