Greetings, dear friends of Ruby. Computers are still a foreign realm to me. I totally lost my post from last year into the ether… And this post is trying a different route to the same destination. This is my second rewrite. Where do they go?

What Ruby said is good and true. I keep her blog posted because you believe it, too. Through some magic of the Web I received a note. It was a message to Ruby from a much published author (over 25 books!). He had read Ruby’s collection of poetry and short stories, Unrailed, which she published in 2015. I would like to share his words with you:

“What stayed with me the most was the honesty running through the pieces. The way you explore mental health, addiction, and the complicated emotional terrain surrounding them feels unguarded and deliberate at the same time. Writing with that level of vulnerability requires a great deal of courage, and the result is something the readers can truly connect with.” “ I could sense that your intention goes beyond simply telling your own story. There is a quiet invitation for readers to recognize their own struggles within the words, and that sense of shared humanity gives the collection its healing quality. Many writers attempt to approach subjects like these, but few manage to do it with the clarity and compassion that your work carries.” “ It is encouraging to see writers contributing to conversations around mental health with such honesty. Works like this often reach readers who need it most, sometimes at exactly the right moment in their lives.”

Thank you, Ian.

Thank You, dear friends, for your patience with me, and your love for our Ruby. As I read aloud this note from Ian, I am sending it out into the Universe, hoping that Ruby hears his praise. I invite you to join me and lets make some noise! Happy Birthday, dearest Ruby!