Ernest Schaak 1924-2007

My dad, Ernie Schaak, would have been 85 today if he were still alive.

I had the pleasure of helping my dad create his memoir, No Name Montana Boy. I “dragged out the process” as it allowed quality time with my dad. There was some tears, lots of laughter, and sometimes we laughed so hard we cried.

Even though part of me cringes because technically it’s not the greatest book—widows, orphans, and a serious need for more editing—the book has so much heart and love. That I am very proud of.

Working with my dad as he wrote his book allowed us to connect on a heart-to-heart level that we never had had before. Hearing the stories of his life from his point-of-view was priceless. Read the rest of this entry →

Aloha

Stories draw us in and encourage us to keep reading, to find out the ending. Whether it’s for a book you are self publishing or you are using the story for marketing and publicity, stories work.

This story was written by my dear friend Janet, who lives north of San Francisco. She’s a true angel. Enjoy!

Imagine my surprise yesterday as I went downstairs and noticed a sound, familiar, but out of context. Yes, I’d heard it right; there was a distinct quacking of a female duck, coming from outside. When I opened the front door, the regular, short quacks continued, about one every four seconds. Sure enough, when I ventured out I saw a beautiful duck walking on our pathway towards the garden. She seemed even more radiant when I noticed she was flanked by an adoring entourage of miniscule ducklings, all peeping in chorus in answer to her regularly timed quacks. Read the rest of this entry →