Many thanks to Alex Cavanaugh as well as to this month’s co-hosts: Rebecca Douglass, Beth Camp, Liza @ Middle Passages, and Natalie @ Literary Rambles!
Happy New Year, writers and readers! How is yours starting? I have a sinus infection that has turned me into a phlegm factory (sorry for oversharing). My 88-year-old father was in the hospital with heart problems, and I probably picked up a bug visiting him there. But he’s now in a great acute rehab facility, so I’m hoping he recaptures independent functioning soon.
January 8 question – Describe someone you admired when you were a child. Did your opinion of that person change when you grew up?
I choose two men who I admired as a teenager: my Spanish teacher, Neil Frank, and my college swim coach, Jim Steen. I admire them just as much now as I did then.
Sr. Frank taught four years of high school Spanish to me and other lucky students in Cincinnati, Ohio. His hyper-kinetic approach was so loco that I became endeared with the beautiful language and various cultures of Spanish-speaking countries. I’ve created quite a few Latino characters in my stories. I also strive to add a spice of his mischief to teaching college classes, including “board relay races” in which two teams of students race to the board to scribble the correct answers. I dream about becoming fluent in Spanish, which would help my psychologist career. I recently downloaded Babel, but I haven’t spent much time with the app yet.
Another person I deeply admire is my Kenyon College swim coach. Coach Steen is the NCAA’s most-winning coach (though most don’t know about him since Kenyon is in the small-school Division III.) He innovates and inspires. Jim is so insightful about each swimmer’s psychology, and he balances a challenging yet lighthearted approach that helps unlock his swimmers’ potential. Now that I think about it, he’s rather hyper, too. I guess I admire high-energy male educators with an exuberant sense of humor!
I’ve come up with a tagline for my work-in-progress, Low Water: A swim coach and his psychologist team up to heal from trauma. I’ve written 35K out of about 85K words.
I hope you’re having a clear-sinus start to your New Year!
Jennifer Lane Books 
It’s cool that your teacher and coach have influenced your stories and that you still feel the same about them now. I hope your father makes a good recovery and that you feel better soon.
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Thank you, Natalie. We are fortunate to have loving mentors in our lives.
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They sound like amazing men. Sometimes that extra zest makes all the difference.
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Zest is a good descriptor for these two. ❤
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Hope your dad gets well soon — and you, too! Sounds like you’re making good progress on your WIP.
Ronel visiting for IWSG day An Author’s Goals for 2025
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Very slow progress, but I’ll take it!
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I hope your father gains independent functioning very soon. Jimmy Stewart, both in his personal and professional lives, impressed me. 🙂
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Thank you, Roland. My dad is making progress in acute rehab. Jimmy Stewart is a timely reference as nonstop showings of It’s a Wonderful Life just finished!
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I even made Jimmy Stewart a major character in my Mardi Gras thriller, RAZOR VALENTINE. Still praying for your father to improve.
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Hope your dad gets well soon
Teaming to heal from trauma ? That’s so interesting… Healing from life-changing injuries ( motor bike smash, offender jumped a red light) my uncle had to make do with nephews and a niece… Brain injured, with incurable tunnel vision, he made up specs for us to replicate tunnel vision. Slowly, he began to climb hills again, grateful that his job was microbiology. .
*Very young uncle, grandparents took me on as a baby.
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Thank you, Esther. What a devastating crash for your uncle. The trauma in my story occurs in the ocean (Sea of Cortez).
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Hope the sinuses recover quickly, and your father, too. Kind of cool to see how your teachers influenced you and your writing.
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Thanks, Rebecca!
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Both sound like the basis for Ted Lasso which was a pretty good show and had only a little bit to do with soccer. hehehe
Anna from elements of emaginette
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I LOVED Ted Lasso! I’ve watched the series twice–so funny and heartwarming.
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We’ve been living full time in Mexico (just north of Puerto Vallarta) since 2011. We love the culture and people. I sure wish I knew more Spanish.
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Sounds like a lovely comunidad, Lynn. ❤
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Great tagline. I love that title, too. Very clever!
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Thank you, J.S.! I live in the “Lowcountry” of South Carolina, which inspired the title.
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Hi,
Happy New Year!
I have used Babel to learn Italian. They have good courses. They also have an app which you can use on the road or on lunchbreaks.
Wishing you all the best and take care.
Shalom shalom
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Happy New Year, Pat! I have the app, just need to open it more! 😀 What drew you to learning Italian?
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I hope your sinus infection is better by now.
It’s great when we can admire our teachers and coaches. It’s even greater when we never lose that admiration.
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Slowly improving, still dealing with clogged ears at times, but antibiotics helped, thanks!
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I love you post. It is so awesome to have great teachers that influence d you. My brother is a high school English teacher and that is his goal – to make a difference in a life of a student.
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Teachers can have such a positive influence, for sure! Good luck to your brother, Allie.
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