Saturday, May 31, 2014

My Favorite Women Writers


If a writing formula guaranteeing success can be bottled, I would have been the very first one on the line to buy gallons of it. My inner evil twin (thankfully repressed) would have surfaced and would have beaten the other wanna-bees to a pulp if they ever think of jumping the line.

If the writing genius genes could be absorbed by touching the books of my favorite women authors, I should have been as famous as J. K. Rowling, Maya Angelou, and Erma Bombeck.

If a magic wand drops down from Hogwarts, I would probably ask that all three women bless me with their brilliance. Ahhhh, if only.

My bookcases are crammed with my obsession with the written words. These three women- Dr. Maya, Erma, and JK- have opened fascinating and exciting new worlds for me. Their words captivated me by their power, their humor, their passion, their imagination.



DR. MAYA ANGELOU (1928-2014) is a hero to me. She was a phenomenally phenomenal woman. With her words of wisdom and strength in adversity, she had inspired whole generations of people of all races. All Renaissance woman, part warrior, part performer, the People’s Poet.

She wrote seven autobiographies, and several books of poetry, all of which are positive affirmations of her graciousness and her tenacity. From the small town of Stamps, Arkansas to the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C, to her final resting place in South Carolina, Dr. Maya Angelou brought hope and optimism for the future.

She was larger than life, an iconic figure who had triumphed far and beyond the expectations of her color and her origins by which she had further inspired those who aspire to such greatness. Her eloquence spoke straight to my heart. The story of her life is a masterpiece of how to overcome all odds and how to always strive to be a blessing to others.

"My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style."

"Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud."








J.K. ROWLING- Harry Potter turned J.K. Rowling from a welfare mom to the richest woman in United Kingdom. Joanne "Jo" Rowling is a British novelist who wove magic and sorcery with masterful and imaginative brushstrokes to bring us the adventures of Harry, Hermione and Ron.

The Harry Potter fantasy series gained worldwide attention, won multiple awards, and sold more than 400 million copies. The idea of a young wizard came to JK during a long train journey back home; one can never discount that inspiration comes in the most unusual places.

I was probably a bigger fan of the books than my son, often finishing the latest book before him. I am not ashamed to admit that I stayed late up into the wee morning hours mesmerized by flying brooms, Quidditch, teleporting and the Pensieve. Even Neville Longbottom got his shining moment when he transformed from a bumbling and mediocre character to the hero who decapitated the snake Nagini.

Hermione proved to be a strong heroine, JK Rowling’s double, much like I envision myself to be- strong, bull-headed, no-nonsense and passionately loyal.

And I like that she is nicknamed “Jo”.







ERMA BOMBECK (1927-1996) made me laugh out loud and made me cry. Such is her influence on me that I dream of being her nursing counterpart. Sadly, I still have yet to find my inner Erma.

Erma was a prolific American humorist with a popular and witty column about suburban home life. Copies of her articles were taped on refrigerator doors in households across America. Her witticisms on motherhood struck a chord that holds true to all generations; her self-deprecating humor about her passport photos made us look and laugh at our own likenesses. She was really a stand-up comedian who dispensed hilarious stories about everyday life, even when she was at wit's end.

As someone said, she made something extraordinary out of the ordinary. She had written 15 books, most of which became bestsellers. Her sense of humor propelled her to the top of her game.

And when she was not writing about septic tanks, she made me tear up with such poignant lines "If I had my life to live over again... Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle."

It was a sad day when she passed away during an unsuccessful kidney transplant operation.



"Getting out of the hospital is a lot like resigning from a book club. You're not out of it until the computer SAYS you're out of it."
"Giving birth is little more than a set of muscular contractions granting passage of a child. Then the mother is born."
"Never accept a drink from a Urologist."
"There is nothing more miserable in the world than to arrive in paradise and look like your passport photo.