My good friend, Mike Utley, wrote a gracious post about his nomination for Author of the Year at Spillwords Press, among other fellow writers in our WordPress community that have been nominated for annual awards at Spillwords. Please be sure to vote by January 29 (link below)!
Aw, thank you, Joni! This is such a kind gesture on your part, and I’m truly grateful for your generous spirit. This whole community feels like family to me, and reading posts like yours here just reinforces that sense of closeness. I’m pleased that Maggie Watson and Lauren Scott are nominees as well, and I couldn’t be happier for both of them.
Your sterling support means more to me that you’ll ever know, my friend. Thank you for being part of this community, Joni. Thank you for being my friend. 😊
You are so welcome. It is always a hard day for me to vote. I love everyone in the community and would like to see everyone win. It is such an honor to win any award on SpillWords. Mich is really supporting you all as well. Posts on Instagram and Threads. You all three have lots of people who appreciate and love your work. I wish there were three spots for Poet of the Year, but alas there is only one. I don’t know how nor would I want to be the ones who have to make the choices. Either way, we love and support you all and we are grateful to SpillWords for their support and the hard work that Dagmara and her staff does daily. The best of luck to all of you.
Joni 🥰 thank you so much!
Best wishes Mike 🎉 I am honoured to call you and Joni friends 🙏
You are so welcome, Maggie. Hope you feel better soon, Maggie. We all have health issues so that does not mean you should not be rewarded. I have health issues and I will never apologise for that. Many of us have health issues because of the way in which we either grew up or lived. You are in my thoughts and prayers. Big hugs and love to both of you guys, and blessings to all the nominees.
Hi Joni, you are correct.
The trauma stores itself in our bodies I believe 😥.
Thank you so much for your kind words dear friend and your wonderful support.
Hugs and love back to you.
Yes, I believe this with all my heart. It is something we can survive but it takes a toll. I think as we get older we crave solace, few but true friends, and safety most of all. People who have not experienced severe abuse don’t understand the lasting feelings that stay with us. There are always triggers that can stir those feelings again. Trust will always be a challenge for me. Love you Maggie and congratulations again.
I am with you 💯 dear Joni.
I know only a few people like yourself and Mike that get it.
Most people think you escape and everything in the garden is rosy.
If only 🙃
Triggers, yes…I still jump when my door bell rings and trust , I feel the same as you especially regarding men (not that I date).
But in the past a few took advantage when I still had no self worth.
Take good care Joni.
Much love to you always and gratitude for your friendship 🙏
I think for the most part dear Maggie, we are survivors who have made a life with our pain that comes back from time to time. If the abuse is severe it leaves an imprint like a fingerprint. It is yours and no one else can truly knows what it feels like. However, being honest about our pain is hard and many simply don’t want to hear it or only want to hear happy thoughts. Helping others is a gift and your beautiful book is a gift dearest Maggie. Love you ❤️
Joni I resonate with everything you say.
It is hard to speak of our pain, but we do so to help others. And we have been blessed with that gift so we must use it.To give hope and comfort to those who are still living with it.
I find that by knowing my words help others, it heals me too and that is what matters most.
Heh hoh if we ruffle a few feathers by writing real and raw, those are not our people.
Blessings to you dear friend and much love ❤️
Have a beautiful day xo
Amen, dearest Maggie, I could have never said it better. Love Joni xoxoxo❤️
So delighted for these talented authors! I will vote!
Carol Anne you’re so kind to vote. They are very talented. Your writing is also amazing Carol Anne. I hope you know just how gifted you are. You are a real blessing to those who read you as well. ❤️❤️❤️
Wonderful of you to share Mike’s reward, Joni. 😍
Thank you dear Timothy. Mike is an amazing poet and I am so happy for him. It is an honor to be nominated but I think his poem truly does speak to the world today. Many blessings to you and your family my friend. 🤗🙏
💖🙏
Congratulations to them all!
I know, it is such an amazing honor just to be nominated. ❤️🫶
You might not be going to favorites! They are the best and you were kind to do the shout out!!! ❣️
Cindy, thank you for your sweet comment. Yes, Mike and Maggie both touch my heart because of the abuse that they endured. I guess I identity with people who suffered as I did. There were many talented people in the mix as always and I would never want to be in Dagmara’s or her staff’s position of having to decide who wins. A very difficult job indeed.