The Crab Chronicles

My Wonderful Son

When I adopted my son in 2007, almost exactly 17 years ago, many people told me he was a lucky little boy. They were wrong. I was the lucky one, and still am. We have had a lot of ups and downs over the years. His wild teenage years, the party years, lasted well into his 20's, but those are over. He is healthy and happy now. I wouldn't trade him for all the tea in China (quoting my mama).

Some people told me around 2006-07 that I was crazy to adopt a ten year old boy missing his right hand. I already had an adopted daughter, they said, and I should just stop there. They were wrong. 

Michael Thompson is brilliant, hilariously funny, and a true original. He draws people to him because of the incredible light from his beautiful heart.

He will be 28 years old this summer. He is still figuring out his life. He may or may not return to college. He may or may not stick with the cooking. He will figure it out, in his own time.

In case you were wondering, no, his missing hand isn't really a handicap. It barely slows him down. He does more with one hand [climbs mountains, is a professional cook, lifts weights, plays baseball] than many people do with two hands. He earned his lifeguard certification years ago. He has worked as a chef in a high-end restaurant on a busy Saturday night and given stellar service even after ten hours on his feet. He helped me take care of his grandmother for years, without complaint, and their relationship was a mutual adoration that was truly beautiful.

I couldn't love him more or be prouder if he had come from my body. The fact he didn't makes no difference to me whatsoever. When people ask me what I am most proud of in my life I don't say being a paralegal, or being a caretaker for my mother, or writing and publishing a dozen books. I say one word: Michael. (I take no credit for his beautiful heart, just for having the good sense to adopt him.)

below, the first photo of him I ever saw, made when he was 8, in the orphanage and below right, me visiting him in the orphanage in 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#adoptionhandicappedchild, #adoptolderchildren, #limbdifferencekids, #chooseadoption, #adoptionisthebestchoice

Love Your Changing Face

I just found myself looking in the bathroom mirror as I washed my hands and thinking, my eyes look green today. Then I immediately felt sad, because my mother used to say things like that to me. (FYI, my eyes are blue/green and sometimes they look blue, sometimes green, depending on the light and what I'm wearing -- see photo at right.)

Mom died in 2020, after 15 years of living with me and my children. Elva Hasty Thompson loved her children fiercely.

Nobody else in my life, even my own children, have ever studied my face the way Mom used to, on a daily basis. I guess it's understandable, since she created that face.

If she said "Did you get enough sleep last night?" that meant either I had dark circles under my eyes or I was being grumpy. (I now regret every time I was grumpy with her.)

If she said "You need some lipstick" that meant I looked tired and/or I was going somewhere. Like any lady who was young in the 1950's, my mother absolutely believed in the power of lipstick, not only to look more attractive but to brighten one's mood. 

My maternal grandmother, Memaw Hasty, never appeared at breakfast until she was fully dressed for the day, including full makeup, which meant lipstick, of course. I never once saw her without makeup until I was 14 and she had a massive stroke. Seeing her pale face and lips scared me profoundly.

I study my kids' faces, too, especially my son's face because he lives with me. (I rarely see my daughter, who lives in South Carolina.)

When my son is tired, or doesn't feel well, or is sad, grumpy, etc. I notice it. If he doesn't look chipper and happy I always wonder what I can do or say to brighten his mood. This is part of being a mama.

Sometimes people have made unkind remarks to me because my son is adopted and they think I am not his "real" mama. I assure you, I love my adopted kids as much as if they came from my body. Biology makes no difference when it comes to mama love.

I am not trying to make any profound points here with this little blog. Only this: study your kids' faces. Below is one of my favorite poems.

When You Are Old

by W. B. Yeats

When you are old and grey and full of sleep,

And nodding by the fire, take down this book,

And slowly read, and dream of the soft look

Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;

 

How many loved your moments of glad grace,

And loved your beauty with love false or true,

But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,

And loved the sorrows of your changing face;

 

And bending down beside the glowing bars,

Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled

And paced upon the mountains overhead

And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.

All My Books

Do you like to read women's fiction? Stories set in the South? Memoirs that make you laugh out loud? I've now written and published a number of books and in case you are interested in a fun read or a more serious read, here's a list that tells you a little about each book and links to the page where you can order it. Amazon periodically puts my older books on sale, so if you think you might want to buy one, click on the link. It will take you to the Amazon page and you might find a bargain. For all these, you can look at the photo of the cover and right below it where it says READ SAMPLE you can read some of it before you make your buying decision. You can also look here and see the Amazon page containing links to all of my books.

The Garland Belles (2024)

My newest novel is a generational saga and a love story. Set in the fictional town of Garland, South Carolina, it tells the stories of Hadley and her mother Grace, who both fall in love with men their families don't approve of, and who bow to pressures to break off those relationships -- with very different consequences.

#southernfiction, #smalltownromance, #mothersanddaughters

Talking Back: Stories from the Big Hair and Pantyhose Years (2023) memoir, humor

My life is a patchwork of stories that will make you laugh, from my weird dating history to my weird paralegal jobs over the years. I've had a lot of ups and downs, but my late mother taught me it's better to laugh than to cry so I've tried to focus on the positive. Some of these stories have already been published and some are brand new, but my aim is to amuse. Folks who have read it tell me it made them laugh out loud, which pleases me very much.

#funnymemoir, #paralegalmemoir, #southernfiction, #funnysouthernbook

Paralegal 411: Tips Tricks and Timesavers for the Litigation Paralegal (2023) non-fiction, paralegal professional advice

SYNOPSIS: This is a book of practical advice for new litigation paralegals who are trying to get up to speed in their first job, or who are soon to begin their first job. Most of what they are taught in school doesn't really help them day to day, it's too theoretical. I have worked as a litigation paralegal for more than 25 years and I've learned a lot about how to keep track of my work, actually manage cases, organize my day, keep myself focused and organized, etc.

#paralegaladvice, #newparalegalguide, #paralegalinformation, #reallifeparalegaladvice

Dancing in the Wreckage (2023) women’s fiction, historical fiction, mystery

PLOT: Dancing in the Wreckage opens with news that wealthy attorney Carson Strickland has died in a plane crash, and his will specifies that his son James Williams inherits everything. The problem is that none of Carson’s colleagues or friends have ever heard of James Williams. Carson’s law partner Jason Barnes sets out to find Williams, and he uncovers a history of bad behavior in Carson’s colorful life, including many affairs, a pregnant girlfriend he abandoned, and a devious nanny.

The Wedding Conspiracy (2023) contemporary romance, mystery

PLOT: Alexandra and Paul are complete opposites but when her sister and his best friend announce they are getting married, chaos ensues. The bride to be and groom are party animals and refuse to be tamed. Alex and Paul are tasked with planning a wedding they fear will never happen, and when the bride disappears it looks like all is doomed.

#attractionofoppositesromance, #southernromancestory, #darkromance

Return to Marietta   (2022) women's fiction, historical fiction, mystery, romance

PLOT: It’s 1933. America is in the depths of the Great Depression. Lillian Taylor, 8 months pregnant, broke, and with a four-year-old son to support, sets off alone on desperate drive from Marietta, Georgia to New York City, to try and persuade her husband Will to return home after being away for months. Will pitched for the Philadelphia Athletics until a scandal cost him his major league baseball career in 1923. Now he is unemployed, broke, far from home -- and haunted by the past.

Everything is at stake for Lillian in 1933; her marriage, her children, possibly even her life. Can Lillian get Will to come home? Can the man in Marietta who is obsessed with Lillian succeed in getting her away from her husband? Can Will ever regain his major league baseball career?

[This book was inspired by a true story. In 1923 my grandfather, Bob Hasty, was accused of a crime he didn't commit and the resulting scandal cost him his major league baseball career. The photo below was made in 1923 shortly after they married.]

bobhastybaseball, #baseballandromancebook, #baseballnovel, #historicalromance

  Singing to the Cows (2021) memoir [I just edited this one]

My mother Elva Thompson was a wonderful storyteller and this is a collection of her blogs. There are stories of her childhood and World War II, young adulthood, singing career, what it was like to be the daughter of a professional baseball player, etc. She also loved to cook and there are lots of great recipes. I love to re-read this periodically and hear her voice as I read.

#southernmemoir, #recipesandstories

What's for Dinner, Mom? (2020) non-fiction, memoir, cookbook

This little book presents a number of family recipes and the stories behind them. My mother's recipes for things like meatloaf and spaghetti sauce are easy to make and crowd pleasing. Her salad dressing is simple and yet so delicious that I've seen kids who normally wouldn't touch a salad gobble it down. This is also a fun book and none of the recipes are complex.

#familycookbook, #recipesandstories, #familyrecipes

Heart of My Own Heart: An Epic Story of Time, History, Magic and Love  (2020) fantasy, historical fiction, time travel, magical realism

PLOT: The secret daughter of Queen Elizabeth I, Sarah Walker escapes England amidst accusations of witchcraft. In the New World, she avoids capture and raises her baby in safety, while teaching her the old ways of magic. That’s only the beginning of her extraordinary journey, though. A beautiful goddess bestows upon Sarah an extraordinary gift – time travel. Sarah travels through centuries and confronts many threats until a shocking betrayal threatens everything. After more than four hundred years of traveling through time to guide and nurture her descendants, can Sarah protect her newest and most vulnerable descendant in 1914? Can she find true love? Can she overcome her biggest challenge in four centuries, when confronted with a fellow time traveler?

A time-traveling witch, an angel, a wizard and a dead queen all combine to make Heart of My Own Heart a unique and extraordinary adventure.

#timetravelwitch, #historicaltimetravel, #romancefantasytimetravel

Leaf Season  (2019) mystery, romance, magical realism

PLOT: When Wyatt Jamison, a busy lawyer, inherits an antebellum house in the beautiful North Georgia mountains he soon realizes it's not simply a vacation place. Why did his uncle drop dead in the backyard? Why did he build a high brick wall around the place and shut himself off from everyone? Wyatt's wife flees from the house, screaming. Is it haunted? So many questions.

Next door to the home, Wyatt meets Sally, a lady he met once before -- an encounter she never forgot. Wyatt finds himself drawn to Sally, and the idea of retiring and living in the mountains, but small-town gossip, messy legal problems and a family tragedy keep Wyatt and Sally apart. Can they ever be together in the mountain town that seems so tranquil but actually holds so many secrets?

#southernfiction, #unconventionalromance, #romancemystery, #southernfantasyromance, #southernghoststories

Ghosts in the Garden City (2019) romance, magical realism, mystery, women's fiction, historical fiction

PLOT: Leigh Harrington is haunted by a past she cannot remember. One day, walking through a department store, she smells a scent that catapults her back to her childhood, to a trauma she has blocked out. She senses there is far more to the memory than anyone in her family wants her to know. All her attempts to try to retrieve the blocked memories of what happened that long-ago day fail. A short time later, Leigh inherits an old suitcase from her long-dead grandmother, and she discovers a family secret that has long been kept hidden. Eager to learn more, Leigh sets out on a scary but amazing journey.

#novelsetinAugusta, #southernfiction, #ghoststories