Depressed? There is Hope

By Debra DuPree Williams @DDuPreeWilliams

I did something for the first time yesterday that I should have done years ago. I had an appointment with my GP and I spoke to him about my bouts of depression. Now, I’ve never been diagnosed with clinical depression, but I am well-aware of those feelings. In me, they come and go like hills and valleys. They are not long in endurance, but they do affect the way I see and react to the world around me when they show their ugly heads. 

My GP informed me that his office has at my disposal, a psychologist on staff. I was able to speak with him yesterday for about twenty minutes, just for a short evaluation. He asked a few pertinent questions, family history, etc. things of that nature. Let me insert here that I am in no way suggesting that you do the things I am outlining here, but if you feel you have any form of depression, do speak with your health care provider about it. Depression is nothing to ignore and help is readily available.

A Mountaintop Experience

By Debra DuPree Williams @DDuPreeWilliams

Before you read my post, let me apologize for the tardiness in getting this out to you. The internet at Ridgecrest simply wouldn't let me get this done. Believe me, if you read my post about being technology challenged, you will undertand, it is likely the poster and not the entity with which she tried to post. Thank you for your understanding and your grace.

This is the week many of my writer friends and I eagerly await. The Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference is being held this week at Ridgecrest in Black Mountain, North Carolina. I’ve been coming to this for six years, ever since my first one in 2014.

I wish you could experience this with me. Imagine five-hundred writers, all feeling called to write for the Kingdom of God. Add to that, a fabulous faculty, a staff dedicated to making our experience one we will want to repeat, and two brilliant, creative, lovely, godly women who give of themselves all year to make this the best it can possibly be, and you have the makings of one spectacular conference.

Headstone Rubbings or Cleanings Could Lead to Grave Consequences

By Debra DuPree Williams @DDuPreeWilliams

Most of you know that I have a novel under contract with Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. I am thrilled to the marrow, to say the least. This week, I finished all the major editing. At least for this round. I have no clue how LPC will change it once they see it. Suffice it to say, I have many more rounds of edits to go before this book comes out.

While working this week, I had to do some Google searches for one of the scenes in the book—Grave Consequences: A Charlotte Graves “Digging Up Dirt” Southern Mystery. Charlotte spends a lot of time in cemeteries. In one scene, she is preparing to do headstone rubbings. 

Find Answers--Join a Group

By Debra DuPree Williams @DDuPreeWilliams

When I began my genealogy journey almost thirty years ago, computers were not what they are today. We didn’t have Facebook nor did we have Family Tree in the capacity in which it exists today. That’s not to say that we didn’t have access to distant files, but other avenues of research and making connections were not as readily available as they are today.

I’m a member of no less than twelve genealogical groups. All of those are online. Back in 1983 when Ancestry first launched, they didn’t have anywhere near the number of files that are available to us today. And DNA testing was not even on the horizon. That began in earnest in 2000 when Family Tree became the first company to offer direct-to-consumer testing for genealogy purposes. In 2019, we cannot imagine not having these vehicles at our disposal. As the old saying goes, we’ve come a long way, baby.

PC or NOT PC? That is the Question

By Debra DuPree Williams @DDuPreeWilliams

One thing with which writers must occasionally deal is a new computer. That was my circumstance this week. For months my PC has been giving signs of crashing—best to deal with the issue now than to wait until I have to scramble to retrieve precious files. One thing I had done was to get an external hard drive and a thumb drive, two backups for my work. Plus, I have an editor who has stored my completed novel, on her computer. Thanks to her, big time.

 

Our son drove from Raleigh to the Asheville area to assist with the decision of what to get. He is quite the expert when it comes to all things tech. Believe me when I tell you that he did not get that gene from his Mama. Before his arrival, he did a lot of research about what I may need—this after asking a myriad of questions regarding my use of anything I do on my computer.