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Lolli, You’re Not in Bolingbrook Anymore!

deborahloi

My First Non-working Vacation Ever – Part 3 – Finale Aunt Debby and I awoke on Day 2 and had a disappointing breakfast at Imaginations Dining Room. The coffee was pretty good though. I fit easily into a much too big red swimsuit (looking ready to burst through a brick wall demanding artificially flavored fruity drinks), and covered it with a bright white top buttoned crooked. I dropped my shades over my glasses, unpacked my bright red cane (for balance when walking on sand) and we headed down to deck 3 to disembark in Freeport, Bahamas. We met the family … Continue reading Lolli, You’re Not in Bolingbrook Anymore!

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What’s This… What’s This? I Can’t Believe My Eyes…!

deborahloi

My First Non-working Vacation Ever – Part 2 The JAXPORT Terminal So yeah… this is one of the oldest and smallest ships in Carnival’s fleet. It has 15 decks and, for this trip, accommodated more than 2800 guests and almost 900 staff. It has several bars and nightclubs, a good-sized theater, a smoky casino, a relaxing spa, and more and more! I don’t have a passport (don’t worry, I’m getting one!), so a week or so before the trip, I ventured to the county courthouse to get copies of my birth certificate and marriage license (you don’t need a passport … Continue reading What’s This… What’s This? I Can’t Believe My Eyes…!

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Preparing to Step All Up Out of My Comfort Zones

deborahloi

My First Non-working Vacation Ever – Part 1 So… last Monday, the 10th, my son agreed to drive me to the train station to begin my journey to the JAXPORT dock in Jacksonville, Florida. He was then shocked and appalled to learn that I was going to the Amtrak terminal at Chicago’s Union Station… in downtown Chicago… and hour away. We took my car that had half a tank of gas. His phone was at 13% and he didn’t have his charger… and he refused to turn it off cuz he needed GPS to get to the station. MY phone … Continue reading Preparing to Step All Up Out of My Comfort Zones

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I Love Book Clubs

deborahloi

They like me! They really like me! Mary Not Broken is the third book in The Bishop Women series. It takes place in Flora and Jackson Mississippi, and in Chicago, Illinois; with a brief stop in Harlem. In the story, Mary does a lot of cooking, and I included some of her recipes in the book. Tragedy, woes, and a loss of faith. Can she claw her way back into the light? In Depression Era Mississippi, fifteen-year-old Mary Johnson is determined to choose her own life. Furious when her parents agree to have her wed a wealthy old preacher, the … Continue reading I Love Book Clubs

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2025 is Here

deborahloi

… another year… another WTF… So yeah… Happy New Year has taken on a new meaning in my world. A year ago this week, I felt like all hell was breaking loose. I was having trouble breathing and eventually hospitalized twice in the first two weeks of 2024. This year, on the 27th, my baby brother was riding his bike to work in Chicago and he got hit by a bus. He’s banged up and has a slight brain injury, but he’ll be ok. Then on the 30th, I decided I should check on that 4-day sore throat and took … Continue reading 2025 is Here

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Me & Christmas…

deborahloi

… and the Terran High Holidays in general Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah! Whoa… where do I begin? Last year I wrote about gratitude, and bread, and The Bakening, and my annual holiday rituals; and if you’ve ever followed my personal Facebook profile, you surely got a glimpse of my psycho manic holiday mania. I give a play-by-play of my process… literally every single step… so the whole world knows that yeah… I do too much. Of course, it all starts in October… immediately after Halloween. I make a list of all the tasks I need completed by Christmas eve. … Continue reading Me & Christmas…

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And the winner is…

deborahloi

SO… THE PAGE TURNER BOOK AWARD CEREMONY WAS WEDNESDAY THE 13th. It was a pretty neat virtual gathering with a couple hundred attendees. An international event with guests from all around the world, the hosts were a fun British (I think) couple based in Spain. There was a speaker, and “celebrity” presenters. The big awards were presented during the ceremony to much virtual fanfare (with at least one unwieldy acceptance speech), and everything was displayed on screen with background music and fireworks. Anyhoo, here’re a few results… (cue dramatic music…) Every time my name was called, I just said “Wow!” … Continue reading And the winner is…

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My Favorite Halloween Memory…

deborahloi

…and other stuff… (sorry, long post) Photo by Taylor Foss on Unsplash So earlier this week, Monday the 29th to be exact, the question in WBEZ’s The Rundown asked “What is your favorite Halloween memory?” I sent in my answer and received a 4-word response on the 30th “Thanks for sharing, Deborah!” Later that day, I’m skimming the afternoon edition of the newsletter and guess what’s posted…my Halloween memory! It’s way at the bottom… the last thing on the page, actually; and there’s no byline, just my first name; but yeah… it’s my story! My favorite Halloween memory is also … Continue reading My Favorite Halloween Memory…

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Woohoo!!

deborahloi

Imposter Syndrome— the Thief of Joy Literary Global Independent Author Award Winners When I got the three emails yesterday, my first thought was that they were more spam contest emails, and then I vaguely remembered entering said contest. I opened and skimmed the email. It appeared to be an announcement letter, thanking and complimenting the judges and entrants. Then I remembered that I had entered all three books into that contest. I clicked the link and was greeted by a giant heart made of book covers, and there in the upper right quadrant was Mary Not Broken. Did this mean … Continue reading Woohoo!!

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COMING SOON, Essay, Stories2 Comments

So I got a call from my publisher…

deborahloi

“How’s your next book coming along…?” I admit I almost panicked. I’ve been so focused on my existing books (ebooks, paperbacks, audio books, swag, launches, etc.) all because I’ve been feeling totally uninspired. It’s been at least six months since … Continue reading So I got a call from my publisher…

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AUDIO BOOK UPDATE!

deborahloi

GLORY BISHOP and MARY NOT BROKEN are available on Spotify! Hi all! I know I said I post sparingly, but it seems my life and career has gotten a bit busy lately. First, the audio book for Mary Not Broken, the prequel to the Glory Bishop series was released on December 26th. It’s available for purchase wherever you get audio books and also on Spotify. Just search for Mary Not Broken and it’ll come up. Set in Mississippi, New York, and Chicago from 1935—1966, this historical women’s fiction, read by Lisa Renee Pitts, tells the story of Glory’s mother. Personally, … Continue reading AUDIO BOOK UPDATE!

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Happy New Year

deborahloi

Starting the year off… somehow… So, Tuesday, January 2nd, I went in to the office (I go in weekly…it’s fun). I was a little winded but I attributed it to my usual fat and laziness. When 5:00 came, I was a little more winded, but I let that go too. By 8:00 I started feeling tightness in my neck and shoulders and remembered that women’s heart attacks present differently than men’s. I told myself I was being silly and dramatic. I sat down at my computer, took my Klingon lesson on Duolingo, then took my meds, and went upstairs for … Continue reading Happy New Year

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COMING SOON, Essay2 Comments

I Need to Stop…

deborahloi

…of self-esteem, self-confidence, and hyper-humility… https://www.amazon.com/Audible-Mary-Not-Broken/dp/B0CPZXCQLG I hafta stop doing that… being surprised at my writing. I hafta stop doubting the myriad compliments, and uplifting the 2 or 3 negative reviews… but I’m more comfortable with the negative… it’s easier … Continue reading I Need to Stop…

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The “Bakening” Continues

deborahloi

Last weekend I made chocolate peanut clusters, caramel popcorn, peanut brittle, and cinnamon sugared almonds. It took all day, but in the end, I had enough of everything (a 5 gallon bucket of caramelcorn) to pack and ship 12 goodie boxes with quite a bit left over. I left town for 2 days and came back to an empty bucket and no more peanut brittle. Sigh. I got up this morning and after a quick 7am trip to the store and an agonizing decision about sausage, I started the pound cakes. It takes 30-40 minutes to mix. Given the size … Continue reading The “Bakening” Continues

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More About Giving Thanks

deborahloi

…and Princess Dora’s Observation…or…When I Started Hurting Myself for My Family… Another long post… So, about 8 months after my homeless shelter epiphany (see previous post), my two youngest kids and I were invited to help provide early Thanksgiving dinner at the shelter. Of course we jumped at the chance because when it comes to helping the less fortunate, my kids understood the assignment. They looked forward to helping people. They would be making lunches, setting tables, and sweeping floors. I would be providing homemade dinner rolls for the meal…240 of them to be exact. Now my mother always taught … Continue reading More About Giving Thanks

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Giving Thanks for the Blessing of Everything

deborahloi

…and a little something else… Years ago my kids and I spent a Sunday preparing and serving dinner at a homeless shelter. Our group made sloppy Joes, corn and mashed potatoes. While the adults cooked and set the tables, the young people prepared sack lunches for the residents to take with them the next morning. See… the shelter guests were allowed to enter at 7pm and had to leave by 7am the next morning. They were served dinner and breakfast, then they received a bag with a thin, dry sandwich, a bag of chips, a cookie, a box of raisins, … Continue reading Giving Thanks for the Blessing of Everything

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So yeah… it REALLY IS an honor just to be nominated…

deborahloi

Glory Unbound is the second book in the series. I always worried that it could not stand alone… that one would have to read Glory Bishop and Mary Not Broken first. Apparently, the CWA thinks otherwise. 🙂 Share on Facebook Tweet Follow us Save Share this… Facebook Twitter Linkedin Pinterest Continue reading So yeah… it REALLY IS an honor just to be nominated…

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GLORY BISHOP eBook $0.99

deborahloi

GLORY BISHOP eBook on sale for just 99 cents thru March 17th!Amazon – B&N – Apple – Google – Kobo “Deborah King has written a compelling, thought-provoking novel that engages readers and made me wish the story would never end.” —Chicago Writer’s Association Windy City Reviews Out in the world, Glory Bishop reads novels, speaks her mind, & enjoys stolen kisses with JT; but at home, her overbearing mother will stop at nothing to keep her from worldly temptations. When the much older Malcolm Porter sets his sights on Glory, he gets her mother’s blessing & Glory must choose between waiting for JT and the freedom offered by … Continue reading GLORY BISHOP eBook $0.99

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IT’S COMING!!

deborahloi

It’s almost time!! Cover reveal is Tuesday the 16th. I’m excited. I hope you like it. I think it perfectly complements Glory Bishop and captures the essence of the story. I am a little worried that this one is a bit more intense than Glory Bishop… a lot more drama, I think. All of the favorite characters from book one are back… well, almost all of them. Right now, I’m doing layout designs for banners, postcards, and other swag. Do I really need swag… mugs and tote bags? I’ve got cute Glory Bishop bookmarks with a matching tassel with charms.. … Continue reading IT’S COMING!!

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