Brenda Mahler
Bio
Travel
Writing Lessons
Memoirs
Poetry
Books AVAILABLE ON AMAZON.
* Lockers Speak: Voices from America's Youth
* Understanding the Power Not Yet shares Kari’s story following a stroke at 33.
* Live a Satisfying Life By Doing it Doggy Style explains how humans can life to the fullest.
Stories (460/0)
Personification Invaded My Afternoon Walk
Walking around the lake relaxed my brain while sparking creativity. During my stroll, nature invaded my senses leaving all the conflict, news, and emotional questions of current events on the roadside. The sight of birds, animals, and insects became the impetus to produce phrases that would spark images in a reader’s mind when I sat down to write. The sound of cows mooing, the wind blowing through the willows, and a chainsaw in the distance serenaded the motion picture playing in my head.
By Brenda Mahler7 days ago in Writers
The Healing Power of Love
Growing up, I believed Mom could heal everything with love, a positive attitude, and a kiss. When Grandpa died, she taught me if he lived in my heart, nobody could steal my memories. After painful breakups, Mom shared personal stories of heartbreak and how they prepared her for meeting my father. When I failed a test, her wisdom taught me that failure builds strength. She soothed my bruises, cleaned scrapes with spit and tissue, and wiped tears away with a kiss.
By Brenda Mahler7 days ago in Motivation
Writing Entertaining Stories is Not Enough; They Need Purpose
Recently, I started writing stories about my dog. Seems natural since retiring. I spend more and more time with her, Dagney. Because of the bond we share, I notice her attention to detail, her enthusiasm for simple activities, her protective nature, and her humorous behaviors. So much pleasure comes from our interactions. Stories sharing the experiences formed in my mind and then took shape on the page. While rereading the tales, I laughed and at the end of many of the stories discovered lessons Dagney taught me about life.
By Brenda Mahler7 days ago in Writers
A Mother of Teens Understands
“This area is sure dry,” I remembered thinking. It is called the desert, only a short drive from home where everything looks plush and green. But then, that is the reality of life. Everything is fresh and alive until a couple of dry spells. Then the world turns barren producing little pleasure.
By Brenda Mahler7 days ago in Families
Forget Political Correctness and Enjoy the Stories
Dad sat in the tattered recliner and relived a childhood memory. As he told the story, I witnessed him return to an earlier time in his life, during the depression, when deals were sealed with a handshake and hard work resulted in simple rewards.
By Brenda Mahler7 days ago in Humor
Donald Murray Introduced Me to Process Writing
I understand, writing serves many purposes. Sometimes deadlines push me to produce a product with the focus on content instead of style or voice. Authors influence the readers; they impact society and with this responsibility comes the charge not only to communicate a message but to persuade, entertain, motivate, inspire, and feed the readers’ spirit. But often, my goal for writing to understand my thoughts and emotions.
By Brenda Mahler9 days ago in Writers
When Distinguished Writers Share Advice, Take Note
I helped my granddaughter complete her homework last night. Watching her read aloud fascinated me. She sounded out letters, one at a time until they melded together, and she enthusiastically ended with a small shriek when she read the whole word. She was so excited that it sounded like she spoke in exclamations. I remember when I approached the written word with that intensity; it was magical.
By Brenda Mahler9 days ago in Writers
It's Time to Kill Weak Words
Words have the power to transport us to new worlds, paint pictures and invoke emotions. They can also put us to sleep. When writing it is easy to fall in the trap of overusing weak words, however, there is an escape route. I love words which makes a thesaurus one of my favorite resources and writing tools. It provides strong, unique words to add power to a narrative.
By Brenda Mahler9 days ago in Writers
Writers are Fish Gasping for Oxygen; Reflecting on My Writing Helped Me Breathe
I read an article that explained why fish are often seen with their mouths open; they are gasping for air. You probably thought like I did that they breathe through their gills. Yes, they do. However, sometimes they take air in through their mouths, and this also helps cleanse the gills. The article explained that if a tank is crowded or dirty there might be a shortage of oxygen causing fish to gasp.
By Brenda Mahler9 days ago in Writers