A Double Edged Sword

Have you ever visited a friend or relative over a weekend or school break? I think most of us have and look back on the memories fondly. While the main character, Mike in “The Pond” wasn’t away from home during his childhood years, it seemed as if he was due to his parents’ absence from his day to day life. So, the appeal of having a farm next door and other children to play with after school was largely a type of vacation for Mike.

When I wrote about his childhood, it was interesting to combine two features of his life. One being, that he loved playing with his best friend and spending time on the farm next door with a couple that fostered several children, who became built-in playmates! The other side of it being that he was a very lonely little boy as his parents had careers and were scarcely at home. He came from a life of privilege which carried a double edged sword of being lonely.

While the twists and turns in “The Pond” reveal the vulnerability of his being alone, it also gave way to his appreciation and enjoyment of those moments that were supreme childhood joy.

Have YOU read “The Pond” yet? Pick up a copy HERE.

If you have read it, drop me a line or leave a comment and let me know your thoughts.

I love hearing from readers!

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Makes a perfect gift for Halloween!

What was the best time in your Childhood?

I remember when I was growing up; I would spend my summers with my best friend in the country. It seemed that my own life, worries and other cares were miles away. The days began early with a big breakfast and then outdoors until dusk. There were so many things to do and places to go explore.
Chores that my friend considered to be mundane were new and exciting to me. I learned how to milk a cow, brush down a horse and ride bareback. After a full day of morning chores, riding horses and swimming in a creek, the days flew like wildfire. It was this exhilaration of experiencing new things and carefree days that prompted me to write about it in “The Pond.” I still remember those days, even now. And, I’m betting that you remember them as well. They were the best, weren’t they?

Kindle Version $2.99 Purchase Here - If you are a mystery lover this book is one for you. Or send as a gift!

Guilt

Definition: (noun) A term denoting an unpleasant feeling associated with blame; bad conscience over responsibility.

Such a simple term and definition that affects countless people all over the world. While guilt is a horrible feeling and it often makes a great plot line in a novel! In my book, The Pond; you will find a boy who friend drowns in a pond. An unfortunate, terrible thing for a child to die. Not long after the event, the boy and his family move out of town. Twenty-five years later, the boy has become a man and moves back to his childhood home with his family. Being in the setting of his childhood causes him to ponder about his friend’s death. What exactly happened? How did it happen? Could he have done anything to prevent it? See? Guilt subtly sneaks in as an underlying, yet prominent theme.


Guilt has the power and strength to invade most anyone with an Achilles heel. The slightest bit of vulnerability in our psyche provides a perfect and shortest path to feelings of guilt. Often times, feelings need to be explained or described. I am willing to bet that everyone has felt the pangs of guilt at least once in their life. And, the feelings were so overwhelmingly unpleasant, that no one wants to experience it again. In fact, anyone else that is suffering from guilt is often pitied by others.

Interestingly enough, the main character’s guilt is suddenly causing things to go bump in the night. Pick up a copy of my book, The Pond and rediscover guilt and fear.

Have You Made Peace with YOUR Demons?

No matter how wonderful our childhoods may have been, there are still certain memories, places, people, relatives or experiences that cause some anxiety for us. Now, consider if we’ve had difficult childhoods laced with abuse, bullying, or any number of unpleasant experiences. How would you react if someone told you, “You will move back into your childhood home.”

Does it give you a warm fuzzy? Or does it make you feel ill? For those of us who have suffered traumatic or unpleasant childhoods, the idea will be dismissed immediately. If you’re one of those fortunate people that had a wonderful childhood, the idea sounds extremely tempting.

I thought it was an interesting concept. Why? Because in my book, “The Pond,” the main character feels that overall, he had a pleasant childhood. Of course, it wouldn’t be real life unless he experienced some hardships. But, his overall opinion of his childhood was pleasant. What if he moves back into his childhood home and begins to recall repressed memories? Did they happen? Or, is he simply feeling strange about living in his childhood home as a man?
Either way, the idea is intriguing. Memories can be sparked from a scent, a visual scene, temperature and a variety of other ways. Going back home may mean facing new memories which will certainly cause reflection. Will it change the core of your belief system? That’s something to consider. Find out how the main character in “The Pond” handles this situation.

Mr Nobody

As a child, my family lived next door to a family who had a little girl around my age. I was elated! A “built-in best friend” was as close as 20 paces away! To my delight, our bedroom windows faced each other which allowed us to talk even though we were both at home!

I often wondered about my new best friend and what it must feel like to be an only child. While most children from large families complain about having to share toys, rooms and wear hand-me-downs, my friend would wear her clothes once with no one to inherit them. She would play with her toys until she grew weary of them, she would be alone in her room with no one to talk to before dropping off to sleep at night. Of all the things that only children encounter, my little friend missed talking to someone at night. Whether it was to talk about school, piano lessons, or cute boys who carried her books home from school. It brought comfort to her as she gazed into a vast sky with twinkling stars. You can imagine her excitement when we discovered we could talk to each other from our bedrooms.

One night as we leaned out of our bedroom windows, we watched shooting stars exploding in the sky. I asked my friend if it was difficult to make new friends when she moved. She thought for a moment and replied, “Sometimes it is…when that happens, I just talk to my best friend n the world. He always understands.”

“Who is your best friend in the world?” I inquired. “Mr. Nobody. He’s always with me, he never leaves and he talks to me at night when I am lonely.”

At the time, I didn’t understand fully the obvious make-believe friend reference. But, a couple of years later when she and her family moved away again, I realized just how important this coping mechanism was to her. I wonder about my childhood friend, I suppose that is why I wrote about an only child in my book, “The Pond.”

Mr. Nobody was certainly a “Somebody” to her.

"The Pond" By Author Tamera E Lawrence

Available in Kindle Format for $2.99

Guest Blog Post - Author Tamera E Lawrence

The Pond

Q) Tamera, why did you become a Writer/Author?

A) Ever since I was a little girl, I was fascinated by books and loved to read. My grandmother Gladis Evans was a poet and I was always fascinated that her poems were published. She inspired me to write. I love to write and have a great imagination. I love bringing stories to life.

Q) What types of books do you like to write?

A) Originally, I liked writing romance, mainly historical…which I still like to tinker with. But I found that I like to dig deeper into my imagination and write mysteries or thrillers. I like to make people squirm.


Q)Have you written any other books since “The Pond” ? Any other writing projects in process?

A) I have written a few books, but my main project is a book called WRECKER. I also am putting the finishing touches on a book called, THE SERPERNT’S KISS.


Q) What are other types of jobs have you held in the past?

A) In my teens, I was a waitress. From there, I went to work at AMP Incorporated. I started on the bottom level with file keeping and then moved up to a data input. After having my third child, I helped my husband with his contracting business and became self-employed.


Q) Besides writing, what else do you like to do?

A) Besides reading, I like gardening, walking and like to play softball. Over the years, I’ve enjoyed watching my kids in their various sports. My daughter likes to write and is a natural poet. In the fourth grade, she won first place in a poetry contest held in Berks County.

Q) If you can live anywhere in the world, where would it be? Why?

A)I would never live anywhere but in the United States. I loved my country and I am proud of its history. I’d like to visit all the states…but alas time is short.


Q) Do you have any pets?

A) Right now, we have a cat named Emma. We decided to let her have a litter of kittens so my kids could experience nature firsthand. Emma is the proud mother of five kittens. We already have several promising homes for them. My daughter always has a pet of some kind, usually a hamster. Right now she wants a horse. Help!


Q) Where did you go on your last vacation?

A) Last vacation was spent at the NJ shore. We had a great week of weather and had a lot of fun.

Q) Do you have a favorite color?

A) Not really, but I like to wear dark colors. Sometimes, I wonder why? LOL

Q) Favorite movies?

A) I love the movie, Far and Away (since I’m part Irish) and of course, The Notebook. Thriller wise, I like What Lies Beneath.

Q) Favorite books?

"The Pond". Is this a trick question? No, really, my favorite romance is Shanna. I read a little of Koontz (Frankenstein series). My favorite inspirational book, Not My Will.

Q) What type of music do you like to listen to?

A) I like soft music, soft rock and a bit of country.

Q) Steak or Seafood?

A) Def. Steak. Can’t beat it.

Q) Do you have a favorite meal you like to have as often as you can?

A) I love spaghetti, but my waistline doesn’t. I am trying to stick to lean meats and lots of vegetables. I admit, I have a sweet tooth. I think you could call me a professional dieter, up and down, depending on the season.

Tamera, Thank you for your time and make sure you keep me informed on the updates of your new "Projects". If your new work is anything like "The Pond", "Then you can count on me to read. I loved "The Pond" and have to put it down on my favorite book list. "The Pond" is now available in Kindle Format for the great price of $2.99. Purchase Here!

Mindy