One of the most rewarding things about working with people to publish their books is that I’m helping them achieve a goal. In this case, a mother’s desire to publish her daughter’s poetry. It was a labor of love for her, and I was able to help her bring it to fruition. Keep reading to understand why it matters to her, and why I feel privileged to help birth this gift from a mother to her beloved but challenged adult child.

The Wildflowers Within Her Heart

Tara Elizabeth Benedetti has written poetry since she was a young girl. Tara wrote a poem when she was 10 years old, in the 5th grade, and it was published when she was 12, in the 7th grade.

The poem “My Windows” was published in the 1993 Edition of the book “Anthology of Poetry by Young Americans.”

Tara was encouraged by her teachers beginning in the 5th grade, and it was always pointed out that she had a profound and rich imagination – the part that can’t be taught.

Tara graduated from Summit High School, in Summit, New Jersey. She obtained a B.A. Degree in Creative Writing and Photo Journalism, at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts. She has a Master’s Degree in Creative Writing from Fairleigh Dickenson University in Madison, New Jersey.

Tara was diagnosed with schizophrenia when she was 28 years old, while teaching English in Boston. It has been 16 ½ years of a struggle for Tara. She is now 44 years old. All of her poetry was written before Tara was diagnosed with schizophrenia.

Big thanks to the 14 participants who came to my workshop on self-publishing last night at the Hunterdon Country Library, including fellow Mystery Writers of America-NY board member (and president) Nev March. It was so rewarding to engage with everyone, and hear so many of them say how much they liked the workshop. Onward!

Health Beat is a feature at LGBTSr highlighting health news and issues.

The good news: I’ve lost 24 pounds,  with another 20 to go, using Tirzepatide. I’m not arguing for or against using weight loss medication, but after more than a decade of needing to lose some serious weight I’ve finally been able to do it.

The not-so-good news: It’s very expensive for those of us who have to pay the full cost out of pocket. As a Medicare recipient, it’s not covered, unless you have some serious underlying health condition. Eventually this may change, because a lot of expensive medical issues arise from obesity and it would be more affordable for Medicare (and the supplemental health and drug insurance plans) to cover these than to pay the exorbitant costs of heart disease and other serious weight-related illnesses.

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Lambertville, NJ, is my favorite town! It’s only about 20 minutes from our little house in the woods, and it’s America’s Halloween capital. For years now the neighbors on Union Street and elsewhere have made somewhat of a competition (okay, maybe a HUGE competition) out of decorating their houses for Halloween. People come from miles around the stroll along, or drive slowly past, the extravagant displays. The street itself is closed off on Halloween night and thousands of people gather for the festivities. It’s a must-see if you’re in the area.