By JANET HART LEONARD
From the Hart
I wish I could write like her.
Erma Bombeck or Fannie Flagg or Shauna Niequest or Ann Voskamp. They are my mentors.
These ladies can paint a picture with their words that take my breath away. In celebration of their writing, I reread their words and feel the same feels again. They have me gasping for breath as I laugh so hard as well as having to cross my legs to keep from … well, you know. A few pages later, I am wiping tears as their words grab hold of my heart and I mourn the loss of a new friend I found in the beginning chapters. A gifted writer takes you there.
This week, I was reminded of Erma Bombeck by my friend and fellow gal author, Donna Cronk. Erma could take the most mundane story and turn it into a laugh-fest that would be envied by the writers of any modern-day comedy. She could tell a story that you would remember and each time you remembered it, you would laugh again. That talent is no laughing matter.
Fannie Flagg wrote the book, Fried Green Tomatoes, which has been made into my favorite movie. Fannie gave a voice to her characters like no other writer. Fannie is truly gifted with sarcastic wit and the ability to capture feelings and put them into words that keep me wanting more. Her ability to get rid of an evil character in a way that I never saw coming makes her a brilliant writer. How does such a sweet southern lady know the “recipe” to get rid of any evidence? Let’s just say the “secret” is in the sauce.
Shauna Niequist’s heart knows my heart quite well, yet they have never met. Her newest book, I Guess I Haven’t Learned That Yet, just arrived on my porch. I savor her words in every book she has written. She writes of always waiting for the big moments and missing out on the ones she should be celebrating. Shauna teaches how to celebrate each day. She welcomes me, with her words, to her table where her words lavish me with the wonders of the ordinary. She keeps me wanting to pull up a chair at her table and enjoy what her writing has to say.
Ann Voskamp’s writing refreshes my weary soul. She understands the clutter of life. She sees beyond the need to do what is expected to relish in doing what is needed. She writes with such insight and wisdom. Her words tell me to look for God in ways I did not expect. It leaves me wondering what I have missed as God brushed by me, ever so quietly, while I was looking for the grand entrance with pomp and circumstance.
While I will never write like these amazing women, I still must write. My soul has the need to express how it feels. My heart has words to say that I cannot hold back from saying. Writing from my heart is what I do. It’s what I will continue to do. Someday, when I take my last breath, the words will stop. Until then, my heart will always have something to say.
Thank you for reading my words.
Janet Hart Leonard can be contacted at janethartleonard@gmail.com or followed on Facebook or Instagram (@janethartleonard). Visit janethartleonard.com.