Myself

My name is Paula Calloway and I enjoy life. I believe in love, happiness, dreams, imagination, honesty, fairness, truth, honor and justice. Hubby is a Veteran and my entire family either married into or were military.

I'm forty-something. I really do mean 'something' unless I count. I met my knight in shining armor in 1981. We moved in together in 1982, married in 1986, were gifted with a daughter in 1991 and adopted the neighborhood since then to include one of our nephews. I am always the neighborhood mom no matter where I live. As a stay-at-home mom, I couldn't be happier.

By birth, I’m a Sagittarius. Rumor is we’re the books you fight to open, but the story is worth it. We’re supposedly closet exhibitionists, are as exuberant as the other fire signs, but more introspective and shy, which channels all that energy inward and such allows us to be most creative and fun. When this sign gets comfortable with you, you might get a peek into their sometimes odd, but always interesting minds where laughter is the medicine of life. Betrayal is bad as forgive and forget doesn't work with a centaur.

Hometown

The spectacular city I call home is Clarksville, Tennessee, population 112,000. On the upside our crime rate is low, our county property tax is 3.9% and we have four seasons. On the downside our sales tax is 8.5% plus another 1% for non-food. It bites, but with a military base in the area and country taxes paying for schools it is the only way to hit everybody fairly.

Home

My four bedroom home is situated on a nice, level lot in an area which enjoys the convenience of the city and the luxury of the country. During Spring, I stand at my front door as does meander past with their fawns and often pause to graze under my wild cherry tree while the bucks stay in the wood line. I enjoy a fragrant Spring, lush Summer, colorful Autumn and white Winter.

World

I share my world with Garrett, my best friend, the love of my life and wonderful husband of over twenty-something years, Carole, my daughter, and Logan, my nephew. My family is very supportive of what I do. My husband carries several of my laminated bookmarks to college and shows them off to other students. He did an English essay on me. I was so touched I cried. My daughter snatched a copy of each bookmark with a clean cover for personal use and her teachers find nothing offensive. They were impressed and I was honored by her report. I put them away for safekeeping. I'll upload them for those who want to see as soon as I can.

Husband

My wonderfully supportive husband is also my webmaster. My biggest scare was his threat to write about 'Living with a Writer'. I laughed, but he retrieved a small notebook and handed it to me. One of the entries read - 11/14 ... Unable to sleep due to my wife's tosses and turns, I told her go jot it down. While she ran to her keyboard to type the scene from her head and get peace, I reached over and scribbled on my trusty notepad. I wonder how long it'll take her to find this. And that's my creative husband.

My hubby lets me bark and think I’m a goddess. Most consider him beta because he quietly watches. Until someone steps in the wrong spot and unleashes that alpha side. I’ve watched three men, definable alphas without a shadow of a doubt, step back and go silent when my hubby simply looked at them. I once called him a beta, but was quickly corrected in that he is a gamma. I never did understand more than the alpha and beta, then came gamma and now omega. LOL

Did I tell you my hubby finds me amusing?

Daughter

My daughter once said I most resembled a carrot because I push through whatever is in my path and, if need be, make a way around any obstacle that pops up. My worst subjects in school were history and science. I would love to see my English teacher because Mrs. Stainback believed in my ability to write. Be it a story or poetry, she believed.

Best Friend

Aside from my husband, who will always be my bestest friend, is Jen, also my co-author. The day she moved back home and bought her own house within two miles of mine, made me ecstatic.

Typical Day

I rise at 6:00, grab a cup of coffee with cream and sugar and glimpse across the backyard at the rising sun. I set the email to pull then wake the students for school as I do promos and clean house. By 7:30, I have a quiet house. On weekdays. Weekends are a whole new ballgame. There is nothing in my past I want to change for altering what was could change what is.

Influence

Dreams and imagination influence my work and my husband has always been my biggest supporter. Writing is my full-time job during school hours. During Summer, the kids head outdoors for fun to join their friends while I write. In a household where ADHD is common, I push the old belief outside activity is fun and beneficial. The kids enjoy climbing trees, wrestling, bike riding, sports and other activities. Sundays and Saturdays are family times which involve a movie, fire pit or something the kids select.

Softspot

Sense of humor warms me, kindness sparks my interest, tenderness holds me, love earns my smile and compassion for others wins every time with me. Mychael Black once said, "Flaunted intelligence is ugly." I agree 100%.

 Desirable

A compassionate heart and that encompasses a lot. I am happy to give the world a chance, but it is seldom one can meet a soul just as beautiful on the inside as on the outside. I’ve met a few, male and female, and those are treasures. I am drawn to those with a caring, giving and understanding heart.

On the physical side, Marcus.

Closet

This pops up on a lot of groups so I’ll cover it here. What would you find in my closet if you opened the door? Well, um, even I wouldn't do that. I just looked over at the closest of the seven. Scary thought and I own it!

History

I have a colorful history. On my Irish side is a horse thief hung at the gallows, on my French side is a LT who fought beside Washington and the family sword disappeared, on my English side is a Lord and I’ll bet he was an ornery critter (daddy once said he probably died penniless, too) and on my German Dutch side is a witch burned at the stake. Talk about weird family lineage. I'm not aware those nationalities ever really liked each other and, since I'm here, I guess you can say my bloodline is full of rebels, renegades and rogues because someone somewhere got frisky!

Strangest Encounter

When we lived in Watertown, New York, compliments of the army, I heard three words I never encountered before: Mircoburst, Noreaster and Lake Effect. Those of you who are familiar with such terms may now laugh because I am.

Microburst is the incident in Summer where everything is green, very green, and all the power disappears and is usually compliments of a Noreaster, which is better known as a Northeastern hurricane. Lake Effect. If I never hear that phrase again, I'll be happy because it changed my definition of snow in the first week of November. I woke up at 6:00 am to a grinning teen who said she wasn't going to school. Upon said teen's dash to the garage, I pursued only to halt as my visiting stepson lifted the garage door and smirked. Three feet of snow covered the drive. They laughed until I pointed to the shovels.

Favorite TV Shows

Law & Order = SVU: Christopher Meloni aka Det. Elliot Stabler. *swoon* CI. Vincent D'Onofrio aka Det. Robert Goren. I just want to hold him. CSI: Las Vegas. William Petersen aka Gil Grissom. I'd cuddle up to him if given the chance.

Favorite Movies

A Knight's Tale: Heath Ledger. Robin Hood: Kevin Costner. LadyHawke: I've always had a thing for Rutger Hauer. Troy: I'm not fond of Brad Pitt, but I'd jump Achilles in a heartbeat. King Author and Shoot 'Em Up: Clive Owen. Time Line and 300: Gerard Butler. OMG! Can you say drool? Yeah, I heard the rumors, but that's what fantasies are for. I will not divulge the number of times I dreamed of Gerard or Clive tied to my bed or various other places. Yes, both were very comfy and well-cared for.

Favorite Places

My back porch...Spring Extravaganza: Blooms from the rose bush and peach tree scatter delicate fragrances and fragile beauty across the landscape. Summer Magic: Splashes of waterfalls and playful koi banter with the innocent laughter and giggles of children. Autumn Splendor: Enchantment spreads as Nature supervises the young Angels gather their paintbrush and palette only to end in an array of color splattered across the trees. Winter Magnificence: A warm cup of coffee sipped while standing at the sliding glass door provides a cozy feeling and a spectacular view of the wonderland.

Favorite Places

Not my back porch = In my hubby's arms. My daughter's hug. Cuddled on the couch and overcrowded by all the little ones, to include the dog.

Favorite Scents

Leather. A forest morning. A summer meadow. The first snowfall. A clean barn. An ocean night.

Favorite Saying

Hmmm, I always did say every person is a storybook in the library of life.

Special Moment

I just have to tell of something someone did to make 2007 end on a decent note.  2007 was rough and filled with good and bad. At some point in life there comes a time when need overwhelms and someone does something unexpected and yet so greatly needed words cannot begin to express appreciation for the tears of gratitude that fall. I had to make an emergency trip to NC with hubby for my MIL’s funeral. I had just enough to get there and back for the six hour trip, gas only, no food, and with two kids that’s a hard push. A few days before I left, someone gave me something I can’t thank them enough for. Yes, I cried like a baby. My tears were so many that all I could do was write a thank you because words could never say what I felt, could never express how perfect that gift was at that precise moment in time. My angel knows who they are and I hope the wings of many angels embrace them throughout their lifetime. Thank you, Angel.