I once told a friend my writing wasn't complete unless I could make people cry. By people, I'm selfishly referring to myself, as I routinely mist up when my characters hurt. Consequently, that's what I look for in quality writing...characters who are real enough to bring out emotions because we feel empathy when they hurt.

Real life is messy. Marriages fall apart, engagements break up, spouses get deployed, children are up all night with ear infections, families spend months or years watching loved ones suffer from illnesses, once close relationships unravel and sever completely. The ability of an effective writer is to channel those emotions from real life into a believable manuscript.

I suppose this is why I'm drawn to both reading and writing literary and women's fiction. I like stories that have the ability to merge a strong plot with characters who tug at your heart, therefore making them impossible to forget. A perfect example of this is Miriam from Khaled Hosseini's A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS.

Of course we all need a love story, too. I think there's a part of us who needs to believe that it's possible to meet our one true love on a weekend in Paris. We all need tension, love triangles, stolen kisses, and the intensity of young love to balance out the drama of our own lives.

Luckily, I get to do both as a reader and a writer. I'm fortunate to write with my own heart while reading the words coming from someone else's. 

But at the end of the day- while trying to balance life with writing, and query letters with hopes of publication- you can always read about a funny kindergartner named Junie B. Jones. As she said in SOME SNEAKY PEEKY SPYING, "A 'pology is the words I'm sorry. Except for you don't actually have to mean it. 'Cause nobody can even tell the difference."

Maybe that isn't completely true, but some days it's worth a shot.     

On Tuesday, I sat in a surgical waiting room while my step dad was undergoing a ten hour procedure. As I waited with my mom and sisters for word that he was okay, I had time to think about all he's gone through, since his cancer diagnosis, five years ago.

It started as a small lump, or what he referred to as a "divot" in his mouth. After our family's ear, nose and throat specialist biopsied it, he was referred to the University of Washington. The diagnosis was a very rare form of cancer called, Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma of the minor salivary gland. It's a big term for something so sneaky and insidious, for a form of cancer which struck the healthiest person we've ever known, leading us to believe that some things are just a matter of bad luck. As we've discovered over the past five years, it's slow growing and very persistent. Aside from radiation (which he's already had) the only successful treatment is removal of the malignant tissue. Chemotherapy has proven to be ineffective for this type of cancer, which travels along nerve endings to metastasize to other areas of the body, most often- the brain, lungs, and liver.

My step dad, who I also refer to as my bonus dad, has had cancer removed from his mouth twice, undergone nuclear proton radiation, had cellulitis, a detached retina, a staph infection and a blood clot. He's also had ACC nodules removed from his lung after the cancer spread. On Tuesday, after they removed the tumor, they reconstructed the roof of his mouth with what is called a "flap" by using skin from his arm to reseal his mouth. 

Yet he's a survivor who maintains the strongest faith of anyone I know.

This week has reminded me that no matter how much we endure, we are supported. Not unlike when my dad had open heart surgery when I was in college, and my siblings and I were surrounded by concerned relatives. It's a reminder of how we can support one another by being there for each other, whether in person or by telephone. It's reminded us that even when people are not physically present, their thoughts and prayers are, and that it is our responsibility to reach out to them just as they reach out to us. We've appreciated the unfailing support of family and friends. The number of text messages, prayers, Facebook posts and phone calls have been welcomed and beautifully overwhelming.

Sitting beside us in the waiting room was another family, also waiting for word on their loved one in surgery. As we were leaving for the ICU, my mom struck up a conversation with the woman who'd been fielding phone calls and updating her Facebook status all afternoon. Her husband was having a large brain tumor operated on. They recognize he doesn't have a lot of years left, but want him to have quality of life while he's here.

Perspective.

My book recommendations for today:

THE PEACH KEEPER and THE GIRL WHO CHASED THE MOON, by Sarah Addison Allen.

They are a combination of magical realism and romance, and the perfect literature for anyone who wants to get away from the realities of today and into the magic of a novel.

1. Her husband's name was Joe

           and

2. We lived in Montana

Needless to say, my 'team' lost. But I firmly believed the Dolphins had the coolest quarterback and the best uniforms.

Today, when I think of the Super Bowl, the first thing that comes to mind are the commercials. Did anyone not catch the cute little kid channeling Darth Vadar for Volkswagen last year? Sure, the food is great and the men are all amped up (my husband included), but for the remainder of the day, I find myself mentally calculating all I should be getting done. I suppose most of me just wonders why we can't go back to 1985 when the Chicago Bears enticed us with a cool rap- "The Super Bowl Shuffle." A football team makes a music video...hold the Aqua Net! I still remember the tune.

"They call me Sweetness cause I like to dance. Runnin' the ball is like makin' romance."

              and

"Give me a chance and I'll rock you good. Nobody messes in my neighborhood."

             the clincher

"You're lookin' at the Fridge. I'm the rookie. I may be large, but I'm no dumb cookie." 

The kid in me still finds that song to be totally rad.

Two movie quarterbacks, both based on real people, surface when I contemplate the excitement I should feel toward football. The first is Ronnie 'Sunshine' Bass from Remember the Titans. The second, Tami Maide, who was featured in the made-for-TV movie, Quarterback Princess. Tami was portrayed by a young Helen Hunt. I remember this show fondly and always felt a bit of hope of it being possible to be the star quarterback, as well as, the Homecoming Queen. I suppose it's no coincidence that I'm currently reading CATCHING JORDAN, by Miranda Kenneally.

So, here they are. My favorite sports movies, along with a favorite quote from each. Feel free to chime in on your own selections.

1. Rudy (1993) Simply put, this one tops my list as my absolute favorite sports movie. I still cry every time I watch Rudy Ruettiger run through the tunnel to play in his first, and only, Notre Dame football game. "I've been ready for this my whole life." -Rudy

2. Remember the Titans (2000)  "I don't scratch my head unless it itches and I don't dance unless I hear music. I will not be intimidated. That's just the way it is." -Coach Boone.

3. The Sandlot (1993) "It's about time, Benny. My clothes are goin' out of style." -Squints

4. Love and Basketball (2000) "Offense sells tickets. Defense wins games." -Coach Davis

5. It's a toss up between Hoosiers (1986) "Let's win this game for all the small schools that never had a chance to get here." -Merle Webb

                 and

Field of Dreams (1989) "This field, this game: it's a part of our past, Ray. It reminds us of all that once was good and could be again." -Terence Mann

Maybe that's why I've lost interest in the Super Bowl. I'm looking for a reminder of the past, of how exciting sports can be, and how thrilling it is to watch the underdog succeed. Thankfully, I catch glimpses of it during the excitement of March Madness and whenever I attend one of my daughter's gymnastic meets. I feel the palpable thrill in the air when I hear a marching band at a high school football game and when watching a child dribble a basketball in their first scrimmage.

Enjoy your Super Bowl Sunday. Stay safe and have fun, wherever you might be celebrating. Maybe even take a moment to sing, "We're just here to do the Super Bowl Shuffle..." C'mon, you know you want to.

LONE WOLF by Jodi Picoult. Release date, February 28, 2012.

"Edward Warren, twenty-four, has been living in Thailand for five years, a prodigal son who left his family after an irreparable fight with his father, Luke. But he gets a frantic phone call: His dad lies comatose, gravely injured in the same accident that has also injured his younger sister Cara.

With her father’s chances for recovery dwindling, Cara wants to wait for a miracle. But Edward wants to terminate life support and donate his father’s organs. Is he motivated by altruism, or revenge? And to what lengths will his sister go to stop him from making an irrevocable decision?

Lone Wolf explores the notion of family, and the love, protection and strength it’s meant to offer. But what if the hope that should sustain it, is the very thing that pulls it apart? Another tour de force from Jodi Picoult, Lone Wolf examines the wild and lonely terrain upon which love battles reason." -Goodreads

HOME FRONT, by Kristin Hannah. Release date, January 31, 2012.

"In her bestselling novels Kristin Hannah has plumbed the depths of friendship, the loyalty of sisters, and the secrets mothers keep. Now, in her most emotionally powerful story yet, she explores the intimate landscape of a troubled marriage with this provocative and timely portrait of a husband and wife, in love and at war.

All marriages have a breaking point. All families have wounds. All wars have a cost. . . .

Like many couples, Michael and Jolene Zarkades have to face the pressures of everyday life---children, careers, bills, chores---even as their twelve-year marriage is falling apart. Then an unexpected deployment sends Jolene deep into harm’s way and leaves defense attorney Michael at home, unaccustomed to being a single parent to their two girls. As a mother, it agonizes Jolene to leave her family, but as a solider she has always understood the true meaning of duty. In her letters home, she paints a rose-colored version of her life on the front lines, shielding her family from the truth. But war will change Jolene in ways that none of them could have foreseen. When tragedy strikes, Michael must face his darkest fear and fight a battle of his own---for everything that matters to his family.

At once a profoundly honest look at modern marriage and a dramatic exploration of the toll war takes on an ordinary American family, Home Front is a story of love, loss, heroism, honor, and ultimately, hope."  Goodreads

WHERE WE BELONG, by Emily Giffin. Scheduled for release, July 31, 2012

"The author of five blockbuster novels, Emily Giffin, delivers an unforgettable story of two women, the families that make them who they are, and the longing, loyalty and love that binds them together Marian Caldwell is a thirty-six year old television producer, living her dream in New York City. With a fulfilling career and satisfying relationship, she has convinced everyone, including herself, that her life is just as she wants it to be. But one night, Marian answers a knock on the door . . . only to find Kirby Rose, an eighteen-year-old girl with a key to a past that Marian thought she had sealed off forever. From the moment Kirby appears on her doorstep, Marian’s perfectly constructed world—and her very identity—will be shaken to its core, resurrecting ghosts and memories of a passionate young love affair that threaten everything that has come to define her. For the precocious and determined Kirby, the encounter will spur a process of discovery that ushers her across the threshold of adulthood, forcing her to re-evaluate her family and future in a wise and bittersweet light. As the two women embark on a journey to find the one thing missing in their lives, each will come to recognize that where we belong is often where we least expect to find ourselves—a place that we may have willed ourselves to forget, but that the heart remembers forever." -Goodreads

THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME, by Allison Winn Scotch. Scheduled for release, April 12, 2012.

"One of only two survivors of a plane crash, Nell Slattery wakes in the hospital with no memory of the horrific experience-or who she is, or was. Now she must piece together both body and mind, with the help of family and friends, who have their own agendas. She filters through photos, art, music, and stories, hoping something will jog her memory, and soon, in tiny bits and pieces, Nell starts remembering. . . .

 It isn't long before she learns to question the stories presented by her mother, her sister and business partner, and her husband. In the end, she will discover that forgiving betrayals small and large will be the only true path to healing herself-and to finding happiness." -Amazon

THE NEXT BEST THING, by Jennifer Weiner. Scheduled for release, July 10, 2012.

"Blockbuster #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Weiner returns with an irresistible story about a young woman trying to make it in Hollywood…At twenty-three, Ruth Saunders headed west with her seventy-year-old grandma in tow, hoping to be hired as a television writer. Four years later, she’s hit the jackpot when she gets The Call: the sitcom she wrote, The Next Best Thing, has gotten the green light, and Ruthie’s going to be the show-runner. But her dreams of Hollywood happiness are threatened by demanding actors, number-crunching executives, an unrequited crush on a boss, and her grandmother’s impending nuptials.

Set against the fascinating backdrop of Los Angeles show business culture, with an insider’s ear and eye for writer’s rooms, bad behavior backstage and set politics, Jennifer Weiner’s new novel is a rollicking ride on the Hollywood rollercoaster and a heartfelt story about what it’s like for a young woman to love, and lose, in the land where dreams come true."- Amazon 

Below are some of the books I read, and enjoyed, in 2011. (I should also note that not all were published last year.)

Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult. I loved this novel, and really, with Jodi Picoult, you can never go wrong.

The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards. Admittedly, I watched the made-for-TV movie before reading the book. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the novel and was deeply touched due to losing a child to a chromosomal abnormality.

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. Great work of literary fiction. Loved the love story and even persuaded my husband to read it.

Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah. Hands down, the best book I read last year.

Don't Kill the Birthday Girl by Sandra Beasley. This was a gift from a cousin who saw it on a bookstore shelf. As a person with celiac disease and the mom of a child who outgrew a serious egg allergy, I highly recommend it to everyone. Whether you suffer from food allergies or intolerances, or not, you should at the very least, have an understanding of what it's like to live with a food allergy. 

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. I tend to stay away from war stories, but could not put this book down. A wonderful piece of nonfiction about World War 2 and the resiliance of Louis Zamperini. 

Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah. Admittedly, I cried for the final forty pages.

The Hunger Games Trilogy: The Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mocking Jay by Suzanne Collins. Yes, they lived up to the hype. Yes, I intend to watch the movies.

Next up...book releases I'm anticipating in 2012. Stay tuned.

Five books that should make it to the big screen.

* Something Blue by Emily Giffin. Yes, Something Borrowed, was released last year, and they even provided a teaser of its sequel during the credits. But to my knowledge, production has halted. I'm just going to put this out there...I need to see Something Blue. Darcy was a much better character in the second book and let's face it, Ethan is the best. So head to London people...and start filming.

* Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner. I really want to see Cannie Shapiro come alive on screen. Honestly, one of my favorite parts of the novel is in the first pages, when she's eating M&Ms and her friend, Samantha, calls and asks if she's read the article "Loving a Larger Woman." The fact that it was written by Cannie's ex-boyfriend makes it even more interesting.

* Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella. I'd love to see this book about a modern woman, Lara, befriending a ghost, Sadie. Sadie also happens to be a former flapper girl from the twenties who is off the wall hilarious and has Lara dressing, acting and living it up like she's in the 1920s.

* Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. The story of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic runner and former POW during World War 2. Luckily, it's been optioned for film by Universal. Looking forward to the movie's release.

* The Lakeshore Chronicles by Susan Wiggs. Okay, so this is not one book, but a series. I love reading the stories of Avalon, and could really see the town brought alive, like Stars Hollow was on Gilmore Girls. I enjoy reading about the Bellamys, hot veterinarian- Noah Shepherd, and my favorite- Jenny Majeski.

Now it's your turn. What books would you love to see on film?

These are my picks...

Miriam, from Khaled Hosseini's, A Thousand Splendid Suns. I really can't say enough about this novel. If you haven't read it, please do. I have so much respect for Miriam, and her life of quiet despair, under Taliban rule. Her story haunted me. If given the chance, I'd sit down and tell Miriam how she deserved so much more than life had to offer her.

Becky Brandon, nee Bloomwood, from Sophie Kinsella's, Shopaholic Series. What can I say, Becky Bloomwood cracks me up. She's fun, irresponsible, and much more stylish than I'll ever be. I think she'd be a blast to hang out with, and I'm certain she'd pay for lunch, whether she could afford it, or not.

Anya from Winter Garden, a novel by Kristin Hannah. I loved, loved, loved the character of Anya. She was broken, honest, and captivating. The fairytale she shared with her daughters, throughout the course of the novel, was heartbeaking, but so beautiful. 

Aibileen, from Kathryn Stockett's, The Help. This was just a fantastic novel all around, but Aibileen pulled it all together. She's a woman who raised seventeen white children, and lost her own son while people looked the other way. From having to listen to Tilly's Home Help Sanitation Initiative proposal, to her relationship with Mae Mobley, "you is kind, you is smart, you is important," she was perfect.

Stephanie Plum from Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum Series. I really hope Stephanie shows up with Lula and Grandma Mazur. I'd also like to run into Morelli and stop by Rangeman. Anything but riding in Stephanie's car because bad luck follows her. I'll even bring a carrot for Rex.

Now it's your turn. What fictional characters would you like to know in the real world?

Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah

The Diary of Anne Frank

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult

Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner

Something Borrowed and Something Blue by Emily Giffin

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

The Stephanie Plum Series by Janet Evanovich