Friday, September 5, 2014

Old Broads Waxing Poetic - Book Launch


She's an Old Broad

She's an old broad. 
 I want to be just like her.

She's an old broad.
She takes no guff.
Her heart is soft,
but she's strong and tough.

She's an old broad.
I want to be just like her.

She doesn't hesitate
to speak her mind,
but when she has a choice,
she chooses to be kind.

She's an old broad.
I want to be just like her.

She loves to laugh
and do things that are silly
like wearing big sunglasses
and hats that are frilly.

She's an old broad.
I want to be just like her.

If there's a need,
she's the first to volunteer.
She'll pitch right in to lend a hand, 
a shoulder, or an ear.

She's an old broad.
I want to be just like her.

She's the first to forgive
and the last to judge.
If you're lucky,
she'll cook for you:
homemade potato soup, 
banana bread, 
and peanut butter fudge.

She's an old broad.
I want to be just like her.

She's no muss, no fuss
with comfortable shoes on her feet.
Want to stop by and see her?
You are always welcome,
as long as you don't mind
if her house isn't neat.

She's an old broad.
I want to be just like her.

She's had her share of troubles.
Bad days? More than a few.
And if you're having a bad day,
she will sympathize with you.

She's an old broad.
I want to be just like her.

Her hair is unruly.
Her eyes are twinkly.
Her chin is strong.
Her smile is crinkly.

She's an old broad.
I want to be just like her.

Over the years, she's been known 
to shed a tear or two,
but mostly she's a happy soul,
and she's saving a hug for you.

She's an old broad.
I want to be just like her.




When writing the above poem, I had several women in my mind; my grandmothers, my mother, and some friends of mine. I wrote about my favorite "old broads" because I have an announcement to make. I have some very exciting news! I was invited to join seven other women to collaborate on a book of poetry, and that book has now been released! 

We had additional help from two gentlemen: from Francesco Romoli, a photographer and artist who created the image called Forever Young that was used for the book cover, and from blogger/book cover designer, Michael Di Gesu, who designed the cover for the book around that image. Many thanks also go to Joanne Faries, who formatted the book for us and to Susan Swiderski and Julie Kemp Pickfor compiling the poems.

The title of the book is Old Broads Waxing Poetic, and it is available now in paperback form from Amazon. Click on the book title to follow the link to Amazon if you are interested in ordering it. For those who prefer the e-book format, it should also be available through Amazon in the near future. A
ll proceeds from the sales of this book will be going to CARE International.  


I have not yet read the poems contributed by the other old broads for this volume, but I know that some of the poems are amusing, some are touching, and some will strike a chord with the reader.  I do know that I am in very good company with the others who contributed to this book as they are all talented writers.

One member of our group, Susan Swiderski, generously wrote and shared the passage below for all of us old broads to use on our blogs for this Old Broad Blogfest. We are having a contest for the launch of the book which she explains below. 


*   *   *   * 

The following is from Susan:  "To celebrate its release, each old broad featured in this book is blogging about her favorite old broad today, and we invite each of you to tell us a little something about your favorite old broad in the comments. Oh, and if you're still offended by the term broad, I apologize. If you'd prefer, you can tell us about your favorite older woman... how's that? Oh yeah, and one of you who comments about your fave broad will be winning a free copy of our book. Cool, huh? (It really IS a cool book... not only is it filled with some fun poetry, but all proceeds from its sale are going to CARE International.)

Now then, let me introduce you to the other broads, so you can follow their blogs, too. (Like I said, they're ALL terrific.)

NOTE: Technically, Michael isn't a broad. He's a guy. A very nice guy who used that lovely image from Francesco Romoli to create our cover for us, so you could say, as an important member of our team, he's an honorary broad. With hairy legs.

The winner will be announced next Friday, September 12th.

Thanks for helping make this a very broad celebration!"


*   *   *   *

So there you have it! Tell me in the comments about your favorite old broad for your chance to win a copy of Old Broads Waxing Poetic, and be sure to come back next week when the winner is announced. Please stop by and visit the other old broads in the list above too if you have the time. I'm sure you will enjoy their blogs as much as I do. If you are so inclined to tell your friends about our book or to share the Amazon link on Facebook or Twitter or on your own blog, we would be very grateful. Remember the proceeds go to a good cause.

52 comments:

  1. Anonymous9/05/2014

    Congrats! This is very exciting and the proceeds are for a great cause. I love the poem. My most memorable "gracious Southern lady/broad" lived to be 92. She was a lifelong Sunday School teacher for the little children and at Christmas, those "children" would bring their children to visit with her in her big Southern home. The biggest "shock" was finding out that she drove a 1980's Monte Carlo - a muscle car!!!!!
    Have a nice weekend, Daisy, and congrats again.

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    1. Thank you, Mildred! What a great story. I love that she drove a muscle car! She must have had a wild side. Ha! :)

      Have a great weekend!

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  2. Oh, I love your poem Daisy ...
    My Fave broad was my mom as she had the best sense of humor and always made people feel at home 'in her presence'
    She never complained and I 'always wanted to be like her'

    Congrats on the book ...so happy for you and all the others in the book ...
    I will check it out later in the day ...

    Have a lovely weekend ...

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    1. Thank you, Margie! Your mom sounds like she was a real sweetheart. And I think you are just like her! :)

      Have a great weekend!

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  3. Daisy! I have been traveling all of August and now just finally catching up with everyone. What a delight to read this post! Congratulations. I am so happy for you.

    I live in the small town of Monteagle, TN with about 1,300 other people. I attend a lovely church in town - Morton Memorial Methodist. I'm 66 years old - one of the younger members. (I only slightly exaggerate.) I'm a member of a group called SISS - Sisters in Sensible Shoes. We meet once a month for fellowship and a brief program that elevates awareness of community issues as well as outreach opportunities throughout the surrounding counties. I've spear-headed a fundraising project that SISS contributed to. It will help provide much needed supplies for the fine arts in the area's elementary schools. This region is considered a portion of Appalachia - there is much need. When the program is fully up and running, I plan to post about it. This Old Broad is quite excited. :)

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    1. Thank you, Reenie! I hope your trip went well.

      I love that you are in this group! It sounds very worthwhile, and I bet you have a lot of fun with it too. I'll look forward to reading more about it.

      Hope you have a wonderful weekend! :-)

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  4. Your poem celebrates all that is good in women. I'm so glad to have read it and to be a part of this project with you! Hooray for "old"..."broads" everywhere!

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    1. Thank you, Liza! I'm happy to have "met" you through this Old Broads project. This has been so much fun, and I'm so excited about it. :-)

      Hope you have a great weekend!

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  5. Love, love, LOVE your poem. (No surprise there!) You've done a beautiful job capturing the essence of the kind of old broad we all hope to be.

    Thank you so much for being a part of our project. It turned out even better than Julie and I dared to hope for, and your lovely poems are one of the reasons why.

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    1. Thank you so much, Susan! Thank you for all your time and work in pulling this together too! I am pleased as punch to be a part of it all. :-)

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  6. You've done an incredible job of creating the perfect Old Broad! Glad she's a combo of some wonderful women in your life! Thanks for sharing your delightful poems with us which helped make Old Broads extra special!

    Julie

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    1. Thank you, Julie! Thank you for all your time and work to make Old Broads happen. I feel blessed to be a part of it. :-)

      Enjoy your weekend!

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  7. Thank you for linking and acknowleding the artist Romoli, Joanne for the formatting, and CARE, Daisy. I wasn't nearly as thorough with gratitude and acknowledgement.

    I love your poem. There's something so endearing about the tough hard shell around the soft, gooey insides of an old broad.

    Yay for us! Happy dance time!

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    1. Hurray for us, yes! Thank you, Robyn! And thanks so much for inviting me to join this wonderful group of writers. :-)

      Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

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  8. Congratulations, Daisy!! I always knew your poems needed to be published, and it's happened! Now the rest of them need to be put into a book by themselves.

    I guess the nearest person I knew who would qualify as an old broad was my great-aunt Rhoda, or "Aunt Rhody" as we called her. She could be gruff and interfering, but shared her wealth of things she no longer needed with our family who made good use of them. However, I can't say I want to be like her :)

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    1. Thank you, Charlotte! You are very kind. Your Aunt Rhody sounds like she had a generous soul even if she did have some rough edges.. :) I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

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  9. Congratulations Daisy... I read and follow Susan's blog and love it... the book picture is really cute, I like how the shadow is young... which is how I feel.. even if I don't look it... lol

    Incredible poem, you have such a great talent for all writings and they each resonate with me... :)

    Have an incredibly fun weekend :) <3

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    1. Thank you, Launna! I am grateful for all the kind words!

      Isn't that a wonderful cover? I love it too. I hope you have a great weekend! :)

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  10. Congratulations on the book. I like the poem. It reminds me of Miss Gail, a local farmer who shares her love of organic veggies with everyone who visits.

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    1. Thank you, Linda! Miss Gail sounds like a good neighbor to have! I hope you have a great weekend! :)

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  11. Yeahhhhh Daisy!!! I love your writing and am thrilled about this book that you've been selected to be part of. Will definitely check it out. And the poem today - love love love it!!!!!!

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    1. Thank you, Nikki! You are very kind. :-) Enjoy your weekend, my friend.

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  12. Hi Connie - this project is just amazing and will be so valuable to many .. and getting a chance to read all the entries will be fun - your poem is great .. old broads are old broads .. but keep going ... and so often funny things happen on the way to the forum .. fun .. good luck and cheers Hilary

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    1. Hello, Hilary! Thank you so much for visiting here and commenting here today and being a part of our Old Broad blogfest. It's nice to "meet" you. Thank you for the kind words, and I hope you have a wonderful weekend! :-)

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  13. HI, Daisy...

    Wonderful poem! If this is an example of how AMAZING the poems are for tis edition, I can't wait to read the others!!!!

    CONGRATS on this and I hope we sell millions of copies!

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    1. Michael, thank you! That is a very nice thing to say. And thank you so much for designing the wonderful cover! You did a great job with it! A million copies--sure! Why not! :-)

      Have a nice weekend!

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  14. Great poem and congratulations Daisy!! That is wonderful. I'll work my way through the names you listed when I get a chance this week. How exciting for you all.

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    1. Sandy, thank you! I am indeed excited to be a part of this. I hope you are enjoying your weekend! :)

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  15. So cool, Daisy, Congrats!
    I think my favorite Old Broad was my Aunt Vi, she was always helping people until the day she passed away.

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    1. Thank you, Kimberly! Your Aunt Vi sounds like she was a real sweetheart. Wishing you a lovely Sunday! :)

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  16. Hi There, Congrats on being a part of that book. Sounds incredible... I think of my mother when reading your poem... Mom never worked outside the home --but was always 'working' at something... She sewed --and tried to teach me to no avail... She loved to read--and tried to teach me.... Didn't happen... She was an excellent cook --and again, she tried to teach her daughter... Oh WELL....

    Love your poem...
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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    1. Thank you, Betsy! Your mom sounds like she was a hard worker. Perhaps your talents were in other directions. :) I hope you have a good week ahead.

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  17. Wow. How I stumbled upon this I will never know! What a great poem. And a book!! I think it will make a great Christmas present for my 3 "old broad" friends. My favorite old broad would have to be my mom. I remember her using that term to describe her friends. And I can think of a couple of aunts who fit the bill as well. Thank you so much !

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    1. Thank you, Marilyn! Hello and welcome. I appreciate your visit and comment here. Yes, I think this book would be a great Christmas gift! :)

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  18. That poem is such a sweet tribute
    to all those lovely women
    who came before us.

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    1. Thank you, Ann! Thanks for visiting and commenting here! :-)

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  19. Congratulations to you, Connie, on such a wonderfully descriptive poem and to your fellow writers as well. I have clicked on and visited all the listed pages. These are very talented women + 1 man (Michael). I have known many women who would fit the old broad described in your work, and so cannot single out just one.

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    1. Thank you, Dorothy! I'm glad you liked my poem here. I hope you have a wonderful weekend. :)

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  20. Congratulations, upon your new book, Daisy. I sure want to get a copy at Amazon. I love this poem. It reminds me so much of many women I've know. You've done a great job with it. Good luck with this book. I hope it sells very well.

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    1. Thank you so much, Brenda! I appreciate the kind words. Have a great weekend! :)

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  21. That is wonderful. How exciting! I am glad many more people will get to enjoy your poems!!

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    1. Thank you, Karen! What a nice thing to say. :) I hope you have a lovely weekend.

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  22. Olá querida, passei por aqui para agradecer sua doce presença
    no meu cantinho.Obrigada !!!
    Abraços, Marie.

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    1. Thank you, Marie! You are very sweet. Wishing you a lovely weekend! :)

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  23. I LOVE YOUR POEM. I am officially an old broad (remember your Pat Nixon poem from way back when, lol, well the hair isn't so stiff anymore, lol...) I like to think I may have a couple of those attributes you list as being an old broad. I loved the old ladies video at Susans site. Sure did find it entertaining. My fav old broad besides my mom and grandma was a favorite aunt. She and my uncle had a farm. She fed the chicks, milked the cows. She worked morning to nite farming, gardening, canning, cooking. I remember she used to wash her face with warm milk and she would use the egg whites from the chicks for a facial. You know, I don't remember a wrinkle in that face even when she was in her late 70's. She made the best flapjacks... She played the piano and always had a big hardy laugh. I am going to send people over from my site because I think so many will love this book. I am off to Amazon to buy a couple copies. Hugs from an Older Lady....

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    1. Lady Jane, I love the stories about your aunt. She sounds like a very special old broad to me. Thank you so much for your kind words and for telling others about the book! We really appreciate that. Hugs right back at you. I hope you have a lovely weekend. :)

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  24. Aww, congrats on such an awesome award and the book. Your gift is so beautiful and should be shared with the world. I have several Old Broads in my life and it would take forever to tell about the great influence they've had in my life. Thank you so much for sharing this and I will try to get one of the books. Looking forward to reading it. Hugs, xo

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    1. Thank you so much, Susie! Hope you have a good week ahead. :)

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