PLEASE WELCOME
DEBRA COLEMAN JETER
TO
HAVING THE PRIME OF MY LIFE
When I was considering the decision to quit my day job, I kept running into retirees who said retiring was the best thing that ever happened to them. They were traveling the world and staying busier than ever. Of course, this was before COVID-19. My decision was also before COVID-19, but not long before.
My husband retired a number of years ago. Over the years I’ve heard accounts of husbands who made a nuisance of themselves after retirement and drove their wives nuts. My husband, in contrast, has always been easily entertained. Riding his tractor, scanning the internet, reading books, and news stories … these activities keep him more than content. I worry that we could be the reverse of the norm … that I’ll be the one to drive him crazy.
I had plans, but so many of those plans fell by the wayside when COVID-19 struck. I had intended to travel to Japan in the springtime, join a bus trip to Machu Picchu, visit the south of France, and speak at some writers’ conferences. All canceled. I’ve been the principal breadwinner for years, but I’ve never been good at practicalities. At the university, I had a staff of people to help out when my computer or overhead projector refused to cooperate. At home, I have trouble just navigating the remote controls to the stereo and television.
Look for your strengths, I tell myself, and use those to help others. In this COVID-19 world, however, speaking engagements are drying up, or transitioning to online opportunities for which I feel ill-equipped. I’ve always fancied the idea of writing meaningful fiction, but on my darker days, I articulate my fears. What makes me think I have any talent? What in my lifetime has given me insights worth sharing or greater wisdom than anyone else who has lived, loved, and survived?
I grew up with a bipolar mother, so I’m familiar with depression. I know that you can’t overcome depression by simply willing it away or by counting your blessings. Yet, I’ve not often been depressed myself. Until lately. After a few days of the doldrums, my minister brings a YouTube lesson to my aid. He reminds us of Paul’s words, and the familiar message rings true. When we cannot change our circumstances, we must try to change our attitude. I need to learn “in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” (Philippians 4:11)
I also like this quote by Corrie Ten Boom: “When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don’t throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer.”
ABOUT DEBRA COLEMAN JETER
Sugar Sands Book 2, Song of Sugar Sands, was named a finalist in the 2020 Next Generation Indie Book Awards. Jeter has published in popular magazines, including Working Woman, Christian Woman, and American Baby. Her first novel, The Ticket, was a finalist for a Selah Award. Her short story, “Recovery,” won first prize in a competition sponsored by Christian Woman; and her book “Pshaw, It’s Me Grandson” was a finalist in the USA Book News Awards. She is a co-writer of the screenplay for Jess + Moss, a feature film that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and captured several international awards.
The Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/Joy-After-Noon-Sugar-Sands/dp/194888898X
Author page on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Debra-Coleman Jeter/e/B00UDTPPC6/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1
Author website: www.debracolemanjeter.com
https://www.goodreads.com/author/dashboard
https://twitter.com/DebColemanJeter
Instagram: DebraColemanJeter
ABOUT JOY AFTERNOON
Joy marries a widowed bank executive caught in an ethical dilemma and misreads his obvious frustration while struggling to integrate into her new family. Inspired in part by Love, Come Softly, this novel explores the challenges of second marriages and dealing with step-children during the crucial years of puberty and teenage angst. A college professor coming up shortly for the huge tenure decision, Joy finds herself falling apart as her career and her home issues deteriorate and collide.
THE YEARS THE LOCUSTS ATE
JUNE FOSTER
12/28/2020
CATHEDRAL STATE PARK, WEST VIRGINIA
JOHN BARRINGER
12/21/2020
PRIME OF MY LIFE
GAIL KITTLESON
12/14/2020
FULL CIRCLE
JAYME H MANSFIELD
12/7/2020
GREEN STUFF AND HUBS
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
12/2/2020
NOEL: THE CAT WHO CAME FOR CHRISTMAS
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
11/30/2020
GREEN STUFF MAGIC
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
11/23/2020
WHEN GRANDMA FORGETS
CRYSTAL BOWMAN
11/2/2020
HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF BLUE ZONES?
SALLY JO PITTS
10/26/2020
FIVE WAYS SENIORS CAN BOOST THEIR IMMUNE SYSTEMS
GINNY DENT BRANT
10/19/2020
IF YOU CAN'T BEAT 'EM JOIN 'EM
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
9/28/2020
WALKING IN A WRITER'S WONDERLAND
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
9/7/2020
CREAMING
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
8/31/2020
LIFE IS THE ADVENTURE
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
8/24/2020
QUITTING MY DAY JOB
DEBRA COLEMAN JETER
8/17/2020
ADAPT OR DIE
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
7/27/2020
SAY THANK YOU TO OUR FRIENDS IN BLUE
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
7/20/2020
THE SWEET COUPLE HOLDING HANDS
MELISSA HENDERSON
7/13/2020
SURPRISE! SURPRISE! SURPRISE!
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
7/6/2020
FROM FICTION TO NON-FICTION AND BACK AGAIN
GAIL KITTLESON
6/29/2020
WHO SAID GROWING OLD IS FUN?
MARTHA ROGERS
6/22/2020
AND NOT TO YIELD
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
6/15/2020
MY CULTURAL DISCONNECT
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
6/8/2020
WHAT IS RETIREMENT
JULIE COSGROVE
6/1/2020
LOOKING UP OR LOOKING AWAY
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
5/25/2020
SEEKING GOD
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
5/11/2020
HOW OLD ARE YOU
Rachel J. Good
5/4/2020
IT'S NOT OKAY
MARTIN WILES
4/27/2020
EMBRACING MY INNER BOOMER
BARBARA BRITTON
4/20/2020
THE RACE FOR LILY
SHERRI STEWART
4/13/2020
GRANNY ALICE
LYNNE BASHAM TAGAWA
4/6/2020
RESILIENCE
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
3/29/2020
LIVING WITH CHANGE
MARTIN WILES
3/9/2020
WHEN THE GROCERY STORE CLERK HAS TO CHECK YOUR AGE
MELISSA HENDERSON
2/24/2020
THE IMPORTANCE OF CREAMING
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
2/17/2020
FRIENDS AT ANY AGE
ERIN UNGER
2/3/2020
IDENTITY CHECK
MARTIN WILES
1/27/2020
IF YOU CAN'T BEAT 'EM, JOIN 'EM
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
1/20/2020
MY POSSESSIONS MATURE ALONG WITH ME
MARIE WATTS
1/13/2020
EYES FRONT
TERRI MAIN
1/6/2020
THE TIMES THEY ARE A CHANGING'
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
12/30/2019
SANTA'S RELUCTANT HELPER
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
12/23/2019
THE PURSUIT OF WEALTH
DEBRA COLEMAN JETER
12/16/2019
VANQUISHING THE CHRISTMAS BLUES
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
12/9/2019
GRANDMAS THEN VS GRANDMAS NOW
GAIL SATTLER
12/2/2019
TECHNO BLUES
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
11/25/2019
ADAPT OR DIE
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
11/18/2019
CREAMING
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
11/11/2019
When our Get Up and Go Gets Up and Goes
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
11/4/2019
LIFE IS THE ADVENTURE
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
10/28/2019
MY LIFE AS A BARCODE
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
10/21/2019
THE QUEST FOR THIN
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
10/14/2019
THE AMERICAN DREAM
ANGELA BREIDENBACH
10/7/2019
FROM GOLDEN YEARS TO GOLDEN BELLS
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
9/30/2019
THE CHORDS THAT BIND MY MEMORIES
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
9/23/2019
JUST BE STILL
MARTIN WILES
9/16/2019
PRINCE CHARMING, SPIDERS, AND CHEMO
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
9/2/2019
GRAY IS GRAND
LOREE PEERY
8/26/2019
A GOOD QUESTION
GEORGE CARGILL
8/19/2019
LOVING THE BABY BOOMER GENERATION
ERIN UNGER
8/12/2019
MAKING PRETTY THINGS
KATHY MCKINSEY
8/5/2019
ARE YOU TOO OLD TO BECOME AN AUTHOR
HARRY WEGLEY
7/29/2019
ENJOY THE MEAL
MARTIN WILES
7/22/2019
IN THE GOOD OLD SUMMERTIME
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
7/15/2019
KEEPING IT FRESH
WANDA O. HOT
7/8/2019
OVERFLOWING WITH BLESSINGS
CLEO LAMPOS
7/1/2019
HAVING THE PRIME OF MY LIFE
JO MASSARO
6/24/2019
GOLDEN GIRL
PAT JEANNE DAVIS
6/17/2019
WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW
CLEO LAMPOS
6/10/2019
Food, Families, and Fond Memories
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
6/3/2019
FOR THOSE OVER FIFTY-FIVE
JUNE FOSTER
5/20/2019
NEXT GENERATION
KATHLEEN NEELY
5/13/2019
Mimi and Bop
Melissa Henderson
5/6/2019
NEVER TO OLD TO START OVER
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
4/29/2019
THE WRITER'S CALLING
SHERRI STEWART
4/15/2019
PLAYING THROUGH THE FOG
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
4/8/2019
SOMETIMES WE JUST NEED TO TURN OFF THE GPS
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
4/1/2019
DON’T CALL HER MA’AM
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
3/25/2019
When Your Past Looms Longer than Your Future
Debra Coleman Jeter
3/18/2019
OUR MCDONALDS
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
3/11/2019
BORN TOO LATE
DIANNE BARKER
3/4/2019
PERSPECTIVE
LISA LICKEL
2/25/2019
IS IT THE BEGINNING OR THE END
KATHLEEN NEELY
2/18/2019
MY TO-DO LIST
SHERRI STEWART
2/11/2019
ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
2/3/2019
MAMA, I CAN'T TAKE A BATH THERE'S A FISH IN THE TUB
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
1/21/2019
EAT RIGHT NOW LIVE LONGER LATER
Jude Urbanski
1/14/2019
AM I STRESSED?
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
1/7/2019
SHOULD VS WANT
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
12/31/2018
I'LL BE ALONE FOR CHRISTMAS ... YOU CAN COUNT ON ME
Julie Cosgrove
12/24/2018
THE ONLY CONSTANT IS CHANGE
LINDA SHENTON MATCHETT
12/17/2018
LIVING WITHOUT REGRET
Grant Ferguson
12/10/2018
GROWING UP CAN BE FUN SO IS GETTING OLDER
ELLIE GUSTAFSON
12/3/2018
SOARING WITH BROKEN WINGS
Linda Wood Rondeau
11/19/2018
NEVER TOO LATE
DIANE TATUM
11/5/2018
The Not So Good Good Old Days
Linda Wood Rondeau
10/22/2018