Essays of varying lengths, written by Debbie LaChusa, an aspiring memoirist, as she learns and practices the art of writing memoir.
Why I didn’t follow the “gold standard of treatment”–TPLO surgery–for my dog’s torn CCL, and how she’s doing despite going against the vet’s recommendations. “Uh-oh,” my husband said, as Faith came in from her morning potty break. “What?” I replied. “She’s limping, again,” he said. We’d only been home one week from a trip to …
What I learned from a dog who was a whole lot smarter than me. I got my first dog as an adult in the summer of 1988. I was twenty-six years old and my husband and I had just purchased our first house. It was a tiny, 700-square-foot bungalow on an oversized lot — a lot so …
What a Little Rescue Pup Taught Me About Pet Parenting, Life, and Love Read More »
The small but mighty pioneer who inspired me to start my own business This story was originally written and published in Age of Empathy on Medium, in response to a writing prompt: Women Who Inspire, in honor of International Women’s Day, March 8, 2023. I don’t know much about her life before I knew her. From …
Women Who Inspire: She Was Only Five Foot Two but She Was a Force Read More »
This essay was written, and originally published, in response to a writing prompt in The Memoirist on Medium.com. The prompt was: Madness (in honor of March Madness). I’m not sure when it started. I believe I can trace the earliest occurrence back to high school. Dad was a teacher and A’s were expected. Maybe that’s …
I walk downstairs and into the kitchen. My husband is sitting at the table with his laptop open and a big smile on his face. As I enter the room, he swings the computer around. A cherubic golden face fills the screen. “Oh my God,” I say. “It’s Hope!” My husband looks at me, puzzled. …
I Found Hope on the Internet. She’s been my refuge ever since. Read More »
Hummingbirds are considered a sign, that the spirit of a loved one who has passed, may be near. This story was originally published in The Memoirist on Medium. I first saw the delicate, hand-carved hummingbird tied to the bottom of a birdhouse, hanging in the sunroom. Handcrafted of tightly twisted twigs, the birdhouse was the …
I Asked Dad To Send Me A Sign Before He Died. He Sent Me a Hummingbird. Read More »
After completing a writing lesson on the topic of Show and Tell, I realized it’s probably the one skill I most need to master in my quest to become a memoirist. My journalism education taught me to report the facts. As a nonfiction writer, I focused on writing clear and concise descriptive prose. Painting a …
This is my very first writing exercise from a memoir writing course. The assignment was to write a profile of a person in 200 words. The chair sits empty now, as does the house. The blue recliner positioned just in front of the television. But watching TV wasn’t its primary purpose. Reading was. A retired …
As he handed me off to my future husband, the words escaped quietly from his mouth, “Lucky Dog.” The crowded church was full of wedding guests but those words meant for just two people: my fiancé and me. The softly spoken phrase fell from his lips through a wide smile, his eyes focused directly on …
