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Happy Mothers Day Mom!











My poor mom. I went from an incredibly shy kid who’d jump if you said boo to a daughter who writes about things that go bump in the night and hauls out huge books about supernatural creatures.

What I remember growing up was my mom encouraging me to use my imagination. On our fishing vacations, Dad and I would be out there with our poles and Mom would sit nearby with a book. She might not be in to fishing, but she was always hanging out with us oohing and ahhing over our catches.

Mom is the oldest of three girls and when World War II broke out, she enlisted in the marines, just barely squeaking by the height requirement and when the doctor told her a slightly curved spine would keep her out, she told him her father had no sons and she felt it was up to her. She got in and went to Cherry Point, NC where she worked in the motor pool. There’s my tiny red-haired mom getting all greasy and dirty and also on the bowling team. And to this day, she hears from friends she made there. She was on the bowling team and what I always considered the absolute best part, she went out with Tyrone Power’s crew chief. Mom rolls her eyes whenever I say that, but I think it’s cool. Mom’s also a charter member of the Women in Military Service America Memorial. When our Romance Writers National Conference was held in DC friends and I went to Arlington and visited the memorial and was able to print out Mom’s profile, which I brought back to her.

Mom worked most of my life and from her I learned to be independent, to speak my mind (although usually a good idea to think first about what I was going to say) and that there was no fashion crime for a redhead to wear pink or red and back then people would say not a good idea. No wonder I wore a lot of pink and red while growing up!

Mom has a strong personality and I’m sure it came from my grandmother whom I never had a chance to know and her military training. Even with her job, she was always there for me. Maybe because when I was born, her bosses set up a nursery in the supply room for me, so between hanging out in a construction office with her or in an aircraft hanger when picking my Dad up at Burbank Airport, I had a lot of opportunity to meet varied personalities. No wonder I love to write.

She’s always there for family and friends. She’s adopted all my friends as her own and I know I wouldn’t be who I am today without her.

So, Happy Mother’s Day Thelma Randall, who I just call Mom. Thanks for always being there for me.

Love,
Linda

Comments

  1. Great post, Linda!
    I lost my Mom to lung cancer in 1977. She didn't even live to be as old as I am now, and I didn't start writing until after she died. I probably don't think about her as often as I should, but I've often wondered how differently things would have gone if she had lived. Your Mother's Day post reminded me of her because she had polio as a child and had a crooked spine like your mother did. Thanks for bringing back the memories!
    Enjoy the day!
    Cheryl

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  2. Wonderful story, Linda. Thanks for sharing it with us. I lost my mother almost four years ago and my mother-in-law last October, but I'm choosing to enjoy the celebration with my own kids today rather than dwell on what I've lost. So far, I've been treated to breakfast in bed (with chocolate covered strawberries--yum) numerous gifts and a lip-synched performance of "Bad to the Bone," which comically summed up their recent behavior! Have a great day.
    Marie

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  3. Thanks for this lovely Mother's Day post, Linda. Our mothers have so much influence on us. Mine has a big influence on me, I know. Sometimes it's hard to imagine she had a childhood and a life before I ever came along.

    Christina

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  4. Thanks, all! And I'm always happy to share my mom and she's always happy to have more "kids" :>

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  5. Great post, Linda!
    And I know I don't have to tell you how LUCKY you are to have your mom around. I lost mine to cancer also, in 1999. :-( We didn't always have the greatest relationship, I realize now that we were too much alike for that! HA! But hardly a day goes by that I don't think of her. I KNOW she would be proud of my book, though she would probably give me a talking too about the "bad words" my characters use. :-)

    Happy Mother's Day all!
    Cindy

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  6. Thanks Cindy.

    I lost my dad in 1998 and I consider anyone who who still has their dad very very lucky.

    Linda

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  7. What a wonderful post! And Happy Mother's Day to all the mom's out there!

    My mom is a wonderful woman. I love spending time with her and talking with her. We talk about everything and even share books (although, she will only read romances with kids, babies, or pregnant heroines in them *shrugs shoulders*).

    One of my fave memories was when my mother took me to the big romance signing that GRW had (Moonlight and Magnolias conference). She seemed just as excited as me, but when I asked her about it, she said that she was just happy because I was happy.

    My mom always puts others firsts and is definitely the nurturer and caregiver in my family. She has set a wonderful example for my siblings and me.

    I hope that if I am ever lucky enough to have children, that I am half the mother she is.

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  8. How SWEET, Jennifer!

    I have no doubt you'll be a terrific mom, because you have such a great example to follow!

    Cindy

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