Author Archives: Deb Gorman

About Deb Gorman

Deb Gorman is an author, blogger, and speaker who escaped from a 9-5 job in the medical field to pursue what she really loves—words, words, and more words. A lifelong resident of the Pacific Northwest, she writes fiction and non-fiction in between long walks through orchard country with her husband, Alan, and playing with Kimber, their German Shepherd/Malinois mix. You can catch up with Deb on her website, debggorman.com, and email her at debster145@gmail.com

Reader Friday-Dogs, Cats, and Parakeets

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Who is your favorite pet, either currently or in your past life?

Notice I said, “Who”.

Because pets usually aren’t a what, but a who. For instance, nobody ever says when speaking about their dog or cat or parakeet, “It’s hungry…”. We say he or she is hungry.

Okay, got that out of the way.

Kimber & Bone

My favorite pet is usually our current one, whom today would be Kimber, a part German  Shepherd/part Malinois/all adrenaline mix with personality plus. In this picture, she’s daring me to try to take her bone. I am not such a fool.

But there’s another pet who needs an introduction.

He would be a Chihuahua by the name of Pepe who allowed us to live with him when I was in grade-to-middle school. He had a friend up the street, a big spaniel of some kind named George.

George would walk down the sidewalk of a morning, stop in front of our house where Pepe was usually stretched out on the front step waiting for him. They’d take a leisurely stroll together down the street about 4-5 houses and then turn around and stroll back. Pepe would lay himself back down on the porch and George would continue on to his own porch.

Every morning. Great memory, wouldn’t you say?

Another Pepe story was the time when we couldn’t find him. Until I checked my bottom dresser drawer and found him nestled up in my T-shirts sound asleep.   🙂

Okay…TKZers…your turn. Tell us about your favorite pet. What would life be without them?

 

Reader Friday-Where Were You 25 Years Ago?

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I’m sure this question has been asked before. (Just like, “Where were you when you heard JFK was assassinated?”)

Where were you and what were you doing on 9/11/2001, when you heard about the attack on America in NYC, Virginia, and Pennsylvania?

I was at work as an orthopedic medical assistant. The entire staff and a few patients were huddled around a TV in one of the offices.

Seeing those images changed us forever.

So, TKZers, your turn. Where were you on 9/11/2001?

 

 

Reader Friday-On This Day

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Every day on planet earth is unique.

It’s somebody’s birthday, or the date of another’s death, or perhaps a graduation day. Each day’s uniqueness is proven by the fact that it will never come again. Today, Reader Friday, 9/4/2026 is no different. This is the first day of its appearance…and also the last day the sun will shine on it or the moon will rise over it.

Okay, enough philosophy for one Friday morning.

I ran across an interesting website while brainstorming for today’s post. I’m sure there are other similar websites. Here it is:  https://www.onthisday.com/events/september/4

You can click on it and find scads of interesting happenings through the ages on this day.

Like this one:  In 1609 Henry Hudson, a famous explorer we studied in school (not sure if kiddos today learn about him, though…) discovered the island known as Manhattan. And, the rest is history!

9/4/1609 will never be repeated, thank you very much, because we certainly don’t need another Manhattan!

TKZers, if you escaped to that website, please share what caught your attention about today’s date in history.

 

 

And just for fun, who knows what this is…straight out of history?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reader Friday-Gitcher Shovels!

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Digging deep today, TKZers!

As readers and writers, memories are important. When we read, we are often bombarded with memories from our own earthly timeline. A character being lost might dredge up that frightening memory when your child got away from you in a crowded store. Or a nasty break-up reminds you of one you went through.

The question today is this:  What is your earliest memory? Pleasant or harsh or in-between, what is a memory that stands out from your youngest years?

My earliest memory is when I was five and my sister was two. She slipped on the ice outside our house and banged her head on the walkway, knocking her unconscious. My dad hurried over and picked her up. I remember her head flailing around on his shoulder as he rushed her into the house. My six-year-old brother and I both thought she was dead, and were afraid to go in. But then we heard voices, Mom, Dad, and baby sister. We inched in and were relieved to see her sitting up in Mom’s lap.

 

This memory is especially poignant for me because thirty years later she really did pass away—and along with the reality of her death—was infused into both of my novels in different ways. And, tomorrow is her birthday, which makes this post/memory even more precious.

Your turn! What is your earliest memory? And how have you worked it into your story?

 

 

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Reader Friday-Where’d That Come From?

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Okay, here we are, readers and writers. We’re all about words, words, and more words—to the chagrin of some strong silent types.

I found a cool website where you can find out the origin of certain words. Here’s the link:

https://www.merriam-webster.com/wordplay/words-with-surprising-histories

 

Let’s regale each other with our favorite word origins on this last day of July 2026, shall we?

Here’s mine:  Boudoir

You might think, “Well, Deb, what’s so special about that word?” I’d tell you that it’s not the word that’s special, it’s where it came from and what the hidden meaning is.

Boudoir usually means a lady’s private dressing room, right?

Straight from the above website:

“The French verb bouder means ‘to pout,’ and it led to the French word boudoir, a noun that literally means ‘a place to pout in…’”

 

 

 

I don’t know about you, but I want one.

 

 

 

Your turn, TKZers. Astound us with your favorite word origin.

 

 

 

Reader Friday-A Different Kind of Post

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Sometimes we find ourselves complaining about our life circumstances. You’d think at my advanced age I wouldn’t do that, but there it is.

I was thinking the other day about being the one child out of my parents’ four who had the job of navigating their dying with them. Harsh? No, reality. There were four of us. Two passed away in the ‘80’s, which left my older brother and I. But he lives on the east coast, and I live in our PNW hometown, as did our parents.

When I was actually in the throes of caring for them, I didn’t think too much about it. It was just a job that had to be done.

But after they were both gone—Mom in 2016 and Dad this year in January—it’s like I started feeling sorry for myself that I couldn’t have shared that “burden” with anyone else.

After remonstrating with myself for a few months—telling myself to stop being such a whiner—I experienced a profound shift in heart and mind.

 

That shift is called “gratitude”. It made me realize the stupendous, breathtaking privilege I had been given—to take care of the ones who’d cared for me my whole life.

And then, life turned the tables on me. I got to help usher them into their next life. And there was time, time, and more time to say my thank-yous and my good-byes and see ya later to them. What a gift!

 

 

 

How about you? What—right here, right now—is the most cherished privilege you’ve been given? And how will you communicate that to those around you?

Comments most welcome…

 

Reader Friday-Mickey Mouse or Hannibal Lecter?

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Scary title this morning, yes?  🙂

Just a quick, non-scary question for this Friday morning.

Who is the one fictional character you relate to most? Can be from your own writing, or another author, or even from a movie. And please tell us why…

 

 

Here’s a few more to get your juices flowing…

 

 

 

 

 

(Fun fact: if you do a search on this morning’s question, there are links to websites where you can take a quiz to find out the character you’re most like.)