tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1822452633282744192.post4689157536090043321..comments2024-03-25T12:21:56.752-05:00Comments on Sweethearts Of The West: How Child Welfare Influenced My Lassoing A Bride StoryCaroline Clemmonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14914658854159456335noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1822452633282744192.post-8598788035278410802014-06-18T17:24:24.188-05:002014-06-18T17:24:24.188-05:00Celia, I know exactly what you mean about not bein...Celia, I know exactly what you mean about not being able to watch child abuse on the TV or in the movies. I was channel surfing and came across a movie of a child being sexually abused that was so graphic, it stuck in my head even though I hurriedly switched the channel. The movie was based in the book by the same title, "Bastard Out of Carolina". It made me sick.<br />One of the most difficult things I experienced while I was still working in the ER was families that would bring in children they had abused. It's so strange what a creeped-out feeling I would get before I even knew what had happened. It occurred more often than I ever imagined it could. It was one of the reasons I retired early. I felt as if my spirit were being eaten away by the horrific things people were capable of. That a nurse I knew did such things, just killed me. I guess child abuse crosses all social strata. <br />I am so happy you liked how I wrote about such a sad subject and that you liked my heroine. I really appreciate your comments. Your kind words mean so much to me. Sarah J. McNealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17749991094677728042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1822452633282744192.post-75574521658236716312014-06-18T16:29:57.405-05:002014-06-18T16:29:57.405-05:00Sarah--you know how much I loved your story for th...Sarah--you know how much I loved your story for this anthology. I cried, remember I told you? Anyone on God's green earth who mistreats and hurts little children deserves a special hell...and I can think of how they should suffer. <br />I've witnessed adults mistreating and actually hurting their own children in public. I've wanted to step in, but either my husband or the angel on my shoulder stopped me. This is why your story touched me. Those little ones who only wanted a bit of kindness and love coupled with your heroine who so bravely did the right thing. I cheered that the children would have HER for a mother.<br />I had to stop watching Law and Order-SVU because more and more they got into abusing children physically and sexually.<br />I told my husband, I just cannot watch this anymore.<br />Your research was wonderful. <br />Thanks.<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16272417114895975742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1822452633282744192.post-48175548924996613102014-06-18T15:00:36.470-05:002014-06-18T15:00:36.470-05:00Thank you for pointing out the glitch in my senten...Thank you for pointing out the glitch in my sentence. I have corrected it. I appreciate you coming by and commenting.Sarah J. McNealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17749991094677728042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1822452633282744192.post-75891389772093971992014-06-18T14:52:18.991-05:002014-06-18T14:52:18.991-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Sarah J. McNealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17749991094677728042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1822452633282744192.post-91124957712402989772014-06-18T14:52:02.843-05:002014-06-18T14:52:02.843-05:00Hello JoAnne. I agree, there will probably always ...Hello JoAnne. I agree, there will probably always be ignorance and cruelty on our planet. It's up to us to keep working toward a better community of humans, even though there we be those humans who can't or won't change.<br />Thank you for coming by.Sarah J. McNealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17749991094677728042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1822452633282744192.post-18695744284155047272014-06-18T14:47:03.928-05:002014-06-18T14:47:03.928-05:00I was disheartened when I saw those pictures, too,...I was disheartened when I saw those pictures, too, Caroline. I went in with the assumption that child welfare would improve over the years, but it seems, no matter how the authorities try to improve the system, people find ways to do the wrong thing or take advantage of it. <br />I really appreciate that you came by today to comment.Sarah J. McNealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17749991094677728042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1822452633282744192.post-8331403600676753482014-06-18T14:44:34.795-05:002014-06-18T14:44:34.795-05:00Tanya, isn't it amazing the kind of research w...Tanya, isn't it amazing the kind of research we do for our stories to make them realistic and interesting? <br />I liked your story "Open Hearts" in the Valentine anthology. I hope you like my story when you get to it. I feel the time constraints on my reading, too. I have so many stories I want to get to, but my progress is slow.<br />Thank you so much for coming by and commenting.Sarah J. McNealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17749991094677728042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1822452633282744192.post-1207871877906519522014-06-18T14:40:17.715-05:002014-06-18T14:40:17.715-05:00Lyn, nothing could have shocked me more than to le...Lyn, nothing could have shocked me more than to learn a critical care nurse and a social worker supervisor were the ones who abused those children. I still find it incomprehensible. <br />I am so happy to hear you say your daughter and her spouse are applying to be foster parents. There are so many children who have no idea what it's like to be loved.<br />I think the system is overwhelmed by the need for homes and there are people who just lie in order to get that supplemental income the state provides for foster children. It's really sad, isn't it?Sarah J. McNealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17749991094677728042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1822452633282744192.post-9861412969883008992014-06-18T14:03:53.109-05:002014-06-18T14:03:53.109-05:00I realize I'm still fuzzy from the dentist num...I realize I'm still fuzzy from the dentist numbing half my face this morning, but this sentence is broken: <i> The enormous amount of orphans in large eastern towns, especially New York City, Boston, and Philadelphia led to the invention of the Orphan Train where child, from babies to age sixteen.</i> I also realize it's a bad (maybe just questionable?) habit to point it out, but it's such a fine article. I thought you'd want to fix that. <br /><br />Good work on the research. I don't think I could have done it so thoroughly. Just reading what you wrote made my heart hurt. Humans - as a whole - have so much to be ashamed of in our history.<br /><br />And bad history aside, now I have to add another book to my reading list. <br /><br /><3<3Rubi Jaynehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14131536670571231584noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1822452633282744192.post-66667696008606953172014-06-18T12:29:33.311-05:002014-06-18T12:29:33.311-05:00Sarah that was a wonderful, yet heartbreaking post...Sarah that was a wonderful, yet heartbreaking post. It is a shame that poverty and cruelty will probably always exist on our planet. You did good research for your book. Good luck with sales. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05981543474791174293noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1822452633282744192.post-47412557252009409852014-06-18T11:54:35.702-05:002014-06-18T11:54:35.702-05:00Sara, wonderful post. Seeing the age of those chil...Sara, wonderful post. Seeing the age of those children factory workers was terrible, but not as bad as the one of the children living on the streets. That reminded me of Julie Garwood's book FOR THE ROSES, in which a group of orphan boys find a baby and take care of her. One of my favorite books. By the way, I love your stories! Keep them coming.Caroline Clemmonshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14914658854159456335noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1822452633282744192.post-78448451735256513002014-06-18T10:51:22.260-05:002014-06-18T10:51:22.260-05:00Such traffic information, Sarah. Sure makes me wan...Such traffic information, Sarah. Sure makes me want to hug my grandbabies. What great research! Best wishes on the anthology. Your story sure has hooked me. I have it kindled and will carve out time soon for a good read. Xo<br />Tanya Hansonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08580821680629254085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1822452633282744192.post-56237653328319875202014-06-18T10:51:18.025-05:002014-06-18T10:51:18.025-05:00Such traffic information, Sarah. Sure makes me wan...Such traffic information, Sarah. Sure makes me want to hug my grandbabies. What great research! Best wishes on the anthology. Your story sure has hooked me. I have it kindled and will carve out time soon for a good read. Xo<br />Tanya Hansonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08580821680629254085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1822452633282744192.post-80323016774966923032014-06-18T10:45:16.956-05:002014-06-18T10:45:16.956-05:00Sarah, your post touches my heart. Those who abuse...Sarah, your post touches my heart. Those who abuse children, then and now, are despicable. My daughter and her spouse are going through extensive training to become foster parents because they can't have children of their own. Knowing what they must go through to qualify for the foster care program, it just astounds me that some people make it into the ranks of foster parents, only to abuse the children they are responsible for. How they ever qualify is beyond me.Lyn Hornerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05596495172490672271noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1822452633282744192.post-25595421930491754182014-06-18T09:59:01.930-05:002014-06-18T09:59:01.930-05:00Ciara, I will never understand how adults can do s...Ciara, I will never understand how adults can do such horrible things to children. It seems like every day something dreadful is happening to an innocent child somewhere in America (let alone the world.) Some people are monsters. I know that these monsters probably suffered abuse themselves, but how do we end this ever growing tragedy? It breaks my heart.<br />Thank you so much for coming by and commenting on my blog.Sarah J. McNealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17749991094677728042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1822452633282744192.post-59023822867813882792014-06-18T00:45:54.919-05:002014-06-18T00:45:54.919-05:00What an informative post. And so sad, really, when...What an informative post. And so sad, really, when you consider that our children are our greatest assets. Ciara Goldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05669829712304962140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1822452633282744192.post-60240368015231884522014-06-18T00:45:53.916-05:002014-06-18T00:45:53.916-05:00What an informative post. And so sad, really, when...What an informative post. And so sad, really, when you consider that our children are our greatest assets. Ciara Goldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05669829712304962140noreply@blogger.com