stories worth telling & a giveaway

One of my favorite things to share with Holly is our philosophy that everyone has a story [really, stories ...] worth telling. And we like to tell stories, both our own and other people's.

Our lives intersected in the Ledger & Times newsroom when I was moving away from my reporter life to be a full-time momma. I loved being a reporter, but I knew for that/this season of my life my story was supposed to be set [mostly] at home. With Cate. And now Ben.

I haven't once regretted that decision.

And I gained a friend in the process.

A dear friend, who is so much more than someone to text during "The Bachelor."

Meet Holly. She dreams big. She takes care of people. She's bold and honest and trustworthy. And she has a way with words.

My friend is channeling her talents and heart into a new venture that will add a delightful perspective to other people's stories. It'll help others commemorate milestone moments, reminisce about loved ones, express sentiments worth preserving and capture stories worth telling.

Your Story, My Pen is one of those ideas that seems so simple, leaving me to wonder why someone else didn't think of it. But then I realize I'm really thankful my friend Holly dreamed it into life because she'll cherish the stories people let her life alongside them. And, trust me, you'll be glad you did.

Yes, you.

One of you will win a free story, written by Holly. Specifically, you'll work with Holly as she tells one of your stories in 500 words. [This is valued at $750!] Visit her website for more information about her business and possibilities of how stories will be told.

Unrelated to Holly's new venture, I am in launching a five-part blog series tomorrow about how January changed me. I'll share those stories with you over the coming two weeks. When Holly told me she wanted to share this Your Story, My Pen giveaway with my blog readers, I knew it would tie in wonderfully with the stories I'm going to tell you.

So, you have until Friday, Jan. 28 to enter a chance to win having one your stories told by Holly. All you have to do is leave a comment below telling me, briefly, about one of the greatest stories in your life. Who was the person who encouraged you to do something completely out of your comfort zone? Did you launch a new business? Or maybe it's a love story. Or a miraculous birth of a child. Did your road trip across the country? Did you face your greatest fear?

We have a story tell. I'll tell some of mine in the coming weeks. You give us a snippet of yours. And then Holly will creatively and masterfully tell the story that belongs to one lucky reader chosen at random.

[A contact e-mail must be provided, unless you know I have yours.]