Next Step, 2012. Looking Back on 2011

2012 is just a step away. I look back on the year 2011 and take time to reflect on everything that has happened. Each memory passes with varying degrees of feelings. What I want to take with me into the new year is the lessons that I have learned that have made me stronger and in all a better person. I see no reason to keep the other baggage that will just ultimately drag me down. What the years have taught me is that we have choices to learn from our experiences and to grow or allow it to beat us down.

I wish for everyone who reads this message to take with them into the new year the lessons they have learned and to let them make you a better person than what you were. It is a new day, a new year. Everyone gets a fresh start to begin again.

I look back on 2011 and am thankful. No matter what I had going on,family and friends were there to help support me in what ever it was. For that I am thankful and I don't take anyone for granted.

My five cats and two dogs give unconditionally to us the love and acceptance that we humans forget to give at times. It is a definite lesson in humility. I'm so glad to have them here to remind us about what is important, even though I sometimes feel that I'm a slave to them and the messes that they make. lol But when they look up at me with excitement in their eyes telling me how happy they are each and every time I come home from work it makes it all worth it. They are family and they are loved.

Some of the harder times were watching my daughter who had her tonsils out and my husband who had his broken nose fixed have to suffer the painful recovery time they had to endure. It isn't easy watching the people you love have to go through things you don't have control over. Dealing with my own health issues made me see what I needed to do and to realize that I do have control over those, so that is an ongoing struggle I will overcome with time and effort.

Some of the highlights included: My husband arranging the trip that took us both on a helicopter ride from Vegas to the Grand Canyon Sky walk. We had never been in a helicopter before and it was a great experience for both of us. We met a nice couple who were visiting from London England. After that ride we drove to the north rim of the Grand Canyon on a day trip which started us going many places together during the year that allowed us to spend time together. Something every couple should do to stay in tune with each other, because we all live such busy lives and it is easy to drift apart. My daughter was able to go on some of the trips with us between classes and college life. In some ways we grew apart and in others we got closer. It sounds strange I know, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

My husband and I have been very fortunate to have our jobs. We look at so many other people who have lost their source of income and the trouble it causes. So far even thought the economy has been horrible to say the least we have been able to make it work. We take each day and do the best we can and try to remember that it can always be worse when we think things are at their worst for us.

There is so much I could could say, but I think I'll end it here for now.

Just know that I am thankful for my family and friends and for everyone who gave their prayers to us throughout the year. Your laughter, your tears and your time has made life good. Without you, life would be lonely and sad, for no one can do it alone. I love ya and pray for everyone of you to have a great prosperous new year.

Merry Christmas Sale on Kindle Stories

I have reduced the price of my stories to .99 cents on Kindle for Christmas and New Year's. I wish for everyone to have a great Holiday season.

Reviews missing very frustrating. Can you help?

I don't check Amazon very often, but I did last week and much to my disappointment I found that most all of my reviews have disappeared. I contacted Amazon to find out why this has happened and no one there could tell me anything. I am very frustrated over this.

I wanted to ask if anyone has read my stories and are willing to give me new reviews I'd really appreciate it a lot. The one story The Road to Discovery, A Christmas Story, has been rewritten or might I say, fixed. I had uploaded a version that should never have been uploaded and it did receive a few reviews it certainly deserved. I am embarrassed over that one, but it is a lot better and I'd appreciate reviews on that one as well giving it a truer sense of what it is now.

This is a list of the stories I have on Kindle that have lost all of it's reviews.

The Road to Discovery, A Christmas Story
Sensual Delights
Coming Home
Troublesome Pugsley Caitlyn's Best Friend
The Magic Christmas Bear
Passionate Encounter
Page Traverson's Hero in the Night
Message Board Romance
The Mountain

If you are willing and able to help with this, I'd really appreciate it.

Tory Lynn

Reflection of Christmas

There was a time in my life that Christmas was not my favorite time of year, in fact any holiday was difficult to get through. I look back on it now and am thankful that I have found the strength to grow and learn from the past.

Without the love of compassionate people, some family, some friends, some acquaintances and even strangers who have crossed my path, I don't think I would have the outlook I do now. I am thankful for their unconditional love, thoughtfulness and willingness to put themselves out for me in my greatest time of need. To me they were all angels and I'll never forget them.

As we all know, life is not perfect, we are not perfect, so sometimes our decisions are not the best. We all get frustrated when life hands us things that we'd rather not have to deal with, but ultimately God works through all of us whether we know it or not. We must all have faith that eventually things will turn out right even if the outcome is not what we thought it would be.

For those who are struggling during this Christmas season, my prayers go out to you. I pray that you can find the strength and the courage you need to move forward. I pray for God's angels to cross your path and give you a helping hand.

Tory Lynn

Kindle Stories Marked down for Christmas

Christmas is on it's way and I have marked down the price on all of my Novellas on Kindle. Below is the link on Amazon where you can find them. Merry Christmas to everyone.

Tory Lynn's Novellas on Kindle

Tory Lynn

Reviews missing very frustrated

I don't check Amazon very often, but I did last week and much to my disappointment I found that most all of my reviews have disappeared. I contacted Amazon to find out why this has happened and no one there could tell me anything. I am very frustrated over this.

I wanted to ask if anyone has read my stories and are willing to give me new reviews I'd really appreciate it a lot. The one story The Road to Discovery, A Christmas Story, has been rewritten or might I say, fixed. I had uploaded a version that should never have been uploaded and it did receive a few reviews it certainly deserved. I am embarrassed over that one, but it is a lot better and I'd appreciate reviews on that one as well giving it a truer sense of what it is now.

This is a list of the stories I have on Kindle that have lost all of it's reviews.

The Road to Discovery, A Christmas Story
Sensual Delights
Coming Home
Troublesome Pugsley Caitlyn's Best Friend
The Magic Christmas Bear
Passionate Encounter
Page Traverson's Hero in the Night
Message Board Romance
The Mountain

If you are willing and able to help with this, I'd really appreciate it.

Tory Lynn

In Memory of Dan Wheldon

Photos by Vickie Treadway


I would normally just keep this blog for writing, but when something happens, sometimes we just have to break our own rules.

My husband Russ and I were at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the NASCAR Truck races and for the Indy race with our friends Diane and Lynn. We planned this trip for months and really looked forward to being there. We had no idea of the tragedy that would take place on Sunday when the Indy race would take place and Dan Wheldon's life would end.

As a spectator and not being around the racing community in person too many times in our lives, we were glad to get passes for the garage and the pit area. Russ and Lynn of course recognized, some of the television personalities in the racing community and pointed them out to me and Diane. We were all excited about being able to go where we wanted with our passes. We were able to get up close to see the awesome race trucks and Indy cars we had only seen on television as they practiced and got their vehicles ready for qualifying. Seeing the pit crews in action as they worked on the trucks and Indy cars was cool to say the least. We were lucky enough to see many drivers from a distance, but never close enough to talk too. Which I personally don't mind, because they have enough to deal without people like us getting in the way. They come out at different times anyway just to sign autographs for their fans. You just have to be at the right place at the right time.

There was a driver walking to the media center from the pits and he was surrounded by what looked like security and a bunch of fans were trying to get close enough to get autographs from him as he stopped and talked to a few people along the way. He looked happy, and came across like he was enjoying the day and never once looked irritated as people gave him shirts, hats and other things for him to sign. I just stood back and watched the crowd and shot a bunch of photos of him and and the people. I have to admit, at the time I had no idea it was Dan Wheldon. It was later as I went through my photo's that I realized who he was.

We had reserved seating in the grandstands and the place was crowded with people. Again, I was taking photo's and felt the exhilarating feeling one gets as the national anthem was sung and the Military planes shot passed us in the sky in all of their glory signifying it was time to start the race. That part always gives me the chills, in a good way.

The Indy race started and was going very well for twelve laps. It was the thirteenth lap and I was taking photos once again and suddenly saw a wreck begin in the middle of turn one. For a split second I lowered my camera seeing flames and debris flying everywhere. I quickly focused my camera and started shooting everything I could as flames shot skyward. Twisted metal and broken cars flew in the air and skidded out of control on fire. I learned a little later that fourteen cars had been taken out. Everyone jumped up out of their seats with sounds of horror as they witnessed the worst wreck to date at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

All I could do is stand there, I felt helpless knowing there was nothing I could do, as the professionals were already racing to the horrific carnage that was all over the track on turns one and two. I looked at the people around me and all of them had the same look of concern as I knew I had. A hush fell over the crowd. It was eerie. We watched as a few drivers had exited their cars and were trying to help other drivers get out of the burning cars and then rushed to help someone who had flipped upside down. The ambulance made it down to there to where he was needed and we saw the life flight helicopter starting up it's engines as the propellers rotated in wait for the arrival of who ever they were going to take.

Every-time the announcer spoke, everyone in the crowd got extra quiet as they tried to catch every word that was being spoken. We were all concerned about the safety of the drivers and as we heard that a driver had walked away, or was being checked out, there was applause from the crowd and a prayer of thanks. When we heard that Dan Wheldon had been hurt and was the one they were going to life flight to the hospital, everyone made sounds of concern that he'd be alright.

From the stands we could see the emergency vehicle hurry to the medical building on the infield where the helicopter was we could see him being brought into the building. A few minutes later he was being wheeled out to the helicopter and was then flown away after being secured.

I heard people in the stands saying prayers for Dan and for the other drivers who had gotten injured, the mood was very somber. No one seemed to talk except in whispers as they waited for word on the condition of Dan Wheldon.

I observed people on their phones looking up information from news sights, texting madly to people on the outside and as soon as something new was seen or read, they quickly shared the information with those around them.

For me, time just stood still as we waited and I didn't even know what time it was when a driver meeting was called in the media center. People around us shook their heads and said, "That doesn't look good." I think at that point we all knew what was wrong, but no one wanted to say anything. About forty-five minutes later the announcer came on and said that Dan Wheldon had passed away. I saw everyone's face fall in sadness who was around me. I laid my head on my husbands shoulder thinking that someone lost a husband, a father, a friend and everyone lost a great driver. The feeling was heavy as we stood there and watched the screen for more news about what had happened. As a spectator with many others, I can say we all shared in the loss of one of Indy's greats.

The drivers all agreed that the race would stop at that point and in the place of the race the Indy drivers would drive three by three around the track in honor of Dan Wheldon. Every person in the pits lined up along pit row as the drivers drove the laps as the announcer gave a good account of Dan Wheldon's life and success as one of the great Indy Drivers.

I was moved by the whole ceremony and felt honored to be there. I think we all were feeling that way.

I continue to pray for Dan's wife, his two children, his friends and the whole racing community. I think we all can agree that Dan died doing what he loved, but his loss has been felt by everyone he crossed paths with.


By Vickie Treadway