Victoria Ponders

Author of “Surviving Sue”

  • Peek Inside: “Surviving Sue” – Mentoring Matters

    I’d like to introduce you to someone special. Someone I adore. Professor John Muchmore, now retired, was a dear college faculty member and mentor and he helped me find my voice…the one that was often squelched by my mom, Sue.  He was a speech and theatre teacher…but to me, he was a maestro and a

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  • Lisa Gets the Last Word

    When people ask me to describe my sister Lisa’s personality, I share that she is sweet beyond belief and fragile, but I also acknowledge her ever-growing capacity to advocate for herself and assert her point of view. Lisa is simultaneously delightful and determined with a sense of humor like a steam roller.  Coming in. Make

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  • Peek Inside: “Surviving Sue” – Thank You, Patti!

    One of the biggest blogging blessings…and there are many…is the introduction to fellow travelers in life who share some of the same foibles, fears and triumphs.   Connecting with Patti Moore Wilson was a delight – in the exchange of comments as we read each other’s posts and as we enjoy those of fellow bloggers. 

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  • Peek Inside: “Surviving Sue” – Learning & Growing

    Thanks so much for continuing to ride along as I share more about “Surviving Sue“.  I can’t believe it’s only been three months since her debut!  (Hmm…Three months or three years?) I’ve learned so much about the process of publishing and promoting but even more… about myself. A lot of personal growth has been packed

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  • Peek Inside: “Surviving Sue” – Book Clubs!

    I have some fun “Peek Inside” news to share!  “Surviving Sue” has been picked up by a couple of book clubs – and I’m thrilled.  I’m continuing to receive wonderful feedback from readers. Sometimes in the form of lovely praise, sometimes follow-up questions about aspects of the book and nuances about the many characters in

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  • Peek Inside: “Surviving Sue” – Pause It, Name It

    Hey, friends – I promised a few weeks ago that I would eventually get around to sharing more about my toolkit for dealing with complicated emotions – especially those related to my mom, Sue.  As a counseling professional, I utilize my degrees and training and generally feel confident about helping others, but when I’m the

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  • Peek Inside: “Surviving Sue” – Sue’s Big Heart

    I adore the anonymous quote I snipped in (above).  When readers have asked about my capacity for forgiveness, the secret sauce that helped me survive Sue, I often think of this wisdom.  It was my task to heal so I could better understand the mix of madness and love that bubbled within my mom.  One

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  • Peek Inside: “Surviving Sue” – Hide & Seek

    My mom, Sue, was a tortured artist.  Throughout her life she tried to soothe herself and fill the empty spaces within by leaning into her creative side, especially painting.  I included a few references to her artwork in “Surviving Sue” and wrote about her apology art a few months ago. Exploring her feelings with paint

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  • Peek Inside: “Surviving Sue” – Six-Word Style

    I’ve continued to compile a list of FAQs from readers of “Surviving Sue”, my memoir about my mom’s complicated life and one of the recurring queries is about building resilience.  Despite my background as a counselor/therapist, I’m cautious about highlighting any one specific technique or habit that helped guide my healing journey because the process

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  • Sue’s Big Satchel

    At what point does an object become a character, a featured player in a story?  I wondered about that the other day when a reader of “Surviving Sue” chuckled about how much she connected with the descriptions of “Sue’s big purse” or “Sue’s behemoth of a satchel” in the book.  Yep, my mom’s favorite accessory

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“Surviving Sue”, a special story about resiliency and love: Eckhartz Press (paperback) and eBook on Amazon.

Peek Inside “Surviving Sue“

Visit Resources on Atkinson Group Solutions for more.

Podcasts

Listen to the “Sharing the Heart of the Matter” podcast.

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Workshops

Chicago Writers Association Speakers Bureau – Writing for Wellness; Navigating Elder Care with Grace & Humor; How to Create a Writing Platform; AI for Caregivers

About Me

Learn about five books that inspired and supported my writing journey by visiting my personalized book review page on Shepherd.

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