This weekend was the 50th reunion of my high school class. I have no idea how that happened. 50 years ago, I was a bright-eyed teenager with the world at my feet. My husband and I met in high school and married young, had our children young, and then settled in staying in our hometown. We’ve only moved three times. It would take a crowbar to get him out of this town. We have traveled a lot, just always coming home to Enid, Oklahoma.
The Enid High Class of ’71 originally had 652 members. We’ve lost a few along the way. But this weekend there were about 100 in attendance. With the pandemic, I’m sure there weren’t as many as their might have been otherwise.
It was a two-day event with mixers that almost got rained out, breakfasts, tours of the high school which has tripled in size since we were students there, and a cocktail/appetizers/dance on Saturday night at the local country club. A lot of us old folks were home to watch the 10 o’clock news.
Many of the group at the age of 68 were the walking wounded. Some couldn’t make it at all. But when the music began with songs of the ‘60s and ‘70s it was like we were back in high school. Some danced, others didn’t, but we caught up with old friends and some who were mostly acquaintances back in the day. It is interesting how after 50 years; you sit and visit with people who were not your best friend back in the day but had a ton of fun catching up with them.
With our ages, the class will have a reunion every five years instead of ten. I had a great time and plan to attend the next one.
“Many are good, but better are none than all the class of ’71!”
What have you been reading this week?
I recently released a new book, Flatiron Death Grip, through Airship 27 Productions. It is in the pulp fiction genre and the publisher always pairs the writer with an artist to bring the story to life. The color cover is painted by Ted Hammond and the inside black and white illustrations were done by a relative newcomer, Gabriella Saenz (Gabs). Rob Fortier, one of the owners of the publishing company, teaches a class on comic book writing and met 16-year-old Gabs in his class. He immediately saw a world of talent in her and asked her to do the inside illustrations for my book. Now that the book has been released for sale, I wanted to introduce her to you. So, I asked her a few questions. Here are her answers. And when I asked for a headshot so you would know what she looks like, she sent me a self-portrait of the artist. 
Beautiful!
I’m having a book release party on September 24, 2021 from 5-7 at Enid Axe Throwing 
The tag line for this year’s blogs is “Expect the Unexpected.” And I have. I came up with a “brilliant” idea several years ago taking characters from short stories I’d written and putting them together into a novel. They were all fantasy characters, and my plan was to take them and merge them into one story. These characters would make a band of superheroes with one main goal in mind. Maybe not so “brilliant.” What could they possibly have in common?
When I was a young mother of a two-year-old I saw that a yoga class was being taught at a local church. I needed the socialization and time away from home—not to mention the exercise. So, I joined and loved the class. I began to practice it at home. A life-long swimmer, as time went on I became a certified swimming instructor and taught swimming and water exercise at the local YMCA. I continued to practice yoga and they asked me to teach that class too. I wasn’t certified to teach it I merely parroted what I had learned but the classes filled up.
I have had so much fun lately in my writerly/readerly world. Last week I set up at Comic Con in Enid and yesterday the Enid Writers Club presented Bernhardt at the Manz in the historical Champlin Mansion in Enid 
I spent the day in an alternate universe. I set up and sold my books at Enid’s Comic Con. It was a blast. I was amazed at the characters and all the fabulous costumes. People spared no expense or imagination. Some of the characters I didn’t know, but that was because they may have been gaming characters that I didn’t recognize, or maybe I’m just too old. But I was in awe.
I don’t know if I’m the only one noticing, but it is hot! Oklahoma has had lower temperatures this summer and more rain than normal, but that is beginning to change. I know west of here in Arizona and other places, it has been a hotter than normal summer, so I guess it is our turn. But it is awful outside.
Peggy Chambers "Views from the Hammock" site 