So I got a letter the other day addressed to “Author Patty Lowry” – it made me squeal out loud and do a little dance on my front porch. I scrambled inside and plopped down onto my favourite chair and just held it and looked at it. It was hand-written and I could tell there was a letter (a piece of paper written with ink to scribe a personal note) inside.  I carefully opened it, not to rip a smidge and proceeded to read the most beautiful note from a dear friend congratulating me on my becoming an author.

It was really amazing – not just the words but the realization and acceptance that I’ve been crowned a new title and can now add it to my sash.

When you think about how many titles you’ve held over your life it gives you a cool perspective of who you’ve been and who you’ve become so far. Starting with being the most freckled face baby ever born and klutzy kid, to super late bloomer teen, shy (yes me) young woman and now a bold, ballsy dame. I’ve proudly held the title of “chip off the old block” (thanks Dad), daughter and sister, granddaughter, great granddaughter and cousin. I’ve been a friend, a best friend, a singleton, girlfriend and partner. A student, cheerleader, valedictorian and graduate. An employee, employee of the month (at McDonalds), a co-worker, secretary, Club Med beach bum, DJ and award-winning creative copywriter.

Some of my more interesting life titles included crazy ass adventure traveller, tree hugging-forest- frolicking hippie, moxie blues singer, leading lady, squirrel whisperer and monkey kisser.  Then there was fatso, loser, stupid, gimp and Mud Gurl (A depressive state of stuck in the mud, covered in heavy dirt, can’t move, trapped at the bottom of a deep hole, eating worms and can’t get out).

I could go on for days – but I’ll wrap up with my all-time favourite claim to fame and title – Brownie of the Year, 1969.  Beyond the cookies it was all about the badges.  As someone who is slightly obsessed with badges (46…but who’s counting)…it feels pretty awesome sauce to add author to the list. It’s not one I ever thought I would own. It feels grown up and worldly…but in fact, it’s quite silly and wordy.  It feels like it’s taken a lifetime collecting all the above life badges to get me here, to be able to have legitimately and authentically experienced the road to daringly call myself “Author”.

I looked up the word …as I often do to make sure I’m spelling it correctly…and it says

1. The original writer of a literary work.
2. An originator or creator: the author of a new theory.
3. To assume responsibility for the content of a published text.

Whoa Nelly that’s heavy duty definitions!  You see I am not a guru, or expert, I’m simply a girl, a warrior and a self-proclaimed winner.  Someone who drank the Kool-Aid, did the damned exercises, dug the dirt, lay in the grave, sweated the details, swung the sword, climbed the fricking mountain, fell off it, broke in a million pieces and found my way back. So call me an author – storyteller, tale weaver, narrative ninja, wordinator, life scribbler or muse – I’ve earned this badge and will sew it onto my sash with pride!

But more important than any title, crown or sash you wear is what you do with it, and it’s my sincere hope that this book will spark a smile, debunk the ordinary, amp up the extraordinary and provide a plethora of new possibilities for you to live your most awesome sauce life.

So please,  just call me Patty…. or Patricia Ann as the official document says…or any of my other dozen nick names including Pixie, Princess Patty, Patrick, Elfa, Pattikins, P. Diddy, Pats or Honey Bunny Queen GAWDESS Bufu of the universe galaxy…. xx