Day 29 – A Picture of Me—On My Wedding Day

January 29, 2026January 29, 2026 Larada Horner-MillerLeave a comment

One of my favorite pictures of me is on my wedding day, October 22, 2011. The sheer joy shines in my eyes. And here’s the reason why!

Back Story

My ex-husband and I separated in 2008. We divorced in early 2009. My best girlfriend, Kathi Raver, in square dancing died in November 25, 2009. My ex-husband and I did lots of fun activities with Kathi and her husband, Lin—we went to square dance festivals and dance together. We played games in each other’s homes. Also, we danced weekly at our three club dances.

After the first of the year, Lin called me asking if I would like to dance with him at the three club dances. Because we were friends before, the dancing moved into more of a relationship.

So, we officially started dating in May 2010 and married in 2011. It might appear that we rushed this, but Kathi had said repeatedly to me when my ex and I broke up to get over it—give it six months and go on.

Lin proposed to me on Christmas Day, 2010 in Branson, Colorado in front of my mom and my aunt—what a precious day that was!

Then he spent the year telling everyone at square dance festivals were at all over the country to come to our wedding! He evenly got up on the microphone at some and made the big announcement.

Our Wedding Day

Because of our love for dancing, we got married at the Albuquerque Square Dance Center. My brother and mom gave me away. He had two best men and I had eleven brides’ maids.

Because of our multiple marriages my Episcopal priest couldn’t marry us, so we found someone on the internet, and she did a beautiful job, weaving our story into our vows, even referencing recovery quotes for me.

So, we had a short ceremony and a big dance party afterwards! Three hundred of closest friends attended with some flying in from Florida and Tennessee.

During the ceremony, I read Lin a poem I wrote for the occasion. Here it is:

Larada reading her poem to Lin - picture — Close up of Larada reading her poem to Lin

Close up of Larada reading her poem to Lin

It’s Here! Our Wedding

October 22, 2011

It's here!

Our life together starts today

The past is behind us
The future looms positively in our view!

I have labored over the words to say to you.
How do I find words to describe what has happened 
Between us

There is not a container to hold it 

We come from 2 rich, full lives 
a small town New Jersey boy and
a country girl from Colorado
Other places, other times
Other husbands, other wives

We arrive here today
From tragedy 
The loss of Kathi
Your dear former wife
And My dear friend

We arrive here today
From joy
In our newfound relationship,
Having been friends for years!
I knew you and liked you before
I fell in love with you!

Thank you for proposing to me
On Christmas morning, 2010
In front of Mom and Aunt Willie, 
My 92 year old aunt 
and 
making It official.

When You met My dear Uncle Tanky 
After you proposed, he took me aside 
And said he's the best!

I agree—I have no doubt.

Many of our friends here today have 
Told us that they will be glad when we get married,
So we would stop kissing and hugging each other
All the time!

I will never stop!
Each kiss and each hug heals my soul at a deeper level
I want more!

Lin, to me
You are a cool mountain breeze
Deer stopping by for nourishment & comfort!
You are laughter!  Every Wednesday night at 
     round dancing when you refer to the foxtrot 
     as the F word, I laugh deeply!

I know that the life we will start today 
Is rich
blessed
And oh, so good!

As I look out over
Our family and friends,
I know we have the support
And power to make this marriage
Become a fascinating adventure.

Today we become husband and wife
And some of you may wonder
"why?"
At our age.

Here's my reason—
I wanted to stand today before
My family and friends and God and profess 
     my love to you.
To me the sacrament of marriage 
Has a different value today!
I wanted the protection for us
That marriage offers.

I commit today 
To be Larada
Creative, messy, wacky and fun!

I ask you to be Lin.
Creative, neat, linear and goofy!

Together we form a "we"
That's dynamic!

I could site a long list of thank you's today, 
     but I want to thank you mostly for one thing—
     choosing to
Share the rest of your 
Life with me!  It's here!

After I read this, Lin played, I Cross My Heart, a George Strait song for me—George is my favorite.

Finally,

The joy on my face in the picture below shows exactly what this day was for me—the best day of my life!

Larada Horner-Miller on her wedding day - picture

My Newest Books

Time Measured Out!: Navigating Life’s Journey Through Poetry, Book #2 e-book

ISBN – 9798989688654

$.99 for limited time

Is My Truth Universal?: A Woman’s Poetic Odyssey e-book

ISBN – 979-8989688623

ALWAYS FREE

Was It a Dream?: Navigating Life’s Journey Through Poetry, Book #1 – e-book

ISBN – 979-8989688630

$3.99

Hair on Fire: A Heartwarming & Humorous Christmas Memoir e-book

ISBN – 978-0996614498

$3.99

Buy My Audio Books:

This Tumbleweed Landed

Let Me Tell You a Story

Hair on Fire: A Heartwarming & Humorous Memoir Audiobook

Hair on Fire: A Heartwarming & Humorous Christmas Memoir audiobook cover

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Life Lessons · MY LIFE · My Thoughts · Women

Day 27 – AutoFiction: Fiction Based on a Part of My Life Story!

January 27, 2026January 27, 2026 Larada Horner-Miller4 Comments

Autofiction really is a genre in the world of books today, but many people have never heard of it. I embraced it before I knew what it was!

What the Heck is AutoFiction?

Jane Friedman, an expert in the literary world today, tell us:

“Short for autobiographical fiction, autofiction uses elements of autobiography and fiction to examine decisive aspects of the writer’s life. The writer then melds these realities with fictional plot elements, characters and events in a way that often reads like memoir or autobiography. With the lines of fact and fabrication blurred, readers are engaged in wondering what’s real, what isn’t, and how they can figure out which is which.”

https://janefriedman.com/the-how-when-and-why-of-writing-autofiction

My History with AutoFiction

In 2016, I joined NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) in November because I had a story I had to tell. At the time, I didn’t know the name of the genre—I just knew this was the best way for me to tell this. The subject matter stung: my incest story. Also, add to this formula Trump won the election November 8, and I deeply knew from my injured self he was a perpetrator. That ignited my writing back that month, and I ended up with over 50,000 words by the end of November—the word count goal of every writer in NaNoWriMo.

I couldn’t wait to revise this book and get it out in the world. Feeling that I had a message to share on the travesty and the healing possible, I started the work.

Then a book deal fell into my lap to write the biography of the most famous square dance caller in the world, Marshall Flippo, and I couldn’t let it go. Flippo was in his late 80s and dancers clamored for this book, so away I went down that avenue. My autofiction book got pushed to the background!

Nine Years Later

Nine years later with more intense healing for my incest issues over those years, the Epstein files came front and center. In talking with my therapist, I shared that they were a trigger but not like before. I had moved to action—I wanted to be an advocate for survivors. We brainstormed ideas: a website and the power of it. Then it dawned on me—my book might help someone who survived incest.

So, that’s my next book project even though I just published my second book in a five-book poetry series. I mulled over trying to publish book #3 and the autofiction together. After a conversation with my book coach, Derek Doepker and the group, I realized I have to focus on this book now because of its relevance.

My book is written in two voices: Ellie and Laura. Two women tell their stories back and forth, chapter by chapter. So far, the working title is Eye Witness to Life or Eye Witness to Healing because Ellie, her husband and Laura’s husband all receive healing as they watch Laura go through the grueling discovery and healing of her incest issues.

Excerpt from My Book

So, here’s the first scene from this book:

People call me Ellie—my given name is Ellen Marie.

I have been an eye witness to much in my life—losses that ripped my heart a part. I lost three key people within three years in my teenage years.

Dad died in a tragic car accident, then my mom drank herself to death after he died. I pride myself that I stood by my mom during her time of need. I was an eye witness to her death, holding her hand as she drew her last breath. Even as a teenager, death didn’t frighten me. It felt like a privilege to stand at her bed. My sister, Susie, and I shared that poignant moment.

At the same time, my high school sweetheart was killed in a car crash. These losses drove the rest of my life.

The hardest loss of my life happened when I lost a child during a hard pregnancy. I had one child and then had three miscarriages afterwards. I carried the last one for six and a half months and thought my little boy was safe, but not.

Then I stood by while a dear friend took her last breath, dying young at fifty-nine years old of cancer. She had become a surrogate mother for me. The hospice nurse led those of us standing around her bed through the death process, step by step. After that experience, I respected our body’s magnificent system of dying.

Life has been a succession of losses and pain; however, the following scene ripped my heart a part once again and changed my life forever.

Finally,

I know this is a hard topic but we must be honest about it and share our stories. For too long it has been ignored. Ellie’s friendship plays a big part in the Laura’s subsequent healing and her own. Do you have friends like that? Are you a friend like that?

Futhermore,

I have not finished the website yet, if you are interested, email me at larada@icloud.com and I will let you know when it goes live. It will be a safe place to convene, tell our stories and support each other.

Larada Horner-Miller - AutoFiction — Yes, it’s a hard topic, but we need to talk! **WE HAVE TO TALK!**

My Newest Books

Time Measured Out!: Navigating Life’s Journey Through Poetry, Book #2 e-book

ISBN – 9798989688654

$.99 for limited time

Is My Truth Universal?: A Woman’s Poetic Odyssey e-book

ISBN – 979-8989688623

ALWAYS FREE

Was It a Dream?: Navigating Life’s Journey Through Poetry, Book #1 – e-book

ISBN – 979-8989688630

$3.99

Hair on Fire: A Heartwarming & Humorous Christmas Memoir e-book

ISBN – 978-0996614498

$3.99

Buy My Audio Books:

This Tumbleweed Landed

Let Me Tell You a Story

Hair on Fire: A Heartwarming & Humorous Memoir Audiobook

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haiku · MY LIFE · My Thoughts · My Writing · Ranching

Day 22 – The Many Hats I Wear: Changing Constantly!

January 22, 2026January 23, 2026 Larada Horner-Miller1 Comment

I wear many different hats in my life today and have over the years. Currently the hats I wear vary and require different things from me.

Author/Poet

I love to write, and I enjoy writing in a variety of genres. My collection of ten books varies: poetry, memoir, biography, historical fiction, biography and essays. So I don’t stick to just one, and it’s worked for me for years. But recently, I have focused more on poetry—free verse poetry. I’ve published two poetry books in a five-book poetry series.

Also, I love to write haikus. As a literature & language arts teacher, I did a poetry unit every year with my students, and I had them write haiku. Back then, I didn’t write haikus though.

When the pandemic hit in 2020, I did a lot of walking on our lane in the east mountains above Albuquerque, winter and summer. The rhythmic walking and my interest in haikus opened the door to my writing them. While I walked, the lines came to me and I recorded them when I got home.

Then Natalie Goldberg’s book, Three Simple Lines: A Writer’s Pilgrimage into the Heart and Homeland of Haiku, inspired me to write more. I love the simple framework of the 3 lines—5 syllables, 7 syllables, 5 syllables—give me. It forces me to be selective about word choice—totally different than any other writing I do.

My next project is an autofiction book, part autobiography and part fiction. I’ve written 50,000 words already, so I just need to revise it, but I keep pushing it to the back burner because everything else pushes ahead of it.

Book Marketer

Because I self-publish my books, I have to do it all—write the book, layout of books, publishing and marketing. Deeply, I love all of it except marketing. It consumes my time with the ads, the questions what to do, the different social media apps, the financial demands and everything.

For years, I haven’t made a definite marketing plan, but this year I have, and I hope I stick to it!

Co-Owner of a Ranch

My brother and I co-own our family ranch in southeastern Colorado that has been our family for almost 100 years. He lives in the community near our ranch, so he’s the boots-on-the-ground guy. I do the business side. Today, I labored at balancing the checkbook. Usually, I balance it to the penny. Today, I’m $1.69 off and I hate that.

Also, I’ve been busy entering the checkbook into an Open-Source app to prepare for our 2025 taxes. Managing our finances keeps me connected to our ranch, even though I live 5,000+ miles away now. The only way I can possible do it is through the internet.

Dancer

Since I was viciously attacked by a dog on July24, 2024, my dance life disappeared, and that activity fed my soul. Coming from a dancing family, I have danced my whole life. My parents glided across the dance floor on sawdust and dirt at our country dances.

On New Year’s Eve, Lin, my husband, and I danced at a local bar here in Boquete, mostly just to rock and roll music, but it was movement to music! For one song, we danced a Cha Cha, and my heart soared. Later in the evening, another dance song came on and we did a mean jitterbug. Oh, I miss the days!

Christian

My faith keeps me going. I am Episcopalian by choice, but I haven’t found a church yet here in Boquete, Panama. There seems to be mostly Protestant and Catholic churches. Because of this, I have attended Hope in the Desert Episcopal Church in Albuquerque, New Mexico on Facebook, Livestream, my church before we moved.

I have issues today with so many Christians turning away from Jesus’ teachings in loving the immigrant, feeding the poor and loving our neighbors, so that has affected my attending any churches here so far. I will find a place and land, I’m sure.

In Recovery

I have been in recovery for 37 years and it’s the basis of my life. It saved my life. So a big plus here—a strong active recovery community. I still have my connections back in Albuquerque, but I see that I will fit in here for sure.

Denver Broncos’ Fan

Yes, that’s a big hat to wear today. We just won the game last week against the Buffalo Bills, a hard-fought fight. Immediately after the game we heard our quarterback, Bo Nix, broke a bone in his ankle and is out for the rest of the year. So, I’m preparing emotionally for the game on Sunday where our backup quarterback, Jarrett Stidham, will fill in the void.

I’ve been a fan for years—been happy with the winning years and stuck with them through the lean years.

Finally,

Yes, I wear a variety of hats, bouncing back and forth between activities, demands and loves of my life. The rich variety makes my life full—I wouldn’t want it any other way!

Larada in her pink hat — I love my pink hat!

My Newest Books

Time Measured Out!: Navigating Life’s Journey Through Poetry, Book #2 e-book

ISBN – 9798989688654

$.99 for limited time

Is My Truth Universal?: A Woman’s Poetic Odyssey e-book

ISBN – 979-8989688623

ALWAYS FREE

Was It a Dream?: Navigating Life’s Journey Through Poetry, Book #1 – e-book

ISBN – 979-8989688630

$3.99

Hair on Fire: A Heartwarming & Humorous Christmas Memoir e-book

ISBN – 978-0996614498

$3.99

Buy My Audio Books:

This Tumbleweed Landed

Let Me Tell You a Story

Hair on Fire: A Heartwarming & Humorous Memoir Audiobook

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Colorado · family · Memories · Mom · MY LIFE · My Thoughts · Panama

Day 21 – Here and There!: A Poem About Two Places

January 21, 2026January 21, 2026 Larada Horner-Miller5 Comments

For most of my adult life, I have struggled with “here” and “there.” I grew up, moved and had my adult home but my home in Branson, Colorado always called to me.

After our move to Panamá, this poem came up when I was visiting in Branson in December 2025. Witness my current struggle with “here” and “there”!

Here & There: Juggling Two Lives

The familiar train whistle blows

And I know I’m home

In Branson,

A sound that echoes through my childhood.

The wind blows

Dust devils twirl on the plains.

The mesa towers to the southwest of us.

Saddlerock hangs to the west

As another reminder of home.

This my here now!

Our family ranch calls to me

Dad voices his familiar stories

In my heart

Granddad looms large in my history

Mom’s sweet presence and squeals of delight

Echo in my soul

Memories overflow

Even though they’re gone.

Now, sitting beside my brother

With our stories.

He’s the only one who can verify their truth

Our stories

Our family’s stories

Sometimes quiet fills the truck cab

Dust swirls

Silence

Reverence for our shared lives

My brother opens up while we ride around

Safe

With deep stories

His childhood disappointments

At our community church.

I never knew!

Why???

The familiar sights

Cholla cactus

Graceful with arms extended

Yucca

Sharp spikes pointing heavenly

Pinon pine trees

Cedar trees

The smell I love!

Oak brush, orange at this time of the year

Dead trees ravaged by drought and bugs

A windy trail, bumpy with rocks

Reminds me of a Canyon Lullaby!

We try to make daily trips to the ranch,

But our busy schedule doesn’t allow.

Each trip feeds my soul, my spirit, my heart!

The train whistles in the background

Of my life here

Several times a day

Welcomed and comforting!

This house I inherited overflows

With Mom and Dad

I just used Mom’s pressure cooker

To cook spaghetti noodles

She called it her “Poor Man Microwave.”

Dad’s pot on the stove

To add some humidity to this dry climate.

Here my life is

Ranch business,

English, English, English!

No one knocks on my door anymore

My brother only

I visited my 96-year-old friend

But she’s failing!

That’s the here, but underneath

The “there” beckons!

Life there!

Our new life in Panama

Green jungle surrounds us

New friends live near us

They knock on my door.

Beautiful clear mornings as we look towards

Vulcan Barú

Rainy afternoons during the rainy season now.

Our life carved out

Two markets for fun and people

A knitting group

My recovery group

Basketball games, following one of our landlords

A more relaxed life

Less stress

US politics not the focus

No dishwasher in our rental house

Gives me time looking out the window

At the green

The colorful flowers

The hummingbird buzzing the lavender flowers

Being present

A gift!

Here my life is

My book business

Spanish, English, Spanish

Which I love!

I never planned to move

To Panama

I planned to live and die in Tijeras

And visit Branson

My here and there

Used to be Tijeras, then Branson

But we stood on our decision and morals

We said no to the insanity

We took action,

Well planned by Lin

And it happened

Here and there—juggling these two lives

When I’m here, I think of there.

When I’m there, I yearn for here.

My Writing Group

I shared this on Monday with my Writing Group from New Mexico at a Zoom meeting. One person’s critiqued: “I loved the homeyness of it. Also, I can relate to the train because I had a train in my childhood. I also love the line – ‘The “here” now.’”

Another writer in the group shared he loved the visuals and it felt so many of the topics in it were universal.

Finally,

Juggling the here and there has become an art for me—I’ve done it my whole life. What are your thoughts about this poem? Any line resonate with you? Any topic remind you of something in your life? I hope it did and please share it.

Larada Horner-Miller - here — Here or there? Where am I?

My Newest Books

Time Measured Out!: Navigating Life’s Journey Through Poetry, Book #2 e-book

ISBN – 9798989688654

$.99 for limited time

Is My Truth Universal?: A Woman’s Poetic Odyssey e-book

ISBN – 979-8989688623

ALWAYS FREE

Was It a Dream?: Navigating Life’s Journey Through Poetry, Book #1 – e-book

ISBN – 979-8989688630

$3.99

Hair on Fire: A Heartwarming & Humorous Christmas Memoir e-book

ISBN – 978-0996614498

$3.99

Buy My Audio Books:

This Tumbleweed Landed

Let Me Tell You a Story

Hair on Fire: A Heartwarming & Humorous Memoir Audiobook

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Category: MY LIFE

Day 29 – A Picture of Me—On My Wedding Day

Back Story

Our Wedding Day

It’s Here! Our Wedding

Finally,

My Newest Books

Buy My Audio Books:

Goodreads reviews for Coronavirus Reflections

Day 27 – AutoFiction: Fiction Based on a Part of My Life Story!

What the Heck is AutoFiction?

My History with AutoFiction

Nine Years Later

Excerpt from My Book

Finally,

Futhermore,

My Newest Books

Buy My Audio Books:

Goodreads reviews for Coronavirus Reflections

Day 22 – The Many Hats I Wear: Changing Constantly!

Author/Poet

Book Marketer

Co-Owner of a Ranch

Dancer

Christian

In Recovery

Denver Broncos’ Fan

Finally,

My Newest Books

Buy My Audio Books:

Goodreads reviews for Coronavirus Reflections

Day 21 – Here and There!: A Poem About Two Places

Here & There: Juggling Two Lives

My Writing Group

Finally,

My Newest Books

Buy My Audio Books:

Goodreads reviews for Coronavirus Reflections