Anyone who has talent, grace, a never-say-die attitude, a perpetual smile on her face, and shares her generosity with others deserves her own universe.

 

That she's created and shares her “happy place” — Dollywood—with the rest of us is icing on the cake.  

 

During her career, Dolly has composed over 3,000 songs, sold more than 100 million records worldwide, had 44 career Top 10 country albums, and 110 career-charted singles.

 

Like her creativity, her generosity knows no bounds. She has donated  more than $17.3 billion to more than 2,000 nonprofits just in the last four years. Considering that her net worth is estimated at $35 billion, she's more than proven that she gives back as much as she gets from her adoring public. 

 

Another show of generosity—one near and dear to my heart—is  Dolly Parton's Imagination Library,

 

Her timing for this latest charity could not be better. As library budgets across the country are being slashed, this free library book program, underwritten by Dolly, has garnered praise the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval, Best Practices award from the Library of Congress Literacy Awards, and recognition in Reading Psychology.

 

She is on my mind this week because of the recent loss of her husband, Carl Dean. From the moment they laid eyes on each other, they were truly a love match.

 

If you click the video below, you'll hear clips from some of her many interviews with Ellen DeGeneres. I particularly love her unabashed honesty. She admits to her age, her surgeries, and all her girlishness.

When it comes to Ms. Parton, what you see is what you get. 

 

Because of this, in various times during her career, she has been underestimated—to the detriment of those who assumed she was, in her words, a “Backwoods Barbie.”

 

Heck, no! She's pure Dolly. Pure joy. Pure love of life.

 

Have you been to a Dolly Parton concert—or, for that matter, Dollywood? Do you have a favorite Dolly Parton song?  

Feel free to write me here about your thoughts on her.

 

 

 

We are slowly but surely making some fun changes to the Housewife Assassin series. Here are covers 6, 7, 8, and 9, We're now up to #14, so if you've yet to read through, do check them out. And remember;

THE FIRST BOOK IN THE SERIES IS FREE!

 

In this upcoming Housewife Assassin adventure, Donna Stone Craig must go under deep cover to stop a cabal of Russian operatives embedded in Congress and the White House whose playbook is to assassinate two presidential candidates, isolate the U.S. from its allies, and propel the world’s economy into a free fall—

 

Even if it means sacrificing her life for her country and those she loves most.

 

The success of her mission also has dire consequences. It sets into motion the terrorists' final solution: the annihilation of the world as we know it.

 

OR BUY HERE FROM YOUR FAVORITE INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE! $3.49/$15.99/$24.99

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 Josie