Monday, July 1, 2013

Stella G. Maddox is a riot

Quirky sense of humor, geeky engineer, stay-at-home mother of three, frustrated, knee-jerk contrarian, and venting it all in writing with a rare natural talent that transcends her mundane existence - that, in a nutshell, describes author Stella G. Maddox.  This week Huffington Post recognized the gift that she has for turning a phrase by selecting one of her many delightful tweets as tops among their selection for 'Best Parenting Tweets'.

Here are a few more of Stella's gems from Twitter:

My new twin nephews make me want to write an inspirational tweet about my hysterectomy.

Me, trying to be nice: "What a beautiful necklace." Grandma: "Look closely. It says Do Not Resuscitate. Don't you dare bring me back."

 At what age is it socially acceptable to begin discussing strategies to incarcerate my spouse in a nursing home?

 You haven't truly been embarrassed until your 4 yr old provides an out-loud, play-by-play commentary of your visit in a public bathroom.

 I was voted most likely to succeed if you're looking for a reference point to determine how far my life derailed.

 Why yes, I did feed my kids toaster waffles for dinner so I could go to the gym instead of cooking. I think I deserve a man card.

 We're going to my parents tomorrow, so feel free to start insulting me now to prepare me for the onslaught.

 My mom read my book and hasn't spoken to me since. Do I categorize that as success?

 Who knew I'd excel at writing dysfunctional sex? At least my life experience is good for something.

Want more?  As those last two tweets imply, Stella  has written a book of fiction based on her life experience, but amplified.  Noting her eccentric sense of humor and her wonderful ability to express irony, friends had suggested that she write a fantasy that would elevate the experience.  Her reaction:  "What if instead of making it better, I made it worse? Much, much worse? A Thousand Tiny Cracks, my first novel, is the result."

A Thousand Tiny Cracks
'A Thousand Tiny Cracks' was published by All Things That Matter Press in March, and it has received excellent reviews.  Here's a good descriptive example, offered by 'Al in the County':

" I was thrilled with this book. Written from the perspective of Stella, a professional turned stay-at-home mom with two children, it is an emotionally raw and thoughtful look at a modern day, 30 something year old woman who is trying to find who she is and what love is.

I won't go into details about the plot, but I will say that there were numerous times that Stella, the main character, faced decision points as to whether or not she should pursue her search for life and love or close that door. A credit to the author that you were never able to predict which turn she would take.

I highly recommend this book for anyone. A great read that made me reflect on my own life and relationship and the choices I make."


I'm a happily retired male, and 30 years older than Stella Maddox, but somehow I feel kindred - I can identify with her.  That alone tells me she has a rare gift indeed.  Stella lives in southern Ohio with her husband, three children and two cats.

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This is the twentieth of an occasional series of Author profiles that features fellow authors in the All Things That Matter Press family.




1 comment:

  1. Hi PJ, Yes, I read Stella's book and really enjoyed it. She's got an enviable wit and gift for storytelling. Her blog and her tweets always make me chuckle. Great post.

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