Articles written by Cherryl Floyd-Miller

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About me - Cherryl Floyd-Miller

A poet, playwright and fiber artist, I'd say most of my creative works are about women, culture, folklore, many things Southern, the nature of relationships and current events. My art quilts also use many of these elements and often incorporate original text

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Entertainment > Music Genres, Trends & Scenes How to improve your singing voice for karaoke: 1 of 39
Most people who are avid karaoke singers don't realize this important basic truth: Karaoke's main focus is not necessarily singing.Perhaps that seems a bit of an alien concept for those who spend a lot of time rehearsing for a "best" sound. It should. After all, karaoke is marketed as a sing-a-long form of entertainment for a... More..
Relationships & Family > Family Life Traditions and values in Christian families: 1 of 27
In the small Southern town where we grew up, Christianity was a cornerstone of family rules.You learned very early to say Bible verses on Sundays around the dinner table, to pray each night before bed, to respect and fear the presence of God, and to live your life according to the principles set forth in God's Ten Commandment... More..
Relationships & Family > Blended Families Blended family conflicts: Effects of favoring your own children: 1 of 26
If we are to be honest, there is a natural human inclination to favor one's own biological children. These children, after all, have bonded with us since their conception. We have made sacred pacts with ourselves and our world to nurture, protect and guide them and mold them into responsible world citizens at any sacrifice. T... More..
Creative Writing > Memoirs Testimonies: Dates from hell: 1 of 21
I might have known I was headed into the mouth of hell when Abe offered to buy me a round-trip ticket to Memphis, Tennessee on a Greyhound bus.We had not been dating very long, and it seemed like a perfect way to get to know each other better. Besides, I had never been to Memphis and was eager to see some historic landmarks l... More..
Relationships & Family > Dating Psychology An overview of cohabitation: 1 of 21
Probably since the first man and woman decided to "shack up" or "play house," the world has held steadfast to a common myth: if two consenting heterosexual adults live together in the U.S. and its territories for seven years or more, they are considered to be living in a common-law marriage.In no state across the nation is th... More..
Creative Writing > Memoirs Testimonies: The realities of life as a published author: 1 of 17
It's in my hands. This year, I finally signed the coveted publishing contract I've been working toward for most of my adult career.The idea of being a published writer is not a new phenomenon to me - I've been widely published in many literary journals and anthologies since the mid-90s. I've even published two books prior to ... More..
Relationships & Family > Grief & Loss End-of-life communication: On saying goodbye: 3 of 45
In the face of death, personal conflict has no place. When you know someone is living his or her last moments on the planet, all energy should be focused on assisting the person's most comfortable transition.The hardest goodbye I've ever had to offer was to my paternal grandmother. I was the last person to see her alive. The ... More..
Celebrations & Holidays > Celebrations & Holidays (Other) Halloween safety guide for parents: 1 of 15
Although our traditions of Halloween in the U.S. have continued for nearly 90 years, we do not send our children into the same dark Halloween nights that we skirted off to in the last century. Gone are the milk-and-cookie neighborhoods where everyone knew everyone and children could always be protected. The shift has require... More..
Creative Writing > Memoirs Testimonies: How a celebrity changed my life: 1 of 14
I was not yet 30 when I spent the night with Oprah Winfrey.Three other women and I had been chosen from among thousands of letter writers to attend "The Oprah Show's" first Book Club pajama party at the home of Dr. Maya Angelou in North Carolina. We were to come together for a discussion, have a succulent, home-cooked dinner ... More..
Creative Writing > Memoirs Testimonies: Inter-racial friendship: 2 of 25
Neither Terra nor I could have accurately anticipated the antics of her grandfather. A lifelong southerner with deep commitments to the racial divide, he frequently blurted out the first wild thing that popped into his head.Mostly, his comments were about race."Blacks and whites got no business keeping company," he'd said to ... More..