Jody Cantrell Dyer

I am direct, but tender-hearted toward the suffering of others. I think we all have lessons to learn and teach each other, so I write to encourage, enlighten, and entertain others, but I am self-deprecating. I come from a family of minstrels and teachers, where humor is honored and practiced as part of everyday life. I grew up listening to Bill Cosby records (yes, records) and reading Lewis Grizzard. I think readers relate to my writing style because I’m direct, approachable, friendly, and honest. I’ve been compared to Fannie Flagg and Tina Fey, but I just think I sound like my mama!

My husband, Jeff, was adopted in 1963. I gave birth to our first son, Houston, in 2002. I suffer from secondary infertility. After an eight year ordeal through infertility treatments and the domestic adoption process, we welcomed our second son, Scotty, in 2010. All these personal elements give me a unique vantage point from which to compare and contrast infertility, pregnancy, and Jeff’s adoption in 1963 (closed) and Scotty’s modern day adoption (open). The exhaustive, expensive, heartbreak of infertility and the arduous process of adoption gave me the spiritual and academic education of a lifetime. I felt compelled to help other families facing similar circumstances. My goal is to inspire and validate others as they navigate infertility, crisis pregnancy, or adoption. I hope readers find a part of themselves and a new, supportive friend (me) on every page.

My blog is different from others in a few ways. First, I don’t conform to typical blogging rules (word count, backlinks, photos, monetization, and commentary on current events). Second, I write from my core so that my voice and content are unique and—hopefully—timeless and relatable. Each Friday, I offer readers a personal “theory” and then elaborate, tongue-in-cheek, upon that theory. Some of my post popular posts are “Tailgate etiquette is not an oxymoron,” “As people get old, they morph into the opposite gender,” and “In youth sports, parents are the true performers.” Finally, I provide consistent reader interaction. I often post questions on social media pages and ask readers for ideas. Then, I write their ideas into the posts. I give all my “characters” nicknames. Theories: Size 12 is basically a rough draft of humorist essays for my next book(s). Basically, I’m writing a chapter each week. Sometime in the next year or so, I’ll flesh out and ramp up each Theory and publish either one book or two to three small books.

I desperately need to write and express myself. I’ve written as hobby all my life, but never thought I would actually hold my own published work in my hands. The eight-year experience that brought me Scotty taught me to open my mind, open my heart, and open myself up to new adventures. I love being part of the writing and publishing industry. I love learning from and collaborating with bright, creative professionals like the talented members of the Authors Guild of Tennessee. I love self-publishing because I quickly reach readers and I maintain control of my works’ content and soul. Most of all, as a writer, I love hearing from appreciative readers who say that The Eye of Adoption ministered to them or that my latest Theory made them laugh out loud. I love that my work affects others in a meaningful way.