Have A Merry Merry Christmas

There is so much to be said and done this time of year. So on behalf of my wonderful husband, and beautiful children...



HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND PLEASE...PLEASE...STAY HUMBLE, BE MERRY AND LET YOUR HEART BE FILLED WITH THIS GREAT TIME OF YEAR!

Happy Thursday...

Hope everyone's having a great Thursday because Friday is closing in. Seems to me the holidays are moving in faster than any of us probably imagined or has even had a chance to grasp. However, they're almost here and its time to prepare. So don't get, ready...be ready.

Responsiblity

Within the last hour, it was reported that Robin Williams, now age 63, and one the most warmest, funniest, house-hold comedians in the world has died. Confirmation: death not an accident. Also confirmed...his choice. A choice by suicide. A choice that I myself will never understand. But have not walked in his shoes. So I will not judge. However, I am a strong believer in one being responsible. Responsible being one of the most feared, neglected yet important words in our dictionary. I know life can bring enormous pain, suffering, anger, burdens and even some deeply rooted hate. It can even bring grief. And sometimes it can bring so much grief it weigh so deep we feel as if we're drowning, no way out, no relief in sight. But it is all still up to us--the individual to find that surface, paddle our way back. It will be difficult. It will seem impossible. But when has anything worth living for, been easy? I am so overwhelmed with the death of Robin Williams. This one, I can honestly say, I never saw coming. I didn't know him personally, but I truly feel as if I had. Through all his funny years.  Depression was his downfall. How he handled that depression was his choice, and I pray that he has found peace, although many will argue that he could not have. Another topic. However, HAPPINESS was the key. A key he unfortunately lost along the way to fortune and fame. But please know... happiness isn't hiding behind any door, or around any corner. It's not a secret, meant for only a few. It's a choice that God has given us freely, and lovingly, and HE wants us all to have it.
 My heart goes out to Robin Williams' family and I pray that they may find the HAPPINESS that he could not.
 Happiness is a RESPONSIBLE choice. Make the choice. Chose to be happy over all else. It's God's gift to ALL... 

Time

Today I want to blog about TIME. What a subject.  As an author, mother, wife, friend, sister, nurse, teacher, housekeeper, driver, the list can go, on and on...
 I'd like to take this moment to breathe. Inhale this moment. Listen to the sounds around me. Life ain't no joke. It don't come with bells and whistles, and there ain't nobody other than me that has to walk in my shoes. They can admire them. Hate them. But walk in them...I think not. Every morning I get out of bed feeling energized and ready to conquer the day; the world, and before I've barely had a chance to pour my first cup of coffee, I'm already exhausted just thinking about all the conquering I didn't accomplish the day before, and TIME is already not on my side. But then I put on my big girl panties and grasp hold of the fact that I' responsible for what get put out today, and I'm miraculously cured. A blogger's, blogs. An author writes. A teacher's teaches. An agents,--well. An agent makes things happened. They move a writer closer to what can be publication. The big times. The calls. The Best Seller list. Well, hopefully you all get the picture. Regardless, of our positions, WE must ALL take the time to make TIME. Nothing happens without Time...


Happy reading...

Holiday bliss and the Aftermath

Don't you just love the holiday season? They are each filled with family, friends, holiday gestures, and beautiful trinkets... We spend days or months preparing. We're filled with a piece of that holiday within, and for many of us, it shows outwardly. We bring out our best parts of that holiday and we put out our best behavior. For many of us, who we are follows us all year long and to me, that's the best blessing and part of us, we can give to anyone. But then--the holiday is over. Family's gone back to normal. Friend's trickle in. The routine of our everyday life slowly, grows again. We put away those beautiful trinkets that we'd spent days, weeks, or months preparing and the house quickly takes on its normal form. But even though the holidays are sparingly and we are filled with the joy of them--sparingly; they always, always, come.

Happy reading  guys! Remember--knowledge is Power...reading is a tool...what you take from it...is life's lesson and your strength for life

For The Mothers

Happy Mother's Day Ladies, and I hope you each allow the people that love you to pamper you with the love you are each entitled to. Being a women is hard work. Rising to the occasion of being a mother takes lots of dedication, love, understanding, and patience...  And only a real women can accomplish such task. So today...take off. Relax and wear their shoes...you each derive it....

Revolving Doors?

In todays ever changing world, that revolving door of Traditional Publishing and Self-Publishing seems to hover annoyingly above our heads. And although I have no problem with either, I must be honest, I mean lets face it (traditional publishing is a headache.). Now don't misquote that, or take it too far out of context. I would love to publish my novel the traditional way, but who am I kidding? Sure not me.  I man it's really hard. And when you've invested so much time in your sweet darling (book), what? You want it to find readers. But Traditional Publishing is exhausting. First, you have to get in the door. Then if you book or should I say, your voice, meaning your style of writing is worth the time...you must go through a list of what is and what is not acceptable, depending the genre. Which is another topic all in itself. Now right now you probably exhausted just reading. I know. Anyway, then there's the look at word count. Maybe your book is too long and needs to be cut-down for acceptance. Or maybe your voice is coming off too strong and needs to be turned down a notch, and you need to add another one-hundred words. Which ever the reason...its tuff.
Now, don't get me wrong. I am willing to work with an editor and work hard for my book. Put my best foot forward. But in the world of Revolving Doors (Traditional or Self-Publishing)...which is really best? I say, go for what works for you. What do you say?

Lacking Inspiration?

As an author, inspiration is what compels our fingers to go tap, tap on laptops, and writers where it should be: dormant.  Without inspiration we're just wishers, sitting behind a computer, waiting for something worth writing to show up.  But all is not lost. Lacking inspiration is normal. Finding it, or and keeping it, key. But that's okay because its out there. And moving is how you'll find and keep the key. So, go on. Take a trip. Go shopping. Watch a movie. Go out to a movie. Just get out and do something. There's so much out there that you haven't seen all because you were stuck behind your computer trying to inspire yourself.  Look to others for your inspiration. Trust me, it's there. Now get inspired!!! Be your own inspiration!!! Do inspirational things!!!

A Good Editor

I've just finished reading another one of Rachelle Gardner's interesting and very informative blogs entitled ' Trust Me, You Need a Good Editor', and as always, her blog pulls me in,  gets me to thinking. But as much as her blogs make me think, they also make me ask questions, all of which I need answers. I read blogs from editors, and blog comments from writers to editors. Which editors are true to editing, and which are not so good. I have finished my novel A String of Pearls, and I am looking for a good editor. After reading Rachelle's blog as well as the comments left by some really interesting bloggers', and writers', I must tell you it was all very informative, however it left me with fears I could do without, but hey, sometimes fear's a good thing.
There are as many editors out there, as there are probably writers, and I am not sure which is the best fit for me. As a writer...we pull up bio's on editors, we research them, and even read comments about them...word for word. But every writer's needs is different: money being the giant elephant in the room, especially when your not sure the editor your choosing will deliver on the promise. And whose to say that the editor chosen that began your edit, will still be the right fit as the edit of the story continues. Seems to me, after reading some of the comments by many writer's of which the editor at some point begins to look at their work through their own eyes and not the writer's. I believe that to be true as I at one point had that same experience. It was just a sample edit, but the editor truly didn't get my character, meaning this particular character was from the south; she spoke with broken English, or slang, of which the editor didn't like, or maybe had felt she could have been better understood. Maybe. But to me...understanding a character and changing who they are, is totally different.
 Don't get me wrong... I do believe that every writer should invest in a good edit. Me for one. But here's the question: who, which one? And the most important question of the day: Are they truly qualified to fit my style? Do they get me at all?

Thanks for reading...

Social Media

I don't know about you, but this new wave of interacting through so many different types of social media's has got my head out in the deep ends of muddy waters. It seems that every time I read a blog or surf the web, there pops another one (LinkedIn, Digg, Reddit, StumbleUpon, Pinterest etc, the list just keeps right on growing. It's not enough we have to deal with email and Facebook. Now don't get me wrong, I am a strong believer of being in the know, and utilizing resources, but some of this media stuff is just too mad. I won't lie and say that I don't enjoy my Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest, and love chatting with other writers and readers, but...all of this social media is a bit much, don't you think? And trying to learn how to use them... brother...  However, on a more positive note...as an author, I know how important social media is to book promotion . I will uphold my dignity and not allow my female emotional side to take over, promise. So whether you use social media for a business of promotion to increase sales of some great product, or just want to get that great novel into the hands of some avid reader... there's a social media out there just for you, and me...    ;)


BYE FOR NOW, AND HAPPY READING...

A New Year

Hey guys! Hope you've all had a wonderful 2013, and brought in the new year with the people you love. As always, there's ups and downs. But that's life, right? Hope you've all took some time to reflect back on all you've done whether the decision was a good one or not. None of us are perfect. But this is 2014, and as crazy as that is to write out, it's a reality. We have a whole 363 days left to make some changes, do something new, transform or blossom into that swan or butterfly, or whichever one of God's creations we choose. Notice that word 'CHOOSE'. That's right...it's our choice to make. And maybe we won't make the greatest choice, but at least we can say we make a choice. Standing still is not an option. So, please, make the choice to get up, get out and do something you've been thinking of doing, planed to do, or did, and failed at before. Remember, failure is only failure if you fall, and regret it. Nothings wrong with falling down, just don't stay down. Learn from it and try it again. Don't let 2014 slip by without at least learning something from the fall. Sometimes life can drop a bomb so hard down on us, it rattles our entire existence, but we must move on. It's a new year...it's a new beginning,...it's a new chance...it's a new you.