NFReads author interview

Check out my author interview with NFReads!

Please introduce yourself and your books:

My name is Paula Howell but I write under my nickname, P.J. Howell. My current published titles include a mystery series, as well as a few short stories and a non-fiction. The Jorja Matthews mystery series is about a female private investigator. The reader tags along while Jorja works as a PI on legal cases and attempts to unravel mysteries surrounding her own family history.

What are the real-life stories behind your books?

I’ve worked in the legal field for 30 years, 15 of which were as a private investigator…

You can read the complete interview here.

NFReads is an online publication which began out of a love for learning new things and later morphed into a general interest website with a focus on stories behind creative works and people’s lives.

There are other author interviews on the website you can also review under the “writing and literature” section. The link can be found here.

I hope you take a moment to read the interview and if you know of anyone who might also enjoy it, don’t hesitate to pass the link on to them.

Take care and happy reading!

Forming morning habits…and keeping them

I’m a fairly habitual person, when it comes to my routines, sometimes to a fault. And while I’ve had my regular morning habits, I have to admit I’ve always failed at keeping up with a good morning routine. 

What’s a good morning routine?

An early morning sunrise on Maui

A good morning routine, to me, means the ability to get up early (or at least earlier), get your butt moving and accomplishing tasks (aka: helpful habits) to help you start out your day on a positive note.

I failed at this miserably when I was at the day job, no matter how many times I told myself to stop hitting the snooze button. It never failed that I’d spring out of bed, rush to get ready and fly out the door giving myself no cushion when it came to the half hour drive to the office. I left for work in a hurry with the knowledge I was already running late, which was a poor recipe for the beginning of a calm morning.

A year and a half ago I left the day job to focus on my writing and at first my morning routine (or when I began the day) was impressive, at least for me. I was out of bed and starting my day pretty early, at least early for someone who’s working from home. But eventually, you settle into a more relaxed routine when you work from home. Finally, I realized my so-called morning routine was not only lacking, but was possibly contributing to my lack of productivity, my stress over time management and opening the door for my good friend, procrastination.

I tried different challenges to help in this department and sometimes they worked, for awhile, but my old habit of starting the day late without helpful habits seeped back in. A shorter day left me with plenty of time to write, exercise, read, walk Jozee, and any number of other daily tasks, but I wasn’t allowing the time necessary for daily preparation via morning routines, setting intentions, using affirmations, or reflection on the day along with an evening routine to help me prepare for the following day. My business plan as well as weekly and monthly tracking were helping me stay on task with my writing projects, but I needed more to help me stay focused and on task throughout the day.

So, I started another challenge to form better habits by using The Morning Sidekick Journal, and I last wrote about this when I was on day 21 out of 66. I was feeling good about my progress, although getting up early was still not that easy for me. I’ll confess that part of the reason for my inability to get up early is because I often have a difficult time staying asleep. If I wake up at 12a and can’t go back to sleep until 3a or I wake at 3a and I’m still awake at 5a, it’s not easy to give in and get out of bed at 5 and ignore the need to find those lost hours of sleep. I’ve since decided that a 5a start time is probably always going to be a stretch for me, but on nights when I sleep well enough, I enjoy starting the day between 6a-6:30a. Whether the day starts at 5, 6 or 7 a.m., part of this process is not only learning what works, but what works for you.

When I first started tracking habits for a morning routine, it seemed a little silly, especially when the instructions were to make them as easy as possible. My habits included: drink water before coffee, make the bed, eat breakfast (I don’t always), daily intentions, morning mantra, yoga (at least sun salutations to work out the kinks), push-ups, and morning pages. Most of these aren't difficult, or too time consuming, but what I discovered is that without tracking them, it was extremely easy to just hop out of bed, shower and move on with the day after making a cup of coffee. While my mornings are no longer frantic like they were when I attempted to get to the office job on time, there is something to be said about setting the tone, or the pace of the day, with a regular morning routine.

A few things I learned about getting up early: 

• repeat to yourself the night before what time you want to get up – it’s a fun exercise, especially when you eagerly roll over to look at the time to see how close you got; 
• if you use an alarm, don’t have it close to the bed so that you can snooze it; and 
• once you wake up, get up right away because snoozing just makes you feel groggy.

A few things I learned about sticking with morning habits: 

• you start the day off with more energy; 
• you start the day off on a positive note; 
• you begin the day feeling accomplished when your morning habits are completed; 
• already feeling accomplished and pleased with your progress, you’re prepped to eat the frog (complete the hardest task of the day first); and 
• having completed the hardest task, you can then look forward to having the rest of the day to complete whatever other tasks are on your list.

Forming habits can be a challenge, especially if it’s difficult to remove yourself from your normal routine and definitely if those new habits take you out of your comfort zone. I was a prime candidate for this type of challenge and I’m glad I stuck with it. It’s benefited me in more ways than I expected and now that I’ve also added an evening routine, my day feels well-rounded.

What about you? Do you have a morning routine that works? Have you formed habits that help you start the day on a positive note? If so, I’d love to hear how they work for you.

Until next time...

How is your WOTY treating you so far?

We’re over half way through the month and I just realized this is my first post for 2019. I’m slacking already…but in my defense, I’ve been busy revising. Book #5 in the Jorja Matthews mystery series is being reviewed and tweaked so that it’ll be ready for a scheduled professional edit next month.

Another book finally complete!

I’ll soon have eight books under my belt, but I’m itching to publish more. While the past few novels of the Jorja Matthews series has taken longer to write, one of my goals this year is to write and publish more often. I won’t likely publish more than one Jorja book a year, but I hope to write and publish more often when it comes to short stories along with some stand-alone novels in the mix.

We’re moving into week 4 out of 52…which still leaves plenty of time to make that happen.

So, did you choose a word of the year for 2019?

There are many who take the time to choose a word to help guide them throughout the year. Last year, my word was Faith. I chose it because I knew I had to have faith in myself while I moved ahead in my first year working and writing from home after leaving the day job.

Not only did I have to have faith in myself, I had to continue to have faith in what was to come, faith in the possibilities, faith that all would be well, and faith after letting go and giving up the need to control everything (although I’ll admit it’s still a WIP).

There were some growing pains as I forged ahead with a new schedule and other changes, but I did what I could to remember to have faith in the process and to resist the need to push or pull whenever something happened that I thought I should control. That left me better able to focus on the moment, learn from it and then move forward.

This year, my word for the year is Fearless. I chose this word because I like that it describes the ability to be fearless, or brave, as I continue to work toward my goals and also to fear less the possibility of unidentified hurdles. I don’t wish to fear anything; I wish to only look forward to the future feeling encouraged and inspired. I will fear less the prospect of change and will be fearless in the pursuit of what will continue to encourage and inspire me in mind, body and spirit.

In reviewing what I wrote to myself at the end of 2018, I realize it’s really not specific to any year, but to the rest of my life:

Continue to focus on today, but with the knowledge that what you do, or don’t do, will have a big impact on where you want to be a year from now, or five years from now. It is a journey, with no true destination, so stay on the path and know that each accomplishment will continue to build the life you are striving for.

This time last year I was uncertain of what to expect and while I was excited, I was also a bit anxious. This year I’m more aware of what to anticipate, I’ve learned from the past year and I’ve even more excited about the coming year. I guess that’s why I decided to choose Fearless as my word of the year…I feel unafraid now, but I needed to commit to a word that will remind me to remain brave should I slip on any doubts that may come my way.

Until next time…

Carry on and be courageous!

So long 2018…it’s been great knowing you!

Another New Year is about to begin…are you ready?

Ocean Shores

I wasn’t sure what to expect from 2018, to be honest, since this was going to be my first year away from the day job, but as I reflect on this past year I will say I'm happy. When I reviewed my year with photos, I was reminded of all the fun this year has been, and when I reviewed each month with regard to my author life, I feel satisfied with how I tackled my first year.

In February I was finally able to publish the fourth book in the Jorja Matthews mystery series, Cross My Heart. This was perfect timing considering the next two months or so I was sidetracked with my new puppy, Jozee, who demanded much more of my time than I had anticipated. 

The rest of this past year I focused on writing the fifth book in the series, which is almost complete and has an appointment with my editor in February. I also published another book, this time trying my hand with nonfiction with Note to My Author Self. This was a book I decided to share with readers but which was written for myself; because I needed to. Some books are just born that way.

Over the past year I took part in multiple events to include speaking engagements and book signings in May, June and November, an in-person women’s business conference, an in-person writer’s conference, multiple business and author webinars, and full day or week-long online seminars. Now that I’m looking back at the number of events I took part in, I realize I could have provided updates on these events in order to share some of what I learned at each event. I can still do that, in time if I get to it, but this next year I plan to stay on top of those updates. Due to some extensive organizing this past month, I’ve mapped out a plan on what I need to do in order to accomplish that goal.

I’ve worked from home before, when I was a private investigator for over a dozen years, so I knew I could do it. However, I also figured I’d have to expect setbacks after going back to an office job for a handful of years before changing things up to work from home again. The first half of the year I winged it in a semi-organizational way, but eventually I had to concede to the idea that I had to get serious with the business of writing and finally create a business plan. Originally, I planned on quarterly business plans with the idea of moving to six-month plans, but I’ve since decided I prefer going over them every three months. I know that reviewing my plan four times a year will help keep me on task.

I changed the look of my blog, which was time-consuming but rewarding when I realized how much I preferred the final result. I teeter-tottered back and forth about whether or not I would join National Novel Writing Month in November but eventually decided not to let the challenge take priority over my current WIP, considering how close I was to completing it.

I’ve updated my writing calendar so that I can begin 2019 with fresh new pages for my writing updates and to-do’s and I’m currently working on putting together a new bullet journal for this next year. I first wrote about using a bullet journal in January when it was still fairly new to me and I wasn’t even sure if I was going to be able to stick with it because my attempts at the end of 2017 were hit and miss. However, I’m pleased to say I was able to stick with it the whole year and I’ve enjoyed creating my new journal for 2019. I look forward to filling in each page as I move ahead in another productive year.

I hope you also look forward to the coming New Year and that it will be ripe with possibilities, full of inspiration and complete with satisfying results.

Happy New Year!

Bi-yearly check in – pat on the back or kick in the pants?

I’m staring at a blank page today, having some difficulty when it comes to what I want to say. That’s interesting, considering a check in doesn’t take much effort when I’m just looking back at what I’ve accomplished the first half of this year.

While it’s easy enough to go back through the past six months to take stock in what I’ve completed and make note of what projects I’m in the middle of, my focus is a bit…distracted. Funny enough, I don’t think I can put into words exactly what I’m distracted about.

I guess it’s just one of those days. It’s probably also the perfect time for me to do some free writing – might help me dig up what’s vying for my attention and figure out what I need to do about it.

But first, this post…

The first half of this year has gone fairly well, as I moved in to a new routine after finally deciding to give up the day job so that I could have more time to focus on my writing. I may have mentioned a change in circumstances and my schedule, but I have yet to really discuss what prompted the change or how it has been since I made the decision. It was not a decision I made lightly and has been quite a transition mixed with both uncertainty and excitement in what the future holds.

My distraction today may actually have something to do with my taking stock in what I’ve been able to accomplish these past six months. It means either giving myself a pat on the back for a job well done so far, or a kick in the pants for not being further along than I expected at this point. It means using the past six months as a gauge, and whether or not I’ll be happy with what the gauge represents.

 

When I look at the past six months, I see forward movement and that’s what matters most. I published my sixth book (4th in the series), took part in two events where I spoke about my books and my writing journey so far, attended a women’s business conference, took part in a number of online webinars relating to writing and the business of marketing, most recently which included a 12-day series for women entrepreneurs, and have continued to work on multiple book projects I plan to publish later this year and early next year.

Writing, researching, reading, learning – it all goes hand in hand and it’s what will help me continue to move forward. What I continue to learn, about myself and from others, gives me the ability to stay on task because I’m able to:

•        set clear goals,
•     ground myself daily,
•     commit to moving forward,
•     remain confident,
•     have clarity,
•     stay consistent,
•     manage my expectations,
•     be intentional,
•     inspire others, and
•     find balance between daily to-do lists and self care.

My favorite saying I heard most recently during the entrepreneur series was “where attention goes, energy flows.”

My attention has been focused on quite a few things, certainly, but each involve forward movement in my writing journey so for that, I’ll give myself a pat on the back.

I’ve lost a bunch of hats, and my head feels funny!

If you had to come up with one word to describe yourself or your current situation in life, what would it be? I can imagine coming up with one word might actually prove to be very difficult.

If you are like most, you’re wearing any number of hats on any given day given your current situation…parent, spouse, employee, employer, entrepreneur, chauffeur of children, coach of your son or daughter’s team, caretaker of a child, a spouse or a parent…and the list goes on and on.

Those hats change every so often, and especially when you enter each new season in life. From being young parents, to middle-aged married beings with high school or college kids and very busy schedules, to empty nesters to retirees; each season can bring about change that is gradual or very swift, but regardless of either, it brings about a change in the hats we wear.

I’ve come to the conclusion that these past few months, while I’ve been tackling time management alongside puppy rearing and playtime, I’ve also been tackling something I hadn’t realized was even an obstacle. That obstacle was my inability to realize that my expectations in life were drawn from how I managed myself when I was wearing previous hats, in previous seasons, under previous situations.

I failed to realize that I was undergoing a transition.

In my last post I commented on warmer days or my next vacation and, honestly, those days were just right around the corner because I left only a week later for a vacation in a warmer state to celebrate my birthday. And this wasn’t just any birthday; it was a big one. One of those birthdays you say doesn’t really bother you, because your age is just a number, right? Honestly, it really didn’t bother me, until I got to thinking more seriously about it.

What got me thinking more seriously about it was the fact that I’ve entered a new season, but my mindset might not have caught up to the idea that my life has changed quite a bit. My life is not what it was before when I wore all those hats as a busy mom, wife and daughter, who also worked for someone else or for herself while running her own business. I’m not an empty nester yet, but it’s close, and while I enjoy spending time with my husband, and having a puppy feels like having a child again (pure understatement, really J), my schedule is not wrapped around what everyone else in the household is doing or what an employer requires of me.

My schedule is my own.

That one little fact in addition to the entry into a new decade has left me just a little breathless. All those hats I use to wear, which we all know can get a little heavy sometimes since women are so terrible at finding time to take them all off to care for themselves, have dwindled down to just a few. Imagine, rather than the idiom reference, if you wore one real hat every single day for a whole year, how would your head feel when you finally took it off? It may feel very much like what it is to suddenly not be so many things to so many other people.

While I have been more committed to self care the past year or so, I thought it was just because I had finally realized how absolutely necessary it was. However, it may have been my way of preparing for the upcoming transition I was going to go through. I just hadn’t realized it at the time.

Being so many things to so many people for awhile begins to feel normal, maybe because the constant pull in so many directions gives a false sense of feeling grounded. But when change occurs and you’re not pulled in all different directions, you may feel a little off balanced if some of the tugging suddenly stops. That’s how I visually see things when it comes to what some women must feel like when this sort of transition occurs.

Writing is one way that keeps me grounded, which may seem funny since my books are all fiction. I also have a number of ways to focus on self care, such as journaling, yoga, and so forth, but as with anything, I’ll learn as I go to determine what works best for me. A transition also means change or evolution, which also means progression and development. It means learning more about yourself and evolving as you continue to move forward. It also means, no matter what age you are, how many hats you wear or what season you’re in, what you learn about yourself will help you through each transition and hopefully as you move on into the next.

Whatever season you’re in, however many hats you wear, I hope you take time to focus on self care and find what also keeps you grounded so that when all the tugging suddenly stops, you don’t find yourself unbalanced and flat on your back.

The season begins with fun, frights & fitness

I guess the letter of the day is F!  Sorry, couldn’t help myself…

The month of October has been a mixture of fitness and fun, both of which are competing with my time to write on the weekends. Other than the months I’ve taken part in NaNoWriMo, if I look back at this season for the past five years, I’m fairly certain I’ll find that it is not always the most productive when it comes to writing. 

Horror Nights in CA

The fall and holiday season is my favorite time of the year, hands down, and this year I finally decided to take part in something I’ve been interested in attending for a long time: Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood. I love Halloween and I enjoy scary movies so the chance to finally see what Horror Nights was all about was like a dream come true. And I was not disappointed. It’s really difficult to put into words just how much fun we had or how incredible the haunted mazes were, especially when the mazes are based on some of my favorite horror movies. For those of you who don’t enjoy Halloween or horror movies, or being frightened…period, I’m sure it’s hard to imagine taking part in this sort of experience, but for me it was a fantastic way to start the season. Speaking of the season, for those of you who do enjoy Halloween and ghost stories, don’t forget to check out my short ghost story if you haven’t already: 1313 Psycho Path ($0.99 e-book or $5.50 paperback).

Mt. Rainier near Paradise

That’s how we started out the month with fun, and only a week later added fun with fitness with some day hiking at Mt. Rainier. This spectacular mountain is a majestic offering from nature that is basically in my back yard, so to speak. Some of the trails were clear, if just a little damp from trees constantly dripping moisture, while further up the mountain we hit a good amount of snow, which gets me in the mood for Christmas. J Only a week before I was strolling around in California wearing shorts and sandals, but on the mountain hiking boots, jeans and layers on top were a necessity. The mountain was impressive, as always, with views that only awe and inspire. I look forward to returning, especially in the spring when a new season and showcase of beauty will be waiting for me and my camera.

I’ve also had to focus more on fitness during the work weeks this month, because I finally began physical therapy for my back. Not only do I have a back injury I’m trying to heal without surgery, the amount of sitting from my day job and my writing can increase the pain I’m in, which is really an issue when I’m trying to stay put and remain focused on a project. Just writing this post has taken me much longer than normal, since I’ve had to get up and walk around at least a handful of times to try to walk off the pain I’m feeling in my lower back. 

Oh the joys of injuries and aging…but I’m optimistic. I like what physical therapy is doing for me, I’m still able to partake in yoga, and I’ve always enjoyed walking so I’m happy it’s an activity that doesn’t hurt. With some other changes I’ll be making, I expect to make great strides in my health when the New Year begins.   

Life is all about balance – so this weekend we stayed put, giving me the extra time needed to write, to blog and relax a bit. Sometimes we need to get away to switch things up and sometimes we just need to stay home to recharge.

I hope this weekend you’re either taking part in something fun, or using the time to unwind.  Either way, enjoy the day!

Carrying on with calm – another book event under my belt

The month of September was not lacking when it came to how busy life can get in a single month.  My head is spinning a little when I look back at the past 30 days. When it comes to my personal life, my day job and my writing, there has been a lot going on lately!

While the days are busy, much of my attention has involved making changes so that I can more effectively focus on my writing career. That includes getting myself back out there as an author. The first part of September I attended a writer’s conference – a much-needed day out to mix and mingle with other like minds and to meet and learn from seasoned and bestselling authors. And then a few days ago I had my first book signing in…quite some time, now that I recall the last book club meeting I attended as a guest speaker.    

I had at first only called this most recent event an author meet and greet. My expectation was that maybe only a handful of the attendees would have heard about me or even read any of my books beforehand. The exposure, as well as the practice of speaking in front of a group, can only be a good thing, so I was more than willing to take part when one of the residents wanted to schedule an event so that other residents of the community could meet me.

I should have been more nervous before arriving but, honestly, I didn’t have much time to think about it because I had worked at the office that morning, taken a long lunch to attend the Celebration of Life for my great uncle who had passed away a few months ago, and then spent a few more hours at work before heading to the venue.

When I arrived and entered the room where the event was to take place, I barely had time to prepare myself because the room was already full of people! Apparently there was a snafu with the time and many of those who were present thought the event was set to begin a half hour earlier than the agreed upon time, so that when I arrived to get set up, they were all waiting for me to begin.

This is where my lessons in life come in handy. I just had to go with the flow…you know the saying: keep calm and carry on.

Since two different times may have been posted and there were others who were still likely to arrive, the host asked me to hold off until our agreed time, just in case. My husband was with me and he took it upon himself to entertain the early attendees with stories and humor about the two of us and his perspective as the husband of an author. I wasn’t able to listen to all of what he said, but based on the amount of laughter I heard, I could tell he was doing a fantastic job.

When the time came to begin the event, and even more attendees had arrived, I was humbled by the number who had come to meet and hear from me. My husband told me that there were close to 40 attendees present, which is a terrific turnout for someone who is still at the beginning stages of getting their name out there. I shared with the group my journey as a writer and while I couldn’t recall now exactly what I covered during that hour, I pretty much spoke from the heart. I had a great time and afterwards, as I met some of the attendees on an individual basis, I felt good about the fact that they appeared to have enjoyed themselves as well.

With another book event under my belt, and the number of chances I was given that entire day to lose focus or falter, I feel great about the fact that I was able to keep calm and carry on. I’m still learning as I go, but what’s great is that I’m paying attention and able to make use of what I’m learning.  J

Until next time, carry on and have a great week!

August antics as summer winds down

Seriously, this summer is just flying by – how about you? Are you finding it hard to believe the month of August is already half over?

The past few weeks have just been a continuation of a very busy summer – with no rest for the weary!

This month I’ve been working through the edits on the fourth book in my series, and preparing the book for a final run through. I’ve really enjoyed the feedback from my editor and as much as I dislike editing my own work, I’m remembering how much fun it is to work through edits from my editor.  It’s also such a great learning tool for me – and feedback from a professional is so helpful when it can make you sit back and review your work from the viewpoint of another.

Ocean Shores sunset

In between writing/editing, there have been a number of other distractions this month involving my day job (we have a new boss after being in limbo for over five months), my health (my back, on-going the past six months…ugh), Piper’s health (yes, still), and just getting away here and there to enjoy what the PNW has to offer before our weather turns on us. One such trip was to the beach where my husband and I celebrated 26 years married this month. I’ve wanted to get to the beach all summer but haven’t had time, so I’m glad it worked out for our anniversary. The month of August also marked the one-year anniversary of my mother-in-law’s passing; it’s always the “firsts” that are the most difficult to get through after a loved one passes away. I saw a quote on Instagram recently from “The Walking Dead” that kind of hit home for me…“The pain doesn’t go away. You just make room for it.” Sad, but so very true.

I also agreed to commit to an author event for the first time in…quite a while. I won’t call it a book signing, really; more like a meet & greet, since I’m not sure how many of the attendees will have actually read any of my books when I come to meet them. What is cute, though, is the woman who is putting the event together. I sent her a copy of No Mother of Mine in preparation for the meet & greet. She’d heard about me and wanted to plan an event with me, but apparently hadn’t yet read any of my books. The book was mailed on a Monday and by the end of that week, she called to say she had already finished the book and really enjoyed it. Again, although I’m a reader myself, it still amazes me how quickly readers get through my 400-page books! I still pinch myself because it is surreal when I take in the fact that readers are enjoying my work and literally devouring my books when they get them. 

The meet & greet isn’t until next month, which is probably a good thing considering how busy August has turned to be. Which means September will be a fun month, not only with the author meet & greet, but also an upcoming writer’s conference, and time spent finalizing the fourth book in the series in preparation for publication. And soon I’ll have the fourth book in the series published, so that I can finally complete my young adult novel and also get to work on another book before the end of the year. 

But I need to get my focus back to August – there’s too much to be done yet this month.

That said, I’m taking a blogging break the rest of this month and I’ll post another update in September. 

Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Monthly check in – May we look forward to May?

It’s hard to believe we’re at the end of April already…I hate to say it, but where the heck does the time go?

I haven’t offered an update on my monthly intentions since February, and I thought now would be a good time to check in.  So where am I with my tasks and expectations? When I review the words that came to mind when I thought about 2017, there are a number of them I’ve been working on the past few months. 

Instagram post for my idea of Serenity

Reading and writing – I’ve been reading pretty much every day, whether fiction, magazine articles, writing books, whatever I have on hand at the time I have the time to read. With my writing, I’m taking some time to continue to review, edit and make changes to the fourth book in the series since I still have some time before my scheduled professional edit. As long as it’s in my possession, I’ll probably continue to find something I can correct…or change…or add. In the meantime, I’m also working on my young adult novel. And of course, I’m always journaling. 

I’m also planning on which writer’s conference(s) I want to attend this year – one for certain I’m already signing up for, and the other I’m still thinking about since it’s a 4-day commitment. Whether I attend just one or both, I look forward to the continued learning opportunity and meeting other like-minded individuals.

Less clutter – I spent a couple of weekends going through closets and drawers and boxes until I finally had enough items to stuff my SUV and then I donated everything. The amount of clothes and household items we were able to donate was incredible. We just don’t need that much stuff! I’m still working on clearing out some other areas and items, as time permits, and I’m hopeful by the end of the year I will finally feel free from the clutter. 

Reflection – I’ve been doing a lot of this lately…and it’s still a work in progress. I don’t know what answers I’m looking for, but eventually I believe some changes will be necessary and for someone who isn’t terribly great with change, this can be a scary concept but I’m working myself up to appreciate it can also be exciting.  

Be present, find beauty, create – I took part in a photo challenge during the month of April, and I really enjoyed finding different ways to take photographs to show my point of view or my interpretation of what it was we were supposed to be sharing with others. 

Because I really enjoy monthly challenges, I’ve signed up to begin a new challenge tomorrow – it’s a routine & habits challenge. I’m interested to see what I might learn about my habits, or about myself.  If the challenge proves to be useful, I’ll share what I learned.

Travel, adventure, family – I recently took a trip to Vegas and had a terrific time with my family; I’m now planning and looking forward to my next travel adventure. If I’m going to spend money on anything, besides books, I’d much rather spend it making memories with my loved ones, instead of buying stuff to add to the clutter.

Movement, strength – I enjoy Yoga, cardio and other attempts to stay active, and I’m still really enjoying my new Fitbit, as it continues to remind me to move my butt every hour throughout the day, which is so very helpful when my day job has me sitting more than I’d prefer. And there it goes…I just received my notification that I need to get up and move to reach my step count…

...I took a quick walk to reach my goal.  It’s always nice to be rewarded when I reach my step count – the little dancing person icon on my Fitbit is cute – it would be fun if I had a similar little writer icon who could jump with happiness while throwing pages in the air when I reach my word count.

Now that’s an idea…  J

The past few months have been encouraging as I continue to work on my intentions, and besides giving me a sense of accomplishment, I enjoy moving into a new month with a renewed interest in upcoming expectations.

Hello May…let’s do this!

Which gadgets bring enjoyment to your day?

There’s much to be said these days about taking time away from the computer, the cell phone, the television…anything that tends to keep you inactive for too long, or which limits your ability to really be aware of your surroundings, or live in the moment of what’s actually going on around you.

Courtesy of Death to Stock photo

I’ve written before about the need to unplug in order to recharge – a funny sort of contradictory statement, but I think many these days would have to agree it’s a good thing to do every now and then.

But lately I’ve been having some fun, not with the normal sort of electronics that might cause an increase in pounds and therefore, tighter jeans, but instead other sorts of gadgets which should help do the opposite.

First, music has always been part of my day. I listen to it on my way to my day job, I listen to it while at the office and again on the drive home. I have specific tastes when it comes to music, but any playlist I put together will tend to have more upbeat songs and I generally care more about the beat than who is doing the singing. If I don’t find myself rocking back and forth, drumming my fingers or tapping my foot, I’m on to the next song. However, I don’t really enjoy upbeat songs where the artist is basically repeating themselves, with a few other words thrown in for good measure. And unless I’m in a particularly bad mood and just want the company of sadness, I tend to skip, or tune out, slow or sad songs; although they will win my favor if they actually have a good beat. In fact, I’m listening to a good one right now…The Other Side by David Gray.

I’ve been using a music app on my phone and I enjoy the large number of songs and types of music at my fingertips. My favorite gadget lately has not only been my cell phone and the music app, but also my new JBL portable speaker. It was a gift for Christmas and it’s one of my favorites. Although I’m still not able to listen to music while I work on my novels, I’ve found that I am able to blog, journal and free write while listening to music. I don’t know that I’ll ever be able to listen to music while working on a novel. It might sound odd, but I’m a bit tentative about using music when I write, as I don’t want the music to have any influence on any emotions on the page. What if a sad song comes on when I’m trying to write about something funny, or what if an upbeat song plays while I’m trying to write something serious? I also don’t want to be distracted by having to skip a song to find a song that might put me in the right “mood.” 

While the cell phone is often the enemy when you’re told to unplug, I’ve used it to focus less on negative social media and more on what helps keep me focused on my intentions. When I made my New Year’s intentions, I wanted to focus on writing, health, self-care, rest/relaxation and family/fun.  Music is fun, it can be relaxing, it can make you happy and it can make you move. 

Not so long ago, I almost gave up on the idea of using a smart phone. I thought I’d just stick with a basic phone and leave it at calls and texting. Now…I don’t think I’d ever want to give up my Android. I found another fun use for it, and that’s to keep tabs on another new gadget I’ve decided to try out: a Fitbit. While the Fitbit seems a bit bulky for my wrist, I’m enjoying this latest purchase a lot. When my New Year’s intentions included walking/moving more, drinking more water, sleeping better, being more mindful of what I eat, and making time for regular meditation/breathing exercises, this little gadget helps me keep tabs on all those intentions, plus some. When I’m writing, I can sit at my computer for hours…without realizing how much time has gone by and without realizing that the only part of my body that’s moved much are my fingers while I type and my eyelids when I blink (and my arm when I take a sip of my coffee). I enjoy the fact that my Fitbit reminds me every hour to get up and move so that I can reach my step count. It shows me how well, or how awful, I’ve been sleeping so that I can possibly begin to make some adjustments. I can easily keep track of my water intake. I like being able to see a comparison day to day on how active I’ve been, what goals I’ve reached and I’ve never been more aware of my heart rate in my whole life. It really is quite a fun little gadget.

I’m getting no kickbacks for talking about these devices I’m using. I just wanted to share because for me, the gadgets that bring enjoyment to my day also give me in return something that makes me happy (music) and which focuses on something important (my health). Regardless of the fact that these items might need to use an outlet at some point, I can’t take away the benefits they provide to me. 

Now, if I only I can find a gadget that will help me write faster!

    

February: short-term month, long-term gain

This has been a busy month, and for a short month it’s been stocked full. The day job has been very busy, I’ve stayed on track with writing so that I’ve passed my minimum monthly word count even though I’ve had to deal with chronic back pain and more chiropractic visits than I would use in a whole year, there’s been extra time spent with family, and a couple of visits to the vet to learn that the mass the vet felt in Piper’s neck wasn’t a tumor, but actually a toy she had swallowed. 

Yeah, that turned out to be an expensive toy. But Piper’s now doing great, and in the end, that’s what matters most.

For the month of February when I check off my list of mindful intentions, I’m doing pretty well, even if my attempts at exercise have been limited due to having to take it easy because of my back. 

But what I’m really pleased with is the writing…I’m at a place now where I haven’t been in a long time: I’m at the end of a book, tying up the mysteries, getting to the last page of the story where “the end” is appropriate to type in.

It is a feeling I’ve had before with each prior book, but with each book it’s also a bit different.  Either way, it is an emotional ride when you know you’re nearing completion of such a large project and an intense feeling of satisfaction when you know you have finally completed your first draft. 

With each book I write, I learn something: I learn more about the craft, more about the process, and also more about myself. Because it has been awhile since I’ve been able to say that a first draft is about to be complete, I thought I’d go back through old blog posts to review how I felt when my prior first drafts were completed. 

Once the first draft of my first novel, No Mother of Mine, was ready for editing in 2012, I was only just beginning to learn what was involved with the process when it comes to reviewing and editing. The very first book, obviously, is not an experience that will ever be matched again; at least as it relates to the extreme surreal feeling when you can acknowledge you’ve just written an actual novel. By the time I completed the first draft of my second novel, Best Kept Secrets, in 2013, I was more aware of what was ahead of me before the book could be published, but I now laugh at myself when I read over that blog post for predicting that at some point in my future the process of editing would get easier. 

I’m not sure that will ever be true. The first draft of any novel is a wild animal to be tamed, and it should not be mistaken for as an easy task.

Something else I wrote in the post about my second novel, but which I caught myself nodding my head to in agreement as I was reading it, was this:

During the editing process, we come to the intersection of Creation and Control…which is what it takes to make sure the story is complete, the words make sense, the characters aren’t flat and the plot twists and turns enough to give readers true delight.

I like how I described the editing process in that way, and it’s something I’ll have to remember each time I’m in the middle of reviewing any draft of a novel.

The last time I completed a first draft of a novel, not counting the short story I published in 2015, was Ties That Bind towards the end of 2014. For the third novel in the series, I brought in someone new to assist with the editing and as each phase for each novel has taught me something new about the process, so did my new editor. And with the new editor came a new appreciation for the editing process.

It’s been a long time coming, so it feels good to begin the editing process again.  It’s also a great feeling to know that I’m moving forward – working on that momentum I’ve focused on for this New Year.    

Gimme a break…

When you hear the phrase, gimme a break, it may bring a few things to mind: the memory of an old sitcom, a television commercial about a candy bar, or that instant reaction you have when something just doesn’t go your way.

Or, maybe you just really need a break.

My response to that phrase is mostly the fourth option – you know what I mean? When you feel as if you need a time out - for a whole day or even a whole week - so you can just figure out how to get caught up on everything?

I wrote, recently, about staying focused when it comes to finding a way to reach our goals.  Specifically for me, the goals I’m usually writing about involve…well, writing and my continued journey as a published author. And I also recently wrote about what I did to help myself when it comes to writing so that I can do better about staying on task weekly, monthly and even yearly. But when it comes to other areas in my life: work, home, family, when I can go on vacation again, those too involve goals that require some focus so I don’t get lost in the sea of to-do lists.

But how do we find the time, energy and ability to focus well in all areas and also reach specific goals when it comes to each area?

That is the question of the day.

My focus for the past few months has had to continuously shift from many important areas: the needs of my high school senior who will soon graduate before moving on to college; the needs of a family member who I am assisting as she battles a life-threatening illness; and the demands of a job where hands on deck have been slim and duties far outweigh the available hours in the day. This is in addition to keeping up with a writing schedule, taking care of my family, the house and myself; while making day-to-day decisions we always hope will keep us healthy, wealthy and wise. 

Time management has been an on-going issue ever since I took on a full time job right about the time I also first became a published author, and I will always try to learn new tricks and tips that might offer some benefits. Even going back to some old posts I wrote myself has been helpful…and in reviewing those about time management I came across this one about being productive versus just being busy. Part of that post involved ideas on how to stay on task, including making lists to stay on track. Anyone who knows me knows I love to make lists.  So what I decided to do was to use that idea to begin making lists of the “have to’s” and “want to’s” in my daily life, involving, writing, health, home, and family. Oddly enough, the lists aren’t huge. Some items are obvious and easily managed on a daily basis out of routine while others I could easily accomplish after a little more time in order to form a habit.

However, one list in particular has really grown…and that would be my projects under a “want to” list. 

When I wrote recently about decluttering, I started out with the intention of cleaning each room and removing/getting rid of items I no longer need or want.  But since I started the process, the act has brought on a revelation for me that I’m sure I knew, but just never really saw until I made “the list.” And it was pretty much a ‘gimme a break’ moment. The revelation is that I have so many unfinished projects, with some that began many years ago and I may have kept up with them for quite some time, but I haven’t been able to find the time to stay on course or actually complete them.  Examples include: a scrapbook from our last road trip, organizing photos for the past four years, finishing a quilt out of completed cross stitched patterns, painting a few more ceramic houses to add to my Christmas village, completing a scrapbook for my writing projects and so on, and so on. 

Actually, I could find the time to complete one or two projects, but when there are too many to choose from, it becomes much more difficult to choose wisely from the list while finding time out of the few precious moments of every day. 

This is where my need for a break came in…but taking a day off from life won’t help me shrink that project list without causing me anxiety in other areas of my life, especially since it’ll take more than a day or two. My next task is to narrow down that project list to what I really want to complete, and what I can actually do without completing. Then I’ll pick a project based on its importance, begin from there, and once I finish with one, I’ll move on to the next. Some may take only a day or two while others may take a few weeks since items on my “have to” and other “want to” lists will always come first. 

While this project of putting together a task list to complete these projects wouldn’t be called taking a break, it will eventually give me more time to manage what’s important if I’m able to prioritize tasks, make sense of what’s essential, and recognize what can wait, or what doesn’t need to be done at all.  

The result of this project as a whole should give me the ultimate prize…some extra time to take more breaks and eventually I’ll also be clearing the clutter.  

I hope you also find some extra time to call your own – have a great week!

Focus…one simple word but not always an easy task

I’ve tasked myself with learning something new about writing, blogging or marketing every month.  Whether it’s with articles, on-line or in-person classes, books or video tutorials, I want to continue learning when it comes to writing, blogging about my writing journey, publishing and marketing my work.

The trick, of course, is figuring out how to write, while regularly learning more about writing so that I continue to polish my craft, how to market what I write, while also learning more about marketing, as I also continue to blog about writing, publishing and marketing, all while running a household and working a full-time job.

Yeah, it makes me tired just reading that paragraph too.

But it can be done.  We just have to focus on our goals and figure out what will get us to where it is we want to finally be. 

Ever heard the saying, “Do what you Love, Love what you do?” In a perfect world, we’d all be happy doing what we love.  Even if we’re not quite to that point, we can certainly strive for that result.  It just takes actual focus to get there.  Whether or not we love what we do, we do what we have to in order to pay the bills, keep the cars and house, put our kids through college, or go on nice vacations.  However, while focusing on what we have to do, we can also make every effort to reach certain goals so that eventually we can do what it is we love to do.  Sometimes, it takes doing both at the same time for awhile, before we can finally peel away the layers of what we have to do, until we can finally focus on what we love to do. 

But the key to this, in order to reach the goals we hope to achieve, is to remain focused.  It’s easy enough for me to say I want to be the next great writer, having sold enough books to live happily ever after, never having to work for anyone else and never having to worry about money again.  Projected in that way, it’s really not an easy dream to achieve.  In fact, it will remain just that…a dream. 

There is the saying, “Shoot for the moon.  Even if you miss you’ll land among the stars.”  It’s a great saying, really.  It’s never wrong to aim high.  To expect the most out of your adventures.  But will you be happy if you don’t make it to the moon and only land among the stars?  That’s what you have to be prepared for – only the lucky few make it to the moon.  

Keeping our focus is still the key even if the end result is only to land among the stars.  Saying, “I want…” and expecting to achieve whatever is in our dream of dreams is never enough, especially if we don’t do the work or make a focused plan to get there.  Those who achieve their goals make a plan and then narrow down that plan into bits and pieces that are relevant, easy to fit into their everyday life and which are stepping stones to help get to the next step, and then the next, until they are that much closer to landing among the stars, or if they are the lucky few, to landing on the bright and wonderful moon.

As easy as it is to say that focus is a necessary approach in order to reach our most desired goals, it is admittedly not always an easy task.  Life is distracting and sometimes we get off course.  Sometimes our goals are very broad, and it may be difficult to break up and identify the necessary tasks and stepping stones that will help us reach them.  Sometimes, we know what we want, but we just can’t quite figure out how to get there.  Whatever the obstacle, the only way to map a course to our destination is to make a solid plan, give ourselves tasks to help us reach each stepping stone towards the large goal, keep in mind that nothing ever happens overnight, and most importantly, continue to remain focused.

There’s a learning curve when it comes to staying focused and not losing our ground as we work towards our goals.  But those who figure out how to stay on task, by keeping their focus, or who figure out how to get back on track even if they get knocked off course at some point, will be those who land among the stars or, in their dream of dreams, possibly even make it to the moon. 

So stay on course and have a great week!

Silent night, silent writer, silent blog

Toots, my little writing buddy,
looking real cute in his Santa hat

The month of December has been a quiet month here on my blog. I’ve been a little distracted and very busy with work, family and other matters. You know how it goes this time of year. With a busy work schedule, family gatherings, shopping for gifts, holiday parties, and other events such as tree lightings, holiday bazaars, birthday parties, etc…there’s very little free time to be had this last month of the year. 

I have no particular reason to post now; I just wanted to say hello and happy holidays to those who are also busy this time of year. 

If you’ve been wondering what I’ve been up to since I released my last title, the above is it. Writing has taken a back burner this month; even so, other writing projects have not. As I prepare to dive back into some serious writing after the holidays, I have continued to work on some projects to help me be better prepared for what I anticipate will be a consistent writing schedule. I want to seriously move towards a publication date for the next Jorja Matthews book and also continue to work on my young adult novel. 

I’m sure you’re busy; too busy to read long blog posts so I’m keeping this one short. Instead, I thought I’d share some photos from some of my excursions this month when I’ve been out and about…

This is Thompson's in Tumwater, a beautiful place to just stroll around and gawk, and where there's much to choose from when it comes to holiday decorations and gifts.

A Home Goods opened up a new store in Olympia so I had to check it out...found these televisions with miniature moving scenes. I adore miniatures, but I quickly decided not to add them to my Christmas decor when I saw the price.

However, I wasn't able to move way from this little guy so quickly...he was too cute to pass up and the price was just right.  He found himself a nice home on my wall in my office.

One of many holiday bazaars on the calendar this time of year; this was part of the Victorian Country Christmas at the Puyallup fair grounds.

These were a real find.  You'll only find the humor in these "pee here" rocks if you also live with boys/men...

A tree all lit up at Zoolights in Tacoma.  I can now say I saw Zoolights but will likely never go back. I enjoy Fantasy Lights in Spanaway much more.

So that's my little holiday collage...I hope you are also taking time to visit the sights and enjoy yourself.  Take care and happy holidays!

When your life feels like a Lifetime movie

I like Lifetime movies…some of them anyway, so don’t get me wrong.  But lately, what I and my family have been going through the past few months has been so surreal, I sometimes feel like I’m watching or taking part in a Lifetime movie.

And I guess I'm still waiting for the happy ending.

I ended up taking a long break from writing for about ten days this month, from the 15th through yesterday.  Now, my reasons are all pretty solid…I’m working the day job, took part in an on-line writing conference from the 15th through the 17th, and spent my birthday weekend combing the beach, visiting seaside towns, attending a wedding, hanging out with friends and taking a chance on long shots at the horse races.  While I did my best to push down the guilt of not getting in my word count, my birthday weekend was some much-needed time away and I enjoyed every minute of it.

This past week I could have easily made up for the days I missed writing except that an event occurred which nothing in the world would keep me from missing.  I’ve shared very little about the incident surrounding my dad’s death and I don’t know if there ever will be a time when that subject is something I’ll feel I can freely speak about.  It’s just too raw and too emotional to share right now, as the loss of my dad has affected me and my family in ways I still can’t comprehend.  But this past week we were finally able to close one more door in our attempt at moving towards healing and while nothing will ever bring my dad back, I feel a little better knowing the person responsible for his death will not be able to heave another family into such a tragic set of circumstances.

Sometimes the difficulties we face in life do leave us feeling as if we’re stranded in some Lifetime movie.  The way of getting through the tough times is to take care of ourselves and try to find time to focus on what might give us rest or raise our spirits, if even for a little while. 

And sometimes, that’s difficult to do. 

You can freeze a movie on television to take a snack break but it’s certainly more difficult to freeze life if what you need is time to catch your breath.  The trick for me that I’m still learning is not to be so hard on myself when I have to make a choice that results in both a positive and a negative.  During my birthday weekend, I had to choose between giving myself that much needed time to catch my breath or spend the weekend at home writing to reach my word count.  I knew that the weekend away would screw up my word count, especially when the following week would involve even more pressing family matters.  However, while I love to write and I’m doing my best to focus on my goals, I also know that setting aside time to unwind is good for the soul and is especially important during the most difficult of times.   

Until yesterday, I honestly hadn’t realized that I spent so little time writing during those ten days but due to everything else I had going on, my writing (except for journaling) had to take a back seat.  Even if I had made a small attempt at writing during this past week, I just didn’t have the emotional energy to focus on anything other than the case surrounding my dad’s death.  The fact that Camp NaNo is continuing with or without me and will end only four days from today meant that when I finally got back to my novel yesterday morning, I was a little disappointed in myself for getting so behind in my word count.  But then, writers tend to easily disappoint themselves, even if everyone else continues to believe what they do is amazing.

So what did I do? 

I broke out of the fog I’d been in for over a week, dusted off my keyboard and read over the last chapter in my novel.  This novel has been enjoyable to write so it didn’t take long for me to get back into the story and for the characters to get back into my head.  Then I began to write…and I continued to write all afternoon and into the early evening.  I took a break here and there but by the end of the day, I’d added over 5,300 words to my novel and if it weren’t for the pain I was beginning to feel in my back and shoulder blades, I could have added more.  What I accomplished yesterday doesn’t make up for 10 days of big fat zeroes, but it’s a good effort and leaves me a manageable word count requirement for the next few days.

In addition, the results from yesterday remind me that time spent replenishing my soul also feeds the source of my creativity and ultimately, gives me the focus and energy I need to take on even the toughest tasks.  Right now, my toughest task is to complete Camp NaNo with the word count I committed myself to…so I guess it’s time to get back to it!