Blog Posts Update

Are you caught up with my most recent news? 

In case you've missed my August blog posts on my website (which you can visit here), here's what I've shared:

MY 2020 READING HABITS AND BOOKS LIST

How has your reading been during the strangest year we've likely ever experienced? Here's what I've been reading, as well as my list of expected reads for the remainder of the year. Books are the best escape, especially during trying times! 

Continue reading here...

NEXT RELEASE COMING SOON!

In case you haven't heard, I finally completed a YA novel I've been working on for quite a few years. Here I share some thoughts, as well as the website I've dedicated to the YA novel. It's where I'll share news and updates, chapter samples and background relating to the story and my research while I was writing the book.  

Continue reading here...

YA NOVEL RELEASE WEEK!

No matter the genre, it's always exciting when I get to share that I've published another book. Here I share the news, as well as links on where the YA novel can be found for purchase.

Continue reading here...

I'll continue to update my blog feed on my website, but don't forget, you can also sign up for my newsletter for post updates and other news.

Blog posts update

Did you miss it on the blog?

Here's a round up of some of the posts I've shared on my new website and blog (which you can visits here) in case you've missed them:

BI-YEARLY CHECK-IN: WRITING VS. JOURNALING  

I've discovered the messiness of life and my muse don't co-exist all that well, so on those days when my creativity is hindered and I'm unable to write stories, it definitely helps to journal.

This is what I do to release the messiness on my mind so that my creativity agrees to come out and play.

Click here to read further...

PODCAST INTERVIEW...CHECK!

I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Vikki J. Carter as part of her Authors of the Pacific Northwest podcast.

If you've read the Jorja Matthews mystery series, you're aware the protagonist is a bookstore owner and also a private investigator. You may be aware of my background as a P.I. and my writing process, but if you're curious to hear more, you can listen to my author podcast interview because it's now available!

Click here to read further...

QUARTERLY CHECK-IN...AND A CHANGE IN PERSPECTIVE

The first few months of 2020 made my head spin.

Here I discuss how I'm going to take the opportunity to appreciate slowing down, focus on what matters and discover what I can do to be better prepared when life gets busy again, so that I can continue to focus on what will benefit me the most, both personally and professionally.

Click here to read further...

MY #STAYHOME MONOTONY BUSTERS   

There's been so much uncertainty about how to manage a new routine when our lives changed so drastically so quickly.

Here's my take on how I tried to break away from the monotony. I shared this post with the idea that I'd only have to break the monotony for a month...having no idea that our days wouldn't return to normal in just 30 days! However, the ideas I share will continue to be useful now and for however long I'm going to need them during these challenging times.

Click here to read further...

I'll continue to update my blog feed on my website, which you can visit here, and remember you can always find the latest blog posts here.

Until next time...take care and happy reading!

Balancing multiple challenges with positivity – you can do this!

I was at a loss about what to blog about today and at first I thought it was because of a lack of focus and the need to just get outside. Then, I realized it’s possibly because I have too much to think about and I wasn’t sure which subject to focus on.

Jozee, balancing on a stick under water

The reason for too many subjects is that I’ve been balancing a number of challenges lately. The best way for me to work through them is to write about them so I thought I’d share some of the details here.

First, my biggest challenge was the decision to redo all of the covers on the Jorja Matthews mystery series. It’s been on my to-do list for quite some time but my ability to finally figure it out is due, I believe, to another challenge I’ve been taking part in (more on that in a minute). From that point on I was buried with multiple tasks involved with what photos to use on the books published so far, completing a re-edit on Best Kept Secrets, reformatting the paperback interiors of Ties That Bind and Cross My Heart due to margin issues, completing the covers for all of the eBooks, and pulling my hair out when the paperback covers took longer than I would have liked. And, if that weren’t enough, after believing I was finally done, I realized I should have looked at offering the paperbacks in a matte finish instead of the glossy cover that has been the go-to format since that’s what was used when the first novel in the series was originally published. I’m now waiting to receive a proof copy of one of the books in a matte finish to see how it looks and my hope is that I can switch all of the books to that finish. That should be happening this week.

Whew!

If I’d known it was going to be this difficult, would I have dealt with the hassle anyway? Yes, most definitely. This was a change that I’ve wanted to make for quite some time and while I wish I had thought of it a couple of books ago, I can now move on with the series and be happy that they all have a similar look and theme.

So what challenge may have helped me pull the cover idea from my subconscious? I’ll attribute it to finally trying my hand with morning pages. I originally learned about morning pages from a speaker at a conference I attended a year or two ago and after looking into the subject, I purchased The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron, where the idea of morning pages was birthed. Now, I’ll be honest in saying that I bought the book, and I began to read it, and I began morning pages in January 2018 during my first month after leaving the day job. However, I only wrote morning pages sporadically for two months. The next time I made any attempt at morning pages wasn’t until March of this year – a whole year later!

If I knew then what I know now, I would have done better to stick with it. Julia Cameron describes morning pages as three pages of stream-of-consciousness longhand, or a brain dump. I’ve used them as a basic personal brain dump but more often I use them as a creative brain dump. If something personal is really bugging me, I’ll tend to get that out, but what I enjoy using morning pages for is to let out all of my thoughts, questions and concerns about my writing projects, marketing, branding and other topics with the business of writing, the tingles of book or character ideas, and whatever else flows freely from me when I’m in that zone. While I understand how writing about personal frustrations can free a creative to think more on the creative side of things, I’ve found that working through any creative issues in my morning pages has been the best use of them. Case in point: the new cover idea for the series. Also, new story ideas to include in my young adult novel and answers to questions I had about the backstory on my characters in the new series I’m working on. Those are just a few of the bulbs that went off in my head while taking part in morning pages. There have been more when it comes to other areas in my writing and even in my personal life.

I’ll stick with morning pages because they work for me. I may not write every day, and it’s been an uphill climb in completing them on a more regular basis, but forming new habits isn’t easy. While I only wrote morning pages four days in March, I was able to write 11 days in April, 16 days in May and so far for June I’ve written six out of nine days. That’s progress! Therefore, I no longer wish to call the morning pages a “challenge” but instead, part of my creative routine.

Speaking of forming habits, my other challenge involves just that. I’m doing my best to form better habits for a morning routine. I’ve never been a morning person. It’s a simple fact but not an excuse. I can still get a lot done in a day but I tend to begin and end later. I’ve decided I’d like to change that one simple fact about myself. I’d like to enjoy daybreak, have more daylight hours for writing and feel good about using the rest of the day as I see fit before an early bedtime. A while back I bought The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod and was truly optimistic that a book could help me get my butt out of bed earlier. I tried and I failed. But I know now that my attempts were not driven by the right need; my reason “why.” I’ve since changed my mindset, I have my “why” and I’m taking baby steps to form better habits and a regular morning routine (to include morning pages) when I do finally get my butt out of bed. I’m currently using The Morning Sidekick Journal (created by Amir Atighehchi, Ari Banayan & Mikey Ahdoot) and I’ve really enjoyed using this journal. While getting up earlier is still a work in progress, I’m on the 21st day out of 66 and I’m seeing progress. The fact that I enjoy using this journal through my journey is a bonus. While getting out of bed earlier every day is a challenge, forming habits that make my days better and more productive is the bonus I’m striving for and will be well worth it in the end.

On top of all that, I’ve started a new exercise routine. And that is most definitely a challenge! But I enjoy the exercises, many of which include weight lifting and high intensity workouts with varying exercises and so far I’m enjoying them.

Are all these challenges a lot to take one? Not really, since each one helps me with a key area in life: writing, creativity, productivity and health. These are areas I should always invest in and which will benefit me greatly if I continue to focus on them.

What about you? Are you a creative who has tried morning pages? Are you a night owl trying to form an earlier morning routine? Have you tried to form new habits overall and if so, how did it go?

Whether you’re a night owl or an early bird, I hope you have a creative and productive day!

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!

Delete, delete and…delete

I’ve pretty much had it with my inbox. Maybe you feel the same? I believe it’s time to purge again.

It all started before Black Friday —I began to feel beaten down by the extreme number of emails screaming at me from their subject line to take advantage of this or that deal…

Booker will help delete emails
whether I want him to or not!

24 hours only! Delete

Last call! Delete

Deals made just for you! Delete

Save big NOW! Delete

Only a few hours left! Delete

And I’ll end with the one that said “I need to apologize…” in the subject line, but the body of the email informed me that the apology was because I’d have a difficult time making a decision on which deal to choose from. This one upset me because I usually read this blogger’s emails and she roped me in to a Black Friday sales pitch. Delete

There were more. Many more. I’m sure you likely received your fair share.

I enjoy the bloggers, authors and business entrepreneurs I follow who may have used a freebie to gain my email address but who share more of themselves and their experiences while limiting their requests to buy their products or services. Sadly, they have become fewer and far between, with many gaining email addresses only to dump multiple emails daily or weekly with sales pitches and special offers. If you make a purchase, you’re still buried in sales pitches; or worse, some send emails to ask why you’re not taking them up on such a great offer.

I was so tired of seeing multiple emails and requests to buy that I decided not to take part in Black Friday or Cyber Monday in an attempt to make additional sales for my own books. Did I cut off my nose to spite my face? Maybe. But it’s also possible that if I had taken part, my sales offers would have just been lost in the large shuffle of offers already out there. I made the decision to save additional sales pitches or offers until after the holidays. And I feel good about it.

I think that’s enough time spent on my rant, and rather than end this post on a negative tone, I thought I’d share with you a few of the women who I still enjoy seeing pop up in my inbox:

Susannah Conway @ https://www.susannahconway.com – Susannah is an “author, photographer and teacher who’s been sharing her heart online for over a decade.” I’ve been following Susannah for a couple of years and I enjoy receiving her newsletters, which she calls love letters. She is full of heart and soul, is extremely honest with some of the ups and downs in life, shares classes you can take part in with her and also shares free journaling and photography challenges. My favorite freebie from Susannah is the Unravel Your Year workbook she sends out at the end of each year, which I recently received and can’t wait to work on so that I can compare it to the workbook I completed last year.

Naomi Bulger @ https://www.naomiloves.com - Naomi is a “writer, illustrator…on a path to live a life with more simplicity, greater creativity and deliberate kindness.” She shares thoughts about letter-writing, parenting, creative work and life, and slow living and her mission is to help busy women explore their creativity, share their stories and find their tribe. Her newsletters are thoughtful and sincere and include fun mail art templates you can color if you’re so inclined to use them for snail mail. Or have fun with them just because you like to color. J

Allie @ https://www.thejourneyjunkie.com – Allie is a “body-mind-soul advocate and personal home yoga teacher.” She offers classes, challenges, journal prompts, yoga videos and more. I’ve been learning about and practicing yoga for over two years and it is a constant WIP, as with any exercise routine, and there are high and low points with feelings of success, setbacks and self-doubt. I appreciate and am inspired by Allie’s honesty and no-BS-attitude when it comes to how she deals with her own highs and lows while keeping up with her own practice and running her business.

Beth Kempton @ https://bethkempton.com/about and who is also the Founder of Do What You Love @ https://dowhatyouloveforlife.com/blog. Beth is an author, speaker, traveler and entrepreneur and her mission is to show you how to direct your own life, choose your path and manifest happiness. I enjoy her newsletters complete with her thoughts, updates and inspirational and helpful life and business tips. For the past two years I’ve enjoyed receiving the Do What You Love New Year’s Revolution kit, which is a calendar and workbook to help with accountability and commitments. I’m hopeful this kit will be offered again for 2019 because it’s visually appealing and I’ve been using it in my project binder to help me stay on task with my monthly goals.

These women have something to share, and something to sell, but they continue to hold my trust by continuously holding a conversation rather than expecting constant commerce between parties. Their emails and newsletters are an example of what I look forward to spying in my inbox between all the emails I delete. They have done what others have not; made me feel as if I’m receiving an email from a friend.

And that’s a job well done.

How about you? Do you receive newsletters from someone who inspires you or offers helpful information? If so, I’d love to hear about them.

The dog days of summer

Jozee is people watching

As I prepared to write this post, I was actually startled to look at the date and realize August is almost half over. It seemed like yesterday when I shared a photo on Instagram about the hay bales in the field and how that usually marks the end of the beginning of summer for me. Suddenly, it’s been almost two weeks since then and now we’re really not that far away from entering the next season.

It happens every time; the rapid end of summer, but it surprises me each time, nonetheless.

This summer has been a hot one, with temps in the 90’s more often than we’re use to in the PNW, and apparently with more on the way. Today I’m enjoying the fact that I can work comfortably in my office with temps in the low 70’s after a huge amount of rain yesterday. The rain was certainly a welcome sight considering how dry everything has been and the constant threat of fire in too many areas at this point.

Happy Dog graduate

This summer has also been a busy one, especially since my last post, with family gatherings, small-town festivals, and multiple visits to the beach and various parks around our state in order to get out more to explore with Jozee. I love taking her on walks and hikes and we meet so many nice people who are also dog lovers. Jozee was also in her first training class this summer and she graduated the end of July after having a great time proving she’s a bright pup. I’m a little biased, of course, but I guess you can’t blame me. J

But summer hasn’t kept me away from working on my writing…

In fact, I just completed another book that will soon be published. I’m excited and nervous about this publication, because it’s personal, it’s non-fiction, and its purpose is to be motivational. When authors talk about dealing with imposter syndrome, I really hadn’t understood it, until now. Until now I’ve been writing fiction and I just haven’t been inclined to believe there’s any reason why I shouldn’t be writing and sharing my stories. I always hope readers will enjoy my books but I know not to take it personally if they don’t. However, now that I’ve ventured into the world of non-fiction, and with a book that’s so personal, I believe I can finally understand. While the book expresses my own thoughts, which is enough to make anyone nervous, what I’m anxious about is whether readers will accept and understand what I’m sharing due to my underlying need to fulfill my desire to inspire others. And beyond that, whether they’ll believe I’m equipped with the experience to inspire them.

As with all things, only time will tell.

So whether I sweat from the high summer temps during the remainder of our dog days of summer, or from nervousness as I wait for feedback and reviews, I’ll hope for the best and continue moving forward. The most recently completed book is in the final stages and if all goes according to plan, it should be available by the end of August. I’ll definitely share the news and the links once it’s available. In the meantime, I’m back to working on the next book in my series, as well as a young adult novel I’ve been working on, so it’s back to the fictional world full time for me. And I’m okay with that.

I’ll share a post when the next book is available so until then, enjoy the remainder of your summer, stay safe and stay cool!

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.

Practice Makes Perfect

I don’t believe “perfect” is the correct word…because I’ll never assume to be perfect, but practice does make us better. Case in point, author events where I’m not just showing up to meet readers and sign books, but to stand in front of a group to discuss my writing and publishing process and my journey as an author so far.

I attended this type of event last weekend, and I had such a good time. I enjoy meeting people who genuinely take pleasure in reading my books; again, it’s the surreal part of this process, the fact that others appreciate and enjoy the stories I come up with. But with practice, I’ve also learned to enjoy talking about my writing journey and my stories, so that I’m able to feel more confident in myself when speaking in front of a group.

Flashback to high school, when I had to take the most dreaded class of all: speech.  I wasn’t alone; I can’t remember knowing even a handful of other students who actually liked the class and what it required from us. It’s a necessary (evil) and useful class, I can admit as an adult, but as a teen I was fairly shy when speaking in front of even a small number of people, so the class was torture. Part of it was due to my shyness, while the other part was due to the fact that the subject matters we had to speak about felt forced.

Fast forward quite a few years later, when I was working as a private investigator, I was a member of a legal investigator association and I moved up from member, to board member and eventually to president. For a year in that position I ran almost monthly meetings near Seattle and had to put aside my introvert tendencies to speak in front of the members who attended the meetings and to introduce special guest speakers we lined up for each meeting. While I still had issues with speaking to large groups, this process was a great learning tool for me.

Stepping stones in life prepare us for what’s to come…

Now, I get to attend author events, I’m introduced as the guest speaker and I enjoy myself because I’m able to discuss a subject matter I’m extremely interested in and excited about. I’ve come full circle when I look back at my teenage self and how much I’ve grown when it comes to making speeches in front of large groups. I certainly enjoy myself now and I hope that my excitement about my stories and my writing journey give those who attend an enjoyable experience. I also learn from each event, so that I can make changes as needed to make the next event better, for myself and for those who attend.

But really, my favorite part of these author events goes beyond the preparation, the butterflies I still feel beforehand no matter how confident I think I am, the time I spend talking or the time I spend signing books. My favorite part is meeting new people, finding new readers who are willing to give my books a shot, and having a good time in general with like-minded individuals who just love books. Take a look at some of my older posts, where I offer a few stories: whether I’m attending a book signing, an author event, a book club meeting, or a fair, there’s no end to the interesting people I get to meet.

Meeting interesting people is a key highlight on a long list of highlights when it comes to what’s so wonderful about being a writer. Why would I ever want to do anything else?  J

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.

My desire to inspire has no shelf life

I’ve been sharing blog posts for over six years now…ever since I decided to shed my fears and share with family, friends and the online world that I had a secret desire to write and that I had completed my first novel.

Sharing that news was probably the bravest, and scariest thing I have ever done.

Why? 

Because I was sharing a part of myself that I had kept locked away from everyone for a fairly long time, even my closest family members. Because I wasn’t sure how others would react to my passion to write and become a published author. Because I wanted to share my excitement in what I had accomplished and while I wasn’t in search of validation, I couldn’t deny my apprehension and how I might react should anyone decide to stomp on my dreams.

When my news began to spread, the response from both family and friends was amazing and encouraging. I realize I shouldn’t have expected anything less, but when you open yourself up in a way that makes you vulnerable, it’s going to cause some anxiety. Unless you don’t give a crap what anyone thinks or have the biggest ego of all time, you’re going to hope others will be happy for you and will share your excitement for what you have accomplished.

But what might have happened if I hadn’t received such a positive response to my news?

I would like to think that I would have plugged away, because writing is my passion and because I thoroughly believed in my story and wanted to share it with others.

But there’s also the chance that I might have lost all confidence in my dream and deflated like a balloon, only to go back to writing for myself and never sharing anything again.

I shudder to think of that possibility.

Except it does happen…how many people have a dream they would like to explore, only to be shut down by their closest family members or friends? How many people fear sharing that part of themselves because of that possibility so that they never even try?

I’m sure the number is too high.

When I was working through my reflections for 2017 and my intentions for 2018, there was one area I kept coming back to: it was my desire to inspire. Not only the desire to inspire others, but to constantly inspire myself, as well. Writers have issues, such as being creatively blocked, dealing with procrastination and ignoring their own inner critic. I deal with those issues and work though them the best I can and I’ve learned a lot from other authors who have already been through this process for many years. Based on what I’ve learned, I don’t believe it ever changes, the issues writers face, but knowing what to expect and finding ways to work through the difficult times will keep me inspired and on track.

When I first began this blog, it was my intent to share my writing journey where ever it may lead and my hope was that others would follow because they wanted to see where the journey would take me. But over the course of the past few years, even as I’ve dealt with some of the most difficult times in my life, I discovered that I had another desire. That desire has merged from sharing my thoughts as I continuously inspire myself while I write through the highs and lows of life, to the hope that I inspire others who may be dealing with their own issues while working on making their dreams a reality.

My desire to inspire will be a continued effort for as long as I carry on with writing and sharing my passion. So…

Cultivate your dreams.

Rediscover what boosts your motivation.

Find what energies your inspiration.

Be confident in yourself.

Continue to pursue your passion and be happy.

And have a great week!

January - a great jump-start for 2018

We’re at the end of the first month of this New Year…and you can probably guess from my title that this month has been a good one for me.

First and most exciting is that the 4^th book in my series (Cross My Heart) is complete, as I mentioned in my last post, and it will be available very soon. I’m thrilled beyond words to finally have this book out – it has been a WIP for much too long. So far, the feedback on this story has been very positive and I can’t wait for others to finally read it.

Now that Book #4 can be checked off my list, I’ll work on getting myself out there to attend events to meet readers in person and to share my books with those who don’t yet know about me. And so far, with only a month in, I’m doing pretty well after scheduling two meet the author/book signings…one in March and another in June. It’s a bit of a wait but the upside is it gives me more time to prepare. Either way, it feels great to have two already scheduled.

Since there aren’t any writer’s conferences scheduled until later in the year, I will continue to find other ways to learn from like-minded individuals. For example, I’m currently participating in a week-long summit showcasing multiple speakers including writers, bloggers and business entrepreneurs who are sharing advice on multiple subjects, some of which include time management, marketing, branding and productivity. With a packed schedule on various subjects, I look forward to learning useful tips from others who are willing to share their experiences.

I received my copy of The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron and I began the process of taking part in morning pages three days ago (stream-of-consciousness writing in longhand). I already know there’s an artist in me; so my purpose in trying out this process is to tap deeper into my creativity. It could be interesting to see what I discover and eventually I may share if or how this process helps me.

Completing a novel is one of the most liberating feelings for me as a writer – I really enjoy closing one project and beginning the next. Now I can freely focus on my next projects. And yes, I’m do mean multiple projects when I say that…while I don’t want to overextend myself, I have the time and ability to manage several projects so I will take advantage of that. Even so, the lists of books and other projects I want to complete only continues to expand, so I will use time management and goal setting skills to prioritize and stay on task.

So how am I doing that? While I mentioned using a bullet journal in my last post, that book will be used primarily for my personal life and tasks…with a few pages set aside for writer stuff when a thought hits me if I’m out and about and I need to make a note. Then that note will be transferred to my writing planner where I track all sorts of items: writing projects, ideas and task lists, weekly/monthly/yearly goals, social media ideas and to-do’s, marketing ideas and to-do’s, book events and conference information and anything else writing-related. I use a weekly calendar to track my schedule, daily word count, social media tasks, details relating to phone conferences or e-mails from book event coordinators and my weekly focus.  I also keep track on a larger scale with regard to items I need to complete on a monthly basis.

There is a lot of information to track, which is even more of a reason to stay organized. 

I was both excited and a bit anxious when I finally decided to make a big change this year with regard to my schedule and my desire to live a creative life. January has been a test month for me – but it did not disappoint and I’m thrilled to continue to move forward and especially to begin working on some other projects that have been put on the back burner for too long.

Month one is done – now on to the next. And I will be posting soon when the 4^th book in the series is available for online purchase. 

Have a great day!

End of the year check in – ready for 2018!

Maui sunset - so long 2017!

I’m working on my list of intentions for 2018, while reviewing my list from 2017, and the task immobilized me as I thought to myself…another year gone just like that!  I can only shake my head, amazed that each year seems to go by more quickly than the year before.

So how did I do with my 2017 intentions? 

When I look at the focus of my 2017 list, which included writing, health, self-care, family and fun, it is apparent that health (mine and Piper’s) and self-care almost completely took over my attention.  My back issues made me look much closer at my health so that I focused more on what could help me heal, which has led to improving my core strength and knowledge about what types of movements and also which types of foods can cause me more pain due to inflammation in my spine.  Physical therapy and restorative yoga have been helpful and while I still have my limitations, I am thankful I’m getting better. 

Family and fun ran a close second, with my son returning home from Hawaii, as well as family trips to Disney World in Florida and Universal Studios in California.  In addition, trips to Vegas, the beach, the zoo, Mt. Rainier, and family get-togethers kept our schedules pretty full.  It has definitely been a busy year with visits to a lot of fun places.

Writing and reading are always part of my day, in one form or another, but I did not accomplish nearly what I had hoped for this year.  I was able to complete the fourth book in the series, but wasn’t able to get it published before the end of this year, as I had hoped.  Which means my young adult novel and another book in the mystery series will have to be my main focus next year once the fourth in the series is finally published.  I dislike that I’m behind where I had hoped to be by this time, but one focus for this year was to learn to let go.  It is what it is, and all I can do is let go of any negative thoughts and move forward from here.

And moving forward I will go.

When I made my list of intentions for this past year, I also made a list of words, in addition to writing and reading that came to me when I thought about the upcoming days of 2017.  Now that I look at it, the list was pretty long, but as I review the past year, I see I was able to focus on most of them at least a few times throughout the year.  My monthly check at the end of April touched on strength and movement, less clutter, being present, finding beauty, creating, reflection, family, travel, and adventure.  My bi-yearly check in shared my thoughts on balance, growth, focus, gratitude, being mindful, dreaming, less chaos, being brave and letting go.  October hit on fun and the need to recharge.  I now notice a few I did not write about; one is laughter, but I can guarantee that item is not missing in my life.  However, there are a few others - less stress, more sleep, forgiveness and contentment – that appear to have missed their debut post this year.

Well, forgiveness is a personal journey, and a work in progress, but isn’t something I will likely ever write about here.  The others, though…less stress, more sleep and contentment, are a reflection of how I react or feel based on what is going on with my life.  Now that I’m preparing for the beginning of 2018, I realize that these particular three will come into play this next year given the fact that I have made a decision that will greatly affect my routine and creative life.  I’m going to have more time to focus on my writing, and because I will no longer be stretching myself thin, I expect it will result in my feeling less stressed (because I do get stressed when I have limited time to focus on writing), and more sleep (because I am less stressed), which will lead to contentment with my days as a writer. 

Big changes will result in big expectations for myself but I am excited to move on to a new year with the knowledge that these changes will pave the way so that I can focus on what I am passionate about, and be able to accomplish more as I live a creative life.  I am so ready for the New Year!

Happy New Year and cheers & best wishes as you close out the year and move on to the next!!

 

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!

When social media “speaks” to you

I have a love-hate relationship with social media and I’m likely not alone with my feelings. Over the past several years, as I’ve continued to grow as an author, I’ve read many posts and books about how or why we should use social media in our endeavors as we try to get our name out to readers. 

For me, it’s still a work in progress and since the “rules” and available media tend to change on a regular basis, a WIP it will always be. 

I’ve stuck with Facebook, not because I particularly like it but because it’s what I know. I have continued to use this blog, although I’m still trying to figure out what I’m doing right when some months have a huge spike in interest above others – which means trying to figure out what I’m doing wrong the rest of the time. I have not dabbled with Twitter, at all, because I honestly don’t have the mental energy for it. Pinterest interests me, because I like the concept, but if I ever try it, it will be for my own use to pin what helps me with my stories. And I thoroughly enjoy Instagram, but only personally, as I have yet to become daring enough to use it for my author self.

There are more options, but who the heck has the time to keep up with all of them while also writing and publishing books? Some authors do, I’m aware, but possibly because they have a team of people helping them. It’s too much for just one person to tackle on a regular basis and any attempt to do so will eventually result in major burnout.

When I think about the above options, I realize Instagram is my favorite because it is the only social media I take part in that never irritates me. I enjoy the photos, videos and quotes all shared by those I follow. Other than some new ads that now pop up every so often that I may not be interested in, Instagram has been quick to figure out what I like or don’t like so that even the ads aren’t rubbing me the wrong way. Hopefully, that won’t change.

Facebook, on the other hand, is a different story. And I’m talking about my personal page, not my author page. There’s just too much when it comes to drama, opinion, politics, anger, belittling, negativity and photos or videos shared that I don’t particularly wish to see. The world can be an ugly place and I’m not saying we all need to hide our heads when it comes to what’s going on around us, but FB is all very subjective and I’m tired of using any social media that embodies that ugliness as a whole. Some might say I need new friends, or I should follow more positive pages; but that’s the point…my friends and pages I follow aren’t the issue. Since FB tends to pick and choose what you get to see, I’ve seen more of a trend of the ugly over the inspiring. I guess it’s what FB believes followers like to read.

So I was surprised this morning when I decided to view my FB news feed. After scrolling through a few updates from friends and family, there appeared before me posts with a more positive theme…one after another, again and again, these were the types of messages I was reading:

To be happy let go of what’s gone, be grateful for what remains and 

look forward to what is coming next

Life should not be a journey to the grave… (basically, make it a life worth living)

8 things to remember when going through tough times…

Let it go…

...breathe – don’t quit

Life is beautiful – soak it in and be grateful

Find yourself again

Now, I don’t require a pep talk from FB every day, but it was nice to scroll through my news feed and see these types of positive messages over the more negative ones. I’ll be making some serious changes in my life soon and it was a breath of fresh air – a positive push, even from random feed on social media, can help you feel you’re headed in the right direction. 

Will this change how I use Facebook? I won’t quit my FB timeline, but monitoring the news feed still won’t be a daily habit since I doubt this positive feed trend will continue. My timeline and my Instagram feed are more than enough for me right now. 

So did my social media “speak” to me this morning or was I just on the lookout for what might inspire me and answer some internal questions?  I’m not going to admit to my computer or any social media having that much power over me…instead I’ll chalk it up to pure coincidence.  One of my favorite quotes about a coincidence is:

Coincidence it will be.  J

Happy scrolling – and have a great week!