My Favorite Year by Margo Hoornstra

My favorite year? That's easy. The one I happen to be in.

Not that other years in my life didn't qualify as favorites. The year I graduated from high school then college, got my first real job, got married, gave birth to four children - including two at one time. The year I retired from my day job to write full time. The year my first book was published. Each year as subsequent books of mine came out. The years each of my grandchildren was born. All those many years have had their moments, good and bad. If I really thought long and hard, all of them could probably have their own events to earn them favorite status.

That still doesn't make those in the past any better than those in my present, and my future.

Recently, I had a minor health scare. Something which turned out to be a non-issue, but had me concerned, no terrified, just having to think about it for a couple of weeks. Frittering some time away on line, trying not to think about it, I came upon a horoscope which seemed to be written just for me. Why does it seem so much easier for you to believe that something bad can happen, but so much more difficult to trust in your good fortune?

That's one of my failings I'm trying desperately to turn around. I tend toward the catastrophic, bad catastrophic in most of my what if thinking. The trait serves me well as an author seeking to put this character and that into situations it seems impossible they'll ever get out of. In real life, thinking the worst all the time isn't the best way to go.

You've heard the saying, You are what you eat. In the thought process, Your beliefs and ideas become your life. If you think positive thoughts, you'll enjoy positive results, right?

My favorite year, right now, is 2014. As the years unfold in my future, each one I'm sure, will have the potential to become my favorite of all as well.

The days I blog here are the 11th and 23rd. For more about me and my writing, please visit me at my WEBSITE

My Favorite Year(s) by Alicia Dean

A list of some of my faves…

1961 – I was born, without which, none of the rest would be possible. I was born in Seminole, Oklahoma on July 1st, the same day and year as Princess Diana.

1972 – One of the best and worst years of my young life. We were devastated when we left our home neighborhood in Oklahoma City to move to a small town in Missouri. However, in no time, we were ecstatic. It was a beautiful place out in the country and, while we were city kids, we loved it. The school was fantastic; we made tons of new friends; our neighbors down the road had horses we learned to ride; and we were deliriously happy. After three months, our house burned to the ground. We moved back to Oklahoma City, and were more devastated than we’d been when we had to leave it. We ended up in Moore, where I finished growing up, raised my kids, and met my best friend, with whom I’m still friends after 40 plus years. Isn’t it funny how one thing can completely change a person’s destiny? I always wondered how different my life would be if we’d stayed in Missouri.

1975 – I saw Elvis Presley in concert for the first time.

 

1976 – I saw him in concert for the second time.

1977 – I saw him in concert for the third and final time. :(

1983 – My beautiful, smart, daughter, Lana Nicole was born.

 

 

1986 – My cute, precious, funny daughter, Lacey Jewel was born.

 

 

1992 – My adorable, funny, smart son, Presley Wayne was born (Yes, we named him after Elvis and John Wayne)

(Lana is funny, too, but she got ‘beautiful’ so the other two got funny. Of course, they were beautiful too, but…you know…)

 

 

2007 – My first novel was published with Wild Rose Press and I saw a lifetime dream fulfilled.

 

There were tons of good years mixed in amongst these, and some pretty bad ones, but mainly, there were bad things that happened in good years. But all of the experiences, bad and good, brought me to where I am today, which is a pretty great place.

And who knows what else is in store for me? Maybe the best year is yet to come. Although, I’m not sure how anything can top having my children—short of becoming young and gorgeous and hooking up with Ian Somerhalder.

 

(Okay, I guess it wouldn't be better than when I had my children, but that was a long time ago, and just LOOK at him...)

Fortunately, the fulfillment of my writing dream didn’t end with that first book in 2007, and I get (almost) as excited with each new release. I’m so thrilled to share my beautiful cover for my upcoming short story, releasing January 7, 2015 (the day before Elvis’ 80th birthday), from the Wild Rose Press.

 

Blurb:

All Toby Lawson wants is to go to college to become a teacher and to be free of her alcoholic mother and some painful memories. But when her mother nearly burns the house down, Toby must put her dreams on hold and return home to care for her. The only time she isn’t lonely and miserable is when she’s listening to her heartthrob, Elvis Presley. His music takes her away and helps her escape from everything wrong in her life. 

 

Noah Rivers has always loved Toby, but no matter what he says, she can‘t get past the fact that her drunken mother once kissed him. He soon realizes the true problem lies in Toby’s belief she’s not good enough for him and in her fear she will be just like her mother. 

 

What will it take to prove to her that she deserves to be happy, and that he would give anything to be the man to make her dreams come true?

Excerpt: 

“Who kisses better? Me or my mother?”

Noah blinked as if not sure what he’d heard. Then, a hard look came into his eyes, and he set her from him with a not-so-gentle shove. “What the…? I should just leave your ass right here. It would serve you right.”

Toby ran her nail along his cheek. “Ah, come on, Noah. You wouldn’t do that to me, would you? How about you and I go somewhere private and finish what we never did at Make Out Point? We’re grownups now. No reason to hold off.”

He raked a hand through his hair and shook his head. “Good God, Toby, what’s gotten into you?”

“What’s the matter?” Unexpectedly, a sob rose to her chest. She suddenly wasn’t happy anymore. She was deeply, thoroughly sad. “I thought men liked tramps.”

His expression softened, and he gave her a tender smile. “You’re not a tramp, Toby. For God’s sake, your mother really did a number on you.” A dark look crossed his face.  “And that bastard, Wes… I wanted to kill him when I found out what he tried to do to you. Don’t let a scumbag like that make you feel bad about yourself. Other people might hold your mother’s reputation against you, but not me. I know the real you.”

 

Easy for him to say, but he didn’t walk in her shoes, didn’t suffer the ridicule, the shame of being Constance Lawson’s daughter.

She sighed and lifted a hand to brush the hair out of her face. His rejection might sting tomorrow, once she sobered up, but for now, she was spent. She just wanted to crawl into bed and pull the covers over her head. Sleep for a week.

“Please take me home,” she whispered.

 

 

 

My Favorite Year by Diane Burton

What a difficult choice. Okay, 2007 and 2010, the years my grandchildren were born. I can’t just choose one over the other. No, wait. 1998, the year my daughter got married. No, it has to be 1972, the year I married my sweetheart who gave me the children, who gave me the grandchildren.

While each year mentioned above are great milestones, I really think 2014 is my favorite year. Not because my son is getting married this summer (although that does have a lot of merit). This has to be my favorite year because, even though I had health issues, I’m still here to enjoy it. As we get older, we tend to view each year as a blessing. Not to get religious or even too sentimental, I’m grateful that I can enjoy my grandchildren, my children and their spouses, and especially my husband.

I’m having a blast doing what I love—writing books. How many times do we get to do what we love? I’m not making a ton of money. LOL Enough to validate my efforts. I sure haven’t hit any bestseller lists. While that would be nice (and I sure wouldn’t turn down the money), those aren’t my goals. I’m getting my stories out there for others to read. 2014 may very well be the year I publish three books. (Crossing my fingers, which makes typing a challenge.)

Even more fun is writing stories with my grandchildren. They have such fantastic imaginations. This summer will be great as they visit more often and we play or bake cookies or write more stories. And when my son comes to Michigan to get married to a truly wonderful young woman, it will make 2014 better.