Thanksgiving at my house by Barbara Edward

Thanksgiving at my house this year.

Most of my family last summer

My husband and I are eating at home. Alone.

As you know, my husband and I have a large family. All our children are married with children of their own. So where are the multiple invitations to various houses? We didn’t get even one this year. 

Don’t get me wrong. I really tried not to be hurt. After all, I knew years ago my daughters-in-law would want to spend holidays with their families and I tried to be understanding. One or the other would say, hey, come over here. We’re having turkey with so-n-so, but there’s room for two more.

I'll admit It made me itch to be the the add-on.

His family? Hey, what can I say? His daughters host his ex-wife and her husband every holiday. And they are uncomfortable with us there. To be honest, I was, too. I gave a sigh of relief we’re not invited, but his feelings are hurt that neither his two sons or two daughters included him.

So we’re planning a festive meal together. Cornish game hens since even a small turkey is too much, brussels sprouts, corn bread, baked potatoes, fresh-made cranberry sauce, cranberry bread, 

We’ll overeat and sleep through the football games.

We’ll take the dog for a walk if its nice. Or snowing.

I’ll Thank God for my family and pray for every good thing to be theirs. I’ll include my husband's family since I do like theI

I’ll exchange smiles with my husband and Thank God that he survived his bladder cancer last winter. 

Happy Thanksgiving to you all.

Take an afternoon and read my Christmas novella to get in the mood.

Dixie’s Gift by Barbara Edwards

Buy Link: https://amzn.com/B017OJGVIY

Ellen Carter deeply grieves for her husband Dan, but at least she still has Dixie, her beloved Malinois. However, soon Dixie leaves her too. But the faithful dog cannot rest easy in heaven while her mistress is unhappy. Dixie pleads with the Archangel Michael to let her send help, and intercedes for Ellen in the only way she can. But will Ellen get the message, and more importantly, will she accept Dixie's gift?

Sexy newcomer Michael Burke can barely take enough time from his successful restaurant for a decent night's sleep, let alone romance. Still, he is intrigued by the beautiful widow and can't resist entering her shop. Sparks fly, and when Ellen has an accident in a snowstorm, he comes to her rescue. Trapped by a blizzard and aided by Dixie's Gift, Ellen and Michael find more than shelter--they find love.

Buy Link: https://amzn.com/B017OJGVIY

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Writing for Harlequin Superromance … by Rachel Brimble

Welcome our friend, Rachel Brimble, to the Roses today with her latest release, SAVED BY THE FIREFIGHTER!

I have been writing romance since 2005, steadily chipping away and learning my craft over the last eleven years. Each book I’ve had published and, each editor I’ve worked with, has taught me something to take forward into the next project. I have had no formal education or tuition for my writing, but have enrolled in many online courses and made lots of invaluable friends who have helped me on my journey.

All the rejections (there have been MANY!), disappointments, frustrations and tears were all made worthwhile during 2012 when my dream of writing for Harlequin came true. I wrote Finding Justice from the heart and of course, hoped and prayed an editor would love it as much as I did. However, nobody could have prepared me for the shock of receiving an email from my agent saying Harlequin loved the book but would I consider some minor revisions?

Would I?? Hot damn, yes! I set to work and made the relevant changes that I immediately understood made the book stronger. These done, I sent them back and three weeks later, I was offered a contract. Woohoo!

By the time I sent Finding Justice out into the big, wide world, the setting of Templeton Cove had become very dear to me and I soon realized I wasn’t ready to let this small fictional UK seaside town belong to just one book. Would Harlequin consider more books set in the same town? There was only one way to find out. I feverishly wrote a sequel and A Man Like Him was accepted by my Harlequin editor six months later.

The cast of characters continues to grow and with each book I write in the series, more and more potential stories evolve from the secondary characters that leap into my imagination. At the end of last year, Harlequin offered me a my second three-book contract, which means Templeton Cove continues to flourish and yesterday I started writing book 8.

I often get asked what the secret is to breaking into Harlequin – my answer? The only aspect I am one hundred percent sure of is the Harlequin brand thrives on emotion, emotion and more emotion! Make sure the reader can feel what’s going on inside every character on every page and I’m pretty confident you’ll hook an editor. Good luck!

Rachel’s latest release is Templeton Cove #6, SAVED BY THE FIREFIGHTER (all books can be read stand-alone) – here is the blurb and buy links:

How can she forgive him for what he didn't do? 

Photographer Izzy Cooper feels as frozen as her pictures. Trent Palmer might be the hottest firefighter in Templeton Cove, but she can never face him again. Not after he failed to save her brother. But when they're forced together by a calendar shoot, the sparks between them are undeniable. 

Izzy knows it's not fair to blame Trent for the tragedy, but opening herself up to loss again isn't something she's prepared to do, no matter how determined Trent is to show her that pain is part of life and that love—their love—can make any suffering bearable.

Buy Links:

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01JFHYGQW

Amazon US: https://amzn.com/B01FQX473Q

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/saved-by-the-firefighter-rachel-brimble/1123750035?ean=9781488006906

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/saved-by-the-firefighter-mills-boon-superromance-templeton-cove-stories-book-6

Bio:

Rachel lives with her husband and two teenage daughters in a small town near Bath in the UK. After having several novels published by small US presses, she secured agent representation in 2011. Since 2013, she has had six books published by Harlequin Superromance (Templeton Cove Stories) and recently signed a contract for two more. She also has four Victorian romances with eKensington/Lyrical Press.

She also recently signed with a UK agent so is represented both sides of the Atlantic.

Rachel is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and Romance Writers of America, and was selected to mentor the Superromance finalist of So You Think You Can Write 2014 contest. When she isn’t writing, you’ll find Rachel with her head in a book or walking the beautiful English countryside with her family. Her dream place to live is Bourton-on-the-Water in South West England.

She likes nothing more than connecting and chatting with her readers and fellow romance writers. Rachel would love to hear from you!

Links:

Website

Blog

Twitter

Facebook

Facebook Street Team - Rachel's Readers

Time Management and How Badly I Suck at It by Alicia Dean

Well, look at me, late again with my post. No surprise there. I'm constantly running in circles, chasing my tail, trying to keep my head above water. And, if three cliches in a row don't tell you how overwhelmed I am, nothing will. :) Here is a brief snapshot of my tasks/duties/life:

I work a full-time outside the home job
I am a writer (or so I think...)
I edit for The Wild Rose Press (and have 20 plus projects currently in my schedule)
I freelance edit
I run an author promo loop, Authors Helping Authors
I coordinate our OKRWA International Digital Awards Contest
I am now webmistress for OKRWA
A multi author newsletter
I try to do some marketing, including a few FB Pages I maintain
I regularly blog

So...yeah, that's all I can think of at the moment. But you know, that's probably plenty. LOL. Of course, that obviously doesn't include social events, family and friends, etc. Guess what gets pushed to the back burner? If you said my own writing, you are correct. I know ways I could make better use of my time; get up two hours earlier than necessary, stop playing around on the internet, stop creating new projects that take up my time, and watch less TV. Also, I bought this book called 5,000 Words per Hour, Write Faster, Write Smarter - I'm not sure if it's truly helpful, I've barely begun reading it, because, well, I don't have the time. :) Here's the link if you want to check it out:

https://www.amazon.com/000-Words-Per-Hour-Smarter-ebook/dp/B00XIQKBT8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1479570374&sr=8-1&keywords=5+000+words+per+hour

I also hired an assistant. She has been through some difficulties lately and hasn't been able to do as much as we'd planned, but I'm sure we'll get on track with that soon.

Other than the things I mentioned, any suggestions for making better use of my time? Do any of you have tricks you use to be more productive? (I feel like I've blogged about this before, but I looked back and didn't see it. Sorry if I'm being repetitive!)

Feeling a Little Panicked by Jannine Gallant

I've never been one to doubt my skill as a writer. Other authors share their angst--feelings of not being good enough, worry that people won't like their books, fear the ideas will run dry, etc. etc. I can empathize but not really relate. I've always been very confident about my craft...or maybe delusional is a better word... But all of a sudden, I'm having self-doubts. I think it's that mass market paperback contract and the advance I have to earn back. I don't have a huge following. Why would a romance reader standing in the aisle of a Barnes and Noble pick my book out of the many familiar authors on display? I'm jittery just thinking about it...and I'm only on my second cup of coffee. Plus, this is a new line of books for Kensington, and I'm one of their guinea pigs, uh, I mean launch authors. So, I don't even have a familiar little emblem on the spine to draw loyal readers.

So, what do I have going for me? What will make that reader reach for my book? The first thought to pop into my head--the cover. My editor tells me they're working on it now, even though the book won't release until 2018. I've shared my ideas for a concept. Who the heck knows what I'll get, but it won't be a half-naked man. This is romantic suspense, and their focus will be on a suspenseful cover. I love scenery covers, but my greatest fear is you MUST HAVE name recognition for scenery covers to work for you. People don't know me from Adam.

Oh, and on the cover note...my editor also told me they need an author photo on the inside back cover. When I mentioned this to my daughter, she stared at me in horror. "Please don't tell me you're going to use the one you have up on Facebook?" So, I made a panicked phone call to get my hair cut (it's been a year and looks like hell) and another to the photographer who took both my daughters' senior pictures. She's pure magic, but I seriously doubt I'm going to look as awesome as my gorgeous, skinny, young girls. No one is that good... Then I stood in my closet for an hour wondering why I own nothing that will make me look like a best selling author...hey, appearances count, right? Anyway, the photographer is squeezing me in later today, so please hope for the best.

Back to my angst...I'm currently writing the last chapter of the first book in my SIREN COVE series. For the first time in, well, EVER, I'm wondering if the book will work. They wanted traditional romantic suspense, and I aim to please. I've got a very dark undertone to the suspense, plus a secondary mystery with a creative twist. I've tried to tie it all together and think...hope...pray...I've succeeded. But I'm worried. Will new readers (the one's who're going to pick up my book despite the fact there's no naked man on the cover) keep flipping those pages to see what happens...or are they going to find the plot too convoluted? I'm hyperventilating just thinking about it. Is this book clever...or did I try too hard? I guess I'll find out.

We all have a safety zone, and I'm out of mine. What about you? Do you freak out over new and different or take it in stride? Or do you stay with what's familiar and comfortable and doesn't give you an ulcer?

The first two books in my current series, BORN TO BE WILDE, are available now. People seem to like them, but I could use more reviews...just saying. All buy links are on my website. Or, click on the covers to go straight to Amazon. Happy reading!

Toad, Part 2 -- A Short Story by Betsy Ashton

The story of Toad continues. The first part appeared here on October 27.

Some nights Toad slept alone in his trailer. He like to read late into the night, but he couldn’t if he was out on the platform. When his father was ready for bed, he forbid any lights on outside. After Jimmy dropped off to sleep, his parents would talk. They acted as if they didn’t know Toad could hear every word.

“When we got married, I never figured we’d be living in three trailers connected by a covered outdoor platform on a dirt road in the middle of nowhere.” His mother never let his father forget he’d lost the families money when his business failed.

“Right now, we don’t have a choice. This place is free, and we need to save money to get back on our feet.” His father sounded resigned to their situation.

His grandfather owned the twenty-acre plot off Route 66 but no longer lived there. When his grandfather’s health declined, he moved into town to be closer to the hospital.

“I just wish your father had told us what to expect.” His mother complained often about the difficulty of their lives in the compound. “He should have told us everything about this place before we moved up here.”

The power company had run lines along the highway years before, so the trailers had electricity. One even had a small window air conditioner, a necessity because that was where his mother cooked. Toad and Jimmy had to make do with a fan in their trailer. Most nights the whole family slept outside on cots on the covered platform. A television antenna on the top of the largest trailer brought in three black-and-white stations. Evening viewing centered on what his parents wanted to watch. During the summer the television was outside, but Toad suspected that when the weather changed, his father would move it into the main trailer, because that was also where his parents would sleep.

What the compound lacked was running water, hence the outhouses. His mother took large water bottles to work with her once a week to fill at a public tap.

“What could be better than not having to take a bath every night,” Jimmy said.

Sun heated water in a large outdoor tank. During the week, the boys took sponge baths every night; on Saturday a full washtub bath was the rule.

Toad had grown brown and sturdy under the relentless sun. He was no longer the pasty stick-boy he had been when his family left the city for a new beginning in the desert.

###

Rex sat patiently, tongue hanging out, tail sending up small plumes of sandy dust with each wag. Toad pulled Rex’s ear and gave him a scratch under the chin. In a pen at the far side of the compound, adjacent to a pair of outhouses, Shorty thrust her head over the rail and blew softly. When he walked up to the gate, she nuzzled his pocket for a treat. He clipped a lead to her halter, opened the gate and led her through the main opening in the perimeter fence. His parents trusted him to leave the compound to play and explore as long as he took Shorty and Rex with him. Usually, Jimmy tagged along. When he became too tired to walk, Toad would boost him onto Shorty’s broad back. He hooked and locked the gate behind him to keep wild animals and strangers out. With only two wooden houses on his dirt road and no children except his brother, these animals were Toad’s best friends.

Behind him came the whoosh of big rigs running north. Toad headed toward the end of the world far away from the rising sun and the highway. This had become his daily routine since the family moved in May after school ended. Rex took a couple of steps toward the highway and whined. Toad whistled.

“No, boy. Not that way. I don’t want you to get hit by a truck.”

###

Thirty minutes after he started walking, Toad noticed a slight shift in the sand near his foot. He froze, stooped and saw a tiny dinosaur sunning itself beside a rock. He picked up the horny toad and stroked its armored head and spiny back.

“You just stay here and warm yourself,” Toad said to the dinosaur. “I can’t play with you today. I got bigger things on my mind. I have to meet the spacemen.”

Toad put the reptile back on the ground where it burrowed itself halfway into the sand. He continued his hike toward the spaceship. Behind him, half asleep, Shorty bobbed her long-eared head. Rex flushed a rabbit but lost it down a hole and barked at a snake on a patch of sand. Toad turned away from the snake, but kept marching toward a low rise. He saw a scurry of activity when a striped head with two shiny black eyes popped out of a hole. He squatted in the sand and held out his hand. A striped body and short bushy tail followed the head out of the hole and into Toad’s hand.

“Hey, Chip. Where’s Dale?” Toad stroked the little critter, which rewarded him with a chirp and a couple of pellets of poop in his hand. Toad had named the chipmunks Chip and Dale after his favorite comic book characters right around the time he made friends with them.

Dale ran out of a different burrow a couple of yards away. He chattered as if complaining that Toad wasn’t petting him.

“You’re such little beggars. I’ll save some of my sandwich. You can have it when I get back,” Toad promised. He played with them until they jumped out of his hand, and with twin swishes of their tails disappeared into their holes.

Ever since his family moved into the compound, Toad had spent his days exploring and daydreaming. At first he didn’t know anything about this new world. To keep him safe, his father and grandfather taught him and his brother how to identify snake trails, ant nests, clouds on the distant horizon, and plants that bit if you touched them. Toad forgot about the plants once and came home one afternoon full of sharp spines. It hurt like heck when his mother pulled jumping cactus out with tweezers.

He had no idea how much land he had to roam in. He and Jimmy started close to the fenced perimeter of the compound, gradually working their way outward.

“What do you want to play today?” Toad asked every morning.

“Cowboys and Indians.”

But sometimes when Toad grew tired of cowboys and Indians, they dug a shallow fort and played war. What one boy couldn’t dream up, the other could.

Not only was Toad more imaginative, he was also the braver one. Jimmy followed his father’s instructions to the letter, even when they got in the way of a grand adventure. Toad thought those instructions were suggestions for good behavior, not orders to be blindly obeyed.

“You are never, ever, to go into the dry wash. It could flood in minutes if there’s a storm to the north,” his father had warned. “It’s the most dangerous place around here. Other than the highway, that is.”

What could be more exciting, more dangerous than finding spacemen? Natural hazards had nothing on the possibility of a real spaceship. 

Toad had crossed the wash a few times. before. Jimmy tattled on him once. His father spanked him; he ate dinner standing up. Well, his brother couldn’t tattle today.

### Toad continues on November 27.

###

Betsy Ashton is the author of Mad Max, Unintended Consequences, and Uncharted Territory, A Mad Max Mystery, now available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. I'm really excited that the trade paper edition of Uncharted Territory was released this week. Please follow me on my website, on Twitter, Facebook and Goodreads.

What Does A NASCAR Driver, Army Ranger, and National Guardsman Have In Common? by Donna Michaels

Hello, it’s Donna Michaels, and as you can see, my head is full of heroes! Okay, my head is always full of heroes, but this is just one crazy instance where all three of these heroes’ books will be released inside of one month, and their commonality is probably not what you’d expect.

These releases all deal with veteran suicide.

A tough subject, but veteran suicide is real, and an epidemic, and part of life. A part I wish we could help, but maybe by acknowledging it and talking about it, we can help make some sort of a difference. They say knowledge is power. Let’s put that power to good use. My husband’s unit has had two suicides in the past four years, so it does hit home for me. I ate with these men and their families, and I’ll be honest with you, I’m still in shock. It’s taken me over a year since the last one, but I felt I was now at a place where I could include the subject in my stories.

Two of these releases are part of my Citizen Soldier Series. The heroes are both hurting over the suicide of a National Guardsman that has taken place in the background of the first five books. Greg was the cousin to one of the heroes, Matthew, and he was best friends with the other hero, Keiffer, who is also the one to find the body.

Let me introduce you to these men. First is my NASCAR driver, Matthew “Stone” Bennett, in WINE AND HOT SHOES. Before writing this story, I didn’t know that much about NASCAR, other than I knew one of the books in my Citizen Soldier Series would have a driver as a hero, since the series is set in the Poconos of PA and fairly close to the Pocono Raceway. One of the things I love most about this book is that it’s the heroine who is in the National Guard. 

While researching NASCAR and stock car racing, I discovered a few fun facts, including this one that helped me title the book:

Hot Shoe:  1. Driver who has the most past wins among active drivers at a particular track; is the quickest in qualifying, and is favored to win at that track.

WINE AND HOT SHOES
Citizen Solder Series/Book 6/Audrey

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N03MYQA/

This Thanksgiving, Sgt. Audrey McNeil Watson is thankful for wine. Lots and lots of wine. And her closet of hot shoes. Together, they help her deal with the return of her sexy ex-boyfriend, the now famous NASCAR Champion she left after 9/11 to join the National Guard and make a difference. Too bad he still manages to accelerate her pulse and drive her crazy.

Professional stock car racing driver, Matthew “Stone” Bennett returned home to meet with the Wyne brothers to discuss a recent encounter with their estranged brother Keiffer, to face the reality of his cousin’s suicide, and for the wedding of his buddy, Ethan Wyne.

Volunteering to draw the paparazzi away from the happy couple, he and Audrey agree to spend time together with purely platonic intentions. But he soon discovers their old flame never died, as well as old hurts and resentments. Matthew must face the pain of his past in order to sort out his future.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N03MYQA/

**I just want to note that all of my books, no matter what series they are in, are all written as standalones. You do not need to read any of the others to enjoy the stories.**

----------------------------------

Now on to Keiffer Wyne. This hero is by far my most talked about. I’ve been getting emails from readers for almost two years now. They want the poor guy to have his HEA, and I’m so thrilled to finally make that happen. HER TROUBLED COWBOY releases 12/13/16 and is up for pre-order now! Readers were introduced to his heroine, Caitlin, in book 4 of my Harland County Series, Her Forever Cowboy. She’s the sister to the heroine, and had a cameo—and a fling with Keiffer—in Book 2 of the Citizen Soldier Series, Wyne and Chocolate when Caitlin traveled with his sister to the Poconos for his sister’s wedding. Since then, his buddy has died, and Keiffer has been spiraling out of control. Now, in his story, everything is coming full circle.

Cover photo by Cover Me Photography with Jose Ruiz

Releasing 12/13/16
HER TROUBLED COWBOY
Harland County/Citizen Soldier Series Crossover
Book 9: Keiffer

Available for Pre-Order!

Amazon | iTunes | B & N | Kobo

Some incidents from the past are not easily forgotten…

For over a year, former National Guardsman Keiffer Wyne left his past in Pennsylvania to start a new life, drifting from ranch to ranch across the southwest. Unrestricted, nomadic, unaccountable—he embraces the new lifestyle, until he’s called upon to watch over his sister Brandy during her husband’s absence. The problem? She’ll be there. The one woman capable of breaking through his barriers and making him feel.

Caitlin Ryan can’t believe who blew into Harland County looking dangerous, hotter, sexier than the time they shared an unforgettable weekend together. She knows he’s still dealing with the death of his buddy and his mind isn’t in a good place, but neither of them are strong enough to fight their undeniable attraction. Keiffer’s troubled and all wrong for her, counting down the days until he leaves. Too bad she never learned to shy away from trouble…

Releasing 12/13/16
Available for Pre-Order!

Amazon | iTunes | B & N | Kobo

 ---------------------------------

And last, but as they say, not least, is my upcoming release, IN A RANGER’S ARMS. I’m so excited to have my first release with Entangled Publications. This is Book One in The Men of At-Ease Ranch Series, focusing on former Army Ranger buddies who  opened a transition ranch for returning veterans when another of their buddies nearly died by his own hands the year before. Again, although the underlying message is serious, the books are lighthearted and humorous with a ton of heat.

I was honored to have Vonnie read an ARC and give me this wonderful book quote:

“A hot cowboy hero, a clever heroine, former Rangers, and a jealous cow form the cast of a romance so endearing, you’ll want to read it again and again.”

--Vonnie Davis, author of Black Eagle Ops Series

Releasing 11/28/16

IN A RANGER’S ARMS

The Men of At Ease Ranch/ Book 1/Stone

Available for Pre-Order
HERE

No amount of training could’ve prepared him for her.

Former Army Ranger Stone Mitchum doesn’t have time for sex. Since starting a company with his brother and two buddies, he’s had more important things on his mind. Like transitioning veterans back into society. But when his curvy new tenant falls into his arms—literally—his libido snaps to attention.

Jovy Larson has four weeks to prove she’s worthy of taking over the family business. Her challenge? Sell gluten-free, vegan food—in the middle of cattle country, Texas. It’s a tough task, but not half as tough as fighting her attraction to her sexy, surly landlord.  

Before she knows it, Jovy’s tangling sheets with the hot cowboy, stalked by a jealous cow, and strategizing ways to help Stone’s ranch. But by the time her lease runs out and the test is over, she’s faced with a new challenge…competing against Stone’s sense of duty to win his heart.

Pre-order IN A RANGER’S ARMS, releasing 11/28/16 
HERE

**I’m having a FACEBOOK BOOK RELEASE PARTY AND YOU'RE ALL INVITED! Nov. 28th...4 pm to 10:30 pm (Eastern) Guest authors, prizes, hot cowboys, hot military heroes and more! Here’s the link for the party:  https://www.facebook.com/events/200745263708766/?active_tab=discussion

I know veteran suicide is a tough subject, but I do appreciate you sticking around to the end of my post, and I hope you’ll check out these stories.

Thanks for reading,

~Donna

 Read more about Donna at www.DonnaMichaelsAuthor.com

Have You Seen My Zen? by Alison Henderson

It's been a rough few months for me. My summer was consumed by the huge Soberanes Fire that burned near our house for over two months, filling the air with smoke and our roads with fire crews. We were overwhelmingly grateful to the firefighters, but their presence was a constant reminder of the threat hanging over our heads. On top of that, I was working diligently to put the finishing touches on Boiling Point and get it published. And then there was the election.

The only thing I had any control over--my book--came together well and ahead of schedule. The rest--not so much. A couple of soaking rains in October finally doused the remnants of the fire. The burned hillsides are scarred and now subject to landslides, but not in our valley. When I look out my windows, all I see are the usual lush, green mountains, but I now appreciate how precious and fragile they really are.

The election is another matter. Perhaps I am overly sensitive, but I know I'm not alone. The ugliness and horror of the process scarred my psyche, and I'm not sure how long it will take to heal. I have always considered it the duty of every citizen to remain well-informed, but I'm throwing that away. I plan to avoid as much "news" as possible for as long as it takes me to recover. I'm worn down by outrage, mine and others'. I'm convinced that by feeding our outrage, we harm mainly ourselves. The objects of our outrage never know and wouldn't care if they did.

A few weeks ago, I posted on Facebook that the first line of my next book had popped into my head when I was wide awake at 3:00 a.m. (not an unusual occurrence for me.) One of my neighbors recommended a book she's found useful in dealing with insomnia--Dan Harris's 10% Happier. I wasn't familiar with him, but he's a weekend anchor on Good Morning America and a reporter on Dateline. 

I HIGHLY recommend this very readable book. It's the story of how he found balance and happiness in his life through meditation and looking at life through a different lens. I don't have his personality, stresses, or interest in regular meditation, but one particular conclusion he reached really resonated with me, especially in regard to my writing.

When Harris was struggling with the question of zen vs. ambition, his mentor advised him the best way to maintain his sense of inner balance was to do his very best at any task but not to become attached to the results because he had no control over them. Interestingly, he used writing a book as an example. You write the best book you can then put it out into the universe. You do what you can to draw it to people's attention, but ultimately you have no control over whether or not it becomes a best-seller.

I did more to launch Boiling Point than I had done for any previous book, but the results were the same--minimal sales. I have analyzed my experiences and determined that while people really enjoy my books, no one I don't know personally or am related to is willing to pay money to buy them. Strangers will happily read them and post glowing reviews when they are free, but they will not take the minimal risk to buy from an unknown author. And I don't have the will or budget to try to overcome that. That's where detachment from the results comes in. If I can keep from comparing my results to other authors (another point in the book) and develop detachment from the results, I may be able to keep writing, knowing I'm doing my best to create a product that brings happiness to readers, even if not as many as I'd like.

Alison
www.alisonhenderson.com