A New Day by Diane Burton

photo credit: Wikipedia

Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet? ~ L.M. Montgomery

I love this quote almost as much as I love the author who wrote it. Lucy Maude Montgomery wrote one of my favorites books, Anne of Green Gables. Anne Shirley had such spunk and very strong opinions. I never read all eight “Anne” books. I think I got bored after the third or fourth. Interestingly, Lucy quit writing the “Anne” stories after eight because she got bored. She went on to write many more stories about (and for) young girls.

Back to the quote. A new day, a new year. Wow. Can you believe it’s 2015 already? Where did 2014 go? I had some ups and downs last year. A lot like everyone else. I try to remember the good and push the not-so-good to the back of my mind.

Looking at the new year as a blank page on which we can write anything sounds good. Hubs and I made a conscious decision to get healthier. He’ll still “drag” me to the fitness club, but I’ll go more willingly. We’ll try to eat healthier foods. He promised not to bring home “goodies” (cookies and salty snacks) and, so far, he’s been good about it. If snacks are in the house, I’ll eat them. No will power.

I’m excited about getting back to my writing after a month's hiatus. I love the heroine in my newest science fiction romance (the one I’ve been “writing” in my head before going to sleep each night). She's older than my other heroines, tougher. She has to be to run a tavern in a wild-west type colony on the frontier of space. And I love the hero. Good thing, huh? If I don’t like him, how will my readers? He’s been infatuated with her for years. She still thinks of him as a kid. He returns after six years—a full-grown man, as she realizes—just as human traffickers are preying on children and teens in the colonies, stealing babies from their cribs and snatching runaways from the streets then selling them on the black market. My heroine has to get involved. She can’t allow another mother to experience what she went through.

My only problem is a lack of a title. That hasn’t stopped me from writing the story. Sometimes it takes a while for the right title to come to me.

At the beginning of every year, I think about mistakes I made the previous one. Not to dwell on them but to learn from those mistakes. If I thought about them too much I’d be paralyzed and not want to do anything. 

Onward. Upward. A new day with no mistakes. Yet.

Amazon.com

By the way, I bought the Anne of Green Gables collection for my Kindle. I'm sure I won't get bored this time around.

Diane Burton blogs here on the 8th and 30th of each month and on Mondays on her own site: http://dianeburton.blogspot.com/

 

Begin Again by Barbara Edwrds

After the busy holidays and new year, I want to stop not start. Last year was a good year with Ancient Curse, Book 3 in The Rhodes End series coming out at The Wild Rose Press. I also had a Christmas novella, Late for the Wedding.

You’d think I would be excited and happy, but the big ‘but’ has lifted up. Personally, the year was less than stellar. I had health problems that keep me from enjoying the good parts. It’s not easy to ignore the facts: I just couldn’t do what I wanted to do. I need more sleep. I take more pills and I get grumpy. Yep. I could pose for that cat photo with my frown.

I had depression to overcome and to my surprise I found a way to deal with it.

Every Christmas I wish for my family to gather and to share happy times. It’s not possible any longer and this year it dragged me down.

After fighting back tears for weeks, i decided to share with my husband my sorrow. You’ve all heard me talk about his practical outlook  on life but this time he had nothing to say. I cried and complained until it dawned on me I was not able to change anything.

I paused. So everyone couldn’t or wouldn’t be there. How silly to miss those who are already in Heaven and want them back. But I do. 

It’s odd how a brief moment can cause the light to come on.

I’m an author. I can write my own story, create my new Christmas. I am writing my Christmas Fantasy, a beginning of sorts.

It’s not for publication although I may share it with my children.

In it my Father plays Christmas Carols on the accordian then puts it down to spin my laughing Mother into a fast Polka. After she hugs all the children to her soft breasts and they feel her love. I keep thinking of what I want at my Christmas party. All my daughters-in-law come over to bake cookies and we had a fun time. I’m going to add in my daughter and her children so they can share  the joy. My sons actually gather to sing Carols like they did as children.

I can begin a sweet wish and change it to make it better.

I want all of you to begin again with a joyful wish. 

I may never finish my fantasy, but I don’t care. This year I’ll finish another book or two. I’ve officially begun.

Excerpt, Ancient Curse

 Changing took a few minutes. She pressed her hand to her throbbing forehead and  studied her reflection in the mirror. Pain lined her forehead. She wondered why Thomas’ touch eased it. Her tangled hair had escaped her twist and needed combing. Humming, she took the time to neaten it.  

Silence enveloped the second floor. With the power off, the soft music she played in her bedroom had been silenced. She half expected her footsteps to echo when she exited the room and walked down the hall.  

Thomas had probably finished mopping up, and she needed to lock her computer and file her notes  before the back-up battery failed. 

Her pulse beat faster. She looked forward to spending some time with him. Hopefully, he was still in the library. She shook her head. She paused as the hair on her nape stirred like she was being watched. 

A cool draft washed over her nape and she glanced back along the hall. All the doors had been closed. They still were. She frowned, and then shook the feeling off.  No-one watched although her skin itched. 

Pausing to enjoy the light emotions held by the smooth banister, she stroked the wood.

A violent shove between her shoulders tumbled her down the stairs like a thrown doll. 

Ancient Curse: http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=5911#.VF0EYvITPLg.gmail

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Late for the Wedding (Twelve Brides of Christmas Book 2) by Barbara Edwards

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Albert Knew a Thing or Two by Alison Henderson

Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is to not stop questioning. ~ Albert Einstein

We all know Albert Einstein was a brilliant man. He was also a wise man. This quote is one of my favorites, especially the first sentence. I can't think of a better approach to life. 

I don't make formal New Year's resolutions, but I'd like to take this advice to heart in 2015. Parts of it will come easily; others not so much. "Hope for tomorrow" is already part of my natural make-up. I've always been the eternal optimist. I don't need any help there. 

"Live for today" is something I've been working on since early last year. I haven't mastered it because looking ahead is such a driving force in my personality, but I'm trying. 2014 was a watershed year for me. After our big trek west, we finally moved into our new house in March. Unfortunately, the stress of so many major changes took a toll on my husband. While I naturally focus ahead in life, he always looks back. By the time we finally moved in he had worked himself into such a state that he had stroke. (You might think that's just a figure of speech, but it's actually possible.) 

I pride myself on my equanimity; I can usually remain calm under the most difficult circumstances. But after things finally settled down I developed a stress-induced cardiac arrhythmia. It's not dangerous, but it's uncomfortable and a constant reminder of the need to keep stress under control. On top of all that, I turned sixty last year. Talk about sobering.

I could also do a better job of learning from yesterday. Because I naturally look ahead and am working on staying in the present, the past sometimes gets short shrift. Once something happens, I dismiss it and move on. That's great for dealing with uncomfortable or painful situations but not so great for dissecting experiences and learning from them. I'll try to do better this year.

Then there's the second sentence of the quote: "The important thing is to not stop questioning." I'm not so sure about that one. Einstein was a scientist, so an inquiring mind was essential to his work. I want to stay curious, but for my life, I think cultivating acceptance might be even more important.

Einstein's quote also reminds me of another favorite, one I strive to take to heart:

“If you are depressed you are living in the past.  If you are anxious you are living in the future.  If you are at peace you are living in the present.” ~ Lao Tzu

Peace doesn't sound too bad right about now.

Alison
www.alisonhenderson.com
http://alisonhenderson.blogspot.com

Beginnings

“And suddenly you know: It's time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings.” ~ Meister Eckhart

Happy 2015, peeps! Welcome to another new year full of beginnings!

I love this time of year. Nothing says “fresh start” like a brandy new set of 365 days, and I have plans for this year. BIG plans.

I finally published book three in my Maple Leaf Series and that was something new for me. I had resisted writing a series for many years, and I’m not going to lie, writing one was tough. I’m the type to enjoy a set of characters for 80,000 words worth of story then be totally and completely done with them. Having to carry characters across books was challenging. By book three, I was dying to write something else. Anything else. Even a grocery shopping list and I HATE grocery shopping.

But I made it. I started something new and saw it through to the end… well, the end of three books anyway. I’ve got three more nearly written for this series, but I changed up the cast and the setting. I had to. For my own sanity. For reader satisfaction. In the name of happily ever afters.

Check out my Maple Leaf Series today. Vermont, lumberjacky-type men. Women who unravel the threads of their quiet, in-the-woods lifestyles. Pets who scamper onto the scene left and right. Happily ever afters guaranteed. Love grows in the woods.

And here’s more about the latest in the series, More Than Rum:

Web designer Hope Stannard has watched her cousin and her sister fall madly in love. She’s waited patiently for her turn to roll around, but her last boyfriend broke up with her via text message and the new guy she’s interested in disappeared on her for months with no explanation. Perhaps it’s time to throw in the towel, be content living with her Dalmatian puppy and her mother, and accept the official title of Unmarriable Old Maid.

Ex-Marine Adam Rouse fills his days with lumberjacking and building furniture. His nights are spent wide awake as he relives a raid in Afghanistan gone wrong. He emerged as the sole survivor, but questions why. Certainly other members of this team were more worthy of living than him. Deciding that bartending at night would be a better use of his time than battling insomnia, Adam applies at Black Wolf Tavern, the only place to hang out in small-town Danton, Vermont. He couldn’t drown his own troubles in rum, but maybe he can help others do so.

When Hope is attacked just outside the tavern, Adam comes to her aid, and the frosty winter temperatures can’t cool the heat that’s always been between them. Can Hope scale Adam’s fortress walls? Can Adam believe he is worthy of a woman like Hope? Will they rescue each other?   

   

What are your plans for 2015?

Toodles,

Chris

www.christinedepetrillo.weebly.com

Start Something New by Jannine Gallant

And suddenly you know: It's time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings. ~ Meister Eckhart

It's a new year and a new beginning. Are you starting something new? Are you expanding your horizons or sticking with the tried and true?

Sometimes I think the same old, same old is easier. Especially as we get older. But I'm taking the leap into the 21st century. Yes, I, Jannine Gallant, actually got my very first cell phone. Laugh if you will. I think I was the final hold-out in my generation. And, not only did I get a cell phone--I got an iPhone. Every time I want to do ANYTHING on it, I have to ask my daughters. So, my first New Year's Resolution is to learn how to use it! Wish me luck.

I'm also beginning a new book. Okay, I started it before the holidays, but I got nowhere fast. Now it's time to get back to business and write. A new book is fun. Getting to know your characters, sending them out into the world and throwing obstacles in their paths. Discovering all the ways your plot isn't working the way you thought it would...okay, that's not so fun. Still, the beginning of a book is my favorite part, when everything is fresh and exciting.

This is the second book in a new series. I finished the first one before the holidays and expect I'll be immersed in edits by the time you read this, as Margo (my CP) is probably closing in on finishing her critique. I bet you all think she's a sweet, lovely woman. I do, too--until I start reading the comments in the margins... Kidding, people! I ask for and appreciate every bit of her advice. After I edit that baby into shape, I'll have to decide what to do with it next.

Which brings me to another new beginning. In the past, I've published with small presses. I've self-published. In March, my first book with a big publisher (Kensington) releases. Every Move She Makes is currently available for pre-order. I can't wait to see how my baby does out there in the big, bad world of publishing. I'm hoping for great things but have learned to be cautious in my optimism. So, I think I'll hold off on doing anything with my new series until I see how sales go. Maybe sticking with the familiar will be the right path...or maybe I'll take a risk and trust the magic of new beginnings...

I'd love to hear your thoughts. If you're an author, what's your favorite part of a book to write? Are you going to take a leap into something new in the publishing world this year?

To pre-order Every Move She Makes click HERE. To keep abreast of my writing news in 2015, check out my website. Happy New Year!

The Magic of Beginnings by Rolynn Anderson

"And suddenly you know: It's time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings." ~ Meister Eckhart

How fun it is to begin 2015 with a fresh focus!  A new chapter, I call it, complete with a fun subtitle.  In fact, guessing what 2015 will bring, is one of my pleasures.  I do set general goals, but I’m always charmed by the unexpected joys that come my way.

Many of you know that we’ve sold our big trawler  Four-month cruises were an important part of our lives (my husband and me…and many guests), for more than twenty years.  Some of my friends can’t imagine the two of us boatless, but we’re feeling pretty free and easy these days.  We can travel when and where we want to, including the summer months, and we don’t have to worry any more about what’s happening to our boat in its Washington State marina, while we’re living in California.  A heavy rain/wind storm hit our marina this month, and we only heard about damage on the dock weeks later.  Now, we’re down to one house and one yard, and I love the simplicity!

Magic of beginnings?  Oh yes!  My husband just bought a lovely convertible for me for my birthday, a car I’ve wanted since we came to live in California.  I had pretty much decided I wouldn’t be checking that particular box as “accomplished,” when my DH surprised me with the gift.  I swear, the car is magic, because I already feel ten years younger driving around in it.  Her name: The Empress.  Open to smells, sounds and unlimited sight, convertibles are such fun to drive!

For the first time in my writing career, I’ll put two books on the market in 2015.  I’m hoping for that magic to boost my spirit and my sales.

What’s something new and magical you’re hoping for in 2015?  If you write it down and tell me about it, it’s likely to happen! 

Happy New Year!  Rolynn

http://www.rolynnanderson.com

Lie Catchers: http://amzn.com/B00HJDS1LG

Out with the old, and in with ... what?

It's that time of year. Resolution time.

For years, I've chosen a "Word of the Year", one word that sums up what I want to learn or do or aspire to in the coming year. This year was "Accepting": there are some things you just can't change, so I needed to learn to gracefully accept them. Previous years have an "Explore" and "Experiment" and "Vibrant".

Choosing a word helps me focus on my goals for the upcoming year. In 2015, for the first time in 7 years, I won't have a book coming out. I have 6 books written and will be looking for a publisher for that series. Plus I have 20+ books on my back list, so I'll be promoting those.

That led me to my word of the year. I need to focus on promotion in 2015, and I dread the P thing. So what word might help me get through the year, might help me learn and (maybe) enjoy the P thing?

I'm still kicking around ideas, but "Enthusiastic" and "Energetic" and "Optimistic" come to mind. I'll decide for sure tomorrow, so stay tuned for next year -- you may see a change in my posts here.

Have a happy (and safe) kickoff to the new year -- I'll see you in 2015!

J L Wilson
Mystery, romance, and reincarnation