A Friday Post

I wanted to do posts Monday and Friday's but I've run out of words for this week. Suicide hit a lot closer to home this week, and even though I did not know either almost relative well...my heart is sad. So I am posting Gary Allan's music video for today...it has brought me comfort in the past. If you cannot see the light at the end of your night, and need help...the Suicide hotline is 1-800-273-8255

There is help for you, and hope. Much love to all.

About That Pic

So, I'm trying to get back into blogging and I've begun posting the  "Wordless Wednesday" posts again. I thought I'd give you the story behind the picture. Lind of defeats the purpose of 'wordless' ...but I don't care! Imma gonna be a rebel!

 

Here it is again, so you don't have to go back and look.

 

It is, obviously, a pie. A cherry pie to be precise.

 

I think it was last weekend, I was making dinner when Mr. Janney comes out to rummage for snacks. He notices the cherry pie filling in the pantry and asks if we had all the making for a pie.

 

Welllllllll....the pie crust that I had into the fridge is really really old and needs to be thrown out. I told him I'd have to go out and buy new crust because I didn't want to bother with trying to experiment with gluten free crust recipes. Especially since I was having trouble with my gluten free  macaroni and cheese in the oven. He said it was no big deal, he'd just seen the pie filling and thought a pie sounded good.

 

Man, no pressure there! I hemmed and hawed about it for the rest of dinner preparations. Last weekend the depression was pretty rough. I didn't want to do anything. But, I like cooking for my husband. So after the mac and cheese was done and I'd eaten some, to took myself out to the nearby Tops and bought a pre-made pie crust. I may or may not have bought other things I shouldn't have that fall into the category of 'chocolate' and 'not good for me'.

 

So, goodies bought, I came home and put the pie together. I even put a romantic heart design in the top crust. Ironically, the picture I took to share with the Facebook cooking group I belong to, is the only time Mr. Janney saw the heart! I never had him look at it before I cut into it!

 

At any rate, he enjoyed the pie.

 

I hope you've enjoyed my silly little story. Until next time, goodbye.

It's THAT Time of Year Again

Yes, yes it is.  You all know what I'm talking about.

Time to change the calendars and psych ourselves up for remembering to write 2015 instead of 2014.

Time to rethink life habits and either set goals or resolutions for the upcoming year.  Many of these are the same year after year, not necessarily because we've failed but because we want to do better.

Time to look back and reflect on the past year: everything we've accomplished; everything we've lost; everything we've gained; the good, the bad, and the ugly.  And time to look forward into out hopes and dreams, even if the only hope we have is for the next year to be better than the one ending.  (This is why January is named after the god Janus; he had two faces - one looking forward, one looking back and was the god of gateways.)

Judging by some of the statuses I've seen on Facebook, a lot of us have had a rough time of it in 2014 and are not sad to see it go.  Divorces and deaths balances out the births and the other good things that happened I guess; although it honestly doesn't feel like it sometimes, does it?  But the best we can do is exactly that, our best.  Weather the worst life has to throw at us and treasure the good.

My own year was full of ups and downs, just like everyone else's.  Was it a good year or a bad year?  I don't really know if I'd say it was either way.  I know that it's ending happier than it began, and for that much I am grateful.

I am like everyone else, thinking about what changes I can make in the new year to make my life better.  Some things I have no choice about.  Like tightening up on my diet in order to better control my diabetes and lose weight.  A few months ago while I was off work, my blood sugar went all wonky and the Endocrinologist put me on a second medicine.  I was not happy about that, and it bummer me out for a few days.  Especially since I have to pay $60 for it even though it's covered by my health insurance.  But the foot doctor returned me back to work for 4 hours a day even though the tear in my tendon has not healed and he's decided that surgery is the next step.  Those few hours were enough to start my blood sugars evening out, even though my foot doesn't like it one bit.

The surgery isn't scheduled yet, but will be near the end of January or the beginning of February.  It all depends on when my husband will be able to go back to work.  He's been off because he tweaked something in his shoulder.  He now knows exactly how the cortisone shots to my foot feel as he's had one now.  Thankfully, it seems to be helping him more than they did me.

Although I have not seen stellar sales for Ring of Fire, which is 99cents for the next three days, it has been released and I have sold a few.  I'm a little nervous as I await those customer reviews as the second book isn't like the first one, even though it's the same characters.  Our characters were changed by the events surrounding Angela's kidnapping in the first novel, so it was logical to change the feel of their world.  We get to see more of Craig's family, even meet his imprisoned brother.  So of course, one of my goals for the new year is to sell more books (as always) and finish/release the third one in the series.

And of course, the best way to increase my reader base, is to be smarter on social media.  I've been very lackadaisical about it.  I don't Tweet enough, even though I like Twitter.  And I don't get on Google+ enough either, even though I like it better than Facebook.  So I do have to come up with some kind of strategy for my favorite outlets.  I know I need to write out some kind of blog posting schedule and plan, for both this blog and Broads of a Feather.  I may post only every other week, but my posts have been getting later and later each week!  I don't feel too bad because my partner has been having the same problem.

So far all I've done is think about it, and I really need to start writing things down.  It will be more 'real' that way and I'll be able to hold myself more accountable.  I've been thinking about doing an email list, but I haven't made my mind up yet.  Would any of you be interesting in receiving periodic emails from me, letting you know when I've updated my blog and updates on books?

I also have some research to be doing.  I need to read up on writing non-fiction and biographies.  I should be able to figure it out, after all I'm a smart enough girl when it comes to the written world.  I'm no Stephen King (yet) but I'm not exactly a hack either!

Whatever your plans are for ringing in the New Year. be safe and have fun!  We want to be able to hang out together in the future!  There is still so much left for us to do!

2014 ~ Soon to be a distant memory...

Being Real vs. Being Fake

No "Blue Roses" here...

I read a blog post a while back, one of many, about how to be a better blogger.  No matter how long I've been at this, I always want to learn more so that I can be better at what I do.

It was a fairly straightforward post about five things you should never do on your blog.

The only problem is I'm not sure if I agree with him on all his points.  I'm not saying it was a bad post or anything like that.  It was pretty good actually.

His first point was about how bloggers aren't supposed to let you the reader know or even think that we're just a beginner.  I'm not sure what is wrong with that in certain areas.  I have no problem letting people know that although I've been writing since the fourth grade, I'm new at being a published author.  What better way to encourage others that making mistakes early in the game is okay and not a death sentence? Maybe some young/new author will read my posts and learn from my mistakes.  Who knows?

His second point was that bloggers shouldn't be negative in their blog posts.  If every blog post was negative, I'd understand that.  If there was even a pattern of negativity, I'd be worried.  But I don't see how an occasional negative blog post could hurt you in the long run.  Let's be honest, even the most positive/optimistic people have bad days.  Sometimes that will leak through to a blog post.  While I am one of the happiest depressed people I know, there are some days I struggle greatly with being positive and hopeful.  While I would never just vent here on this site, his post made me feel like I had to hide my struggles from my readers.  But - it's part of my journey!

The only thought I had about his third point, not posting negative reviews of other author's books, was that is was mostly common sense not to do that.  Well, I also thought that any review you post ought to be honest and not just positive for the sake of being positive in order to get a good review in return.  But since I don't really write reviews of books on here, I figure I'm safe.

(But on that note, here is a plug for my author friend C.P. Stringham's latest romance Rest in Peace.  It's the third in the series though, so be forewarned!)

I completely agreed with his last two points, about not ignoring comments and making sure you don't react negatively to a negative comment and to not be constantly talking about your own books.  So there's not really much to say there.  I have comment moderation turned on just so I'll never miss a comment.

And then there is this CreateSpace blog about branding yourself that I just read the other day.  It made me feel a little better about disagreeing with the previous blogger on some of his points.  Richard Ridley's short post can be summed up in one of his own sentences: "Just be yourself."  His advice tells us that if we as writers and bloggers stay true to who we are, and are comfortable with who we are, it will draw people to us and our books.

Like everything else I've ever read on being a success at writing and blogging, he does say that it takes time and consistency.  Two things I have obviously struggled with recently.  As can be seen by how long it has been since I posted.  I won't bore you will all the details, but I have had a lot going on in the real world and instead of finding solace in words on a screen I have been letting the resulting depression run its course.  I've never been able to write when I'm at the worst, it's only on the way back out that the creative muse kicks in.  Some of the best poems I've ever written were on the way back out of a depressive episode.  Two of my favorites are companion poems The Secret Me and I Can See You even though they are both almost 14 years old.

We all have rainy days...

So at the end of the day, so to speak, each of us bloggers have to find our own way.  No matter how many different articles we read giving us advice on how to attract readers, it's always going to come back to US...as in who we are.  Each of us who blogs/writes has our own unique Voice.  Along with our different opinions and ideas.  Some of us are going to be Roses, others Lilacs, and others Violets.  Some of us are going to clash like thunder and lightning, while others are going to be like Forrest and Jenny - peas and carrots.  But even then, what is thunder without lightning?

I won't stop reading articles, but no matter what I have to be true to myself.  Who I am as a writer and as a person.

I can only be me.





2014 ~ Aren't we done with this year yet???

Did You Feel The Earthquake Today at Noon?

Of course I just had to get that in there!

Ok, so there was no actual earthquake.

But it doesn't take a genius to grasp that today was an important meeting.

On a personal level. Because I really liked meeting Carol. She's pleasant and likable. Funny, and a fellow Trek fan!  (woot woot!)  She's definitely the leader of the two of us; whether that is my own insecurity speaking or an accurate fact I can't say for certain! Regardless, this is the start of something pretty awesome!

I hope her phaser is set on stun!

On a fun level.  Because like I said, she's just fun!  She brought Star trek toys for us to play with.  Hey, you're never too old to just have some fun!  Even in the library!  Of course, the librarian we were meeting with had to bust out her stern face and put us overgrown kids back on track.  Focus!  We had to focus! And afterwards when we went to the Mad Hatters Cafe and Co-Op for a coffee and Whoopie Pie - we somehow ended up participating in a Stress Management workshop!  I can't even begin to describe that except to say there were a lot of giggles and I could have sworn the presenter had been reading from my secret blog!

On a professional level.  Because our meeting at the Spaulding Memorial Library was to set up a joint presentation!  I'm so excited I can't even think straight to tell you the truth!  I'm not one hundred percent certain what Carol has in mind for our presentation, but since she's the more experienced author with more books released than myself, I'm more than willing to let her lead and just go with the flow.  We do have plenty of time to put our heads together again.  I'm sure it will be a blast since great minds think alike and we do seem to have a lot in common!  <<March 22nd, 1pm if you want to save the date>>  Don't worry, I won't let anyone forget - plus there will be a write up in the newspaper too!

Great minds really do think alike.

All in all it was a great experience.  One that I'm glad happened.  It was encouraging at a time when it was needed.  Of course now, I'll have to turn my focus back to the blog post I started for Broads of a Feather and get that posted so that we can do a collaborative post about midweek.  And then, who knows?  I might actually pull my voice memos out and get a few scenes written for the second novel in my series!  Of course, knowing my eternal sense of good timing - that will be about the time Mr. Janney decides it's time to call me for a ride home.  Maybe I should turn the ringer off????  Just for a bit?  I'm sure he won't mind.  Much.

Just kidding Mr. Janney.

Maybe. ;)

2014 ~ Back In Focus

The Wisdom of Yoda

This morning I found a neat piece of wisdom on a Google+ post that I shared under my own profile.  You can see it here, as I'm not sure I would be correct in posting it on my blog.  So since I'm not sure, I'll just share the link.  Better safe than sorry.  And I even ran across it again later on Pinterest.  If you've ever seen the movie The Empire Strikes Back, I'm sure you're familiar with the scene being quoted.

In short, the diminutive Jedi Master Yoda does something that his apprentice believed impossible.  And the Master tells Luke that there is no try, you either do something or you don't.  Luke expresses his disbelief over what he just saw, and the teacher in Yoda furthers the lesson by letting the young man know that his lack of belief is the reason why he fails.

Yoda's wisdom may be a bit flawed, because if you don't try to do something, you will definitely not do it.   But was that what he was really saying to his student?   The  first  definition of "try" at Dictionary.com is:  "to attempt to do or accomplish."  So it might depend on the attitude behind the word "try".   Luke obviously didn't expect to succeed, so if we're honest about his trying to levitate the spaceship we would say it was half-hearted.  At best.  Not only did Luke believe it was impossible for him to do, he believed it was impossible for anyone to do.  Even after he saw it with his own eyes, he was still struggling with disbelief.  How could anyone accomplish such an outrageous task???

It is that lack of faith in themselves that plagues many people.  Even when we know that something is possible, we doubt that it is possible for us to do.  Our beliefs in ourselves determines whether or not we "do" something.  Who am I to think that I will succeed at being an author?  Aren't I destined to scrape along the bottoms for the rest of my life?  How can I think that I can be more than what I've always been?

Because I'm an author.  I like to tell stories.  Well, I like to write stories and have people read them.  Because when it comes to verbally telling a story, I really kind of suck.  That's a weird quirk, I suppose, but it is all too true.

And why shouldn't I publish my story?  It's interesting and my characters are lovable (except the ones that aren't meant to be!) When I made the decision to self publish, it was in answer to my questioning of myself.  "I either believe in my story, or I don't."

I believe that I will succeed.  I smart enough to know that I will make mistakes along the way, but I know that it is a necessary step to learning what I need to do to be that success.  I know that those mistakes do not equal failure.  I believe that my career is just starting, and that it will last until long after my death.  It may seem impossible, but I know that to be a self-defeating attitude.

If you feel that no one in your life believes in you, take a good long look at yourself in the mirror.  Do you believe in yourself?  Because you are your biggest influencer, no matter who else you might have speaking into your life. Don't be afraid to attempt to do something, because even if you make mistakes that doesn't mean you've failed - you will at the least learn what you need to do differently to succeed.

The only thing that was holding me back from publishing when I became aware of how 'easy' it was through Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing was myself.  I was afraid of failing.  But then I realized that the true failure would be not doing anything at all.  So I did it - I published my novel and threw myself into the deep vast ocean of it all knowing that I even though I wasn't sure how to swim, I at least knew enough to float until I got my bearings.

I'm doing it.

2014 ~ Full Speed Ahead