Welcome to 2015!

How is the new year treating you so far? I know one person it’s treating really well. And that would be…. Julie Bonafice! Julie is the lucky winner of the Kindle Fire. Congratulations and I will be in touch, Miss Julie.

So what’s next? Well, for me, a lot of work. Which means my online time gets cut way back for the next 12 weeks. Unfortunately, these books don’t write themselves. (But oh how awesome it would be if they did.)

The good news is that we’re only 14 weeks away from the release of HIS FIRST AND LAST, the first in my Ardent Springs series. I should be sharing the cover soon, and then there will be reviews coming in and maybe some early copies up for grabs. That new release train will leave the station before we know it, but first, I have to write the next one.

My goal is to still check in here every Monday, and share fun stuff on social media as much as I can. I cleaned up my book shelves a few days ago and realized I have a ridiculous number of copies of MEANT TO BE and UP TO THE CHALLENGE. That means you never know when I might give some away. (Yes, that’s a hint. Keep an eye on my Facebook page!)

The new year brings a new start. May 2015 be the year we all kick some butt!

When I was a kid, life wasn’t always great. So to muddle through, I learned to live for tomorrow. I’d convince myself I had to keep going because there was something better coming. I was happy to work for whatever that was, and it helped me not to give up on myself or on life.

The problem with this is that after a lifetime of thinking this way, you forget how to live in the moment. Or maybe I never learned how to live in the moment. Now that my present situation is pretty good, I want to enjoy it. To live in it and not be constantly searching ahead for the next good thing.

In an effort to learn how to live in the moment, I’ve chosen a theme word for 2014. Enjoy. That’s what I want to do. Enjoy my rehabbed house, my fabulous teenager, and even my loony pets. I want to enjoy every new review, new scene idea, and even the days when the words aren’t coming easy because I want to remember that I’m getting to do something amazing for a living.

And it’s still amazing, even when it isn’t easy.

My process right now is to take a second each day to be present. To look around and really see what I’ve accomplished and the gifts I’ve been given. I’m sure there will be days when I forget and fall into old habits. I already catch myself thinking about six months from now and how things might be. Can’t be perfect from the start, but I’m trying.

How about you? Ever heard of this picking a theme? I like it much better than making resolutions (which I haven’t done in years) or even setting goals. Goals are out there somewhere. Insisting we achieve something makes our happiness conditional. I don’t want conditional. I want to be happy regardless of hitting some lofty goal.

If you’re interested, what would your word be? Or you can pick a phrase. What mindset do you want to take into 2014? 

This title is the best way to describe 2012 for me. In fact, I fear it borders on understatement. I cannot express the level of gratitude I have for all that has happened in the last twelve months. But more than the contest final and the contract is the people.

On March 26^th, I received the call that started it all. Jeanne Adams informed me I was a finalist in the 2012 RWA Golden Heart contest (and dealt brilliantly with my crazy reaction.) That one call brought 63 of the most amazing women into my life. Almost instantly we were a family. I have 63 new blessings. 63 examples of strength, intelligence, wit, power, and perseverance. They teach me every day about life and the kind of person and writer I want to be. Thank you, Firebirds.

In June I found the person who would forever change my life further. Nalini Akolekar read my work, believed in it and me, and joined me as a partner and friend on this crazy journey. In August she called me with the news I’d sold and as a reward got was had to be the worst author reaction ever. I practically shut down. No happy dancing. No screaming. I still feel bad and intend to make this up to her by either flipping out when we get the next contract or buying her copious amounts of liquor at Nationals in Atlanta. (It’s likely I will do both.)

Next was virtually meeting the editor who fell in love with my work enough to offer a contract. Lindsey Guzzardo at Montlake Romance will always be the publisher angel who gave me my first contract. And though she’s moved on to other endeavors, I will forever be grateful. I’m now working with the ever enthusiastic Kelli Martin, who already makes me want to hug her with every email, and look forward to a long and fruitful relationship.

Then there are my friends and supporters who have been with me all along. My daughter who says, with great authority and no shock whatsoever, that she always knew I’d do this. Hellie who told me for years I was indeed a writer, only to have me argue that she was insane. Thank goodness she and kiddo made me keep going. Then there’s Marn, Mo, Hal, Sabrina, Sin, Donna, Dee, Leslie, Janga, Manda, Santa, Julianne, Lindsey, and PJ who all offered an endless supply of pom pom waving. And I can’t forget my mom and sister who both read the book and said, “I can hear your voice in my head as I read” and “It reads just like the other books I buy at the store.”

What more could a girl want? Well, lovely sales in 2013 and many more books to come would be nice. But right now, I just want to survive the next five months. I promise to blog more often. I promise not to constantly ask people to buy my book. And I promise not to ever get tired of hearing Hellie say she told me so. Since, you know, she did tell me so.