My husband put some tallow out on a tree outside the window for the birds to eat. The tree isn't far from the house and this afternoon I sat at my desk and watched a small woodpecker eat away at the treat hanging from the tree. Every once in a while, he'd stop and barely move and I wondered if something was wrong. I opened the door to see and to my relief, he flew away. He came back a few minutes later and did the same thing again. I thought about him and concluded that he was content because he was out of the wind and near food. It's amazing to see how easily animals naturally accept and adapt to their environment. I wish as humans we could do the same thing.

Someone once said, "The more you have, the more you have to worry about."

In this modern age we have so much more than our grandparents did — more money, vehicles, toys and gadgets. We do more traveling and have more technology to make our lives easier. Great medical advances have been made possible using modern technology and those breakthroughs are keeping us alive longer. Now days it's easier to keep an eye on your house or cabin when you're away and most people have an automatic start on their vehicle. And let's not forget about multitasking Alexa.

No one can argue that technology has helped us to live better and faster. But have you ever thought about all the ways technology has hurt our lives?

First of al think about all the stress involved in a faster world. I read years ago that stress can actually shrink your brain. I guess that isn't a problem for some folks because they have a smart phone to do all the thinking for them. Some children and adults don't have any idea how to do basic math without a device to do it for them. Family time is nonexistent in some family units because the majority of the time members are tuned into their phones. Most of us have seen that family who dine out and don't interact.They know more about what's going viral on Tik-Tok than what's going on in their own family.

We're constantly worrying about hackers and we spend lots of time and money to keep them at bay. We spend even more time charging up our multiple devices. How many times have you awakened to find that you forgot to charge your phone the previous night and now it's set your whole day off? Sure you can charge it on the way to work, but what if you forget? More people than ever are on some type of anti-depressant and/or sleeping pills. I believe a lot of it stems from being constantly bombarded with an overwhelming fast flow of information and expectations that result from technology.

On the lighter side, I think we all need to take a break and clear our thoughts once in a while. A few minutes to just listen to the wind go through the trees or to ourselves while we breathe. I call it quieting the mind and other's may call it purposeful meditation. I often end my session in prayer. Either way it can be a great way to shut out the stress. Who knows? Maybe I just need to focus on my friend, the woodpecker to learn how to be happy and contented in this ever changing world. 🌎

Wishing you quiet moments!

Donna

If you would like to be notified in an email about the release dates of my books go to:  https://donnalovitz.com/contact/

These are my books:

The Keys to Paradise (A Tropical Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084243

Only a Heartbeat Away (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084235

Revenge in a Heartbeat (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084227

Heartbeat of Desire (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084219

Ryley (A Christmas Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084200

I promise not to share your email address with others and I won't email you to death.

Although it's our shortest month, for many people February is the longest month of the year. Could the problem lie with what happens in the months prior to February? Usually by November we are busy planning for the holidays and by December, we're into the thick of the festivities. Every year it seems more parties are extended further into January and by the end of the month we're packing things away for the next holiday season. Maybe the reason February gets such a bad rap for being boring is because we only have Valentine's Day to celebrate. The tiny month of February can't compete with the action packed months we spent during November, December and January.

My mother always hated winter and whenever I told her I was snowshoeing, fishing or taking my dog for a walk, she would shudder and say I was crazy for being outside for long periods of time. I believe we all need to get outside whenever weather permits and get some fresh air. I also think making future plans can uplift your spirits. It can be as simple as what to plant in the garden or planning your next vacation.

People often ask how my husband and I survive the long cold Minnesota winters living in the northern part of the state. The last few years we have gone on vacation or should I say a 'road trip' each February. This year we had some medical things to deal with and decided to stay home. We did have a fun 'trip' riding in an ice race a few weeks ago. We rode with the driver during two actual races and it was a blast!!

I've started writing a new book 'Between a Rockstar and a Hard Place' and the hubby has been fishing some. Earlier in January we had an ice storm followed by a massive amount of snow that left a lot of trees down on our property. Every day we try to cut down a tree or two and stack the wood to dry. With the amount of trees we have to deal with, we will certainly have a few bonfires this spring and summer. I guess that gives me something fun to look forward to in the future.

Wishing you more sunny days! ☀️

Donna

If you would like to be notified in an email about the release dates of my books go to:  https://donnalovitz.com/contact/

These are my books:

The Keys to Paradise (A Tropical Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084243

Only a Heartbeat Away (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084235

Revenge in a Heartbeat (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084227

Heartbeat of Desire (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084219

Ryley (A Christmas Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084200

I promise not to share your email address with others and I won't email you to death.

I'm so happy to celebrate Jesus's birthday but I admit that some years I struggle to get into the holiday mood. I prayed a few weeks ago for something to happen that would give me a shot of Christmas spirit. ( No, I'm not talking alcohol) I wanted something that would bring back some of the excitement and holiday magic that I felt when I was a child. Then a few weeks ago something unexpected happened. But before I say what, I need to back the story up to where it actually started six years ago.

It was around Christmas time when my husband and I ran errands in Park Rapids and we made several stops. When we returned home, I noticed that I had lost one of my earrings. I was devastated because it was one of my favorites that I had for years, and it was made out of eighteen-karat Italian gold. I called everywhere we went earlier that day and one business said they had a yellow gold hoop earring in their lost and found. I raced back to Park Rapids (twenty miles a way) and was disappointed to find it wasn't there. I wondered about the honesty of the worker I spoke to on the phone. His shift had ended and he had gone home for the day. I was sad but decided to keep the other earring thinking I could maybe get something for the gold.

This year I was talking to my sister on the phone as I rummaged through a huge bag that contained all of my gift bags. I got frustrated because various sized bags were mixed together and I couldn't find the ones I wanted. I pulled all the bags out and started to organize them when I found an old brown paper shopping bag that I had gotten from a business in St. Cloud at least ten years ago. It was torn and I wondered why I kept it. Thinking it was empty, I was about to crunch it down and throw it into the trash, when for some reason I looked inside. I found a gorgeous red ribbon and my earring that I lost six years ago on the bottom of the bag. None of it made any sense but I felt like God had given me a special present.

Last Sunday evening we went to a Christmas program at a local church and  I was amazed at all the work that was put into the performance. A young woman in the congregation volunteered her time to be the coordinator for the entire thing and did an exceptional job. There were seven scene changes and the music selection and costumes were perfect. I still can feel the drums beat in my chest when King Herod came into the scene and hear the middle-eastern flute music when the three wisemen entered with their camel. I watched the eyes of the people in the crowd, especially the children, and saw how enthralled they were as the actors moved around the pews. It was a performance I won't forget and one I thought I would never see at a small town church. It had a great message about our savior's birth and it really filled the longing in my heart with some Christmas magic.

Merry Christmas to all!

Donna

If you would like to be notified in an email about the release dates of my books go to:  https://donnalovitz.com/contact/

These are my books:

The Keys to Paradise (A Tropical Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084243

Only a Heartbeat Away (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084235

Revenge in a Heartbeat (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084227

Heartbeat of Desire (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084219

Ryley (A Christmas Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084200

I promise not to share your email address with others and I won't email you to death.

I know many people believe the holidays are the happiest time of the year and for the most part I agree. But sometimes the festive season can really wear a person out. The baking, shopping, decorating, parties and of course dealing with difficult relatives can be overwhelming.

So to keep everything as stressless as possible I try to make things hassle free. I find it easier to purchase photo cards instead of filling out my usual fifty or more Christmas greeting cards. In the past I've made at least twelve different kinds of Christmas cookies only to throw out some by the end of January. Now I ask each family member what their favorites are and make only those. We used to have a large tree every year that took me days to decorate and now we put up a small one that takes only a few hours.

Some people really get into buying and receiving gifts, but for me it seems the older I get, the less I want. I'd much rather see the joy in a child's eyes or the smile from an older adult when they receive something they'll truly enjoy.

It's hard for me to come up with gift ideas and I wish some family members would be keen on the idea of eliminating gifts entirely. I believe that Jesus Christ's birthday is the reason for the season and he's the best gift ever given to all us.

Happy holidays!

Donna

If you would like to be notified in an email about the release dates of my books go to:  https://donnalovitz.com/contact/

These are my books:

Only a Heartbeat Away (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084235

Revenge in a Heartbeat (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084227

Heartbeat of Desire (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084219

Ryley (A Christmas Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084200

I promise not to share your email address with others and I won't email you to death.

I started this blog in the middle of October when a blanket of snowflakes covered the ground outside. Thankfully, it melted and we had a some nice sunny days between then and now. I'm hoping that the snow doesn't make its self at home for at least another month.

I love fall but I always feel like it passes by too fast. A few years ago, I started this story and I continue to add to it every year:

Fall is like a handsome stranger that rides into town on his magnificent stallion and captures everyone's attention with his bright, dazzling good looks. Seeing this gorgeous creature, we forget all about the boys of summer and focus on getting to know the flashy fellow who holds us under his magical, colorful spell. We ooh and ahh and marvel at everything he shows us and we even fool ourselves into believing he'll stick around for a while. Then one dark day his beauty starts to thin and fade and he leaves like a thief out the back door. We call out begging him to stay, but he just gives us an empty stare and rides away into the sunset. Soon we realize that the only thing we have left from our good-looking visitor are the memories and we can't help but feel cold inside and out. But it isn't from our lost love, because while we all were distracted and googly-eyed over Mr. Charming, Old Man Winter blew in on his dog sled and took over the town!

I know my husband is very excited about the approaching deer hunting season and I'm excited about my new book "The Keys to Paradise" coming out next month. I really had a lot of fun with the story and its diverse characters.

Somewhere in her heart, Jules Neuberg, found the strength to forgive her husband for impregnating a woman he claimed was a stranger. But when his wealthy parents convince him to make it work with the mother of his child, Jules’s whole world crashes from the unexpected.

With her divorce in the works, Jules’s friends aren’t about to let her spend an anniversary alone and book a surprise vacation to Key West, Florida. Hearing about their plan, Jules refuses to go, but hastily changes her mind learning about the birth of her husband’s son.

Once in Key West, Jules struggles to find the energy to fake a good time and decides to forget everyone else and work on pleasing herself. When Dalian Carter, the gorgeous resort owner, suddenly finds her interesting, she wonders if he could possibly be for real.

Are the tropical winds of paradise whispering lasting love or a heartbreak hurricane?

Happy Halloween!

Donna

If you would like to be notified in an email about the release dates of my books go to:  https://donnalovitz.com/contact/

These are my books:

Only a Heartbeat Away (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084235

Revenge in a Heartbeat (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084227

Heartbeat of Desire (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084219

Ryley (A Christmas Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084200

I promise not to share your email address with others and I won't email you to death.

I was in South Dakota on a Tuesday and it was a gorgeous summer day that peeked out around ninety-one degrees. The next day the temperature plummeted to fifty-nine and I remembered it was the first day of fall. It seemed summer slowly slipped by unnoticed and fall ferociously followed making an in your face impression. Hopefully, we'll get some warmer sunny days before old man winter makes his return. I guess every nice day from now on shouldn't be taken for granted.

I'm excited that the finish line for my new book "The Keys to Paradise" is coming into view. My proofreaders are hard at it and I'm finishing up on the blurb and print book cover. There is so much to do, but I truly love seeing it all come together. Each book is an experience for me and every time I learn something new. In this book, I wrote about a different culture and it was very interesting. I really hope when someone reads the story they will actually hear the hero's Spanish accent and reflect on the music that is playing in the background during some of the scenes. I believe this book is the most romantic one I've written so far.

Somewhere in her heart, Jules Neuberg, found the strength to forgive her husband for impregnating a woman he claimed was a stranger. But when his wealthy parents convince him to make it work with the mother of his child, Jules’s whole world crashes from the unexpected.

With her divorce in the works, Jules’s friends aren’t about to let her spend an anniversary alone and book a surprise vacation to Key West, Florida. Hearing about their plan, Jules refuses to go, but hastily changes her mind learning about the birth of her husband’s son.

While in Key West, Jules struggles to come up with the energy to fake a good time and decides to forget everyone else and work on pleasing herself. When Dalian Carter, the gorgeous resort owner, suddenly finds her interesting, she wonders if he could possibly be for real.

Are the tropical winds of paradise whispering lasting love or a heartbreak hurricane?

I'm looking forward to the release of "The Keys to Paradise" this fall and I hope you are too!

Donna

If you would like to be notified in an email about the release dates of my books go to:  https://donnalovitz.com/contact/

These are my books:

Only a Heartbeat Away (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084235

Revenge in a Heartbeat (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084227

Heartbeat of Desire (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084219

Ryley (A Christmas Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084200

I promise not to share your email address with others and I won't email you to death.

In the beginning of the summer most of us take on an attitude like we did when we were children and believe the season is endless. By the end of August we're scrambling to get all the things done we put off in June and July. All of a sudden we're left wondering, "How did the time slip through our fingers?"

I'm diligently working on my new book "The Keys to Paradise"  but instead of running myself ragged, I want to pace the process and have fun with it. I also want to have time to enjoy what summer has left to offer—nice but cooler weather, ripe garden vegetables and more time to visit with my friends and family.

Maybe now I can burn a few more campfires and take time to really look at the stars in the night sky. Remember, we have the right to keep that carefree summer attitude for another three weeks because summer doesn't officially end until September 21st. Too bad for those who believe summer is over when the kids go back to school.

As I look back on this season the best things for me so far were:

1. Meeting and talking with new people when I sold books at events.

2. Getting together with my friends: One evening a bunch of us were sitting in a large circle out side when a swarm of dragon flies appeared and danced around us in the breeze. They dived in and out of the group and amazingly kept the mosquitoes away.

3. Reading the book "Where the Crawdads Sing" and also going to the movie with my dear friend, Flo. Wow! The movie was good and the book was really a great read.

4. Picking blueberries in Canada — the plants were so heavy with berries it was hard to believe. I felt like the people in the original Willy Wonka film after he let them into the main part of the factory where the chocolate river flowed. I swear I heard the magical music play from the movie as we each went our own way to pick.The berry clusters hung like nine inch soda pop cans. I had never seen anything like it before!

Happy reading to everyone!

Donna

These are my books:

Only a Heartbeat Away (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084235

Revenge in a Heartbeat (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084227

Heartbeat of Desire (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084219

Ryley (A Christmas Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084200

If you would like to be notified in an email about the release dates of my books  go to:  https://donnalovitz.com/contact/

I promise not to give your email address to others and I won't email you to death.

I've been very busy this summer with book signings and trying to get my latest book "The Keys to Paradise" written. I set some goals to make it all happen and I'm working hard to achieve them. Writing a book takes lots of thought and more than anything — time. My biggest challenge is getting it done on time for my editor. If I don't retain her at least a year in advance, it is hard to get an editor and I end up waiting for them to fit me into their schedule. It can be a six month to a year delay.

I really believe this the most romantic book I've written. I've gotten so involved into the story and my characters. There have been some scenes where I stopped writing to cry because I feel so bad for what the characters are going through. I know some people will not understand, but it's how I write. Believability is so important for me as a writer and a reader.

Here is the rough draft of the book cover blurb:

Somewhere in her heart, Jules Neuberg, found the strength to forgive her husband for impregnating a woman he claimed was a stranger. But when his wealthy parents convince him to make it work with the mother of his child, Jules’s whole world crashes from the unexpected.

Now that her divorce is in the works, Jules’s friends aren't about to leave her alone on her first anniversary without the ex and book a surprise vacation to Key West, Florida. Hearing about their plan, Jules refuses to go, but hastily changes her mind learning about the birth of her husband’s new son.

While in Key West Jules struggles to come up with energy to fake a good time and decides to forget everyone else and work on pleasing herself. When Dalian Carter, the gorgeous hotel owner suddenly finds her interesting, she wonders if he could possibly be for real!

Stay tuned to find out when "The Keys to Paradise" will be out this fall! I know some will say fall isn't soon, but in the writing world most authors start making announcements six months ahead. I hope in the end the majority of my readers say it was worth waiting for.

Happy reading to everyone!

Donna

These are my books:

Only a Heartbeat Away (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084235

Revenge in a Heartbeat (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084227

Heartbeat of Desire (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084219

Ryley (A Christmas Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084200

If you would like to be notified in an email about the release dates of my books  go to:  https://donnalovitz.com/contact/

I promise not to give your email address to others and I won't email you to death.

Wouldn't it be nice if a person could take the three months of summer and spread them out to six? Why you ask? In Minnesota the nice weather is short but the list of things happening at this time of year continue to grow. Graduations, weddings, sporting and community events, anniversaries, birthdays and of course family vacations. Throw in an unexpected funeral and a few last minute get-togethers and things shift into a higher gear. But wait a minute. Aren't these things supposed to be fun? Of course they are. The problem is: they usually come all at once. I talked to someone who had five graduation parties on the same day. It's hard to attend everything you want and if you're working, it can be next to impossible.

My parents both worked and I remember their basic routine in the summer months. They would come home from work and put on a pot of coffee and then talk about their day. When they finished their chat, my mother would start cooking and my father would go into the garden to weed or pick some vegetables for dinner. After we ate, Dad would go outside and sit on a lawn chair by his garden with a cup of coffee and a cigarette. Sometimes Mom would join him, but most of the time he sat out there by himself. I guess he wasn't completely alone, because the dog would follow him and take a nap under his lawn chair. My siblings and I would wander out there from time to time and ask him why he was sitting there basically doing nothing. He would smile proudly and say he was watching his garden grow. We thought he was insane. How could he be so happy and contented to sit there and stare at plants?

Here I am fifty years later and the biggest highlight of the summer for me is being able to sit on my porch and drink my coffee. I love to look at my flowers, listen to the birds sing and feel the warm sunlight on my face. I figured out that my father wasn't just sitting there by his garden. He was likely thinking or meditating or perhaps even praying some. In any case, it was his way to unwind at the end of a hard day.

I realize now the simple things about summer are truly what I enjoy the most and I'm going to strive to make them a priority. Who knows with the inflation and gas prices the simple things could possibly make a come back in all of our lives? Look on the bright side — maybe we'll have more time to relax and read.

Happy reading to everyone!

Donna

These are my books:

Only a Heartbeat Away (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084235

Revenge in a Heartbeat (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084227

Heartbeat of Desire (A Modern History Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084219

Ryley (A Christmas Romance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734084200

If you would like to be notified in an email about the release dates of my books  go to:  https://donnalovitz.com/contact/

I promise not to give your email address to others and I won't email you to death.