As I glance at my laundry room floor, I realize I've left a lot of things slide as I prepare to launch my book "Ryley" early next month. Housework has fell to the bottom of the list knowing my goal of becoming a published author is within reach. I know I should've washed my windows and done some fall cleaning this year, but reaching a personal goal somehow took precedent over everything else. I tell myself the huge pile of clothes will get washed sooner or later and if I can see through the windows enough to recognize objects outside, it will be okay. It occurred to me that housekeeping and publishing have something in common. Some people can focus on cleaning and whip through their house in no time at all. Much like authors who can amazingly get out several books each year. Although, I'm in awe of them, I realize I'm a new indie author and I move at a slower rate. I've discovered that's fine too. I believe as long as you're happy and comfortable with your humble abode and in my case also writing, it's all that matters. The key is to try and have patience while you keep moving forward. And no matter how daunting things appear, if you cut them into smaller sized pieces, it's easier to conquer them. The most important thing I've learned is to focus on your personal goals and don't compare yourself to anyone else because we all move at our own rate.                                                                                           Please continue to follow me on my writing journey as I reach a publishing milestone and launch my book "Ryley" in November. I will follow up on Facebook when and where the book will be available!  

Ready or not fall is here. I realized it was true a few weeks ago when I went fishing with my husband in Canada. Surrounded by brilliant colors, I looked around at the shoreline and felt the weight of my troubles somehow lift off my shoulders. While we quietly sat with the sun on our backs and fished, a peaceful sense of well being flooded in as the waves gently rocked the boat. I left my thoughts drift to where ever they wanted to go, making a point not to think about my current troubles or things I had to get done. I thought some about God and human nature and how everything usually turns out if you have a little faith in both. The afternoon was relaxed and calm and I left the lake feeing renewed. The fishing wasn't spectacular that day but I feel I caught something much better. Mother nature casts her spell in Autumn and everything she touches magically transforms; nature by appearance and man by state of mind—Donna Lovitz                                   I know the next few weeks are going to be a full and I need to remember that fishing day as I plan to release my first book 'Ryley' on November 5th. It's a book in a series called 'Betting on Paris' with four other authors. It's not a part of my trilogy which I plan to release in May/June of next year about sugar beet farmers. My plan is to post  a link on my website and on Facebook in the next few weeks where you can sign up to get updates about my book releases. Here's a little more about Ryley and the series:

BETTING ON PARIS SERIES

 Sometimes the best bet is the one you lose…

Five best friends. Five promises.

     Each year in mid-August, the former college roommates meet up on a girls-only trip somewhere in the world. This year, it’s Paris, the city of museums, art and romance. One night during their vacation, the girls engage in a serious talk about the sorry state of their love lives and collectively decide they are swearing off men. Instead, each woman is intent on pursuing her life’s goal. Falling in love is the last thing on her mind!

This is Ryley’s story…

     Fresh from her girls getaway to Paris, advertising executive Ryley Sanders is ready for success. Her eye is on the director’s position at her company, and nothing is going to stand in her way. She's the golden girl of the agency and usually heads up projects solo, so when her boss hires hunky executive Matt Kantor to co-head with her on a major campaign, it puts a crucial glitch in her plans. She isn't thrilled about sharing the limelight with the new guy, especially when she wants to shine alone in the eyes of upper management. Charismatic Matt has his own ideas that have swayed their boss into siding with him on vital campaign decisions. Will Ryley learn to work with Matt—and can they keep it strictly professional?

It seems most of us are under some sort of pressure in our lives. Maybe it's our jobs or it could be issues going on with our families. We all have some obligations that we would love to get away from, and some we would never consider eliminating from our lives. A close friend recently asked me why I'm trying to learn how to format my own books. I didn't tell her I am also studying the ins and outs of uploading my books to retail platforms and trying to learn more about marketing. And in between, I try to find some time to write. (I'm not what you would call computer savvy, but I'm learning) I thought about what my friend asked and came up with three reasons why I keep pushing forward: In order to publish my books, I need to learn and understand the process. I've heard from other writers that the more you do yourself, the better off you'll be in the long run. The second reason is that I've put a lot of work into my books and it doesn't make any sense to quit now. The third, and most important reason, is that I simply love to write. I've heard some writers talk about their book and it sounded like they were talking about their baby. It got me to thinking about that concept and I came up with a few similarities. As new parents, we learn how to take care of our child and gain the knowledge to do so, mostly on our own. We know from the moment our children are born, how much work they are, but quitting or giving up on them isn't an option. We do it because we love our children and want them to be the best they can be. I don't like being under pressure, but I know anything worthwhile usually involves a certain amount of stress. The next time you feel a little pressured by the things going on in your life, try and focus on the big picture. Remind yourself what your goals are and aim in that direction. Who knows? Maybe a little pressure is the push you need to get over the finish line.

I hope everyone is enjoying the warm weather. This month my blog is going to be like a Minnesota summer—short but sweet. I am very busy putting the final touches on my book "Ryley." It's a Christmas book that will be out in October/November of this year. No, this isn't a typo. I'm finally going to get a book out there and I'm thrilled about it. Yes!! I believe it's a fun, fast read and I loved writing it. Here is a little more about Ryley: Executive, Ryley Sanders, is headed to the top of the advertising world. Her eye is on the executive director’s position at work and nothing is going to stand in the way of her goal. She's the golden girl of the agency and usually heads up projects solo, so when her boss hires hunky executive, Matt Kantor, to co-head with her on a major campaign, it puts a hindrance in her plans. She isn't thrilled about sharing the limelight with the new guy, especially when she wants to shine alone in the eyes of upper management. To top things off Matt has his own ideas that her boss agrees with. Will Ryley learn to work with Matt, and can they keep it strictly professional? I'm still hard at work on my trilogy and plan to publish it when I feel it's ready. Until then, I'm learning and growing with each step of this journey into the writing world. I feel if I'm pushing forward, I'm headed in the right direction. I plan to post updates on Ryley in my future blogs. This is all for now, I'm off to the woods to pick blueberries. I use a small bench to sit on while I pick because the plants are short, but the berries are deliciously sweet. I'm enjoying everything possible the summer has to offer and I hope you are too!  

Someone told me summer is half over by the fourth of July. I frantically looked into how long summer is and found it runs from June 21st to September 23rd. That would make the middle of summer around August 7th. My discovery made me realize there's plenty of time to enjoy what summer has to offer. The whole half over theory got me thinking about the attitude of people when they reach age fifty. Many believe life is more than half over and technically they're right, but I think it's the flavoring we add to the remaining contents in the glass that makes the difference. If we are negative and are afraid to do anything fun, our life can get sour. If we don't forgive and hold grudges our lives will become bitter very quickly. Doing the same old thing all the time can make things bland and we all know variety is the spice of life. If we are melodramatic and tend to over react to everything that happens around us, we become salty to the rest of the world. I do believe being sweet is generally a good thing, but sometimes it isn't because there will always be people who will try to take advantage of our good nature. So what's the best all around flavor in the glass of life? Perhaps finding a delightful mixture of ingredients like: Positivity, forgiveness, diversification, calmness and kindness. Once you've added them all to your glass, don't forget to do the most important part—carefully blend them together with the spoon of love. Your glass will always be full no matter how long you live. Cheers!

I don't know of anyone that doesn't like feeling a sense of accomplishment once in a while. It doesn't matter if it's a simple thing like finishing a puzzle, or as complicated as building a house. There's a certain amount of satisfaction in achieving whatever it is you set out to do. For those who are truly passionate about a project it goes beyond getting it to completion. It becomes a part of them. A reflection of who they are to themselves and to the rest of the world. I remember my father would sit outside on a lawn chair for hours after he weeded his garden and marvel over his efforts. Whenever company arrived, a tour of his garden was always part of the visit. My grandmother also had a small vegetable garden, but her pride came from the rows of colorful gladiolus she grew. She displayed the bright flowers in several vases throughout her quaint, little house for everyone to see. When someone would make a remark about the flowers, it was easy to see the gratification in her eyes. Many of us love to sit back with a beer/wine or a glass of ice tea and look out at our freshly cut, weed trimmed lawns.The feeling of accomplishment likely makes that beverage in our hand taste a little better. Over the winter I had an opportunity to write a book for a Christmas series with a group of friends. Each one of us are writing our own book and I recently finished the first draft of my book titled "Ryley." The series will be out sometime this fall. I've enjoyed writing the book and believe the whole process will teach me more about marketing my trilogy. This experience has also given me a sense of accomplishment knowing I'm a big step closer to becoming a published author. I'm very excited and I promise to keep everyone posted on more details as they unfold.

When we think about the spring/summer season what usually comes to mind is  being outside. We envision a blissful time to soak up the sun while enjoying leisurely walks, boating, gardening, or maybe just sitting on the porch with a glass of ice tea. Unfortunately, as the calendar fills up with graduation parties, wedding showers, weddings, anniversaries, reunions and birthday parties, we discover the lazy days of summer are only a myth. Don't get me wrong. I love to to get together with people I care about, but I can't help thinking the whole thing seems a little unfair. There's a small window of nice weather in Minnesota and those who are working get only the weekends or a couple of days off during the week to enjoy it. And most of their precious off time is spent doing chores or running errands. They look forward to the weekends only to find them booked up with social engagements instead of hobbies they're passionate about. In the summer I often find myself going to multiple events on the same day. I fail to enjoy most of them because I'm on the run to make it to the next party. It seems we are so afraid to let anyone down that in the end we let ourselves down. The whole idea of attending everything can be impossible and not to mention exhausting. You can't blame people for scheduling events when it's nice outside but wouldn't it be great to enjoy some of the season doing whatever you want?  A little free time to feel the sun on our backs while we sit still and let our minds wander. Over the winter my husband made a hammock and I can't wait to hang it in the yard. I want to lay down in the breeze and look up at the moving clouds through the trees and think about nothing while I bask in the gloriousness of the spring/summer day. I know the song by Anna Nalick 'Just Breathe' has been around for a while but it has a great message. If you get a chance to view the video here it is:  https://youtu.be/FcvXr-9XtgA   I hope everyone has some time for themselves this spring/summer to do whatever it is that makes them happy. And while you're doing it, take a moment to just breathe.

The sun played hide and seek (mostly hide) for most of last fall, making it one of the darkest autumns I can remember. I read some where that during months with less sun shine people have reported more hair loss than usual. It seems to me, if the hair loss theory were true, all of us would have gotten wigs for Christmas last year. Our gloomy fall was then followed by a dreary winter with record breaking snow depths and cold temperatures. Okay, we don't need to be reminded how bad the weather has been for the last six months. We are more than ready to put all that behind us and move forward. But moving forward has launched us into a transition phase. The  time of the year when signs of spring appear but the weather is still uncooperative. It seems we're in limbo and nice weather is close and yet so far away. We've managed to keep a good attitude the last six months because we're Minnesotans but really, how much more can we take? The question is: How do you keep a good attitude through this whole thing? How about laughing? A heard about a study that connects the ability to laugh at ourselves to higher levels of optimism, better moods and happiness overall. I learned that laughter can relieve stress and tension. Hearty laughter helps our bodies relax up to forty-five minutes after. Laughter is good for your heart because it expands the inner lining of your blood vessels and increases blood flow. It also can temporarily relieve physical pain and burn calories. Ten or fifteen minutes of laughter a day can help you lose three to four pounds in a year. A laughter study in Norway claims that people with a good sense of humor lived longer than people who didn't laugh as often. So after you're done pushing around mountains of snow and slush. Go inside and have a hot chocolate (or a glass of wine if need be) and watch a comedy flick or listen to a good stand-up comedian. Do what ever it takes to laugh at yourself and lighten up. Remember, life is short and laughter is what makes the world go around—so don't let it stop spinning.

It's estimated that 145-150 million greeting cards are sold on Valentines Day each year. It's second to the biggest greeting card exchange day—Christmas. If each card averages around seven dollars that's—1.05 billion dollars—Wow! That's a lot of money. I would think those statics aren't just for one single company. In any case, it's America and everyone has the right to prosper. It makes me wonder what people did before Hallmark. I know some made homemade Valentines. They got out the construction paper, scissors, and glue. I would think putting the card together would be the easy part. But how strange it must have been for them to actually think about their feelings and write them down. It's likely the verses in the cards wouldn't have been as long, but more heartfelt. Short and sweet and to the point. The whole card would have meant so much more to the recipient. Especially the words, originally composed for them by their own true love. Not someone else's declaration of love. Nowadays, many people would say they're not poets and aren't capable of writing love verses, and most wouldn't take the time. I would tell them to write what's in their heart. How long would that take? And how romantic it would be for them to try? Put it this way, if my husband made me a card and wrote the verses, it would be framed on my wall. Oh well, any card I receive that brings me to tears has accomplished something special. Happy Valentines Day.

Like every year, some of my friends and family members have told me about their New Year's resolutions. I know that learning and implementing a different behavior is always a battle and I'm impressed by their good intentions. But I wonder, Why not make the changes instead of just working on them? Tell yourself, This is what I want, and go for it. This year I've decided to make changes instead of resolutions. Last fall, I attended a workshop and was told the title of my book didn't reflect a romance novel. I also learned that most editors and agents in the current market are more interested in a trilogy than most individual books. Soon after the workshop, I attended a retreat and was basically told the same thing: The title of my book should be easily recognized as a romance and trilogies are selling. Luckily, a few years ago I interviewed a group of farmers in the Montevideo area and learned enough information to write a three book series. Things about their history and the struggles they endured in the early to mid-seventies. And of course, a good romance always adds something special to the mix, making it all the more heartfelt. I mulled for weeks on what would be the best title for my novel. It had to be something that reflected who and what my book was about. And that answer is—sugar beet farmers. So, I've decided to change the title of my book to "Heartbeat of Desire." I'm now editing my second book called "Revenge in a Heartbeat." The third book which I'm still outlining is going to be called "Only a Heartbeat Away." The series title will be "The Heartbeat Series." I recently entered Romance Writers of America's largest contest for unpublished writers—The Golden Heart Contest. This is the last year for the prestigious contest, and it's the biggy for someone who hasn't yet published. Just qualifying in the contest could be the key to a good promotion for my series. The nominees are announced on March twenty-first of this year. The winners are then announced at RWA's convention in New York City in July. After that time, anyone who entered the contest can get the results of their scores. I'm hopeful this year knowing last year I had some good scores. I did some editing since, and as you know, placed second in the modern history category of the RTTA (Romance Through The Ages) Contest. The rest of this winter I'm planning on finishing the second and the third book as well as getting organized to Indie-publish this spring or early summer. I'm still on my journey and there is so many trails to explore. I wish everyone good luck this year on achieving whatever it is that fills them with the heartbeat of desire. Happy trails to you!