Gifts

I know many things about myself.
I love my family and Himself.
I treasure my friends.
I have Medusa hair.
I do not truly wake up until I have hot, strong black coffee in my hand.
I love to read, play with ceramics, learn new things...
I feel most at home out in the middle of the woods at the cottage.
I am a busy sort of person.
I am not a patient patient...

Oh, that last one.
I've been having some ongoing issues since summer with my bad leg. It has put a bit of a hitch in my giddiup this summer and fall. Well, last week, they took out my decades-old hardware and we're hoping this last surgery is the LAST surgery. Yes, my bionic leg is screw and plateless. It's a regular old leg. And I'm on crutches for a bit while those screw holes in the femur heal.

Uh, remember that not patient patient Holly fact? It's coming into play. But I'm being very well behaved even if I'm not patient. I'm resting a lot and slowly rebuilding my strength. All my wood-splitting means my arms aren't doing too bad with the crutches. So I'm moving more slowly than usual, but I'm moving.

I'm setting small goals for myself. For instance, yesterday I made the bed and made the morning coffee. Poor Himself did pretty much of the rest of my daily routine, but darn that bed looked nice and the coffee was just the way I like it, hot, strong black coffee. Today, I've already made the coffee, I'm making that darn bed, and I'm going to find one more new thing to throw in the mix. Maybe unload a dishwasher. Anyway, that's how I'm going to measure my recovery...one new (regular) thing at a time.

My ultimate goal is to be back in the studio by the end of January. I've always been someone who likes to work with goals. I try to have realistic goals. It's almost time to pick my word for 2020. And I'm not going to wait until the new year to pick it. I'm going to pick it now. Patience.

I've always found it easier to be patient with others than patient with myself. There's so much in the world I want to learn and do. So many new things to explore. That hitch in my giddiup is slowing it all up. But slow doesn't mean stopped. So I'm being patient. Or at least trying to.

Here's the thing, goals are great. They give us something to move towards. But I think we have to be kind to ourselves and be patient with ourselves. Sometimes life happens. And our goals have to change. I might not be hosting my big Christmas Eve bash this year (thanks to my marvelous sister-in-law for taking that on), but darn the bed is made. LOL And I've read 600 pages in that 1,000 page book my son has been telling me to read (Brandon Sanderson is an amazing author) and I truly binge-watched The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel's new season. Yeah, most of the time I don't have the time to binge watch. My leg has derailed my plans, but it's also given me time to do things I wouldn't normally have time to do. Every obstacle comes with gifts in its hands!

So Ella and I are going to sit on this couch under my buffalo plaid blanket and read the paper today. (Well, she doesn't do much of the reading.) Then I'm going to make that darned bed and find a way to do one more thing from my normal routine today.

And by the end of January, I'm going back to the studio. In the meantime, I'm going to look for all the gifts this particular obstacle has in its hands! And I'm going to patiently celebrate and embrace each of those gifts! And while we're talking about gifts, let me take a moment to wish you all a wonderful holiday season! Talk to you in 2020!

Holly

PS. I have two Christmas books on sale, and the first two Hometown Hearts books are available for preorder!! I hope you'll check them both out. And check our the Dear Reader Letter on A Special Kind of Different's Amazon page. Celebrating our differences gives me glee!!

Christmas in Cupid Falls

Everything But a Christmas Eve

Crib Notes HH #1

Amazon, iBook, Nook, Kobo

A Special Kind of Different HH#2

Life List and Why to Have One

By Jillian Ross (as told to Joanne Rock), heroine of THE FORBIDDEN BROTHER

Long ago, I had heard of “life lists.” Some people called them bucket lists, but that’s simply another term for a list of things to accomplish/see/do in a lifetime. For me, that idea sounded pushy—another way to make me feel like I wasn’t achieving enough in an already packed-full existence.

But after a frightening health scare, I saw a “life list” in a brand-new light.

Maybe it’s because a scary diagnosis cuts through the noise of an average daily to-do list in a hurry. But suddenly, I didn’t feel the same pressure to tackle the spring cleaning or dazzle my boss with overtime. My priorities shifted, and I had a new clarity about how I wanted to spend my time. And it wasn’t working or cleaning.

Enter the life list. Or, in my case, my list of 100 Life Adventures—things I wanted to do, places I wanted to visit, experiences I wanted to have. When you are worried you don’t have much time left, you become more stingy in how you spend it. Now, I started making

travel plans to see the American West. That was a big thing I wanted to do along with watching a sunset on the Mediterranean. But my list is full of little things too. Buy an easel and paint whatever I want outdoors on a sunny day. Pick wildflowers and give bouquets to my neighbors just because. Window shop while wearing big Audrey Hepburn shades. Order the best wine off a menu.

My life list was fun to write because I spent time thinking about moments that would bring me joy.  Even anticipating the moments—visualizing them—brought a kind of joy. It made me realized that focusing on me was overdue. None of us know what tomorrow will bring. So why not live with joy, in search of happiness and new adventures, today?

Ready to try one? Here are my takeaways from writing my list:

Brainstorm long and hard. Don’t just take the first idea that comes to mind. Sure, you can write the first ten ideas quickly, but after that, stop and think about how you can refine them. And once you get past the first handful of ideas, dig deeper. This list isn’t something you write in a day. You come back to it again and again as you are inspired by the world and people around you. What life experiences do you want to have? What adventures have you seen other people undertake that make you wish you could do the same?

No limits. Don’t edit your ideas to fit your budget or lifestyle. Dream big! You can’t achieve your real aspirations if you aren’t honest with yourself about what you want.

Kick fear to the curb. It’s important not to let fear of failure hold you back. No one needs to know about your life list—there’s no judgement! Committing a dream to paper is the first step to making it happen, but you can’t let fear hold you back.

Be specific. Goals are stronger when they are measurable. So while it’s okay to add “make new friends” to your list, it’s even better to spell out ideas for the how and where. “Attend two book clubs at the library and hold meaningful conversations with at least three people” is a goal that gives the “make friends” idea more teeth! Help yourself with actionable steps to guide you toward the goal.

**Photographer and film location scout Jillian Ross tackles two of her goals on her list of Life Adventures when she visits Cheyenne, Wyoming and orders the best wine the local bar (The Thirsty Cow!) has to offer. That scene opens THE FORBIDDEN BROTHER, and sets up the meet between Jillian and local rancher Cody McNeill.

 So... What's the first thing you'd put on your life list? One random poster will receive a copy of Catherine Mann's The Twin Birthright! 

Goals. Habit. Addiction...in a good way.

I'm going to confess, I am horrible at taking selfies.  I watch my kids take gorgeous photos of themselves and marvel. Sigh. I was out for a walk yesterday in 22 degree weather and wanted a pic of me all bundled up with the very picturesque Mercyhurst University in the background.  Well, you can see half of me bundled, and a very nice shot of the Hirt Academic building in the background.

But the good news is, despite the 1/2 selfie and cold weather, I managed to get in a four mile walk.  I'm still on my 10,000+ steps a day kick.  It's been a few years and I think it's time to admit, I'm a step-addict.  I traded my Fitbit Flex for a Fitbit Charge 2 this year.

I haven't missed my 10,000 step goal since I started January 1, 2014.  Just looked up my totals:

Totals

15,582,975 steps 6,814.95 miles

I wore my FitBit in Disney last  week and there were extra hours at the Magic Kingdom one night.  As I followed the excited kids, I glanced at my Fitbit and saw I was at 28,000 steps.  I felt this surge of excitement  myself, despite being exhausted (the family tends to keep me running at Disney...their mantra is Hurry Up, Mom!!)...I was going
to break 30,000!!  I've broken 25,000 steps, but 30,000 has been illusive. As I was tiredly basking in my breaking-my-record glow I glanced down again and...I was at zero steps.  I realized it was midnight.  Like Cinderella, the clock struck and messed up my night.  The good news is...I had a few thousand steps when I woke up the next morning.

Here's my point.  (Yes, I have one. LOL)

I set a goal in 2014...10,000 steps every day.  And some days it was tough, but I stuck to it.  I made myself walk even when I didn't feel like it.  And somewhere along the line, I didn't force myself any more.  I wanted to get out there and get those steps in.  My goals had become my habit.  And now, I've realized that my goal/habit has become an addiction.  LOL

Goals. Habit. Addiction.

That's how my writing came about.  At first I wanted to write, so I decided I had to write something—anything—every day.  Pretty soon writing was a habit.  And now, all these years later, it's an addiction.  LOL

It's no longer January, but it's never too late to make a resolution and set a goal! And when you do, I hope it becomes something you enjoy and make a permanent part of your life!

Holly

PS On Sale Today:

Just One Thing

A Day Late and a Bride Short

Barbara Ankrum: NEW YEAR’S ANGST / RESOLUTIONS

NEW YEAR’S ANGST RESOLUTIONS

First, thanks, Lee, for inviting me to blog here today. It was so sweet of you to invite me! Here, at the very end of 2014, there seemed only one thing on my mind to blog about. Oh, yes. I’m going there.

New Year’s resolutions! I’ve always been fascinated by them.  And that is to say, from a distance, watching other people make them. For many, they work. They can be great motivators, I hear. You write your goals down at the beginning of the year and check them off as you accomplish them. In a way, written goals are a good reminder of your decision to accomplish something. But to me, there’s a self-implied ‘fail’ button attached to New Year’s resolutions because they’re sort of made out of a sense of desperation. End of the year, tick-tock, another year gone and all that. 

Don’t misunderstand me. There’s nothing wrong with setting goals: big goals, smaller goals and in between goals. And I do set them all the time all throughout the year. But agreeing to terms of a rigid resolution? (I will join a gym. I will lose fifteen pounds…) If I’ve learned anything about myself, it’s that I’m stubborn. Independent. I have a knee-jerk resistance to rules. Hence…writer.

Are we talking semantics here? Possibly. Sometimes, I have to fool my own thought process that way.  Yes, I’m just that weird. Perhaps this is a product of getting older and having some hindsight into my own dismal failures when it comes to keeping resolutions. So with the intention of liberating myself from all that self-flagellation when I inevitably fail, I’ve learned to put a twist on the resolution thing by writing a grateful list, instead. This list isn’t really about all the things I think I should do or should have done but didn’t. Instead, it puts into perspective for me the things that have become really important to me over the past year.

Getting more exercise is one of those things that always makes the resolution lists. But as I take my daily two mile walk with my happy little dog, Maggie—who’s always grateful for everything—I make it a point to feel grateful that I can walk this briskly and this easily and this far. Because I know not everyone can. Feeling grateful instead of pressured inspires me to expand my routines, push myself farther. (i.e., Maybe I’ll add that next hill, just to prove that it won’t kill me!)

Spending more time with family always makes my list and it’s even more important to me now that we’re scattered to the four winds. So grateful that I have time now to do it and that I can make time in my schedule for visits with the grandbabies. I GET to.

Writing more books/writing faster is always on the list for writers. Again, after just ending a full time job where I had little time to write, I am so grateful to GET to write again. I remember that whenever I get stuck or slow down. I remember my gratitude to be able to do what I do. No pressure, just relief, really.

And because of those long hours in the chair, writing, Yoga is in my future. When I was working full time, there was a yoga studio across the street from my window at work. All day, I’d watch women come and go, wishing I was one of them. Now, (grateful) I GET to go to yoga! See what I mean? The exercise thing goes hand in hand with the writing thing. But they both come out of my gratitude list.

That’s just a sampling of what will be on my list this year. What about you? Do resolutions work for you? Or do you have to get creative with your goals? I’d love to hear and I’m grateful to have the chance to wish you a very happy and healthy 2015!  

And just for fun, I’m giving away a $10 Amazon Gift Card to get the year started out right! To enter, just tell me one thing you’re grateful for! 

Barbara Ankrum is the bestselling author of thirteen books, including her latest contemporary romance, A FAIR TO REMEMBER, from Tule Publishing. Her bestselling western historical series, ‘Wild Western Hearts’ is available on all e-book platforms. She’s been twice nominated for RWA’s prestigious RITA Award. She’s the mom of two wonderful, grown children and she lives in Southern California with her sweet husband, two cats and her scruffy Toto-impersonator walking companion, Maggie.

***Barbara's winner is Carol L.!  Please email totebag@authorsoundrelations.com with your mailing address.***

And I Would Walk 10,000…er Steps

So what's new with me in 2014??

My husband bought me a FitBit for Christmas.  He bought it because he knows me so well.  Not only is it techy, which he knows I love, but it also tracks steps and miles.

For the last year, I've been trying for three mile walks every day. More when I can get them.  I have an app for that.  But sometimes I forget to turn it on.  This solves that.

Now, the only flaw with those long walks every day is I live in Erie.  According to the Golden Snow Globe site, we're #1 right now with 77.4 inches of snow.  I don't mind walking in the snow, but that Polar Vortex kicked my butt.  So even though I still wanted those 10,000 steps, I wasn't going out in -36 degree wind chills.

So I got creative.  I walked in place while I talked on the phone.  I put clothes away, one item at a time, leaving the basket in the sitting room and walking back and forth.  And finally, I watched a television show and walked in place.

Needless to say, I've made it to 10.000 steps each day.  Some of those steps were creative, but I got

them in.

I'm the mother of four, so finding a creative way to meet a goal is something I've done for years.  When I first started writing, my youngest hadn't started school yet.  Let me tell you, writing with four kids under foot takes a lot of creativity.  I called those years my "Vampire Years."  I wrote after they went to bed.  I wrote until my eyelids wouldn't stay up another minute.

And here I am, years later, more than fifty books.  Those Vampire Years paid off.  So, I'll be as creative as I need to be in order to get those steps in.

Oh, and my word of the year?? (I don't do resolutions—I pick a word to build my year around.) This year, my word is…you guessed it, STEP.  It sort of ties in nicely to my goal of 10,000 steps a day, and really does apply to my writing, too!  At the moment, I'm a bit swamped.  My desk is groaning.  But I'm simply taking things one step at a time.  The day before yesterday I finished galleys for June's Just One Thing, and yesterday I did a fact sheet for October's Christmas in Cupid Falls.  Today, I'm planning to work on a new article that's due in Feb and working on February's final Maid in LA Mystery, Swept Up…step by step, I'm crossing items off.

How about you??  Do you have a word of the year, a resolution, or simply some goal you're working toward?

Wishing you all a very happy 2014!!

Holly

You Say It's Your Birthday?!.......

.....it's my birthday, too, yeah!

Alas, it is my birthday today and I'm tempted to use some of that new-fangled math to come up with a number I like more than the real number (doesn't that new math still allow for imaginary numbers?). But, after facing some serious glitches in the matrix of life a couple of years ago, I guess I'm just fine starting my 53rd year on planet Earth.

Even though I'm acknowledging my body's age, I have to say that I don't think I'm really that old yet. At least not in mind and spirit. I still have things to do, places I want to see, people I want to meet, books I want to read...and write...., music to hear and people I want to be like when I grow up!! I think I've always been one of those people who never acts or thinks like their age. Now sometimes, that's not a nice thing to say, but I take it as a compliment because I think, as that "Kick the Can" episode of TWILIGHT ZONE taught us, that you are only as old as you let yourself be.

And, my habit at this time of year, not necessarily New Year, but on my birthday eve, is to think ahead at where I want to be or what I want to have memories of on my next birthday. Since I did this on January 29th, 2008 --

-- I've written two novels, one novella, and a short story,

-- I've signed with a new publisher to write 3 more books,

-- I hired a new agent,

-- I spent 3 weeks traveling all over the UK and got to climb the scaffolding to the top of Rosslyn Chapel, see the Highlands in the middle of a snowstorm, listened to harpists from all over the world, met a world-renowned scientist who spoke on how storytelling is one of two biggest differences between human and ape brains!, visited a library built in the 1700s, and rode buses all over London and Edinburgh, talking to the locals and meeting so many nice people!

-- took my hubby and son (and his friend) from San Francisco to southern California to Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon to Phoenix, meeting friends and romance readers and writers all along the way

-- celebrated countless family and friend birthdays and anniversaries and other happy occasions

-- had a wonderful quiet holiday season at home with family.

Are you tired yet? I am! LOL! So, 2009 has a lot to live up to if I compare it to 2008, but I've discovered that each year is special and offers wonderful occasions and events and milestones to remember. So what can 2009 bring to me to make it stand out.

Well, I think I am on the brink of a wonderful year ahead. How do I know? According to my horoscope over at Astrology Zone.com 2009 is MY YEAR! Okay, I have to share this fantabulous year with other Aquarians, but I'm willing because apparently there's lot of fabulous to share. I take horoscopes with a grain of salt, of course, but the last time Jupiter was in my sign (12 years ago in 1997) I finished my second manuscript, was on Lifetime TV with Debbie Macomber and Harlequin editor Paula Eyckelhof promoting it , I signed with my first agent, and sold my first book! So, I'm thinking this whole 'Jupiter in Aquarius' thing could be good again for me?

What do I hope for? Where do I want to be on birthday eve 2010?

The answer is the same each year -- to be surrounded by family and friends, to be in good health, to be writing books that my readers enjoy, to be seeing the places I want to see, doing the things I enjoy, meeting the people I like and new ones, too, and just being here.

The rest of it is all icing on the cake of life -- to be enjoyed, to make memories, but not essential to my savoring the plain, simple parts.

So yes! It's my birthday, too, yeah! How do you celebrate your birthday? Do you look behind or look ahead? What's the best thing, personally or professionally, that happened to you in 2008? Leave a comment and share it with me and I'll send something out to 2 randomly-selected posters, not limited to Aquarians so as to spread the good cheer around!

Terri

Terri's next release will be her Harlequin Historical UNDONE!, available online in June 2009, followed by the first book in her new "Knights of Brittany" trilogy, THE CONQUEROR'S LADY, for Harlequin Historicals, available in bookstores and online in July 2009. Then, watch for her first Kensington BRAVA historical romance, A STORM OF PASSION, available in December 2009. Visit her website at:

www.terribrisbin.com for more info on books, Terri, contests and everything!

Looking Back and Forward

I want to thank Lee Hyat for giving me the opportunity to be a part of this blog. Now that the whirl of Christmas is past, it seems a good time to reflect on the past year and the year to come. As a writer, I have much to be thankful for this year. I've seen several new books on the shelves in 2008, including my brand new release, A Man To Rely On. (More about that in a bit.)

Obviously, this has been a year of ups and downs for everyone. My nature is not to dwell on the downs, but I think I also sometimes don't stop to savor the ups enough. So one thing I hope to do in the coming year is to Enjoy Every Blessing — both large and small. A beautiful day? I'm going to get up from my desk and enjoy it — even if I only have time to walk out onto the back deck for a few moments and take a deep a breath. I'm going to take those few moments. A yummy desert? Instead of gobbling it down, I want to savor it. A new sale? Time to break out the champagne!

As for those downs — when bad news or tough times or disappointments come my way, I'm going to focus really hard on all the things that are still going right — even if it's something as small as a good cup of tea to enjoy and a new book (or an old favorite title) that I'm looking forward to reading.

And speaking of books, I read a lot of great books in this past year, but my To Be Read pile still towers, so another goal I have for the new year is to Read More Books. I'm not sure how I'll do it, but I plan to find a way!

On the writing front, I want to continue to Work on Improving My Craft. I'm going to read some new how-to books and review some of the ones I have. I also want to take some classes and workshop. I have over three dozen published books to my name, but I know I still have a lot to learn.

As for the books I've written, I promised to tell you a little about my current release, so here's a little blurb "Marisol Luna returns to her hometown of Cedar Switch, Texas in the aftermath of a sensational trial in which she was acquitted of murdering her basketball superstar husband. Her childhood friend, Scott Redmond, isrebuilding his reputation after a few missteps of his own. She was the woman he couldn't forget. He was the kind of man she'd always wanted. But is love worth all they will have to give up to be together?"

"Cindi Myers' A Man to Rely On (4) is a story about recovering from tragedy. Both Scott and Marisol are dealing with painful pasts, and Myers does a wonderful job depicting their emotions and fears." Romantic Times (4 stars)

You can read an excerpt of the book here.

A Man to Rely On collected about a dozen rejections as I submitted the story in various formats and guises over the years. It has, in turn, been written as women's fiction, romantic suspense, and finally, as romance. Finally, at Superromance, I knew I'd found the perfect venue of this story about two characters who simply would not leave me alone. Which brings me to my final goal for the new year. I Won't Give Up. Whatever dreams I'm pursuing in the coming months, I won't let a few setbacks or hard times keep me from going after them. I'll pick myself up, dust myself off and take another shot. A Man to Rely On proves that when the timing is right, everything comes together.

What goals or dreams do you plan to pursue in the coming year?

I'm Cindi Myers. You can visit me online here.

Unleash Your Story and Make a Difference

From September 1st to the 30th I will be taking part in the first annual Unleash Your Story, a fund raising write-a-thon and read-a-thon that will not only help you meet your writing goals and give you a perfect excuse to curl up with a good book , but it will also give you the chance to win fabulous prizes while at the same time helping to raise money for a very worthy cause, The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

What is Cystic Fibrosis?

Cystic Fibrosis is a life-threatening disease that causes mucus to build up and clog some of the organs in the body, particularly in the lungs and pancreas. When mucus clogs the lungs, it can make breathing very difficult. The thick mucus also causes bacteria (or germs) to get stuck in the airways, which causes inflammation (or swelling) and infections that leads to lung damage.

Mucus also can block the digestive tract and pancreas. The mucus stops digestive enzymes from getting to the intestines. The body needs these enzymes to break down food, which provides important nutrients to help us grow and stay healthy. People with cystic fibrosis often need to replace the enzymes with capsules they take with their meals and snacks to help digest the food and get the proper nutrition. (www.cff.org)

Here’s how Unleash Your Story works.

Readers and writers join a team or work as individuals to set a goal for the month. Supporters can donate in the name of their favourite team or individual and watch as word counts and pages read grow by the minute! Everyone who participates (writers, readers and supporters) will have a chance to enter a draw for a prize basket and everyone who meets their goals or keeps up with the Pacesetter will earn a certificate.

Who is that Pacesetter?

None other than the fabulous Debbie Macomber! As a best selling author, Debbie is famous for her persistence and dedication to writing daily and will be an inspiration to all of us to push on, to write more, to read more, and to donate more.

You have the choice of joining as an individual or as a team, and then register online at Unleash Your Story. If the direct link to CFF isn’t there yet, simply email us and we’ll let you know when it opens. After that, all you have to do is set a weekly goal. If you’re a writer, you goal will be set in words written. If you’re a reader, your goal will be set in pages read. Keep track of your progress and report them weekly to us.

Donations for you or your team will go directly to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation who will track not only the donations but also the goals. Every person or team who meets their weekly goals will receive a chance to enter a prize package. Those with the Top Five donation levels will be named Our Heroes and receive special rewards. We will also have certificates and special virtual rewards for you to post on your website.

How to donate:

Very soon, CFF will give us a live link from the Unleash Your Story site which will accept your donation and direct every cent of it to the CFF. You do not have to donate to participate, however we do encourage you to make a donation. Every cent donated in your name (individual or team) will count in your tally, and the more you raise, the better chance you have of winning a prize, and more importantly, the better we have of helping to find a cure.

And what are some of those prizes?

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation has generously donated prizes of their own depending on the amount raised for an individual or team, and these include things such as Tshirts, mugs, backpacks, cameras and iPods.

Other prizes continue to pile up every day, including donated critiques from agents and editors, tote bags, books, promotional packages for authors and an AlphaSmart Neo. And these are just to name a few!

If you would like to donate a prize to this very worthy cause, please contact us and we’ll add it to the growing list.

I hope you will all join us in this very worthy cause. If you know a family who is directly affected by CF, you know how much they have to go through on a daily basis, not only to get their children’s airways cleared, but often it’s a struggle just to get the kids to eat. CF research has come a long way, but there’s still no cure, and we want to do everything we can to help them find one. What better way to help than by doing what we love?

So please join us. Read, write and donate. Have your friends and family donate. Post a link on your website and encourage your fans to join in and donate in your name. We’ll all come out better for it in the end!