Gratitude Post #2 - Good Health

It's certainly not perfect, but it is something for which I'm now infinitely grateful. As I write this, I'm sitting in a recliner chair with built-in heat and massage functions, a lot like those fancy chairs at nail salons. But I'm not having a pedicure. Far from it.

A needle pierces my left arm, secured there with bright green tape, because today I'm getting my first iron infusion for a recently diagnosed genetic disorder, a condition that left me severely anemic for several months, but thankfully, something that's easily treatable with a once yearly five-hour treatment.

I'm way more fortunate than most of the patients I've seen coming and going here. Because the place where I must get my medicine is a chemotherapy center.

An irrational guilty feeling prickles at my skin all day. Most of the patients are hooked up for less than two hours, while my cocktail takes much longer to deliver, so I've witnessed many drawn faces, lots of weak, cancer-ravaged bodies. But I'm pleased to note that more than half the patients appear healthy. And every staff person I've encountered has an exceptionally sunny disposition.

I wonder if I could keep the sadness from getting to me if I had this job. My nurse tells me she's learned to compartmentalize.

So this gratitude lesson is a biggie. I'm so very grateful for my health, and the health of those I love. After months of tests and not knowing, imagining the worst, I have something that's really a non-issue most of the time.

A wise man I know told me that when crises come up, we deal with them, whatever they are. Living your life is experiencing the stuff that happens along the journey without getting bogged down and dwelling on all the worry of what will be. That's a lesson I'm trying to take to heart.

Just a thought... Cherish every day, every moment.

Gratitude Post #1 - My Writing Community

This year I plan to blog about all the wonderful things I have in my life, in no particular order. Honestly, I wouldn't be a writer today had it not been for the wonderful group of women I met so many years ago.

I'd been playing at writing for many years—starting and stopping, composing poems and essays, working on bad autobiographical pieces—when I met fellow Girl Scouts mom Nancy Robards Thompson, who had just published her first book. She convinced me to go with her to the next meeting of the local Romance Writers of America chapter meeting.

Honestly, I'd have never gone if Nancy hadn't prodded me. But at the first meeting, the members were so warm and friendly, and I learned so much. A whole new world opened up to me. Soon I had my first critique partner.

It wasn't long before I saw a huge positive change in my stories. I went to a small writers' conference the following year and met agents and editors and went to dozens of workshops that taught me even more. It wasn't long before I was offered my first contract.

I have no doubt that my original critique partners, and those that came after, as well as my RWA chapter and RWA in general were instrumental in building my career. I'm so grateful to that community, and to Nancy, for introducing me to the world of romance writing. It's one of the things for which I am most grateful.

Beginning the New Year With Intention

And what would that intention be? One word, of course -- gratitude. To anyone who reads my posts on a regular basis on Facebook, Twitter and here, this notion will come as no surprise. The notion of gratitude has permeated much of what I think and do for several months now.

And for a lot longer than that, I've been a huge believer in intention. What you throw out there into the universe -- good or bad -- will come back to you. I try to do everything with intention, from how I think to everyday mundane stuff like cooking. Yes, I cook with intention. I try to infuse every dish with intent and will.

Something else I do more and more is meditate, the focus of which is usually gratitude. If you're wondering why I do so much to foster gratitude, it's because I feel very fortunate to have all that I do. I have a terrific family, a lovely home, and my health. But besides all that, gratitude is one of the most powerful emotions we can experience.

If you're interested in doing a gratitude meditation yourself, there are plenty of free resources on the internet. You can try
Fragrant Heart, or here's one from YouTube.

You might be wondering what the heck this has to do with my books and writing. Well, nothing. Or everything. No, it doesn't specifically relate to any of my books. But I can tell you that I'm grateful for the opportunities I've had that have put my writing career on the road it's on.

We all have something we can be grateful for. What's yours?

Celebrate Well

'Tis the season of celebrations. between Christmas, Hanukkah, Yule and Kwanzaa, it seems you can't turn around in December without tripping over a holiday!

I try very hard to be respectful of all cultures and traditions because you never know who celebrates what.

I have a very diverse group of friends and I've been fortunate enough to learn about many cultures and different celebrations. One friend told me how her Swedish grandparents celebrate St Lucia Day, marking the day a young Christian girl was martyred for her faith in the middle ages.

Some of my Pagan friends gather for an all night vigil on the winter solstice to await the sun's return as the wheel of the year turns and the days start growing gradually longer.

There's Hanukkah and Kwanzaa and Christmas, oh my!

But the very best day for me this year will be New Years Day. It's not just about resolutions or celebrations. What I love most about that is the clean slate. The fresh start. It's about putting those photos from last year in a beautiful frame for display, then setting about to create new moments to cherish.

So whatever you celebrate, I hope you have fun. And I hope the coming year brings you all things wonderful and positive. To start the year off right, I'll give one commenter a copy of my latest release, The Surrogate Husband. Just sign up at the form below.
*** a Rafflecopter giveaway


Cheers!

The Year of Highs and Lows

I'm so glad that 2014 is ending on a high note for me -- a brand new book, and one that I dearly love. The Surrogate Husband was a really fun book to write. What with Lucy's pink hair, multiple piercings, and the colorful cast of characters that makes up her family, her life was just enjoyable to step in to.

And then there's Dex. Mr. Marine-turned CPA has such a hot vibe that I never wanted to get out of his point of view when I was writing. Rather than tell you, I'll give you a snipet.

Shutting his briefcase, he looked out the window and glimpsed a hot-pink Kawasaki Ninja cruising down the road. Too fast. Lucy. She’d told him during one of their phone conversations that she’d recently bought the bike. She wore a matching helmet, a black leather jacket, and short skirt. Beyond hot.

But he held his breath when a car turned in front of her, cutting her off. She stopped short. All he could think about was Caroline, driving that Mustang of hers too fast. Always too fast. Until that rainy night two and a half years ago, the last night of his fiancée’s life.

He scrubbed a hand over his face, then stepped out of the café and tried to walk off the memory as he crossed the street toward Lucy’s building.

She steered into the lot where he’d parked, climbed off the bike, and turned her back to him. Taking off the helmet, she shook out her long black-and-pink hair. Her bangs brushed her dark eyebrows, and he noticed a small gold ball at the arch of the left one. Not his thing, but it looked good on her.

Where else did she have piercings? He dropped his gaze to her breasts and wondered. None of the women he’d dated had pierced nipples, yet the idea was surprisingly arousing.

Now his erotic dreams about her were never going to stop.

“Hey, Dex. What are you doing here?” She unlocked the door to the shop. Her smile was perfect except for that tiny space between her two front teeth. Natural, not the product of years of braces.

He could have called to ask her to email the payroll records, as he did for most of his clients, but then he wouldn’t have gotten to see her again. Plus, he had to give her an answer about the wedding. Following her inside, he tried not to stare. But how was he supposed to resist? Her scent surrounded him. Her legs—covered in shimmery, black stockings—stretched from here to Canada.

Concentrate.

“Good morning. How’s the Ninja?”

She set her helmet on the counter, which was actually an antique dresser. “Great. I can’t resist riding when the weather’s this gorgeous.”

“Wouldn’t hurt you to slow down a little.” He tipped his chin toward the road. “I couldn’t help but notice you narrowly missed getting hit.”

She actually flinched at his comment, leaving him to wonder why his well-meant advice would make her react so strongly. She didn’t seem the type to care what anyone else thought. “Would have been the other guy’s fault,” she said with a scowl.

Stubborn woman.

You see why I like Dex? There's something so hot about him. 

Writing and releasing this book was definitely a high for me this year. But this wasn't an easy year for me or my family. We had some really low lows when we lost someone who was very special to us. I've learned that you have to stop to appreciate the good things as they happen because you never know when the bad will come.

I, for one, will be overjoyed to welcome 2015.  Tell me something you're looking forward to in the coming year. I'll pick a random commenter from below to win a print copy of The Surrogate Husband (US or Canada only) or an ebook if international winner. 

True Gratitude

Thanksgiving is a wonderful reminder that we all have much to be grateful for. But this year as we go around the table, saying what we are thankful for, I think my words will be more heartfelt than usual.

You see, in recent months, I've been to the doctor many times and had numerous tests to try to determine what's been wrong with me. I won't bore you with details, but my health hadn't been quite right for several month, and the cause was a mystery. Until a few days ago when I went to see a specialist.

In my head, I always go to the darkest place, the land of doom and gloom, and diseases with no cure. But after a rather short visit with a specialist, he came up with an answer. A hereditary condition that is much more manageable than anything my pessimistic mind had envisioned. In a few weeks we should get the confirmation of his diagnosis, although he was pretty sure he was correct.

My husband and I left the office feeling on top of the world. And suddenly, I have true gratitude. I'm not sweating the small stuff. All I can hope is that the feeling lasts. Life is good. Happy Thanksgiving!

My Lips are Sealed

I've always sucked at keeping news to myself. But that's exactly what I must do. My new book is ready to go. The absolutely gorgeous cover is complete, the page proofs are finished, all the i's are dotted and the t's are crossed. But the release date is more than three weeks away!

Does anyone have a muzzle? Because I can't promote the book for at least two more weeks. I've been securing ad space, writing blog posts, arranging all sorts of fun promo events, so at least that stuff has kept me busy.

You see, I would really like for my book to make a big splash. In order to do that, I need most of the sales to happen right around release day. So mum's the word before then. Which is oh so hard for me. I can tell you a few things about the book, though.

First, it features two fun romance tropes -- the fake marriage, and opposites attract. And when I say opposites, boy, do I mean it!

So you're going to have to bear with me and wait. But I will say, I think this book will be totally worth the wait. I'll give you a heads-up before it goes on sale. Then I'm sure you'll want to snap up your own copy. Trust me. You will!