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Bouquet of Milestones

In my current career, I’ve met a number of authors. Some successful. Others struggling with various steps on the writing path. What I have not met, or even heard referred to by these author friends and acquaintances, is an author who wrote an entire book without encountering obstacles and then continued unobstructed to be published and make thousands of sales.

A more common experience is a mixture of days of progress and hours, or days, of mired down in writing or publishing problems. If you think in graphs, do NOT draw a smooth, ascending line from start to goal. If an author is lucky, the graph would be jerky steps in a generally upward direction. Other time, the trend goes down, perhaps as far as needing to start over.

How does an author cope? Well, it varies by the person — but a common way is to set small goals and celebrate when each is achieved. Did you meet your word count for the week? Treat yourself to…a manicure? Ice cream? Visit to a museum?

One of the writing groups I belong to celebrates specific milestones once a year. Each color representing a different achievement in the writing and publishing process. When I’ve had a “down” day, perhaps where chapters had to be discarded or a publisher sent a rejection — this bouquet offers a little comfort. “You’ve done this before. You can do it again.”

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Top Reason to Eat Cake

Have you eaten cake recently? Within the last month? Week? Yesterday?

Perhaps you seldom bake. That’s fine. Many restaurants offer cake on the dessert menu. Too full after a meal out? How about a “to go” box?

A cake exists for almost every taste. My brother’s favorite is chocolate. I prefer Angel food. Lemon is a beautiful flavor for summer. Perhaps carrot cake is more to your liking.

Just in case you need a reason…

CELEBRATE WITH CAKE!

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Joyful Author

Several things bring a smile to an author’s face.

The phrase: The End.

A contract with a publisher.

A royalty check.

And — (drum roll) — receiving the first copies of a new book.

To my great pleasure – and mild surprise – I arrived home from errands to find a box on my doorstep. A wonderful box. Splashed with a scenic sunrise and camera on the cover. And my name — I don’t care if it’s your first book or your hundred and first (I’m far from that number), a joyful bubble forms when you see your name across the book cover.

Morning Tryst is a sweet contemporary romance. I ask you to join Serena and Zack in their journey of discovery – of each other and themselves – in this California and Missouri setting.

Available June 20, 2022 from all major on-line retailers. Pre-orders accepted now.

Here’s a link to a popular one: https://amzn.to/36AKzuv

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An Honorable Occupation

Today, I’d like you to take a moment and think about occupations which have spanned centuries. The first that came to my mind was teacher. But farmer, musician, weaver, and metal worker have existed alongside each other since the beginning of recorded time. (I think you could add brewer and merchant.)

The occupation I want to highlight today, is a little more recent than some of the others. But it certainly pre-dates my lifetime, the history of Europeans in the Americas, and several other events.

This sign in a historical printer and newspaper publisher’s shop hints at the importance of the written word. “Bringing Ink and Paper Together” enables the transmission of an idea from one person to another without them being in the same time and place. Present day people can read of events in the past, find out what happened to that family member glossed over in conversation, or share thoughts with a generation to come.

So let’s give a cheer — or lift your coffee cup — or wine glass — to the printers through the centuries who have enriched all of our lives.

Do you have a favorite type of printed material?

If your answer above is books — check out a sweet, contemporary romance — Comfort Zone.

https://amzn.to/338z1K1

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When in Person…

Authors (at least many of us) enjoy speading the word about reading, meeting readers, and selling books at in-person events.

Imagine if you will ….. a community center or hotel conference room filled with table after table of authors — often mixed in with crafters — giving out free smiles. This is your opportunity to meet a “real live author” Authors love readers. They adore readers who buy books. And WOW!– they cherish readers who leave reviews.

Don’t have room on your shelf for another book? Forgot your money? Read on an electronic device?

Pick up some swag. These coasters have my tag line (Romance from the Heartland) and web site. Enjoy a nice beverage while you read without leaving a ring on the furniture.

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Forget the Date…

The calendar claimed spring arrived on March 20.

I’m not sure about where you live, but this year, signs of spring were sparse on that date in my neighborhood. For one thing — my azalea showed only a hint of bud on that date. No fool — my plants waited for warmer days to open blossoms.

A better sign of spring that a date on a calendar?

The photo is from several years ago — but when the forsythia blooms on the berm — spring is in the air!

The cheerful, yellow flowers of early spring lift a person’s spirts and give promise of life after the gloom and gray of winter.

Do you have favorite early spring flower?

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Time for a Peek

A new book is coming! A new book is coming!

On the final day of spring — June 20 — my next sweet, contemporary romance, Morning Tryst, will pop up on the virtual bookshelves of online retailers.

Here’s a peek at the cover:

Join Serena and Zack in this sweet, contemporary romance set in California and Missouri.

Eager to see the entire cover? Follow the link below to sign up for my quarterly newsletter. Next edition coming soon. https://mailchi.mp/0e2c43fb8029/newsletter-plus-gift

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Need a Hug?

Personal contact. Physical contract. Touch. Are you aware it is one of the human needs?

Depending on the people you were raised with, the frequency and closeness of hugs varies. In my family of origin, hugs were brief and reserved for special occasions. However, when certain relatives arrived for a visit — you were HUGGED!

Do you remember any particular person’s hugs? For the warmth? The length? The strength?

Kitty will HUG you — and a few of your friends. She may feel a little stiff and cold (depending on the weather), but she means well and will stay still while you photograph loved ones (human and canine) within her paws.

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No Fooling!

No special language skill required!

The message seems clear to me — no matter that I can only read a few words in the language.

On the first of April — or any of the other days of the year, I’ll be good. I’ll stay out of your yard. I suspect the guard dog is agile, large, and knows how to use large teeth.