Announcements!

Happy Holidays!

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My feeble attempt at asterisk artwork.

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I recently completed an interview with Authortrek and you can view it by going here: Authortrek

Thanks to the gang at Authortrek for taking the time to do the interview and then posting it so quickly. I really appreciate their efforts.

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Don't forget, if you're in the Columbus, OH area tomorrow, 12/8, I'll be at the Polaris Mall Waldenbooks from 2 to 4 p.m. for a book signing! Stop in if you are in the neighborhood.

Until next time...

Things are going to start happening to me now...

or maybe not. All the same, I've got several irons in the fire. For one, I have a story that is being published in a new horror anthology in February of 2008 called From the Shadows. That's the name of the anthology, my story is called, Eleven. I think it turned out nicely and I'm anxious to see if horror fans will enjoy it. You can pre-order your copy now by going to http://www.triadpublishinggroup.com.

For my mystery fans out there, I'm still hard at work on the third Rona Shively story. Title to be announced soon!

I'm also still working on the women's self-esteem project, Reaching Higher Ground. I think I will have most of this finished by the end of the year. I had hoped for an earlier launch, however, things happen and sometimes you just have to adapt. ;)

In case you haven't been to my websites lately, I have recently updated all of them to include a link to my newest page for my short romance, Hearts and Flowers. Hearts and Flowers was published several months ago as an Amazon Short and I only recently started thinking that maybe I should have given it its own web page. The story is very sweet and so unlike me, but I think its heartwarming tone is just right for the season. If you get a chance, check it out at http://www.alittleromance.homestead.com. I've posted a sneak peek at the story in hopes of selling copies of the entire download for a whopping $.49 on Amazon Shorts!

All of this while battling the cold that will not die! I seem to have picked up the worst little case of congestion and sinus pressure in my brief history. Bear with me as I try to think clearly through the fog of antihistamines and headache medicine. I promise, once this sinus pressure eases up, I'll have something truly interesting to tell you.

Until next time...

My better half...

This one's for all the ladies whose husbands or boyfriends just have to go out and chase the animals this time of year. Though I don't understand it, I know it's probably good for them and for us to have this little break.

I don't often talk about my husband here on my blog but I felt it was time to acknowledge his presence. For the first time in years, my husband has gone away on a hunting trip. He left a couple of days ago and will be back this evening. This was alot harder for me than I thought it would be. Not only did I have to keep up with all of the household demands by myself, I really did miss him. We've been married almost eight years and he's only gone away one other time. He's been around for so long that I guess I often take him for granted. Being away from him for a few days has given me a true appreciation of what it means to be part of a couple.

It means having someone to tell you that you forgot to lock the doors at night. It means having someone to take out the trash. It means having one more pair of eyes to look after your child when you're busy doing everything else. It means having someone to get that oil change that you've put off for months while you take care of the grocery shopping. It means having someone who will tell you if the Christmas tree looks ok after you put it together. It means having someone hang pictures for you so that your house isn't decorated at eye level. It means having someone to bounce your ideas off of when you have a bad case of writer's block. It means having someone around who can reach the stuff on the top shelf in the kitchen cupboard. It means having someone around to drink the other half of that pot of coffee in the morning. It means having someone around to answer the phone when you don't feel like talking. It means having someone to blame your PMS on. It means having an extra pair of hands to carry in library books. It means having one more kiss at bedtime and one more hug when you leave the house. It means more than I usually think about.

I know others who have gone through divorce and I have felt awful for them because I can't imagine how terrible that must be. Though I often grumble about him, he is the greatest guy I know and I can't imagine how life would be without him. Anyone who could put up with me and my moods for eight long years has to be something special. I may not be happy to see the ten-point buck he's bringing back, but I know that I'll be glad to see my sweetheart when he finally gets back tonight.

Until next time...

And the merry bells keep ringing...

or so they say. It's the holiday season once again and I find myself feeling happy that they are here, but at the same time plagued by a sense of sadness and uneasiness. I'm not quite sure what is causing my dismay. Things are good. People are doing ok. There have been some ups and downs this year, but for the most part, it was ok.

I guess this feeling might have something to do with watching my little girl get older. Her personality has really started to show over these last few months and I can see for sure that she is truly my little girl. She has the same attitude, the same sense of humor and the same flair for the dramatic. I'm enjoying seeing her figure things out and really grasp how to do things. I'm also dreading watching her go to school in the next couple of years. Luckily, I have an extra year before she starts kindergarten because she is a November baby.

I might also be feeling this way because each Thanksgiving, I visit both of my parents for dinner and I always get to see people that I haven't seen for a while. For some reason, this makes me sad. I'm happy to see friends and family, but it also hurts a little to know that you have no control over the passage of time. Watching some of my relatives grow older is difficult for me. I don't do well with loss and any time I lose someone, I find it very hard to recover. Although we haven't lost anyone this year, the feeling hangs over me like a weight that is ready to drop on my shoulders when I'm not expecting it. It's tough, but like everyone else, I have to deal with the inevitable. At some point, I will lose someone else I care about and there will be nothing that I can do to stop it. Depressing, but what can I say.

Though I love the holidays, I always have this little nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach when it comes time to put up the tree or buy gifts or do anything that is remotely festive. This is my favorite time of year and I am not sure how I can be so happy yet so sad at the same time, but I do it every year. I am hopeful that this will be a great Christmas and that we'll all get to 2008 in one piece. But, in my heart, I'm always waiting for the other shoe to drop. I guess for now, I will have to take some pleasure in listening to my favorite Christmas songs on the radio when I'm out looking for that perfect gift. I'll observe happily as my daughter watches some of my old favorite Christmas cartoons. I'll thank God that I've made it this far and I'll pray that the next year will be even better. For now, I'll turn up that radio and listen as Happy Holidays floats past my ears.

Until next time...