WE WON!

LOVELY!

YOUR SATURDAY?

I can't believe I stayed in my pajamas for the whole day! Of course, a friend from church stopped by to say hello, and there I was in all my glory, but, oh well, sometimes it's good to kick back, like our friend Ferris Bueller (love that movie!) and just have some fun. And, I can't wait for tomorrow, because Sunday is my day of rest! Yes, weekends are lovely, aren't they? I hope yours is lovely, too.

GLOBAL FRIENDS

It is an honor to have friends from all over the world stopping by and viewing my posts. I count it an honor to be able to share pleasant thoughts and ideas that make life pleasant and rewarding with everyone of you. What ever country we live in, we can smile and be gracious to our fellow citizens, speaking honorably about those who provide us with goods and services,  giving us necessary food, clothing and shelter. Each one of us can contribute to our society if we but only choose to do so. And that, my friends is a lovely choice indeed!

BACK INSIDE!

Bad news for many people, wonderful news for me! So the poor groundhog has to go back inside his hole for the next six weeks and we see another six weeks of winter. For authors, this should be wonderful news! Six more weeks of staying indoors writing, marketing our work and hooking up with other writers all over the social networks. All this with no distractions of long walks, trips to the beach or playing golf. Sounds lovely. I think.

REMEMBER PRINT BOOKS?

Ladies and gentlemen. This is called a record. People used to record music this way, until someone came up with a little thing called a "tape." After the tape replaced the record, someone else came up with a little disc called a "DVD" and this replaced the tape. Friends, if we look down the road, I think print books are going to be replaced with digital downloads. It's already happening. As in the words of my daughter, "I'm never buying a paperback book again. I'll be downloading books from now on on my Kindle." A huge paradigm shift is coming for we e-book authors. No one knows what the future holds for the way we will earn royalties. Battles are ensuing between Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Unprecedented technology will change the way we buy books (or simply download them for free). I stop and take a deep breath at the thought of giving all my hard work away for pennies. And then I realize that change is inevitable, and "blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape." We authors must simply do our lovely best to write good stories that enrich others.   

THE HIGH DIVE

I've only jumped off a high dive twice. I didn't like it either time. In fact, swimming is just not my thing. I dislike getting my hair wet, and I've had the same black bathing suit for the past ten years. I wear it to the pool, and then back to my hotel room never having entered the pool. A reviewer who works for a major rag has offered to review my books, and I feel just like the little boy in the picture. And yet, I need to find out where I'm doing a good job, and where my writing needs work. I feel vulnerable and yet, I have to spring up, point my arms in the air and dive into the water. Good or bad, this is a dive I have to make.

TRUE GENIUS

I was just reminded of what a true genius William Shakespeare was after watching the movie, Shakespeare in Love. When he was writing his heart out, fighting for recognition, he had no idea just how much the world would applaud his works. We authors write our hearts out in the hopes that we, too, will receive recognition by our readers. We must write our best and give our craft our all if we are to receive even a drop of praise. Writing is a lovely and noble art, of which I have only begun the journey. And it is a lovely journey, indeed.

LUCKY YOU!

Ah, Sunday. Day of rest and worship for we Christians. Even so, I believe it's good to rest one day out of seven. My friends and family in California are going to Monterrey for the weekend. It's so much fun to visit the wharf, grabbing a bread bowl filled with steaming clam chowder, looking through unique shops, and then stopping to enjoy a monstrous hot fudge sundae at the Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory. The day here in Austin was beautiful outside, many chose to leave the house and enjoy the lovely weather. I'm happy for them. I would have loved to pour myself a nice hot cup of tea and sit in my Adirondack chair on the front porch and drink in the early Spring. To feel the warm sunshine on my face for a 15 minute dose of Vitamin D would have been lovely indeed. But alas, allergies keep me indoors. I'll be patient until they pass and when they do, you'll find me on my front porch, having a cup of tea, or taking a short walk to see how the neighborhood is faring. Enjoy these beautiful days for me, dear friends.

HERE'S TO YOU!

It used to be a bad thing to be over 40. You were over the hill. Finished. You might as well sit down and watch the deadline decline happen in your life. I never found that to be true. In fact, quite the opposite has happened in my life. By staying busy, involved with either my family, my church or my neighbors, I've never felt getting older was a bad thing. One adapts. One identifies with certain groups and finds acceptance and friendship when they do. With Facebook, Twitter, and blogs like mine, we can connect in ways never before imagined even 10 years ago. Staying in touch has never been easier or more rewarding. I'm happy to say I'm meeting more and more Baby Boomers online through my Jillian Bradley Mystery Series, people who are living to the fullest, because they choose to, and that's lovely!

RETURN THE FAVOR

Few books I've read have given me as much pleasure as Busman's Honeymoon, by Dorothy L. Sayers. The book, about Lord Peter Whimsy finally marrying the love of his life, Harriet Vane and finding a dead body when they go on their honeymoon with Whimsy's man, Bunter,  is written with such sophisticated humor and elegance that I'm reading it for the second time this year. Some authors are so gifted in there abilities that I can't help but be a little jealous. Or maybe I should say I stand in admiration of their writing style. Sayers was really a pioneer in the detective mystery and had Agatha Christie in her cadre of friends. I love to read both authors, Sayers for her beautiful literary prose and dry English wit, and Christie for her superb plots. Thank you, ladies, posthumously, for giving me such reading pleasure to enrich my life. May we authors of today return the favor. Lovely.