A Child’s Wish Becomes a Woman’s Dream…

As a child you wish upon a star. “I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish, I wish tonight.” Have you ever thought about those childhood wishes. Well I was reminded this weekend of some of my wishes as a child.

The first wish as a child was to be a concert pianist, which I studied music for eight years in order to make that wish come true. I wished on every star that I would play at Carnegie Hall and study at a top music school. I did get offered the chance at a full music scholarship, but I was engaged at the time and I turned it down. Thought my parent’s would kill me. By the way, I never married that man. I live my music dreams through my child. He has self taught himself to play drums, electric guitar and bass. My husband sings in the praise band at Church and plays guitar. So proud of both of them.

The second wish was to be a rancher and own as many horses as I could get. I even took riding lessons. Well, this too came to pass me on. I still love horses as anyone who reads my books soon find out. I also have horses everywhere in my house, so I am surrounded by one of my childhood dreams. If I ever make it big with my writing I plan to own horses, so that is still in the cards for my life, God willing.

The third wish was to be a writer. My grandfather used to hold me in his lap and tell me that he wanted me to be a journalist. He said I could spin a story out of anything. Well, that started me writing many of my manuscripts back when I was a teenager. I gave up on that dream when I started college and found out that I was enamored by accounting.

Well the Lord works in mysterious ways. It has taken almost twenty five years from the first manuscript to decide to publish, but it has been a wish upon a star that evolved into a dream come true. Through my writing I live the wishes and dreams of my childhood. It can be the channel to your dreams. As a writer I can own horses and be a concert pianist. Through writing I can be who ever I want to be and so can you. As a reader you can get lost in another world and live another life. But remember to come back to reality because God gave you the life you live and it can be wonderful, you just have to live it.

So, as I close this post I leave with you the wishes of a child that turned to the dream of a woman. Step out of your comfort zone and live. That first step is hard, but you can do it. Have a wonderful Monday and a blessed day!

Accounting & Book Sales…

You are excited, you sold a book, you sold many books, you’re making money. Now what? Well, if you have read my profile you know I’m an Accountant by day and by night during tax season. (Grinning broadly). I want to give some advice and I want to make it clear I’m not telling you how to run your publishing business, but this is advice to help you have a good experience.

I was talking with a friend the other day and she was giddy with delight because she’d sold several of her newly published book. She was adding it in her mind and grinning broadly. I was excited for her because I’ve felt the same feeling and it is a good one. But then as her Accountant I had to bring up the inevitable which is royalty tax. Well, she looked at me and said, “Oh my gosh, I hadn’t thought of that. What do I need to do?”

Well, the fact is, those wonderful sales are actually taxable income. I don’t want to burst your bubble, but I do want to help you get ahead of the game. Make sure that you save some of those royalty dollars to cover the taxes at the end of the year. But, don’t forget to save all those expenses that you have incurred along the way. Some of those expenses are: publishing software, advertising, fees paid for pictures used for covers or trailers, fees paid to reviewers or editors, and the list goes on.

I want to help my new cyber friends (and I do consider you friends). So here is some free advice. Don’t forget that you will have to pay taxes on those royalties, but don’t forget the expenses that go along with them. If you keep yourself on level ground, then when tax time comes around, you won’t get a horrible surprise. I see it happen every year.

Writing from the hip!!!

Have you ever knew exactly what you wanted to write, but when you started putting it into print it changed in your mind? Well that is where my new piece of work is at. I’ve had the 2nd book in my “Flames of Love” series in my mind for two months. It’s been poking me all that time trying to get out. I finally sat down in August and wrote an outline so that my other books would not overtake it.

Sometimes the mind of a writer strays from it’s original mark and starts up an uncharted road. That is how is seems to me. I sat down yesterday morning to start “Rekindled Flames” which comes after my published book “Tender Flames”. It started off in the same general direction that I wanted it to go, but one of my characters went off on a sudden tirade and there you have it. The outline went askew.

I opened it up when I got to my office and had my assistant and editor read what I had so far which was almost seven pages in an hour and a half. She turned to me and smiled. That is always a good sign. She said she liked the new road and could not wait to read more. As I wrote last night and some this morning I decided I would throw out the outline and write from the hip. Sometimes that is just where the story has to go. We will see if it is a road that leads to the same end, but if it doesn’t it is from the heart. So….. To my fellow bloggers, have a wonderful day and as always, good writing.

Sad it’s coming to an end!

Ok, fellow authors, tell me the truth, do you have withdrawals when you finish writing your book? I am having serious withdrawals which is funny because I have been pushing myself to get it finished. Funny how it works in the scheme of things.

I was finishing up my last little bit of editing last night and I suddenly felt sad that the saga had come to an end. I just think I have been working too hard and too many hours on it. Maybe that’s it. I was going to take a week break from writing, but the other books in play keep poking me in the head saying, “You know you have to work on me.” So, the writing goes on.

Well, that is my rant for the day!

So I am soft hearted! What?

Well, last night my son and I were watching “Facing the Giants”. I started to shed a couple of tears (actually a flood). My son started to laugh at me. He said, “Mom, this is not sad, why are you crying?” I turned to him and tried to explain it. “Son, these are happy tears, not sad. I feel really good watching this film.” He just shook his head.

I have always been soft hearted. I shed tears while listening to music, watching TV, reading, and just in life. Nothing gets me more than a beautiful romance that unfolds and sees a happy ending. Weddings almost do me in. LOL!

So as I drink my 2nd cup of coffee this morning, I contemplate the issue of being soft hearted. Sometimes it can be embarrassing, but other times I look at people around me that are not reacting and I want to say, “Really. Don’t you feel anything?” So what’s wrong with a couple of tears while watching a good movie or reading a touching scene in a book. I consider it a compliment to the writer for evoking immense emotion. I could only hope to invoke that kind of emotion in my writing.

I recently was honored to have a fan write to me and tell me one of my books made her cry. She said it was in a good way. It made me feel like I had accomplished something. I had evoked emotion. So is it weird? I don’t think so, just maybe to some, but to the other softies out there, shed a tear and enjoy the moment!

Good Morning!

Good morning to all bloggers. Hope all is well with the world around you. It is our first crisp morning here in Georgia. So invigorating. I actually had chill bumps while waiting on the bus with my son. He was the smart one, he had on his hoodie.

I excitedly came back in the house smelling the delicious aroma of fresh brewed coffee. As my followers are well aware, I have got to have my morning coffee. It just tastes better when you are cold. I started thinking about the upcoming colder weather and start having warm, fuzzy feelings about the start of fire building season. By March I am totally over the warm,fuzzy feeling and into the I can’t handle wood on the floor and hauling endless loads to the porch, but for now am excited.

I look forward to the days of curling up in front of the fireplace with my laptop or a good book. I am smiling just imagining the work I will get done this winter, especially now that I am publishing my work. I am also happy today reeling from some really wonderful reviews and an upswing in sales since all my books are now available at Barnes & Noble, Apple, Sony, Kobo, and Diesel to name a few. So exciting this craft that we do. It brings a whole new meaning to “telling the story”. So to all my writer friends good writing and to all my reader friends good reading!

Productive Writing Weekend!

Well, it was a very productive weekend. I was able to get a lot of my new book finished. I was able to get over a proverbial hump that I was a little perplexed about writing.

Have you ever knew that you had a part to write, but you were concerned how it would end up? My husband looked at me funny when I told him this. He said he just figured it was all complete in my head and all I needed to do was put it in the computer. I laughed and said I only wish it was that simple.

This was one of the turns this book takes that has been exciting, but I wanted to express it just right. I knew that if it was not just right, it would not work out right and it would mess up the whole story line up to that point. I was able to control my panic and type through it. When I had completed the part and reread it about fifty times, I was well pleased and feeling the internal pressure to get the manuscript finished.

Sometimes I am my worst critic, which can cause lots of rewrites, but I figure if I don’t like it how can I expect anyone else to. Right? My assistant said I was being way too hard on myself and her for that matter. (Smiling). Don’t know how she puts up with me. Writers can be really perplex people, especially when that aspect is mixed in with being an accountant too.

Well, hope everyone else had a productive weekend. Now on to the finish of “A Love Never Lost” which is beginning to be my favorite of all I have written, for now that is.◊

Romance! Everyone needs a little!

Romance, everyone needs a little romance. I guess that is what keeps us romance writers busy thinking up new story lines to enhance our readers experience. I have loved romantic stories since I was a young teenager. The first paperback romance I read was “Remembrance” by Danielle Steele. I was hooked from then on.

I would save up my allowance and wait to get to the local bookstore to see what new romance novels were in. Of course when I was a teenager there was no such thing as Kindle, Nook or even going on the internet to order books. I remember getting my first Harlequin book. I thought I had hit the jackpot. My favorite author from Harlequin was Charlotte Lamb. She could take you away to a world that you only dreamed of.

Even a really good marriage needs romance. That is what in my experience keeps the fire going. Even if it is just a simple look at the dinner table or a quiet evening after the kids go to bed. I am a true romantic. I love the candles, bubble baths and a fire in the fireplace.

When I am writing I try to inspire romance. Romance novels can span the genre from Paranormal, Christian, Suspenseful, or historical. I know I left off several types. When I was younger I would never have thought a vampire could bring on romantic feelings, but now that is a given for most. What about a kidnapper that falls in love with their victim and the other way around? Yep I have even read a romance that this happened and it turned out to be a sweet romance.

You can find romance in a horse stable, a department store or even the funeral home. Funny how romance slips in through even the tiniest cracks in the wall. Two complete strangers can find romance in the funniest of places and totally unexpected times. Romance is everywhere, you just have to open yourself up to the possibility.

So if you are an old married couple, young married couple, or even if you are not married, try a little romance. It will lift your spirits, it will revive your soul and you will smile. If you do not have anyone to be romantic with, do this. Get a romance novel, a comfortable chair, some chocolate and a hot steaming cup of tea and get lost. Believe me, it works and you will feel like a whole new person, with possibilities. So get romancing♥