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Freedom, Happiness, and Perspective
Freedom is happiness, and happiness is a choice. Happiness is a choice. It’s a state of mind. Granted, it’s a lot easier to be happy when all your needs are provided for, but even in my relatively luxurious surroundings, sometimes I struggle. Depression is a thing for a lot of people. In my experience, it’s the exact opposite of freedom. I’ve learned ways to refocus, remember how much I have to be grateful for, and find ways to meet whatever needs aren’t getting met. Sometimes, I just need to get out of the house into nature, other times I need a heart-to-heart with a friend, complete with a lot of…
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Life, the Universe, and Everything
I’m not turning 42 for another year, but I do have a birthday creeping up, so I figure it’s a good time to check in. Rather than focus on where I’ve been and what I’ve accomplished in the past year (a lot of which is awesome), I’m going to focus on who I am right now. Here’s how I feel about myself and my life at this moment. Personally: I’m in a good place. Better than I’ve been for a long while. A number of things have led to this, and I appreciate each contributing factor to my growing confidence and ability to tap into a sense of calm. I’ve…
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Poetry and Snow
Snowy Thoughts My window frames a soft painting In shades of white and grey and brown Tree bows weighed down By the cold, fluffy presence of water Water that will melt and flow When Spring finally sneaks in Weeks from now, to claim Her place on the wheel of time But she slumbers now, beneath The blanket of quiet that comes In Winter’s white rest The lake sleepy beneath its ice Clouds cloak the sky, a lazy Ceiling of floating vapor Crystalized and released To decorate the waiting world Beneath the earth-warmed ground Roots and seeds and creatures await Biding their time like thoughts Seeking the perfect season to grow…
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Book Review: ALIGHT (The Witches Rede #1) by Jewel E. Leonard
I gobbled up this story. The first book in The Witches’ Rede series sets up an intriguing cast of characters in a believable world where the odd work of witchcraft is perfectly normal—at least for Maeve and her delightfully fringe friends. And look at this cover! I love this cover. At least 50% of my decision to buy this book was because of this art. Here’s the book description: Maeve lives a charmed life in the small desert town of Redington in Arizona Territory–where spousal prospects are sorely lacking, career choices are shamefully limited to the saloon, and Death himself has a vendetta against her. All Maeve wants is her…
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TFW you publish a book, then have a panic attack.
Funny story. Not funny at the time, of course, but let’s laugh at it in retrospect, shall we? I self-published WILD HORSE HEART in May of 2017. The year of intensity. Seriously, it seems like this year has shaken everything up on every level, but I digress. So I’d queried the manuscript a bit (the fourth manuscript I shopped around to agents), but no bites. Then my man got laid off from his job, which supports both of us and our twins. Wanting to contribute, I looked at my books, picked the best one, polished it, whipped up a cover, and self-published. With a background in graphic design, and having…
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Wonder Woman & The Rise of Empowerment
Anyone else ready for empowerment to be the new normal? I saw Wonder Woman this weekend, and it ignited a chain-reaction of thoughts I’m continuing to process. My hope is this movie and all it stands for will increase the surge of empowering stories already emerging, and encourage an inner-strength in women worldwide. Like the Marianne Williamson quote says, “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be?” One of…
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The Beauty of Saying “No”
What a great writing prompt! I’ve come a long way with being able to say no, but it’s been a steep climb. Before, I was afraid to say “no” because I strove to please. I’m sure this was programmed into me as a child. How can I belong if I don’t bend over backwards to do others’ wishes? Oh, right. The belonging comes from being myself, and having healthy boundaries is essential to knowing who I am. Now, as a mother, saying “no” to my children means I have to get creative, often not using the word at all. “No” can be a gentle deflection, an invitation for tomorrow, or…
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WILD HORSE HEART: Giving Back
“If your dream includes just you, it’s too small.” —Ava DuVernay This quote is especially true these days, in this chaotic world where so many are hurting, so many people and animals struggling to survive. The thing is, if we work together, that struggle for survival can transform into a thriving planet. I don’t just want to publish a book, I want my life and creations to add to this dream of interconnectedness where people choose love, choose kindness, choose peace. So, I’ve decided to donate a portion of the proceeds from WILD HORSE HEART to programs that rescue and protect wild horses. Helping animals has always been a priority for me. I’ve adopted many…
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WILD HORSE HEART Cover – Check out this beauty!
AHHHHHH! I’m so excited. Here’s a cover reveal of my upcoming romance book, WILD HORSE HEART. But first, a little story for you: I went to art school, mostly because none of the other options interested me career-wise (read: I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life). I self-majored in video editing, and have done relatively little work as a graphic designer since. That is, if you’re counting paid work done for other companies. For myself, I’ve used my design background over and over again. Art school turned out to be a good choice for this Gemini. My latest adventure in digital art? The cover of…
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Cloud Blood by Ani DiFranco (or, why I don’t tidy before playing guitar)
I had the pleasure of seeing Ani DiFranco perform live, many years ago, at Jazz Fest, in New Orleans. I maneuvered my way to the second row, behind a number of other girl-fans thrilled to be that close to Ani, and swooned over her blend of honest, soulful, funky music. And then the woman in front of me turned around, smiled, and pushed me into the front row. Suddenly, I loved her as much as I did the musician playing onstage. Ani DiFranco has definitely been one of my biggest inspirations as a musician, and her music has carried me through all kinds of turbulent times in my life. So…
