Philly Cheese Steak Sloppy Joes

I'm sharing a recipe on my foodie blog today! Enjoy!



http://pacefrechkitchen.blogspot.com/2013/08/philly-cheese-steak-sloppy-joes.html 

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Is it possible for two Civil War veterans to find their place in the world on the Kansas Prairie?
 
When the War Between the States ended in 1865 many Americans emerged from the turmoil energized by their possibilities for the future. Frank Greerson and Gregory Young were no different. After battling southern rebels and preserving the Union, the two men set out to battle the Kansas Prairie and build a life together. Frank yearned for his own farm, away from his family—even at the risk of alienating them. Gregory, an only child, returned home to claim his inheritance to help finance their adventure out west.

Between the difficult work of establishing a farm on the unforgiving Kansas prairie, and the additional obstacles provided by the weather, Native Americans and wild animals, will their love and loyalty be enough to sustain them through the hardships?

Purchase A Place to Call Their Own from OmniLit today!

Then request an Authorgraph, an electronic inscription, from me.

Join the conversation:  use #APTCTO to talk about the novel on social media!

Joy on Every Level

I know for sure that I don't want to live a shut-down life--desensitized to feeling, seeing, and the possibility of experiencing joy on every level. I want every day to be a fresh starts on expanding what is possible ~ Oprah Winfrey

As I was writing Sunday's post, I realized I've been really focused on sharing my writing/publishing experiences lately. No wonder, I just published #APTCTO the beginning of this month.

So I thought I'd take today to remind new readers to the blog that my goal is that you find a universal message in my posts.  Whether you're in sales (direct or otherwise), trying to finish your degree, quitting smoking, whatever your dream goal may be, I hope you can apply what I've learned to your dream journey.

For example, when I quit smoking, the first week reminds me of the morning when #APTCTO was released.  After eleven years of smoking, I couldn't believe i had gone four days without a cigarette.  After those four days, I smoked over the weekend.  But when I started not smoking on Monday again, I had more confidence that I could do it again, since I had already done it once.  That's how I feel now.  I've published one novel, and have this renewed sense of determination to get Disappear With Me, my second novel, sent in to my editors.

If you're on a different dream journey, what are some of my lessons that you've applied? I'd love to hear!

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Is it possible for two Civil War veterans to find their place in the world on the Kansas Prairie?
 
When the War Between the States ended in 1865 many Americans emerged from the turmoil energized by their possibilities for the future. Frank Greerson and Gregory Young were no different. After battling southern rebels and preserving the Union, the two men set out to battle the Kansas Prairie and build a life together. Frank yearned for his own farm, away from his family—even at the risk of alienating them. Gregory, an only child, returned home to claim his inheritance to help finance their adventure out west.

Between the difficult work of establishing a farm on the unforgiving Kansas prairie, and the additional obstacles provided by the weather, Native Americans and wild animals, will their love and loyalty be enough to sustain them through the hardships?

Purchase A Place to Call Their Own from OmniLit today!

Then request an Authorgraph, an electronic inscription, from me.

Join the conversation:  use #APTCTO to talk about the novel on social media!

Your Greatest Strength

When I walk into a boardroom or stand before an audience or just move through the world, I bring all my history with me--all the the people who paved the way for me are part of who I am. I take my greatest strength from their strength ~ Oprah Winfrey

Where do you get your greatest strength? Maybe it's from your dream journey community. That's where I get a lot of my strength. I love following fellow writers on Facebook and Twitter and seeing them reach their daily goals.

I'm also finding strength from my writing group. I belong to a group of six other beginning writers who critique each others work on a weekly basis.  Each of my partners has a different strength in their writing and suggestions.  As I rewrite Disappear with Me in preparation for submission, I hear their individual suggestions in my head.  All their suggestions strengthening my writing.

Who do you gather strength from on your dream journey?

The Life We Touch

The life I touch for good or ill will touch another life, and that in turn another, until who knows where the trembling stops or in what far place my touch will be felt ~ Frederick Buechner

Have you reached out to someone else on your same dream journey?  I've written before about the importance of community while on your dream journey. 

Social media makes this all a bit more easier:  groups on Facebook, Communities on Google+, hashtags on Twitter all help us get connected and stay connected with others on the same dream journey.

My favorite two communities right now are in Google+.  I belong to the Writer's Dojo and the Gay Authors community. Both are fun places to share and glean good information.

Do you have any groups you like to peruse regularly?

An Inhabited Garden

The world is so empty if one thinks only of mountains, rivers, & cities; but to know someone who thinks and feels with us, and who, though distant, is close to us in spirit, this makes the earth for us an inhabited garden ~ Johann van Goethe

Have you figured out what wakes you up each day or what excites you so much you're unable to sleep at night?  Did you know that there's probably others out there, on the same dream journey as yourself?  Even at the some point along the way?

Belonging to a community of other people actively engaging in their dream journeys has been very helpful for me.  Social media makes that even easier in today's world.  There are Facebook groups, Twitter hashtags, and Google+ communities you can search to find others actively engaged in your similar dream journey.

For writers, one of my new favorite communities is the Writer's Dojo on Google+.  What's your favorite online spot to find community?

Your Are Not Alone

Many people need desperately to receive this message: "I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people don't care about them.  You are not alone." ~ Kurt Vonnegut

Do you ever feel like you're alone on your dream journey?  When I do, I just take a look at my Twitter or Facebook feeds and understand quickly that I am not alone.  It helps me. 

You can find community in many places.  Social media helps many people connect all over the country and world.  Depending on your dream journey, many times you can find local groups for support, education, and inspiration.

Where do you find community on your dream journey?

All That I Have Met

I am a part of all that I have met ~ Alfred Tennyson

Are you sharing your success with other peers on the same dream journey?  I sure hope so.  I've learned so much from peers when I was in direct sales, training, and now banking.  And, as you know, I love to share with you the routines and methods that have helped me achieve my goal of becoming a published author.

What have you shared lately?

Open Your Heart

The possibility for rich relationships exists all around you -- you simply have to open your eyes, open your mouth, and most importantly, open your heart ~ Cheryl Richardson

No matter what your dream journey, the going can be lonely sometimes.  Sometimes I feel like I'm the only person trying to write a novel and be published in today's publishing world and no one else has had the struggles writing that I have.  Hah!

The cool thing about today's social network society is that there are millions of other writers to connect with on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, you name it.  It's nice to be able to build community and gain insight from others who are doing the same thing that I am doing. 

Again, no matter what your dream journey, you should also be able to seek them out on the various social networks.  Like the quote says, you just have to be open!

Do you have any New Year's Resolutions around social networking this year?  I'd love to hear!

Little Changes and Choices

Little changes [and] little choices add up to be revolutionary changes in your life ~ Sarah Ban Breathnach

I made one little choice/change this year, and boy has it made a difference in my life I changed my schedule from a traditional 8-5 to 1 pm to 9 pm.  It has made a difference.

I get up by 7 AM most days of the week, I work out six days per week, and write after I'm done working out.  I relax and watch TV until it's time to get ready for work.  I work from 1 - 9 and then come home, watch one program that I DVR'd earlier then I'm usually in bed by 11.

I've finished my first novel and completed a second novel this year.  I can't believe it myself!  I am happier than I have been in a long time and part of it is due to my schedule.  And I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical of taking such a schedule at first.

I'm still amazed that such a small change has created such a huge impact on my life. 

What's a small change you made recently that had a big impact on your dream journey?

Live Passionately, Love Passionately

Those who live passionately teach us how to love.  Those who love passionately teach us how to live ~ Sarah Ban Breathnach

Do you have mentor in your dream journey?  Do you have someone you look up to?  Do you have someone to bounce ideas off of?

I've made a lot of great friends through Twitter and Facebook and follow many authors at my same level.  But I've also made some great friends with published authors who have given me some great advice. 

If you don't already have a mentor, this might be a great month to reach out and find a mentor.  That way, when the new year starts and you're ready to go with new goals, you'll have your mentor in place to help you out.

Do you have a mentor for your dream journey?

The Stories You Have to Tell

Don't forget, no one sees the world the way you do, so no one else can tell the stories you have to tell ~ Charles de Lint

No matter what your dream journey, it is all your own.  Only you will endure the obstacles your way, only you will accomplish your goal in your way and in your own time.  And no one else will be able to tell the stories that you will tell others.

Although this quote is meant specifically for writers, it really is for any dreamer on a journey.  In the end, no one else will be able to tell your stories like you do.

Have you started telling your story yet?

The Middle of Difficulty

In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity ~ Albert Einstein

So it's been another week of some disappointing rejection emails.  I know that it goes with the territory, but I wonder what kind of response I might get if I told everyone who I was querying that I would be publishing their responses on my blog or in a compilation of some sort?  No worries, I'm fine, I didn't even read the whole email because it was so unhelpful.

And then a Twitter follower suggest I read a book about self-publishing, and I'm hooked.  I've finally been pushed over the edge and I think I'm going to self-publish my first few books.  It will get my work out there quicker, I'll have more control, and make more money.  And like a fellow indie author told me not too long ago, the manuscript won't make me any money sitting in the slush pile.  I'd planned to do a bunch of my own marketing anyway, so why not reap a bigger commission per unit?

So even though I'm not devastated over the rejection email, just a bit let down, I've found a better path anyway.  The universe works in mysterious ways and on its own time. 

How has the universe worked mysteriously for you lately?

When the Limo Breaks Down

Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down ~ Oprah Winfrey

If you haven't already done so, I hope you've found a "buddy" to work alongside as you reach your dreams.  If you have, hopefully this is a buddy who will ride the bus with you when the limo breaks down.

Have you reached out and helped your buddy lately?  I'd love to hear!

Art

Art is the most intense mode of individualism that the world has known ~ Oscar Wilde

I've stated before that when one does a task well, I consider that art.  So I'd like you to consider that anything you do well could be the most intense mode of individualism that the world has known.  Many successful people in are seen as experts in their professions and called to share with others about their experiences. 

When you're on a dream journey, seek out others who are ahead of you on your dream journey or those that have achieved the goal you're working on.  Seek out their experiences and glean what you can from them. 

In the past, when I've been in the position of mentor, it usually helps me hone my skills and not be lazy, especially if I'm trying to teach someone else.  I have a couple of writing mentors out there with which I touch base from time to time.  It's always refreshing and inspirational to hear from them.

Today's post also reminds me I need to add a page on my web site for writer resources.  Maybe that will be my focus for this week.

I'd love to hear about how your mentors have helped your dream journey!

What Nobody Else Has

The one thing that you have that nobody else has is you.  Your voice our mind, your story, your vision.  So write and draw and build and play and dance and live as only you can ~ Neil Gaiman

The one thing that you bring to your dream journey is yourself.  No matter if anyone else has made the same journey, each one of us will put our own mark on the journey.  That's what makes each one of us special, even if we are embarking on the same type of journey together.

No matter what your journey, there is probably some advice on how to achieve your goal.  As a writer, there is a lot of information on pursuing a fiction writing/publishing career.  Just about about everything I've read says I should be making a blog post every day.  But that routine has never worked out for me.  Even after coming up with the premise for my blog, I still struggled to get posts done daily.  If you look at my blog history, you'll see that I wrote more posts in 2011 than in 2010.  And this year you'll see I've written nearly twice as many as I did in those two years combined.

I figured out in February that I couldn't live up to the daily blog post.  I just couldn't do it.  But what I did figure out is that I could plan two posts during the week and each day of the weekend.  That's when I came up with my Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday schedule.  It's not everyday as recommended, but it's a regular schedule.  Since February I think I've only missed one day.  I've posted "off" schedule because of announcements I wanted to make or posts that participated in other events that needed to get completed.

Make your journey your own and I'm sure you'll provide some inspiration for someone else.

The Imagination of Others

Here's to the imagination of others when it inspires our own ~ Jill Badonsky

I love it when I see or hear something and it inspires an idea for either my writing or marketing my books.  Just the other day at work, a co-worker blew over the top of their pop bottle and made a sound and that reminded me of something I could put in a novel idea I'm working on.  My character should fashion a flute out of reeds and play it. 

When I was in direct sales, I loved going to the monthly meetings and learning what the other reps were doing to book more parties, make more sales, and recruit folks.  Again, the imagination of others inspired me to try their ideas and try some of my own. 

No matter what your dream journey is, I think it's important to seek out others in the same community that are also on your same dream path.  I think we can learn so much from another person, and, in turn, share your ideas as well.

What have you learned from someone lately or shared with others?  I'd love to hear!

Come Into My Garden

Won't you come into my garden?  I would like my roses to see you ~ Richard Brinsley Sheridan

I think no matter what our profession or avocation, we reveal a piece of ourselves through our work. Another method we use today to reveal ourselves is through social media.  I love connecting with so many people through social media and keeping up with them on a daily basis.

When you're stretching yourself trying to achieve a dream goal, I think it's important to have at least one buddy who is also working towards the same goal.  Strength does come in numbers, so it's always a plus to be part of a group of community of people working towards similar goals.

When I quit smoking, I found strength in another friend who was also trying to quit her social smoking.  It was her thoughts and support that helped me get past some hurdles there.  When I was finishing my degree, I was surrounded each new session with new friends who were on the same journey as myself, and many times on a different stages of that same goal.

I'd love to hear about the support system you have in place for reaching your dream goals!

Arrested for Kindness

If you were arrested for kindness, would there be enough evidence to convict you? ~ Unknown

On your dream journey, if you were arrested for the amount of sharing you're doing with others, would there be enough to convict you?

I am so grateful to have been apart of a few organizations where sharing of ideas was promoted and, really, a core value.  U.S. Bank was a wonderful organization for sharing of ideas across the country.  I was also involved in direct sales (Tupperware, Avon) where the sharing of our success with others helped us grow our businesses and become more successful.

And that's the purpose of my blog.  I hope that if you are also a writer working on getting published, you are finding some solace in my stories of my own challenges with that goal.  If you are on some other goal journey, my hope is that you find some solace on our parallel journeys.  I hope you're finding some transferable ideas that help you on your dream journey.

If you follow me, are you a fellow writer or are you on another dream journey?  I'd love to hear!

Gratitude is the Fairest Blossom

Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul ~ Henry Ward Beecher

Make a list of 15 mentors, friends, and people you admire, both in and out of your field, that you get daily bits of info from.  Ready...go...

How did you do?  Did you totally fail at that exercise like I did?  Earlier this week I was honored with the One Lovely Blog Award.  Part of the award is recognizing fifteen other blogs that you admire, follow, etc.  And I failed miserably at coming up with the top fifteen blogs which I wanted to pass the award.  It took me all week.

If you could name fifteen mentors, friends, people you admire in your field, on your same dream journey, how long would it take you?  Would you struggle with making it to the fifteen mark?  Or would you be like me and have so many people you want to thank, it's hard to whittle the list down to just fifteen?  Hopefully it's the latter.

Gratitude is so easy to give (just 'thank you' usually suffices), but often overlooked.  When given, it can be a very powerful force in meeting your dream goal. 

Who deserves a "thank you" from you today?

One Lovely Blog Award

 

I'm honored to have been given this award by Hemmie Martin, author of The Divine Pumpkin.

http://hemmie-writing.blogspot.com/

As the recipient of this award, I have three responsibilities:  

1) Share the link of the person who gave me with this award - thank you, Hemmie

2) Nominate 15 more lovely blogs for this same honor (see below).

3) Share 7 things about myself  (again see below, below).

My award nominees, in no particular order, are: 

Eric B. Thomasma

http://ericbt.webs.com/apps/blog/

CC Jackson

http://ccjacksonbooks.blogspot.com/

Stuart Haddon

http://stuarthaddon.com/

Liz Jessop

http://busylizzielovestotravel.blogspot.com/

Jason Jack Miller

http://jasonjackmiller.blogspot.com/

DiAnne Ebejer

http://ebbiesplace.blogspot.com/

Sharon Jones

http://color-me-read.blogspot.com/

Sean Sweeney

http://seansweeneyauthor.blogspot.com/

Rick R. Reed

http://rickrreedreality.blogspot.com/

Austin James

http://austinjameshere.blogspot.com/

Sheila Roberts

http://www.sheilasplace.com/blog.html

Susie Bertie

http://sooziebird.blogspot.com/

Joseph Eastwood

http://www.josepheastwood.com/

Gabe Berman

http://gabeberman.wordpress.com/

 Reggie Ridgeway

http://characterswellmet.blogspot.com/

Now Seven Things about myself:

1.  I have finished my first manuscript, A Place to Call Their Own, and am trying to get it self-edited and ready for presentation to publishers, agents, self publishing, etc.

2.  I am two-thirds of the way through a second novel, Disappear With Me.

3.  I live in Kansas City, MO.

4.  My formula for creating success and following your dreams is Create a Vision, Set Goals, Develop Routines, Set Boundaries, and Find Friends.

5.  My daily mantra is #WWRR:  workout, write, read, relax.  This has helped me focus on the important things that need to be accomplished each and every day.

6.  I watch True Blood, Dancing with the Stars, America's Got Talent, Glee, The Glee Project, Game of Thrones just to name a few of my favorite TV shows.

7.  I love to cook quick and easy recipes.

Thanks to Hemmie for giving me the award and congrats to my nominees.  Thanks you to everybody for your continued support!