Ice Cream

I doubt whether the world holds for anyone a more soul-stirring surprise than the first adventure with ice cream ~ Heywood Campbell Brown

Just a fun quote to make your evening! I hope you're having a great week!

Shoestring

You can play a shoestring if you're sincere ~ John Coltrane

Are you serious about achieving your dream? Do you believe you can make a shoestring play music?

I've shared before that besides publishing, I feel like I've had two other life accomplishments, quitting smoking and finishing my degree before I was thirty. After that I had some other dreams and goals, but they fizzled out.

I truly think it's because I didn't believe that I could do it. I let fatigue and rejection get the best of me and let the guilt eat at me while I did other things. Hence, I never achieved the dreams I had.

I don't know what was different with writing. I set out to complete my first novel and get it published. Along the way, I learned more about the craft and business of writing. I have a list of ideas for at least twenty different novels. I've published one novel, the second will be released in December, and I am working on my third.

Only when I sincerely believed I could, did I achieve.

What is something you've accomplished that took sincere belief in yourself?

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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 All Romance today!

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

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

Joy Part II

Joy is prayer. Joy is strength. Joy is love. Joy is a net of love by which you catch souls ~ Mother Teresa

I hope you're spending the weekend doing what gives you joy. When you put joy into your work, I believe that is the net by you catch souls.

Have a great one!

Joy

Surely joy is the condition of life ~ Henry David Thoreau

I believe that joy is the condition of life. Everything we do should lead us to joy.

I achieved a leadership position at work pretty early, at the age of twenty. I couldn't believe the apathy and complaining of the older people I worked with, many of them old enough to be my parents.

Along the way, I've learned that this grumbling has many different roots. Nearly all those roots can be traced to the absence of joy.

About thirteen years ago, I woke up to the idea that vocation and career should be a joy to go to everyday, not a stressful, worrisome place to spend eight to ten hours. Since then I have been in pursuit of joyful work. For the most part, I've found it. I find it not only in my day job but also in my writing.

How are you pursuing joy on a day to day basis?

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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 Barnes and Noble today!

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

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

Greatness

Everyone has the power for greatness, not for fame, but greatness, because greatness is determined by service ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

There is not much more I can add to this quote, except to ask, is your dream journey giving back?

Have a great week everyone!

It Costs You Nothing

That's what I consider true generosity. You give your all, and yet you always feel as if it costs you nothing ~ Simone de Beauvoir


So I get it. I am trying to balance:

Writing new material with
Editing submissions for my writing group with
Marketing #APTCTO with
Reading both fiction and non-fiction with
Research and notes for upcoming projects.

Whew! All that before going to work at Noon most days, with some appointments and commitments in the mornings.

So how do you give back to your dream journey community when life is so busy? Here are some of my thoughts:

1. Share an article on social media that pertains to your dream journey
2. Make a congratulatory comment on social media when another person in your same dream journey shares a success.
3. Make a supportive comment on social media if another person shares a frustration.

None of these take that long and can be done once a busy day.

How do you make time to give back when things get crazy busy?

______________________________________________________________

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 iTunes on your iPad, iPhone, or iPod today!

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

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

What We Give

We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give ~ Winston Churchill

If you've achieved any or all of your dream journey, what are you giving back?

______________________________________________________________

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 Kobo today!

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

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