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!

______________________________________________________________

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!

A Gigantic Ice Cream Parlor

Think of life as a gigantic ice cream parlor, with infinite flavors to taste ~ Karen Salmansohn

Don't you just hate change?  I sure do. My friends and family, especially my husband, will tell you I am the worst when it comes to change.

What I hate about myself even more is that sometimes the ideas I most resistant to, end up being the best for me.  When I was a trainer, whenever I heard about a new activity, game, or method, and I didn't like it, I wouldn't do it.  Then, eventually, I either saw someone do the activity or I tried it myself, and voile, I love it.  Why I oughtta...

The same thing happens in my quest to be a consistent writer. I've mastered the writing everyday or write consistently goal. Check. Self-editing, polishing, making it better?  Not so much. I am so stubborn I expect the words to be there that I read what I mean, rarely what I see on the page or screen.  I don't know if that is hubris or just a flaw, but it gets the best of me sometimes.

Slowly and surely I'm getting there.  I found a daytime critique group that matches my schedule. In the short time I've been working with them, I've learned so much. My writing and self editing has improved.  And recently I read a tip about drafts. The tip was about rewriting/retyping draft.

For me, a draft meant reading through the manuscript, making the corrections I found, then reloading the draft on my iPad and starting the process over again.  When I read that, all i could think of is that some days it takes a miracle just to sit down and get the writing goal done in addition to retyping an entire manuscript that already took months to write in the first place.

But after some comments about self-editing from my group, I sat down and started retyping my next submission. I cannot believe the difference in my writing.  All of the sudden, as I was reading the words from my iPad and retyping, many of the issues pointed out by other people were clear to me:  repeated words and phrases, punctuation, awkward sections.  I couldn't believe it.

I've now adopted a new writing editing schedule that includes two complete retypes of the entire manuscript.  I will be implementing it as I start my next novel, The Higher Law.

So the moral of the story is, don't learn the hard way like I always do.  Be open to new ideas, especially by people who have been down your path before. 

What have new technique or activity have you tried lately that really helped you in your dream journey? I'd love to hear!

______________________________________________________________

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!

Positive Energy

What if we lived our lives with a deeper more conscious awareness of the fact that we get to create our own experience of life at any moment? Imagine what our lives, our careers, and our relationships would look like if we stopped blaming our experience on other people or on external circumstances. We would free up so much positive energy and take back so much of our personal power ~ Mike Robbins

In February 2012, I had hit a low point in my writing.  I had taken a some time off work, a staycation because I hadn't had any time off for a year at that point.  I had planned to make some progress on #APTCTO.  I had not made much progress for a quite awhile and the guilt was eating at me.

Another goal for this staycation was to get on track with blogging.  If you look at my blog history, you'll see that prior to this time, my posts were spotty, sometimes spanning months between posts.  So I did, by Tuesday or Wednesday, figure out that blogging everyday wouldn't for me, but I could commit to four posts a week.  Since that week I've done pretty good at meeting that regular commitment.

Thursday of my staycation came and I still wasn't any further on #APTCTO. I sat down and brainstormed the ending rest of the plot, and boom.  That was my answer.  That day alone, I wrote 5000 words (that's about 20 pages).  I probably hadn't written that in the previous 12 months. 

Within a month, my first draft of #APTCTO was finished.  I had set a goal to be done by the end of the year, and voile, I finished the manuscript.  In addition to figuring out the outline and having a path to follow, I also let go of the excuses that day.  I quit blaming my job, my schedule, my inexperience as a writer. 

That day was a turning point in my dream journey. Not only did I finish #APTCTO last year, but I wrote a second manuscript, Disappear With Me. I have been writing consistently, both on my novels and my blog, and my goal of becoming an author is progressing.

All because I started taking responsibility for my dream and quit blaming everything around me. Have you had a similar turning point on your dream journey?

______________________________________________________________

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!

A Full On Metamorphosis

Any transition serious enough to alter your definition of self will require not just small adjustments in our way of living and thinking but a full on metamorphosis ~ Martha Beck

There is nothing more profound I can add to today's quote. 

I hope you all are having a productive week and moving forward on your dream journey. If finished typing another draft of Disappear With Me.  I need to review some feedback from my writing group, line edit for typos and then it will be ready to send to my editor at Musa Publishing.

I also got back to my third novel, The Higher Law. I'm excited to hear what my writing group has to say next week.

What have you been up to this week?

______________________________________________________________

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 Amazon today!

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

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

Inner Resilience

Inner resilience and the ability to bounce back are personal quality...Align yourself with someone who has this kind of resilience so that your own can be strengthened. Find another oak to weather the storm with you. Anyone who is in touch with his or her core self will always respond ~ Deepak Chopra

Inner resilience is important when the chips are down and you have to bounce back, but I think it's just as important to keep going when things are going well.

Have you ever achieved what felt like the goal of lifetime at work and the boss said, "OK, so now what?" I admit I've felt that way before. But as I have ventured out into more entrepreneurial pursuits, I understand this concept even more.  If I want to continue to publish novels, I have to continue writing. And if you want to continue your dream journey, you'll have to continue doing the basics in your dream journey.

And that takes resilience as well. No doubt, small successes fuel desires and make disappointment easier to get over, but it still takes resilience to move forward with your goals.

What are you doing to move forward on your dream journey today?

______________________________________________________________

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 Musa Publishing today!

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

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

Transformation Doesn't Happen Unless You're Willing

I believe that when you stop renewing and are no longer open to change and the possibilities that continually unfold, you stop being alive and are just getting through the years. Transformation doesn't happen unless you're willing: It's your choice ~ Oprah Winfrey

Change is hard for everyone. I know, I am one of the most routine and rigid people I know. The thing about new ideas that I've realized over the years is that the ideas that make the most impact to what I'm doing are usually the best.

Case in point, I recently read that you should re-type your manuscript completely at least once.  Back in May, I was trying to get Disappear with Me polished and sent off to Musa Publishing about the same time we were finishing A Place to Call Their Own.

I wanted to get the manuscript done and I was frustrated with my own lack of editing skill when looking at my own work.  I was reading through what should have been a final read-through and I was finding all sorts of mistakes and opportunities to polish the manuscript. So I acquiesced and started retyping the whole thing. 

Editing for A Place to Call Their Own took precedence in June, but I am back on track in July.  I have almost completed another rewrite/revision of Disappear With Me and will be ready to submit it soon. 

Lesson learned, I have to be open the ideas and suggestions that I resist the most.

What lesson have you learned in your dream journey by being more open to new ideas? 


P.S.

Happy 40th Wedding Anniversary, Mom and Dad!

Happy 18th Birthday, Bryce!

______________________________________________________________

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!

Move Forward

Whenever you're tempted to dwell in the past, repeat this single word: forward. Brainstorm one positive thought and action to use to keep you moving forward. When you're tempted to indulge in a negative, regressive behavior, swap it for one that will move you forward ~ Karen Salmansohn

A Place to Call Their Own has been out for two weeks.  Some days I wake up and I still can't believe it. 

But do you know what I did first on that Friday morning after I posted the buy links on Facebook and Twitter?  That's right, I worked on my manuscript for Disappear With Me.  I moved forward.

Whenever you reach a milestone goal, the best piece of advice I've ever heard is to do some more of what you've been doing.  When I was in direct sales, when you made a leadership level we celebrated and then said, "Go do another show and recruit some team members." As a writer, more than once this last month all I've heard is, "The best marketing tool for a writer is to write, write, write, and keep writing." That for me is exciting.

Keep moving forward, whatever dream journey you're following.  Are you moving forward this weekend?

______________________________________________________________

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.