Cindy Patterson's Blog, page 2
October 13, 2015
A MISSED FLIGHT
I seriously have issues with pushing things to the limit.
I mean, why did I think I'd have extra time?
It's been a few years since I've flown, but only a few weeks since I've driven by the airport. How could I forget how many exits were between the one I decided I had to get off for a snack and the airport?
It was the longest stretch of drive I've ever driven, and the clock seemed to move faster than it ever has before. Did they add extra exits since the last time I came through here?
Why couldn't I have just waited until I arrived?
Because I HAD to use the bathroom, and I skipped breakfast and I had a headache coming on and needed a drink to take something NOW!! I couldn't wait twenty more minutes until I got inside the airport. It made perfect sense as I told myself veering my car off the interstate behind a slow driving eighteen wheeler.
Of course, there was no store in sight. I had no idea which way to go. So I followed the truck.
Still moving slow.
Still no store.
I had made a mistake.
Then I saw a store.
But it was a Members Only store. WHAT????
Then I spotted a Big Lots.
There was a lady in the parking lot. She was walking across the lot with her cart.
I waited.
With patience.
She was attempting to put her cart back, but in the direction she headed, there was only another lone cart standing in the space. She looked around unable to find the cart return.
The park I intended to take in the beginning was to my right where she stood originally, then I changed my mind and decided on the left park where she had walked and now stood. Has this ever happened to you? When you were in a hurry? Of course it has.
She looked at me, with apologetic eyes. Walking back and forth in the very spot I wanted to get. It was almost comical. It was like I was supposed to be there in that very second, unable to get to a parking space quickly because I was in a hurry. I was not upset. Really. I wasn't. I felt for her. I knew she was having a hard time. I just sat there waiting, instead of speeding away with an attitude and finding another park.
But this of course was taking more time, and I knew the mistake I had made was huge.
I just didn't know that this was only the beginning.
To be continued ...
Cindy
I mean, why did I think I'd have extra time?
It's been a few years since I've flown, but only a few weeks since I've driven by the airport. How could I forget how many exits were between the one I decided I had to get off for a snack and the airport?
It was the longest stretch of drive I've ever driven, and the clock seemed to move faster than it ever has before. Did they add extra exits since the last time I came through here?
Why couldn't I have just waited until I arrived?
Because I HAD to use the bathroom, and I skipped breakfast and I had a headache coming on and needed a drink to take something NOW!! I couldn't wait twenty more minutes until I got inside the airport. It made perfect sense as I told myself veering my car off the interstate behind a slow driving eighteen wheeler.
Of course, there was no store in sight. I had no idea which way to go. So I followed the truck.
Still moving slow.
Still no store.
I had made a mistake.
Then I saw a store.
But it was a Members Only store. WHAT????
Then I spotted a Big Lots.
There was a lady in the parking lot. She was walking across the lot with her cart.
I waited.
With patience.
She was attempting to put her cart back, but in the direction she headed, there was only another lone cart standing in the space. She looked around unable to find the cart return.
The park I intended to take in the beginning was to my right where she stood originally, then I changed my mind and decided on the left park where she had walked and now stood. Has this ever happened to you? When you were in a hurry? Of course it has.
She looked at me, with apologetic eyes. Walking back and forth in the very spot I wanted to get. It was almost comical. It was like I was supposed to be there in that very second, unable to get to a parking space quickly because I was in a hurry. I was not upset. Really. I wasn't. I felt for her. I knew she was having a hard time. I just sat there waiting, instead of speeding away with an attitude and finding another park.
But this of course was taking more time, and I knew the mistake I had made was huge.
I just didn't know that this was only the beginning.
To be continued ...
Cindy
September 29, 2015
FEAR FACTOR & WINNER ANNOUNCED
Don't Worry????
Worrying will not make you live longer, and will rob your joy.
Here are some interesting quotes I wanted to share ...
I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened. ~Mark Twain
If you see ten troubles coming down the road, you can be sure that nine will run into the ditch before they reach you. ~Calvin Coolidge
How much pain they have cost us, the evils which have never happened. ~Thomas Jefferson
If I had my life to live over, I would perhaps have more actual troubles but I’d have fewer imaginary ones. ~Don Herold
Not everyone wants to stop worrying. Well, I'm not one of those people. But it isn't easy to stop worrying.
I was just in that situation last night. Picture this.
It's raining. I'm sitting in the back seat of a truck. I'm texting frantically, trying to make the time pass, trying to think of something else, anything else. My husband sits in the passenger seat answering an email on his phone. He isn't supposed to be doing that! He's supposed to be watching the road. Constantly. My son is driving. My heart is racing. I'm holding on to the door till my knuckles whiten. My muscles tense and my breathing deepens. It'll take twenty minutes to get there. On the highway, he switches back and forth between lanes to allow merging oncoming traffic. My chest is tightening now remembering.
Why does he have to learn to drive anyway? I don't mind driving him where he needs to go?
No matter how much I worry, it changes nothing. No one can take my life, or my sons, my daughters, my husbands, unless God allows it.
Job 14:5 A person’s days are determined;
you have decreed the number of his months
and have set limits he cannot exceed.
Most things we worry about will never happen. Don't let worry destroy your youthfulness. Instead, let's focus on Him and not be consumed with the things of this world. :)
Lamentations 3: 22-23Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
I have been told multiple times, that you have had trouble leaving comments on my blog posts. Unfortunately, I'm not sure how to fix that problem! So, if you leave a comment on Facebook you are always eligible for my drawings as well. And this week the winner of Katelin Maloney's Book, Drowning, is ...
Julia Whitley!
Congratulations, Julia!! Send me a private message with your address and I will forward it to Katelin so she can send you a copy of her book. :)
Thank you so much for stopping by. Have a wonderful day!
Cindy
Worrying will not make you live longer, and will rob your joy.
Here are some interesting quotes I wanted to share ...
I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened. ~Mark Twain
If you see ten troubles coming down the road, you can be sure that nine will run into the ditch before they reach you. ~Calvin Coolidge
How much pain they have cost us, the evils which have never happened. ~Thomas Jefferson
If I had my life to live over, I would perhaps have more actual troubles but I’d have fewer imaginary ones. ~Don Herold
Not everyone wants to stop worrying. Well, I'm not one of those people. But it isn't easy to stop worrying.
I was just in that situation last night. Picture this.
It's raining. I'm sitting in the back seat of a truck. I'm texting frantically, trying to make the time pass, trying to think of something else, anything else. My husband sits in the passenger seat answering an email on his phone. He isn't supposed to be doing that! He's supposed to be watching the road. Constantly. My son is driving. My heart is racing. I'm holding on to the door till my knuckles whiten. My muscles tense and my breathing deepens. It'll take twenty minutes to get there. On the highway, he switches back and forth between lanes to allow merging oncoming traffic. My chest is tightening now remembering.
Why does he have to learn to drive anyway? I don't mind driving him where he needs to go?
No matter how much I worry, it changes nothing. No one can take my life, or my sons, my daughters, my husbands, unless God allows it.
Job 14:5 A person’s days are determined;
you have decreed the number of his months
and have set limits he cannot exceed.
Most things we worry about will never happen. Don't let worry destroy your youthfulness. Instead, let's focus on Him and not be consumed with the things of this world. :)
Lamentations 3: 22-23Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
I have been told multiple times, that you have had trouble leaving comments on my blog posts. Unfortunately, I'm not sure how to fix that problem! So, if you leave a comment on Facebook you are always eligible for my drawings as well. And this week the winner of Katelin Maloney's Book, Drowning, is ...
Julia Whitley!
Congratulations, Julia!! Send me a private message with your address and I will forward it to Katelin so she can send you a copy of her book. :)
Thank you so much for stopping by. Have a wonderful day!
Cindy
September 21, 2015
Interview & Book Giveaway with Katelin Maloney
I'm so excited to have Katelin Maloney, Domestic Violence Advocate, and Author of Drowning here with me this morning.
Welcome Katelin! Let's start by letting you tell us a little bit about yourself.
Hello Cindy. Thank you for the opportunity to share my novel, Drowning. I really appreciate it!
I am a domestic violence advocate and volunteer at the local domestic violence and sexual assault prevention organization, Betty Griffin House, located in St. Augustine, Florida.
I am happily married to a wonderful and supportive husband and I have two great sons. I am proud to say that my older son is also a volunteer at Betty Griffin House.
Besides spending time with loved ones and writing, I enjoy crafting with friends, touring St. Augustine, and exercising, especially walks on the beach. I have written many scenes in my head while enjoying the calmness the ocean brings. I am very blessed.
Having read your book, I have to know how you came up with the idea for Drowning.
Actually, I dreamed the story one night. The next day I was playing basketball in my driveway with my son and the idea of my character, Anna, came to me. She is an integral character in the novel. After that day, the story played like a movie in my mind. When I wrote the first draft, I felt like I was just writing down the movie.
I’m currently writing a second book called Deceptionand unfortunately that has not happened! I have to make it up as I go along.
If you don't mind me asking, what led you to write a story about domestic violence?
I am a domestic abuse survivor and wanted to give abused women a voice. Throughout the years I’ve known other women who have been in abusive relationships and some people in their surrounding network didn’t understand the dynamics of the relationship. Drowning shows what the victim is living through. Women in abusive relationships will be able to see that the abuse is not their fault and that the abuser is not going to change his behavior.
I have had several women thank me for writing Drowningbecause of their previous abusive relationships. This feedback has been very rewarding.
I want to include the back cover blurb for Drowning so readers can get insight into the overall story. I hope that's okay.
Drowning, Katelin MaloneyRebecca has simple dreams. A promotion. Children. A happy marriage. But can she have it with Mitch?
Though she carefully keeps secrets to guard her safety, her marriage to Mitch, a successful doctor, is brutal, and his abuse is escalating. A promotion at the bank could be the answer to her prayers, but Mitch has different plans for her life.
Ultimately, Rebecca must face her own inner demons before she can act. Will she be able to find her former, stronger self before Mitch destroys her completely?
What is the biggest challenge you've faced as a writer?
Learning the craft of creative writing! My background is in Finance and Economics and I have written only non-fiction for the last twenty years. I had no experience in writing fiction before taking on Drowning.
I started going to writer workshops, took classes, and read books on the craft of writing. I joined an online critique group which was very helpful to me. Basically I had to educate myself in a whole new field which didn’t include numbers! J
How do you stay motivated?
A couple of ways. Writing has been a wonderful outlet for my creativity. I’m excited to get up in the morning to start to write.
Even more motivating is the topic that I write about. When I would put Drowning aside for a month or two, I felt the pull to go back and write it because I knew the story would make a difference in people’s lives. I knew in my heart that the story needed to be told and I was the one to tell it.
What do you want your readers to gain from the book?
I’ve been told that Drowning is a ‘page-turner’ by several people, so I hope the reader enjoys the fast pace.
After reading Drowning, people will have a better understanding of abusive relationships and why women stay as long as they do. The reader will ‘walk on eggshells’ and feel that they are in the middle of the storm that the main character, Rebecca, feels she is in.
Do you have any words of wisdom you'd like to share?
Yes. Has anyone ever noticed a friend or loved one pulling back from your relationship? Saying ‘I’m sorry’ often? Being distant or stopping contact with you? Have you noticed bruises? Does she miss a lot of You can reach out to her and just let her know you are there if she needs you. Give her the number to the local domestic violence organization.
Remember, if we can help just one woman, we’ve done our job.
Katelin, thank you for being with us today and giving us a peek into your own personal experience. And readers, be sure to leave a comment to be entered into the drawing and then return next week to see if you're the winner of Katelin's book.
You can find Katelin's book ... and follow her here. Katelinmaloney@yahoo.comwww.katelinmaloney.comwww.facebook.com/katelinmaloneywriter@KatelinMaloney
Thanks for stopping by. See you next week!
Cindy
September 15, 2015
SLITHERING UNWANTED GUESTS
I love a good love story. I have a daughter and I want her to have good solid, Christian morals and she should have good reading material to choose from. We can have good solid romance stories without all the nasty. Believe me, I've read many of them. But I also don't want her to inherit this nasty thing that staggered its way into my life at an early age and leaked and swelled in me like a cancer.
My main character of Broken Butterfly deals with issues of trust and insecurity. A writer writes what she knows. This story isn't about me and has nothing to do with my life or my past.
My life story grows like a wild branch of the thorny soil from that ugly word. Insecurity. I've dealt with many side effects and wondered many times, why I had to be born this way?
We can be insecure about all sorts of things, money, our safety, walking across our back yard.
The other day I came across a snake. Inside my fenced in back yard. He wasn't supposed to be there. Inside the fence, y'all. My husband wasn't home. I had locked myself out of the house.
Let me clarify. My keys were in the office. Where I was headed. I had to walk by him to get there. I was stuck. My dog just sat there looking up at me wagging her tail. I'm going to be honest, I was a little upset with her. Why would she let that critter come in my yard?
But she had no idea.
I called my husband and he told me to get a shovel and kill it. I laughed. Hard. Then he said, "Wait outside and watch it to see where it goes until I get home."
How long would it be before he got there?
TWENTY-FIVE MINUTES. Yeah right. That snake disappeared. After only a few minutes. It was hot, my left eye started watering. I can't believe I actually stood in the grass, at least 7 yds away, watching this reptile, completely terrified. He slithered across the grass, stopped, looked around, and started moving again. He repeated this motion several times before I finally lost him. I could finally go back inside the office, where I left, Sadie, my Labrador Retriever along with my biscuit on the desk.
Sadie didn't touch my biscuit. I couldn't believe it. She's a good girl.
I've been planning to do this for a while, but I wasn't looking forward to it. But now seemed like a good time to learn. I shot my first gun. As my husband was telling me everything to do and not to do, the more nervous I became.
"Don't get scared and face it toward us once you fire it."
"Don't hold your finger there."
"Don't hold your arms that way, when it kicks, it'll hurt."
Too many things to remember.
I watched him first. He said, "Are you ready?"
I pressed my fingers in my ears and steadied my gaze on the cup he was aiming at. The cup didn't move.
The next shot came, but this time, I was focused on the end of his gun, just as the fire came out. I wasn't expecting to see a ball of fire. The trembles began as soon as he placed it in my hands.
It took me a few minutes after convincing myself, I was going to do something wrong. But I didn't hurt anything. I missed the cup too. Then I tried again, and missed the cup again. After the third try, I gave it back to him. My daughter stood waiting patiently for her turn.
I'm thankful she doesn't have the same fear of guns that I do. I'm not giving up, I'm going to try again, and again until I get used to it. I may never feel comfortable, but I'll never feel comfortable around a snake either.
Either way, we can fight through this insecurity mess or we can give into it. I've been fighting for a long time now, and taken a step forward, and two back, but through it all, I've had some very good results. Otherwise, I wouldn't be telling you. :)
No one wants to admit to insecurity.
Snakes have a lot in common with insecurity. They slither their way into your life and bring unnecessary fear and worry. And it's definitely unwanted. Sometimes it stays hidden, until suddenly there it is, revealing it's ugly face.
I was worried he'd come back. He did. And two more different snakes joined him. Yep. Two more. Never has this happened in all the years we've been living here. I've only seen one snake in 16 years. Until this year. Not happy about this.
Who's ready for winter?
I love to give my characters this trait, in different ways of course, my characters can't all be the same, but seeing them pull through it is worth all the conflict they suffer.
Along the way, I've learned some valuable lessons, that I'm looking forward to sharing with you in the weeks to come.
UPDATE: After my procedure last week, my headache is still here, but there is still a lot of tenderness in the area, and my neck is still in some pain. I'm hoping these are contributing to the headache. Thank you so very much for your prayers. You don't know how much I appreciate each and every one of them.
NEXT WEEK... Be sure to come back! I'll have a very special guest. Katelin Maloney, Domestic Violence Advocate, & Author of Drowning, will be here to share her story. I'm really excited. She's also giving away a free paperback copy of her book, so make sure you come back for your chance to win.
Have a wonderful day!
Cindy
My main character of Broken Butterfly deals with issues of trust and insecurity. A writer writes what she knows. This story isn't about me and has nothing to do with my life or my past.
My life story grows like a wild branch of the thorny soil from that ugly word. Insecurity. I've dealt with many side effects and wondered many times, why I had to be born this way?
We can be insecure about all sorts of things, money, our safety, walking across our back yard.
The other day I came across a snake. Inside my fenced in back yard. He wasn't supposed to be there. Inside the fence, y'all. My husband wasn't home. I had locked myself out of the house.
Let me clarify. My keys were in the office. Where I was headed. I had to walk by him to get there. I was stuck. My dog just sat there looking up at me wagging her tail. I'm going to be honest, I was a little upset with her. Why would she let that critter come in my yard?
But she had no idea.
I called my husband and he told me to get a shovel and kill it. I laughed. Hard. Then he said, "Wait outside and watch it to see where it goes until I get home."
How long would it be before he got there?
TWENTY-FIVE MINUTES. Yeah right. That snake disappeared. After only a few minutes. It was hot, my left eye started watering. I can't believe I actually stood in the grass, at least 7 yds away, watching this reptile, completely terrified. He slithered across the grass, stopped, looked around, and started moving again. He repeated this motion several times before I finally lost him. I could finally go back inside the office, where I left, Sadie, my Labrador Retriever along with my biscuit on the desk.
Sadie didn't touch my biscuit. I couldn't believe it. She's a good girl.
I've been planning to do this for a while, but I wasn't looking forward to it. But now seemed like a good time to learn. I shot my first gun. As my husband was telling me everything to do and not to do, the more nervous I became.
"Don't get scared and face it toward us once you fire it."
"Don't hold your finger there."
"Don't hold your arms that way, when it kicks, it'll hurt."
Too many things to remember.
I watched him first. He said, "Are you ready?"
I pressed my fingers in my ears and steadied my gaze on the cup he was aiming at. The cup didn't move.
The next shot came, but this time, I was focused on the end of his gun, just as the fire came out. I wasn't expecting to see a ball of fire. The trembles began as soon as he placed it in my hands.
It took me a few minutes after convincing myself, I was going to do something wrong. But I didn't hurt anything. I missed the cup too. Then I tried again, and missed the cup again. After the third try, I gave it back to him. My daughter stood waiting patiently for her turn.
I'm thankful she doesn't have the same fear of guns that I do. I'm not giving up, I'm going to try again, and again until I get used to it. I may never feel comfortable, but I'll never feel comfortable around a snake either.
Either way, we can fight through this insecurity mess or we can give into it. I've been fighting for a long time now, and taken a step forward, and two back, but through it all, I've had some very good results. Otherwise, I wouldn't be telling you. :)
No one wants to admit to insecurity.
Snakes have a lot in common with insecurity. They slither their way into your life and bring unnecessary fear and worry. And it's definitely unwanted. Sometimes it stays hidden, until suddenly there it is, revealing it's ugly face.
I was worried he'd come back. He did. And two more different snakes joined him. Yep. Two more. Never has this happened in all the years we've been living here. I've only seen one snake in 16 years. Until this year. Not happy about this.
Who's ready for winter?
I love to give my characters this trait, in different ways of course, my characters can't all be the same, but seeing them pull through it is worth all the conflict they suffer. Along the way, I've learned some valuable lessons, that I'm looking forward to sharing with you in the weeks to come.
UPDATE: After my procedure last week, my headache is still here, but there is still a lot of tenderness in the area, and my neck is still in some pain. I'm hoping these are contributing to the headache. Thank you so very much for your prayers. You don't know how much I appreciate each and every one of them.
NEXT WEEK... Be sure to come back! I'll have a very special guest. Katelin Maloney, Domestic Violence Advocate, & Author of Drowning, will be here to share her story. I'm really excited. She's also giving away a free paperback copy of her book, so make sure you come back for your chance to win.
Have a wonderful day!
Cindy
September 8, 2015
Coffee Conversations: What if today was the last day?
Coffee Conversations: What if today was the last day?: I was walking across the parking lot of Target yesterday and imagined how very different my life might be today. Four years ago, this m...
What if today was the last day?
I was walking across the parking lot of Target yesterday and imagined how very different my life might be today.
Four years ago, this month, something changed and my life hasn't been the same since. I don't know why. It could've been an accident me and my son, Tyler, were in several years prior to that date. Maybe it was when I started running and I jiggled something the wrong way. But something had to trigger the tingling sensation that started on the left side of my head and escalated to an unrelenting pain.
Living in pain, every day, all day, gives you a different perspective on life. It makes you look at a past that you once had, a past of pain free days and see how much you take for granted. Even the smallest of things.
I wouldn't mind having a headache once a month, three days a month, ten days a month. If only I had some days when there was no pain. If only.
There are so many things that if my life changes today, I will NEVER take for granted again.
Because I've told you this part of my story, I have to share this with you.
Today, I'm having a procedure done that could change my life. A procedure that could possibly take away this pain. Radiofrequency Ablation. C2 & C3 ... They will burn the nerves that are causing me to have a headache every day.
I am praying and believing that this is going to be the answer we have been searching for so long. Will you pray with me?
There was a moment when they numbed the nerves a few weeks ago. That brief moment felt like something I can't even describe to you. There was no pain, no nothing, it was normal. I want that again. I want it so bad. I can't even tell you how much. And I can't wait to have it and I believe my Jesus wants me to have it to. And I'm believing with all my heart, ya'll, that today is that day.
Thank you for listening to me ramble on and thank you for coming here today.
Have a wonderful day!
Cindy
Four years ago, this month, something changed and my life hasn't been the same since. I don't know why. It could've been an accident me and my son, Tyler, were in several years prior to that date. Maybe it was when I started running and I jiggled something the wrong way. But something had to trigger the tingling sensation that started on the left side of my head and escalated to an unrelenting pain.
Living in pain, every day, all day, gives you a different perspective on life. It makes you look at a past that you once had, a past of pain free days and see how much you take for granted. Even the smallest of things.
I wouldn't mind having a headache once a month, three days a month, ten days a month. If only I had some days when there was no pain. If only.
There are so many things that if my life changes today, I will NEVER take for granted again.
Because I've told you this part of my story, I have to share this with you.
Today, I'm having a procedure done that could change my life. A procedure that could possibly take away this pain. Radiofrequency Ablation. C2 & C3 ... They will burn the nerves that are causing me to have a headache every day.
I am praying and believing that this is going to be the answer we have been searching for so long. Will you pray with me?
There was a moment when they numbed the nerves a few weeks ago. That brief moment felt like something I can't even describe to you. There was no pain, no nothing, it was normal. I want that again. I want it so bad. I can't even tell you how much. And I can't wait to have it and I believe my Jesus wants me to have it to. And I'm believing with all my heart, ya'll, that today is that day. Thank you for listening to me ramble on and thank you for coming here today.
Have a wonderful day!
Cindy
August 13, 2015
AUTHORS IN AUGUST
I've been missing in action. I know. I know. It isn't that I haven't thought about being here constantly, or recited word for word in my head what I've wanted to say ... It just didn't make it to the paper. Broken Butterfly has been off the market for several months now, and that's kind of depressing to tell you the truth. How can I just get started with this thing and then BAM!! it's over, until someone else decides they are going to take the time to put it back up. Anyway, moving forward and hoping my book will be launched again soon, I'm going to start back up again, now that schools getting ready to start back and I'll probably have less time. I was invited to this event and accepted, so, I'll put on my speaker pants, even though they don't fit very well, and have a great time promoting my book at one of my favorite places. The Library.
AUTHORS IN AUGUST!!Saturday, August 22, 2015
Braswell Memorial Library
727 N. Grace Street
Rocky Mount, NC 27804I'll be there at 12 noon ... to say a "few words" ... and sign some books and spend some time with all who come out. Hope to see you there!
Hope you have a wonderful week, And thank you so much for stopping by!
Cindy
smile emoticon
April 28, 2015
Homeless But Set Free
There's a new look on my blog.
I thought it was time for a change. It probably took me twice as long as most people to do something as simple as making changes, and I still haven't figured everything out.
But I'm not going to give up.
Thank you so much for all your love and support of my first novel release "Broken Butterfly". I have been so truly blessed to have so much support from my friends and family.
I have to admit, marketing is not easy. Especially when you feel like those who see your posts will think ... "not again" ... "I'm tired of hearing about this book. Enough is enough." Or I keep offering to give away free books (ebooks) but the response is minimal. I even had one post where NOONE even acknowledged it. Except for one friend, who shared it ... "she had already read it, and was even a critique partner", so technically she doesn't count as someone who wanted to win it! :)
THAT is disheartening. I love to win free stuff. Who doesn't?
If you've seen my posts, you may be wondering why in the world is she giving away so many ebooks in such a short period of time.
Believe me, I would prefer to spread this out over a year. But I wasn't given a choice.
I'm sad to say my distributing company is closing their doors and Broken Butterfly will be unavailable for a few weeks or more. Which means those ebooks I was given to use for marketing (which I'm trying so hard to do) will also expire this Thursday. So, after I got over my initial shock ... I had to go to work getting these ebooks distributed. I wanted to do it in a fun way ... by having contests. I hoped it would benefit me too in my effort to promote Broken Butterfly.
Is it working?
I don't know. But I have to keep pressing forward and do the best that I know how. And learn as much as I can along the way. Don't you love that we learn something new every day and will continue to learn for the rest of our lives. That's the way God designed us.
With Broken Butterfly being "Homeless" for a while, hopefully just a very short time, my marketing will decrease until I can get it distributed.
Which brings me to another point. I was devastated at first to find out this company was closing and I would be losing a lot of what I invested in. But then I prayed about it and came to realize, this could be a great opportunity for my book. I'm excited to start a new journey and looking forward to the doors God is going to open for me. Although Broken Butterfly is homeless, at the same time she's being set free. It sort of reminds me of my main character Mallory. How appropriate!
(My beautiful future daughter inlaw and model for Broken Butterfly...photo credits go to my daughter Brooklyn Patterson)
If you haven't bought your copy of Broken Butterfly, it will be available on Amazon until April 30th. I do have paperback copies available and have even added a paypal button to my new Book page. You can now buy signed copies directly from me. Woo hoo!
ONE MORE THING!! I have a few more ebook copies to give away. Leave a comment to be entered for your chance to win one of them. If you've already read it and want to give it to a friend or relative, I can send it to whoever you want it to go to. What a great gift that would be! :)
Thank you so much for stopping by,
Cindy
I thought it was time for a change. It probably took me twice as long as most people to do something as simple as making changes, and I still haven't figured everything out.
But I'm not going to give up.
Thank you so much for all your love and support of my first novel release "Broken Butterfly". I have been so truly blessed to have so much support from my friends and family.
I have to admit, marketing is not easy. Especially when you feel like those who see your posts will think ... "not again" ... "I'm tired of hearing about this book. Enough is enough." Or I keep offering to give away free books (ebooks) but the response is minimal. I even had one post where NOONE even acknowledged it. Except for one friend, who shared it ... "she had already read it, and was even a critique partner", so technically she doesn't count as someone who wanted to win it! :)
THAT is disheartening. I love to win free stuff. Who doesn't?
If you've seen my posts, you may be wondering why in the world is she giving away so many ebooks in such a short period of time.
Believe me, I would prefer to spread this out over a year. But I wasn't given a choice.
I'm sad to say my distributing company is closing their doors and Broken Butterfly will be unavailable for a few weeks or more. Which means those ebooks I was given to use for marketing (which I'm trying so hard to do) will also expire this Thursday. So, after I got over my initial shock ... I had to go to work getting these ebooks distributed. I wanted to do it in a fun way ... by having contests. I hoped it would benefit me too in my effort to promote Broken Butterfly.
Is it working?
I don't know. But I have to keep pressing forward and do the best that I know how. And learn as much as I can along the way. Don't you love that we learn something new every day and will continue to learn for the rest of our lives. That's the way God designed us.
With Broken Butterfly being "Homeless" for a while, hopefully just a very short time, my marketing will decrease until I can get it distributed.
Which brings me to another point. I was devastated at first to find out this company was closing and I would be losing a lot of what I invested in. But then I prayed about it and came to realize, this could be a great opportunity for my book. I'm excited to start a new journey and looking forward to the doors God is going to open for me. Although Broken Butterfly is homeless, at the same time she's being set free. It sort of reminds me of my main character Mallory. How appropriate!
(My beautiful future daughter inlaw and model for Broken Butterfly...photo credits go to my daughter Brooklyn Patterson)If you haven't bought your copy of Broken Butterfly, it will be available on Amazon until April 30th. I do have paperback copies available and have even added a paypal button to my new Book page. You can now buy signed copies directly from me. Woo hoo!
ONE MORE THING!! I have a few more ebook copies to give away. Leave a comment to be entered for your chance to win one of them. If you've already read it and want to give it to a friend or relative, I can send it to whoever you want it to go to. What a great gift that would be! :)
Thank you so much for stopping by,
Cindy
April 13, 2015
Goals You CAN Achieve
I've been thinking about Goal Setting and how it could change the success of many aspects of our life.
But where do you start?
Where do you WANT to see yourself tomorrow, in 1 year, 5 years, 10 years?
The biggest challenge in setting goals is Fear Of Failure. What if it doesn't work? What if I'm still in the same place I am today 5 years from now? And the biggest one I face .... What will people think of me if I fail?
But the better questions we should ask ourselves is ... What can it hurt to try? What if we do succeed?
I've always considered myself a positive thinker, but positive thinking is not going to get me the results I'm looking for.
When it comes to stepping out of my comfort zone and really seeing myself something other than what I am today, it scares the life out of me. Do I want to succeed? Yes! Am I scared I'll fail? Absolutely!
The first thing we have to do is seek God's will for our lives. Without Him as the center, things will be disastrous, even if you do succeed.
With goal setting, it's better to start with small reasonable goals that are possible to achieve. Our large goals should seem unattainable at first.
Write them down. Every day. You may think this is a waste of time, but it's not. Goals don't just give us something to aim for, it gives us something to become. When you become what you desire, you will have what you desire.
I know what I want. I can visualize it.
And that's the very thing that will help us succeed. Visualization is something we use self consciously. Anything we can clearly picture in our mind, we can accomplish. Visualize yourself reaching your goal whatever it may be and you're half way to success.
Today, I'm making a decision to push this fear of failure to the back corners of my mind and throwing caution to the wind. I'm going to go after this thing with all I've got.
The worst thing that could happen if I try ...
I can't think of anything any worse that what I'm doing now. Which is very little to almost nothing. Do they mean the same thing? Yes. So why am I going to sit back and waste time dreaming about something I want so badly, when I can put all my effort into it and start seeing positive results.
Will it be easy?
Probably not. But neither was writing a book and I did that. But I couldn't have done it without the help of my heavenly Father.
Hearing my readers tell me how much they loved the story "Broken Butterfly", how they couldn't put it down, how they can't wait to read another one ... Is a huge success. :)
So why in the world would I want to stop there?
I'm not. And to get this started, I'm going to share three of my short term goals.
It's difficult to get dinner prepared after working all day, homeschooling, picking one child up from practice and dropping another one off at dance. But I love sitting around the table with my family and having dinner together. And I love to cook, y'all. I got that from my mama!! :)
Goal for Tomorrow for my family: To cook dinner
I'm editing my next book (that needs a lot of work) to (pre)prepare for my editor and to "submit to an agent". "long term goal"
Goal for Tomorrow for my writing: Spend at least 30 minutes editing
And one more for the month of April and May: To post on my blog at least once a week :)
I'm going to write these down every day and keep adding to the list.
Will you join me on this ride to success? I can't wait to share our stories of victory with each other.
I'd love to hear your short term goals?
Thank you for stopping by,
Cindy
Get your copy of Broken Butterfly here:
http://www.amazon.com/Broken-Butterfl...
But where do you start?
Where do you WANT to see yourself tomorrow, in 1 year, 5 years, 10 years?
The biggest challenge in setting goals is Fear Of Failure. What if it doesn't work? What if I'm still in the same place I am today 5 years from now? And the biggest one I face .... What will people think of me if I fail?
But the better questions we should ask ourselves is ... What can it hurt to try? What if we do succeed?
I've always considered myself a positive thinker, but positive thinking is not going to get me the results I'm looking for.
When it comes to stepping out of my comfort zone and really seeing myself something other than what I am today, it scares the life out of me. Do I want to succeed? Yes! Am I scared I'll fail? Absolutely!
The first thing we have to do is seek God's will for our lives. Without Him as the center, things will be disastrous, even if you do succeed.
With goal setting, it's better to start with small reasonable goals that are possible to achieve. Our large goals should seem unattainable at first.
Write them down. Every day. You may think this is a waste of time, but it's not. Goals don't just give us something to aim for, it gives us something to become. When you become what you desire, you will have what you desire.
I know what I want. I can visualize it.
And that's the very thing that will help us succeed. Visualization is something we use self consciously. Anything we can clearly picture in our mind, we can accomplish. Visualize yourself reaching your goal whatever it may be and you're half way to success.
Today, I'm making a decision to push this fear of failure to the back corners of my mind and throwing caution to the wind. I'm going to go after this thing with all I've got.
The worst thing that could happen if I try ...
I can't think of anything any worse that what I'm doing now. Which is very little to almost nothing. Do they mean the same thing? Yes. So why am I going to sit back and waste time dreaming about something I want so badly, when I can put all my effort into it and start seeing positive results.
Will it be easy?
Probably not. But neither was writing a book and I did that. But I couldn't have done it without the help of my heavenly Father.
Hearing my readers tell me how much they loved the story "Broken Butterfly", how they couldn't put it down, how they can't wait to read another one ... Is a huge success. :)
So why in the world would I want to stop there?
I'm not. And to get this started, I'm going to share three of my short term goals.
It's difficult to get dinner prepared after working all day, homeschooling, picking one child up from practice and dropping another one off at dance. But I love sitting around the table with my family and having dinner together. And I love to cook, y'all. I got that from my mama!! :)
Goal for Tomorrow for my family: To cook dinner
I'm editing my next book (that needs a lot of work) to (pre)prepare for my editor and to "submit to an agent". "long term goal"
Goal for Tomorrow for my writing: Spend at least 30 minutes editing
And one more for the month of April and May: To post on my blog at least once a week :)
I'm going to write these down every day and keep adding to the list.
Will you join me on this ride to success? I can't wait to share our stories of victory with each other.
I'd love to hear your short term goals?
Thank you for stopping by,
Cindy
Get your copy of Broken Butterfly here:
http://www.amazon.com/Broken-Butterfl...
March 27, 2015
Life of a Baseball Mom
We all wear different hats. Here are a few of mine ... Wife, mother, daughter, teacher, VP. Yes, it's true. Writer, wannabe blogger, drama queen, oops ... I mean drama director, taxi cab driver for my children, cook, etc ... I'm sure you wear just as many. One of my biggest hats─baseball mom. If you know me at all, you know how much I love baseball.
We've spent many years on the field. Almost 20.
My oldest son, Tyler, started playing ball as soon as he was old enough. I enjoyed those years of watching him play all the way through high school. And I thought if my middle baby boy, Zachary, doesn't love it, I just might get depressed. But he did. And I easily forgot about the stress of the game. And the ugly torment that sometimes comes anyway. It could be from one game to the next, or even a whole season.
My husband uses this phrase for baseball, "you're only as good as the last thing you do" (in other's eyes). Thank goodness, Jesus doesn't look at us that way. And maybe people don't either. Maybe it's just something we worry endlessly about for no reason.
But we do.
It sometimes feels like being on a roller coaster with this thing that takes a huge part of our family's time. Is it worth it? I think so. Our family has made some wonderful memories through it all.
I don't like to brag.
But I'm going to today.Because my baby was in the local paper Wednesday morning.
We've been homeschooling for 7 years and this is his first year at a public high school.
Am I happy about this?
I'm not sure.
I have to put him in God's hands and trust that he will allow the Holy Spirit to guide him in ALL the choices he makes.
And there's a lot of praying. And a lot of worrying. But I keep telling myself fear is not from the Lord.
The butterflies flitting around in my stomach all day Wednesday were a testament to the nerves that threatened to overtake me leading up to this game. I found out last week, he would be starting ... "The First Conference Game".
Do I have faith in his pitching?
Yes.
Has he done this before? Plenty of times
He played in the Varsity Home School World Series the last two years, and this past year, Zach received All American, for best games pitched.
Did this help my nerves?
Not really.
Friends, family, kids he's played ball with for years are at the games now, where before, we were always out of town.
But at the same time, I'm glad to be back with friends and seeing some of the same faces on the ball field again.
Zach has never liked being in front of people for school plays, church musicals, and I had a very hard time convincing him to participate. But when he takes the mound, even from the very beginning, at the age of 7 or 8, I can't remember exactly, I'm shocked at the confidence shining through him. And ya'll, I can't help it, it makes me proud, every single time. That's my baby standing up there.
And he was good at it even from the very beginning.
"His picture in the RM Telegram. This is the face of a boy putting everything he's got into it. And I love it!!"
I have to share this story with you. I'm really going to try not to be long winded, but this may be my longest post yet.
At a company picnic, 4 years ago, when Zach was 11 ... There was a dunking booth. It cost 5 dollars for 3 balls and all the money was put in a pot for a drawing. Your name went into the drawing every time you hit the bulls eye. The winner would win the money.
Y'all it was not easy.
I tried it. And so did Rocky.
Out of 9 balls, Zach hit the bulls eye 5 times. And the president of the company was sitting in the booth. :)
At the end of the picnic, they drew the winner. Zach won.
A total of $500.00, y'all.
He took us to Olive Garden for dinner. :)
I want him to do well. I want him to succeed. But most of all, I pray that whatever he does, he'll do it as if he's doing it for Jesus.
I am one proud mama, today. Thank you for letting me share all of this with you. And don't be surprised if you find a dose of baseball in my fiction.
I'm so happy you joined me today.
Have a wonderful Friday,
Cindy
We've spent many years on the field. Almost 20.
My oldest son, Tyler, started playing ball as soon as he was old enough. I enjoyed those years of watching him play all the way through high school. And I thought if my middle baby boy, Zachary, doesn't love it, I just might get depressed. But he did. And I easily forgot about the stress of the game. And the ugly torment that sometimes comes anyway. It could be from one game to the next, or even a whole season.
My husband uses this phrase for baseball, "you're only as good as the last thing you do" (in other's eyes). Thank goodness, Jesus doesn't look at us that way. And maybe people don't either. Maybe it's just something we worry endlessly about for no reason.
But we do.
It sometimes feels like being on a roller coaster with this thing that takes a huge part of our family's time. Is it worth it? I think so. Our family has made some wonderful memories through it all.
I don't like to brag.
But I'm going to today.Because my baby was in the local paper Wednesday morning.
We've been homeschooling for 7 years and this is his first year at a public high school.
Am I happy about this?
I'm not sure.
I have to put him in God's hands and trust that he will allow the Holy Spirit to guide him in ALL the choices he makes.
And there's a lot of praying. And a lot of worrying. But I keep telling myself fear is not from the Lord.
The butterflies flitting around in my stomach all day Wednesday were a testament to the nerves that threatened to overtake me leading up to this game. I found out last week, he would be starting ... "The First Conference Game".
Do I have faith in his pitching?
Yes.
Has he done this before? Plenty of times
He played in the Varsity Home School World Series the last two years, and this past year, Zach received All American, for best games pitched.
Did this help my nerves?
Not really.
Friends, family, kids he's played ball with for years are at the games now, where before, we were always out of town.
But at the same time, I'm glad to be back with friends and seeing some of the same faces on the ball field again.
Zach has never liked being in front of people for school plays, church musicals, and I had a very hard time convincing him to participate. But when he takes the mound, even from the very beginning, at the age of 7 or 8, I can't remember exactly, I'm shocked at the confidence shining through him. And ya'll, I can't help it, it makes me proud, every single time. That's my baby standing up there.
And he was good at it even from the very beginning.
"His picture in the RM Telegram. This is the face of a boy putting everything he's got into it. And I love it!!"I have to share this story with you. I'm really going to try not to be long winded, but this may be my longest post yet.
At a company picnic, 4 years ago, when Zach was 11 ... There was a dunking booth. It cost 5 dollars for 3 balls and all the money was put in a pot for a drawing. Your name went into the drawing every time you hit the bulls eye. The winner would win the money.
Y'all it was not easy.
I tried it. And so did Rocky.
Out of 9 balls, Zach hit the bulls eye 5 times. And the president of the company was sitting in the booth. :)
At the end of the picnic, they drew the winner. Zach won.
A total of $500.00, y'all.
He took us to Olive Garden for dinner. :)
I want him to do well. I want him to succeed. But most of all, I pray that whatever he does, he'll do it as if he's doing it for Jesus.
I am one proud mama, today. Thank you for letting me share all of this with you. And don't be surprised if you find a dose of baseball in my fiction.
I'm so happy you joined me today.
Have a wonderful Friday,
Cindy
