Gail Fraser's Blog, page 2

7 Simple Ways to be More You

Loved this from bemorewithless.com.   Thank you Courtney Carver!

 Write yourself down. Author, Julia Cameron suggests writing 3 pages every morning in The Artist’s Way, but start with 1 page, or 5 minutes, or whatever is approachable for you. Don’t edit, judge, or share. Instead just write yourself down each day. Write about what’s on your mind, what made you smile or cry, or what you had for breakfast. Write about your crazy dream, pet peeves, or anything you want. It doesn’t matter where the commas go, or if your words seem unreasonable, harsh, silly, or angry. Just keep writing down your heart. The daily writing helps you notice how you feel, who you are, when you are lost, and when you are found.
 Spend time with people who lift you up. Spend time with people who will love you for you. Spend less time with people who won’t. Choosing to spend less time with people who sabotage your happiness doesn’t mean you can’t take time to lift people who can’t lift themselves. Give your change, a smile, a sandwich, or a few volunteer hours to people who don’t know how to surround themselves with people who lift them. You’ll be surprised at how they lift you too.Love your people so much and don’t forget to let them love you back.
 Stop proving yourself. I used to try to prove how good I was at my job by doing more and acting like someone I wasn’t. My work wore me down, I got sick a bunch, and I felt completely depleted at the end of every work day, meeting, or event. I never took time to be alone, to refuel, or to soothe my heart. Instead I kept pushing and growing and doing more. There was always more to be done, more to prove, bigger goals, and higher hoops. By becoming my work, and acting like an extrovert for a really long time, I lost myself. I forgot who I was and what I needed to thrive. I needed some space and breathing room to remember who I was. I had to say, “enough is enough.” I had to be still and listen. Thanks to simplicity, I tapped into the quiet and came back to love. Simplicity soothed the heart of this introvert.
 Let go of the excess. Keep releasing the excess, the extra, and the stuff that doesn’t mean anything to you. Give yourself all the space, time and love you need to remember who you are. For a while, this might mean saying no more than you say yes. It might mean letting people down, spending more time alone, or admitting weakness and asking for help. Take all the time you need because once you get back to you, you’ll be able to give in ways you never imagined.
 Put your hands on your heart. Create a daily heart listening ritual. Start by sitting quietly for a few minutes with your hands on your heart, and your eyes closed. Listen. You may not hear anything at first, but if you keep showing up your heart will reveal answers you’ve been waiting for. Keep a journal nearby so you can write down your heart’s words. Your heart knows who you are — now you just need a little time to know your heart.
 Be a gentle warrior. A gentle warrior is loving and kind. A gentle warrior is also fiercely protective when it comes to the nonnegotiables that allow her to live a happy, healthy, meaningful life. You can be both. Creating rules or guidelines for how I live and work helps me thrive. These rulesalso serve as a cornerstone, so when I feel lost or overwhelmed, I have a solid foundation to come back to.
 Do what’s best for you. I find great inspiration and guidance from hearing other people’s stories, talking to friends, and listening to advice, but when I want to know what’s best for me, I put my hands on my heart and turn to the person who knows me best. The more you remember and connect with who you are, the more you will trust yourself to know what’s best for you. Your heart knows.

The more me I am, the easier it is to know what’s right for me, who is right for me, how I can serve the world, and live a life of purpose and passion. When I am the most me I can be, my relationships are stronger, my work is better and I feel more at ease. Forgetting who you are and living outside of yourself, outside of your heart is exhausting. Do whatever it takes to come back and be more you.

Airbnb Comes to Lumby

News from Lumby: On Hunts Mill Road, Sheriff Simon Dixon responded to yet another complaint from an Airbnb customer who had rented Sarah Bartlett’s converted chicken coop for a “romantic weekend getaway in the country.” While the visitors were dining in town, the coop was overtaken by a determined flock of two dozen cute but self-interested hens and chicks, which immediately pecked their way through the guests’ luggage and personal attire before settling in for the night. Wanting to preserve the spotless reputation of our small town, Simon has asked the town council to reconsider their rather obscure guidelines for Airbnb rentals.

It’s Like Rubik’s

Between Lumby and GodPhase:Detailed Outline45% Most of the work needed to republish the 2017 edition of the Lumby series in both print and ebook formats is done, and I can finally return my attentions to outlining Between Lumby and God.  I think I’m making good progress, but still snagged on one significant piece of the puzzle.  I’ve always thought that my writing process was like solving a Rubik’s cube, with each color representing a different component of the novel: character, venue, plot, tension, theme, etc.  There are endless combinations, and each twist of the cube shows a totally different result. A lot like life, I suppose.  But outlining is totally fascinating – although I know what the end will probably look like, I don’t know which paths I’ll be brought down to get there.

 

The Escape that is Lumby

With the political firestorm burning a little too hot for comfort, I have escaped to Lumby and am buried deep in Between Lumby and God (book #7).  So far, I love the backdrop of the grand old church that sits abandoned at the end of West Main Street, and the plot arcs surrounding it. A lot of mystery, romance and fun. And, of course, there’s Hank, who is dead-set in having his own blog so his “fowl” voice can be heard in support of Lumby’s own version of the Highland Games.  The structure is finished and I’ve put a good dent in the detailed outline. Since I don’t want any spoilers, we’ll need to wait until after June 1 when Lost in Lumby will be released (and hopefully enjoyed!) before I share any of the storylines.

 

Follow Along – Between Lumby and God

Between Lumby and GodPhase:Detailed Outline45% For tracking the progress of Between Lumby and God, we just installed MyBookProgress at the top of the menu bar.  The steps you’ll see: Structure (which, for me, includes a high-level outline), Outline, First Draft, Second Draft, Line Edit, Copyedit and Proofing.  But along the way, I’ll also include some notes about the various plots I’m constructing and what characters you can expect to see in book #7.  Send me a note and let me know what you think! My current target for release is Feb 2018 which really seems right around the corner (time is passing way too fast).  Oh, and if you’d prefer to have a feed of my blog posts, there’s an RSS button at the bottom of the menu.  This should be fun, so stay tuned, stay in touch  and see you on Main Street!

Lumby Real Estate

From the Real Estate section of The Lumby Lines

Single car garage for rent to small car. Must share with tractor on blocks. $10/month. Call now 925-0746

Office for rent: Used to be Doc Gibbers old place before he passed. $120 per month, 2 month deposit. 925-3587

Garage for rent. Also used for storage so boxes stay. $12/mo. 925-5253

Parked RV in back. One bed, one bath with hookup. Quaint. $55 per month. 925-4439.

House for sale. 18 Pine Street. Needs TLC but has great potential. Electricity sometimes works. Offered by Lumby Realty 925-5555

Certified piano teacher available to tutor your child any age from 10-14. Experienced. Please telephone 925-0174

Chicken coop good for 20 hens. One year lease. $2/mo. 925-2985

Delightful basement one very large room apartment. No windows but lots of light. Semi-private entrance with semi-private bath on 3rd floor. No appliances. Renter can replace carpet if desired. 925-6619

60×20 Barn. 4 stalls with hay loft. Negotiable. North on Hunters Mill Rd. 925-4338

Location Location Nicely refinished 3/2 on Mineral Street. Perfect for growing family. $52,900 Make offer. Call Joan Stokes at Main Street Realty 925-9292 and let the best realtor in town find your dream home!

 

More News From Lumby

Anomalies in the votes tallied for Proposition 122B (to fire or not to fire the town cannon this coming July 4th due to last year’s mishap) and Proposition 126 (to rebuild or not to rebuild the town’s gazebo due to last year’s mishap) have uncovered a reoccurring problem: many town residents continue to register their dogs, cows and horses as Absentee Independents.  These ‘anonymous’ votes nearly doubled the town’s current population of 4,362.  Since the practice was so widespread, no action is being taken against the violators, but letters of reprimand have been mailed out to all four-legged voters.

To a good home.  Jasper. 5-year-old Great Dane.  Easy to keep, eats anything and especially likes children.  925-9951.

For sale by owner.  Handyman’s special cabin unoccupied for 26 years but like new.  4-wheel-drive access at best. Bring bear repellant. 925-0021.

Man with unresolved toe fetish seeks woman fascinated by ear hair. Must wear size six flip-flops.  Call Phil. 925-3928

Mother-in-law finally passed, rest her soul.  RV in backyard now seeking responsible tenant.  1 bed 1 bath.  Very quaint bordering on charming.  You can keep Vera’s clothes that are still in the closet, except for her nightgown, which the wife wants, unfortunately.  $55 per month.  No deposit if you’re the honest type.  925-4439

 

Where to Begin with Lumby?

Are you new to Lumby and don’t know where to start?

The Lumby novels don’t have to be read “in order”.   Just pick one that speaks to you!

If you love animals, than The Promise of Lumby would be a great start – the monks are overtaken by four-legged gifts from around the world just as a new vet comes to town.  Or if you like the humor of dysfunctional family visits and some outrageous behavior (think shock-jock on Main Street), than Lumby on the Air might be the perfect fit. Are you an art lover? Try Stealing Lumby.  There’s really something for everyone.

My website offers synopses as well as first chapters for all the novels. Please browse through, and be in touch if you have any questions.

Where I Stand

This morning, I received an intersting message from a reader and new FB friend who is angry about the state of our nation, and she’s not sure if I would appreciate some of her comments. Two similar emails were in my inbox yesterday. So I wanted to share my response to her, so there is no ambiguity on where I stand:

“I agree that there’s a lot of anger, fear and angst in our country these… days, from both sides and from all directions. But if you’re seeking a platform to rise up and voice scathing opposition against one party or another, against one religion or another, against one race or another, my FB page is not your best choice. I think we’re too gentle an audience to relish in angry rhetoric. Knowing many of my FB friends personally, I feel comfortable in saying that we are all trying to take a deep breath, trying to undertand the extreme diversity of opinion, seeking ways to help and not hurt. Personally, I believe our country will get through whatever challenges await us, and we’ll be stronger for the experience. We will survive, hope will survive, and the self-correcting pendulum will continue to swing as it has for two-hundred years. I don’t escape into Lumby, but instead use it as my own platform to shout out everything that’s good about each of us, our communities, our tolerances, and our respective faiths. And I repeadedly turn to my fan base to prove again and again how much good there is out there. Hope that makes sense.”

Who’s the Artist?

 I’ve received several emails asking who painted the images that we use for the covers of the Lumby novels.  That would be none other than Art Poulin, my husband. Some background: Art, a single father of four, supported his country for 27 years of active duty as a tenor in the US Army chorus, during which time he had the honor to meet and sing for six presidents, numerous world dignitaries and entertainment personalities in such venues as the White House and Radio City Music Hall.  He is also a serious pianist (having played at the Kennedy Center) and a classical music lover.

After retiring as a professional musician in 1998, which is around the time Art and I married, he turned his talents to painting.  As an award-winning artist, he offers canvases of inviting landscapes that blend his love of America’s simplicity with a deep appreciation and knowledge of twentieth century architecture. His artwork is licensed internationally, and his puzzles, home and paper products can be found in department stores, bookstores, and “big box” retailers across the country.  When not painting, he is at the piano.  When not playing, he is in the garden tending his flowers.

You can see more of his artwork at http://www.artpoulin.com