Genevive Chamblee's Blog, page 14

Feast of Fabulous Wild Men Day

Since I’ve written some pretty wild sports scenes with wilder men on the ice, I thought the Feast of Fabulous Wild Men Day (celebrated on January 12) would be a fitting and appropriate topic. Full disclaimer: I honestly did not know this holiday existed until I was compiling a list of topics to discuss during my pre-release celebration of Future Goals which will go live on February 2, 2023. Determining content can always be a bit taxing, but it is especially so when one is met with the challenge of finding content for thirty consecutive days, researching it, and writing a quality blog. Add to that the criteria I set for myself of not writing about just any old topic. Rather they all must be relative to the story in some kind of way. But all of that is beside the point. Apparently, the Feast of Fabulous Wild Men Day has been a thing for quite a while; although, the origins—the who, what, when, where, and why (especially, the why)—all appear to be a mystery. Quiet frankly, why it is referred to as a feast baffles me more than anything, but I’m going to just roll with it.

What is strikingly strange about this holiday is that no one seems to know what is being celebrated—other than men. But it can’t be all me. It must be fabulous wild men. What is that? What is a wild man? What makes a man fabulous? And if a man is fabulous but not wild, does that exclude him from being celebrated? And is the vice versa (a wild man who isn’t fabulous) also excluded? Where is the criterion for all of this? Who has the rulebook? Did someone actually just toss a holiday out there without any type of instructions or guidelines? Who does that? So many questions.

Well, here on Creole Bayou, we’re all about answers—even if we have to develop a few ourselves through some creative processes. So, let’s break this down and dissect it into its component parts to figure it all out. We’re going to skip over the feast part and pretend we didn’t see it. The first term we need to tackle is fabulous.

By definition, fabulous is an adjective that refers to something (or, in this case, someone) extraordinary, astonishing, incredible, or exaggerated in nature. When I conducted an internet search for what makes a person fabulous, I found six characteristics consistently in the majority of results.

UniqueFocused on what one wantsCharismaticConfidentAssertive (but not aggressive. There is a difference.)Exceptionally good

Most definitions of wild include terms as untamed, not domesticated, not subject or regulation or restraint, turbulent, uncivilized, etc. You get the point. None of these are flattering or worth celebrating. But then I saw a definition that defined wild as being indicative of strong emotion, passion, or desire. Now, those are traits that I can get behind.

So, piecing this together… A fabulous wild man would be a man who possesses great insight into who he is, committed to achieving what he wants, and lives his life unapologetically while being kind, honest, moral, and virtuous. Therefore, this is the type of man this day is meant to honor. It’s a tall bill.

And that’s all that I got. Feel free to disagree or add to this. After all, this working definition was created because none seemingly existed—at least, not that I could find. Sure, we could stick with the shallow “hotness” or “beefcake” factor as the sole criteria, but some steaming hot men can be jerks. And jerks aren’t fabulous—well, they aren’t in the bayou.

Now, it’s your turn to chime in. What did you think? What is your take on the subject? Do you agree or disagree? Did you find this information helpful or informative? Did you learn anything new, or did it change your opinion? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section. Also, let me know if you would like me to cover more of these types of topics or dive deeper into this one. If you like this post, please click the like button and share it. Your feedback allows me to know the content that you want to read. If you’re not following me on Creole Bayou blog, what are you waiting for? There’s always room at the bayou.

Get ready. It’s almost time to hit the ice again. Future Goals Coming soon.

When a college hockey player needs the help of an attractive older attorney, he gets more than he bargained for when trying to sort out the troubles in his career. Falling in love was never part of either man’s plan, especially as Corrigan’s and Sacha’s lives should never have collided. Now they’re left questioning if they’re standing in the way of the other’s future goals, or if there’s room for redirection.

Preorder your copy at:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3RjPYb9

Other booksellers: https://bit.ly/3CI8d5W

Missed the first four books in my hockey romance series? No frets.

Out of the Penalty Box (book #1), where it is one minute in the box or a lifetime out, is available at http://amzn.to/2Bhnngw. It also can be ordered on iTunes, Nook, or Kobo. For more links on where to purchase or to read the blurb, please visit http://bit.ly/2i9SqpH.

Defending the Net (book #2) can be ordered at https://amzn.to/2N7fj8q or www.books2read.com/defending. Crossing the line could cost the game.

Ice Gladiators (book #3) is the third book in my Locker Room Love series. When the gloves come off, the games begin. Available at https://amzn.to/2TGFsyD or www.books2read.com/icegladiators.

Penalty Kill (book #4) takes the ice again. Get a copy at https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p or https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p and let the pucker begin.

For more of my stories, shenanigans, giveaways, and more, check out my blog, Creole Bayou, www.genevivechambleeconnect.wordpress.com. New posts are made on Wednesdays, and everything is raw and unscathed. Climb on in a pirogue and join me on the bayou.

If you have any questions or suggestions about this post or any others, feel free to comment below or tweet me at @dolynesaidso. You also can follow me on Instagram at genevivechambleeauthor or search for me on Goodreads or Amazon Authors or BookBub or TikTok.

NEWSLETTER! Want to get the latest information and updates about my writing projects, giveaways, contests, and reveals first? Click https://genevivechambleeconnect.wordpress.com/newsletter/ and signup today.

Until next time, happy reading and much romance. Laissez le bon temps rouler.

Author Bio

Genevive Chamblee resides in the bayou country where sweet tea and SEC football reign supreme. She is known for being witty (or so she thinks), getting mushy watching pet adoption commercials, and preparing home-cooked Creole meals that are as spicy as her writing. Genevive specializes in spinning steamy, romantic tales with humorous flair, diverse characters, and quirky views of love and human behavior. She also is not afraid to delve into darker romances as well. Genevive believes in variety, equality, and representation of all and is willing to tackle difficult subjects that may be shunned in many romance novels.

How to Avoid Being Alone

Most of us have been there at one point or another… being alone when we could use help and reaching out to others to have no one answer the call. I remember watching a movie many years ago where there was a scene of a single man having to move from his apartment. He was a popular person with a platoon of friends. Except, when it came to moving, all of his “friends” miraculously disappeared. They had to “work” or “be out of town” or just didn’t pick up the phone when they saw his name on the caller ID. They each knew of his situation and that he genuinely needed help. For hours he struggled alone until a friend finally arrived. However, this friend admitted—eventually—that the only reason he came was that all the “good excuses” had been used by their other friends. He simply couldn’t find a way to weasel out. This scene made me wonder about friendships and who we consider close to us. Were these people truly his friends? Or were they placeholders in life to avoid loneliness?

Someone once informed me that there are levels to friendship. Like the cores of the earth, we have inner, outer, and middle circles. The outer circles are the friends who are there for the good times. They sometimes invite you to parties, expect wedding gifts, hang out with you on your birthday (especially if you’re buying the drinks), and make you laugh. They are entertaining and are there so you don’t get bored.

Then, there is the middle circle. In mild crises, they have your back… sometimes. These are the people who like most of your social media posts, recommend movies and restaurants, sit with you if they see you out in public, and pin a dollar on you for your birthday.

The inner circle of friends is your true ride-or-die—the people who won’t ask you whose body is in the trunk but want to know if he/she needs to dig a hole or do a toss off a pier. Many times, these types of friends are few in number. And this is okay because quality is always better than quantity. But what happens when this category is empty?

As I was sitting in a business lobby one day, I heard an elderly woman comment that all her friends were dead. This drew some stares from people within earshot. I knew this woman, and I wondered how accurate this was. Yes, many of the people she knew had passed on, but I wasn’t convinced this was the reason for her lack of friendships. For as long as I’ve known her, she hasn’t made good choices in people she considered friends. I’ve watched many people who unambiguously were up to no good swindle her out of goods and money. One person more than half her age, talked her into gifting him her car. On the contrary, persons who were well-intentioned who attempted to befriend her, she kept at arms-length with a red-hot poker. Why? Because they told her the hard realities and pointed out when she was making bad decisions. But like a rebellious child, she had no interest in anyone who held her responsible or accountable. She wanted to be footloose and fancy-free 24/7 and the heck away with being an adult. And the people she did allow close to her, once they got what they wanted, they flew the coop.

This post is part of my month-long celebration for the upcoming release of my newest sports romance, Future Goals. I’m posting a blog daily on a subject that either occurs in or in some way relates to the story. Future Goals is a lot about friendships which is why I decided on this topic today. When I heard this woman say she had no friends, a part of my soul quaked. I can imagine that is a lonely existence. The thought stayed with me for quite some time after I left the lobby. But the more I thought about it, the more why this situation came to be troubled me. I began to think that I don’t want to find myself one day without friends. It’s one thing if it’s unavoidable, as in the case of friends dying. However, it’s completely another when a person finds himself/herself without friends by his/her own doing. The question of the day becomes: how does one avoid this?

Constantly make friends. There are no rules to how many friends a person can have. Friendships can be made and formed at every stage in life. Not all friends have to be zoned into that inner circle.Make good choices when entering friendships. Don’t think a known snake in the grass won’t strike just because it’s sitting in the open. Users are users and not friends. They shouldn’t even be considered an outer circle friend. In fact, these types of people should be shooed away because they take time away from forming real friendships. Choose people who care and aren’t just out looking for what they can get.Be nice to people. Have a positive attitude. Being nasty and negative won’t attract friends easily.Invest in the friendship. Do the work to be a good friend. Keep in touch. Do small gestures to show the person they are appreciated. Friendship is a two-way street. To make a friend, one has to be a friend.Look for friendships in places that you may not have expected. It is easiest to form friendships in settings where we are present a lot (e.g., school, work, gyms, etc.). However, these ties can break down if a person moves from the area. When I transferred to a different department some years, I almost immediately felt the loss. People that I had conversed with daily for years disappeared. Not only had my nine-to-five interactions with them diminished, but the after-hours texting and calling also had vanished. Over time, we had less to talk about because that common denominator no longer existed. I wasn’t there for the inside joke or office celebrations. Therefore, when I sought to replace these friendships and wanted to avoid this happening again, I looked for friendships outside of the workplace. I would strike up conversations while standing in line at the pharmacy or walking the dog in the park or even on social media. And some of those interactions have developed into inner circle friendships.Don’t be judgmental. Someone who may not initially seem like he/she would be a friend may turn out to be one of the best friends ever.Have other options. I began this post with the words that most people have found themselves at one time or another in need of a friend and not having a friend available. Unfortunately, that reality does not happen. In the case that person finds himself/herself without a friend to count on, it is beneficial to have other options available, such as paid companionship. No, I do not mean an escort service before anyone comes at me. I mean someone hired for a service that will fill in a friend distractor. For example, a friend who travels a lot has developed a relationship with many hotel receptionists. He may spend twenty minutes or so chatting with them before going to his room. It provides him a small pleasure before spending the rest of his night alone. Several years ago, a coworker arranged for a local music director to play the piano in the lobby once a week. The reason for the hire was to entertain clients. However, the staff was so lazy (and nasty) about seeing that the clients attended, that this program was a bust. But that didn’t stop my coworker from spending time with someone who shared an interest in music.Get a pet. Pets can’t do everything that a person can do, but they sure as heck are loyal and there when you call them.

And that wraps up all I have for this subject. What did you think? What is your take on the subject? Do you agree or disagree? Did you find this information helpful or informative? Did you learn anything new, or did it change your opinion? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section. Also, let me know if you would like me to cover more of these types of topics or dive deeper into this one. If you like this post, please click the like button and share it. Your feedback allows me to know the content that you want to read. If you’re not following me on Creole Bayou blog, what are you waiting for? There’s always room at the bayou.

Get ready. It’s almost time to hit the ice again. Future Goals Coming soon.

When a college hockey player needs the help of an attractive older attorney, he gets more than he bargained for when trying to sort out the troubles in his career. Falling in love was never part of either man’s plan, especially as Corrigan’s and Sacha’s lives should never have collided. Now they’re left questioning if they’re standing in the way of the other’s future goals, or if there’s room for redirection.

Preorder your copy at:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3RjPYb9

Other booksellers: https://bit.ly/3CI8d5W

Missed the first four books in my hockey romance series? No frets.

Out of the Penalty Box (book #1), where it is one minute in the box or a lifetime out, is available at http://amzn.to/2Bhnngw. It also can be ordered on iTunes, Nook, or Kobo. For more links on where to purchase or to read the blurb, please visit http://bit.ly/2i9SqpH.

Defending the Net (book #2) can be ordered at https://amzn.to/2N7fj8q or www.books2read.com/defending. Crossing the line could cost the game.

Ice Gladiators (book #3) is the third book in my Locker Room Love series. When the gloves come off, the games begin. Available at https://amzn.to/2TGFsyD or www.books2read.com/icegladiators.

Penalty Kill (book #4) takes the ice again. Get a copy at https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p or https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p and let the pucker begin.

For more of my stories, shenanigans, giveaways, and more, check out my blog, Creole Bayou, www.genevivechambleeconnect.wordpress.com. New posts are made on Wednesdays, and everything is raw and unscathed. Climb on in a pirogue and join me on the bayou.

If you have any questions or suggestions about this post or any others, feel free to comment below or tweet me at @dolynesaidso. You also can follow me on Instagram at genevivechambleeauthor or search for me on Goodreads or Amazon Authors or BookBub or TikTok.

NEWSLETTER! Want to get the latest information and updates about my writing projects, giveaways, contests, and reveals first? Click https://genevivechambleeconnect.wordpress.com/newsletter/ and signup today.

Until next time, happy reading and much romance. Laissez le bon temps rouler.

Author Bio

Genevive Chamblee resides in the bayou country where sweet tea and SEC football reign supreme. She is known for being witty (or so she thinks), getting mushy watching pet adoption commercials, and preparing home-cooked Creole meals that are as spicy as her writing. Genevive specializes in spinning steamy, romantic tales with humorous flair, diverse characters, and quirky views of love and human behavior. She also is not afraid to delve into darker romances as well. Genevive believes in variety, equality, and representation of all and is willing to tackle difficult subjects that may be shunned in many romance novels.

What to Plan

In a previous post, How to Organize in the New Year, I described the benefits of using a disc-bound planner to help organize life. That may have sounded strange that a hardcore pantser would use a planner, which in all actuality, is a plotting system and like something that would go completely against my nature. But the truth is, it’s not contradicting in the least. Let me explain.

I should begin by admitting that I don’t use my planners for outlining or plotting stories. If I did that, I would inevitably wind up staring at a blank page. As I have confessed on numerous previous occasions, attempting to outline causes my creative mind to shut down—and not just a little. Completely. This is likely because I don’t always write in the order that the story happens. As I’m writing a scene, something may spark another idea that I expand. I’m “in the moment,” and go with it until I’m interrupted, exhausted, or the thought taps out. I can never get into my zone when trying to organize thoughts and ideas. I just write the scenes as they come (almost in a stream of consciousness) and not the overall story. I don’t consider this to be brainstorming because brainstorming is listing multiple ideas and later exploring those ideas in depth. My method involves writing a single idea and going with it until it either ends or transitions into something else. So, what is it that I use a planner for?

Reminders of upcoming events, deadlines, and important dates. This may include appointments, meetings, birthdays, bill payments, scheduled lunches, etc.Logs. This for me is the majority of why of I use a planner. I maintain a list of when events occurred for reference. For example, if I ordered an item off the internet, I would note the date, tracking number, order details, and company on the corresponding date. Should the package become lost or if there’s a delay in shipping, I won’t forget. During the height of the pandemic, I ordered an article of clothing for an anticipated upcoming event. Little did I know then that it was just the beginning of lockdown and everything would be closed for months instead of a couple of weeks. Needless to say, the event was canceled. But in the interim, I had ordered this item far in advance because the company noted on the website that processing and shipping typically took three to four weeks but there were days due to the pandemic. So, in my mind, I allot extra delivery time. However, after seven weeks, I’d forgotten all about the order until I saw it documented in my planner. When I contacted the company, I learned that the order had shipped weeks before but had not been delivered. The representative located the shipper, and as far as either of us could determine, my package was somewhere in the shipping station never to be heard from again. I ended up getting a refund.To-do list—or rather, don’t forget list. I need loads of reminders to function. Some days I’m so unfocused that I can’t hold two thoughts longer than it takes me to exhale. I require a running list to recall what I need to get done. These are mostly errand lists, but they are also ordered tasks. For example, I needed computer ink, and there was only one store where I could purchase it. I looked at my shopping list and transferred all of the items I could pick up at the same store as the computer ink. And since this store was in a part of town that I was not near every day, I made a list of other stores in the area where I needed items from. I even wrote down the order that I should visit each to save time, gas, and prevent having anything requiring refrigeration sitting in the trunk longer than necessary.No-no list. In doing business, there are always “oopsie” moments. They happen. However, they shouldn’t happen repeatedly. My no-no list serves as a reminder of what happened and allows me to avoid it from happening again. Have you ever found yourself wondering why you stopped doing something or going certain places and not recall why only to give it another chance and be given a stark reminder? I dislike sitting on ripped, split, or cracked seating. It makes my skin crawl, and most times, I will refuse to do it. I’ll find another seat or stand. Well, there was a restaurant that served really good food but wasn’t invested in store upkeep. Due to its location, it wasn’t a restaurant that I frequented regularly. Thus, it had been over a year since I’d been. When the waitress began to seat up, there was a huge crack in the vinyl booth—both sides. I asked to be seated somewhere else. Granted, I didn’t inform the waitress of the reason for my request as I felt a little silly about my quirk. The waitress was super sweet and accommodating, but the second both had the same issue. I looked around and nearly all the chairs and booths had rips. I just couldn’t and asked for my order to go. I haven’t been back since. I did tip the waitress though. It wasn’t her fault. To avoid this ever happening again, I created my no-no list.Reference. This is similar to tracking and logging but slightly different. Writers, as do all people, have habits. We may have go-to words, misused words, or grammatical errors that regularly find their way into drafts. There are also grammatical rules or spellings that I can never keep in my head. I call this list my cheat sheet. It’s a quick reference of things that I need to be mindful of when writing.Notes. This is along the same line as the previous point. The main difference between the two is that I use my reference list more as I’m editing, and my notes more in active writing. A note may be a story idea, but usually, it’s information that I need to create a scene. For example, sometimes when creating minor characters, it’s easy to forget their names. I keep a list not only to prevent me from forgetting but also to avert me from repeating names or mixing up characters. I keep it open to glance at it as I write.Business correspondence. This is a compilation of the other ideas for lists but deserves its own mention. Writing is more than putting words on a page. There are so many aspects It’s critical for any author who wants to have writing as a profession that he/she treats it as a business and stays abreast of all areas. In this part of my planner, I list contacts, monitor any social media, list details of essential meetings, highlight critical points in contracts, etc. It’s also where I note recommendations from others.Ideas and elements. Sometimes when writing, an idea will pop into my mind that I know I want or need to include later in the story. Instead of interrupting my flow, I’ll make a note in the designated section of my planner to not forget. It may be days before I get to it, but it’s there. This is one aspect that I find easier to do by hand because I can quickly jot down notes instead of creating a new document or opening a file. I can scribble all over the page, draw arrows, highlight, cross out, and more to improve the story. Plus, I have visual of what I want.Calendar. This is a kickback and probably the least important as I could as easily view the phone for the current day of the week or date. The same is mostly true for the perpetual calendar., but it can help visualize a schedule. When Future Goals was accepted for publication, I was given a schedule of dates and deadlines from contract to release. I noted them on the perpetual calendar using color code to swiftly find the details on my monthly or weekly.Journaling. There are times when I want to remember a moment or just get something out. I also note gratitudes.Honorable mention. Doodles. This is another creative outlet that I sometimes engage in when experiencing writer’s block or story block. It helps me to refocus. What did you think? What is your take on the subject? Do you agree or disagree? Did you find this information helpful or informative? Did you learn anything new, or did it change your opinion? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section. Also, let me know if you would like me to cover more of these types of topics or dive deeper into this one. If you like this post, please click the like button and share it. Your feedback allows me to know the content that you want to read. If you’re not following me on Creole Bayou blog, what are you waiting for? There’s always room at the bayou.

Get ready. It’s almost time to hit the ice again. Future Goals Coming soon.

When a college hockey player needs the help of an attractive older attorney, he gets more than he bargained for when trying to sort out the troubles in his career. Falling in love was never part of either man’s plan, especially as Corrigan’s and Sacha’s lives should never have collided. Now they’re left questioning if they’re standing in the way of the other’s future goals, or if there’s room for redirection.

Preorder your copy at:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3RjPYb9

Other booksellers: https://bit.ly/3CI8d5W

Missed the first four books in my hockey romance series? No frets.

Out of the Penalty Box (book #1), where it is one minute in the box or a lifetime out, is available at http://amzn.to/2Bhnngw. It also can be ordered on iTunes, Nook, or Kobo. For more links on where to purchase or to read the blurb, please visit http://bit.ly/2i9SqpH.

Defending the Net (book #2) can be ordered at https://amzn.to/2N7fj8q or www.books2read.com/defending. Crossing the line could cost the game.

Ice Gladiators (book #3) is the third book in my Locker Room Love series. When the gloves come off, the games begin. Available at https://amzn.to/2TGFsyD or www.books2read.com/icegladiators.

Penalty Kill (Book #4) takes the ice again. Get a copy at https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p or https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p and let the pucker begin.

For more of my stories, shenanigans, giveaways, and more, check out my blog, Creole Bayou, www.genevivechambleeconnect.wordpress.com. New posts are made on Wednesdays, and everything is raw and unscathed. Climb on in a pirogue and join me on the bayou.

If you have any questions or suggestions about this post or any others, feel free to comment below or tweet me at @dolynesaidso. You also can follow me on Instagram at genevivechambleeauthor or search me on Goodreads or Amazon Authors or BookBub or TikTok.

NEWSLETTER! Want to get the latest information and updates about my writing projects, giveaways, contests, and reveals first? Click https://genevivechambleeconnect.wordpress.com/newsletter/ and signup today.

Until next time, happy reading and much romance. Laissez le bon temps rouler.

Author Bio

Genevive Chamblee resides in the bayou country where sweet tea and SEC football reign supreme. She is known for being witty (or so she thinks), getting mushy watching pet adoption commercials, and preparing home-cooked Creole meals that are as spicy as her writing. Genevive specializes in spinning steamy, romantic tales with humorous flair, diverse characters, and quirky views of love and human behavior. She also is not afraid to delve into darker romances as well. Genevive believes in variety, equality, and representation of all and is willing to tackle difficult subjects that may be shunned in many romance novels.

Writing Advice: Daily Writing Routine

Writing daily is a common piece of writing advice. It’s a good one, too. Is it something that I do? No. Is it something that I would like to do? Yes. I would dare to say that I think writing every day is something that all writers would like to do. For many, however, it may not be an option. Many days that I skip writing, it isn’t because I want to. It’s because I don’t have the time.

Okay, I hear you. That’s not really a good excuse, and I agree. When it’s something that you love and you want, you simply must make the time. Yes! I find myself doing that, too. But I also recognize my limitations. Sometimes forcing myself to write is not the best thing to do. For example, if I’m overly tired, not only will my writing not be the greatest, but it will be riddled with so many errors and typos that I may not can figure out the thought the next day. I once read (and I forget now which author said it, but I do remember it is an author of numerous NYT and USA Today bestsellers) that writing as a career needs to be treated as any other job. If other jobs are viewed as being paid by the hour or by the product, then writing full-time means spending time writing quality work. Writing just to be writing means nothing if at the end of the day it all goes into the garbage. It’s a waste of time and money. What if car manufacturers treated making cars that way? Workers would arrive in the morning, work eight hours throwing parts together, and at the end of their shift, send everything to be crushed or disassembled for scrap metal. I can’t imagine any car company being thrilled with this process.

The writing process is the same. As with cars, constructing them takes time. It may take multiple days, weeks, or even months to create a final product. However, at the end of each day, even if not complete, there should be progress or shell. Each time a writer sits for a writing session, he/she should have something to show for it. That something likely will need lots of editing and/or revisions, but it’s not nothing. Valuing quality over quantity will be more beneficial even if the writer is writing fewer times a week. For example, if a writer working on a novel writes 1,000 words a day for a week but must throw out 50% of what he/she wrote, at the end of the week, he/she will have 3,500 words. A writer who writes 1,200 words three days a week and keeps all 1,200 words will have achieved 3,600 words toward their novel. This is something that I’ve expressed many times and why I don’t hold much stock in daily writing totals.

Now, don’t get me wrong. Word accountability may work for some. If it does, great. It’s just not my jam, and I don’t think writers should feel that they are not genuine writers or that they are not serious writers if they fail to write daily. That being said, being a professional writer does mean putting in the work and writing. This means at some point the writer has to get busy putting down words. As the saying goes, the book isn’t going to write itself. It’s up to each writer to determine what is best for him/her.

Another reason I don’t write daily is that some days I’m unmotivated to write. Yes, I already hear the rebuttals. This same writer said that each day of writing should be productive also so that writers needed to be disciplined enough to write daily and that lack of motivation is not an excuse. I agree but disagree simultaneously. Writing as a career is different from many other jobs in that many other jobs can be performed with rote memory. For example, a teacher may have a lesson plan that is based on guidelines by the school district and which will use a specific textbook or teaching method so dictated by the school district. This teacher isn’t having to come up with material to teach. They have a textbook and/or curriculum to guide them.

Okay, plotters, simmer down. I know you’re screaming that sounds like an outline, and I won’t disagree. However, even with outlines, plotters must create them. Coming up with an idea when one is blocked prevents an outline from happening. When I’m unmotivated to write, it’s because I do not have an idea to write about. So even if I was a plotter—which everyone knows I’m not—I still would have the same problems. However, as I have explained on many occasions, trying to plot blocks me further because my mind isn’t wired that way. I write as I see the scenes, and everything falls into place. In a way, my first draft would be my outline.

Do I write on most days? Yes and no. (Was there any surprise that I would answer in this fashion?) My answer is such because while I may not write my WIP daily, I do at least one thing that is writing-related. This may include posting to social media, editing, blogging, or taking notes. It may also include journaling, brainstorming, and marketing. Writing has many aspects, and all need to get done. Some days, I must choose one to be the focus. On other days, deadlines or obligations may dictate what I do. Then there are those other days when my creativity is soaring with so many ideas that I’m scrambling to get them all on paper. There are very few days that I do not check the box for at least one of the items on this list.

Do I plan what items I would do each day? Sometimes. Mostly, I know which projects need to be given priority that day, but I do leave myself the flexibility to switch things up. For the most part, I work on whatever strikes my fancy. Often, I find that I wake up inspired to write a particular project. But there also are days when I begin one project but get stuck and move on to another to salvage the writing day.

Another point about daily writing is that sometimes when applying this to a single WIP, it triggers burnout. Some stories I begin but must set aside. I get stuck. “But, Genevive, if you would outline this wouldn’t be a problem.” Oh, yes, it would. It would just be a different kind of problem. See, when I’m blocked on a story, it’s usually for one or two reasons. First, I don’t know what happens next in the story. An outline wouldn’t help because that part of the outline would be blank. If I knew what went there, I would be able to write it. Second, I don’t know how the character would react in a situation. Many times, when I begin a story, the main character is already sorted in my head. But in some instances, the character that I have in mind does not translate well onto paper. I’ll want to go in a new direction. Stepping away for a few days helps. It also is beneficial when re-reading scenes because it allows me to improve them by seeing possible inconsistencies, potential plot holes, sagging areas, or places that require clarity or more explaining.

I’ll end by saying as I began. Writing is personal. Writing routines are possible. Some authors are able to write stories daily. One very popular author states that she has her day divided into three parts. In the first part of the day, she writes her WIP. In the afternoon, she edits another WIP. In the evenings, she responds to emails and marketing issues. This works for her, and she is a very prolific writer. However, it also should be mentioned that she has a personal assistant that helps handle everyday chores that would take time away for some writers. She has the backing of a large publishing house which helps her edit sooner and faster than some authors. Additionally, her publisher also does most of the heavy lifting when it comes to marketing and promoting. For these reasons, she is able to spend much of her day writing. And since she isn’t saddled with a 9 to 5, she has the time to write daily.

My circumstances are different, and I must work within the confines and limitations that I have. My non-routine is a routine. I may not set aside specific hours or designate a specific number of words to write on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. However, I do keep track of what needs to be done and by when. Instinctively, I know what I need to do and when in order to meet those deadlines and obligations. I do set goals, but I don’t always break them down into micro steps. When a writing plan stops working for me, I adapt it to one that is better suited. For example, I found there are days that I cannot have my laptop with me in certain areas. When this happens and I need (or feel the urge) to write, I do it on my phone. It’s a little more cumbersome and requires more editing, but it gets the job done.

That’s it for this post. Tell me your thought in the comments below. I always enjoy reading your take.

Get ready. It’s almost time to hit the ice again. Future Goals Coming 02/02/23.

When a college hockey player needs the help of an attractive older attorney, he gets more than he bargained for when trying to sort out the troubles in his career. Falling in love was never part of either man’s plan, especially as Corrigan’s and Sacha’s lives should never have collided. Now they’re left questioning if they’re standing in the way of the other’s future goals, or if there’s room for redirection.

Order your copy at:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3RjPYb9

Other booksellers: https://bit.ly/3CI8d5W

Missed the first four books in my hockey romance series? No frets.

Out of the Penalty Box(book #1), where it is one minute in the box or a lifetime out, is available at http://amzn.to/2Bhnngw. It also can be ordered on iTunes, Nook, or Kobo. For more links on where to purchase or to read the blurb, please visit http://bit.ly/2i9SqpH.

Defending the Net (book #2) can be ordered at https://amzn.to/2N7fj8q or www.books2read.com/defending. Crossing the line could cost the game.

Ice Gladiators (book #3) is the third book in my Locker Room Love series. When the gloves come off, the games begin. Available at https://amzn.to/2TGFsyD or www.books2read.com/icegladiators.

Penalty Kill (Book #4) takes the ice again. Get a copy at https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p or https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p and let the pucker begin.

For more of my stories, shenanigans, giveaways, and more, check out my blog, Creole Bayou, www.genevivechambleeconnect.wordpress.com. New posts are made on Wednesdays, and everything is raw and unscathed. Climb on in a pirogue and join me on the bayou.

If you have any questions or suggestions about this post or any others, feel free to comment below or tweet me at @dolynesaidso. You also can follow me on Instagram at genevivechambleeauthor or search for me on Goodreads or Amazon Authors or BookBub or TikTok.

NEWSLETTER! Want to get the latest information and updates about my writing projects, giveaways, contests, and reveals first? Click https://genevivechambleeconnect.wordpress.com/newsletter/ and signup today.

Until next time, happy reading and much romance. Laissez le bon temps rouler.

Author Bio

Genevive Chamblee resides in the bayou country where sweet tea and SEC football reign supreme. She is known for being witty (or so she thinks), getting mushy watching pet adoption commercials, and preparing home-cooked Creole meals that are as spicy as her writing. Genevive specializes in spinning steamy, romantic tales with humorous flair, diverse characters, and quirky views of love and human behavior. She also is not afraid to delve into darker romances as well. Genevive believes in variety, equality, and representation of all and is willing to tackle difficult subjects that may be shunned in many romance novels.

National Bubble Bath Day

Welcome to another day of celebrating the upcoming release of Future Goals, the fifth book of the Locker Room Love standalone sports romance series. For each day leading up to the release on February 2, I’m celebrating by writing a blog post.

For years, I’ve stressed the importance of self-care and pampering oneself and how it can improve the quality of mental health. I’ve written many posts about it, too. And apparently, there are people who agree with me. Imagine my surprise when I learned there was a National Bubble Bath Day. Bubble baths are one of my favorite ways to pamper myself. I imagine like most people with busy schedules, I more frequently find myself hopping in the shower than submerging myself in a luxurious bath. Showers are easier and faster. And while I get just as clean in a shower, I for some reason feel fresher after a bath. I also find bathing more relaxing and soothing. This seems to have some empirical support.

According to research, soaking in a warm bath increases blood flow to the muscles. This increase in blood flow can reduce muscle tension. One source of muscle tension is stress, and stress is caused by a hormone called cortisol. When the muscles relax, the amount of the cortisol hormone in the body begins to lessen. The less cortisol the less amount of stress one feels. Thus, baths have some effects on alleviating stress.

I always added bubbles to my bath for the fragrance, and quite frankly because I like playing with the bubbles and find them pretty. However, when I was researching this topic for today, I came across an interesting fact. The bubbles actually add a benefit. Believe it or not, bubble baths may length bathing time. Apparently, the bubbles operate as a type of lining or insulation that entraps heat. This, in turn, allows the water to remain warmer for longer.

History indicates that people first began adding bubbles to their baths in the early 1900s. So much for the historical accuracy in those regency movies that show the main character chin-deep in a wooden tub of bubbles. However, the first American bubble bath products aren’t said to have been made available until the 1940s. Credit is given to a Chicago, Illinois company, Chemtoy.

I attempted to find a date for when National Bubble Bath Day was first celebrated, and it was a bust. Some sources indicated it began in the 1960s. This would make sense since bubble baths increased during that time with the introduction of Mr. Bubble (created by Harold Schafer) to the market in 1961. It continues to be one of the top-selling bubble bath products and still is manufactured in the United States by the Village Company. Yet, other sources indicated holiday wasn’t recognized until much later in the 1990s.

And that’s a wrap for today. What did you think? What is your take on the subject? Do you agree or disagree? Did you find this information helpful or informative? Did you learn anything new, or did it change your opinion? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section. Also, let me know if you would like me to cover more of these types of topics or dive deeper into this one. If you like this post, please click the like button and share it. Your feedback allows me to know the content that you want to read. If you’re not following me on Creole Bayou blog, what are you waiting for? There’s always room at the bayou.

Get ready. It’s almost time to hit the ice again. Future Goals Coming soon.

When a college hockey player needs the help of an attractive older attorney, he gets more than he bargained for when trying to sort out the troubles in his career. Falling in love was never part of either man’s plan, especially as Corrigan’s and Sacha’s lives should never have collided. Now they’re left questioning if they’re standing in the way of the other’s future goals, or if there’s room for redirection.

Preorder your copy at:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3RjPYb9

Other booksellers: https://bit.ly/3CI8d5W

Missed the first four books in my hockey romance series? No frets.

Out of the Penalty Box (book #1), where it is one minute in the box or a lifetime out, is available at http://amzn.to/2Bhnngw. It also can be ordered on iTunes, Nook, or Kobo. For more links on where to purchase or to read the blurb, please visit http://bit.ly/2i9SqpH.

Defending the Net (book #2) can be ordered at https://amzn.to/2N7fj8q or www.books2read.com/defending. Crossing the line could cost the game.

Ice Gladiators (book #3) is the third book in my Locker Room Love series. When the gloves come off, the games begin. Available at https://amzn.to/2TGFsyD or www.books2read.com/icegladiators.

Penalty Kill (book #4) takes the ice again. Get a copy at https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p or https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p and let the pucker begin.

For more of my stories, shenanigans, giveaways, and more, check out my blog, Creole Bayou, www.genevivechambleeconnect.wordpress.com. New posts are made on Wednesdays, and everything is raw and unscathed. Climb on in a pirogue and join me on the bayou.

If you have any questions or suggestions about this post or any others, feel free to comment below or tweet me at @dolynesaidso. You also can follow me on Instagram at genevivechambleeauthor or search for me on Goodreads or Amazon Authors or BookBub or TikTok.

NEWSLETTER! Want to get the latest information and updates about my writing projects, giveaways, contests, and reveals first? Click https://genevivechambleeconnect.wordpress.com/newsletter/ and signup today.

Until next time, happy reading and much romance. Laissez le bon temps rouler.

Author Bio

Genevive Chamblee resides in the bayou country where sweet tea and SEC football reign supreme. She is known for being witty (or so she thinks), getting mushy watching pet adoption commercials, and preparing home-cooked Creole meals that are as spicy as her writing. Genevive specializes in spinning steamy, romantic tales with humorous flair, diverse characters, and quirky views of love and human behavior. She also is not afraid to delve into darker romances as well. Genevive believes in variety, equality, and representation of all and is willing to tackle difficult subjects that may be shunned in many romance novels.

The Quirks of a Writer

I have mentioned many times in posts that my nails not being well-manicured distracts me from writing. Maybe it’s because I spend so much time looking at my hands while writing or typing.

A few weeks ago, I attended a special event and decided to have my nails done professionally. It was an entire ordeal. The nail salon where I normally go couldn’t work me in. Therefore, I went to a salon close to where I typically get gas. Big mistake! They were so freaking rude. I’m not even going to get into what I think could have been the problem. They did an okay job, but by far not the best. It got me through the evening. When it was time to have them redone, I still couldn’t get into my regular salon and decided to go to a different salon. Another mistake. Let me say, the employees were really nice, but the quality of work was crap. Under the inside neon lights, I couldn’t tell how poorly the job had been done. It wasn’t until I was outside and hurrying to another business that was closing that I noticed. I could have returned to complain, but I had other things I needed to get done. That was possibly mistake number three. I say possibly because I’m not certain she would have been able to fix it. I mean, she seemed to have tried her best. I think it was training and salon practices. There were definite differences from where I normally go.

By the next day, my nails looked ten times worse. Honestly, I don’t know what this woman did that created the debacle on my nails. After twenty-four hours, my nails looked as if they hadn’t been manicured in a month. This was enough for me, and I called my regular nail salon which I hadn’t been to since before the pandemic shutdown. Getting my nails professionally manicured is a special treat to me. It’s not something that I do every week or month. So, I hadn’t had an appointment there since 2018 maybe. But after not being able to go anywhere in 2020, I put a trip to the nail salon on the priority list. Unfortunately, so had everyone else. They were book solid for months. Eventually, I just gave up. So, when this special event came up and I still couldn’t get an appointment that really influenced my decision to give someone else a try.

I spoke with one of the owners, and I was like, “you have to see me.” I got the appointment. When I arrived and the owner looked at my nails, the first question he asked was who had done that to me. I didn’t bad mouth the salon because one, I couldn’t remember the name, and two, that isn’t my style. He informed me that he usually didn’t “work on other people’s work,” but because I was an established customer, he would make an exception. Because my nails had only been done for a couple of days, he didn’t want to use chemicals or do a lot of filing. He did the best he could with what he had to work with, and I was pleased with the outcome. After some discussion, we determined the best course of action was for me to continue with overlays until my natural nails had grown out to a length that when cut down would be the length I wanted.

After several weeks (and I’d had several appointments during that time), I noticed a bluish stain on one of my nails. Because I write a lot, there was a good chance that it was ink that had stained the polish. The other option was that it might have been a nail fungus. The sensible thing would have been to remove the overlay and investigate. However, I didn’t want to ruin my manicure in case it was ink. I figured since fungus growth would likely have been caused by moisture getting trapped beneath the overlay that any liquid treatment also would be able to get beneath it. So, I looked up treatments.

Many, many, many years ago, I developed a fungus on both my pinky nails. But if I’m not mistaken, I think it was because I had attempted to use press-on nails. But if they had been done professionally, it wasn’t my current salon that had done them. I’m sure of this because this occurred before I relocated. At the time, I had read to use hydrogen peroxide as a remedy and used it. (I’m almost confident.). It worked well. However, for some reason, this time I questioned if really had been hydrogen peroxide that I used and that’s why I did an internet search. Lo and behold, hydrogen peroxide did not pop up in my search. What it did suggest was vinegar.

Here’s where things went a little sideways but not in a bad way. I didn’t have any vinegar, and all the articles I had read at that time did not list the type of vinegar. When I went to purchase it, I was looking for white vinegar but all that they had was the apple cider version. So, apple cider it was. Also, I didn’t read the part where it said to dilute the vinegar with water. I just poured a small amount into a paper cup, stuck my finger in, and soaked it for about an hour. I estimate it was an hour because I kept losing track of time and couldn’t remember my start time. I know I exceeded the recommended thirty minutes. The next morning, the bluish area on my nail appeared lighter and smaller. Encouraged, I continued to soak for at least thirty minutes twice a day. Well, this worked and the discoloration had completely vanished by the end of the week.

Now, I don’t suggest that anyone do as I did. This may not work for everyone, and I don’t know if this is harmful to nails or skin. It’s best to discuss these types of issues with a professional trained in the area or a physician.

Since I write characters with quirks, I thought it fair to share one of mine during this time. What are some of yours? Let me know in the comment section.

Get ready. It’s almost time to hit the ice again. Future Goals Coming 02/02/23.

When a college hockey player needs the help of an attractive older attorney, he gets more than he bargained for when trying to sort out the troubles in his career. Falling in love was never part of either man’s plan, especially as Corrigan’s and Sacha’s lives should never have collided. Now they’re left questioning if they’re standing in the way of the other’s future goals, or if there’s room for redirection.

Order your copy at:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3RjPYb9

Other booksellers: https://bit.ly/3CI8d5W

Missed the first four books in my hockey romance series? No frets.

Out of the Penalty Box (book #1), where it is one minute in the box or a lifetime out, is available at http://amzn.to/2Bhnngw. It also can be ordered on iTunes, Nook, or Kobo. For more links on where to purchase or to read the blurb, please visit http://bit.ly/2i9SqpH.

Defending the Net (book #2) can be ordered at https://amzn.to/2N7fj8q or www.books2read.com/defending. Crossing the line could cost the game.

Ice Gladiators (book #3) is the third book in my Locker Room Love series. When the gloves come off, the games begin. Available at https://amzn.to/2TGFsyD or www.books2read.com/icegladiators.

Penalty Kill (Book #4) takes the ice again. Get a copy at https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p or https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p and let the pucker begin.

For more of my stories, shenanigans, giveaways, and more, check out my blog, Creole Bayou, www.genevivechambleeconnect.wordpress.com. New posts are made on Wednesdays, and everything is raw and unscathed. Climb on in a pirogue and join me on the bayou.

If you have any questions or suggestions about this post or any others, feel free to comment below or tweet me at @dolynesaidso. You also can follow me on Instagram at genevivechambleeauthor or search me on Goodreads or Amazon Authors or BookBub or TikTok.

NEWSLETTER! Want to get the latest information and updates about my writing projects, giveaways, contests, and reveals first? Click https://genevivechambleeconnect.wordpress.com/newsletter/ and signup today.

Until next time, happy reading and much romance. Laissez le bon temps rouler.

Author Bio

Genevive Chamblee resides in the bayou country where sweet tea and SEC football reign supreme. She is known for being witty (or so she thinks), getting mushy watching pet adoption commercials, and preparing home-cooked Creole meals that are as spicy as her writing. Genevive specializes in spinning steamy, romantic tales with humorous flair, diverse characters, and quirky views of love and human behavior. She also is not afraid to delve into darker romances as well. Genevive believes in variety, equality, and representation of all and is willing to tackle difficult subjects that may be shunned in many romance novels.

Is It Mardi Gras Yet?

It’s January. Am I really talking about Mardi Gras? Well, of course, I am. This is Creole Bayou, so how could I not do this post? Actually, I’ve touched on this subject a few times in the past, but I frequently get Mardi Gras questions, and today seems the perfect time to have this discussion.

Today is the Epiphany, also known as Theophany or Three Kings Day, or the Twelfth Night. This holiday dates back as far as the fourth century. While the Epiphany officially marks the end of the Christmas season, it also marks the beginning of another holiday season. But doesn’t Three Kings Day refer to the story of how the Magi—a.k.a., Three Kings (also known as the Wise Men or by their names Kaspar, Balthasar, and Melchior)—followed the North Star to Bethlehem and presented gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the baby Jesus? Yes. So, why wouldn’t this day be celebrated earlier instead of being the designated end of the Christmas season? And why so many names for one day? Well, let’s take a step in reverse to examine each, piece together how everything is connected, and learn what any of this has to do with Mardi Gras.

The reason why the date of this holiday confuses some is because of how it is generally presented by commercial media. It’s a “Christmas story,” and Christmas focuses on the birth of Jesus (if religious and/or spiritual.) If you just said, “duh!” hang on a minute. Christmas is celebrated on December 25. However, most people begin celebrating the Christmas season on Black Friday (at least, in the U.S.) which is the day after Thanksgiving in November. (Yes, another duh! moment. I’m getting there.) The festivities will continue until Christmas Day. Thus, from Black Friday to Christmas Eve, what is being celebrated is the anticipation of Christ’s birth. But the Magi presented the baby Jesus with gifts, meaning Christ was born. They were said to have arrived twelve days after His birth, hence the name, Twelfth Night (starting at Christmas and counting forward twelve days).

By definition, an epiphany is a revelation, realization, illuminating discovery, or disclosure. It also means an abrupt or unforeseen perception or manifestation of the vital meaning or nature of something. In the case of the holiday, epiphany refers to the baby Jesus being revealed as the Son of God to the kings.

To recap, the Epiphany holiday is derived from the story of the Magi or Wisemen who were kings. This yields the name Three Kings Day. Twelfth Night refers to the number of days it took them to arrive. (Another reason for the confusion is because the song The Twelve Days of Christmas is usually sung as a carol before Christmas but not after. The carol clearly takes its name and theme from the Epiphany) Epiphany refers to the revelation of Christ or the manifestation of His divinity), and Theophany is another word for Epiphany. Now, let’s get to Mardi Gras.

When many people say Mardi Gras, most are referring to the entire celebration. Like Christmas is a day but celebrated as a “season” for weeks prior, so is Mardi Gas. Mardi Gras literally means Fat Tuesday and depicts one day out of weeks of celebration. As Christmas Day is anticipated and celebrated, the weeks leading up to it, Fat Tuesday is celebrated with carnival; a.k.a., the grand balls, parades, fancy costumes, beads, and courts of royalty. (Actually, it goes a bit deeper and is more complicated than that, but I’ll get into that a little later. For simplicity’s sake, I’m going to leave it here for now.) Here’s the part that many people do not realize. Not all of the Mardi Gras season is celebrated with public spectacle (e.g., elaborate parades). The parades are what is shown and get publicity. However, the Mardi Gras season (carnival) begins on the Epiphany (January 6).

Previously, I wrote that Mardi Gras is the celebration of Fat Tuesday. That’s not exactly true. More accurately the Mardi Gras season is the celebration of another season. After Mardi Gras comes Ash Wednesday which marks the beginning of Lent. Fat Tuesdays derive its name due to its purpose. See, Lent is a time of penance, self-discipline, self-examination, quiet contemplation, reconciling with God, and sacrifice. It lasts for forty days until Easter. Specifically, Lent is the preparation for Easter. While Easter is the celebration of Christ’s resurrection, Lent is a time to remember His passion and crucifixion that precedes the Resurrection. This is a somber time. During this period, fasting, praying, giving alms, and reconciling with God is the focus. For the purpose of this post, fasting needs to be disgusted.

Most people think of fasting as abstaining or refraining from food and/or drink. However, in a broader definition, fasting means to voluntarily reduce or eliminate eating/drinking but is not limited to those things. During Lent, fasting also includes refraining from festivities. Thus, Fat Tuesday can be viewed as a type of last hoorah. When people first began celebrating Fat Tuesday, they would gorge themselves on food and drink and party hard because they knew they would be entering a forty-day fasting period. A popular Fat Tuesday joke is to eat up and live off one’s fat reserves for the next forty days.

And this brings us back to the Epiphany. The Epiphany also was seen as a type of last hoorah, as it marks the end of the Christmas season (a.k.a., festivities and/or parties) and a return to the everyday bump and grind. However, there are some important things to note. The Mardi Gras season always begins on January 6, which is the Epiphany. Fat Tuesday (the day) is always the day before Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent. Lent begins forty days before Easter. This may lead some to erroneously believe that there are a set number of days from Epiphany to Fat Tuesday. This is incorrect because Fat Tuesday is decided by the date of Easter. Easter is never on the same Sunday each year. Because the date of Easter moves, the date of Fat Tuesday moves. Fat Tuesday will always be forty days before Easter, but the Mardi Gras season always begins on the Epiphany. This means the length of the Mardi Gras season (carnival) varies. What most people are familiar with seeing or hearing about is the last week of carnival which have the largest parades and grandest balls.

Two final quick asides. Epiphany is the event that is credited for the tradition of gift-giving at Christmas. It is also where the tradition of king cake originates. And note, inside the king cake is a baby Jesus.

And there you have it—a quick and dirty rundown on Epiphany and the start of Mardi Gras (or more accurately, carnival). Thanks for hanging in there with me, and I hope that you find it useful.

What did you think? What is your take on the subject? Do you agree or disagree? Did you find this information helpful or informative? Did you learn anything new, or did it change your opinion? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section. Also, let me know if you would like me to cover more of these types of topics or dive deeper into this one. If you like this post, please click the like button and share it. Your feedback allows me to know the content that you want to read. If you’re not following me on Creole Bayou blog, what are you waiting for? There’s always room at the bayou.

Get ready. It’s almost time to hit the ice again. Future Goals Coming soon.

When a college hockey player needs the help of an attractive older attorney, he gets more than he bargained for when trying to sort out the troubles in his career. Falling in love was never part of either man’s plan, especially as Corrigan’s and Sacha’s lives should never have collided. Now they’re left questioning if they’re standing in the way of the other’s future goals, or if there’s room for redirection.

Preorder your copy at:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3RjPYb9

Other booksellers: https://bit.ly/3CI8d5W

Missed the first four books in my hockey romance series? No frets.

Out of the Penalty Box (book #1), where it is one minute in the box or a lifetime out, is available at http://amzn.to/2Bhnngw. It also can be ordered on iTunes, Nook, or Kobo. For more links on where to purchase or to read the blurb, please visit http://bit.ly/2i9SqpH.

Defending the Net (book #2) can be ordered at https://amzn.to/2N7fj8q or www.books2read.com/defending. Crossing the line could cost the game.

Ice Gladiators (book #3) is the third book in my Locker Room Love series. When the gloves come off, the games begin. Available at https://amzn.to/2TGFsyD or www.books2read.com/icegladiators.

Penalty Kill (Book #4) retakes the ice. Get a copy at https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p or https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p and let the pucker begin.

For more of my stories, shenanigans, giveaways, and more, check out my blog, Creole Bayou, www.genevivechambleeconnect.wordpress.com. New posts are made on Wednesdays, and everything is raw and unscathed. Climb on in a pirogue and join me on the bayou.

If you have any questions or suggestions about this post or any others, feel free to comment below or tweet me at @dolynesaidso. You also can follow me on Instagram at genevivechambleeauthor or search for me on Goodreads or Amazon Authors or BookBub or TikTok.

NEWSLETTER! Want to get the latest information and updates about my writing projects, giveaways, contests, and reveals first? Click https://genevivechambleeconnect.wordpress.com/newsletter/ and signup today.

Until next time, happy reading and much romance. Laissez le bon temps rouler.

Author Bio

Genevive Chamblee resides in the bayou country where sweet tea and SEC football reign supreme. She is known for being witty (or so she thinks), getting mushy watching pet adoption commercials, and preparing home-cooked Creole meals that are as spicy as her writing. Genevive specializes in spinning steamy, romantic tales with humorous flair, diverse characters, and quirky views of love and human behavior. She also is not afraid to delve into darker romances as well. Genevive believes in variety, equality, and representation of all and is willing to tackle difficult subjects that may be shunned in many romance novels.

Be a Coffee Rebel

I enjoy history, but honestly, there are many times when I do not consider how history affects daily life in the simplest of ways. For example, when I flip on a light switch, I don’t think about Thomas Edison in his lab—that is, not until the power goes out and I’m reminded of it while sitting in the dark. But I do always think of light bulbs as inventions. Other common, everyday items, I rarely even consider an invention or discovery. Coffee is one of those items.

To celebrate the upcoming release of my newest sports romance novel, Future Goals, on February 2, 2023, I’m posting on my blog daily regarding a topic that is in some manner related to the story. Since one of the characters in the story is a coffee drinker, coffee fits the bill and has been selected as the topic du jour.

Now, you might be thinking, “Really, Genevive? Out of all other choices, coffee is your topic?” Let me explain how I fell down this rabbit hole. I’ve always been a planner for everything other than stories. It’s well-known that I’m a devote pantser. However, when it comes to business, I need a bit of organization to remind me of when to do things (e.g., appointments and deadlines) and when I’ve done things (e.g., submissions and contacts). My planners are my memory/record keepers. I use a paper planner (in addition to electronic records) for a couple of reasons. First, I’m not always in an area where I can use a computer, tablet, or even smartphone. Second, I may not have sufficient battery power, signal, or Wi-Fi. Third, I may need to reserve my battery power due to a prolonged power outage. Fourth, I’ve lost electronically stored information multiple times due to “upgrades,” crashes, and electronic incompatibility. Fifth, planning the old-fashion way can be fun.

It is this last reason that began my writing feet walking down this blog path today. Blogging is time-consuming. So, when I decided to post a blot daily for this celebration, I knew it would take time and organization. I needed to brainstorm topics, conduct research, type, edit, and upload. I opened my writing planner to begin laying it all out months in advance. But see, I’m not just about writing notes on paper. I enjoy deco-planning. I find it to be relaxing and therapeutic. It relieves some of the stress of looking at all the things I need to do which can be overwhelming. And as many other people who deco-plan have stated, having something pretty to look at can be motivating.

Feeding into deco-planning, I enjoy watching YouTube videos on the subject. So, back in the fall when I began planning for release, there were several content creators who designed coffee spreads for National Coffee Day. I had never heard of this holiday. Therefore, I researched it. Imagine my surprise to learn there are actually two days that celebrate coffee. The first is National Coffee Day which is celebrated annually on September 29 in the United States and Canada. The second is International Coffee Day which is celebrated annually on October 1. These holidays aren’t just to celebrate a person’s love of coffee but to also help coffee farmers earn a living by hopefully boosting sales on those days. However, that is not really what snagged my interest. It was another tidbit that I came across in my research that had never dawned on my wee little brain. Why do so many Americans love coffee? How did it start? And this, my friends, is where my history lesson started—one that I knew but never really gave serious thought to the small outcomes from the bigger picture.

As a child, I remember studying American history. I even had to take a course in college. One of the topics covered was, oh, a little thing called the American Revolution. Due to many wars, England was in debt. In fact, several sources cite that the country’s national debt nearly doubled from 1756 to 1763. But no worries. They had a plan: tax the thirteen colonies across the pond. There was the Stamp Act of 1765 that placed a tax on practically all printed paper including almanacs, broadsides (single sheets of paper printed only one side), dice (don’t ask me how dice got included because your guess is as good as mine), legal documents, newspapers, and pamphlets, playing cards. Having to pay the tax was bad enough, but the tax also needed to be paid using British sterling. This currency was difficult for the colonists to pay with because they used colonial currency. Colonists who refused to pay this tax could be prosecuted without a jury in any part of the British Empire. How about them apples?

Of course, matters went from bad to worse when the Townshend Acts of 1767 extended this taxation to include glass, paint, paper, lead, and tea. I guess it can be said that taxing tea was the last straw. American colonists were upset because the British Parliament had voted to pass these acts and the colonists were not included in these talks, hence, taxation without representation. Then, all hell broke loose in 1770 when British soldiers brought guns to a snowball fight. The Boston Massacre began when a group of colonists upset by British presence began hurling ice, oyster shells, and snowballs at a British soldier who was standing guard at the Boston Customs House. The Boston Custom house was the place where import duties were collected and inspectors’ offices were located. Other guards, soon arrived, and it’s fair to say things “snowballed” from there. These soldiers opened fire on the colonist, killing five and wounding six. This increased the tension between England and the colonists.

On May 10, 1773, the British Parliament imposed the Tea Act that allowed the British East India Company to have a tea monopoly in the colonies. Basically, parliament allowed this as a bail-out to the British East India Company which was struggling financially and deeply in debt. This act didn’t increase the tax on tea. Actually, it reduced it. See, the company had an abundance of tea in its London warehouses, partly due to the colonies’ boycott. What had happened was boycotts had caused the British Parliament to rethink the Townshend Acts, and most of the taxes imposed by the act were repealed in 1770—most, not all. The tax on tea remained. The reason the tax on tea wasn’t also repealed at the time was in order to continue to allow England the right to continue to tax the colonists. The British East India Company would be allowed to sell tea at a price lower than tea smuggled to the colonies from other areas. (During this period, history reports that 86% of imported tea to the colonies came from the Netherlands and other Dutch countries). Basically, parliament was hoping to bankrupt the tea black market. Why buy smuggled tea when legal tea is less expensive? Here’s the sneaky bit. The British East India Company tea still had the tax imposed by the Townshend Acts attached to it. This mean anytime colonists purchased tea from the British East India Company, they consented to the right to be taxed by England. In short, it was the British Parliament’s way of getting the colonists to willingly agree to taxation—that and having a tea monopoly.

On December 16, 1773, a protest by the Sons of Liberty, a political group, regarding the taxes occurred at Griffin’s Wharf. Wearing disguises, the protesters boarded three ships docked in Boston Harbor. There, the protestors dumped 342 chests weighing over 92,000 pounds (46 tons) of imported British tea overboard. So, we’re not talking about a tiny bag of Lipton here. This was viewed as an act of vandalism. (And let’s face it. Civil disobedience or not, it destroyed property not belonging to them which is the definition of vandalism.) As punishment, the British closed the port at Boston until the damages for the lost tea were paid. (Can’t you just hear the colonist snorting and saying. “Yeah, right. Keep dreaming.”) As word got out about this protest, other cities in the colonies (e.g., Annapolis, Charleston, and New York) followed suit and dumped tea off ships or burned it.

That’s all fine and good, but this post is supposed to be about coffee. Finally, we get that portion. Due to all of the aforementioned turmoil, after the occurrence of the Boston Tea Party, drinking coffee became viewed as a political statement. Now, coffee was nothing new to the colonies. In fact, it had been introduced to the colonies in the 1640s, some 130 years before this political unrest began. The first coffee house in Boston actually opened in 1689 and was named the London Coffee House. It was renamed the American Coffee House once the Revolutionary War began. (As an aside little nugget, selling coffee during the colonial days required having a license while the first alcohol license wasn’t created until 1899). The sale of coffee became more popular and began to flourish due to the protests.

Another reason coffee gained in popularity was due to coffee houses/coffee taverns. Rebels need a place to meet and hold their meeting. During the colonial era, most homes and businesses were too small to accommodate large crowds. However, establishments that could were the coffee houses. And since people were already in the coffee house for the meeting, when they wanted something to drink… It made sense.

Something else that made sense is its gradual replacement in consumption of the number one breakfast drink as the war continued. It’s a great misconception that most of Colonial America disapproved of the consumption of alcohol. This wasn’t true. The disapproval was the consumption of too much alcohol. Due to issues in purifying water, a lot of times water was not safe to drink. But beer was. That’s right. The most common drink was beer. Even children consumed it. However, drunkenness and firearms aren’t a recommended combination. Gradually, people began to realize they could get a caffeine jolt from coffee which overconsumption of wouldn’t render them too impaired to function This was another win.

In addition to all of this, coffee beans had been cultivated to improve the taste. Coffee bean growers found the business profitable. Everything began to fall into place for coffee to be Americans’ drink.

That’s all I got. What did you think? What is your take on the subject? Do you agree or disagree? Did you find this information helpful or informative? Did you learn anything new, or did it change your opinion? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section. Also, let me know if you would like me to cover more of these types of topics or dive deeper into this one. If you like this post, please click the like button and share it. Your feedback allows me to know the content that you want to read. If you’re not following me on Creole Bayou blog, what are you waiting for? There’s always room at the bayou.

Get ready. It’s almost time to hit the ice again. Future Goals Coming soon.

When a college hockey player needs the help of an attractive older attorney, he gets more than he bargained for when trying to sort out the troubles in his career. Falling in love was never part of either man’s plan, especially as Corrigan’s and Sacha’s lives should never have collided. Now they’re left questioning if they’re standing in the way of the other’s future goals, or if there’s room for redirection.

Preorder your copy at:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3RjPYb9

Other booksellers: https://bit.ly/3CI8d5W

Missed the first four books in my hockey romance series? No frets.

Out of the Penalty Box (book #1), where it is one minute in the box or a lifetime out, is available at http://amzn.to/2Bhnngw. It also can be ordered on iTunes, Nook, or Kobo. For more links on where to purchase or to read the blurb, please visit http://bit.ly/2i9SqpH.

Defending the Net (book #2) can be ordered at https://amzn.to/2N7fj8q or www.books2read.com/defending. Crossing the line could cost the game.

Ice Gladiators (book #3) is the third book in my Locker Room Love series. When the gloves come off, the games begin. Available at https://amzn.to/2TGFsyD or www.books2read.com/icegladiators.

Penalty Kill (book #4) takes the ice again. Get a copy at https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p or https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p and let the pucker begin.

For more of my stories, shenanigans, giveaways, and more, check out my blog, Creole Bayou, www.genevivechambleeconnect.wordpress.com. New posts are made on Wednesdays, and everything is raw and unscathed. Climb on in a pirogue and join me on the bayou.

Author Bio

Genevive Chamblee resides in the bayou country where sweet tea and SEC football reign supreme. She is known for being witty (or so she thinks), getting mushy watching pet adoption commercials, and preparing home-cooked Creole meals that are as spicy as her writing. Genevive specializes in spinning steamy, romantic tales with humorous flair, diverse characters, and quirky views of love and human behavior. She also is not afraid to delve into darker romances as well. Genevive believes in variety, equality, and representation of all and is willing to tackle difficult subjects that may be shunned in many romance novels.

How to Speed Up the Writing Process

Everyone has seen writers who can pump out multiple quality novels a year—some as many as six or seven. It’s impressive. Note the word quality. Anyone can write and have books printed that are not properly edited, formatted, or developed. Those are not the writers I’m referring to. I’m speaking of authors who put in the effort to give readers an enjoyable and worthwhile reading experience. I’ve always been in awe of authors who could manage and execute such a task and wondered how they did it. There seemed more to it than met the eye. After all, if it were easy, everyone would be doing it. I decided that if I ever were to attempt such a feat, I would need to know what I was working with. Therefore, I decided to conduct a little writing sleuthing. The following are some things I learned.

The first point to tackle is that there are some considerations to note before undertaking such a task and/or dreading if one is unsuccess in his/her attempt. Many—but not all—proficient authors are big names. There are several reasons why this is important.

Writing is their full-time job. They do not have to divide their time between a daytime job that pays the bills and writing.They aren’t doing it alone. Many have staff or people who help them. They may have agents who sell their books to publishers for them. Or if they are already signed with a publishing house, the publisher performs much of the editing, all of the formatting, take care of cover design details, and handles much of the marketing. This frees the author up to write.They have even more help. Some writers have personal staff that helps alleviate the writing load. For example, an author may have a personal assistant to run all his/her personal errands or a social media manager who answers emails and updates the author’s website and social media pages. The author may also have a typist who transcribes voice notes. All of these things add up and can allow the author to have more time to write.They hire ghostwriters. Oh, how I feel this is a taboo subject. There have been several very prolific authors who have been accused of this but vehemently deny it. Basically, an author develops a plot outline and someone else writes the story using the author’s name. Some feel like this is cheating or scamming the reader. But authors argue it’s a business agreement between two authors to produce a good product, and it has nothing to do with pulling the wool over readers’ eyes. If an author hires a number of ghostwriters, the number of titles he/she can publish every year is incredible.They write with reserves. Some authors delay releasing a title until they have several ready for release. This is especially true for series. An author may not release the first book in a series until the second book is completed and the third book is in progress. This allows the releases to be back-to-back.

So, why is any of that important? It’s easy for a writer, especially a new writer, to compare himself/herself to popular authors. But writers need to be sure to compare apples to apples and not cherries to watermelons. If a new writer has a full-time job other than writing, a family, and no resources to hire help, writing multiple books in a year may be more tasking than someone who has many resources. That does not mean that novice writers can’t be proficient. It only means the journey may require more effort. This leads to today’s post. How can a writer speed up the writing process?

Write about things that you know. I know many writers hate this advice because they want to write about things that excite them which often are things they’ve never experienced or encountered. However, there are ways to include elements of things that you are familiar with and things you don’t know much about. For example, say a writer who is an avid fisherman wants to write a story about space travel. Maybe the character goes fishing on a distant planet. Writing about what one knows can reduce the amount of time researching.Preparation. This is critical. So much time can be wasted looking for tools that one needs to write. Before I begin a writing session, I clear my writing area, have a tall thermos of water, tissue, pens, thesaurus, notes, writing manuals, and more on my desk. Once I begin writing, I don’t have to stop to search for something that I need. Searching can waste valuable time when time is a limited commodity. Everything is at my fingertips.Advance research. This can be considered a part of the preparation, and something as a pantser I often fail at doing. I can’t count the number of times I’ve been rolling along in a scene only to be halted because I don’t know something and need to look it up. Some would advise skipping it and returning to it later. But as a pantser, sometimes I can’t continue without answers. A critique partner explained how he learned this the hard way. He decided to forego researching a topic to avoid interrupting his flow of writing. He finished the scene. When he later got around to doing the research, he learned what he’d written was incorrect. He had to delete it all.Use an outline. Uh…okay… Listen this is good advice… for plotters. As a pantser, I can’t get with this. Outlines slow me down. Kudos to those who are able to master outlining, but my mind doesn’t work that way. So, I’m going to leave this one here.Eliminating distractions. A writer friend always sends out a text when he’s about to begin a writing session asking that he not be disturbed. He then logs out of all social media, shuts off his cell, and sequesters himself into his office. This is because the noise bothers him, and he needs quiet to concentrate. Not everyone needs to do this. I tend to do a lot of writing sessions in public that is typically noisy. I’m able to go into “my zone” regardless of most noise levels—depending on the type of noise. However, a distraction for me is someone sitting beside me. I need space to spread my writing gear and know it’s not going to be touched. Once I was in a public library and had pulled a table into a corner (so my cord could reach the outlet). There were three chairs at the table. I sat in one and had my backpack situation in the one beside me. I had my laptop, working notebooks, writing manuals, pens, and tons of others strung across the table. I had my earbuds in and was happily working. Despite there being plenty of other seating options, a guy decided to sit in the empty chair across from me. Almost immediately, I lost my focus. He kept staring at my mess as if it was in his way, which, in all fairness, it was. I was hoarding the table. But I also was there first. Then, he began sniffing and wiping his nose. Because I was in the library, the sound of my playlist was low. I could hear the library noise. However, I had tuned them out into background noise. I couldn’t tune him out, though. I just wanted to scream, “why?” I didn’t because I recognized that I didn’t own the table. He had every right to sit there. I contemplated leaving, but due to other circumstances, I knew that would be perceived negatively and as something it wasn’t.Designated writing space. I define this as knowing where you’re going to write as opposed to having only one place to write. I enjoy switching up my environment and find that it helps with my creativity. Therefore, I’ve created what I refer to as my mobile writing desk. It’s a backpack with everything I use while writing—from snacks to portable chargers to writing guides to binders of notes to flash drives. It allows me to be able to write in almost any space. Before any writing session, I determine where I want to write. For example, if I want to write in the library, I know which floors and what areas of the library work best for me. I don’t have to wander around searching for a spot. I know what time to arrive to ensure the space I want to work in is available. On the off chance that it isn’t, I have backup spots.Efficiency. The last time I said this, I offended someone, but I do not mean any disrespect. Using word count as a measure of progress is perfectly acceptable if that is what one chooses to do. However, if an author spends two hours writing 10,000 words and none are usable and another writer spends two hours but only writes 1,000 words—all useable—who has been the most productive? It comes down to quantity versus quality in my opinion. Writing for the sake of meeting a word count is the same as having to do busy work in school—pointless. It has no true purpose, and that time could be better spent doing something else.Editing comes later. I sometimes struggle with this only because editing helps me move forward. When I’m stuck writing a scene, editing it may help me determine where it needs to go or correct something that has caused me to stall. However, I don’t worry about it being perfect because it is a draft. My focus is to get down the main ideas and clean it up. If a sentence doesn’t read smoothly, I may leave getting it just right for later editing. It’s when I don’t know what comes next that I begin editing. Usually, doing this will cause changes that spark new ideas.Keyboarding drills. Spend some time practicing keyboarding/typing to increase your speed. This seems simple enough, but for many writers, it is the rate of their typing that slows their process the most.Voice typing. This is related to the previous point. If typing is what is slowing down progress, a writer may benefit from using a voice-to-text program. Now, for someone like me with an accent, I’ve found many voice-to-text programs and I don’t get along. I suggest before investing in one, try a free trial first to see if it will be compatible.Attitude. Last but not least, it is important to have a positive attitude and believe in yourself. Writing as a profession tends to get an eye-roll reaction. People think it’s easy because writing is something learned as a child. But the truth is: writing isn’t easy. It’s a craft, and it takes practice to hone it. It involves creating something that doesn’t exist and transforming it into something that others can experience. Often, it takes time. It is easy to become frustrated and want to quit. Those negative thoughts can hinder the writing process. The first step in doing anything is believing that it can be achieved. If you believe you can increase your writing speed, then you’ll be able to accomplish that.

I’ll close with that as a final point. What did you think? What is your take on the subject? Do you agree or disagree? Did you find this information helpful or informative? Did you learn anything new, or did it change your opinion? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section. Also, let me know if you would like me to cover more of these types of topics or dive deeper into this one. If you like this post, please click the like button and share it. Your feedback allows me to know the content that you want to read. If you’re not following me on Creole Bayou blog, what are you waiting for? There’s always room at the bayou.

Get ready. It’s almost time to hit the ice again. Future Goals Coming soon.

When a college hockey player needs the help of an attractive older attorney, he gets more than he bargained for when trying to sort out the troubles in his career. Falling in love was never part of either man’s plan, especially as Corrigan’s and Sacha’s lives should never have collided. Now they’re left questioning if they’re standing in the way of the other’s future goals, or if there’s room for redirection.

Preorder your copy at:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3RjPYb9

Other booksellers: https://bit.ly/3CI8d5W

Missed the first four books in my hockey romance series? No frets.

Out of the Penalty Box (book #1), where it is one minute in the box or a lifetime out, is available at http://amzn.to/2Bhnngw. It also can be ordered on iTunes, Nook, or Kobo. For more links on where to purchase or to read the blurb, please visit http://bit.ly/2i9SqpH.

Defending the Net (book #2) can be ordered at https://amzn.to/2N7fj8q or www.books2read.com/defending. Crossing the line could cost the game.

Ice Gladiators (book #3) is the third book in my Locker Room Love series. When the gloves come off, the games begin. Available at https://amzn.to/2TGFsyD or www.books2read.com/icegladiators.

Penalty Kill (Book #4) retakes the ice. Get a copy at https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p or https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p and let the pucker begin.

For more of my stories, shenanigans, giveaways, and more, check out my blog, Creole Bayou, www.genevivechambleeconnect.wordpress.com. New posts are made on Wednesdays, and everything is raw and unscathed. Climb on in a pirogue and join me on the bayou.

If you have any questions or suggestions about this post or any others, feel free to comment below or tweet me at @dolynesaidso. You also can follow me on Instagram at genevivechambleeauthor or search for me on Goodreads or Amazon Authors or BookBub or TikTok.

NEWSLETTER! Want to get the latest information and updates about my writing projects, giveaways, contests, and reveals first? Click https://genevivechambleeconnect.wordpress.com/newsletter/ and signup today.

Until next time, happy reading and much romance. Laissez le bon temps rouler.

Author Bio

Genevive Chamblee resides in the bayou country where sweet tea and SEC football reign supreme. She is known for being witty (or so she thinks), getting mushy watching pet adoption commercials, and preparing home-cooked Creole meals that are as spicy as her writing. Genevive specializes in spinning steamy, romantic tales with humorous flair, diverse characters, and quirky views of love and human behavior. She also is not afraid to delve into darker romances as well. Genevive believes in variety, equality, and representation of all and is willing to tackle difficult subjects that may be shunned in many romance novels.

How to Wind Down from the Holidays

The holidays bring about many emotions. For some, it sparks excitement and a period jammed with festivities and fun. For others, it is a time to spend with family or reconnect with friends. Yet others, it’s a time of spiritual holiday joy. When most think of the holidays, some of the first thoughts that come to mind are decorations, foods, gifts, and music. And when this season comes to an end, it can bring sadness.

However, for some, the season is the reason for their sadness. They may feel lonely or depressed because they are unable to or do not have family and/or friends to spend time with. In a season that highlights fatty foods and rich desserts, some are hungry with no means to obtain anything to eat. Parents may be experiencing feelings of depression because they are unable to financially provide the commercial Christmas for their children as it is splattered across television and social media. For these people, the holidays coming to a close may be a welcome relief.

Yet, others may find relief in the ending holiday period not because they didn’t enjoy themselves making merry, but because they were overwhelmed with stress. The shopping and cooking and attending obligated functions (e.g., office parties, best friend’s ugly sweater party, gift exchange at a family member, etc.) may have drained the last of one’s reserves for socialization. They may crave a return to “normal” in order to have life slow down, have some alone time, and rest.

And then there’s the holiday mess to clean up. No, I’m not talking about the boxes that need to be broken down or the trees that should be recycled, or the gifts that need to be exchanged. I’m speaking of the emotional trail of destruction that can no longer be ignored and must be addressed. This is the relative who crash the holiday party intoxicated, knocked over the Christmas tree shattering all of the ornaments, and puked in the Christmas stocking. I’m referring to those trains of mayhem that put a damper on the holidays and left a sour taste in everyone’s mouth. People who have these issues likely didn’t develop them at the beginning of the holidays. They’d been around for a while and others simply ignored the symptoms or didn’t press their opinion. But with the behaviors highlighted or worsening, loved ones feel the need for an intervention. Even those who feel they need professional treatment and rehabilitation avoid seeking it during the holiday season. Who wants to be in the hospital on Christmas? But once the holidays are a wrap and there has been a huge incident of some sort, there’s a push for the person to get help.

So much comes with the holidays, and it can be a lot. Thus, after all is done and there’s the return to everyday life, some may find falling back into an everyday routine difficult. But if one considers why this is, it isn’t all that surprising. For months, the holidays are crammed down people’s throats by the media. It’s everywhere—television, radio, social media, billboards, town squares, and even grocery stores. Literally, it is everywhere. And the commercialism of it seems to begin earlier and earlier each year. Forget Doorbusters. Pretty soon, Black Friday will happen on the Fourth of July. The shift back to a life more mundane may be an issue of not remembering what to do. Sounds odd? Why would someone forget what they do every day? Well, ask yourself. Have you ever returned to work after a vacation and realized that you can’t recall your passwords or incorrectly perform a task that you’ve done repeatedly for years? It’s not that the memory is gone forever. It’s that the busy holiday part of your brain has temporarily shoved the ordinary into some crevasse, and retrieval takes a moment.

No matter which scenario fits, it’s time to return to the bump and grind of the everyday. Some people are capable of jumping right into it with no issues. Others may need to ease into it. So, here are some ways to wind down from the holidays.

Document. Make a memory of the holidays. This may be in the form of pictures or journaling or cute messages. When the holiday deco comes down, put the memories in their place.Self-care. Once the holidays are over, many feel the need (or all told to by supervisors) that they need to jump back into things running. This is fine; however, one should not neglect himself/herself. One year, I went to Disney World in July for a cheerleading competition/ vacation. The competition had many scheduled events, which meant not all of my time was my own. I couldn’t just lounge around all day or wander about the parks at my leisure. There were numerous required activities, although, there was also downtown. For anyone who doesn’t know, July can be extremely hot in Florida, and that heat can drain a person quickly. When I returned to work, I was tired from my vacation. And what was I met with? “You shouldn’t be tired. You’ve been off a week.” Not being in a place and resting are two different things. I was bumbling around at work and making a mess but attempting to give it my all. The problem was that I didn’t have my all to give. I had to rest myself up before I could be truly useful to anyone else.Perspective. Don’t become overly ambitious. This is where the dreaded New Year resolutions usually take center stage. Here’s the tripwire about resolutions. It’s fantastic to have goals and even better if one obtains them. But often with resolutions, a person starts strong but fizzles out after a couple of months. If they experience one failure, it is a setback that they do not overcome. This is because a person may be attempting to do too much too fast. Now, this is not to say that one shouldn’t set high or ambitious goals for himself/herself. On the contrary, it means having a reasonable plan to achieve them. If losing weight is a goal, it is likely that the person will not lose all the desired weight in a week or a month. Cutting calories may be part of his/her plan, but if he/she cuts calories to the point that they feel hungry for most of the day every day, this plan has a good chance of failure. Big goals require many little steps to reach them. Don’t leap. Take the baby stairs. It may take a bit longer, but you’ll get where you’re wanting to go.Healthy foods. Sometimes, a funk or fluctuating mood can be caused by a poor diet.Exercise. Build those endorphins. Physically when a person does not feel his/her best, his/her mental state may also suffer. Exercising is a good way to stay healthy and also produces those feel-good chemicals in the brain. And one doesn’t need a strenuous cardiovascular workout to feel better. Just moving around to get the blood circulating is a good start. However, if one does choose to begin an intense exercise routine, it is best to check with a medical professional first.Vitamins. Sometimes mood dips during this time of year due to a vitamin deficiency. One vitamin that research has linked to depression is Vitamin D. As I wrote a previous post about this (How to Deal with Seasonal Depression), I won’t go into detail again here. However, Vitamin D isn’t the only vitamin that is linked with mood. Therefore, having a physical and eating a balanced diet is important. As can be the case, many times during the holidays, balance diets go out the window. It could be that the holiday body lacks sufficient vitamin levels which may cause getting back to normal more difficult. A vitamin supplement may be the simple solution.New interest. This one doesn’t take much explanation. Transfer the energy that was spent focused on the holidays to a new interest, hobby, or project.Professional help. If the sadness one feels is severe or persists, it may beneficial to seek the help of a professional who can help explore what is going on and develop a plan of how to address it.

For more ideas on how to wind down after the holidays, check out the post After Christmas Wrap. And that wraps up all I have to say. What did you think? What is your take on the subject? Do you agree or disagree? Did you find this information helpful or informative? Did you learn anything new, or did it change your opinion? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section. Also, let me know if you would like me to cover more of these types of topics or dive deeper into this one. If you like this post, please click the like button and share it. Your feedback allows me to know the content that you want to read. If you’re not following me on Creole Bayou blog, what are you waiting for? There’s always room at the bayou.

Get ready. It’s almost time to hit the ice again. Future Goals Coming soon.

When a college hockey player needs the help of an attractive older attorney, he gets more than he bargained for when trying to sort out the troubles in his career. Falling in love was never part of either man’s plan, especially as Corrigan’s and Sacha’s lives should never have collided. Now they’re left questioning if they’re standing in the way of the other’s future goals, or if there’s room for redirection.

Preorder your copy at:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3RjPYb9

Other booksellers: https://bit.ly/3CI8d5W

Missed the first four books in my hockey romance series? No frets.

Out of the Penalty Box (book #1), where it is one minute in the box or a lifetime out, is available at http://amzn.to/2Bhnngw. It also can be ordered on iTunes, Nook, or Kobo. For more links on where to purchase or to read the blurb, please visit http://bit.ly/2i9SqpH.

Defending the Net (book #2) can be ordered at https://amzn.to/2N7fj8q or www.books2read.com/defending. Crossing the line could cost the game.

Ice Gladiators (book #3) is the third book in my Locker Room Love series. When the gloves come off, the games begin. Available at https://amzn.to/2TGFsyD or www.books2read.com/icegladiators.

Penalty Kill (Book #4) takes the ice again. Get a copy at https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p or https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p and let the pucker begin.

For more of my stories, shenanigans, giveaways, and more, check out my blog, Creole Bayou, www.genevivechambleeconnect.wordpress.com. New posts are made on Wednesdays, and everything is raw and unscathed. Climb on in a pirogue and join me on the bayou.

If you have any questions or suggestions about this post or any others, feel free to comment below or tweet me at @dolynesaidso. You also can follow me on Instagram at genevivechambleeauthor or search for me on Goodreads or Amazon Authors or BookBub or TikTok.

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Until next time, happy reading and much romance. Laissez le bon temps rouler.

Author Bio

Genevive Chamblee resides in the bayou country where sweet tea and SEC football reign supreme. She is known for being witty (or so she thinks), getting mushy watching pet adoption commercials, and preparing home-cooked Creole meals that are as spicy as her writing. Genevive specializes in spinning steamy, romantic tales with humorous flair, diverse characters, and quirky views of love and human behavior. She also is not afraid to delve into darker romances as well. Genevive believes in variety, equality, and representation of all and is willing to tackle difficult subjects that may be shunned in many romance novels.