Amber Polo's Blog, page 16

How Writers Relax - Rahima Warren

Writing is fun! What I find stressful is all theways life can eat up my writing time. Grr! When I get uptight about not gettingto write, I try to breathe, and realize, yes, the grocery shopping does need toget done; and sometimes, I do need to sleep. To keep myself centered, Imeditate several times a week.  To stayrelaxed when I'm writing, I have my favorite writing music playing, and a cupof Assam tea by my side. I need a window to stare out while awaiting inspiration. I confess the tea often ends up cold as thewriting flow takes over.
[image error] That is about all I need.  In fact, writing my fantasy trilogy, The Star-Seer's Prophecy, was one of themost enjoyable things I have ever done. This is because I surrendered to theflood of scary, dark, exciting and passionate creativity that brought thisstory through me. If I had fought it, by trying to plan, outline, or censoranything in the first draft, I would have gotten stuck, frustrated, lost, and verystressed out.
So thatis my first suggestion for relaxing the writer: When writing a first draft,just let it flood out, unhindered by thoughts of "should" or "That's not howit's done," or "I don't dare!" Just write. You don't have to know where it'sgoing. Just let the story evolve onto paper as it will. For me, that's muchmore fun—and usually quite surprising! There are second and third and howevermany drafts you need to shape it up later on. 

Second, don'twrite for anyone else, just for you and your main characters. Let them come tolife, breathe, and take you on their journey. It's their story, after all, notyours. I swore I would never show what I was writing to anyone – ever, for thethree years it took me to write the first draft. That freed me to write thestory in its most raw form, and discover what it was truly about. Then it wasrevise, revise, revise!

Anotherway of saying this is to be unattached to the outcome. I had to keep from thinkingabout whether anyone would like the book, or how it would be to be a publishedauthor, or how much money I might make. What's important is to be loyal to thestory, to the characters, and write because you love them and want to help themlive out their adventures.

Finally, I try to remember thatit is not a matter of life and death. Writing is just one of the things I amdoing in my life. I don't believe we writers must suffer for our art. Instead,we can relax, surrender and enjoy the creative flow!


Rahima WarrenI'm athird-generation native of California and reside there with my husband.  For 20 years, I was a licensedpsychotherapist, but retired in 2006 to focus on my expressive painting,creative writing, and spiritual studies. Dark Innocence is myfirst novel. I'm currently editing Book Two, Difficult Blessings.The third book, Dangerous Bliss, awaits revision. 





Visit Rahima Warren at www.rahimawarren.com & www.starseersprophecy.com  


DarkInnocence (Book One of The Star-Seer's Prophecy )Published by the  Rose Press
is now available from Amazon  & B&N          

Susan Blexrud Relaxes with Quilts and Vampires!

Welcome Susan Blexrud, quilter and author of vampire stories!
Amber: What stresses you about your writing? Susan: Writing is hard work, no doubt aboutit.  To do it well requires focus, andI'm most stressed when the words don't come. My shoulders tense, and my neck aches. That's when I know it's time to take a break.
Amber: What keeps you a relaxed creative writer?Or brings you back when stress takes over? Susan: I exercise…a lot, but because my sewingmachine is just three steps from my computer, sometimes the best relaxation isto leave the screen and turn my attention to whatever quilting project I haveunderway.
Amber: How does quilting relax you? Would youcall it meditative? Susan: Because I'm the type of person who has tobe busy ALL THE TIME, quilting relaxes me by providing a sense ofaccomplishment.  As a writer, there aredays when the words simply won't coalesce, and on those days, I turn to mysewing machine.
Amber: Do you enter shows or give quilts tofriends and family? Susan: I don't enter shows, but I do make quiltsfor friends and family.  A large quiltcan take me six months to make, but projects like quilted table runners orpillows make great gifts and are much less time-consuming.
Amber: Do they ever reflect your writing?Susan: I'm intending to fashion a Civil Warquilt once I get my current WIP finished. Speaking of which, here's an...
excerpt from The Gettysburg Vampire Malcolm leaned back in his chair.  He was aware of his heartbeat, which wasodd.  It typically beat so slowly thatany doctor would have declared him dead. Of course, he was dead.  Feelingthe thrum of his heart was disquieting, yet exciting.  He stared at the door Abby had just closedand listened to her footsteps fade down the hall.  Humans wouldn't have heard the soft pad ofher boots on carpet, but he had no problem detecting each step.  The fact that she was stomping helped.  He pinched the bridge of his nose.  Had he remembered her?  How could he forget?She'd always sat in the front row ofhis class, glued to him with those soulful hazel eyes.  Other coeds regarded him lustfully, but shehung on his words.  She seemed genuinely interestedin what he was trying to convey, not simply entranced by his veneer.  He knew she was special, which is why he'davoided her.  The last thing he neededwas human entanglement.  Once she leftthe college after her graduation, he thought he was safe from the lure of her.  He'd repressed the image of her pert nose,peachy skin, and bouncy breasts.   Butdamn if she didn't come back to Gettysburg to teach, and inadvertently, tohaunt him.And now he had no choice; he had torescue her.  He'd been unable to saveSarah those many years ago, but he could keep Abby out of harm's way.  She'd probably go to that Goth club deckedout like a fangbanger with no idea of the danger she was in.  So, there'd be no compartmentalizing thistime.  He'd have to see her again.  And then what?  Act in her play?  He could feel his resolve melting like theNovember snow.  For the first time sinceSarah died, he seriously considered the prospect of companionship…andpassion.  Now his heart was beating inhis ears.*** Amber: What advice can you offer writers? 
Susan: If you're a writer, you can't NOT write. Ifind that when I've completed a writing project, I feel bereft until anotherstory starts brewing, and sometimes, taking a break through quilting can be theperfect medicine for getting those writing juices flowing.

Amber: Since fiction is filled with conflict,what do your characters do to release stress? 
Susan: Ha! Well, my vampire hero, John Wright, relaxes on an inversionmachine.  I suppose hanging upside downis comfortable for him since that's how bats sleep, and my vampires frequentlyresort to bat form when they need to escape or just want to cruise the nightskies.
Thanks for letting me share a bit about myquilting…and my writing, Amber.I love to hear from readers and writers…andquilters.  You can contact me through myblog… www.embracetheshadows.wordpress.comor via Facebook or Twitter.
My books are available at All Romance E-Booksand Fictionwise, as well as on Nook and Kindle.
Hugs,Susan



Susan Blexrud grew up in Orlando, Florida, and nowdivides her time between Orlando and Asheville, North Carolina, with herhusband of 25 years, John, who proposed to her on New Year's Eve 1985 on theVenice-Simplon Orient Express, halfway between Paris and Vienna.  Theirson Chris is a graduate student, and daughter Allison is a college sophomore.Susan has a Chihuahua named Baby (who figures prominently in her stories) and acockatiel named Romeo. She is an avid reader, walker, biker, and Yogaenthusiast. She enjoys sewing quilts and bird watching (loves hummingbirds),and most of all, writing her next story.

Susan Blexrud Relexes with Quilts and Vampires!

Welcome Susan Blexrud, quilter and author of vampire stories!
Amber: What stresses you about your writing? Susan: Writing is hard work, no doubt aboutit.  To do it well requires focus, andI'm most stressed when the words don't come. My shoulders tense, and my neck aches. That's when I know it's time to take a break.
Amber: What keeps you a relaxed creative writer?Or brings you back when stress takes over? Susan: I exercise…a lot, but because my sewingmachine is just three steps from my computer, sometimes the best relaxation isto leave the screen and turn my attention to whatever quilting project I haveunderway.
Amber: How does quilting relax you? Would youcall it meditative? Susan: Because I'm the type of person who has tobe busy ALL THE TIME, quilting relaxes me by providing a sense ofaccomplishment.  As a writer, there aredays when the words simply won't coalesce, and on those days, I turn to mysewing machine.
Amber: Do you enter shows or give quilts tofriends and family? Susan: I don't enter shows, but I do make quiltsfor friends and family.  A large quiltcan take me six months to make, but projects like quilted table runners orpillows make great gifts and are much less time-consuming.
Amber: Do they ever reflect your writing?Susan: I'm intending to fashion a Civil Warquilt once I get my current WIP finished. Speaking of which, here's an...
excerpt from The Gettysburg Vampire Malcolm leaned back in his chair.  He was aware of his heartbeat, which wasodd.  It typically beat so slowly thatany doctor would have declared him dead. Of course, he was dead.  Feelingthe thrum of his heart was disquieting, yet exciting.  He stared at the door Abby had just closedand listened to her footsteps fade down the hall.  Humans wouldn't have heard the soft pad ofher boots on carpet, but he had no problem detecting each step.  The fact that she was stomping helped.  He pinched the bridge of his nose.  Had he remembered her?  How could he forget?She'd always sat in the front row ofhis class, glued to him with those soulful hazel eyes.  Other coeds regarded him lustfully, but shehung on his words.  She seemed genuinely interestedin what he was trying to convey, not simply entranced by his veneer.  He knew she was special, which is why he'davoided her.  The last thing he neededwas human entanglement.  Once she leftthe college after her graduation, he thought he was safe from the lure of her.  He'd repressed the image of her pert nose,peachy skin, and bouncy breasts.   Butdamn if she didn't come back to Gettysburg to teach, and inadvertently, tohaunt him.And now he had no choice; he had torescue her.  He'd been unable to saveSarah those many years ago, but he could keep Abby out of harm's way.  She'd probably go to that Goth club deckedout like a fangbanger with no idea of the danger she was in.  So, there'd be no compartmentalizing thistime.  He'd have to see her again.  And then what?  Act in her play?  He could feel his resolve melting like theNovember snow.  For the first time sinceSarah died, he seriously considered the prospect of companionship…andpassion.  Now his heart was beating inhis ears.*** Amber: What advice can you offer writers? 
Susan: If you're a writer, you can't NOT write. Ifind that when I've completed a writing project, I feel bereft until anotherstory starts brewing, and sometimes, taking a break through quilting can be theperfect medicine for getting those writing juices flowing.

Amber: Since fiction is filled with conflict,what do your characters do to release stress? 
Susan: Ha! Well, my vampire hero, John Wright, relaxes on an inversionmachine.  I suppose hanging upside downis comfortable for him since that's how bats sleep, and my vampires frequentlyresort to bat form when they need to escape or just want to cruise the nightskies.
Thanks for letting me share a bit about myquilting…and my writing, Amber.I love to hear from readers and writers…andquilters.  You can contact me through myblog… www.embracetheshadows.wordpress.comor via Facebook or Twitter.
My books are available at All Romance E-Booksand Fictionwise, as well as on Nook and Kindle.
Hugs,Susan



Susan Blexrud grew up in Orlando, Florida, and nowdivides her time between Orlando and Asheville, North Carolina, with herhusband of 25 years, John, who proposed to her on New Year's Eve 1985 on theVenice-Simplon Orient Express, halfway between Paris and Vienna.  Theirson Chris is a graduate student, and daughter Allison is a college sophomore.Susan has a Chihuahua named Baby (who figures prominently in her stories) and acockatiel named Romeo. She is an avid reader, walker, biker, and Yogaenthusiast. She enjoys sewing quilts and bird watching (loves hummingbirds),and most of all, writing her next story.

How Writers Relax - Pamela Kinney and Sapphire Phelan

Welcome Pam & Sapphire,
Glad you (both) want to be my guest. Pamela K. Kinney writes horror, science fiction and fantasy, plus nonfiction ghost books. As Sapphire Phelan she stretches the boundaries with aliens, werewolves, vampires, and fairies.
  Amber: Talk about what stresses you about your writing. Pam: When the outside has a nice sunny day that is so tempting, and I just want to be outside so badly, that it makes it hard to focus on writing the storyline I am working on at the moment.

Amber: What keeps you a relaxed creative writer? Or brings you back when stress takes over? Pam: Exercise. Exercise has been proven that a physical workout helps the mind, and yes, it helps me in writing. Also a good night's sleep helps a lot. Since it has been proven that insomnia can cause lack of productivity, getting a good night's sleep is beneficial to a writer.


 ·     Amber: What works for you?    Pam: A good soak in a bathtub, working out, a walk in the woods, a book, a movie, and my cat. I'm professional actress and do paranormal investigating. I exercise and have done zumba (now that my Curves is closed for good. I won't be doing that. I make and wear costumes (mainly at sci-fi conventions).

·         Amber: What's the most important stress reliever for you?      Pam: Having a pet has been proven to distress humans. There's something about stroking your cat's fur or playing with them that just helps. Animals aren't worried about making money or getting the job done by a certain time. They just give you undivided affection.
  ·         Amber: What advice can you offer other writers?       Pam: To not let the story get to you if suddenly you want to write but can't. Go read a book or watch a movie on DVD or go exercise. I promise you will return to your manuscript ready to continue the story.
·         Amber: Since fiction is filled with conflict, what do your characters do to release stress?      Pam: Go for a walk, exercise, read, and since many of my characters work magic or are magical, use their magic to fight the bad guys. After all saving the world can be stressful on its own level and zapping bad guys can bring your blood pressure back down to normal. 

 
Pamela K. Kinney is a published author of horror, science fiction, fantasy, and poetry, along with nonfiction ghost books published by Schiffer Publishing. Her first two ghost books were nominated for the Library of Virginia Award. Her third one, Virginia's Haunted Historic Triangle, was released July 2011.
Under the pseudonym, Sapphire Phelan, she writes erotic and sweet paranormal/fantasy/science fiction romance. One of these, Being Familiar With a Witch, is a Prism Awards 2010 winner and a EPIC awards finalist 2010—and it's an eBook, too! The sequel was released June 2011.

She admits she can always be found at her desk and on her computer, writing. And yes, the house, husband, and even the cats sometimes suffer for it!
 Virginia's Haunted Historic Triangle: Williamsburg,Yorktown, Jamestown, and Other Haunted Locations


Find Sapphire PhelanHer WebsiteHer Blog


Pamela K. Kinney
http://FantasticDreams.50megs.com/
http://PamelaKKinney.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/people/Pamela-K-Kinney/100000470673866
A Familiar Tangle With Hell can be found at Phaze Books:

How Writers Relax - Pamela K. Kinney & Sapphire Phelan

Welcome Pam & Sapphire,
Glad you (both) want to be my guest. Pamela K. Kinney writes horror, science fiction and fantasy, plus nonfiction ghost books. As Sapphire Phelan she stretches the boundaries with aliens, werewolves, vampires, and fairies.
  Amber: Talk about what stresses you about your writing. Pam: When the outside has a nice sunny day that is so tempting, and I just want to be outside so badly, that it makes it hard to focus on writing the storyline I am working on at the moment.

Amber: What keeps you a relaxed creative writer? Or brings you back when stress takes over? Pam: Exercise. Exercise has been proven that a physical workout helps the mind, and yes, it helps me in writing. Also a good night's sleep helps a lot. Since it has been proven that insomnia can cause lack of productivity, getting a good night's sleep is beneficial to a writer.


 ·     Amber: What works for you?    Pam: A good soak in a bathtub, working out, a walk in the woods, a book, a movie, and my cat. I'm professional actress and do paranormal investigating. I exercise and have done zumba (now that my Curves is closed for good. I won't be doing that. I make and wear costumes (mainly at sci-fi conventions).

·         Amber: What's the most important stress reliever for you?      Pam: Having a pet has been proven to distress humans. There's something about stroking your cat's fur or playing with them that just helps. Animals aren't worried about making money or getting the job done by a certain time. They just give you undivided affection.
  ·         Amber: What advice can you offer other writers?       Pam: To not let the story get to you if suddenly you want to write but can't. Go read a book or watch a movie on DVD or go exercise. I promise you will return to your manuscript ready to continue the story.
·         Amber: Since fiction is filled with conflict, what do your characters do to release stress?      Pam: Go for a walk, exercise, read, and since many of my characters work magic or are magical, use their magic to fight the bad guys. After all saving the world can be stressful on its own level and zapping bad guys can bring your blood pressure back down to normal. 


Excerpt from Winter's Requiem:The small, cramped room was a welcome sight, filling her with relief to be away from the crowded hall packed with lusty men and the detestable Briton king. A flickering lamp spread warm light across the dull room, revealing a wooden tub dominating the room filled with sleeping pallets and dusty kists against the wall.
She touched the side of the wooden tub with longing, not caring about the crude, splintery wood.
"I can fill the bath for you if you wish." The monk waited for her reply.
The thought of a bath brightened her mood. "Yes, I would be most grateful."
He left the room in a flourish of white robes.
Mordag examined the wooden tub, frowning. "Ye will be fortunate not to get splinters in yer arse from that tub."
"I will take the chance." Domelch accepted the bowl of porridge Mordag offered and sat on one of the kists. The steaming porridge warmed her belly.
Mordag ate with vigor and sat back, holding her empty bowl. She watched Domelch with a thoughtful gaze. "Riderch is a fool. I hope ye did not take his harsh words to heart."
"He may be a fool, but he said what I have thought all along," she said between mouthfuls of food. "Aedan did take a new wife before my bones could be picked clean by maggots."
"He is a king," Mordag said, putting down her empty bowl and picking up the flagon. "He had nae choice."
"I know. Dagan is to blame, but Aedan could have objected." She sat down her empty bowl with a loud thud.
They sat in silence, passing the flagon of mead back and forth while the monk filled the bath.
When he left, Domelch tore off her clothes and climbed into the bath. The soothing warmth of the water left her in a state of contentment. She removed her leather headband, reminded once again that she was no longer queen. A moonstone adorned the center of the leather headband, but it lacked the noble splendor of her former silver crown. She sat it carefully on the rim of the tub and dipped her head, rubbing her hair clean. The sense of cleanliness filled her with joy, her skin tingling and glistening.
Mordag stretched out on one of the pallets.
Domelch climbed out of the bath and wrapped herself in her cloak. Searching inside her leather pack, she found her comb and sat on a wooden chest near the burning lamp. She wanted to forget Riderch's words, but the more she thought about it, the more she blamed Dagan, and the more she hated him and the other monks of Dunadd. It left her wondering. "Mordag, are you still awake?"
"Aye," she answered in a sleepy voice.
"I need to ask you something that has been nagging at me."
"What would that be?"
"Well, there is something I do not understand," she said, pulling the comb through her wet hair. "You are fiercely loyal to Aedan, yet you are also part of the Order whose main purpose is to keep the old ways alive."
"Aedan is a Christian king," Mordag said, stifling a yawn, "but he allows the old ways to flourish."
"Those hateful monks would have it different." A terrible thought slipped into her mind. "What if Aedan changes?"
"I pray he does not." Mordag's sleep-filled voice drifted off at the end and her breathing deepened to the rhythm of sleep.
She stopped combing her hair, lowering her hand to her lap. A dread feeling spread through her body and settled into the pit of her stomach. The porridge she just ate threatened to come back up. The sick feeling soon passed, but the dread feeling remained, keeping her awake. She tried to get some sleep, curling up into a ball on the other pallet, but her troubled thoughts won over her tired muscles. Raucous laughter rumbled from the adjoining hall, lasting into the night, a steady rumble that soon lulled her into sleep.Kelley Heckart, Celtic romance author
'Timeless tales of romance, conflict & magic'   
Pamela K. Kinney is a published author of horror, science fiction, fantasy, and poetry, along with nonfiction ghost books published by Schiffer Publishing. Her first two ghost books were nominated for the Library of Virginia Award. Her third one, Virginia's Haunted Historic Triangle, was released July 2011.
Under the pseudonym, Sapphire Phelan, she writes erotic and sweet paranormal/fantasy/science fiction romance. One of these, Being Familiar With a Witch, is a Prism Awards 2010 winner and a EPIC awards finalist 2010—and it's an eBook, too! The sequel was released June 2011.

She admits she can always be found at her desk and on her computer, writing. And yes, the house, husband, and even the cats sometimes suffer for it!
 Virginia's Haunted Historic Triangle: Williamsburg,Yorktown, Jamestown, and Other Haunted Locations

Find Pamela K. Kinney Her Website And her Blog
Find Sapphire PhelanHer WebsiteHer Blog

A Familiar Tangle With Hell can be found at Phaze Books: 

How Writers Relax - Baking with Sandra Sookoo

Welcome Sandra Sookoo, thanks for visiting and bringing your recipe for Landon's Coconut Snowballs!

Now, if you could send some virtual treats as email attachments or pdfs all would be perfect.

Sandra: Thanks for having me on your blog!  For those out there who don't know me, my name is Sandra Sookoo, and I write romantic fiction with YOU in mind!  For more information on what I write, please visit my website where compelling stories, engaging adventures and emotional moments all end with a kiss and a step into a new life...
Amber: Some writers find kitchen time stressful, yet you say "Cooking frees my mind and gets the creative juices flowing. There's nothing more rewarding than pulling a dish out of the oven in all its golden, brown, and delicious glory. When I suffer from writer's block, the kitchen's the first place I head. Of course, this means I often have a surplus of baked goods ..."    Amber: What stresses you about your writing?Sandra:  Well, it's stressful when the people around me don't respect my writing time and interrupt me.  Or, sometimes being on the promo trail stresses me.  In fact, if I'm caught up in a busy editing cycle plus promoting a current book, I've been known to have TMJ pain.    Amber: What else keeps you a relaxed creative writer? Or brings you back when stress takes over?   Sandra:  Besides loving to cook and bake, if I'm really stressed, my husband will bring me home chocolate or a caffeine-laden soda.
Amber: What advice can you offer other writers? Sandra:  First of all, never give up.  If writing is your dream, your passion, pursue it with all your energy and never let people tell you that you can't.  Because you can, I promise.  Second, believe in yourself.  You are the only one who can stop your forward momentum.
Amber: Since fiction is filled with conflict, what do your characters do to release stress? Sandra:  That largely depends on what I'm writing.  Since my work spans several genres and all heat ranges, it could be just about anything.  In some of my pieces, my characters cook, so I suppose it's not all that surprising.
Amber: How do I get some of the surplus? Sandra:  LOL Ah, if only I could have enough time to open up an online bakery…
Amber: Sandra, please share an excerpt and a recipe!
 
Exiles from Christmas(Book One in Holiday Magic series)
Santa's nephews have come to Crystal Falls to run a cookie business. If they fail, they'll have to go back to the North Pole and fill their uncle's black boots when he retires. But sick of toys, elves, and the North Pole's influence, that's the last thing Landon and Aaron want. They're looking for love.
Jayne isn't much for sentimental family holidays and she certainly doesn't believe in magic. Working in the Crystal Falls post office, she is mystified when she handles mail bearing a North Pole postal mark.
When Landon and Jayne meet, their attraction for each other is undeniable, but will the truth about Landon's life make Jayne a believer, or will it be his love that finally melts her heart?
Excerpt:
Landon was glad when Peg finally walked away. "Tell me why you hate Christmas." Pleasure snaked through his gut when Jayne's cheeks infused with a rosy stain. He had the insane desire to see her smile. He wondered if the back of her wrist was ticklish. "Or is it just the commercialism of the holiday that turns you into Scrooge?"
Her lips twitched but she didn't follow through with a full grin. "Why don't you tell me why I should like this holiday?" She dipped a triangle of her golden sandwich into her orange-red soup then took a delicate bite.
"Everyone likes Christmas." He floundered for words. "It's... It's...magical." He broke open the flaky crust of his chicken pot pie to let the steam escape.
"What's so magical about the whole population of the world succumbing to avarice and greed?" She pointed her spoon at him. "And don't get me started about that jolly old fat man in the red suit."
"How do you know Santa is old or fat? Have you seen him?" Her abhorrence to Christmas fascinated him, but the information he was about to tell her would make or break the new friendship.
"Have you?"
It was now or never. For some reason, he trusted her. "Actually, yes. In fact, I know him pretty well." He kept his gaze glued to her face, alert for any outward signs of derision or ridicule. Prior relationships usually broke down at this point. Some had even ended with drinks to his face or upended dinners in his lap. When Jayne did nothing more dramatic than blink, he released his held breath. Maybe it'd be different this time.
"How can you possibly know him? He's a make-believe character from story books." She narrowed her eyes. "Unless he's an invisible friend of yours."
Very witty, Jayne. Funny and sexy. A great combination. He fought a smile. "He's definitely not invisible." No longer hungry, Landon pushed his mostly untouched plate away. "You never believed in Santa when you were a kid?" He watched as hope briefly flitted across her face but that moment of vulnerability vanished as quickly as it had come.
"No."
"Why?" He wasn't about to give up. He felt a tiny seed of belief buried beneath her protests and he wanted to draw it out. He needed to draw it out, if only to justify his own determination to remove himself from his own issues.
Jayne busied herself by crumbling little bits of her sandwich into her soup bowl. "Santa has always been a disappointment to me." She captured her bottom lip between her teeth. "When I was eleven, I desperately wanted a microscope. I loved science and thought it would be fun to look inside living things."
"And you didn't get it, I assume?" He wrenched his gaze from her invitingly wet lips to focus on her face.
"Of course not." Bitterness crept into the confirmation. "Not only that, a few months after that, I found all the letters I'd written to Santa in my mom's underwear drawer. She never mailed them. I understood why later—there was nowhere to mail them to. Santa's a fake." She shrugged. "I found all but one letter. She must have lost it."
"I'm sorry you had a bad childhood. What about now? You're older and wiser. Do you believe in Santa now?"
"Are you kidding me?" She gaped at him as if he were a car wreck. "Why should I believe now? What's the point?"
"Because." Landon cleared his throat. "Santa Claus is my uncle."
 ***
Buy Links for "Exiles from Christmas" Lyrical Press  Amazon All Romance   Fictionwise    Recipe -
Landon's Coconut Snowballs from "Exiles from Christmas"
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut1/3 cup sugar2 tablespoons all-purpose flour1/8 teaspoon salt2 egg whites1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a small bowl, combine the coconut, sugar, flour and salt. Stir in egg whites and vanilla; mix well.
Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 325 degrees F for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
Baker's note:  you can add lemon or orange zest, mini chocolate chips or nuts for variety.  All additions will be yummy.  Sandra is a writer of romantic fiction. Her portfolio includes historical, contemporary, sci-fi and paranormal romances in full-length books as well as shorts and novellas. No matter if the heat level is hot spicy or sweet, she loves to blend genres and often times will add humor as well.
When not immersed in creating new worlds and interesting characters, Sandra likes to read, bake and travel. Her favorite place to spend vacation hours is Walt Disney World. It's where dreams come true and the soul can play. If she's not writing, she's keeping things interesting at the her  Believing is Seeing blog or spending time with her husband, who patiently answers questions she has about men and/or sci-fi-related subjects.You can write to Sandra at sandrasookoo@yahoo.comand find her at her Website:  http://www.sandrasookoo.com Believing is Seeing blog:  http://sandrasookoo.wordpress.com/Twi...  http://twitter.com/sandrasookooFacebook:  http://www.facebook.com/sandra.sookoo
ContestSandra is offering a packet of book swag 
plus a holiday-scented hand sanitizer (from Bath and Body Works) 
to a random commenter. 
Winner will be chosen Midnight Dec. 5th EST
Include your email so she can contact the lucky winner.

My Favorite Relaxing App!

Question: Why dothey call great apps "killer" apps?
Electronicsdistract and overwhelm our lives. Yet among the curses, we embrace the benefits.What writer would go back to re-typing an entire manuscript for one error? Usecarbon paper for copies? Or give up "Track Changes" and return to mailingprinted galleys?
We weigh the tradeoffsand choose those that make our lives easier and better. Apps (applicationsoftware) for iPhone, iPod Touch, iPads, and other devices and tablets offer uber-distractionsand some sweet surprises. Apps constantly appear and change. The iTunes Storesupports more than 500,000 apps (both free and paid). Some apps are bettersuited for the larger iPad or tablet screens. On the iTunes Store site, look in"Health Care and Fitness" and "Lifestyle" for most applicable app applications.
Customer reviews onthe iTunes Store are not always useful. Many review sites seem to chargedevelopers for inclusion, so find a reliable apps review site like 148apps.combefore wasting time on even a free or a $.99 app.
Other app reviewsites: iPadGirlAppCraver   Insight Timer – Meditation Timer
I love this app!The bell quality is excellent. The options to set several variation of timesand bells is amazing. I can set the time I want to meditate, the number ofbeginning and ending bells, and choose interval bells - random bells to call mymind back from random thinking. Seeing who in the world is meditating now isnice support if you need reminders that you are not alone. There's also alog or journal and statistics available for record-keeping meditators. I'dprefer the "random" bells to be more random.
The developer alsohas a "Mindfulness Bell" which will ring in the background of whatever you'redoing. And a "Progressive Alarm Clock" to wake you gently.Spotlight Six Software Insight Timer - Mediation Timer  -Version 8.2.1, November 2, 2011 $1.99Insight Timer for iPad - Mediation Timer - Version 6.2.1, November 2, 2011 $2.99

Except from: Relaxing the Writer: Guidebook to the Writer's High

See more app reviews for relaxing writers on my website.
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Season's Top Stress Solving Secret

This is the tip that will get you through those stressful holiday moments. 

Take a walk, drive to a quiet park, or lock yourself in the bathroom and spend 5 minutes doing Alternate Nostril Breathing. It's magic!


AlternateNostril Breathing - The mostcalming of all breathing techniques balances the right and left sides of yourbrain. Do not practice if you have a cold or if your nasal passages are blockedin any way.
1. Sit comfortablyand raise your right hand to your nose2. Close the right nostril with your thumb3. Breathe out the left completely4. Breathe all theway in through the open left5. Close the left with your ring finger6. Breathe out the right completely7. Breathe all theway in through the right8. Repeat slowlyfor 3 minutes. Never force. Return to normal breathing. Repeat as needed.
Scientists confirmthat electrical brain activity is greater on the side opposite the lesscongested nostril. The right side of the brain controls creative activity,while the left controls logical verbal activity. Learn Alternate NostrilBreathing and use it as a quick fix in stressful situations.
*** Learning to controlyour breathing is the fastest and easiest way to become relaxed. Your breath isalways with you. You don't need to buy expensive shoes or a club membership topractice. Although practicing breathwork for a few minutes is easy, breathingin new ways all the time takes work.

Faced with danger(or perceived danger) our breath becomes shallow or we stop breathing. Jerky,shallow, fast, constricted or tight breathing reflects a constant stressedstate. Breathing both soothes tension and aids mental alertness. Breathingrecharges our bodies, like plugging in a laptop or cell phone recharges theirinternal batteries. Notice your breathing during different activities. Countbreaths instead of sheep to fall asleep. Take a few deep breaths while yourcomputer boots.
*** Here's another breathing exercise:


Book Breathing - Lie on the floor. Place a book on yourbelly. Breathe in and out through the nose. Try to make the book rise on theinhale and lower on the exhale. This usually teaches you to engage yourdiaphragm.





 Excerpts From Relaxing the Writer: Guidebook to the Writer's High 

(Yes it is my license plate.)

"Smile, breathe, and goslowly." Thich Nhat Hanh

How Writers Relax - Kelley Heckart

Welcome Kelley Heckart, author of 'Timeless tales of romance, conflict and magic'
Amber: What stresses you about your writing?Kelley: I get stressed out trying to get all the ideas from my headand onto paper—in an organized manner. To keep from driving myself crazy, Ihave to take the process one step at a time by starting with the most basicparts of my ideas/plots and building from there. I'm an impatient person and Ihave to remind myself to take a deep breath and go slow.
Amber: What's your favorite way to relax?Kelley: Music is the number one de-stressor for me. When I listen tomusic, it's like switching on a magic 'relax' button. Music makes me thinkclearly and my creativity flow improves. It doesn't have to be soothing musiceither. My favorite type of music to write to is Icelandic or Symphonic Metal. Amber: What other ways do you relax? Kelley: I play bass guitar, write, poetry and lyrics, hike, watch sunsets/sunrises and ride horseback. Amber: What advice can you offer other writers?Kelley: My advice to other writers is to find that magic that helpsthem de-stress.
Amber: Since fiction is filled with conflict, what do yourcharacters do to release stress. Kelley: My female characters like to take a warm, relaxing bath torelieve stress.
Kelleywrites Celtic historical romances with fantasy/paranormal elements. Her storiesreflect her passion for history, storytelling and the supernatural. Inspired bythe ancient Celts, her tales are filled with fierce warriors, bold women,magic, conflict and romance.
Find Kelley -  http://www.kelleyheckart.comhttp://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/Check out my long hair hotties!
 Find KelleyHeckart's books Amazon B&N
Mundania Press

11:11:11 What is meditation!

  No longer an exotic practice limited to mystics, a 2007 U.S. government study found that nearly 9.4% of U.S. adults (over 20 million) had practiced meditation within the past 12 months, up from 7.6% (more than 15 million people) in 2002.

Even a few minutes a day can result in a clearer mind, open to creative intuition that can focus and solve problems more effectively.
Meditation helps slow down your attention and reprogram the nervous system. It teaches concentration. Meditation practices focus the mind to lessen over-rumination.When the mind becomes quiet and focused, the "meditation" part of meditation isspontaneous.
The mind staysalert and aware, yet calm and unaffected. True meditation is not sleep, nothypnosis, not biofeedback, not guided visualization, and not tense and releaserelaxation.
Types of Meditation SimpleMeditation – The mostdifficult. Sit in a comfortable position and think of nothing. Not one thing.Notice your thoughts. Let them go. (Example: Zen Sitting Meditation)FocusedMeditation - The form mostcommon in the West to distract and relax the mind involves focusing on"something" without "thinking" about it.
• Breathing -Focuses on the breath or heartbeat• Visual orAuditory – Uses an image or sound• Mantra – Uses acalming word or phrase chosen for its vibrational effect. Om is a commonmantra. The Sanskrit Om (aum) becamean Egyptian word which was later adopted by the Hebrew OM~Main, which in English is Amen. Souse: Om, Amen, Shalom, Home, Peace,Calm, or a phrase like "Be Still and Know," ShantiOm, or the word "word." Examples: Transcendental Meditation orConcentration Meditation.• Yantra – Bringsfocus on an object, often a candle, mandala (as simple an image as a circlewith a dot in the middle), crystals, labyrinths or mazes (either visual orlarge enough to walk).
Mindfulness (Vipassana) – Teaches awareness of feelings, images,thoughts, sounds, and smells without becoming involved in thinking about themor examining emotions. Learn to stay in the present moment.Loving Kindness(Metta) – Creates a feeling of empathy, kindness,compassion, and the desire that all sentient beings be well.MeditativeSpiritual Prayer – All formsof prayer: asking, being thankful, performing a spiritual practice, or concentratingon religious writing, can become meditative.Active or DoingMeditation – Getting into ameditative state can also happen during any ordinary activity: gardening, doingyoga, knitting, creating art, drawing mandalas, Zentangles, or playing computersolitaire.Tactile examplesinclude rosaries and mala beads. Or use your thumb and forefinger to "walk"through old-fashioned worry beads, a string of 20-30 chickpea-sized beads. Komboloi (Greek worry beads) make asound as they come together for an added meditative touch.
Common Problems • Discomfort -Experiment until you find a comfortable position. Use pillows or blankets orsit in a chair.• Sleepiness –Begin with a shorter meditation time. Look up, even though your eyes areclosed. Or try another type of meditation offering more to focus on.• Impatience –Begin your meditation practice with no expectations, other than relaxation.• More Discomfort –If you spend a lot of time sitting, more sitting may be uncomfortable. Movingand stretching before sitting to meditate is important, as is adding an activeactivity to your day. Especially if you choose to sit on the floor, practicinggentle hip stretches as a warm-up will help make sitting more comfortable. Manyconsider one of the primary purposes of yoga to make sitting in meditationeasier. (See Rolling & PassiveStretches on page 24.)
Distractions andunwanted thoughts – Whenyou're lost in a good book, you aren't bothered by outside distractions.Meditation is like that. Observe your thoughts as if they belonged to someoneelse. Acknowledge them and let them go. If the thoughts are disturbing, sad, ormake you angry, imagine they come from a story in a book you've once read.Don't worry about falling asleep. And don't be so competitive you give eachmeditation session a score.Try music orincense, if they do not distract you. There is no right way. Meditation can bean informal 10 minutes of quiet, listening to music, or looking out the window.Experiment with high tech versions like meditation goggles if that appeals.Insight Timer, an iPhone app, serves as a pleasant timer for meditation.Many categories ofmeditation overlap. Find one that resonates and works for you. I attended aday-long meditation sampler workshop at Interface (a now defunct Bostonholistic conference center where Deepak Choprataught yoga before he wrote books). Four teachers offered different meditationforms and tips for developing an individual practice. If such an opportunityarises, take it. Regular practice increases the benefits . Show up without expectations. And don'tworry about distracting thoughts – their purpose is to help you practiceletting them go.In Norman Rosenthal'sTranscendence; Healing and Transformationthrough Transcendental Meditation, an introduction to the art and scienceof Transcendental Meditation, celebrities discuss their meditation. What if you get an idea during meditation? A breakthrough idea pops into your head. Youare no longer meditating. You're trying to hold onto the idea or running withit. Stop. Write it down. And continue, assured you won't lose the thought. Ormentally file it away to access later.
Except from: Relaxing the Writer: Guidebook to the Writer's High.