Sheila Roberts's Blog, page 6

book party fun!

Many authors are quiet, internal people, not fond of crowds, not looking for the spotlight. Many would rather have their fingernails pulled off than make a public appearance. Yours truly doesn't happen to fall into that category. I am a ham, come from a family of hams. And I love a good party.
Which is exactly what we had this last week at Liberty Bay Books in beautiful downtown Bremerton as we celebrated the release of the first book in a new series, WELCOME TO MOONLIGHT HARBOR. In addition to a hula contest (you can watch it on my Facebook like page) we also had an interview with Jolly Roger the parrot, one of the characters in the book. (And yes, that's up there, too.) Salt water taffy, games, a drawing for a gift basket - we were busy! It was so much fun and it all went way to fast.
I'm glad I still have a couple more events to look forward to. I'll be at the gigantic book fair Saturday May 19th at the Peppermill Resort in Reno and we'll be having a beach party at Little Book Bug in Lancaster, CA starting at 6 on May 24th. After that, the partying will be over until the next book comes out in fall. Sigh. Cinderella will take off her party clothes and get back to work. Good thing for me I live with Prince Charming.

HE IS RISEN

Easter, it's such a wonderful, colorful, hopeful holiday, a glorious pageant filled with celebration and song, family dinners and chocolate bunnies. And so much more. What other holiday gives us the hope of forgiveness, new beginnings and life after death? Not just a recycling here on Earth, where we have to keep coming back in different body and trying to get it right, but the happy ending of our own life where we're restored to the good relationship we were always meant to have with God and living in an eternity with no more tears and no more pain.
Yes, I know, some people don't believe in God. I don't happen to be one of them. I had a friend once who told me she couldn't believe in God unless I showed Him to her. Well, I couldn't, no more than I could show her the wind or electricity. I believe in wind and electricity because I've seen what they can do. And I believe in God because I've seen what He can do. He can make things right and heal hurting hearts. He cared enough for his rebellious creation to break off a piece of himself and put it in human flesh, then become the ultimate sacrifice that paid for that rebellion.
For me, Easter is Jesus, done suffering, risen from the dead, the son of God, the Lord and Savior. Thanks to Him, I have hope of seeing my loved ones again someday, of seeing our handicapped daughter who we lost two years ago finally healed and whole.
Mind you, I'm not in a hurry to die. That trip still feels like a scary one. But the good news is, I have an awesome destination.

Rainbows and Dreams

     St. Patty's day is almost here and many of us will be digging around in our closets for something green to wear.  This is the day we celebrate being Irish or pretend we're Irish. We eat corned beef and cabbage and soda bread and talk about leprechauns and their pots of gold at the end of the rainbow.
     Most of us have some sort of "pot of gold" we'd love to find -whether it's true love or career success, getting healthy or getting out of debt. I can't help you with the true love thing - I stumbled onto mine. But some of those other pots of gold, well, I do have suggestions for how to find them. I think if we're going to get to the end of the rainbow we have to take steps to get there. Here are little leprechaun Sheila's suggestions for how to find your pot of gold at the end of rainbow.
     First, figure out where you are. You can't map out a journey until you know where it's starting. What are your talents? What are your strengths? What is your dream? Walt Disney said, "If you can dream it you can do it." But you have to know what that dream is before you can get to the doing part. Simply saying, "I want to be successful," won't cut it.
     Second, you have to have a plan. What roadblocks do you need to remove before you can get on your way? What skills do you need to develop to get yourself there? Do you need more schooling? If you're in the arts - writing songs, dancing, acting - do you need to move someplace where you'll find more opportunity? And if you need to move, do you need to save up some money for that move? Whatever your plan, I suspect a budget will be involved. And with budgets come sacrifices. Are you prepared to sacrifice to meet your goals? Are you willing to discipline yourself? If you're wanting to get healthy and lose weight or get debt free, there will definitely be plenty of discipline involved.
     Third, find some travel partners, people who are also goal oriented and positive, people who will help you brainstorm ways to get to your pot of gold and who will help you stay on track. You will find more than enough people who have no desire to see you succeed. (These are usually people who haven't succeeded themselves and will feel threatened by your determination. They will also be jealous of your success down the road. You may as well say good-bye to them right now.) You really want travel partners if you're trying to get debt free or get healthy. It's too easy to slip when there's no accountability,
      Fourth, reassess as you go along. Sometimes you have to change direction. Sometimes you're looking for the wrong pot of gold. My own life is a good example of that. Before I became a published author I wanted desperately to be a published songwriter. I spent a fortune on trips to Nashville and song demos and songwriting conferences. I definitely had fun but that pot of gold eluded me. I actually fell into my writing career while trying to make the music happen. Needless to say, I finally realized I was looking for the wrong pot of gold. I still play around with writing songs, but I'm glad I didn't stubbornly stay on the wrong path because I've also very much enjoyed writing books. And that's been where I've found some success.
     So, there you have it. There are my tips. I hope they'll help and inspire you. And whatever your path, whatever your pot of gold, I hope you won't give up looking for it.

Happy still here day!

     Okay, I've got to say, it's getting harder to look in the mirror. Downright scary, in fact. Wrinkles. Ick! Gray hair, Ugh. Sagging .... everything. So not right when inside I'm still thirty and a babe! But, it's the inside that really counts, not the wear and tear on the wrapping, and I'm determined to remember that.
     I'm so thankful to still be here to enjoy my family and friends, to play tennis and go dancing with my husband. I'm so thankful I can still write and connect with readers. I'm so thankful to still have my sight and be able to read. To have my hearing (well, sort of) and be able to listen to music.
     Proverbs 16:31 says "Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life."
Well, if that's the case, I am spendid indeed!
     Seriously, this year my goal is to make a life that lives up to that proverb.  And to appreciate every moment. Life here on earth is a gift and we're all here for a purpose.     Some of us may not be having a good life. Yes, there is cruelty and poverty in the world. I hope this year I can do something in my small way to help alleviate some of that.
And how about you? Where are you in life right now? Still a babe? No aching muscles? Oh, enjoy that while it lasts! Looking in the mirror and shuddering? Never mind that. The true reflection of who you are comes from within. Maybe this will be your year to shine!

February fun

Oh, do I love February! It's a double fun month for me, with Valentine's Day, my daughter and granddaughter's birthdays, and mine. And let me tell you, we celebrate all that to the max. I love planning fun Valentine events and special treats, and love doing something special for my girls every year. And, sick puppy that I am, I always throw myself a "surprise" birthday party, making my friends come over and play games with me. I truly believe it's not the big things that make our lives rich, but the many little things we do with and for each other.
So, maybe you're wanting to have some Valentine fun this month. Throw a couples dinner party or get your girlfriends together for chick flicks and chocolate. Exchange Valentine cards and play games. If you're having trouble thinking of a game, feel free to try my FAVORITE PAIRS GAME. Can you figure them out?

                                                        FAVORITE PAIRS
                                          (Hint: They're not all people!)

S--- and P---er
N------- and J--------
A--- and E--
E-------- B----- and M- D----
G-- and T----
C---- and S----
C------ and M---
C-------- and H---------
M----- M---- and M----- M----
L--- and E----
P----- B----- and J----

Answers:
Salt and Pepper
Napoleon and Josephine
Adam and Eve
Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy
Gin and Tonic
Cream and Sugar
Cookies and Milk
Catherine and Heathcliff
Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse
Lucy and Ethel
Peanut Butter and Jelly

Whatever you do this month, I hope you have fun. I intend to!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Happy New Year! I love that greeting. It hopes the best for the others and ourselves. And while a new year doesn't always bring a pot of gold, instant fame, true love or ... whatever may be on our wish list, it does bring possibilities.
Which is why I love to set goals for the new year. This year I, of course, have writing goals, which I'm already on my way to making, but I also have others. Top of the list is to make sure I spend un-rushed time with God every day. No, "Here's your twenty minutes. Now I've got you checked off the list." What quality relationship operates that way?
So, how to make that happen? The same way as with any goal, I've decided. This is where we see the difference between those New Year's resolutions, which tend to die by the end of February, and goals, which we can work toward. You set your goal and then you map out the steps that will take you there. So, my plan to get there is simple: I have my studies set out for me and my starting time - first thing in the morning, every morning. Having a schedule will, I know, help me be consistent.
What's your goal for the new year? To save more money? (Have you written a budget for the new year and found where you're going to cut expenses to make that happen?) Maybe you're wanting to get organized? (Have you mapped out the steps you want to take to get you there?)
Gotta say, I need to get myself more together this year. I get in a hurry and don't take time to get organized.... then I waste a ton of time looking for what I lost. Hmm. I am going to have to go through millions of old folders on my computer desktop and do some updating. Ick! That sounds like work. In fact, I don't even want to do it cuz I know how much work it's going to be. So, I'll have to eat that particular elephant one bite at a time. Breaking those big to-do's down into small, bite size pieces is the way to go.  I think I'll dedicate one morning every week to organizing and filing. If I can do a couple of files a week, I'll get there eventually. Oh, somebody hold my feet to the fire on that one!
Now, how did we wander from the subject of you back to me? Oh, that's right. It's all about me. Hahahahah. Seriously, I wish you all the best in this new year. I hope you can meet some of your goals and that you're able to choose hope over discouragement, joy over sorrow and love over anger. I hope you're able to do some fun things and get in lots of laughter. I hope your days are filled with love and that if you're in the midst of a storm, you find that eye of the hurricane. In short, I wish you a happy new year.
And here's to a happy one for us all!

Ugly Tree, not me!

     My latest book, CHRISTMAS IN ICICLE FALLS, is about people looking for the best in each other. The story kicks off with Muriel Sterling the town's resident wise woman, ordering a tree on line that turns out to be anything but pretty. Muriel decides to give Ugly Tree a chance and try and turn it into a thing of beauty. Of course, having the Martha Steward gene, she succeeds. And soon the story of the transformed tree inspires Muriel and her friends to try and see the best in the people in their lives, those "ugly trees" who irritate them or whose potential they've overlooked. It's a scary and sometimes humorous (at least I hope it is!) journey through the town's forest of ugly trees, and I hope readers are going to enjoy the tale. I certainly enjoyed writing it.
     I learned a thing or two, also. As I wrote this book I realized that, like Muriel and her friends, I could take a lesson from the transformed ugly tree as well. At times there have been people in my life who have angered or hurt me, people who irritated me... ugly trees I've wished someone would just haul away. But those trees don't always get hauled away. So, what to do? With the ones in my life, I've decided to try and see their potential, to look for the good in them. This is much easier to do when I remember that I, myself, am not so perfect. I've had my share of ugly tree moments. What if people held those against me? Yikes!
     It's the season of peace on earth, goodwill toward men... and women... and ugly trees of all shapes and kinds. I'm hoping that this holiday season, I can see the beauty in others. I'm also hoping I can work on getting more beautiful, myself. On the inside, where it really counts.
     My wish for all of you is that you'll be able to enjoy the season, even if you have to walk through an entire forest of ugly trees. Merry Christmas!

Ugly trees

     My latest Christmas book, CHRISTMAS IN ICICLE FALLS, begins with Muriel Sterling seeing a lovely Christmas tree on line and buying it. But lo and behold, once it arrives she sees she's been had. The thing is downright mangy. What to do? Take it to the dump where it deserves to go or try to make it into something pretty? Muriel ops for turning the tree into a thing of beauty. Of course, if that was all there was to the story it would be half a page long. So Muriel and her friends decide to apply the ugly tree principle to the people in their lives, seeing the best in others. Isn't that sweet? Isn't that charming?
     Isn't that almost impossible sometimes?
     We all have "ugly trees" in our lives, people who irritate us, people we wish would leave, go live in the forest with the other ugly trees and leave us alone. Sometimes it can be hard to find the good in people.
     But for me, that's not always the biggest challenge. For me the challenge can be in not letting myself turn into an ugly tree. We all have those moments when we say and do things we regret. At least I do. And my big mouth is what gets me into trouble most of the time. Maybe that's why I like being a writer - my characters can say and do all kinds of crazy things and get away with it. Oh, to live in a book. Alas, I live in the real world, and I can only be thankful that so far, nobody's hauled me off to the dump.
     Maybe this Christmas though I can keep in mind the story of that ugly little tree that someone saw potential in. Maybe I can work on fixing myself up with a little more patience and a little more kindness. Maybe I can try and think before I speak. And if my brain switches off and I don't think before I speak, then I'm determined to speak right away and apologize. (I just practiced that this afternoon so I know it can be done.) Ugly trees are great in books. Not so much so in real life.
    

Ah, Deutschland!

     This has been a fun summer! We checked out Alaska with my family, and then, for Gerhardt's landmark birthday, we returned to Germany. Ah, the sights, the sounds, the food! (Schnitzel, bread, kuchen - roll me home!) We also checked out Strasbourg, a charming city in France that has gone back and forth between Germany and France for hundreds of years. Gerhardt had been wanting to see it for ages. So, there's something checked off the bucket list now.
     In addition to that city, we prowled around the part of Bavaria where mad King Ludwig nearly broke the country with his feverish castle building. (Of course, these castles have since become tourist attractions and they have paid for themselves about a million times over.) We also visited the spot where the poor king, who was tall and a good swimmer, mysteriously drowned, along with his doctor, in only a couple of feet of water. Many people think the man was murdered. A good way to get rid of a problem. We're hoping to write a novel together based on this so it was good to check out the geography of the area.
     My only disappointment was that the grotto at Linderhof was closed and will be for the next 5 years as it gets refurbished. Darn! I'm hoping to put up a mystery I wrote years ago with a scene set in it and I'd wanted to double check my facts. Oh, well, I'll have to work from memory of my visit years ago.
      While the sights were lovely and the food delicious and the shopping fun, for me, the best part of our visit was seeing old friends. The way to get to know a country is to get to know it's people. And with all the wonderful people we've met over the years, no wonder we love visiting Germany so much.

Hot Times at the Fire Station.

     While we were at the beach I spent a great deal of time working on my new Moonlight Harbor series, which will be set in a small beach town on the Washington coast. (Gee, I wonder where I got that idea.) I had a chance to visit our local fire department and take a tour. Lt. Corey Kuhl was a great tour guide and filled me in on the life of a fireman.
     We all love our firemen, of course, but I came away with new respect after hearing the many dangers they face. Including the risk of cancer from all those carcinogens that erupt right along with the flame. They soak right into the skin, so a fireman is risking death in more than one way when he rushes in to save your burning house. Thankfully, our little fire department has invested in a detox booth, which looks like a sauna, that will enable the firemen to get rid of those toxins they've picked up. After a fire they spend thirty minutes in the booth before showering, and their gear goes in a special washing machine for bio hazards and carcinogens. After that it's put into a special drying cabinet.
     The men take their job seriously, and are proud of their new fire station. They did the work on the cabinets and decorations themselves, and I loved the flag they'd hung, which was made from old fire hoses. Their workout room is still a work in progress (pardon the pun), and is a testament to how seriously these men take staying in shape. With all the heavy equipment they have to strap on their backs it's no wonder. The station's six bays are filled with an impressive array of vehicles - fire engines, a ladder truck, aid car, a rescue boat and a surf rescue jeep. And something that looks like a Hummer for Godzilla to drive called The Hulk. The thing is huge, and is taken out if there's a fire on the dunes.
     Our fire department, probably like many in isolated towns across the country, could use more help, but it's hard to get volunteers at the edge of the world, especially when, these days, volunteers need to take almost as much training as the professionals. Still, they appreciate volunteer help for events they put on for the community (yes firemen believe in being involved with the people they serve), so if you're looking for a place to volunteer you might consider contacting your local fire department.
     As for calling 911, I learned that, when small communities are sharing medics and hospitals are forty minutes away, it may take a while before help arrives. Understaffed fire departments do their best, but truly, if you want to make sure those emergency services are there when you need them, make sure you vote yes on propositions that benefit your local fire department. The one who will benefit the most is you! After talking to Lt. Kuhl I'll be voting for any proposition that favors our beach town's fire department, that's for sure.