Kate Collins's Blog, page 207
January 10, 2014
The SMART method of setting goals
By Mary Kennedy
Now that January 1st has come and gone, I bet quite a few of you have made some resolutions for 2014. It might be better to call them "goals," because "resolutions" has such a do-or-die sound to it. As a clinical psychologist, I help clients identify behaviors they'd like to change and I recommend the S.M.A.R.T. Just five easy steps, here they are..
S. SPECIFIC. Be sure your goals are specific. “I want to eat healthier meals” is not specific. “I will eat three servings of salad and five servings of fruit a week, and eliminate sugary drinks from my diet” is specific.
M. MEASURABLE. “I want to be thinner” is not measurable. Instead, replace it with, “I want to lose twenty pounds.” This is something you can measure, the scales don’t lie. Either you lose twenty pounds or you don’t.
A. ATTAINABLE. “I want to take the family to Hawaii for two weeks and stay at a five star hotel” may not be attainable if you’re on a tight budget. A more attainable goal might be a week-long stay in a Myrtle Beach condo.
R. REALISTIC. “I want a 6-figure salary in finance even though I’m terrible with numbers and I don’t even have a GED.” This is unrealistic. A more realistic goal might be to return to school, get a college degree and work in the banking industry.
T. TIME-BASED. The difference between a “dream” and a “goal"” is that a goal has a deadline. “I want to write a best-selling novel," is not time-based. “I will write 1,000 words a day until I complete a full-length novel in three months” is.
With the SMART method, all your goals can be realized!
Mary Kennedy
No smoke alarms? That's just crazy!
by Lorraine Bartlett / Lorna Barrett / L.L. Bartlett
A friend of mine has fallen on hard times. With nowhere else to go, she was forced to go live with a mutual friend with a heart as big as Texas. Friend A's house is about 100 years old. It has knob-and-tube wiring. (And did I mention Friend A is also a bit of a hoarder?)
Friend A's home also has NO SMOKE ALARMS. Each room has only one electrical plug. Each room has more than one strip plug to carry the load.
NO SMOKE ALARMS. NOT UPSTAIRS. NOT DOWN.
PILES OF PAPER AND STUFF. (Although apparently not bad enough to call in the TV show for help.)
I reiterate, NO SMOKE ALARMS!!!!!
I told my pal (let's call her Beverly), "I'll buy you a smoke alarm."
She said, "No! Friend A wouldn't like that."
"You can keep it in your room."
"But what if it went off???"
Did she NOT understand the concept of a smoke alarm? If it goes off, there's a good chance THERE'S A FIRE!!!!!
(Gosh, I'm beginning to feel like Tim Allen.)
Beverly said that another mutual friend (B) might be able to talk house-owner Friend A into allowing a smoke alarm to come into the home. (MIGHT ALLOW?)
I couldn't get hold of Friend B for three weeks, living in fear that Beverly and her new roommates would one night die a horrible death in a house filled with clutter and no way to know if it was on fire.
When I finally got hold of Friend B, she told me one of her neighbors had recently had a fire, and after seeing the devastation, she was sure she could convince Friend A to hang some smoke alarms.
(Did I also mention that homeowner Friend A and Beverly are disabled?)
So, I visited Home Depot and they now have smoke alarms and a CO alarm (goodness knows how old that furnace must be). The smoke alarms came with batteries guaranteed to work for ten years.
If you don't have a smoke alarm in your home, what are you waiting for? And if you do, please check those batteries!
Be safe!
A friend of mine has fallen on hard times. With nowhere else to go, she was forced to go live with a mutual friend with a heart as big as Texas. Friend A's house is about 100 years old. It has knob-and-tube wiring. (And did I mention Friend A is also a bit of a hoarder?)
Friend A's home also has NO SMOKE ALARMS. Each room has only one electrical plug. Each room has more than one strip plug to carry the load.
NO SMOKE ALARMS. NOT UPSTAIRS. NOT DOWN.
PILES OF PAPER AND STUFF. (Although apparently not bad enough to call in the TV show for help.)
I reiterate, NO SMOKE ALARMS!!!!!
I told my pal (let's call her Beverly), "I'll buy you a smoke alarm."
She said, "No! Friend A wouldn't like that."
"You can keep it in your room."
"But what if it went off???"
Did she NOT understand the concept of a smoke alarm? If it goes off, there's a good chance THERE'S A FIRE!!!!!
(Gosh, I'm beginning to feel like Tim Allen.)
Beverly said that another mutual friend (B) might be able to talk house-owner Friend A into allowing a smoke alarm to come into the home. (MIGHT ALLOW?)
I couldn't get hold of Friend B for three weeks, living in fear that Beverly and her new roommates would one night die a horrible death in a house filled with clutter and no way to know if it was on fire.
When I finally got hold of Friend B, she told me one of her neighbors had recently had a fire, and after seeing the devastation, she was sure she could convince Friend A to hang some smoke alarms.
(Did I also mention that homeowner Friend A and Beverly are disabled?)
So, I visited Home Depot and they now have smoke alarms and a CO alarm (goodness knows how old that furnace must be). The smoke alarms came with batteries guaranteed to work for ten years.
If you don't have a smoke alarm in your home, what are you waiting for? And if you do, please check those batteries!
Be safe!
January 8, 2014
Closet Confidential
By Mary Jane Maffini (aka Charlotte Adams)
Show me your closets and I'll show you your secrets.
- Charlotte Adams
As much as I love to complain about January weather, I have to admit that without January my closets, cupboards and dressers would be impenetrable and more dangerous than a barefoot trip through the Amazon jungle. What better use of your time when it’s minus a zillion with snow drifts than to tackle the accumulated junk of the past year? Me, I’ve got nothing better to do (except read and I’ll do that as a reward after I’m done). This is, after all, a picture of my back yard this week.While I’m admitting things to the world, this is probably a good time to let you know that I’m not naturally organized. Oh sure, I had five books with professional organizer Charlotte Adams, but I didn’t organize her: she organized me. I loved this character (so what if she was a tad on the bossy side?) because she had what I didn’t: a natural gift for sorting out the chaos that ‘stuff’ brings into our lives. A big part of my stuff consisted of books, magazine and guides on organizing. They helped a lot. And so did Charlotte. Many of you have written to ask if there will be more Charlotte Adams books, and that is my plan. Even though it may take a while, Charlotte will be back.One of my favorite books in the series was Closet Confidential (book 4). Charlotte passed on ‘her’ best tips for closet clear-outs, one at the head of each chapter. I still refer back to them every January when I start the annual digout. At any rate, I thought you might appreciate three of Charlotte’s suggestions for reclaiming your closet space. They really helped me and maybe you’ll find them useful too. · Before you start organizing, select a charity that you feel good about and make a decision to donate your surplus clothing to them. It will make parting with items so much easier. They’re going to a good home.
Cheap and cheerful does the trick! · Ditch your mismatched hangers. Invest in inexpensive but sturdy hangers, all the same color and size. Your closet will look neater and more organized instantly, even if you do nothing else! Then do get rid of the mismatched hangers. Someone will want them, but you won’t. I bought these in packages of three for a dollar at our local dollar store five years ago and replaced all mine. They’re still going strong and looking good. I fully expect them to outlive me. · Play classic rock music (or your favorite lively tunes if that’s not to your liking). The lively beat will keep your energy up and make it seem like fun. I’m happy to have The Beach Boys and The Beatles help me whip those closets into shape.
Charlotte has dozens more hints. Let me know if you’d like her to show up here at Cozy Chicks every now and then. She’d try not to be too bossy, but you know ...
And also please tell me (and Charlotte) your favorite tip for create order in your home. Can’t wait to hear!
After your comments, if you’d like a chuckle, check out the trailer for Closet Confidential – you can meet the famous princess dachshunds.
Watch the trailer!
Here are the five Charlotte Adams books, in order of publication, if that's your thing. Charlotte would approve.
January 7, 2014
The Perfect Storm - From an Uncurable Homebody
by Deb Baker/Hannah Reed
I love, love, love my home. Which is a good thing considering the career path I've chosen. I spend more time here than I really should. I suspect it's not healthy to withdraw quite so much, so I constantly push myself out of my sweetly beautiful comfort zone.
I make all kinds of plans to go out and do things.
Most of the time, I cancel them. Some of my excuses are really lame.
I go to events. I really do. And am always the first to leave. I've tried staying until I'm the second to leave, but that takes soooo long.
The best part of an outing is opening the door to my home from the outside and stepping inside.
What the heck is wrong with me? Everybody else is out socializing and partying. My take on a perfect plan is having nothing at all to do.
That's why this is the perfect storm, in my book. Let it freeze, let it snow, let the schools and shops close.
Because then I get to stay home without making a single stupid excuse to myself or to anyone else.
As Dorothy learned long ago as she clicked together those magical red slippers, there is no place like home! There really isn't.
Hope you enjoyed the storm.
I love, love, love my home. Which is a good thing considering the career path I've chosen. I spend more time here than I really should. I suspect it's not healthy to withdraw quite so much, so I constantly push myself out of my sweetly beautiful comfort zone.I make all kinds of plans to go out and do things.
Most of the time, I cancel them. Some of my excuses are really lame.
I go to events. I really do. And am always the first to leave. I've tried staying until I'm the second to leave, but that takes soooo long.
The best part of an outing is opening the door to my home from the outside and stepping inside.
What the heck is wrong with me? Everybody else is out socializing and partying. My take on a perfect plan is having nothing at all to do.
That's why this is the perfect storm, in my book. Let it freeze, let it snow, let the schools and shops close.
Because then I get to stay home without making a single stupid excuse to myself or to anyone else.
As Dorothy learned long ago as she clicked together those magical red slippers, there is no place like home! There really isn't.
Hope you enjoyed the storm.
In Between Time
by Maggie SeftonThat's what I call the days in between the two holidays Christmas, December
25th, and New Year's Day, January 1st. I use those days to catch up on stuff. Each year, it's different kinds of "stuff." Sometimes it's clearing accumulated clutter in my office. Other times, it's getting a head start on a new project. This year, I used that time to catch up on much-needed rest and relaxation after the wonderful and super-hectic Christmas holidays with visiting family.
To tell the truth, I like to push those "Catch Up" days past January 1st. This year, I've been sorting through and clearing up all sorts of weird stuff. The Polar Vortex cooperated in my Stay At Home and Sort efforts by dropping temps into the deep freeze for this past weekend. We started to warm up Monday and rest of the week will be in mid-40s. So far, this Winter is living up to the Weather Warning I heard this last Fall, that this Winter would be brutal for most of the U.S.
Another thing I like to catch up on are movies that the busy times have caused me to miss. There are several I want to see, but this last weekend I started with one I was really looking forward to: SAVING MISTER BANKS, with Tom Hanks as Walt Disney and Emma Thompson as P.L. Travers, creator of that marvelous character Mary Poppins.
As a life-long lover of Disney movies, I thoroughly enjoyed this film. And I even shed some tears, watching Emma Thompson as P.L. Travers cry when she finally saw Disney's movie creation from her beloved character, Mary Poppins. Tom Hanks also does a wonderful job of portraying Walt Disney. Insightful, dedicated, and a natural born storyteller. And what can I say about Emma Thompson that hasn't been said. This role was probably a romp for her, because she got to play a fussy, stuffy, uncooperative woman who had deep-seated personal reasons for not wanting anyone to touch her character of Mary Poppins. The movie spends time revealing P.L.Travers' past so the viewer can understand her reactions. And a wonderful last shot as the credits are rolling shows an old tape recorder playing a tape the actual P.L.Travers had made of meetings with the Disney creative writers on the script and plot. The audience heard the real author in her best "fussy schoolmarm" voice correcting and arguing with the long-suffering Disney writers. :)
Have any of you seen it? What other films did you see over the holidays?
January 5, 2014
It's Snowmaggedon!
by Kate Collins
In the picture, you can see the black wrought iron gate to my courtyard. Well, half of my gate, at least.
I cannot remember a worse winter. I can recall winters where we've gotten huge snowstorms that have drifted roads closed, buried driveways, and cancelled school. I can remember winters where we've had at least ten days in a row of below zero temps. But I do not recall both happening at the same time. Not in the Chicagoland area, at least.
To some in the far north, this might not be unusual. To those in sunny southern Cal, Florida and Hawaii, so what? Not so much for those of us in the rest of the country who are living through the worst winter in our history.
Okay, so that's the bad side of things. Are there any positives in this ordeal? Anything we can feel good about?
In my neighborhood, it's a banding together, it's people reaching out to help each other with offers of assistance. We're all stuck inside on the coldest January 6th in recent history but we're willing to bundle up and brave the cold to help each other. I think that's a real positive.
The other positive for me is that being forced to stay inside is giving me plenty of time to finish my next mystery, A ROOT AWAKENING, which is due February 1st.
What positives can you pull out of this Snowmageddon?
In the picture, you can see the black wrought iron gate to my courtyard. Well, half of my gate, at least.
I cannot remember a worse winter. I can recall winters where we've gotten huge snowstorms that have drifted roads closed, buried driveways, and cancelled school. I can remember winters where we've had at least ten days in a row of below zero temps. But I do not recall both happening at the same time. Not in the Chicagoland area, at least.
To some in the far north, this might not be unusual. To those in sunny southern Cal, Florida and Hawaii, so what? Not so much for those of us in the rest of the country who are living through the worst winter in our history.
Okay, so that's the bad side of things. Are there any positives in this ordeal? Anything we can feel good about?
In my neighborhood, it's a banding together, it's people reaching out to help each other with offers of assistance. We're all stuck inside on the coldest January 6th in recent history but we're willing to bundle up and brave the cold to help each other. I think that's a real positive.
The other positive for me is that being forced to stay inside is giving me plenty of time to finish my next mystery, A ROOT AWAKENING, which is due February 1st.
What positives can you pull out of this Snowmageddon?
January 4, 2014
The Year of Marlowe
by Leann
A year ago next week I brought a new baby into my life--Marlowe the ragdoll. He was three months old but as the runt of the litter, very small. It only took a few days to realize he wasn't small because he was the runt. He was small because he was sick. Very sick.
The first of many vet visits followed and some of you may be thinking I could have taken him back to where I got him. But I believe, and always have, that everything happens for a reason. Keeping Marlowe had a purpose, even if I didn't quite understand the purpose yet.
The diagnosis was epilepsy, but the cause of the epilepsy was far more serious. It is a disease called Feline Infectious Peritonitis or FIP. It is only contagious very early in the disease--the first two weeks--and since Marlowe had obviously been ill long enough to develop epilepsy, my other fur baby, Wexford, was safe.
Our journey began last January and it has been a roller coaster. As he fought to survive with our help, he did grow. Each little spurt made adjusting his medication (Phenobarbital for the seizures) a challenge. One antibiotic he was on wasn't bringing down his enormous white blood cell count so we switched to another--a new one developed just for cats. He improved, his white count went down to normal and we celebrated. He began playing, running and doing "kitten things."
Until, that is, he was taken off the antibiotics and went down hill so fast it made my head spin and my heart break. He was the sickest he'd ever been for a month, but that little guy, with the help my wonderful, loving boy
Wexford, fought back once again.
As of now, still on phenobarb and that antibiotic that costs a fortune, his weight has stabilized and so has his medication dose. We won't be taking him off the the antibiotics yet. I'm not ready because I believe he's not ready. His high dose of seizure med keeps him sleepy, he's developed a yeast type infection on his spine, but he is better. Doesn't walk too well, but better. And so loving, so special.
I have learned something new from our recent visit out of town during Christmas. He started to improve after a few days out of this old, dirty rent house. He was actually running around during the last couple days there. My hope is that once we move into our new home soon, it will change his life forever. I know he's changed mine. Here is below now--having grown from 2.2 pounds to 7.5 pounds. He is a beauty and I do not regret my year with Marlowe. Not for a minute.
A year ago next week I brought a new baby into my life--Marlowe the ragdoll. He was three months old but as the runt of the litter, very small. It only took a few days to realize he wasn't small because he was the runt. He was small because he was sick. Very sick.The first of many vet visits followed and some of you may be thinking I could have taken him back to where I got him. But I believe, and always have, that everything happens for a reason. Keeping Marlowe had a purpose, even if I didn't quite understand the purpose yet.
The diagnosis was epilepsy, but the cause of the epilepsy was far more serious. It is a disease called Feline Infectious Peritonitis or FIP. It is only contagious very early in the disease--the first two weeks--and since Marlowe had obviously been ill long enough to develop epilepsy, my other fur baby, Wexford, was safe.
Our journey began last January and it has been a roller coaster. As he fought to survive with our help, he did grow. Each little spurt made adjusting his medication (Phenobarbital for the seizures) a challenge. One antibiotic he was on wasn't bringing down his enormous white blood cell count so we switched to another--a new one developed just for cats. He improved, his white count went down to normal and we celebrated. He began playing, running and doing "kitten things." 
Until, that is, he was taken off the antibiotics and went down hill so fast it made my head spin and my heart break. He was the sickest he'd ever been for a month, but that little guy, with the help my wonderful, loving boy Wexford, fought back once again.
As of now, still on phenobarb and that antibiotic that costs a fortune, his weight has stabilized and so has his medication dose. We won't be taking him off the the antibiotics yet. I'm not ready because I believe he's not ready. His high dose of seizure med keeps him sleepy, he's developed a yeast type infection on his spine, but he is better. Doesn't walk too well, but better. And so loving, so special.
I have learned something new from our recent visit out of town during Christmas. He started to improve after a few days out of this old, dirty rent house. He was actually running around during the last couple days there. My hope is that once we move into our new home soon, it will change his life forever. I know he's changed mine. Here is below now--having grown from 2.2 pounds to 7.5 pounds. He is a beauty and I do not regret my year with Marlowe. Not for a minute.
January 3, 2014
LOOKING FORWARD TO 2014
LOOKING AHEAD TO 2014!
by Mary Kennedy
As the newest Cozy Chick, I'd like to offer you a quick look at what my fellow Chicks are planning for the coming year. There's fun, excitement, an intense desire to escape the cold (!) and of course, plenty of writing. Because, after all, where would we be if the Chicks didn't keep their fingers on the keys?
Ellery Adams/J.B Stanley says, "I'm looking forward to launching a new series in my home state of Virginia in August (The Book Retreat Mysteries) and to going on a cruise with my mom, my brothers, and all of the spouses and kids!"
Deb Baker/Hannah Reed is looking forward to a new series this year set in the Scottish Highlands and to spending a lengthy vacation in a warm climate for the very first time.
Lorraine Bartlett/Lorna Barrett says, "I'm looking forward to spring and summer. Winter has hardly begun, but we've already had more snow than we've had in several winters. Hurry, spring, hurry!"
Kate Collins is "looking forward to wrapping up book #16 in the Flower Shop Mystery series, A ROOT AWAKENING by February 1st and then plotting the next three. But what I'm REALLY looking forward to is summer and working in my garden! What a brutal winter this has been so far. Oh, and there might be a nice trip to Key West in my future, if all goes well".
Mary Jane Mafinni/Victoria Abbott says, "I'm going to try to have more fun this year (reading, knitting, spending time with kids and friends) and at the same time planning to find time to finish my 7th Camilla MacPhee book in between book collector mysteries. Camilla is fun, so that might happen!
Maggie Sefton is looking forward to 2014 and starting Kelly Flynn #13 while relaxing in a warm climate. She'll be announcing a new e-book mystery in January.
Leann Sweeny is "looking forward to moving into our brand new house on Lake Greenwood in 2014. This has been a very stressful journey with my husband doing the contracting and neither of us knowing what the heck we are doing. I guess you are never too old to learn new things--and some of it the hard way. It will be like Christmas all over again when I open boxes that have been in storage for almost two years!" Tune in next week, friends, and I'll tell you a little about my plans for the coming year! And I'd love to hear about yours, what exciting things are you planning for 2014? Mary Kennedy
by Mary Kennedy
As the newest Cozy Chick, I'd like to offer you a quick look at what my fellow Chicks are planning for the coming year. There's fun, excitement, an intense desire to escape the cold (!) and of course, plenty of writing. Because, after all, where would we be if the Chicks didn't keep their fingers on the keys?
Ellery Adams/J.B Stanley says, "I'm looking forward to launching a new series in my home state of Virginia in August (The Book Retreat Mysteries) and to going on a cruise with my mom, my brothers, and all of the spouses and kids!"Deb Baker/Hannah Reed is looking forward to a new series this year set in the Scottish Highlands and to spending a lengthy vacation in a warm climate for the very first time.
Lorraine Bartlett/Lorna Barrett says, "I'm looking forward to spring and summer. Winter has hardly begun, but we've already had more snow than we've had in several winters. Hurry, spring, hurry!"
Kate Collins is "looking forward to wrapping up book #16 in the Flower Shop Mystery series, A ROOT AWAKENING by February 1st and then plotting the next three. But what I'm REALLY looking forward to is summer and working in my garden! What a brutal winter this has been so far. Oh, and there might be a nice trip to Key West in my future, if all goes well".
Mary Jane Mafinni/Victoria Abbott says, "I'm going to try to have more fun this year (reading, knitting, spending time with kids and friends) and at the same time planning to find time to finish my 7th Camilla MacPhee book in between book collector mysteries. Camilla is fun, so that might happen!
Maggie Sefton is looking forward to 2014 and starting Kelly Flynn #13 while relaxing in a warm climate. She'll be announcing a new e-book mystery in January.
Leann Sweeny is "looking forward to moving into our brand new house on Lake Greenwood in 2014. This has been a very stressful journey with my husband doing the contracting and neither of us knowing what the heck we are doing. I guess you are never too old to learn new things--and some of it the hard way. It will be like Christmas all over again when I open boxes that have been in storage for almost two years!" Tune in next week, friends, and I'll tell you a little about my plans for the coming year! And I'd love to hear about yours, what exciting things are you planning for 2014? Mary KennedyJanuary 2, 2014
Visibility
by Lorraine Bartlett / Lorna Barrett / L.L. Bartlett
Being a mid-list author can be tough. A number of us in this group have hit the New York Times bestsellers list a number of times, and you'd think that would make us household words. Not so. Our readers know us, but being cozy mystery authors, we're thought of as just genre writers. Even some of our peers in mystery writers organizations look down on us. (It's not nice to be looked at with disdain just because our books don't contain a lot of graphic violence and/or sex.) Sometimes we're as invisible as Harry Potter in his invisibility cloak.
So, we're always on the look to get our names out there. I know of a number of places where writers groups and bloggers post and readers can find out about great books, and often for bargain prices.
Here's a brief list of Facebook pages. I hope you'll check them out and LIKE them:
The Incredible Indie Authors
The Incredible Indie Authors Audio
Need A Great Read?
Dru's Book Musing
Cozy Up With Kathy
Jeanine's Books, Food, Fun
And of course, the Cozy Chicks have their own Facebook fan/author pages:
The Cozy Chicks
Ellery Adams / J.B. Stanley
Deb Baker / Hannah Reed
Lorraine Bartlett / L.L. Bartlett / Lorna Barrett / The Jeff Resnick Mysteries
Kate Collins
Mary Jane Maffini / Victoria Abbott
Mary Kennedy
Maggie Sefton
Leann Sweeney
Try us -- and please, LIKE us! And please, tell your friends.
We're on Twitter, and Pinterest, too.
Can you think of anywhere else where a writer can find visibility?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
P.S. Don't forget Ellery's latest Charmed Pie Shoppe Mystery, PECAN PIES AND HOMICIDES will be available on Tuesday.
It's available for Preorder now! (Preordering will help her hit the Times list!)
Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/jw93o7m
Barnes & Noble: http://tinyurl.com/jwwovoz
Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/jw93o7m
Nook: http://tinyurl.com/kgxv386
iBooks: http://tinyurl.com/khar7u5
Being a mid-list author can be tough. A number of us in this group have hit the New York Times bestsellers list a number of times, and you'd think that would make us household words. Not so. Our readers know us, but being cozy mystery authors, we're thought of as just genre writers. Even some of our peers in mystery writers organizations look down on us. (It's not nice to be looked at with disdain just because our books don't contain a lot of graphic violence and/or sex.) Sometimes we're as invisible as Harry Potter in his invisibility cloak.So, we're always on the look to get our names out there. I know of a number of places where writers groups and bloggers post and readers can find out about great books, and often for bargain prices.
Here's a brief list of Facebook pages. I hope you'll check them out and LIKE them:
The Incredible Indie AuthorsThe Incredible Indie Authors Audio
Need A Great Read?
Dru's Book Musing
Cozy Up With Kathy
Jeanine's Books, Food, Fun
And of course, the Cozy Chicks have their own Facebook fan/author pages:
The Cozy Chicks
Ellery Adams / J.B. Stanley
Deb Baker / Hannah Reed
Lorraine Bartlett / L.L. Bartlett / Lorna Barrett / The Jeff Resnick Mysteries
Kate Collins
Mary Jane Maffini / Victoria Abbott
Mary Kennedy
Maggie Sefton
Leann Sweeney
Try us -- and please, LIKE us! And please, tell your friends.We're on Twitter, and Pinterest, too.
Can you think of anywhere else where a writer can find visibility?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
P.S. Don't forget Ellery's latest Charmed Pie Shoppe Mystery, PECAN PIES AND HOMICIDES will be available on Tuesday.
It's available for Preorder now! (Preordering will help her hit the Times list!)Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/jw93o7m
Barnes & Noble: http://tinyurl.com/jwwovoz
Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/jw93o7m
Nook: http://tinyurl.com/kgxv386
iBooks: http://tinyurl.com/khar7u5
January 1, 2014
This New Year: I'm saying yes to more
by Mary Jane Maffini
Happy 2014 everyone!
Last year, I didn’t make diet and exercise resolutions or if I did, there seems to be no record of them! I’m not sure why not, perhaps just too busy. However, this past year was a great year for me for weight loss and exercise despite that – or maybe because of it. My hubby and I started a walking program and stuck to it and we changed the way we ate. We didn’t have to feel guilty any time we strayed, because we didn’t have resolutions. We just decided to change things in the middle of the year. (Okay, full disclosure: you have to subtract the entire holiday season from any of our good behavior).
I’ve decided to make a different kind of resolutions this year: not the kind that bind and bring guilt but ones that say: let’s put a little more joy and fun into our lives.
So here are my resolutions:
Read more books and make time to read in the middle of the day! Yes, you heard me: the MIDDLE of the day.
Learn from small children how to have more fun.
Cavort with my dogs every day.
Knit more sweaters.
Eat more chocolate.
Note how all these involve more rather than less. Somehow I think I’ll keep these resolutions. And I don’t expect any guilty residue.
What about you? Are you willing to say good-bye to your inner tyrant? Have you made any fun resolutions? Will you do more of anything?
Happy 2014 everyone!
Last year, I didn’t make diet and exercise resolutions or if I did, there seems to be no record of them! I’m not sure why not, perhaps just too busy. However, this past year was a great year for me for weight loss and exercise despite that – or maybe because of it. My hubby and I started a walking program and stuck to it and we changed the way we ate. We didn’t have to feel guilty any time we strayed, because we didn’t have resolutions. We just decided to change things in the middle of the year. (Okay, full disclosure: you have to subtract the entire holiday season from any of our good behavior).
I’ve decided to make a different kind of resolutions this year: not the kind that bind and bring guilt but ones that say: let’s put a little more joy and fun into our lives.
So here are my resolutions:
Read more books and make time to read in the middle of the day! Yes, you heard me: the MIDDLE of the day.
Learn from small children how to have more fun. Cavort with my dogs every day.
Knit more sweaters.
Eat more chocolate.
Note how all these involve more rather than less. Somehow I think I’ll keep these resolutions. And I don’t expect any guilty residue.
What about you? Are you willing to say good-bye to your inner tyrant? Have you made any fun resolutions? Will you do more of anything?
