Janel Gradowski's Blog, page 17
March 19, 2013
Creativity Vitamins: Coming Soon!
For the first 30 years of my life I hated routines. They were boring and I considered them a particularly offensive form of drudgery. When I was a teenager I had to getup much earlier than I ever wanted to so I could get to school and go to the same classes in the same order, over and over. After graduation the reality of getting to work on time, to stay employed, brought about more routines. It wasn’t until I had a baby that I realized how valuable routines were. If I kept my children on a predictable nap and bedtime schedule, along with adding in a soothing bedtime ritual, life was easier for all of us. On days where those schedules got upset, long nights filled with fussy kids were almost always the result.
Routines + Rituals = Good
Chaos + No Structure = Bad
Young children aren’t the only people that can benefit from routines. Adding some routines and rituals into your life before embarking on a creative project can be very beneficial. My kids knew that after they had a bath and story time, it was time to go to bed. A set routine triggered a set response. With my Creative Vitamins series I want to introduce you to some routines that you can try before you sit down to create something, whether it be a story, painting or a new recipe. Pick any that sound interesting, try them for a few days and see what happens. Procrastination and resistance can be the worst enemy of a creative person. If you find a ritual to signal to your creative side that it’s time to work, the procrastination will disappear. The first post in this series is coming soon. I hope you enjoy them!
Creativity Vitamins – Coming Soon!
For the first 30 years of my life I hated routines. They were boring and I considered them a particularly offensive form of drudgery. When I was a teenager I had to getup much earlier than I ever wanted to so I could get to school and go to the same classes in the same order, over and over. After graduation the reality of getting to work on time, to stay employed, brought about more routines. It wasn’t until I had a baby that I realized how valuable routines were. If I kept my children on a predictable nap and bedtime schedule, along with adding in a soothing bedtime ritual, life was easier for all of us. On days where those schedules got upset, long nights filled with fussy kids were almost always the result.
Routines + Rituals = Good
Chaos + No Structure = Bad
Young children aren’t the only people that can benefit from routines. Adding some routines and rituals into your life before embarking on a creative project can be very beneficial. My kids knew that after they had a bath and story time, it was time to go to bed. A set routine triggered a set response. With my Creative Vitamins series I want to introduce you to some routines that you can try before you sit down to create something, whether it be a story, painting or a new recipe. Pick any that sound interesting, try them for a few days and see what happens. Procrastination and resistance can be the worst enemy of a creative person. If you find a ritual to signal to your creative side that it’s time to work, the procrastination will disappear. The first post in this series is coming soon. I hope you enjoy them!
March 16, 2013
Saturday Snapshot – My New Baby
The is my newest reading toy, A Kobo Mini Ereader. I don’t usually name my electronic devices or vehicles, but for some reason I just feel that “she” is named Misha. Once I get her loaded up with plenty of books she’ll live in my purse so I will always have a book with me since I tend to accidentally leave my Kindle at home at the most inopportune times.
Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Alyce of At Home With Books.
March 15, 2013
“Must Love Sandwiches” Is Free March 15-19
Emma has worked hard to establish herself as an artist. The artists’ colony where she lives is heaven compared to the rundown trailer parks she grew up in. After a relationship comes to an unexpected end she decides to make some drastic changes in her life, but it isn’t as easy as just flipping a switch. Her best friend, Daisy, thinks she’s being too extreme. Plus, the owner of Emma’s favorite food truck is more tempting than the gourmet sandwiches he serves. That makes everything even more complicated. Is taking a different route in life the best thing to do? What if she ends up miserable instead of on the path to happiness?
I have been saving all of my free days in the Kindle Select program, hoping to put “Must Love Sandwiches” up for free for a few days to promote the release of the next book in The Bartonville Series. But life got in the way and there is no new book. Yet. “Road to the Colony” is getting close, but “Must Love Sandwiches” is at the end of its time as an Amazon exclusive. So, I’m using my free days anyway. Then I am going to start reformatting it and releasing it in other ebook venues, like Barnes and Noble and Smashwords. I’ll let you know as they go up. For now, if you would like a free Kindle copy of “Must Love Sandwiches” on March 15-19, just click on the cover above or in my sidebar. Enjoy!
