J.J. Devine's Blog, page 43

Just another day in paradise...

Good morning, everyone!!!

Final edits, read through, and formatting are finished for Prisoner of the Night. Now I need my email to quit being stubborn and load so I can send that in for the final format process. The tagline/blurb, however, are eluding me, which I need to have in by tomorrow :( It will come to me, I'm sure, I just have to clear my head a bit.

It's been a crazy busy week so far, but the good news is all the fruit that was sitting in my entry way has now been made into tons of goodies for the winter months ahead :)

I learned to use another gadget on my kitchen aid. It helped me make some pretty amazing looking applesauce :) I told hubby this is by far the best gift he's ever given me, because of all the different things I'm able to do with it :) And of course, he enjoys it because of all the goodies he gets in return :)

All in all it has been a highly productive week. I tried out some new recipes, which I will share with you in the cookbook I am planning on putting together very soon. Over the course of the next few months I will also be trying my hand at a few more new projects in the kitchen, such as grinding my own cornmeal and making acorn flour and possible acorn coffee, depending on if I have enough acorns gathered for the tasks.

After I get my tagline/blurb finished up I will be back to work on editing Destiny's Price and Unfinished Business. Both of which I am super excited about.

It's just crazy around here trying to work in everything during the harvest season. Putting up goodies for winter, writing, working, then trying to remember housework and live life a bit. I know winter is right around the corner and I will have all the quiet time I need very soon. But I also am an impatient woman and like staying busy. Then of course I would love at least one more camping trip with hubby before the cooler weather sets in and we have to winterize the campers.

Yep, this is my paradise... and I have to say I love it!!!

Everyone have a lovely day!!!

Blessings to all!!!


 

Sometimes things get shaken up...

Good morning, everyone!!!

Sometimes life doesn't go as planned. I will be the first to say this really gets on the wrong side of me and yes, I get a bit over the top grumpy about it, especially when I'm the type of person who plans my days out to the minute.

So, let's just say, I've been on the grumpy side of the scale these last couple of days because things just have not gone as planned. However, I did learn that I can get things done even when the unexpected is thrown in my path. Which is a plus, I might add.

Each day we wake up with a choice, of how we are going to allow our day to affect us, well, let's just say, I can be stubborn when my day has other plans for me than I have LOL.

I went to a service in Camp Chesterfield Saturday. I drew the flow card for my reading that evening. It made sense to me because frankly, I hate when things don't flow in the way I intended. So of course, I should have expected the challenge, especially when I was preparing to head out for services and I received a phone call that delayed my plans for a few moments. I should have listened then to the powers that be, then I would have been expecting the challenges ahead. However, I was stubborn as usual.

I walked away from the services with a refreshed feeling of empowerment, however, I also walked away not realizing how big of a task this would be. I should have known.

They say God doesn't give you more than you can handle. However, some days I truly wish I would keep this in mind when I wake up LOL. The flow card had so much more meaning than the reader foretold. It is also a huge challenge for me to accept and take on.

The very next day I found myself a bit agitated because my plans for my day were being interrupted. However, I still did what I knew I must do, and at the end of the day I had still accomplished what I had set out to do. So, as if I had NOT learned my lesson, yesterday threw me another curve ball. I still allowed this to get under my skin, yet, again, I still accomplished what I had set out to do that day.

This morning I awoke, I was still a bit miffed, then I reassessed the last few days. What was I so miffed about??? Sure, things had not gone as planned, however, I still accomplished what I had set out to do. So, even though things were shaken up, I have what I intended to do to show for it along with a few other things to boot. Go with the flow.

One of the things the reader stated about my flow card also was I need to be more verbal with others on how their actions affect me. This is the hardest part of that reading for sure. I hate confrontation, however, I hate even more being used by people. This is nothing new to the advice I have received over the course of the last few months. I also know this is a new growth aspect of life that I need to learn and master. I consider this part of the learning process that resembles the time years ago when I had to learn to say, "NO", from time to time. I hated saying No to people, even when it infringed on my plans. I was a yes person. If someone asked for something I would automatically say, sure, even though it would throw a wrench in my own plans, which in turn made me angry, I felt used, and then I would grumble inwardly because my time wasn't being respected.

Well, how can someone know they are disrespecting your time if you don't tell them and are always saying yes, or sure. This was a hard lesson to learn and a difficult one to incorporate into my life. Because when you always say yes people get used to that and expect it. When you do finally say no they think they've done something wrong, when it reality it is you who have allowed them to think you would always be a yes person. Sometimes this causes hard feelings in the beginning, but after it becomes your new normal, things will balance out, because that is the way of the universe.

This only goes to show you, even when you think you've finally gotten on the right path and life is going the way you need it to go, and you've finally found who you are, there is always more in this lifetime to learn. For me and the present moment it is Flow.

Everyone have a lovely day!!!

Blessings to all!!!

Learning to become who I was meant to be...

Good afternoon, everyone!!!

It has been a long time since I've written a blog like this. However, as I was working in my kitchen the other day it came to me and so of course being the person I am I decided to sit down and blog about it. Yep, those of you who follow me know I'm the queen of procrastination ;)

Over the years I always worried internally about being liked, much like a good many of us do. So, I worked hard to be likeable and a good much of the time it was to my own disadvantage. When you try to be perfect in so many areas of life, or want to appear to have it together and look like things are perfect, you screw up, you make enemies, and frankly, you end up questioning yourself on what is real and what is just trying to be liked by someone else.

Over the course of the last several years, you've seen blogs on finding me. You know, weeding out my garden so to speak. I've done a great deal of inner work on myself, looked to my intuition to guide me in the directions I need to go, and find the person I need to be now.

Things like this change every moment of your life. The girl I once was, she was the girl I needed to be at that time. Today, I am the woman I need to be at 50+. I can hear the gasps, "She indicated how old she is..." "Oh my word, women don't tell how old they are..."

LOL, age is just a number, don't ever forget that. In 52 years I've gone through some trials and tribulations, lost myself, found myself, questioned myself, and then learned from my experiences. Life is about growing, not just older, but inwardly. Nothing in life is easy, but it doesn't have to cripple us.

One thing I've learned over the course of time is we all survive the day. Regardless if it is a shitty day, an exciting day, or just a day. We wake up the next day to a brand new horizon, it's what we make of it.

I almost found myself caught up in the bullshit this past few weeks. In fact, for a time I did recognize myself wallowing in it. Then I sat myself down and said, this isn't you anymore, be the grown up you've become and move this day forward.

It wasn't at that moment I realized I had grown past old behaviors, in fact, it took me until just a little while ago to realize I could do today what I thought was impossible in the old days. :)

I also realize I don't surround myself with too many people any longer and those I do only for periods of time. I'm highly aware of the real fact that those around you can easily set your mood if you allow it. I know personally, I am easily swayed in this department. I like to be upbeat, easy going, and find the positive in the day. However, when I surround myself with people and situations that go against this, I find myself being bogged down with the negative and that is something I must not allow myself to do.

I realized, sure I'm a bit quirky. It is who I am. I love doing things that some consider odd, different, or just plain, well, strange :) It is these things that make me unique to me. I shouldn't do something I enjoy just because someone else gives me that 'look' like 'why?'

I live in my head more than in the outside world. I'm more comfortable there :) I wear my pjs in the garden more times than not. I very rarely wear shoes because they confine me. There is nothing like mud between your toes ;) I am always trying something new, because that's how I find I grow in this life. I enjoy planting, harvesting, and canning, freezing, or drying for the winter months ahead. I enjoy cooking, but not for just me. Writing is a way for me to remain in my head for days, and often times people think I'm mad when I'm working on a WIP because I have a hard time going from my characters world to the real world. I love those moments I can make memories with my family or grandchildren. Because one day this will be what I leave behind for them to look back on. Because even though I write a good many stories on immortality, we're all just human and one day our time will come to an end. I love untraditional religion, because I can embrace Spirit each and every day, feel the warmth of spirituality within my soul. I like the personal connection between Spirit and myself and the knowledge that everything in this world is bigger than myself and my here and now.

Yes, learning about who I am has been an exciting adventure to say the least. However, it is learning to accept and embrace who I am that has been the biggest challenge. I love being an author, a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a daughter, a sister, a friend. I enjoy being me and even when people look at me odd and say, "That's weird." I can accept their unknowing compliment with a smile and say, "Yep, that's me."

Everyone have a lovely day!!!

Blessings to all!!!

I'm so excited to announce!!!

Good afternoon, everyone!!!

I'm thrilled to announce and show off our newest anthology cover!!! Porch Swing will go on sale October 11th!!! In a later blog I will be sharing excerpts, taglines, and yes, the authors of this amazing book!!! For now you just get to enjoy the beautiful cover work from our very own Jeana Mann!!! See I told you she was amazing!!!

I cannot wait until I'm ready to show off the covers she has made for Destiny's Price and my newest WIP, Unfinished Business!!!

For now, I hope you enjoy the sneak peek at Porch Swing!!! My story in this anthology is Prisoner of the Night and since I'm so excited I thought I would give you just a tiny glimpse:

“Do you think I want you here anymore than you want to be here?” he growled.
            Fallon struggled for her release, but he shifted his weight until his body compressed against hers. Without thinking, she opened her legs, giving him better access. Those piercing eyes drifted closed and his breathing became ragged. Pearl white fangs slid from their sheaths. Never had she been more aware of her feminine side, than at this moment, this handsome vampire teetering on the edge of control, her, completely helpless to ward off his advances. Not that she would.
            “Then why am I here? To be your next meal?” she groaned.

I hope this teases you enough to want to read my story :)

Everyone have a lovely day!!!

Blessings to all!!!

Just hanging out...

Good afternoon, everyone!!!

I'm so looking forward to this weekend off. I have so much gardening that needs to be completed and then of course I'm anxious to get some writing in. Yes, while the chili fixin's are cooking I can actually sit here and just write until its ready to be canned :)

The daughter-in-law wants more dill pickles, so yes, I believe I have just enough cucumbers to throw together another batch of dill :)

I started digging potatoes the other day, I haven't even gotten a quarter of the way through the potatoes and already have a wheel barrel full. Then the lima beans, green beans, and dried beans are ready to go along with hopefully the corn. It is just going to be one of those weekends where if it doesn't rain this kitchen will have so many delicious smells coming from it I will be craving a wide variety of goodies :)

If it does rain, well, let's just say I will get some killer writing in because there will be nothing to stop me from writing all day :)

I work late tonight and after hardly any sleep last night, I'm pretty sure I will sleep good tonight :) I just could not get tired last night. I actually saw 5 a.m. which shocked me. Then back up at 9 so I figure I will be good and ready for bed when I get home tonight. At least I got my housework out of the way this morning so that's good for the weekend :)

Well I guess I should really try to get some writing in before I have to grab a bite to eat and head into work.

Everyone have a lovely day!!!

Blessings to all!!!

I love the harvest season...

Good evening, everyone!!!

Yes, things have been busy around here between working, writing, and the harvest season. However, this is one of my favorite times of year. Everything in the garden is ready for harvest or almost ready. We've already brought in all but one zuchinni, almost all of the cucumbers are finished, the corn is still up and coming, the tomatoes are starting to ripen, spaghetti squash and my Halloween mix are coming along nicely. The dried beans are starting to dry out which will be a few days work shelling them once the vines are completely dry. Onions, potatoes, and bell peppers are working their magic :)

This time of year gives me so much energy. The two days off my day job during the week also gave me a reboot on my system seeing as it has been awhile since that has happened. I cannot tell you how wonderful it has felt being able to just hang out at home, write, and garden.

I made pickles for the first time this year. Dill and Bread and Butter pickles. Which was an experience, but everyone says they like them so I guess I did okay on those :)

I'm also going to be trying my hand at making my own cornmeal this year. Hence the reason I planted extra corn :) I'll let you know how that turns out :)

Soon I'll be putting up tomatoes (chili fixin's around here). Depending on the tomato crop I get I am tossing around the idea of making homemade ketchup seeing as we go through that around here like there is no tomorrow :)

I got in almost 2,000 words in an hour this afternoon on Unfinished Business. The story is starting to take shape for sure. However, I do believe it is not going to be the short story I had planned, LOL. Well see...
My hope is to be finished with this by the end of the month. So that means a lot of daily work, but if I can get in the word count I got in today every day it should be doable :)

I'm hoping to do a cover reveal sometime next month. I can't wait to show off some of my new covers :) I also can't wait for Jeana Mann's talk on making book covers next year at our chapter meeting :)

I've also been preparing for a couple of workshops one for next month and one for next June. The one next month has to do with writing with emotions. I definitely need to start on that power point very soon. We want to do this one as an open discussion. My one in June will be on herbal remedies, :) Which is one of my favorites. I'm going to focus mainly on herbs found in Indiana. So for this one I need to spend a bit of time gathering herbs before they disappear for the winter. Let's just say I can find any excuse to get outdoors this time of year :)

Well I better get off of here and get my dinner dishes washed up then hit the sack. 5 a.m. comes awful early and I'd like to maybe get another thousand words in before work tomorrow :)

Everyone have a lovely night!!!

Blessings to all!!!

Last day of vacation...

Good afternoon, everyone!!!

It has been a lovely week off but sadly it is all coming to an end at noon tomorrow :( Hubby went back to work yesterday after having three weeks off. I am pretty certain that was hard for him.

Over the course of the last few weeks I've approved 15 minutes of the Into the Darkness audio book. I'm so in love with my reader's voice :) I approved the cover for Unfinished Business :) Yes, I can't wait to reveal this cover to all of you!!! Jeana Mann is one amazing author but she is also a fantastic book cover artist :)

I took the entire day off of life yesterday so today I need to get back in the swing of things a bit. So after a trip to town to grab some color for this hair, my silver highlights are really showing these days, I am going to just sit at the computer and work. I'm super excited about finishing up Unfinished Business and getting Destiny's Price ready for publication. My story Prisoner of the Night is heading into final edits here in a few weeks so I'm thrilled about that. It will come out in October in The Porch Swing Anthology. So I'm pretty excited about that. I am hopeful also to have Into the Darkness out in audio that month as well.

These last few weeks of camping trips have really done wonders for me. I feel pretty relaxed and ready to get back at it. Now being back home, sitting on my back porch, listening to the quiet summer of our neighborhood is really refreshing. I definitely need to get back into the writing saddle on a daily basis again, so I can officially say this month has helped in that aspect.

The garden is starting to produce and now I'm neck deep in cucumbers and zucchini :) Which is fine with me. I'm really looking forward to the green beans starting to come off and the corn of course :) I planted extra corn this year to dry and make cornmeal out of so this will be interesting :)

Well if I am going to color my hair and get any writing in today I better get busy :)

Everyone have a lovely day!!!

Blessings to all!!!

Catching up on a bit of reading...

Good afternoon, everyone!!!

Well, it has been a pretty relaxing week to say the least. The pics above and below are the scenery I've been blessed with the entire week. Nothing like spending a few days at the lake to rejuvenate the soul.


The first part of the week the kids and grandkids joined us. So things were lively and every day something was going on. However, the latter part of the week it was just hubby and I. I had full intentions of writing while hubby fished. I brought my laptop for those days. However, I also brought my kindle because I had just uploaded Dead Until Dark, which the youngest son and I have been watching the True Blood series on Amazon prime and I had heard how much different the books were from the show.

Well, let's just say I did something I haven't done in years. I sat down and read for the entire afternoon and evening. I just have to say it felt good to read like that for a change and just to read for fun. After so many years of reading when I can, an hour here and there, or reading something to educate myself.

It was such a pleasure to just sit and read in the quiet of the campground. I'd heard how different the books were from the show and I was anxious to see for myself. Rumor had it some of my favorite characters were not in the book so that I was curious about all by itself. I wrote a very vague review on Amazon, because I knew I would be going into deeper detail here on my blog, so for those vampire fans out there here is my review for Dead Until Dark versus True Blood. Please know there will be spoilers so read with caution :)

I will say upfront I enjoyed the book as much as I enjoy the show. With that said, let me first touch base on a few rumors.

First rumor: Lafayette is not in the books.

Well, he is in the first book. He's just as the show describes him, flamboyant, a cook at Merlotte's, and yes he's still gay. However, his role on the show is definitely more active and he has a cousin Tara, on the show where in the book he doesn't.

Second rumor: Bill and Sookie are not an item she is more Eric's girl.

In the first book it is much like the show. She is Bill's girl, however, in the show when she drinks his blood he can sense her and knows when she needs his help. In the first book, he does not. In fact, at one point she has to call him on the phone to tell him she's in trouble. Which by the way, phones in the book are landlines not cells :)

There is still the mystery of who is killing the women who hang with vampires. And yes, the murder is still Rene. Bill doesn't look to Sam to protect Sookie when he leaves town, but asks another vampire, Bubba, to look out for her.

Jason is still the prime suspect, and yes, he does still work for the county by heading up the road crew, but his part in the book is no where close to his part in the show. The Fellowship of the Sun or the politics of the vampires have not really been touched on in the first book.

The money Sookie received from the death of her uncle she gives to help children molested or raped.

No one comes to her rescue when Rene tries to kill her and at the end of the book Rene and Sookie are both still in the hospital. And Eric does make an interesting appearance to Sookie when she's in the hospital where I can see things turning in the direction of Sookie and Eric versus Sookie and Bill.

All in all Dead Until Dark was a great read. Definitely don't go into it thinking it will be just like the show, because there are differences, and some of my favorite lines from the show aren't said by the characters who play them on the show, but rather other characters in the book. Yes, Sookie and Bill start out a great deal like they do in the show, but there are some major differences in their beginning. The show leaves nothing to the imagination where the book closes the bedroom door after so long. I definitely can't wait to read the rest in this series :)

Everyone have a lovely day!!!

Blessings to all!!!

Lovin' this time of year...

Good morning, everyone!!!

It's day three of being back home from more than a week of camping and yes, I want to go back.

There is nothing in this world more peaceful for me than spending time camping. I love the smell of a campfire, the lounging around the campsite, the walks, the swimming, the just being outdoors and enjoying life.

I had to work all but one day of our trip, but I still enjoyed being able to get off work, head back to the campground, take the grandchildren for a little swim before dinner, then taking in the night before heading off to bed.

We were joined by my daughter and her family along with my youngest sister and her family for most of the week. Then our oldest son, daughter-in-law and their little family for the last couple of days.

The fishing was wonderful. They had so many it took me almost two hours to fry it all up one night for dinner. The grandchildren are really getting into this fishing stuff :) Which makes for a very happy grandfather LOL.

The new camper really made things simple for such a long stay. Hubby and I've been camping together for 31 years. We started out camping in a dome tent, then moved to a cargo van, then to a tiny camper. We moved to Florida and started camping in a tent again the few times we camped down there. When we moved back to Indiana we tented camped a handful of times before buying our 'rust bucket' as it is fondly called by the grandson, a few years ago. I guess you could just say camping is in our blood :)

It is also one of those activities we're passing along to our grandchildren. They love camping with us and all the fun that goes with it. My daughter-in-law and I were talking the other night by the fire and we came to the conclusion that by the time her youngest is grown, things of the past will seem to society to be something people did in the olden days. Which is why it is highly important to me to share simple aspects of life with my grandchildren. When the day comes when these things are just things of the past, my grandchildren can look back on the times we shared and hopefully smile at the memories of it all.

To me, life is about the simple things in this world, a camping trip, fishing, gardening, just enjoying a sunny day outdoors. It is spending time with loved ones, sharing with one another even just an evening chat. Life doesn't have to always be difficult, hard work, and rat races. Sometimes the best thing you can offer another is your time.

Everyone have a lovely day!!!

Blessings to all!!!

The best time for picking wild raspberries...

Good evening, everyone!!!

Here in Indiana it is that time of year again, raspberry season. My sister had been telling me of all the raspberries she'd been picking and seeing as we're headed out for a restful week of camping very soon, we thought a nice raspberry cobbler would be awesome for our trip.

This evening after work we got together to do a bit more picking. As the evening wore on it got darker. Oh my goodness, you would not believe how much easier it was to pick raspberries with a flash light. Yes, you read that right, with a flash light.

One of the first things we noticed about harvesting berries with a flash light was the ripe berries sparkle against the light. As the light went over each branch the ripe berries would just shimmer for us.

Something else we noticed was as pulling these fresh fruits from their bunches, was the ripe ones were actually chilly to the touch after dark. Its strange I know, but very interesting at the same time.

There is something peaceful about walking along the wood line, in the quiet of the evening, picking fresh fruit. Being a historical romance writer I love doing things such as this, because it allows me just a hint of what it might have been like back in the day when there wasn't a supermarket on every corner.

It is doing things like this that really get my creative juices flowing and really make me think deeper about the characters I write. Those every day things that we take for granted today, was something of a necessity back in the day.

I really enjoy the back to nature aspect of growing my own food, finding those hidden little secret spots where fresh fruit thrives in the wild. Anything that allows me and nature to become one even for just a little while.

The other day while the grandchildren and I were weeding the garden, Garden Weed popped up with, "Grandma, I don't think I will have a garden when I get big. They are a lot of work."

I just smiled and told her, "I thought that too when I was young. Then I realized working in my garden makes me feel closer to my grandmother, who's now in heaven."

Garden Weed must have thought on this for awhile, because a little bit later she pipes up with, "Grandma, I just might have a garden when I get big, but not one this big."

I love passing on the things from my past I enjoyed most from my childhood. It wasn't so much the work as it was the company of being close to my grandmother. In her own way I believe Garden Weed understood this.

Life isn't about the hustle and bustle of the world around us, but those special moments in time we share with those we love. I may not have everything this world has to offer, but I am very blessed with those who've touched my life. It is just like the raspberries that sparkle in the light of a flash light. Those who touch our lives intimately may not been seen so well in the bright light of the sun, but when life feels its darkest, they stand out like a beam of light in our shadows.

Everyone have a lovely night!!!

Blessings to all!!!