J.J. Devine's Blog, page 5

Butterflies and Jitters

Good evening, everyone!!!

As the day grows closer to actually publishing Destiny's Price the more jittery I get and the more butterflies fill my belly.

As I listened to my chapters tonight, making a few small changes here and there, the more nervous I became. I keep reminding myself this is going to happen, hopefully sooner than I had expected. 

I have five days off the day job starting after work tomorrow. Most of that time will be spent working on the finishing touches to Destiny's Price, with a bit of housework catch up and spending some quality fun time with the youngest granddaughter on Thursday for a bit. Other than that, I've dedicated most of this time off to writing.

Keep your fingers crossed, I have a bad habit of wanting to edit this story to death and most of that is for fear of putting it out there in the world. I adore Destiny in all her glory and even in her cruel ugly past. She means so much to me and her story is one of internal growth and survival and relearning. 

I stopped tonight, breathless, shaken, and nervous, but with a firm knowledge this story will be ready for publishing soon enough. Grabbing a chuckle at my cousin and her daughter's pictures of their brooms standing alone in the middle of their rooms LOL, giving my soul a lighter feeling. See Destiny's Price is a bit darker than the other books I write. Her journey demanded it, so it takes things to a darker place inside a woman who's been through what she has. It also takes her into an inner strength she never knew she had. 

I had to have an understanding hero, even one who would be taken back when he finds out the truth of her past. This was difficult to do, but I knew Stephen Davis was that man for sure :)

Well if I'm going to get through tomorrow's work day I better hit the sack.

Everyone have a lovely night!!!

Blessings to all!!!










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Cheyenne Bride has gone live!!!

Cheyenne Bride has gone live in Kindle!!! 

If you've read the original The Cheyenne Bride I would love for you to read the new version Cheyenne Bride :) There's some of new chapters and some new connections to the rest of the series :) I hope you love it as much as I do.

Please if you do pick up a copy I would love to hear your thoughts in the reviews :) Thank you so much!!!

To grab your copy today here's the link:

www.amazon.com/dp/B084GXQLHF/ref=sr_1_1?qid=1580850002&refinements=p_27%3AJ.J.+Devine&s=digital-text&sr=1-1&text=J.J.+Devine

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Everyone have a lovely night!!!

Blessings to all!!!
















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Proving to myself I can do what I set my mind too :)

Good evening, everyone!!!

It has been a productive weekend to say the least :) I finished the final read through on Cheyenne Bride (I decided yesterday to keep most of the old title). In fact, this is the original title if I'm not mistaken :) Just a rewrite on the synopsis tomorrow and it will be ready to publish :)

Besides doing that final read through, I also made three book covers for my series and another cover photo :) I do hope you like the new covers :)

I made the firm decision to really put the time and effort into this writing career this year. I've got a really wonderful writing partner who's been fantastic at helping me stay on the mark with my goals. Our motto is to write every day or work on writing every day. We've both done pretty good at sticking to the mark. I'm super proud of not only my progress but hers as well. We even had a brainstorming session for a few minutes this evening, which I love to do :) In fact, I had all but forgotten how much I enjoy brainstorming until she and I met up a few weeks ago :)

It was a really good weekend to show myself I can still concentrate on my writing but still take time out to also have a good time and go on an adventure :) as well as take an afternoon to grab some extra sleep :) So, I not only took care of my writing work I needed to do, but I also found time in there to take care of myself as well. 

It's strange how all that works out. I've been putting in my normal hours at the day job, they may have been a bit screwy this week with the going in times changing around a bit, but, I still managed to put quality time in on the writing job as well. Not to mention getting one grandchild off the bus, going to another's basketball game, and all the in between things. Now if I could just manage to get some housework done in there somewhere LOL. That's on the list for tomorrow, maybe, okay, probably LOL.

Well I should hit the sack before morning gets here.

Everyone have a lovely night!!!

Blessings to all!!!















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Long week...

Good evening, everyone!!!

My work schedule went from crazy to crazier this week but I made it through and I'm super glad it's Friday. 

There were a few days this week I didn't get any work done on the writing job, but I did get back to it tonight :) So that makes me happy. I plan to put in some more time in the morning for a few hours after I wake up :)

Things are getting closer to being wrapped up. I'm getting pretty excited to share the changes with you :) So far I'm liking what I've done. I still have one more chapter to go over that is new before I give myself the official 'go ahead' :)

I've been working in my 'thinking' journal the last couple of days. Today's was really simple until I got to the part asking my unique talents and will have to consider this and contemplate this question before moving forward. That's the nice thing about this journal you don't have to push forward until you are ready. Which I decided to think on this over night then write that part tomorrow.

I've been writing one happy thought for each day since the beginning of the year and I have to say it is helping me deal with stressful situations so much better. Well, other than the other day when I was worried about my granddaughter when we had a stressful situation close to her school. I was worried she would be very anxious when she got home about the whole thing, but to my surprise she wasn't. They hadn't told them everything at school, so she had lots of questions when she got home about what was going on. 

I don't know what is happening to our world around us. I do blame a lot of it on all the hate that has been spread throughout social media for so long. It is the fastest way to spread anything these days and with so many out there so ready to be hateful and disrespectful I have no clue how this world will ever recover from such. All I can do is keep trying to spread love and hope one day that will be enough. 

I'm glad I started this writing one happy thought or happening for each day, however, it has changed the way I view things. I've found I'm more mellow to say the least. In fact, I've been able to tune out a great deal of what I once allowed to take up space in my head to clear the way to get back to writing again, which is super helpful. 

Well, I guess I should get this zoo feed then prepare to get some sleep. Hopefully, the dogs don't wake me at 6:30 a.m. again like they did yesterday. It's hard to make them understand a day off after you've been getting up at 2 a.m. for work days.

Everyone have a lovely night!!!

Blessings to all!!!














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Crazy work hours and keeping things in check...

Good morning, everyone!!!

I worked crazy hours at the day job this week. Nothing too different hour wise, just going in at different times. Like most of the week it was 7 a.m. then we threw a 6 a.m. in there, and tomorrow will be a 4 a.m., then back to 7 a.m. for a couple of days before another 4 a.m. on Wednesday. 

It does mess with the body a bit that's for sure. I don't mind but after awhile I find myself having to take an evening or afternoon completely off from the world. Like, locking myself in the house, put on pjs, turn on the tv, curl up with a pillow and blanket and just sleep. It happens.

Well this week I've been pushing the mark both in my day job and my writing work, and then it happened. Someone wore a strange smelling cologne into the store. Normally when this happens my sneezing stops after they leave. But not yesterday. I don't know what it was about this particular cologne, but it stayed with me all day. I couldn't stop sneezing to save my life.

I remember when it happened, because my nose started twitching and the smell was just strange. Not overpowering, not one of those 'whew, did you bath in that' kind of things, just strange. 

By the time I came home I couldn't wait to take an allergy pill and call it a day. I sneezed a ton and my nose wouldn't stop running. Finally late last night it was over. Man, it threw me for a loop. I imagine that mixed with all the late hours and early mornings just finally caught up with me.

I emailed my writing partner this morning and told her I would get back to it this afternoon, which I plan on now that I feel normal again. 

Strange how things work like that.

I'm a firm believer in if you don't take a moment or two for yourself, your body will say, "Enough is enough" and will take it for you. So, I try to keep this in mind and take a few moments here and there to just breathe, take a bit of quiet, and rejuvenate my body and soul.

I am excited about getting this  writing back on track. I can't believe how much I've accomplished this week alone. This afternoon I should be ready to do a listen through and then move to the next one. I have some pretty fun surprises in Improbable Bride for my readers and some links to what is to follow in the next stories mixed in there. I hope everyone enjoys the changes I've made.

Well time to hit the shower then head to the second granddaughter's basketball game. Then it is back to writing.

Everyone have a lovely day!!!

Blessings to all!!!














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Sometimes you just need to set goals...

Good evening, everyone!!!

I have had the best writing days in a long time the last three days. I guess it all stems from just having someone contact you who believes in your writing as much as you once believed in your writing, to get things back in motion.

I spent a solid seven hours with butt in chair yesterday prepping and working on fresh scenes. It felt like heaven on earth. Then while on break at work today, another scene came to mind and I grabbed my notepad on my phone to jot it down as not to forget about it by the time I got back to the keyboard today :)

I spent a lovely couple of hours just talking writing with my writer friend. We decided to set daily goals and check in with each other on those goals. She made a good point this afternoon, you have to live and breath your writing. A point I used to hold so close but had long forgotten. 

Tonight after I got home and talked to about a hundred people on the phone or via text (Okay, not a hundred, but I did spend a few hours talking to people do to an incident in our little quiet town) I sat down, keyboard under my fingertips, and met the goal I set for myself for this evening. I'm anxious for tomorrow's goal, which will come to mind at some point in the night as I sleep, but I'm leaning toward finishing the read through and making the other changes I want to add :)

It feels so good making these small accomplishments each day. I almost feel as if I've come home again. With a refreshed spirit and pushing the mark once again. It does this body and soul good, that's for sure.

I'll be forever grateful to this author friend for contacting me out of the blue after all these years and helping me to regain my focus and remember why I started this in the first place :)

Everyone have a lovely night!!!

Blessings to all!!!










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New year...

Good evening, everyone!!!

2019 was a strange year to say the least. I am still working on getting a grip on this new way of life with everyone gone now. Hubby's schedule is changing up this year and possibly mine in the near future. All the kids are out of the house and I've procrastinated on emptying the upstairs and turning it into a place of work and ideas. 

But then something happened this past week that has me hoping this year will be different. An old writing friend of mine contacted me and we chatted on and off for a few days and now we're meeting up this week for some writing time. I've got a game plan but it's the same game plan I didn't manage to get off the ground last year for basically just procrastinating reasons. But maybe with her help I'll get this plan underway and get it moving in the right direction for a change.

I've done a few new to me things as of late. My sister and brother-in-law were kind enough to teach me how to use my new gun. I received my gun permit last week in the mail :) So, yep, I'm pretty excited about that. 

I'm starting this new year fresh with new ideas and new thoughts on where I want things to go in my life. I still love the adventures with my sister. Our walks and golf cart rides in the woods :) Hubby and I even picked up a golf cart for our Christmas gift to each other this year. So I can't wait for spring/summer/fall when riding it each day won't be a problem. 

I doubt we'll be able to vacation this year, seeing as hubby may change jobs soon. But we'll see... That doesn't mean we won't be camping as much as we can, because that's something neither of us will give up :) 

I redid the website because I want a fresh start with this writing career and a fresh start is what I'm taking this year. If all goes well I should be back up and writing in no time. I took a little time off this past year trying to deal with all the changes life has thrown at me. Some have understood and some have misunderstood, which is fine. I'm not in this game to be understood just to do something I enjoy and love.

I've taken up some interesting hobbies lately. This year for our family Christmas we decided all gifts had to be made or purchased from a second-hand store or flea market. This was so much fun. So many interesting ideas came forward. I took up making quilts which I dearly loved. I have my first contracted quilt I will be making in the next month or so for first time grandparents :) 

My game plan is to create a writing/craft room upstairs in one of the bedrooms. I can finally envision it so I know soon it will transpire. I just got to get up there and clean out the room and organize everything :) 

I do plan to get three books out to you soon. The Improbable Bride, formally known as The Cheyenne Bride, Destiny's Price, and Passionate Pursuit. There will be some changes to The Improbable Bride, so if you read The Cheyenne Bride, I do hope you enjoy the deeper version of The Improbable Bride. All I can say right now is I'm hoping to grab a few scenes even deeper in your emotions.

I plan to focus solely on my historicals this year. But don't be disheartened if you enjoy my paranormals, because they are coming along as well, just not planning any releases for them this year.

Well it's getting late and I really need to hit the sack soon. 

Everyone have a lovely evening!!!

Blessings to all!!!












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My heart aches for a little girl I never knew...

Good evening, everyone!!!

Last weekend was supposed to be the final weekend of the year where a few of us gathered at my sister's house for a cousins' weekend. Which we did. We camped, we drank, we laughed and then...

Sunday morning we awoke to the news that a young girl was missing from the small town of Gas City, my town's twin city. This was very close to home. 

The young girl was first listed as a runaway. So the search was on to find her. Some of our crew loaded up and headed out to walk the river banks, the woods, the park, and drive the backroads all in hunt of young girl we all felt in our guts was no longer living.

We facebook stalked, we mycase stalked, we gathered as much information as we could on the family in hopes of gaining a clue or two as to where to search for this young girl. 

It is with a heavy heart I say this beautiful little girl, Skylea Rayn Carmack lost her life Saturday August 31. 

This wasn't the worst of it, her stepmother (whom I won't name because she doesn't deserve that) strangled this little angel in a fit a rage over a damn bracelet. 

As much as I am angered by what happened to this young girl and the abuse she and the other children in the home have endured. All I can think is we failed her. 

So many in our communities gathered to search for her. Everyone came together in hopes of finding this lost little girl. Where is this determination when these children were being abused??? When any child is being abused???

Everyone wants to mind their own business until there is drama, then we sit and grab the popcorn for the show. But what about these innocent little lives??? Aren't they worth more than the drama that comes after some of them die???

I've spent almost a week now with this weighing heavy on my heart and soul. Our CPS system is understaffed and overworked. So many children and not enough foster homes. How many times had people tried to save this little girl to no avail.

What can we do as a society? How can we help? How do we make this stop before the next child is senselessly beaten to death over something stupid? Or locked in their rooms for weeks on end only being allowed to come out for meals and bathroom breaks (maybe).

What has happened to our world???

Child abuse has been going on for as long as their have been children and parents. I'm not saying this is anything new. But, in today's times when we are so concerned about children from other countries, but yet, ours fair no better. So many of the children right here in this country are starved and abused each and every day. Made to sleep in their own filth, given no way out of their situations. Should we not do our very best for our children before we go bragging that we could care for other children better than someone else?

This situation with Skylea really has my heart heavy for those just like her that may not be here tomorrow because no one truly cares. 

I never met her personally, but she has impacted me in ways that I never dreamed of. I'm a deep thinker. Always have been. So when something like this comes to call, it really rattles me. My brain has been so busy night and day with thoughts of what has happened to this beautiful little girl. 

What do we do??? How can we stop this??? Something has to change so these children know they have someone in their corner. To be so young and afraid with no where to turn is not how a child's life should be. If a parent is an abuser and the children are taken away, should there be a second chance??? If the parent is a drug addict and the child is taken away, should they get a second chance??? 

When do these children get a second chance??? When do they get to find out life isn't about being hit day in and day out until your little body is so sore from bruises you don't feel the pain anymore??? Where is their second chance???

I don't have a solution for this issue in our country at this moment. But I do know it needs to change, it needs to be a top concern. We need to put our children first. We need to say no more. 

Rest in Heaven Skylea Rayn Carmack. I'm so sorry your life was what it was and your end was so tragic. I hope from your death we can learn how to stop the next child from having to endure what you went through.

Blessings to all!!!














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It's been awhile...

Good evening, everyone!!!

I know it has been a little while since I blogged, so who knows, this one could be a long one, LOL. 

Good news is Destiny's Price is ready for the final read through and then ready for publication. I sat and cried like a baby as I listened to the last few chapters this evening, just a little spoiler alert ;)

Things have been a little rough emotionally this past year. It's hard when the last of your children leave the nest, even though you don't think it will be. In fact, my writing personality has often thought what it would be like to have all the kids gone and hubby on the road most of the time. How excited that side of me was just thinking about all the writing time I would have each day, LOL. 

Well, when reality hits, you find yourself reassessing your life. Where do you fit into this world now that all the children are gone and hubby is only home 4 days a month. I've been readjusting to my new lifestyle, and most days not so good. You eat alone (even though I've actually been doing this part for years, just didn't want to admit that to myself I guess). I walk through the grocery and wonder what on earth I am going to feed myself each week.

My first choices were quick and easy. Some of my other choices were too complicated for just one. I'm now in a mode where I pick up a few different choices, then decide when the day comes LOL. 

There is so much quiet around here it makes me crazy sometimes. This same quiet I longed for over the course of time, when the house was full of people and I couldn't wait for everyone to go to bed and get out of my hair.

Of course, I still have my furry and feathered friends. I still escape to the farm to hang out with my sister as we take in some nature therapy. But, I was having a good deal of trouble figuring out where life goes from here. 

I know what I want out of life. I know that I long to get back to my stories and get them out there to you. But, it was almost like a depression, a place hard to get back from. 

It's easy to know what will occupy your time when you have kids underfoot. There is always something to be done. There still is, if truth be told. I let the house go for days, so when I clean it feels like there's something to clean. I set no schedules for myself other than my work schedule anymore. Because why bind yourself to such things when you don't have to :)

I went against my own advice, seeking my needs within others, such as thinking if I didn't chat with someone, or make plans to go somewhere, or just anything of the sort, I could not possibly be happy. I know better than that.

I started this year off with good intentions only to be slapped down by the what am I to do now mentality. Only after a week away from the real world, spending a lovely vacation in the new camper, by the lake, did I realize what I needed to be doing. 

I needed to get back to the basics so to speak. Engross myself in my manuscripts and get my life back on track. So, here I am digging myself out of the hole I've put myself in. Birds chirping in the background both inside this house and out. Angel and Mr. Gray making full use of their fly cage. Tweety hanging upside down from one of her swings. While Gracie, Rudy, and Sunny delve into their bird feeder. A cat and two dogs at my feet, who show me every day I make up their world. Stories created from just images in my mind, filling the pages and taking me to another place and time as these manuscripts unfold.

I've allowed other people's lives to bring me down. Taking to heart too much that does not belong to me. I've gotten caught up in the drama that is not mine to reside in. Every day wondering if this is another day I or someone I love will be accused of yet another stupid thing and wondering when it will all stop. 

I realized I have been trying to escape from a life that really isn't mine to escape from. It hit home the day I read a meme that stated, "Don't get caught up in your grown kids problems. It will soon kill you." Truer words have never been spoken. They've actually set me free in some ways. 

I found I'm allowing too much to take over what I want out of life. What I want is very different than what others want for theirs and that's okay. I found myself drowning in what wasn't my ocean. I call this a processing time. Because just as I know I cannot allow myself to get caught up in things that don't belong to me, I also know, to not follow my dreams and my heart, is doing myself a disservice. Yet, I have to let my brain process all of it, before I can move forward. 

Just when I think I've processed something else would come forth. It has only been in the last month that I realized I can't keep stopping my life every time one of these little speed bumps drops by and says pay attention to me. At some point it has to be enough is enough. I've reached that point (hopefully). 

I am tired of always telling myself, "When I get through this," or, "When this settles down." If I spend my life in this mind frame, I'll never get anywhere in this life. 

So, I've taken on the mind frame, "Fuck it," in the words of Frankie and Grace. If it's blocking progress, then it goes to the wayside. 

So, wish me luck, and hopefully that final read through will be done this week. Then it will be onto the next one, and then the next. 

Everyone have a lovely night!!!

Blessings to all!!!








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So many surprises coming soon...

Good morning, everyone!!!

I'm beyond excited about the up and coming next month. I've been holding back a bit because I wanted to do something grand for my comeback into the published world :) Well, if you can keep a secret I'll let you in on my surprise ;)

I knew I would be soon getting the rights back to The Cheyenne Bride, which is the first in my Acceptance Series as you all know. Well, it happened yesterday...

So, the game plan is to rerelease The Cheyenne Bride under a new title and for a bit of extra fun, a few new goodies between the pages. So The Cheyenne Bride will now be known as Improbable Bride and just for a few more tear jerkers you will get a little deeper insight on One Wolf and Nichole (White Deer).

However, that is not the entire surprise. I plan to rerelease Improbable Bride right along with Destiny's Price and yes, Passionate Pursuit. So, wish me luck over the course of this next month. I'll be pulling 50 hours next week and 40 hours the rest of the time at the day job. Then another 42 hours of writing time a week to make this all happen. 

The covers are all ready to go. The final touches are being added. Then everything will go live. :)

Thank you all for being so patient with me while I worked through everything over the course of the last few years. I've still got a ways to go inwardly, but I am definitely on the right path. 

I've learned a great deal over the course of that time. It always helps to work on your inner self to bring about a fresh start in this world. I've gone from insanely busy with family to a strange silence that surrounds me from the time I leave the day job until I go back to the day job. 

I've gone to having to plan for others to just taking care of myself and my critters. It is so different from my yesterdays, but now is my time, that time I've been waiting all these years on. Strange but a good kind of strange :)

So, watch for more bits and pieces on when my release dates will be. I'll share them here with you first :)

Everyone have a lovely day!!!

Blessings to all!!!







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