Linda Joyce's Blog, page 10

Warning Alert! Approaching Elephants = Creativity Killers

Approaching Elephants!

What’s that?

Stay tuned, but first a note from your sponsor—Me!

If we’re not yet well acquainted, you don’t know how much I love the game Six Degrees of Separation. (Now you do. *smiles*) I’m pleased to show you how fate works in my life, our lives…and we’re all connected by no more than six degrees.

I’m going to give you the short version of my connection to Romney—Our paths almost crossed several times many years ago when we lived in the same neighborhood in Orlando, Florida, and then five years ago at a writer’s conference in Oklahoma. But we were always slightly out of sync. Apparently, Jodi Thomas and Texas did the trick. We met in the dorm at the Writer’s Academy in Canyon, Texas.

Romney is one the “go-to” people in my life when I’m trying to figure things out. She’s wise and funny, and you, too, can be connected to Romney Nesbitt, Creativity Coach, author, artist and teacher.

Here’s Romney:

Jodi Thomas gave me this little blue elephant. He’s about four inches long with black plastic eyes, green felt ears and an orange tail. He sits next to my laptop—as a reminder. (See elephant below.)

A few years ago Linda and I led a workshop at Jodi’s Writers’ Academy at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas. In the workshop I cautioned writers about “approaching elephants.” The next time I saw Jodi, she told me the information about approaching elephants had “changed her life,” and then she handed me this elephant as a thank you gift. That’s when I realized that Jodi Thomas, RITA award winning romance author, has the same problem I have—approaching elephants. An “approaching elephant” is any request for your time or talents with two characteristics: the deadline is usually months away and you really have no interest in doing the task. You’ll know you’ve adopted an approaching elephant when you say “Yes,” when you really wanted to say “No.” I’ve done this because:

• I couldn’t think of a nice way to say “No”

• I’m a people-pleaser

• I kidded myself into thinking the task wouldn’t take much time

• I chose to ignore my gut feelings

• I wanted to feel important (ego)

Here’s how it happens: someone asks you to do something for them. This “something” is a task or commitment with a deadline a few months into the future. Once you agree to do the task the elephant magically materializes. To give you a visual, imagine a small black dot on the horizon line. This dot is the task/elephant. Now the elephant is far away in the distance, you can hardly see the elephant, much less smell or hear him, but he is there. As time passes the elephant comes closer. As soon as you can see him clearly you begin to feel the weight and dread of your unmet (and unwanted) responsibility. A week before the deadline, a full-grown elephant is camped in your front yard leaving smelly piles on your lawn. The day before the deadline he’s banging his trunk on your door demanding to be let into your house. Unfortunately, that elephant-sized task has to be done NOW.

How to keep elephants away:

• NEVER say yes immediately. Stall. Tell the person, “I’ll have to check my calendar. I’ll call/email you in the next couple of days.”

• You can say “No.” A request for your time is a request. When you say no, the asker will move on to the next person on their list.

• Just because you’re good at X, doesn’t mean you have to do X whenever you’re asked to share your X-pertise. Someone else may need to gain X-perience—let them.

• Examine your motive. Do you owe a favor, want to be liked, need a favor in the future?

• Estimate the hours involved in the project and double them to account for phone calls, emails, meetings, etc. Do you really have that much extra time to burn?

• Know your career goals. Any distraction will delay completion of your book, painting etc.

• Get a toy elephant to remind you to use your time for your career goals—not someone else’s.

For more information on elephants, nice ways to say no, procrastination, self-sabotage, noble substitute activities and time management read my book, SECRETS FROM A CREATIVITY COACH, available from my publisher, AWOC.com or on amazon.com.

Better yet, ask me to speak at your group’s next meeting or conference. For quick answers to tough questions read my advice column, “Ask a Creativity Coach,” in the Business of Art section of any issue of ART FOCUS OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE, www.ovac-ok.org. Archived issues are available at www.issuu.com/ovac.

For more information on Jodi Thomas’ Writers’ Academy click on the link and look under Community Programs/Writers’ Academy. It’s my favorite conference—ever! Great teachers, relevant information and Texas hospitality.

Linda here. I hope you’re able to wrangle the Approaching Elephants in your life. If you need assistance, Romney’s a great person to teach you the ropes. And, I want you to know that Romney is the cover artist for SECRETS FROM A CREATIVITY COACH, along with the other illustrations in her book.

Happy Reading!

Linda Joyce

www.linda-joyce.com

Author of Bayou Born

Dazzle with Your Diamonds of Wisdom

Dazzle with Diamonds of Wisdom

Is wisdom important?

How does it differ from intelligence?

Is there a difference between wise and smart?

Merriam-Webster dictionary notes wisdom:

 * knowledge that is gained by having many experiences in life

 * the natural ability to understand things that most other people cannot understand

 * knowledge of what is proper or reasonable : good sense or judgment



Why do we refer to pearls instead of diamonds of wisdom? If “wisdom” is valuable, then why isn’t it elevated to something greater than a pearl? Why not a diamond, or link wisdom to a gemstone even rare than a diamond?

Ask gave many answers for “What is the Meaning of Pearl of Wisdom?”

• Both take a long time to develop

• Quotes of hope and inspiration

• Biblical scripture quoted.

• Sarcasm, as in, “So much for your pearls of wisdom.”

Hoping for a better understanding, I sought information on pearls at the Mikimoto site. (Mikimoto is synonymous for pearls.)

These experts say pearls are resilient organic gemstones, but delicate and require proper care. Acid, alkaline and extremes of humidity are damaging to pearls. While these round wonders from the sea are shock-resistant, scratches may occur when pearls come in contact with sharp objects or other gemstones, and pearls can get dehydrated–so they are made to be worn.

With all of the special conditions surrounding the wear, care, and storage, it seems to me that Diamonds of Wisdom make more sense. Diamonds are far more wash and wear. They stand the test of time far better than pearls.

So let’s share wisdom. Diamonds or otherwise. What’s the best sage advice you have received that you would like to share with me and others?

Waiting in anticipation of receiving diamonds of wisdom,

Linda Joyce

www.linda-joyce.com

Author of Bayou Born- right now on sale at The Wild Rose Press

or available at Amazon.

Love Struck Creations just for You

Friday with Friends

Each Friday I will introduce you to Authors, Artists, Musicians, Coaches, and more. This week Love Struck Creations takes center page.

I joined a Facebook group at the invitation of Coline Harmon Walther, the founder of Virtual Virtuoso and Friends Networking. There I met Kristina, a woman I admire because she’s following her passion. She’s a sewing artist with a creative product line, one of a kind, Homemade Designs.

Please meet Kristina!

If you were to come into what I call my sewing studio, you would find fabric covering my table and chairs, hundreds of pins stuck in my pin cushion, multiple pairs of scissors, my sewing machine ready in its place, a hot cup of tea and of course, a jar of Nutella with a spoon lying by its side.

That image is what I call a perfect work environment; a crazy, organized mess where I get to do one of the things I love and am so utterly passionate about.

I work a full time job during the day but my nights and weekends are all about doing work for my small business, Love Struck Creations. Only that work, doesn’t feel like work, what it feels is right.

6:30 am on Saturday morning rolls around and I’m already up with my tea kettle on. I assess my mess of a table making my plan of attack for my day. It will usually involve focusing on a few different products, having a goal to keep up with my inventory.

I spend a good amount of time choosing the fabrics I want to use for a product. I’m picky when going through the endless amounts of fabric I have. There’s a lot to think about and I try to think of it all. By having a sense of the person, the woman, I sew for; I’m able to pick the prints that will make her fall in love with it.

When fabric has been carefully chosen, I spend a while measuring, cutting & pinning all my pieces before I begin to actually sew. It’s like a well-oiled dance, choreographed to perfection. Then my sewing machine turns on and I listen to its steady hum as it pieces the fabric together. My mind focuses on the task at hand, excited to move to the next steps, to add the finishing touches and be amazed that the vision I had in my head is now sitting in front of me.

It’s a beautiful thing, translating what I have in my head to something tangible, something I can run my fingers over and smile about. I really look at all my pieces I make, proud of what I have been able to teach myself over these past 2 years, what I have learned from it all.

I take pride in each piece, large or small, because I have worked hard to get where I am. I feel that sewing and that what I am building are some of the missing pieces to the puzzle of who I am. When I sit with my sewing machine at the table, I see my future not the utter mess others see. It’s the opportunity and excitement that will keep me moving forward with Love Struck Creations. I’m ready for endless possibility.

There is something for everybody at Love Struck Creations & I encourage you to visit my website and Facebook to learn more and to become Love Struck!

-Kristina Iennaco

Founder of Love Struck Creations

Linda here. I hope you enjoyed a peek into Kristina’s world. The holidays are coming. Are you in need of a special handmade gift to show someone one how much you care? Check out Kristina’s wine totes, note cards and gift suggestions.

Live Boldly!

Linda Joycewww.linda-joyce.com

Author of Bayou Born

Greetings! Welcome to the Ice Breaker

Welcome to my official site! Linda Joyce Contemplates.

Last week, I moved my blog from a free WordPress site to a self-hosted one. I’m not a techy person, nor do I enjoy being at the mercy of those who speak a tech language that is Klingon-like to me. Being vulnerable makes me grouchy—okay, my husband would probably use another word. He told me to locate my patience and put it to good use because he’s trying to help me.

I’m excited about new folks finding my blog. I’m sending out a big Thank You! to the new comers and to those of you who’ve found me along the way.

I want us to know each other better, so I developed a list of questions for all of us to complete.

Please copy the list into a comment, answer the questions and I’ll pass around munches. What’s your favorite? I love popcorn.

Here are the Ice Breaker Questions:

Coffee or Tea

Cat or Dog

Car or SUV

Christmas or Halloween

Meat or Meatless

Cake or Pie

City or Country living

Regular exercise or Not

Wine or Beer or Liquor

Downton Abbey or Big Bang

Baseball or Football

College Fan or Pro Fan

Book or eReader

One last question, what book are you reading now?

A sincere Thank You! for visiting with me. If you aren’t a follower, please know that I blog on Wednesdays. On Friday, I have a series called Friday with Friends and I introduce people that I believe are doing interesting things.

Happy Reading!

Laissez les bons temps rouler!

Linda Joyce

www.linda-joyce.com

Friday with Friends: Cuckoo for Cocoa… Anything!

Welcome to Friday with Friends!

This week, I’m introducing Maggie Worth. She’s Cuckoo for Cocoa… Anything!

And Maggie has a gift waiting for you…keep reading!



Here’s Maggie~

I love chocolate. Not just a little and not in a fly-by-night kind of way. Favorite ice cream? Brewster’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Buckeye. Favorite adult beverage? Chocolate Martini. Favorite restaurant? The Melting Pot.

Over the years, I’ve tried a vast array of versions in innumerable locations and situations. Croissants au chocolat in a Paris café, decadent fudge at a New England Candy factory, and a gift box of chilli chocolates from a client in Venezuela. Okay, the last one wasn’t really my bag, but I tried them. I’ve been to candy, cookie, and ice cream factories from the mass-produced national brands to local chocolatiers. I’ve had chocolate wine, chocolate coffee, and chocolate beer. I own Chocolat on DVD, the hardback version of Like Water for Chocolate and a complete set of chocolate pearls. I. Love. Chocolate.

I’m also the proud possessor of countless bits of chocolate trivia. We all know that chocolate is toxic to dogs and that the Baby Ruth was names for Grover Cleveland’s daughter and not the famous baseball player. But did you know that European drinking chocolate was the mother of Cappuccino? Or that chocolate has long been used as both a medicine and an aphrodisiac? Presumably not at the same time.

Alas, my personal favorite indulgences tend to be a tad on the pricey side. Don’t get me wrong: I’ll take a Twix or a pack of Oreos any day. But I adore Harry & David’s chocolate covered blueberries and Green & Black’s Dark Chocolate with Mint. I’m crazy for Oh! Chocolate in Senoia, which offers hand-dipped strawberries, graham crackers, pretzels and more along with handmade champagne truffles and gelato. Divine!! And, someday, I’m going to splurge on an order from Vosges: an organic peanut butter bourbon bar, a pound of bacon truffles, and a package of La Parisienne Couture drinking chocolate.

But my go-to chocolatier has long been Godiva. I love the gold ballotin, I love the lady, I love the frequent shopper club, and I love the yum! I love it so much, in fact, that I assign each of my light erotic romance heroines a favorite. Rae (Page 93) was addicted to Hazlenut Prailine Raindrops. For Belle (Screw Me Once), it was the Cinnamon Blush. J.J. (Tex-Mex Sex Hex) has a passion for Coconut Pyramids. And in my upcoming self-published novel, Cream & Honey (Dec. 2013), Nora goes wild for Cappuccino truffles. In the days to come, I’ll have a consultant with a yen for Strawberry Milk Chocolate Biscuits, a nurse who loves her Dark Caramel Embrace, and an attorney addicted to Neapolitan truffles. The two who have the most in common with me (the writer and the photographer) get my second and third favorites: the Dark Mint Medallions and the Raspberry Starfish. Plus whoever else shows up in my head.

But nobody gets my favorite. Want to guess what it is? First right answer wins a pdf of my award-winning Tex-Mex Sex Hex, so give it a go and thanks for stopping by!

Linda here. Click on the link for Godiva and that might give you some clues about Maggie’s fav Godiva. Remember to post your guess. You could have the winning answer.

Now a bit more about Maggie:

Maggie is an author, speaker, business strategist, freelance writer, and future professor. She’s also a reader, life learner, dog schmuck, hair flower obsessionist, foodie, Oxford comma defender, and dreamer. Connect at maggieworth.com, visit her blog at FiveforFiction.com, follow her on Twitter at MaggieSheWrote or come pin with her at pinterest.com/magsmontgomery.

Happy Reading!

Linda Joyce

www.linda-joyce.com

Author of Bayou Born

Feeding America

Feeding America.

I think this topic is fitting for today, a day we pause to remember the moments of September 11, 2001.

While in Baltimore in June, I visited the 9/11 Memorial of Maryland. The base is made of white marble to support three twenty-foot-long steel artifacts, twisted and torn columns from the Twin Towers in New York City. It is a reminder of the sixty-nine Marylanders who lost their lives that day. As I stood in front of the monument and thought about all that happened on 9/11, including the heart-stopping trials of my family—my mother, sister, and niece were flying that morning to Japan, and their plane was forced to make an unscheduled landing—parents and children stopped along side of me to gaze at the memorial.

But you ask, what does that have to do with Feeding America?

Everything.

Memorials are reminders to us and our children about our history and culture. 9/11 is the perfect example of how we came together as a country. As Aristotle said, our children hold our future in their hands.

Our children are the foundation of tomorrow. Basic necessities in life are the foundation in which we build up. Yet, in a land of plenty, the facts about hunger are startling. September Is National Hunger Action Month. Notice the word “Action.”

Do you know the facts about hunger in America? Take the quiz and discover your knowledge on the issue. QUIZ

Want to know more about Feeding America? Here’s a place to go for information.

http://feedingamerica.org/

Also, The Food Network is showing orange and sponsoring the No Kid Hungry campaign by offering orange items for sale. 100% of the sale price of the items will be donated to No Kid Hungry: Sunglasses, Tote bags, T-shirts, Wristband, and Hats.

Want to find a local food bank near you? Here’s how: http://feedingamerica.org/foodbank-results.aspx

There are other ways to give back to fight hunger, the ones I have noted are just few. I hope you will join me in supporting National Hunger Action Month.

Go Orange!

Warmest Regards,

Linda Joyce

www.linda-joyce.com

Friday with Friends: Lori Leger talks Cajun

Friday with Friends

Welcome! Thank you for stopping in and joining me. I’m happy to share this time with you. I’m having a Bloody Mary and Crab stuffed Okra Poppers.

There’s no better way to mark the end of the workweek and kick off the weekend than by celebrating with friends with an adult beverage, yummy food, and good conversation. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the French made salons fashionable. A host gathered people to amuse and share knowledge with one another through conversation, “either to please or to educate” is the English translation of “aut delectare aut prodesse est.”

In keeping with my French heritage, well the French-Cajun part, welcome to my salon!

Each Friday I will introduce you to a friend, hence Friday with Friends, and I hope you will be amused or introduced to something new, or both.

As for the adult beverage and yummy food, please share what you’re partaking of and feel free to post recipes to share. I hope you’ll join in the conversation with my weekly guest…and I’ll pass the boiled peanuts your way.

I’m pleased to introduce you to Lori Leger ~ Fictional Romance with a Cajun flair/Owner of Cajunflair Publishing

Lori, the floor belongs to you.

Bon jour! Let me begin by explaining how to pronounce my last name. It’s French, so it’s not LEE-ger as you may suspect, but LAY-jhay. I’m from south Louisiana, where all of my stories take place, and Cajun roots run deep in my family tree. As a result, some of my books (particularly the La Fleur de Love series) are brimming with examples of my beloved Cajun culture, from foods such as seafood gumbo, etouffee, and crawfish jambalaya, to names (Broussard, Hebert, LeBlanc, Mouton) to dialect, and Cajun French phrases. Some Day Somebody has particularly strong references and contains a section dedicated to Cajun phrases, translations and pronunciations. I’m extremely proud of this book, as it’s the one that started the ball rolling for me.

So, what exactly is a CAJUN?

It started back in the early 1600’s when our ancestors left the cities of France to pursue better lives for their families in New France, which is now the Maritime Provinces of Eastern Canada (New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia) They travelled west by ships across the North Atlantic Ocean and settled in Acadia (Nova Scotia). The hardworking French people befriended the native Mi’kmaq Indians and thrived by learning their hunting and fishing techniques. They called themselves Acadians, shortened over centuries to become ‘Cajuns’.

As France and England were constantly battling for control of the provinces, the Acadians always fought alongside the Mi’kmaq to thwart British control. England finally won control, but the Acadians, all devout Catholics, had no desire to swear an unconditional oath of allegiance to the British king, head of the Protestant Church of England. Nor did the Acadians want to anger their friends, the Mi’kmaqs, and risk attacks on their villages. As a result, the King confiscated the land settled by the Acadians, burned their homes and crops, and had nearly 12,000 people deported on ships to the coastal colonies, from New England to Georgia. Families were separated and shipped to different locations … some back to France, while some died at sea. Many families were never reunited.

Longfellow’s famous epic poem “Evangeline” is a sad telling of a similar situation, where-in Evangeline waits for the return of her beloved Gabriel, searches for him for years. She finally settles in Philadelphia, and as an old woman, works as a Sister of Mercy among the poor. During an epidemic, she finds Gabriel among the sick, and her long lost love dies in her arms. There are two sculptures depicting Evangeline waiting for her love. One is in Grand Pre’, Nova Scotia at the National Historic Site. It was sculpted by Louis-Phillipe Hebert, which just happens to be my maiden name. See? I told you I was Cajun!

Louis-Philippe Hébert’s sculpture of Evangeline, Grand-Pré National Historic Site, Nova Scotia, Canada.

The second is in St. Martinville, Louisiana. It was modeled after the Mexican silent film star, Delores del Rio, who played Evangeline in the 1929 movie filmed in Louisiana. In 1934, the film’s cast and crew donated the statue to the city of St. Martinville, where it still remains to this day. Monument to Acadians, St. Martinville, Louisiana

Thank you, Lori. To everyone, I hope you enjoyed Lori’s insights of history. While Lori and I are connected through our Cajun culture, and we are surely cousins several times removed, the sights, sounds, flavors of Louisiana are available for all. Laissez les bon temps roulez!

If you’d like to know more about Lori, her company and her books, here’s where you can find more information.

La Fleur de Love series: (Contemporary romances bustling with loveable characters, interesting storylines, and a little bit of Cajun flair)

Book 1: SOME DAY SOMEBODY

Book 2: LAST FIRST KISS

Book 2.5: HART’S DESIRE

Book 3: BROWN EYED GIRL

Book 4: HEAVEN IN YOUR EYES

Halos & Horns series: (Sparks fly between Louisiana Saints and Texas Longhorns)

Book 1: GREEN EYED TEMPTATION

Book 2: SARAH SMILE

Book 3: MEAGAN’S MARINE (September 2013)

Seasons of Love series: (Sweet and sensual seasonal anthologies to warm your heart!)

Book 1: HEARTS, HEARTHS & HOLIDAYS (InD’tale RONE’ 1ST Honorable Mention)

Book 2: SPRING PROMISE

Book 3: SWEET SUMMERTIME LOVE

Here are the links:

http://amzn.com/e/B0075RWKLS (Link to Amazon Author Page where all of my books are available for purchase)

Website: www.LoriLegerAuthor.com

Blog: http://Cajunflair.wordpress.com

Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/llegerauthor

FB Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/lorilegerauthor

Twitter: @lleger641

CajunflairPublishing http://www.CajunflairPublishing.com

email: cajunflair@LoriLegerAuthor.com / lleger641@yahoo.com / CajunflairPublishing@gmail.com

Thanks again for stopping in.

And, here’s how you can reach me:

Website: http://www.linda-joyce.com

Blog. http://lindajoycecontemplates.wordpre...

Facebook Author Page https://www.facebook.com/LindaJoyceAu...

Twitter: @LJWriter https://twitter.com/LJWriter

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...

Fresh Fiction: http://freshfiction.com/author.php?id...

Pintrest: http://pinterest.com/LindaJoyceWorld/...

Your Editor is Your Friend (Really)

Hope you’ll enjoy these insights into working with a freelance editor. I think they might be a writer’s secret weapon.

Happy Reading!

Linda Joyce

http://www.linda-joyce.com

Your Editor is Your Friend (Really).

Barking up a New Tree

Arf!Arf!

Hey there! Masterpiece Renoir here. Reni for short. When you call me that, I’ll know we’re friends. Today’s my birthday. I’m eleven years old.

I’m here to announce that mom—Linda Joyce—is taking the next step. There’ll be a new blog address starting Friday, which is kind of like me barking up a new tree. Barking is the same. A tree is a tree, so the same, just different location. http://www.lindajoycecontemplates.com/

Mom’s busy catching up on homework for her online class because she and dad spent the weekend at the Low Country Jazz Festival. Dave Koz, Mindi Abair, Gerald Albright and Richard Elliot rocked it! Take a listen:

Why am I here? Mom told me and my brothers, Beau and Jack—I know you’ve heard of them. Beau is even in a book—to come up with a post for her blog today.

We decided that Beau would toss a cookie in the air. The first one of us to grab it would win the cookie, AND the right to be a writer today. Beau being the General, almost always follows orders. Jack is too GQ to bother with a scramble. Me? I’m not only little, the seven-pound wonder, I’m lightning fast. Oh, and cuter, too, than my brothers. Everyone who has met our pack will tell you the same thing. You guessed right. I won the cookie toss.

So here I am. And since I’m a cute and cuddly canine, you better leave nice comments for me, like where I can find the best “wash and fluff” bath place, what stores have the best raw bones, and which dog park has the cutest barky girls. I like them little like me. Mom says I have a Napoleon complex, well, Dad says it too. But hey now, the Emperor was short and French. I’m low to the ground, Dad calls me ‘The Sport Model’ and since Mom is part Cajun-French, it makes perfects that I could be Emperor, too!

True Dat! (That’s what they say when I visit New Orleans.)

I’m working at taking over the world, at least the world as far as I can see. I’m only six inches off the ground so everything looks big to me.

I need to know, are you a dog lover? Mom is. She’s got a great lap and long piano fingers for scratching me behind the ears. Yes, I know, Papillion means butterfly in French and I’ve got big ears. Back to Mom, my brothers and I rate her belly rubs a 5-out-ot-5 stars. So, if you’ve got four-legged kids, I’m happy to negotiate a price to rent Mom out as a Master Scratcher.

Ut oh! She’s not happy about my offer. She’s yelling something about, “pimp puppy” and that’s my cue to exit.

My brothers and I hope you had a labor free Labor Day.

So remember, on Friday, there’s a new link. http://www.lindajoycecontemplates.com/

Mom’s also starting a new thing: Friday with Friends. She’s going to introduce you to some pretty cool folks. Authors. Artists. Unique Business people.

Got to run! See ya there!

Arf!Arf!

P.S.

You can pick up Mom’s book here:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Born-Fleur-Lis-ebook/dp/B00B9L1VAC/ref=sr_1_9?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1359997756&sr=1-9&keywords=Bayou+Born

Barnes and Noble Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bayou-born-linda-joyce/1115360406?ean=2940016730806

kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Bayou-Born/book-FjFdT0oTGEeP_Xq7JgL98A/page1.html?s=PjchXd6MYkmw87qb6lNs8Q&r=1

All Romance eBooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-bayouborn-1194066-149.html

Bookstrand: http://www.bookstrand.com/bayou-born

The Wild Rose Press: http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=1087

Barking up a New Tree

Arf!Arf!

Hey there! Masterpiece Renoir here. Reni for short. When you call me that, I’ll know we’re friends. Today’s my birthday. I’m eleven years old.

I’m here to announce that mom—Linda Joyce—is taking the next step. There’ll be a new blog address starting Friday, which is kind of like me barking up a new tree. Barking is the same. A tree is a tree, so the same, just different location. http://www.lindajoycecontemplates.com/

Mom’s busy catching up on homework for her online class because she and dad spent the weekend at the Low Country Jazz Festival. Dave Koz, Mindi Abair, Gerald Albright and Richard Elliot rocked it! Take a listen:

Why am I here? Mom told me and my brothers, Beau and Jack—I know you’ve heard of them. Beau is even in a book—to come up with a post for her blog today.

We decided that Beau would toss a cookie in the air. The first one of us to grab it would win the cookie, AND the right to be a writer today. Beau being the General, almost always follows orders. Jack is too GQ to bother with a scramble. Me? I’m not only little, the seven-pound wonder, I’m lightning fast. Oh, and cuter, too, than my brothers. Everyone who has met our pack will tell you the same thing. You guessed right. I won the cookie toss.

So here I am. And since I’m a cute and cuddly canine, you better leave nice comments for me, like where I can find the best “wash and fluff” bath place, what stores have the best raw bones, and which dog park has the cutest barky girls. I like them little like me. Mom says I have a Napoleon complex, well, Dad says it too. But hey now, the Emperor was short and French. I’m low to the ground, Dad calls me ‘The Sport Model’ and since Mom is part Cajun-French, it makes perfects that I could be Emperor, too!

True Dat! (That’s what they say when I visit New Orleans.)

I’m working at taking over the world, at least the world as far as I can see. I’m only six inches off the ground so everything looks big to me.

I need to know, are you a dog lover? Mom is. She’s got a great lap and long piano fingers for scratching me behind the ears. Yes, I know, Papillion means butterfly in French and I’ve got big ears. Back to Mom, my brothers and I rate her belly rubs a 5-out-ot-5 stars. So, if you’ve got four-legged kids, I’m happy to negotiate a price to rent Mom out as a Master Scratcher.

Ut oh! She’s not happy about my offer. She’s yelling something about, “pimp puppy” and that’s my cue to exit.

My brothers and I hope you had a labor free Labor Day.

So remember, on Friday, there’s a new link. http://www.lindajoycecontemplates.com/

Mom’s also starting a new thing: Friday with Friends. She’s going to introduce you to some pretty cool folks. Authors. Artists. Unique Business people.

Got to run! See ya there!

Arf!Arf!

P.S.

You can pick up Mom’s book here:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Born-Fleu...

Barnes and Noble Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bayou...

kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Bayou-...

All Romance eBooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/prod...

Bookstrand: http://www.bookstrand.com/bayou-born

The Wild Rose Press: http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/mai...