Jennifer Theriot's Blog, page 5

Out of the Box Regifted....almost ready to be released !

Out of the Box Regifted has been to the editor, corrections have been made and it is now in the hands of the proofreader. As soon as I get the manuscript back and make final corrections, this baby is off to the formatter and then we'll birth it on Amazon, Smashwords and Create Space. I cannot WAIT to release this book. I'm so excited and hope you'll be as well. Olivia and Ash continue their fairytale romance. There is a wedding, a funeral and other emotional situations in Regifted. The ride isn't over....there are more lies, betrayals and deceit...it will continue through book 3 - Out of the Box Everlasting.
I hope you'll continue on the ride with Olivia, Ash and the rest of this incredible blended group of family and friends. There's lots to come!

Change is good….

My husband and I set out yesterday to find a new recliner for him. We spent the whole day together matter of fact, which is rare since weekends for me are typically spent tied to my computer writing.

We set out for our favorite local furniture store determined and browsed the recliners finally finding "the one".
Hubby says that when you walk by a chair, the perfect one for you will scream "MY CHAIR" and apparently this one did. I was just pleased it wasn't adorned with a "gear" on the side of it. I have a 'no gear' policy in my house. This sleek leather God of a chair has a hidden electric button that reclines it. YAY! Color me happy.

Of course, there was a couch and chair with ottoman that also screamed to come home with us; we heard it and purchased all of them. $$$$$$ :(

Of course me being the consummate texting queen, snapped photos and send them to my kids, proud of our new purchases.

Each one shared the same sentiment…..WHY are you and Dad getting a new couch??? There's nothing wrong with the one you have and we like it.

One son even offered to buy it from us so it wouldn't go to couch heaven (or hell).

It seems they all have good memories of our couch and that makes me smile. It's a good feeling when your kids become attached to a fixture in your house - makes you feel loved.
Hubby, on the other hand has a different analogy about said couch. "They all like it because they lay on the damn thing and smooch when they come over"

It is, after all 108" and big enough for 2 to comfortably lie in each other's arms and, yes….smooch.

So today, change will come to the Theriot household. I guess my den will become "smoochless" when the kids come over, but that's okay….. I've got new furniture.

Okay…..I can do this, right?

This is the eve of my first major book signing. I'm one of many authors participating in the Houston Authors Bash…. by the grace of God, I'm diving in and doing this!
I've been to the venue and set everything up with the help of my son and his fiancé. They meticulously helped me merchandise my table while encouraging me all the way. As nervous as I am right now, by the same token I'm excited and anxious. This is truly a dream come true!

The good thing is that I'm not a book signing virgin anymore. I've done 2 smaller ones recently which gave me a huge burst of confidence. I've created swag, had banners and posters made, ordered books, pens and I'm ready…..I think :/

Having the incredible support of my fellow author friends means the world to me. It's amazing how welcoming the indie author world is. Everyone is there for one another. The 'elders' as I call them have been there, done that and are eager to share their successes and failures, lending a helping hand and a listening ear.

Heading off to bed with a smile on my face, ready for mañana! Good Night all!
#blessed #houstonauthorsbash
Out of the Box Awakening

….and on to 2014!

2013 was an amazing year for me. I self published my first book Out of the Box Awakening and am nearly finished with Out of the Box Regifted. My goal for this year is to finish Regifted and also Out of the Box Everlasting, which will be the third and final in that series. I've got plans for a 4th book which will be written from another character's POV… (hint....he's tatted up with a piercing and is in a band;)

Along this journey I've been fortunate to cross paths with so many talented authors and bloggers. It is a wonderful community to be a part of. The love and support from these folks is amazing and I only hope I can pay it forward.....
Not to mention how much I treasure the autographed books I've received from them as well.

I've learned so much this year - I find that I've had to shuffle things around and manage my time better, which is a day to day thing for me. It's funny how once your kids are all grown and gone you still don't seem to have enough time to accomplish in a day what you set out to do. I'm working on prioritizing things and not stressing over the small things which are inconsequential. Lots of good things are happening in 2014 and I look forward to it. I'm just gonna hang on and go for the ride!

To all of you who have purchased, read and reviewed Out of the Box Awakening, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Never in a million years did I think the book would get this kind of positive response.

I wish for you all a very prosperous 2014 filled with good health, much love and happiness.
Step Out of the Box and savor every moment!

Thanksgiving and I'm Giving Thanks:)

Wow!

This year has been incredible! I've published my first book, it's on Amazon, Smashwords AND available through Create Space in paperback! I'm blown over! Who would have thought that one year ago on October 27th as I typed the first words into a word document that I would be a published author?

So many amazing things have happened over this year which are not book related that I have reason to be thankful for as well…..

I have two beautiful grandchildren and 3 amazing kids all of whom I'm so very proud and thankful for. God has blessed me richly - I certainly don't deserve all he has bestowed upon me, but I'll take it!

My oldest son Dale and his beautiful wife Julie celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary the day after my birthday this year.
That leaves my youngest son Ben who has an incredible beautiful girlfriend Andra who I know will be my daughter in law in the near future. Who knows? Maybe they will make the trilogy and get married ON my birthday. His girlfriend's mother, who is a dear friend has her birthday the day BEFORE mine. Too much coincidence? YUP! It's fate.

I put up my Christmas tree yesterday and with each ornament I hung on the tree I realized how darn lucky I am. I've got beautiful children who are all successful, they have amazing soul mates and I've got an incredible husband as well. Life doesn't get much better than this does it? Yes it does!

I've got such wonderful friends as well. Not only friends I've known for over 30 years, but I have to include the new friends I've met in this past year. Friends I've met on Facebook - fellow Author and Blogger friends who are like a sorority. We're all there for each other. When I stress out, I only have to post a message and they all come to my rescue. Life is good and I only hope I can pay it forward. Blessed beyond words? Yes indeed I am!

As I continue to work diligently on completion of my book 2, I am ever thankful and proud of each and every one of my family members and friends. God is good and I'm blessed.

Thank you to all my friends, family and new found friends….authors and bloggers. I love you all!

Blogger/Author friends, Trenda Lundin, Jennifer Douglas (my publicist) Diane Rinella, Angela Ford, Shelia Tansley (aka Aubree Lane), Mary Reason Theriot, Grace Augustine, Hayley Oakes, Tanya Watt to name but a few….I thank you all for your friendship. It means the world:)

May the blessings of this season flow upon you….



Love and Hugs!

Jennifer

I Pretty Much Suck at Writing This Weekend :(

I had such high hopes of cranking out some serious words this weekend but that was thrown by the wayside. Family came first. I did the steam cleaning thing on Friday/Saturday getting ready for my son bringing his girlfriend to their new home in Houston.

My son moved his beautiful girlfriend from Ft. Worth to Houston today, and it seems like writing took a backseat to all the things I had to do. Not only am I an author, but first and foremost I'm a MOM!

Once the kids were on the road to Houston, I realized that my dear friend, mother to the amazing young woman my son is crazy in love with was saying goodbye to her rock, her best friend and her daughter. She texted me telling me how sad she was, yet how happy she was that her daughter was in the care of my son.I broke down in tears while driving back from running errands - my heart aching for her.

I'm equally as sad for her, yet happy that this young couple is on their way to start a new life for themselves, Thank God our families are so close and that love abounds in this circle!

Andra is the woman every mother prays for and dreams about for her son! I'm so blessed.
My children have all chosen such wonderful soul mates and I realize tonight how damn lucky I am. So many families are torn apart by divorce and I count myself blessed in every way to have such great kids.

Tonight, I'm not stressed that I haven't written...I'm behind yes but I've gained so much today. I'll catch up this week and be back on track. I could not have forgiven myself if I'd isolated myself this weekend and written. I needed to be a mom and I did it. Behind schedule? Yes I am. But on task with what the true meaning of being a mom is...YES! I love my life, I love my family and kids and I wish you all an amazing Out of the Box week!
Hugs! xxoo!

Is there more to life than writing?

Today I planned to write all day long. 87k words into book 2, Out of the Box Regifted, I find that I have to table that plan for now....

My youngest son is moving his beautiful girlfriend to Houston from Fort Worth this weekend and I find that I must be a mother. There's things to be done!
First on the list is to steam clean the club chair which has graced our game room for the past I can't even remember how many years. Of all things, the happy couple wants this chair for their town home. These days, kids usually want to buy new furniture, so I'm actually happy they've asked to take this chair. It does need a little TLC though and that's where I come in.

Last night, with good intentions, I set out with a glass of wine, my music, my trusty Oreck Steam-it (which I LOVE, btw), schlepped up the stairs into the game room, only to find the machine wasn't working :(
SOOOO first thing this morning I'm at the Oreck store with Steam-it in hand and a harried look on my face. Mr. Oreck man calmed me down and told me not to stress. He cleaned the channel for me and off I was, back to the game room to resume my job at hand.

As I moved the wand back and forth over the chair, I became melancholy remembering back to the days when my kids were in high school and the favorite weekend place was the Theriot's game room. Detached and away from the house, everyone loved coming over. I wonder just what stories that club chair could tell me...hehe! I'm sure many a beer pong games were played up there and the room was host to lots of kids who loved spending the night. Even when the kids were in college it was the hangout.

This chair, now clean and like new will now go to a new home and will live on. I'll miss you Mr. Club chair! You've served my family well.

As for the writing, I'll play catchup next week;) Family time is great and you gotta grab it while you can.

Hope everyone has an Out of the Box Amazing weekend:)

Getting closer every day!

Wow!
This weekend, we uploaded the book on Smash Words and though there are some font formatting issues, I feel I am getting closer to my goal!
I've had the book professionally edited and the editor (who I don't personally know) has given me very positive feedback and loved the book!

Mary Reason Theriot (My hero) is an author who I've gotten acquainted with online (no relation to me) and I feel we are kindred spirits. She has spent a lot of her valuable time advising me and has given me so much valuable information! Mary, I can't wait to attend your Houston area book signing in the fall and finally meet you!!!!
I am so blessed to have her talents as well as my oldest son Dale, who created my fabulous website www.jennifertheriot.com and is working dilligently to get my formatted version (thanks to Mary Theriot) up and running on Smash Words.

I am 210 pages into Book 2, Out of the Box Regifted and have set myself an October 1, 2013 goal for completion. I've booked the editor for 10/1 and hope to have book 2 up and running by my birthday, 11/14/13.

Book 3 ideas are swirling in my mind and I'm sure I can continue with a book 4:)

Thanks to all of the positive input from friends and family. I've solicited some professional readers and reviewers and from the synopsis of my book and excerpts sent, they seem interested in reading for me.
What else could a budding author ask for?
I am blessed beyond words and just hope I can bring this all to fruition.

Fingers crossed that this will fly. My horoscope every day steers me in that direction. The stars are aligned for me, friends and family are in my corner, and that is the fire that fuels me.

Stay tuned!

Book 2 upate

Dilligently working on Book 2, Out of The Box Regifted. I've had lots of comments from readers suggesting that Ash and Olivia kick it up in book 2, so I've listened and book 2 will not disappoint! Matter of fact, I've had to use a fan while writing book 2!
Ash and Olivia continue on their journey in Out of The Box Regifted.
Their sexual relationship develops further and they experiment, comfortably and with trust. Trust is the key word here.
Ash continues his quest to make Olivia trust him and surrender her every being to him. She's fighting the urge to let go. He, on the other hand is set on making sure that she feels comfortable, loved, desired, sexy and nothing short of the perfect woman for him.
Olivia has had little in the way of sexual experiences; Ash on the other hand is skilled in every way. He's pretty much done it all and is the perfect specimen to bring her into a new way of life; a life that is full of pleasure and feeling.
She resists and can't quite let go of the fire inside of her; She just needs a little more patience and trust.
Ash will get her there. He's gorgeous, sexy, determined and without a doubt THE ONE!
Follow along on this journey....it's mind blowing!

An Over the Top Mother's Day? YEP!

Mother's Day this year was perhaps the best ever for me! To begin, my youngest son graduated college with his degree in Accounting. My daughter and her husband came for the festivities and my oldest son contributed as well.
My dear friend Torre and her husband came for the weekend and presented me with a fabulous bottle of Chardonnay, my favorite wine proudly displaying the logo from my book! What an amazing gift, along with a leather Fleur de Lis journal to record my writing and a FDL pen. I love Fleur de Lis, so this was definitely an over the top and very emotional gift! My book logo on a wine bottle....still in awe of that! The gift of friendship is amazing!
My daughter and her husband came for the weekend and at at breakfast on Mother's Day she gave me a pair of Tory Burch flats, which the character in my book, Olivia purchased with her daughter. When my daughter gave them to me, she hugged me and said "You and Olivia" which brought tears to my eyes. Dear God sweet child! You NAILED IT! Very profound! Oh my God! Could it get any better? YES It does! My youngest son gave me a James Avery charm, a box with a bow, signifying "Out of the Box Awakening" and my oldest son and his wife gave me a beautiful pendant with my scripted initials along with a Charlie Brown card that signified my writing. To say the least, this Mother's Day was without a doubt my favorite EVER and the most emotional! Favorite because each of my children gave me a gift significant of my book and I don't think they even consulted before doing so! They each, in their own way contributed from their hearts and it means so very much! I can't even begin to convey what joy each child of mine brings to my life and this incredible journey I am on. I am forever grateful for the gift of having these phenomenal kids! I certainly don't deserve the joy they have and continue to bring to my life! I am without a doubt the luckiest woman in the world!