Harmony Kent's Blog, page 123
March 6, 2017
How to Catch a Cowboy
Hello, everyone! Today I bring you author Sandra Madden and her Western Historical Novel How to Catch a Cowboy. Sandra will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
BLURB:
Matilda Rose Applebee isn’t looking for love when she captures Cooper T. Davis at gunpoint. Her younger sister is in the family way and claims Cooper is responsible. Matilda aims to haul the snake-belly back to her sister’s waiting arms. But Cooper insists Matty’s sister is mistaken as they begin a long and dangerous journey.
Excerp
t:
“You’re the best dancer of all,” she said, gazing up into his eyes, a beguiling smile on her lips.
Moist, pink lips, full and sweet. Lips he yearned to kiss. “Matilda Rose, be careful or you’ll bewitch me,” Cooper warned.
She laughed, a light lilting laugh, as if he’d said something terribly amusing.
As they danced slowly, silently, the tantalizing movements of her body pressed to his, propelled Coop’s heart into an irregular rhythm. The smoky simmer of desire curled through his core, shot to his fingertips. Like some demented soul, he continued to torture himself with a woman he could not have.
When the music ended, his lips grazed the top of her head, stealing a taste of her sweet, silky hair.
Matilda Rose stepped back, her lips parted in a dazzling smile, her eyes sparkling as they met his. She had no idea how he felt, how much he wanted her.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
This mostly truthful biography is longer than most of my books. But the older you become, it seems the more there is to say. Whether it’s important or not. Whether anyone is listening.
I was born in New York City but raised in Winthrop, Massachusetts, a small isthmus that juts into the Atlantic Ocean five miles north of Boston. During the long cold winters – read REALLY COLD! – I read and I wrote. My favorite authors were Bronte and Austin before they became required reading. I wrote stories to amuse myself which led to writing the 6th grade school play. When I discovered drama classes in the ninth grade, I gave up writing for a few years. And, yes, I was the perky cheerleader who played Emily in Our Town. Not a dry eye in the house!
Following high school graduation my family moved to the warmer climate of South Florida – just when I was getting acclimated to the constant cold.
At the University of Miami, I majored in Radio/TV/Film. (As the program was called in those days – and one of the first departments of its kind in the nation.) I minored in drama. For three of my four years in college I acted in thirty- minute radio dramas almost on a weekly basis. Inevitably these live broadcasts of Theater X were love stories in which I played the heroine. Usually, the tragic heroine. I credit this experience as having set me on a course of no return. Romance and fantasy became my fate.
But first I experienced a short-lived career as a broadcast journalist. I was too far ahead of my time to fight the slings and arrows of the newsmens’ contempt, so I switched. I became a broadcast copy/promotional writer and worked in the Miami and Los Angeles markets. But my most rewarding work was as a writer/producer/host for a Miami PBS station. (Due to the public broadcasting budget each person is This mostly truthful biography is longer than most of my books. But the older you become, it seems the more there is to say. Whether it’s important or not. Whether anyone is listening.
I was born in New York City but raised in Winthrop, Massachusetts, a small isthmus that juts into the Atlantic Ocean five miles north of Boston. During the long cold winters – read REALLY COLD! – I read and I wrote. My favorite authors were Bronte and Austin before they became required reading. I wrote stories to amuse myself which led to writing the 6th grade school play. When I discovered drama classes in the ninth grade, I gave up writing for a few years. And, yes, I was the perky cheerleader who played Emily in Our Town. Not a dry eye in the house!
Following high school graduation my family moved to the warmer climate of South Florida – just when I was getting acclimated to the constant cold.
At the University of Miami, I majored in Radio/TV/Film. (As the program was called in those days – and one of the first departments of its kind in the nation.) I minored in drama. For three of my four years in college I acted in thirty- minute radio dramas almost on a weekly basis. Inevitably these live broadcasts of Theater X were love stories in which I played the heroine. Usually, the tragic heroine. I credit this experience as having set me on a course of no return. Romance and fantasy became my fate.
But first I experienced a short-lived career as a broadcast journalist. I was too far ahead of my time to fight the slings and arrows of the newsmens’ contempt, so I switched. I became a broadcast copy/promotional writer and worked in the Miami and Los Angeles markets. But my most rewarding work was as a writer/producer/host for a Miami PBS station. (Due to the public broadcasting budget each person is expected to fill a variety of roles for one salary. One small salary.) I focused on How-To series, public affairs – of the political kind – and women’s issues. During this time I met many inspiring women who shared their stories with me, women whose remarkable achievements, great spirits and strength influenced my work as I started to write. First, I became a published poet. It didn’t take much time for me to write short verses.
As with most writers, I wrote my first historical novels in the evenings after my day job. A second wind is required to do this and it magically appears with the passion for writing.
Passion for the writing and persistence in submitting are the keys to becoming a published author. The secrets of the sisterhood gleaned from lessons learned along the way.
Not long after being published I discovered that a writer’s life is not all about the voices in your head demanding release to a page – frequently at an inopportune time. And it’s not all about three figure contracts, champagne tours and as much chocolate as you can consume. Oh. No. A writer’s life includes thundering deadlines, dry spells, assorted blocks, carpel tunnel syndrome and frozen shoulders. Occasionally, the green-eyed monster rears her head and wraps grown women in knots. But most of all, writing romance is a wonderful love story in itself. There is nothing else a romance writer would rather be doing. She is totally in love with romance and with the ability to share her stories with gracious readers. Thank you, dear reader.
http://sandramadden.com/contact.html#newsletter
http://sandramadden.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/sandrammadden
https://twitter.com/sandrammadden
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/989664.Sandra_Madden
https://www.amazon.com/Sandra-Madden/e/B001KI6OHY/
https://www.amazon.com/How-Catch-Cowboy-Sandra-Madden/dp/1540541134
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March 5, 2017
Monday Musings Forty-one: Gatekeepers
Gatekeepers
We’ve all heard the saying, ‘Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.’ How true or not this proves, comes down to the listener. It might surprise you to hear that it has nothing at all to do with the speaker. Hurtful words can only ever truly harm the person who utters them. Everything else, as with so many of our Monday Musings topics, comes down to choice.
Our emotional and psychological responses come down to our particular conditioning and how free or bound we remain by such conditioning. And it isn’t just the words we say with our tongues that have an impact. You will never speak to anyone more than you speak to yourself in your head. So, take care to speak kindly to yourself.
Words, in and of themselves, have no substance and prove empty. It is actions that show us who someone is, not their words. Words just prove who someone wants to be. A promise of help gives nothing if not followed up with action. And still, we need to take care of our thoughts and speech.
Whether of the mind or tongue, what we say should have three gatekeepers:
Is it true?
Is it kind?
Is it necessary?
Wise speech can empower. If we have the strength of character to stand up and say, ‘This is wrong,’ then this helps others to do the same. In this context, silence turns out to be more dangerous than words. Recently, I discovered an interesting fact. Apparently, in law, silence implies agreement and condoning. However, within Buddhism (and most spiritual disciplines), the opposite proves true. Silence implies disagreement and disapproval. This makes it essential to understand the situation in which we find ourselves. We have to ensure that our actions and words match with one another and fit the context.
When talking, we should speak in such a way that others love to listen to us. And when listening, we should pay attention in such a way that others love to speak to us. The only way to pay proper attention is to empty our minds as much as possible. A full mind cannot take in any more information and will miss things.
The more silent we become, and the less we speak—whether by mouth or mind—the more our eyes see, and our ears hear.
As with last week’s Monday Musing, The Blame Game, we need to stop and ask ourselves, ‘Is it good to do?’ I might also suggest that another useful question is, ‘Why?’ What motivation lies behind our words?
In the wise words of Zen:
‘Do not speak unless you can improve upon silence.’
If you’ve missed my previous Monday Musings, you can find the links here: http://www.harmonykent.co.uk/category/monday-musings/ 
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March 2, 2017
MY GRL … Relaunch!
The cover is new and the book edited once again to enhance the experience. What is really nice is the price has been cut for the introduction. You can buy the kindle version for a special introduction price of
$0.99
Here’s the blurb.
John J. Cannon successful San Francisco lawyer takes a well-deserved leave of absence from the firm and buys a boat he names My GRL. He is unaware that his newly purchased boat had already been targeted by a terrorist group. John’s first inkling of a problem is when he wakes up in the hospital where he learns he was found unconscious next to the dead body of the young woman who sold him the boat in the first place. John now stands between the terrorists and the success of their mission. Amazon for the kindle version
Here is the link to Amazon for the Kindle version
Here is the link to Amazon for the Paper version
Check them out and read the first few pages on Amazon.
Also, you can check out John Cannon’s other two adventures, as well as, the new My GRL at John W. Howell’s Author Page
Author Bio
John began his writing as a full-time occupation after an extensive business career. His specialty is thriller fiction novels, but John also writes poetry and short stories. His first book, My GRL, introduces the exciting adventures of the book’s central character, John J. Cannon. The second Cannon novel, His Revenge, continues the adventure, while the final book in the trilogy, Our Justice, launched in September 2016. All books are available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle editions.
John lives in Port Aransas, Texas with his wife and their spoiled rescue pets.
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February 27, 2017
The Second Time Around
Hi folks!
Today, we have author Ella Quinn with her Historical Romance Novel, The Second Time Around. Ella will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
BLURB:
Can a beautiful Worthington widow find love again? Depends on who’s asking . . .
Before he died, Patience was the Earl of Worthington’s second wife. So why shouldn’t Patience be allowed a second chance at marriage, too? Of course, finding a new husband was not something the mother of four had ever planned on. But a surprise encounter with her first love has suddenly made the impossible seem possible all over again . . .
It seems like a lifetime ago that Richard, Viscount Wolverton, was halfway around the world, looking for adventure . . . while Patience, at her coming-out, was left with no choice but to take old Worthington’s hand. Richard never forgot the woman whose heart he yearned for—and now that he’s back, he’s not going to let her slip away again . . .
Excerpt:
Patience gasped. Not loudly, she was much too self-contained to draw attention to herself. But Richard could feel her pulse jump, and he was pleased that he still had the ability to shake her calm, to make her react to him. He wondered if her old husband had been able to command her attention in the same way. The corners of his lips twitched. Probably not. Whether she knew it or not, she was his and always had been.
If only he hadn’t been such an idiot. Who forgets the year of his beloved’s come out? A young man who had traveled halfway across the world looking for adventure, that was who. By the time he had returned home, it was just days before her marriage to Lord Worthington. He had argued with her father to be able to see her, but it was as if her parents had locked her in the house. When they’d traveled to Town for the wedding, he had followed. However, his pains had been to no avail. Neither her mother nor father was going to let him ruin their plans for Pae. After all, an earl outranked the heir to a viscount. There was also the scandal that would ensue if she broke the betrothal just days before the nuptials. He would not have cared, but he was the only one. Even his parents would have been appalled if Pae jilted Worthington for Richard.
Too late. That is what everyone had told him. But he wasn’t too late now.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Bestselling author Ella Quinn’s studies and other jobs have always been on the serious side. Reading historical romances, especially Regencies, were her escape. Eventually her love of historical novels led her to start writing them. She has just finished her first series, The Marriage Game, and her new series, The Worthingtons, began in April 2016.
She is married to her wonderful husband of over thirty years. They have a son and two beautiful granddaughters, and a dog. After living in the South Pacific, Central America, North Africa, England and Europe, she and her husband decided to make their dreams come true and are now living on a sailboat cruising the Caribbean and North America. Europe is next!
Website: www.ellaquinnauthor.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/EllaQuinnAuthor
Twitter www.twitter.com/ellaquinnauthor
Blog http://ellaquinnauthor.wordpresscom
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Ella-Quinn/e/B00CAE0FSQ/ref=sr_tc_2_0
Buy Link:
https://www.amazon.com/Second-Time-Around-Worthingtons-ebook/dp/B01KRUMV2W/ref=sr_1_1
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Monday Musings Forty: Too Tired
Too Tired
Hello, everyone. With today’s post going up a little late because I just couldn’t get to it, I thought how apt it would be to write about the tricks our brains and bodies can play on us.
Usually, I have my Monday Musings posts scheduled and all ready to go by at least the preceding Friday, but not so this week. Last week proved rather hectic and fraught, and I made the classic mistake of putting off for tomorrow what I could have squeezed in today. The trouble was, I just felt too tired to force myself to make that one last effort. And, of course, when tomorrow came, I felt too unwell to get out of bed.
This offered me teaching on a number of levels. Not least of which was a refresher on the importance of letting go. As much as I hated the thought of my post not being up and ready for first thing Monday, I couldn’t do much about it. For sure, I couldn’t write it the way I felt.
Secondly, it reminds me not to put off doing something when I have the opportunity to do it, as we never know what’s around the corner. Last week, a family member got ambulanced to A&E and spent some time in hospital. For everyone involved, we had to drop our carefully laid plans and respond as needed. It would have done no good trying to stay locked on target. So, another reminder: flexibility proved key.
And, still, all of us have work that needs doing and have to make the time somewhere. As you can imagine, the stress levels rose. Little wonder, then, that by Saturday, I felt so tired and drained. What I didn’t know then was that I was sickening for something, which put me to bed all day Sunday. And even this morning, I’m dragging myself around and will make this a short work day.
This leads me to look at the nature of tiredness and prevarication.
Often, when we feel tired, it is avoidance rather than a true need for sleep. While mine turned out to be a need for rest, it isn’t always so. How many times have you dreaded doing something and felt a complete lack of energy or enthusiasm? How many times have you experienced that energy miraculously burst forth when you switch your attention to something more fun and favourable?
If I’m honest with myself, and you guys, in with some of that mix this weekend was a need to hibernate for a while and just have the world go away. It all got on top of me, and that’s most likely why I came down with yet another cold. I’m sure I could have pushed myself more; however, would that have been the good thing to do? Sometimes, it’s good to push, but at others, it’s better to show ourselves some kindness and allow ourselves the space we need. In between sleeping, I got some good relaxing and reading done. And today, I feel much improved if not yet at a hundred percent.
It’s like walking a tightrope sometimes because if we ignore what’s really going on, we’re likely to end up in trouble. If the fatigue is genuine, we need to listen. And if it’s about avoiding, then we need to listen to that too.
As ever, I would suggest sitting quietly and asking yourself what your tiredness is about. Offer yourself the option in your mind of switching to a task or leisure activity that you enjoy … what happens to your energy then?
Sometimes, we just have to knuckle down and do whatever it is we’re avoiding. And, every single time that I’ve done that, I’ve felt much better once it’s out of the way and sorted. The more I put something off, the more it nags at me. Of course, we always have to listen as best we can. Because, sometimes, that need for avoidance is there because we’re about to do something that isn’t good to do. … Back to that old tightrope.
Sometimes, I don’t know whether I need a hug, a huge cup of coffee, or a fortnight’s sleep. (Or all three!) The important thing is to see what we’re doing and catch when our brains and bodies play tricks on us. And don’t judge. Just let it be. Work with it, not against it.
See, accept, and find the best way forward. Always, make the best of what you have right now. And, whenever (without good reason) you feel tempted to put off until tomorrow what you can and should do today: Remember …
In the wise words of Zen:
‘You don’t get the same moment twice in life.’
If you’ve missed my previous Monday Musings, you can find the links here: http://www.harmonykent.co.uk/category/monday-musings/
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February 19, 2017
Monday Musings Thirty-nine: The Blame Game
The Blame Game
From early childhood, we receive conditioning that teaches us to look to others to see how we’re doing. To gauge how good or bad a person we are. While this has its place and uses, we also need to see for ourselves. While children need guidance on how to behave until they learn compassion and the rules of polite society, as adults, we need to stand on our own two feet.
Part of this brings us back to Monday Musings 17 and 22 on owning it and not being a herd animal. If we act from a place of avoiding blame or seeking praise, then all of our actions will prove wrong. We will never get it right.
Whether in company or alone, we should act just the same. That is, live life in such a way that we have nothing to hide. Nothing to fear. If we wouldn’t do it in company, then why would we do it in private? If a thing is wrong, it is wrong, regardless of whether anyone but us is present to witness it. The same with those things we would deem as right. If it’s good to do, then do it. You don’t need an audience. No praise, no blame, just right living. For you.
A side-effect of living in such a way is that we don’t manipulate our environments so much anymore. We are better able to accept what is instead of trying to force circumstances and people to meet our wants. When we need to manipulate, what we are actually doing is hiding. We live our lives in darkness and secrecy. The opposite of owning our life is to reject it.
Do you wish to live like a child or as an adult? The choice comes down to you. And if you live with someone who tries to control you, then it’s time to find skilful ways of managing that situation and your life. And, remember, to seek help is not a sign of weakness but rather one of strength.
To take charge of your world is to take charge of yourself. It is to have the courage to make the changes that you need to make, irrelevant of the opinions of others. It takes resolve and perseverance to forge your own path and become your own person. But, oh, what a relief it is when you achieve your liberation. When you can accept yourself fully, imperfections and all, then you have found true freedom. You have found a place outside of praise and blame. You have found your true heart.
In the wise words of Zen:
‘Just as a solid rock is not shaken by the storm, even so, the wise are not affected by praise or blame.’
If you’ve missed my previous Monday Musings, you can find the links here: http://www.harmonykent.co.uk/category/monday-musings/
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February 16, 2017
Everything And A Happy Ending
Hi folks!
Today, I am delighted to host author Tia Shurina on her Everything And A Happy Ending blog tour with 4Wills Publishing!
I can’t tell you how much pleasure it gives me to host this brave and delightful lady, so please help me to show her lots of love and support today …
Namaste, Harmony, & a heartfelt thank you for hosting me on Day 4 of my 1st tour! Since I specifically chose Valentine’s Day to start 7 special days, I knew one of them needed to include something especially lovely for the man who made all of this possible for me, my dad. Without his help, I would still be clinging to a half happy life, holding back from going ALL-IN in anything out of fear of just about everything.
As a memoir lover, other’s words have always struck a special chord in me for some reason. As a movie lover, those that include the concept of time, whether via flashback, or parallel interlocking stories that run simultaneously draw me in most. Because of that, the idea for my story in Timeline… in song & quote… was the genesis of my book. Even though I share it at the end, it was really the start! The entire Timeline of my history with the two men that bookend my special trio is comprised only of words that were shared between either me & my dad, or Ray & I. As we continue to celebrate a week of love, I’m honored to share that part of my story here now. It was created with the prayer that as a reader makes their way through other’s words & inspirations, they will see the circle I rounded in my relationship with my dad & know where we stood on the holy day he died, Holy Saturday & how our relationship continued to impact me after he passed over, on a holy day indeed, Holy Saturday. As I began a new journey with the book after it was born, the brutally challenging path that petrified me, promoting it, I added a new song & quote to it that I share here now with all of you…”this is for you daddy” Stevie Nicks Landslide
“Grace doesn’t depend on suffering to exist, but where there’s suffering you’ll find grace in many colors and facets.” William P. Young, The Shack
“Fear makes strangers of people who would be friends.” Shirley MacLaine
“Whatever road you may be on, know you’re never too far gone, my love is there wherever you may be.”
Sara Evans, “Always be My Baby”
“Every time you forgive, the universe changes. Every time you reach to touch a heart or life, the world changes. With every kindness and service, seen and unseen, my purposes are accomplished and nothing is ever the same again.” William P. Young, The Shack
“And I loved deeper, and I spoke sweeter, and I gave forgiveness I’ve been denying.” Tim McGraw, “Live Like You Were Dying”
“‘Has she forgiven me?’ he asked. ‘Forgiven you for what?’
‘I failed her,’ he whispered.
‘It would be her nature to forgive, if there were anything to forgive, which there is not.’” William P. Young, The Shack
“But I’m learning who you’ve been ain’t who you’ve got to be… but put some faith in me and someday you’ll see there’s a diamond under all this dust.” Tim McGraw, “Better than I Used to Be”
“Blessed is the influence of one true, loving soul on another.” George Eliot
“Wisdom is knowing I am nothing, Love is knowing I am everything, and between the two my life moves.”
Nisargadatta Maharaj
‘Goodbye,’ said the fox. ‘And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.’ ‘What is essential is invisible to the eye,’ the little prince repeated, so that he would be sure to remember. ‘It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important.’” Antoine de Sainte-Exupery, The Little Prince
“Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance, and when you get the chance to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance.” Lee Ann Womack, “I Hope You Dance
“How about love? How do you measure the life of a woman or a man? Measure in love.” Daniel Noonan, “Seasons of Love””
“There is a reason God limits our days. To make each one precious.” Mitch Albom, The Timekeeper
“Shadows are falling and I’m running out of breath,keep me in your heart for a while.” Warren Zevon, “Keep Me in Your Heart”
Easter Week, April 2009
“Probably we will all regret to leave this world, yet I believe that after I have drained the first cup, and have possibly grown a bit weary of its flavor, I will then turn not unwillingly to the second cup and to the new and thrilling experience of exploring the unknown.” Edmund N. Carpenter II, “Before I Die”
“‘Que Sera, Sera’ life goes on. Whatever’s meant to be will always be, and baby, what don’t kill you will make you strong.” Sara Evans, “Pray for You”
“I love you, Tia.” “I love you too, Dad.”
The last words spoken between us that ended our last conversation with each other, April 8th, 2009.
“And in his final words, I found an ace that I could keep.” Kenny Rogers, “The Gambler”
“Hang on Daddy, I’m on my way. I promise I’m almost there.”
A few of my words to my dad as I sat grounded at the Atlanta airport en route to him at the hospital,
Good Friday, April 10th, 2009.
“Hymn to Hope” by Secret Garden
“That you’re waitin’ from the backroads by the rivers of my memory, ever smilin’, ever gentle on my mind.” Glen Campbell, “Gentle on My Mind”
“Sometimes letting things go is an act of far greater power than defending or hanging on.”
Eckhart Tolle, A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose
“I see trees of green, red roses too, I see them bloom, for me and you.” Kenny G., Louis Armstrong, “What a Wonderful World”
“Every soul is filled with light, it never ends if I’m right. Our love can even reach across eternity.”
Diamond Rio, “I Believe”
“I didn’t ask for money, or a mansion in Malibu, I simply wished for one more day with you.”
Diamond Rio, “One More Day”
“Won’t take nothing but a memory, from the house that built me.” Miranda Lambert, “The House that Built Me”
“You fuckin’ get out there, and use all the shit that you’ve been through, all that fuckin hell, all the shit we’ve gone through over the fuckin’ years, and you put it in that ring right now. This is yours. This is fuckin’ yours.” Dickie Eklund, The Fighter
“This bond between us can’t be broken. I will be here, don’t you cry… When destiny calls you, you must be strong. I may not be with you, but you’ve got to hold on. They’ll see in time, I know. We’ll show them together.” Phil Collins, “You’ll Be in My Heart”
Everything and a Happy Ending, an award winning memoir published by Mascot Books, details the soulful shift of a story as Tia shares her holy grail & trail she took to transform her life. After moving through her own metamorphosis she then helped an old friend, Ray Romano, move through his own transition, going with the flow very privately, but most profoundly.
“My journey almost destroyed me”. Almost. Boy, have I come to like that word. What a pleasurable word “almost” can be. You may almost be ready to buy my book. You may almost be ready to begin an exciting new journey of your own. You may almost be over that rainbow Judy Garland sings about. What great potential “almost” can hold if you can flip your way of thinking. Just imagine, controlled pessimism, doubt & fear flipped into blind optimism, faith & love.
That flip helped Tia move to a place where heaven meets earth…the pearly gates of her own happy ending. Changing the ending for her story brought a pure, precious peace of heart, but kicked her butt a bit as she made her way…committed to keeping her faith. The book was a plan C, maybe even D, but Tia was determined, after a dedicated intention & divine decision to start swimming more with the current of her life, instead of bucking that flow. Her ordinary, relatable story took an extraordinary, fantastical turn when she showed the Universe she was committed to her intention & her desire to be given an opportunity to make some new, different choices for herself. EAAHE is a memoir that shares the “how’d that happen?” & the “how’d she do that?” in a holy hope of helping others to see life in a new way.
EAAHE recounts 3 interconnected relationships & stories that enable Tia to love truly, deeply, & most of all, love herself. Three special circles she rounded with Ray, her dad, & her ex-husband. A woman’s full circle journey to learn how to really trust, how to “thine own self be true”, &then, the “real & true” love it led her ‘round back to. It shares how the power of love & a journey to intimacy helped her make a faithful flip which began a sacred circle and new chapter…one that would allow a different ending for a story she had begun writing for herself when she was much younger. One that Tia feels strongly will inspire other women of a certain age keep faith that it’s not too late to write a new ending for their own, as they embrace their history, not try to re-write it.
Tia is, most days, filled with joy. She is, every day, filled with peace. She looks forward to a happy ending each new day now, however it unfolds, whomever it holds, & whatever way the Universe molds, as she continues to create a new “happily ever after”, staying committed to rising above her fears, moving out of her comfort zones, & going with the flow of her life.
http://everythingandahappyending.com/
Here are what some customers are saying on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015I13RDC/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1#customerReviews
The tour sponsored by 4WillsPublishing.wordpress.com .
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February 15, 2017
RRBC Pay It Forward #PIF Day! Showcasing Nonnie Jules
Hello and welcome to Harmony’s place, today.
I have the pleasure and honour of belonging to an online bookclub that feels more like family than anything and offers so much support for authors. Today, I would like to pay some of that forward to RAVE REVIEWS BOOK CLUB’S founder and president, author Nonnie Jules! If you’d like to learn more about the club, then please visit HERE.
Oft-times, I’ve heard Nonnie given the moniker of ‘Wonder Woman’, and I have to agree. This gal has her fingers in so many pies, and I just don’t know how she gets it all done. And, still, she finds the time to offer personal support and uplifting where it’s needed. Aside from all this amazement, she’s also written a few books …
THE GOOD MOMMIES’ GUIDE TO RAISING (ALMOST) PERFECT DAUGHTERS, 100 Tips On Raising Daughters Everyone Can’t Help But Love [image error]
Daydream’s Daughter, Nightmare’s Friend (a novel)
Sugarcoatin’ Is For Candy & Pacifyin’ Is For Kids … Yes, I Said It!
And you can also find her all over the web …
RWISA … Rave Writers International Society of Authors
As well as being so supportive, Nonnie isn’t afraid to tell it like it is. Just see her post 8 Ways to Tarnish Your Author Brand for great tips and telling it like it is.
More about Nonnie Jules, in her own words:
Nonnie Jules was born in the mid ’70s in TX. When she was a mere toddler, her family relocated to Shreveport, LA where red dirt roads and pick up trucks go hand in hand. She still lives in Louisiana today with her husband, two daughters and their many animals. She loves to write from all genres of literature including short stories, poetry, fiction and non, as well as How-To books. Her first book “THE GOOD MOMMIES’ GUIDE TO RAISING (ALMOST) PERFECT DAUGHTERS,” 100 Tips On Raising Daughters Everyone Can’t Help But Love! is on sale now on Amazon, Createspace or autographed copies at BooksByNonnie. You may also watch the trailer to “THE GOOD MOMMIES’ GUIDE…” here on Youtube.
Her second writing, a novel entitled “Daydream’s Daughter, Nightmare’s Friend” was just released in November, 2013, and was highly anticipated by many who had read only the first two chapters. It’s on Amazon as well as autographed copies at BooksByNonnie. Check out the trailer. To find out more about Nonnie’s other releases, please visit BooksByNonnie. A children’s book is also scheduled for release sometime in the near future.
Nonnie recently started her own publishing company along with 3 partners, 4WillsPublishing. Noticing some of the work that was being put out in the industry, it became a strong desire of hers to ensure that authors were only putting out THE BEST, and that the readers were only being offered the BEST, and that’s who her company will represent: those that are already at their best and those aspiring to be the best! So, if you have a story inside you that you want to get out, OR if you’ve already written and published, but are looking for other awesome marketing tools for your book(s), simply visit our SERVICES page to find out about the fantastic services the company has to offer.
In December, 2013, Nonnie founded Rave Reviews By Nonnie Jules and the Rave Reviews Book Club which you’ve probably heard so much about. In less than 8 months, this organization has reached over 500 in membership and that number increases daily! If you’re an author (or reader) and you are looking to become a part of an organization that feels like family, one that will support you to no end, you need to add your name to that roster of the elite members of RRBC.
This Author lives by the premise that A CANDLE LOSES NOTHING BY LIGHTING ANOTHER CANDLE. She’s always willing to lend a helping hand to another, and her hope is that her fellow authors will do the same for others coming up in the ranks, when they are presented with the opportunity. Nonnie can be be found most often on Twitter @nonniejules, relentlessly promoting other indie authors. Nonnie says that she will continue to write as long as her readers continue reading her work.
Thanks for all that you’ve done and do, Nonnie, even down to creating this opportunity to pay it forward with RRBC PIF Day!
February 13, 2017
Lifting As We Climb: talented author Lynn Hobbs!
Hello and welcome to Harmony’s place today
It gives me great pleasure to host author Lynn Hobbs on her 4 Wills Publishing and RWISA tour!
RAVE-WRITERS – INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF AUTHORS, otherwise known as RWISA, is a gathering of award-winning writers who are ‘consummate professionals, dedicated, committed and driven to continually excel at producing the best written works possible’.
4 Wills Publishing offer blog tours and many other services for authors; please do check them out!
Below, we have Lynn’s interview, followed by her wonderful thoughts on ‘Descriptions and Words’. Take it away, Lynn
How long have you been writing?
I began writing at the age of sixteen when I moved with my family from my hometown, the city of Houston, Texas, to the small town of Jefferson in North East Texas. My world of going to the Galveston beach almost every weekend with family, riding city buses all over town, ice skating, roller skating, visiting three story libraries, and ice cream parlors changed abruptly to learning how to shoot a rifle, identifying animal tracks, planting a garden, and how to catch and clean fish. I wrote about everything I experienced and sent huge, overstuffed hand- written letters in 4 x 9 inch envelopes; scotched taped on the back flap, to my aunts, uncles and cousins back home in Houston. They passed my letters around and all encouraged me to continue writing. They loved my descriptions, and I discovered how much I enjoyed writing. This led to writing poetry, and years later I became a published gospel song writer. My passion for writing continued. I later married, had my own family, and even later retired from the Texas public school system. I wanted to write more in-depth and now had time to venture out to short stories which soon grew into novels.
How many books have you authored?
I have authored 5 books. None of my books contain profanity or graphic violence. The first three are in a Christian Fiction series titled the Running Forward Series. Book #1 is Sin, Secrets, and Salvation. Book #2 is River Town. Book #3 is Hidden Creek. Real life situations. It is a powerful faith and family saga. Book #4 is a biography; Lillie, A Motherless Child, is about the life of my own mother. Book #5 is Eyes of a Neighbor. It is book one of three in a new Christian Fiction Series titled the American Neighborhood Series.
Do you have a writing schedule?
Yes, I do have a writing schedule. I write Monday through Friday, after an early morning coffee and breakfast; I write until 2 or 3 pm.
You are a member of Rave Writers – International Society of Authors (RWISA). Why do you think you were accepted into this exclusive group?
I have awards that were earned by my writing capabilities. Many others receive writing awards from organizations by the highest number of votes for authors by their individual friends and relatives. Mine were awarded by a closed group of judges reviewing content of material.
I give God the glory for my writing, and my awards.
Modesty aside, what separates your writing from the millions of other writers in the world?
I constantly learn from other writers, but I stay true to myself, my voice, my standards, and my brand.
If you could spend a day picking the brain of one author, who would that be? Why?
It would have to be Cecil Murphy. I have learned more from him than any other writer. I had the opportunity to meet him at a writing conference. He is awesome.
Are you a die-hard INDIE writer who loves having complete control of your work, or, if you were offered a publishing contract today, would you sign on the dotted line?
I would prefer having complete control of my work.
As an author, where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I see myself writing and offering my books to more age groups.
What is the ONE tool that has been the most beneficial tool in the marketing of your books?
I hand out my bookmarks instead of a business card. It has descriptions of my books, and includes my website, www.LynnHobbsAuthor.com
Name one writer that you know of, member or non-member of RRBC, who you feel should be added to the RWISTA Roster of elite members? Why?
Again, it would have to be Cecil Murphy. He is a writer, speaker, teacher, pastor, and survivor. He has written over 135 books.
What is the one piece of advice that you could share that would be most valuable for those aspiring to not only be writers, but those aspiring to be great writers?
Besides attending writing workshops, learn by reading books written by great writers. Their style, their plots, sub-plots, etc. are valuable lessons waiting to be learned.
Do you believe that writers who churn out several books a year are really putting out quality work?
No, often it is not. There are always exceptions, though.
If you had promised your fans a book by a certain date only to find that your book wasn’t the best it could be, would you go ahead and publish your book just to meet that self-imposed deadline and deliver as promised, or, would you disappoint your fans and shelve the book until it was absolutely ready? No matter your reason, please explain why?
I would shelve the book until it was ready, because my name only goes on work I am pleased with.
In your opinion, what makes a book “a great book?”
A great book holds your attention from the first page until the last page.
If you received a review of your book which stated that there were editing & proofing “issues,” what’s the first thing you would do? And the second?
First of all, after several edits and several proof reading sessions, mistakes still happen. In my case, I would search the book again, find and correct the issues.
The second thing I would do is to revise that edition of the book, if possible.
Descriptions & Words, by Lynn Hobbs
Great, short descriptions in a book hook me every time. They show me a writer who continues learning the craft of writing and enjoys selecting the right words for the right situation. It is a fun experience. It can be for you as well.
How can you create remarkable descriptions? Show the action, don’t tell it.
One of the easiest exercises in writing descriptions is to watch and listen to the public. Study body language. Attend a public meeting, and take notes. Honest conversation, unplanned dialogue, facial expressions, and tone of voice abound. Try the post office, grocery store, or a restaurant. Write what you see, and how you hear it. Add emotion, pauses, and background noises. Use this in your descriptions.
Who is your audience? Do you write words you don’t use in your daily conversation? Words you are not comfortable with either? Would your readers have to stop and look in the dictionary for the meaning of a word you inserted?
I once critiqued a chapter that included several words the average person would not know their meaning. I brought that fact to the attention of the author. She remarked she was college educated and would not replace them with other words as it would lower her standards in vocabulary. That’s fine if her readers are college educated, but a learning experience for those who aren’t. Most readers are discovering a great story; not reading to learn new words.
If your reader stumbles over your words you could lose a reader.
What can you learn from listening? Plenty, enough to stop having your characters do anything repetitive. Act out the action before writing it. Readers will relate better.
We all learn and grow as authors, daily. Enjoy the whole process. Happy writing!
Sins, Secrets, and Salvation by Lynn Hobbs
Available at Amazon.com
Lynn’s other books:
Hidden Creek
River Town
Lynn’s twitter handle is @LynnHobbsAuthor
Lynn’s facebook url is https://www.facebook.com/Lynn-Hobbs-Author-Page-284186908279247/
Lynn’s website is http://www.lynnhobbsauthor.com/
Thank you for supporting our RWISA (RAVE WRITERS-INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF AUTHORS) Members! Please follow and support the entire tour by visiting 4WillsPub
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February 12, 2017
Monday Musings Thirty-eight: Two Loves
Two Loves
Today being right before Valentine’s Day, I wanted to talk a bit about love. In my experience, two kinds of love exist: selfish love and selfless love. The selfish kind grasps and demands and tries to force a person to change and/or conform. Whereas the selfless sort accepts folks just as they are and helps them grow and blossom.
If we find ourselves trapped in a cycle of selfish love, where we cling and struggle to accept what is, then it is highly likely that we are actually rejecting ourselves. If we cannot love ourselves, we cannot truly love another. If we truly love ourselves, we cannot hurt another.
I came across a lovely quote today by Elizabeth Kübler-Ross:
‘I have never met a person whose greatest need was anything other than real, unconditional love.’
This universal need for unconditional love and acceptance makes it so important to see yourself in others; after all, we all tremble before violence and fear death while loving life. When looked at that way, where can we find any differences?
When we live from a place of loving ourselves, we can live without pretence, listen without defence, speak without offence, and love without dependence. Without neediness. Of course, there are
times when we struggle with such self-acceptance, and that is when we need a friend to help love us when we forget to love ourselves. However, when it comes right down to it, we don’t need acceptance from others but from within.
A successful relationship doesn’t contain two perfect people, but rather two imperfect folks who have learnt the value of forgiveness and acceptance, as well as mutual support. As I’ve mentioned in a previous Monday Musing, we don’t have to agree to be kind to one another.
Liberation and peace come not from discovering what is good or bad or advantageous, but from seeing what is (what exists right now) and allowing it to be. In this way, we starve the ego and feed the soul. We find true, unadulterated love.
Though it is good to give unconditional love, we also have to allow it to flow back to us; otherwise, we shall have no balance in life. We need to accept it without hesitation and without grabbing.
In your life, everyone holds a role. Many will test your resolve and patience, some will use you, and others might teach you. Some, too, will love you. And, sometimes, the same person brings us all these things at different times. Not one of us is just one type of personality all of the time. The truly important people bring out the best in you.
Be that person for your nearest and dearest—if not for everyone that you meet. Don’t be the one that puts people down or holds them back. Life isn’t a competition. In fact, the more love and support that we offer, then the more peace and success that we find for ourselves.
In the wise words of Zen:
‘You must love in such a way that the person you love feels free.’
If you’ve missed my previous Monday Musings, you can find the links here: http://www.harmonykent.co.uk/category/monday-musings/
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