Harmony Kent's Blog, page 124
February 5, 2017
Monday Musings Thirty-seven: No Regrets
No Regrets
How many times in your life have you done or said something that you regret? On the flip side, how many times have you regretted avoiding needed action or speech? Even the bad days have something to offer, and we need not lament their existence. Yes, that includes those times that brought us the worst events in our lives.
We all love and crave the good days: they bring us happiness and wonderful memories.
Bad days, we all try to escape or not have in the first place. However, such days offer experience. Even our worst days bring us lessons if we’re open enough. Yes, they hurt, but that doesn’t mean they have no value.
Whatever it contains, never regret a day in your life. Each and every second is precious and can never come again. And every single thing helps us grow and learn and build our character.
And, if we have missed an opportunity to act or speak, then we can learn from it and make a commitment to do better next time … even here, we need not get stuck in lamentation and regret. Sometimes, afterward, we can make it right, but not always. Usually, we just have to let it go and chalk it down to experience.
If you can say in all honesty that you did your best and followed your heart, then that has to be enough. It’s not possible to do more than your best right now. And, of course, that best remains ever changing, ever evolving, and that’s fine. That’s how it should be. This gives us another reason for not regretting: despite yesterday’s best being less than today’s, at least we now know better; we’ve grown.
When we regret, we fall into a complaining mind, and nothing can ever be enough; we will always feel a lack. Instead, why not try seeing the positive side to every negative? Remember, every coin has two sides. There can be no light without darkness, and no darkness without light. The one contains and defines the other.
In the wise words of Zen:
‘Make a decision to talk about your blessings more than your problems. Whatever you focus on expands.’
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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January 31, 2017
Regenerate
Hi folks. Today, it gives me great pleasure to welcome author Sarita Leone with her Paranormal Romantic Suspense Novel: Regenerate. Sarita will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Book Synopsis:
The Octopus isn’t an urban myth—and its agents are anything but ordinary. The intelligence bureau is so well-hidden most doubt its existence. A handful know its location. And fewer walk the halls in the subterranean compound.
Benjamin Sinclair didn’t ask to be a scientific miracle but every mission has its risks and one perfectly-placed bullet ended his life—for a brief moment in time.
Nicole Anima battles demons every day. Life as a paranormal resources operative gives her tortured mind a rest—and keeps her from contemplating her own death.
When Anima and Sinclair partner on a globe-trotting race to eliminate the threat about to cripple humanity, all hell breaks loose. Leaping from planes, crashing into continents, dealing with voodoo priestesses, and running through jungles with zombies hot on their trail doesn’t leave much time for romance, but this duo somehow manages to sizzle.
Two agents. Telepathic mind paired with regenerated commando. One world—and a mission to save it.
Excerpt:
Nicole ripped the iPod off her bra strap and tossed it, ear buds trailing like streamers from a small black kite, toward the sand beyond the boardwalk.
An ordinary man never would have heard the music playing. He never would have been able to hear the beating of her heart, either. But Ben Sinclair was no ordinary man. He heard both, and now that she remembered the important details of his life she wouldn’t forget them again.
“I can still hear old Mick jiving.”
The near-whisper sent a fresh wave of revulsion along every nerve ending.
“I can hear him. I can give you that satisfaction you need.”
“You don’t know what I need.” The words were hoarse. It was a miracle she could speak at all, given the tightness of her throat. “You have no idea.”
“Give me a chance to show you what I know. I promise, you won’t be sorry.”
“I’m already sorry. I’m sorry you know my name. Sorry you have my number. Sorry you’re even on this planet. Sorry? It’s just the tip of how I feel when I remember you walk among humanity.”
Silence. For one long moment, she thought she might have conquered the spider.
Then, the truth.
“You didn’t always treat me like this. There was a time when—”
“That was before I knew what you are, before I had any idea evil hides under…” She couldn’t finish. Wouldn’t finish. There was no way in hell she was going to admit his looks ever turned her on.
Worse. That he had stolen her heart. And, still held it—despite her attempts at retrieval.
Damn treacherous heart.
About the Author:
Sarita Leone is an award-winning author who has written romance in many forms including Regency, paranormal, and contemporary. She loves happily-ever-afters in any setting!
When she’s not writing, Ms. Leone spends her time hiking, learning languages, and traveling. She loves adventure and can pack a suitcase, grab her passport, and hit the road in less time than it takes to peel an apple!
https://www.facebook.com/sarita.leone
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January 30, 2017
Triple Love Score
Hey folks, hello and welcome to my place
Today, it gives me great pleasure to introduce author Brandi Megan Granett and her Contemporary Romance Novel, TRIPLE LOVE SCORE. Brandi will be awarding a $50 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
About the book:
Miranda Shane lives a quiet life among books and letters as a professor in a small upstate town. When the playing-by-the-rules poet throws out convention and begins to use a Scrabble board instead of paper to write, she sets off a chain of events that rattles her carefully planned world.
Her awakening propels her to take risks and seize chances she previously let slip by, including a game-changing offer from the man she let slip away. But when the revelation of an affair with a graduate student threatens the new life Miranda created, she is forced to decide between love or poetry.
Excerpt:
“You sure you don’t want to take a cab?” Scott asked her.
“I’m sure. Then we wouldn’t see the diamonds,” Lynn said.
“Tiffany’s?” Miranda asked. “You’re a little young for that aren’t you? Though you are Bunny’s granddaughter.”
“Not like Grandma Bunny’s diamonds! The diamonds on the sidewalk. Look!”
Sure enough, the concrete in front of them sparkled. Four or five runs of sidewalk shimmered with mica flecks, then it went to plain for a block or two, then more that sparkled.
“I want to know what makes them different,” Miranda said to Scott, pointing at the abrupt change from sparkle to non-sparkle on the sidewalk in front of them.
“But knowing the difference would ruin it,” Scott said.
“You’d rather think it was magic?”
“I like the idea of magic. Don’t you?” he asked.
“I don’t take much stock in that,” Miranda said.
“Daddy, look!” Lynn said.
And there in front of them was a huge elephant balloon with a circus ball balancing on his trunk. The ball wasn’t all the way inflated yet; it wobbled a little and the sides of the elephant shuddered some as the helium pumped in. But an elephant as tall as a house at Central Park was a sight to behold no matter the size or amount of helium left to go. The crowd around them seemed to holding their breath in anticipation as the ball slowly rose.
“See,” Miranda said, “to people watching on television that’s magic. But it’s not magic. It’s a year of planning and then people working all night on the day before a family holiday to pull it off.”
“But it’s magic to her,” Scott said.
Lynn strained at the barricade, craning her neck to see down the street and the rest of the balloons staged there.
“Sure, it’s magic to her. She’s a kid. Kids have to believe in magic. When you really grow up, it’s different.”
“I guess I’m not really grown up then,” Scott said. “And maybe I don’t want to be.”
About the author:
Brandi Megan Granett is an author, online English professor, and private writing mentor. She holds a PhD in Creative Writing from Aberystwyth University, Wales, an MFA in Fiction from Sarah Lawrence College, a Masters in Adult Education with an emphasis on Distance Education from Penn State University, and a BA from the University of Florida.
Granett is the author of My Intended (William Morrow, 2000). Her short fiction has appeared in Pebble Lake Review, Folio, Pleiades and other literary magazines, and is collected in the volume Cars and Other Things That Get Around.
In addition, she writes an author interview series for the Huffington Post, and is a member of the Tall Poppy Writers, a community of writing professionals committed to growing relationships, promoting the work of its members, and connecting authors with each other and with readers.
When Granett is not writing or teaching or mothering, she is honing her archery skills. She lives in New Jersey with her husband, daughter and two dogs.
Author Social Media Links
Website: www.brandigranett.com/
Facebook: Brandi Megan Granett, Author
Twitter: @brandigranett
Instagram: @mrsgranett
Goodreads: Brandi Megan Granett
Purchase Links
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January 29, 2017
Monday Musings Thirty-six: Shut up. Just … shut up
Shut up. Just … shut up.
Often, when going through a tough time, all we need is to talk it out. To share with someone. What we don’t need—much of the time—is advice, and certainly not judgement.
The problem is that when a loved one is going through hell, we want to help get them through it. And it proves all too easy to spout our home-grown wisdom and interject our thoughts on the matter at hand.
I know that at the times I’ve felt at my lowest ebb, what I’ve needed above all else is a simple hug. At those moments, words can never fill the hole. Wait … did I just say hole? When it seems things can’t get any worse, that hole feels more like the deepest, darkest pit at the bottom of an impenetrable chasm.
It’s not just our tongues with which we talk too much. We need to learn how to shut our brains up as well. In fact, if we take care of the grey matter, the muscle in our mouth takes care of itself. So, please, shut up … just shut up.
Once we manage to grow quiet enough, we can offer what the person in distress needs the most … an ear with which to truly listen. A hand for them to hold, or am arm to offer that much-needed hug. We can offer our understanding, which is a far greater gift than our opinions.
Of course, words can and do have a place. The point is to use them sparingly. Make sure they mean something. Only speak when we have something valuable to add. And, we must make sure that we know what we’re talking about.
Always, though, it is best to let people come to their own conclusions and ways forward. Let them get there themselves. Sometimes, they might need you to act like the barriers of a motorway so that they don’t veer off and crash into a tree. Be like the headlamps of the car and light the way.
The last thing anyone needs is for the damned horn to blare all the time. Who can concentrate with all that noise going on? Never mind having to deal with a running commentary on the ins and outs of the freakin’ route.
Above all other advice that you can offer, the most helpful is to help the troubled person to find some measure of peace. To teach them, if they’re open, how to perform a basic meditation. The simplest that I know of is the one I mentioned in last week’s Monday Musings where you count the breaths. When your brain is just too full up of noise to find the peace and quiet that you need, this is a sure way to refocus and calm the mind.
In the wise words of Zen:
‘When someone can’t look on the bright side, sit with them in the dark.’
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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January 22, 2017
Monday Musings Thirty-five: The Tangled Webs We Weave
The Tangled Webs We Weave
Quite often, we are our own worst enemy and harshest critic, especially when things go wrong. To add insult to injury, it would be a rare thing for us to judge others in the same severe way. Instead, we would be more inclined to offer them our support. So, why can’t we do that for ourselves?
We tend to make black and white comments inside our heads, and take them as truth, when the reality is usually decidedly grey. The things we tell ourselves, subconsciously or in full awareness, directly affect how confident or inadequate we feel and how able we become to deal with a situation that faces us. We have the option to either tear ourselves down or build ourselves up. For sure, it serves nobody to call ourselves stupid or worse.
The trouble is, what we think is what we get. What we think is what we become. What we think is what we attract toward us. Whether this bodes for good or ill is entirely up to us. It is worth, once in a while, taking the time to stop. Just stop, and notice the kinds of thoughts we habitually think. Pause and listen. What is our mood? What lies behind it? Are we automatically self-defeating?
Constantly, as we experience each second of each day, we tell ourselves things. And, oh, the tangled webs we weave. And then we wonder why we get caught up, why we get stuck, and add insult to injury by becoming more and more frustrated, which just adds to the glue. The spider of our mind lies in wait, ready to pounce, and injects its venom at every opportunity.
What happens if we turn all of this around? What then? We break the web of self-deceit. We free ourselves from the cloying, suffocating cocoon. We might even see a way forward, and even if not, we will surely find a more peaceful space in which to sit and wait for that longed-for resolution.
A while ago, when writing a magazine article, I came across a wonderful quote:
‘Your mind is a garden
Your thoughts are the seeds
You can make flowers
Or you can make weeds.’
William Wordsworth
A friend of mine is going through an incredibly tough time right now. In supporting him, I can see that one of his biggest obstacles comes because of trying to jump ahead all the time. This gets us nowhere but muddled and upset. Sometimes, we just have to wait for things to ripen. And it serves no purpose to try and guess or speculate on what might or might not happen next.
The wise words of Winston Churchill, ‘If you are going through hell, keep going’, show us how important it is not to get stuck where we are. In the same vein, while we want out of hell desperately, we have to remain aware of our surroundings right here and now; otherwise, we’re likely to get burned.
The most important thing is that when we fall, we get up again. The worst we can do is to give up and stay on the floor.
Often, at our worst moments, when our heads spin and minds whirl, the best we can do is to breathe. To climb down from our heads, and come back to ourselves and our situation, it is helpful to sit and count each breath. Breathe in, count one. Breathe out, count two. Up to ten then start again. Try and feel the ground beneath your feet; the seat upon which you rest. Ground yourself. Only then will you have a chance at seeing a way forward or finding some modicum of peace within hell while keeping on going. At the very least, you stop weaving more tangled webs.
In the wise words of Zen:
‘The one who falls and gets up
is so much stronger
than the one who never fell.’
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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January 16, 2017
New Anthology Release: Lustrate!
Greetings, and thank you for joining us in the phenomenal yearly celebration, that we call, “Concordant Vibrancy’s Book Release”. Every year, thus far, we’ve had an amazing collection of authors collaborate in narrating their interpretations of that year’s theme question.
The very first Concordant Vibrancy revolved around the theme of Unity, represented by the element of earth. In that collection we had amazing talents come together to bring us stories like “Butterfly Mask”, “Lester’s Release” and “Coalesce”.
The 2nd installment of Concordant Vibrancy, called Vitality, was focused the question, “What moves your spirit?” This was embodied by the element of wind. In this remarkable collection we had the combined components of literature and essays, some of which were, “An Ocean of Questions”, “Arvum” and “Letting Inspiration Take The Wheel”.
Today, we present the 3rd installment of Concordant Vibrancy, called Lustrate, which is exemplified by water.
Blurb:
What embodies the composition of fluidity?
This is the query of the third installment of the Concordant Vibrancy collection, presented by All Authors Publications & Promotions, entitled “Lustrate”.
Nine incredible writers unite—through a combination of poetry, essays, and short stories—to produce unique responses flowing with vitality.
Works include:
“Unsui” by Harmony Kent
“Exiled” by Carol Cassada
“The Satiationship” by Synful Desire
“Twin Planets” by Y. Correa
“Threes” by Queen of Spades
“Luster Lingers” by Adonis Mann
“The Boo Thang Convention” by C. Desert Rose
“Overcome (Holy Water)” by Beem Weeks
and
“The Bunny” by Da’Kharta Rising
You can go out and get your copy today!
With Concordant Vibrancy there is something for everyone.
On Kindle
( https://www.amazon.com/Concordant-Vibrancy-Authors-Publishing-House-ebook/dp/B01N21CMQ1/ )
Or Paperback
(https://www.amazon.com/Concordant-Vibrancy-Lustrate-Authors-Anthology/dp/1541173244/)
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January 15, 2017
Monday Musings Thirty-four: Be the First
Be the First
Any spiritual practice worth its salt will advise us to choose the path of humility. Why, then, have I entitled today’s musing ‘Be the First’?
It is more than possible to take the lead without taking control. The way in which we do this is important. If arrogance sneaks in, then no matter how good our intentions, all people will see is our attitude.
And what is it in which we’re taking the lead? Do we take the lead in apologising? In forgiving? In forgetting? Or rather in blaming and getting our own way?
Bravest is the first to apologise.
Strongest is the first to forgive.
Happiest is the first to forget.
Whether you’re the type of personality to always be at the forefront or the one lagging behind and hiding at the back, you have some work to do. This is because either of these positions stands at an extreme. The key lies in being the first from the middle. As mentioned in Monday Musings thirty-three, you can only find peace from the middle ground.
Right on the heels of this is not judging or comparing but just seeing things as they are. Each and every one of us holds an opinion and likes and dislikes. They don’t matter. We don’t have to bend to another’s will, and nor do they need to bend to ours.
Any one phase of the moon isn’t any better or worse than another. Concrete isn’t any better or worse than porridge, and all we need to do is recognise the difference so that the right one ends up in our breakfast bowl. We don’t need to put a judgment on it. Wise discernment, not comparison. From here, both have equal value regardless of their different purposes.
So, whenever you find yourself stuck in set ways and opinions, try and soften a little. Practice being the first to move. Be like water, which always finds a way. Flow through life and go around obstacles rather than hitting them head on or damming up.
In the wise words of Zen:
‘You don’t have to agree on anything to be kind to one another.’
If you’ve missed my previous Monday Musings, you can find the links here: http://www.harmonykent.co.uk/category/monday-musings/
January 8, 2017
Monday Musings Thirty-three: Remember Me
Remember Me
How many times have you read somewhere that it’s good to give? Good to listen. Good to trust. While I wouldn’t go against any of that, I would put in a ‘but’. I would insert a cautionary word or two.
First and foremost, you have to factor yourself into the equation. This means allowing a little selfishness in there. Allowing for your needs too.
When you give, you also have to take care not to let yourself get used. When we give indiscriminately, this is precisely what tends to happen, and we soon find ourselves exhausted. And, sadly, all too often, those around us just take and take and take, and no matter how much we give, it can never be enough.
Likewise, although trust has great importance, we should also ensure that we don’t fall into naivety. This is a biggie for me, as here is an area in which I’ve fallen down more often than not. It’s a work in progress, and for sure, I don’t trust quite so readily as I used to. In some ways, I find that so sad. I like innocence. It holds something special. Until it gets abused. In an ideal world, we wouldn’t need that element of cynical discernment. And still, to distrust any and all would be to make the opposite mistake.
An aspect of generosity that might not seem so tricky is listening. What harm could come from that? None, so long as we also listen to ourselves. It’s when we lose our voice that we lose our way. Above all else, we must be our own person. We must maintain free will and a sense of direction and purpose. One that comes from us rather than from others.
As with many things in life, the middle way is the best way. Extremes, in general, are not good. Being human, it is when we get hurt that we swing all the way over to the far side, and we end up like a pendulum, swinging this way and that.
To find peace, and offer that to those around us, we need to find the middle ground. The still point that holds the balance without the wild motion but with the potential for movement. Here, we find enough room to hold everyone in our lives as well as ourselves. From a centred position, we find the wise discernment needed to give and trust and listen in proportion.
When I manage to live from this place, I can remember me, along with everyone else. And even when I need to say no, it is still a yes. I remain open and willing without being a pushover. I keep an ear on my voice and an eye on my heart and love in my life.
In the wise words of Zen:
‘You can be a good person with a kind heart and still say no.’
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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January 1, 2017
Monday Musings Thirty-two: Let the Adventure Begin
Let the Adventure Begin
Hello, everyone. Happy New Year!
What does the start of a new year mean to you? What are your hopes and wishes?
This year, I hope that you make mistakes. Now, why would I wish you that? I hear you ask. Well, most mistakes happen when we try something new and unfamiliar. When we step out of our comfort zone. When we push ourselves.
What the new year brings to you depends largely on what you bring to the new year. Forget resolutions and promises. Actions always prove best. Nothing happens without action. Words are just words. Until you turn them into something and make them real. Words just show who we want to be while actions show who we are.
You don’t always need a plan. Sometimes, what you need most is just to breathe. Trust, let go, and see what happens. Above all, be patient with yourself. Everything happens in its own time. Nothing in nature blooms all year.
As we’ve discussed in previous Monday Musings, the best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best right now. Every single thing that we do and say right in this moment ripples outward into the universe and affects all living things. What ripples do you wish to send outward? In the words of David Deida:
‘Your posture can shine your heart or transmit anxiety. Your breath can radiate love or muddy the room in depression. Your glance can awaken joy. Your words can inspire freedom. Your every act can open hearts and minds.’
Right here, right now is where you shape your year to come. A new year means nothing if you stay stuck within your comfort zone. And what happened last year isn’t important. Today is a new day, and offers a blank page on which you can write your story. At the end of the year to come, what will fill your pages?
Let’s get creative. Let’s get brave. Let’s come alive right now. Let the adventure of our lives begin.
In the wise words of Zen:
‘If you think adventure is dangerous, try routine: it’s lethal.’
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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December 25, 2016
Monday Musings Thirty-one: Lighting A Lamp
Lighting a Lamp
Well, today is Boxing Day, and Christmas is done for another year. I hope you all had a peaceful day yesterday with not too much drama. If not, then my thoughts and best wishes are with you.
Did you know that in South Africa they call December 26th The Day of Goodwill? I love this name, as it defines the original intention of boxing day, which is to box up all the excess and abundance of the holidays and give it to the poor. For me, what this does is to return the emphasis to attitude and away from possessions.
As I sit here and type today’s Monday Musing, it strikes me how fast the time has passed. All that build up for Christmas, and already it’s been and gone. Soon enough, we’ll be halfway through next year. Events come and go. People come in and out of our lives. It’s so important to ensure that we don’t miss even one opportunity to tell our loved ones how much they mean to us.
I’ve spent enough past Christmases alone that I appreciate deeply the chance to spend this period with friends and loved ones. This time will not come again. It’s not the presents that sat beneath the tree that meant so much to me but the people that sat around it.
So, this Boxing Day, let’s pack up all those negative habits and complaints and unwrap an attitude of gratitude. Interestingly enough, in Australia, the day after Christmas day is called Procrastination Day. What will today mean for you? Excuses or action? Procrastination or Goodwill?
Before we put away all our Christmas boxes, I’d like to unpack the meaning of Goodwill just a little more.
Goodwill is an abiding attitude of generous thoughts toward others. It evolves to fit ever-changing circumstances and situations. For Goodwill to remain Good, we have to find ways to work with those changing situations without losing the essential definition of Goodwill, which is a friendly, helpful, or cooperative feeling or attitude.
Goodwill is not something that can wait for another time, neither is it ever ‘done’ and finished with, and it never gets used up. In fact, it is the very opposite to the attitude of procrastination and looking out for oneself only. It doesn’t complain but, instead, makes the best of whatever confronts it. And Goodwill never discriminates. It encompasses every living thing, including you.
In the wise words of Zen:
‘If you light a lamp for someone else, it will also brighten your path.’
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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