Skye Turner's Blog, page 7

Pumpkin White Chocolate Hot Chocolate

Originally posted on theperfectkindofchaos:

Today is the FIRST day of Fall. Fall means cooler weather, gorgeous warm colors, football, hoodies, boots, and pumpkin everything.

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Forever Heroes Anthology Available September 9th! All proceeds go to Wounded Soliders & Veterans!

skyeturner:

Awesome anthology benefiting Wounded Soldiers and Veterans! Pre-order now. Live tomorrow!

Originally posted on Author Danielle Jamie:

 

★★Forever Heroes Anthology Available September 9th!!!★★

10 of today’s best selling authors bring you 10 full length novels of Courage, Sacrifice, and Love.

Broken Wings by Author Erika Ashby
Shattered and Shaken by Author Julie Bailes
Letters Home by Rebecca Brooke Author
Tempt My Heart by Danielle Jamie
What If by Bayli Lane Author
Crashing Back Down by Author Kristen Hope Mazzola
Fighting Redemption by Kate McCarthy Author
Coming Back to You by Author Renea Porter
Crazy Good by Rachel Robinson
Ignite by Tessa Teevan-Author

Releasing September 9th for only two weeks for $1.99! All of the profits will be donated to wounded military and veterans because real heroes don’t wear capes, they wear dog tags!

All proceeds will go to Wounded Soldiers & Veterans in the United States and Australia!!

**PRE ORDER**

AMAZON Pre Order: http://www.amazon.com/Forever-Heroes-Erika-Ashby-ebook/dp/B00N9LB1W8

B&N Preorder: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/forever-heroes-erika-ashby/1120262034?ean=2940046264838

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id915205891

Add it to your TBR: http://bit.ly/1seAOG7
For…

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Good things are coming… (and maybe an excerpt)

It’s been awhile since I’ve updated my blog. I’m way behind. So, this will be a giant post with a whole lot of information. Try to keep up.

There’s coffee and chocolate at the end.

Before I jump into the technical, how about a treat!?

Theo James
Brit with killer lips.
You’re welcome.

Ok, now back to the subject at hand.

I have a new release in about 2 weeks, ok, no in exactly 2 weeks. Alluring Infatuation, Book 4 Bayou Stix is coming at you… Up until yesterday, you’d have to wait until release day and one-click the book to have it delivered to your kindle.

Alas, that is no longer true!

You can now PRE-ORDER Alluring Infatuation and every other book you want to read (as long as the author enrolls it and submits it) from AMAZON and once it goes “Live”, it’s there, waiting for you to dive in.

Want the Pre-Order links? (Of course you do and I love you, so I’ll give them to you)

Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon AU
Amazon CA
Amazon DE
Amazon FR

In case you missed it, that’s the amazing cover for the book as well.

Alluring Infatuation, Dade’s story, releases Friday, August 29!

After Dade, comes Cruz, and wow… Cruz is quickly capturing my heart. I do hope he’ll capture yours as well.

Cruz’s story will wrap up the Bayou Stix Series and it’s slotted to be out later this year.

No worries though, I have TWO more series’ that I’m working on and the first is set to release early next Spring. Now, I’m going to warn you, neither is about rockers. But I hope you’ll stick around for the ride with my new babies.

More information will come about the new projects soon.

After much headache, rage, and deliberation, I have made the decision to NO LONGER be an Amazon exclusive author. Bayou Stix is available on iBooks right now and will be available on BarnesandNoble.com and Kobo in e-formats any day now. I’m simply waiting for them to be approved and available for purchase.

All future works of mine will be available on Amazon, B&N.com, iBooks, and Kobo.

I will include all iBooks links here.

Alluring Turmoil, Book 1 Bayou Stix (Jude)
Alluring Seduction, Book 2 Bayou Stix (Jessie)
Alluring Ties, Book 2.5 Bayou Stix (Erik, Bradi, and Micah)
Alluring Temptation, Book 3 Bayou Stix (Liam)

Now, onto Events for the rest of the year, next year, 2015, and 2016. (Yes, I’m already almost booked for that too.)

EVENTS for 2014:

Down & Dirty Author Bash, September 27, 2014, Orange Beach, Alabama (With LL Collins)

Down and Dirty Author Line-up

Rebels & Readers Author Event, November 8, 2014, Huntington, West Virginia (With LL Collins)

Rebels and Readers Author Line-up

Events for 2015: (Important to note, that some events have changed. Some were canceled for personal reasons and a couple were added.)

Book Splash
Cruisin to the Bahamas
Feb. 9-13, 2015

Book Splash Cruise Author Line-up

******
Booking in Biloxi
Biloxi, MS
March 7, 2015
(Island Pacific Casino and Spa)

Booking in Biloxi Author Line-up

******
Cleveland Author Event
Cleveland, OH
April 25, 2015

(Please check the link above for confirmed authors!)

******
Angels and Sinners
Toronto, Canada
May 15-16, 2015

(Please check the event link for confirmed authors!)

******
San Fran Golden Gate Author Event (Event link)
San Francisco, CA
August 8, 2015

(Please check the event for a list of confirmed authors!)

******
Naughty Nashville Author Event
(Table mate LL Collins)
Nashville, TN
August 29, 2015

Naughty Nashville Author Line-up

******
Rebels and Readers Author Event
Huntington, WV
November 2015

(More details as they become available)

Events for 2016:
(Important to note this is still 2 years away, things can change and more will be added as they are confirmed)

H-Town Throwdown
April 8, 2016
Houston, Texas
Eye Candy Bookstore

Kentucky Author Event
April 16, 2016
Lexington, KY
 
CNY Author Expo
September 3, 2016
Syracuse, NY
 

That’s the agenda as of today, August 15, 2014. Whew!

Now, because you were so good… here’s a treat. Ok, I lied. It’s not coffee and chocolate, but it is an excerpt from Alluring Infatuation.
Does that appease you?

 
Alluring Infatuation
Book 4 Bayou Stix
© Skye Turner 2014
 
Swallowing, I nod again and then with a grimace, I head toward the parking lot.

I pass George on the way and he says, “Back left corner of the lot. White BMW,” with a wink.

Grinning, I call back. “Thanks, George. And thanks for letting me play tonight.”

He calls through the door as I race out, “You know you’re welcome anytime, Dade.”

I head in the direction George said and I see her leaning her forehead against the top of her car with the door open and throw her purse into the front seat.

I can tell she hears me approach, because her back goes ramrod straight. Yet, she doesn’t speak. Neither do I.

I just stand and watch her. I want to see if she’ll turn around or try to just drive off. Not that I’ll let her.

After about a minute, she turns and glares at me. “What do you want, Dade? Why did you follow me?”

I stare. She stares back. Finally, I cross my arms over my chest. She follows the movement before looking into my eyes again. Her brow arches in a silent challenge.

Damn, she’s stubborn. Ok, I guess I have to be the one to talk.

I laugh at both of us. She starts tapping her foot. It draws my gaze down. She’s wearing black sandals, her pants are white and form fitting. Her top is white with black lace trim. She looks very professional. Her jewelry is small and understated. She hardly resembles the woman I knew on St. John, but she’s still incredibly sexy.

With one final glare, she throws her hands in the air and whirls on her heel. “I’m over this! I don’t know what you want, but I don’t have the time or inclination to play!” She leans into the car and sits.

Before she can shut the door, I’m at her side.

She glares and mutters out through clenched teeth, “What do you want, Dade?”

Leaning down into a crouch, I give her about a foot of space. She retreats until her back hits the seat. I grin, “Hello, Melonie. We need to talk. Can we talk?”

“You’re in my personal space. Back up!”

Chuckling, I back up an inch. “There. Happy? And what’s the problem? Do I unnerve you?”

She slaps the steering wheel and mutters under her breath, “Does he unnerve me?! Egotistical bastard!”

I’m not a bastard. Ok, I am kind of acting uncharacteristically asinine. “I’m sorry. I honestly do want to talk. Can we talk, Melonie?”

She closes her eyes and leans her head back on the seat before opening them. She asks dejectedly, “Why? What do we have to talk about, Dade? What’s the point?”

Grabbing my hair before squeezing the back of my neck, I tell her honestly. “I’d like to talk about the stuff we didn’t talk about before. Can we do that? Without screaming at each other or flinging insults?”

Staring into my eyes, she rubs the middle of her forehead and purses her lips. She nods slowly. “Ok. But not tonight. I can’t. I’ve had a really long day and I have a surgery in the morning. I need rest.”

I let out the breath I was holding and smile. “Ok.” I reach out my hand, “Give me your phone.”

Her eyes widen and she opens and closes her mouth before she asks, “My phone?! What?”

 
I do hope you’ll check out the rest of Dade and Melonie’s story, FRIDAY, AUGUST 29!


 

And just because this excites me…
Look, I’m a “VERIFIED” Public Figure on Facebook. :)

I’m me!
Check me out.

Southern Shrimp and Corn Soup (More like a chowder)

skyeturner:

A little dash of Southern.

From my Family Blog page.

Originally posted on theperfectkindofchaos:

Seafood and Louisiana just go together.

You can’t have one without the other.

Soups and stews are some of our most popular dishes here in the South.

And one of MY personal favorites is Shrimp and Corn Soup.

It’s rich and creamy and simply delicious.

It’s simply as one of my favorite saying about food states, “A party in your mouth.”

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Heartfelt Gratitude… Love After Pain

Authors write books from our hearts. Our stories may sometimes be fiction, but within every story is a large dose of reality. It can be in the characters, the situations, or the details, but most of us put ourselves into our work. Sometimes it’s intentional, sometimes it’s not, but I haven’t met an author yet or read a book that was purely “fiction.”

When I started this journey almost a year ago now, I had no idea what would happen or how I would do. I didn’t know if anyone would even read my work. But, I gave it my all and wrote my story, my way… and for the most part people enjoyed it.

My first published book, my first book really, is Alluring Turmoil. It was a book that was in my head for about 10 years and I literally just sat down one day and got it out. I did extensive research and used what I’d learned from being a reader and editor to help me write. It was hard and exhausting and expensive, but it was also empowering and exhilarating.

Within literally days of releasing, people were messaging me about the book and how much they’d enjoyed reading it. How they liked that the characters were relatable (even though some were rock stars) and my work was being talked about by readers all over the world. It was an amazing and scary feeling.

Since last summer, I’ve produced 4 books. I’ve attended multiple events as a featured author. I’m made genuine friendships with other authors, bloggers, and readers from across the globe. I’m now able to call people I’ve admired for years and read and absorbed their words, my friends. How many people does that happen to? (Honestly more than you’d think.)

Almost a year ago I was a wife, mother, daughter, friend, part-time editor, etc… and now I’m still all of those things, but I’m also a bestselling published author. I still wake up every day and go, “Is this really my life? Am I really making a living doing something I not only enjoy, but absolutely LOVE?!”

I receive many, many messages, e-mails, Tweets, etc daily now. Some are creepy, some are mean, some are kind and awesome, and one or two have touched me and changed my life.  Last November, I received an e-mail from a woman who’d read Alluring Turmoil and she said it changed her life so she had to message me and thank me. I’ve never been more moved and touched in my entire life than I was after receiving that message.

Mandy was the woman’s name and she reached out to me after suffering unimaginable pain, heartbreak, and loss. You can find her message HERE.

Occasionally, people come into our lives at exactly the right moment and reaffirm what we already know. This happened with Mandy. I was a “new” author and for the most part, people were loving my book, but there were those who just shredded and trashed me and the book. It was hard at first. As you learn and grow, you learn to let it roll off your back, but when you’re new… it stings and it makes you question things. You can have 200 great reviews and those 5 bad ones are the ones you focus on. (That doesn’t happen anymore.)

I was really down after a few bad reviews when I received Mandy’s message and wow… it really woke me up. It reaffirmed that I don’t write for haters and some people WILL hate on you. It’s unavoidable, yet those are not the people you write for. You write for the one’s that DO love your work. You write for the one’s that take the time to follow you and get to know you and support you. You write for the one’s like Mandy.

Last night, I was lying in bed with my husband and I got a ping on my phone alerting me to a new Google message. I checked it and recognized the sender. Immediately I checked the message and this is what I found:

“Dear Mrs. Turner,

It’s Mandy again. I hope this letter finds you well and I am not bothering you. I follow you on Facebook and Twitter now I am so happy for your success. You are an inspiration to me and I hope I can be as strong as you eventually. I’m getting there one day at a time.

I have bought and read all of your novels and I tell everyone to read them. I even tell them why I love you so much. I hope that is not weird. What I mean is I tell them that the reason I can walk around smiling and laughing is thanks to you. I was in a very dark place and as I told you before, I did not care if I lived or died.  I thought about suicide a lot.

I wanted to give you an update on my life because in all honestly you and your book are the reason I am at this place and I just wanted to thank you again. I am so grateful for you and the book being brought into my life when it was.

I have started working again. I am a nurse. Did I tell you that? I am working at the hospital and I love it. I can help people every day. I often recommend your book to my patients who are just really feeling down. Many of them have taken that recommendation. I am also dating. I never thought I would date again. I thought Rick was my end, my soul mate. He was. He will always be the man who stole my heart as a child and never gave it back. He’s my star. But I am dating a friend of ours now. We’ve taken things very slow and have been dating about 3 months. He’s a good man and is very patient with me. He stays even with my baggage. In fact, he reminds me very much of both Jessie and Liam. He was a bad boy and has made some stupid choices in life but he cares for me. We make each other better.

All of your books touch me. They all make me smile, chuckle,  and cry. They make me feel alive and I never thought I cold have that again. Thank you so much for writing. Thank you for being yourself and warm and open and inviting with others. I think the reason I love your books is because I can see myself in every book. I can feel that you are a genuine person and I think that it’s why you are so loved.

I think your calling was to do this. You wrote a book about second chances and I took a chance and read it and you saved my life.

Please don’t ever stop writing. You are one of the gems of the world and I am so grateful to you.

Sincerely yours,

   Mandy XXXXXXXXXXX“

It took me 2 hours to get through this.

Thank you Mandy! Best Wishes and I am so thrilled for you.

We all write because we want others to read it. If we’re lucky, people do… If we’re really lucky, we touch people’s lives… and THAT is the best feeling in the world!

Cover Reveal: Culmination by Julie Morgan

Ultimate power comes with ultimate betrayal. Trust No One.

War is coming and sides must be chosen. Jonathan has grown into his powers and he’s stronger than he could ever begin to understand. Having abilities from both worlds makes him one of the most powerful beings on earth. Even Elysium has no control over him. 
 
Hell has risen and with it, the coming apocalypse. Their sights are set on Jonathan, the Nephilim’s and the traitors against Hell. Michael warned the light will not be involved… until war or death are inevitable. 
 
Taking matters into his own hands, Jonathan builds an army and in the process, meets an unlikely ally. She’s sexy as hell and knowledgeable about all things demon. He also knows her from somewhere but can’t figure out who she is. 
 
Secrets are unfolding and his world begins closing in around him. Will Jonathan be strong enough to face the truth or will he lose himself and submit to the darkness?

 

Is this cover not beautiful? Meet Jonathan, son of Lisa and Alex Carter. He’s the Nephilim born from the Hybrid Angel/Demon (Alex) and human mother (Lisa). You first met them in Fallen and continued their story in Redemption. Atonement told you Samuel’s story. Now step into Culmination where the final chapter of Chronicles of the Fallen takes you through Jonathan’s struggle… as well as the other characters you’ve met along the way… in FIRST PERSON POINT OF VIEW!

Look for the story to release on July 10th!!!

I’ve read these books and I ABSOLUTELY love them. Add Culmination to your TBR list and get to #oneclicking the first 3.

Bio and where to find Julie Morgan!
 

Originally from Burleson, Texas Julie always had a love of books, especially paranormal stories. Julie finally took the leap and began writing with encouragement from her family.

Having worked in IT her entire career, Julie now spends her free time writing. Living in Central Florida with her husband and daughter, her favorite pastime is reading children’s stories to her daughter, especially those around animals.

Connect with Julie Morgan:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/juliemorganbook

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JulieMorganBook

Blog: http://juliemorganbooks.com/

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/juliemorgan

Good Reads: https://www.goodreads.com/juliemorganbooks

Have you not read the other stories yet? Here’s your chance! You can pick them up here!




Fallen
US http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H1EMU88
UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00H1EMU88
CA http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00H1EMU88
AU https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B00H1EMU88
MS https://www.amazon.com.mx/dp/B00H1EMU88
BR https://www.amazon.com.br/dp/B00H1EMU88
JP http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B00H1EMU88
IT http://www.amazon.it/dp/B00H1EMU88
ES http://www.amazon.es/dp/B00H1EMU88
FR http://www.amazon.fr/dp/B00H1EMU88
DE http://www.amazon.de/dp/B00H1EMU88
IN http://www.amazon.in/dp/B00H1EMU88

 

 

Redemption

US http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IZPYPFS

UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00IZPYPFS

DE http://www.amazon.de/dp/B00IZPYPFS

FR http://www.amazon.fr/dp/B00IZPYPFS

ES http://www.amazon.es/dp/B00IZPYPFS

IT https://www.amazon.it/dp/B00IZPYPFS

BR https://www.amazon.com.br/dp/B00IZPYPFS

JP http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B00IZPYPFS

AU https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B00IZPYPFS

Atonement
US http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KAQ6Y2W
UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00KAQ6Y2W
DE http://www.amazon.de/dp/B00KAQ6Y2W
FR http://www.amazon.fr/dp/B00KAQ6Y2W
ES http://www.amazon.es/dp/B00KAQ6Y2W
IT http://www.amazon.it/dp/B00KAQ6Y2W
BR https://www.amazon.com.br/dp/B00KAQ6Y2W
JP http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B00KAQ6Y2W
AU https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B00KAQ6Y2W

The Great Selfie Debate

Selfies… love them or hate them. It looks like they are here to stay.

The Great Selfie Debate

From movie stars to musicians to athletes to the cashier at the grocery store, everyone is snapping selfies these days.

People either comment positively or negatively on them and everyone has an Instagram account these days. Link Instagram to Facebook and Twitter and your selfies are in the ginormous world of the internet. I have a public page and since I write books now, I suppose I’m somewhat of a “Public Figure.” I’m also a self-proclaimed “selfie whore.” Most days my “uniform” consists of yoga pants or running shorts and a fitted t-shirt, so when I actually fix my hair and wear make-up, I like to celebrate and document that feat. It’s like my fist pump to the world that yes, I write books, I have 2 kids under 7, and I can work in my pajamas if I want to (and sometimes I do), but I can still “clean up nice.” My hair is usually in some sort of “style” that resembles Albert Einstein on a good day. Which basically means, I don’t brush it and it sticks up everywhere.

Don’t you wish your hunny was hot like me?!

My personal opinion on selfies is this… the world is full of negativity and people bringing each other down on a daily basis just because they can. Society as a whole focuses so much on the “idea of perfection” (which is a joke and doesn’t exist) that real people are usually left to feel inadequate.

Here’s where I think selfies are a GOOD thing. When you post a selfie, you’re basically saying, “Here I am. Look at me.”

People are posting selfies because they feel GOOD about themselves. If you’re having a good hair day, “Here let me take a selfie.” Got a new outfit that makes you feel like a million bucks, “Selfie time!” Just smiling and in a good mood, “Snap that pic.”

Good hair and makeup day.
SNAP

The beautiful thing about selfies is that if you snap it and you hate it, you can just delete it and then retake it until you find one you like.

Everyone has a camera. Phones, iPods, tablets, and even reading devices make snapping a pic at the speed of light easy.

I love that people are feeling good enough about themselves that they’re posting selfies. I love that selfies are giving people a way to feel empowered. I love that on most selfies are a slew of compliments. “Your hair looks amazing.”, “Great smile.”, “Amazing eyes!”, “Love that shirt!”, “Pretty.”, “Handsome.”, “Beautiful.”, “Sexy!”

To close out the great selfie debate on my end, I say if you feel good and you look good and you want to post it and share it with the world, BRING IT!

I’d much rather see selfies and people LOVING themselves over people tearing themselves down anyway!

So, snap and post those selfies!

A few more from this “selfie whore.”

Silly!

I feel pretty!

Loving from my Fluff Ball!

 

To follow me on Instagram and not miss any of my selfies, click HERE!

Now excuse me… there is some great natural light coming through my window…

Skye Turner is the bestselling adult romance author of the Bayou Stix Series.

What a difference 8 months makes…

Eight months ago, in the middle of summer, with my kids home and my husband offshore, I got this crazy idea. I decided that I no longer wanted to edit other authors books, but instead I wanted to write a book of my own.

I sat down at the end of my dining room table and I wrote. The first day, I wrote over 9000 words.

I’d had this idea for a book in my head for a very long time and I decided it was time for it to come out.

I worked twenty hour days with taking care of my kids, my house, and writing. I did this for ten day and at the end of it, I had this book.

The first day I decided to write, I sent the first two chapters, unedited, straight out of my head to a few author friends. I didn’t tell them what it was and I didn’t tell them I had written it.

Within twenty minutes, my cell was pinging with messages and a text. They wanted to know what it was and where it came from. I told them I had written it and they all screamed at me to keep going.

I did. Then I searched and searched and found this amazing Cover Designer. I talked to her and she wanted to work on my cover. I also sent out chapters to friends and family. A few book blogs that I’d followed, wanted in on the Beta reading, so, I sent it to them too.

I had ten Beta’s on my first book.

I had a professionally designed cover.

I found an editor to make a “final pass” even though I’d read over my manuscript about 100 times.

I tried to format it myself, but got so overwhelmed and frustrated that I wanted to punch my computer, so I found an amazing formatter.

Throughout all of this, I promoted the hell out of myself. I decided if I was actually going to do this “being an author” thing, I was going to go big or go home.

I contacted authors I’d worked with and met new authors that are now some of my best friends. I contacted EVERY blog I could think of and now I am very close with a lot of them as well.

I spent a LOT of money on putting my first book out, and I fully expected to barely break even. But, I had faith in myself and I wanted it, so, I went for it.

In mid September of 2013, I released my first book. That book is Alluring Turmoil, and by the end of the first weekend… people knew who I was. My book was being read! I suddenly had not just people I knew, but people I didn’t know messaging me about my book.

Do you know how surreal that is?!

Pretty quickly, I was an Amazon Bestselling Author and I still look back on that in shock and go, “What?!”

In January, I released my 2nd book, Alluring Seduction.

And in three weeks, I’m releasing my 3rd, Alluring Ties.

Eight months ago, I was a Mom, a wife, a daughter, a sister, a friend, an editor, a nurse, a driver, a chef, a blogger, a maid, a baker, and many other things and today, I’m still those things, but I’m also an author.  And that is something that still blows me away every single day.

Thank you to the people who have supported me. Thank you to the people who read and love my books. Thank you to the people who are just discovering me and decide to take a chance on my books. Thank you for all that you do for me. I appreciate it all and I am here to stay. I have big plans and lots more stories to tell, so stick with me and let’s do this together!

Thanks y’all!

Skye Turner

Three Truths Thursday with Skye Turner

Originally posted on Swipe the Pages for a Chapter in Time.....:

 

If you are an Author or know an Author then fill out my form!

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The Flower

The Flower

A short story by Skye Turner

©Skye Turner 2014

 

Once upon a time there was a new florist. This florist had recently made a small name for herself and had won a few floral competitions. Other people in the business like wholesalers, buyers, and customers were amazed at the talent this young florist possessed and told her on multiple occasions that she was going places.

One day, the young florist was looking for a new flower for a special project. She searched and searched and came across a photograph of a flower that was very pretty and that not many people knew about. She thought to contact the grower.

After contacting the grower, it was agreed upon that this flower would be “the flower” for the florist’s special project. She was not a household name in the floral community yet, but was quickly being recognized with each new creation.

The florist decided to do a nice thing and promote the flower since it was very pretty. Wouldn’t it be a nice thing to share the flower with the world?! Immediately, a floral presenter that the florist had had previous dealings with seized the opportunity to contact the grower. She promised the grower that she could get it on the cover of every magazine around and that florists would fight over it.

            The grower told the floral presenter that the flower was already about to work on a special project with a florist. The floral presenter then took the promotion that the florist had created and seemingly took credit for it, while offering the flower to the masses of other florists. A stir over the flower was created.

            Meanwhile, on the back-end, another florist, who had already made a name for herself contacted the grower wanting to use the flower. She purchased a photograph of the flower and upon being told that she could not use the photograph until the original florist who found and exposed the flower to the public’s special project was out, she began making promises to the grower. “I can take you places she can never take you. I have a broader audience. I would advise you to go with me instead of her,” not realizing that the original florist also became privy to this information.

            The florist was flabbergasted. The only reason anyone knew about the flower was because she promoted it.

            The florist began being threatened, slandered, and bullied by other florists. She lost her passion for flowers.

            When something you love becomes something you hate, do you continue? When the people you work indirectly with, make everything into a competition and try everything they can to undercut one another, is it worth it?

            The florist took some time to decide.           

            After a few days, the florist made a realization. The garden is full to the brim with beautiful flowers and people will always want to see them.

            The florist made her decision, wished the grower well, and went in search of the next beautiful flower because being a florist is her passion.

She’s good at it. She has God-given talent and her creations are already loved by many, but will soon enough be loved by the world.