Guest Blogger: JM Cartwright
What to blog about? Well, I could certainly bore you with current events, or the presidential campaign. Yuck. We get enough of that watching the news every night, yes? How about something more interesting and fun?
Do you know that February is National Heart Month? It isn't because of Valentine's Day, though that is a happy coincidence. It's to promote good heart health – and I have a way to do that. Read romance books! (Especially mine, but we'll get into that in a minute.)
You heard me right. Read a good love story. Doesn't that always make your heart better? It's my holistic method for helping your heart to feel happy, which has to make it stronger. At least, that's my unscientific opinion. The brain is a strange and wonderful machine, and when it's engaged and the endorphins are running, the heart has to go along for the ride. Doesn't it? *shrugs good-naturedly*
I've got a few books out that might make you smile, make you laugh, get your heart racing – ooh, watch that one! My funniest book, in my humble opinion, is a FREE read at Goodreads. You can also find it at my website. It's called Appearing Knightly, and it's an homage to The Dark Knight. It was written as part of the Goodreads Hot Summer Days Anthology. Authors were challenged by members of the M/M Romance Group to match stories to pictures. I fell in love with the shot of Batman holding a beautiful, naked guy, and the rest is history.
Another one that will make you laugh — and keep your heart happy — is The Trouble With Angel. Angel Vargas is a piece of work, he's high maintenance, he's very much an urban animal, and he's been secretly lusting after one of his boss' clients for the last three years. The problem is, Brandon Halvorsen is straight. Or is he? Angel's boss has him roped into helping Brandon, who has a special problem. Brandon's life has just turned upside down. He's a major league baseball pitcher, whose new problem has nothing to do with baseball. Two little kids have invaded his life. Uh-oh.
Reading my books you'll see that I like to laugh, I like to enjoy life, and my characters do too. Sometimes, all we need to do is sit in a quiet corner for a couple of hours and read a great love story/comedy/heartwarmer. I'd like to think that if you give my books a try, you'd experience that very thing. And I wasn't kidding about National Heart Month. I was kidding about how to keep your heart healthy – at least a little. More women die of heart disease than any other killer. Be sure to watch fat intake, limit your cholesterol and sodium/sugar intake, and keep moving! Here's a link to get all the info you need on symptoms of a heart attack — and what you should do if you experience them. Don't take your heart's health for granted – keep it healthy, and happy.
Today, instead of worrying about whether your sweetie or somebody special is going to get you candy, or a gift, or take you to dinner, think about yourself… and what makes you happy. What gives you fulfillment as a person? As a mother, sister, wife, co-worker, human being? That's what each of us should celebrate this Valentine's Day. When we're happy, fulfilled and doing what we love, we make a huge difference in this world. When we walk around with a smiling face, it impacts people who might be grumpy, scared, or indifferent. And maybe, just maybe, reach out to someone you don't know today — with a smile, a word of kindness, a friendly gesture. You might not know what a difference you make, but I guarantee the other person will remember. And he might just pass it on.
You can find me at www.jmcartwright.com, and also my Goodreads blog. Join me, and make your heart smile.
