The Mourning Spring

Dark, icy water
clustured across the suface
like bronze singing bowls.

12-26-09

Merry Christmas

The holiday is officially here. Of course, there are a few hours remaining to pick up those last minute items you might have forgotten.

Even I have to rush to the grocery store for packets of hot chocolate, which I plan to put in goodie bags. And yes, these goodie bags were planned before I went yesterday, but I thought I could buy them at a better price elsewhere. Unfortunately I was wrong.

Now, I’m preparing to brave the elements as well as the holiday crazed crowds. The bonus for me is that I’ll pick up a yummy Eggnog Chai from Starbucks and that will surely bring a smile to my face.

So, I’m starting off my Christmas Eve with happy thoughts (inspired by a warm cup of Chai as well as by thoughts of goodwill toward men) and, most importantly, with the intention of doling out friendly smiles to all those I encounter.

My wish for you is that I hope someone smiles at you today and tomorrow and every day and adds a little cheer to your holiday spirit.

Merry Christmas!

Bonus recipe

This is a new recipe of mine and I’m already in love with it. These cookies are perfect for adding a little panache to your holiday cookie plate. And the best thing is, they’re super easy. One batch will fit on your cookie sheet, so there’s no slaving in the kitchen for hours on end.

Jam Thumbprint Cookies

1 box 3.4 oz. instant vanilla pudding
1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup butter flavor Crisco
2 Tbsp. melted butter or margarine
3 to 4 Tbsp. cold skim milk
Raspberry preserves

Preheat oven to 350°

In food processor, pulse pudding, flour, and Crisco until crumbly. Gradually add the melted butter. Then slowly drizzle in the milk while pulsing until a soft dough forms.

Form dough into 1 inch balls on cookie sheet. Press thumb into center. Fill with preserves. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove onto wire rack immediately. Cool.

Makes 2 dozen

These are perfect with a steaming cup of green tea.

Enjoy!

The new job

I am happy to report that I have managed to fool another person into thinking that I know what I’m doing. And this week, I started working my new job. It isn’t something I’m at liberty to talk about, due to confidentiality, but I will say that I am thankful to be working. Having a job at all is a huge blessing and I am very thankful for it. Also, I’m thankful for the opportunity to help people. In addition, I hope that my new schedule will provide the much needed time to write without interruption. However, with that said, I’m worried about spending so much of my family time away at work. I’ll be gone five nights a week, at least for a time, and then I’ll be gone both Saturday and Sunday. It seems my time off will be when my kids are in school. There have been days when I would have said this was another blessing, but for the most part, it makes me sad. I absolutely adore my kids. I love spending time with them. I love their personalities. We call ourselves a pack, and like a pack we’re not complete when one is missing. I sincerely hope to be able to juggle my work, where I have the potential to do good work and help people; my writing, which is how I really want to earn my living (but I realize that happens for only 2% of all writers); and most importantly my family.

But to tell you the truth, I’m not feeling quite adept at keeping those balls in the air right now. If you have any suggestions…Well, you know where I’ll be.

Nice surprise

So, I woke up today and the wicked witch was gone. Sometime during the night she must have realized that I don’t live a very exciting life. :) After all, a lot of it is spent in front of the computer.

And speaking of my writing career…We were, weren’t we?

I had a very nice surprise last night (and perhaps this is the true reason why my witchy attitude is gone). Google alerted me to a very good review I’d received from the eHarlequin community about my novella, The Cowboy Way.

It’s always nice to know that even though I’m a struggling writer, something of mine is still being read and appreciated. Thank you, Christa R, for the silver lining that will gleam for the rest of the year!

Wicked Wind

Alright, I’ll come right out and say it. I’m blaming the weather for my bad attitude. The wicked wind that blew in a couple of days ago, turned me into a wicked witch.

Now, you might be saying that I can certainly control my own actions and it makes me sound like victim to lay the blame at Mother Nature’s door, and you might be right. All I know is that when the bitter wind started to blow, the bitterness seemed to latch onto me.

Normally I’m an upbeat, positive person. I like a silver lining in every cloud. But for the last couple of days I’ve struggled with my level of patience. Idiots are the first to be blasted with my wintery tone and glacial stare. And then afterward, I usually feel guilty…usually…for the honesty I’ve hurled.

Maybe I need to meditate. Maybe my chakras were blown out of whack. Maybe my chi needs to be recharged. Maybe I need vitamin D. Who knows? Right now, I’m willing to give them all a try in order to get back to normal…Or at least, what I’ve convinced myself is normal for me.

In the meantime, I’ll try to keep looking for that silver lining.

By the way, I have a new job. And I’m waiting for excitement to sweep over me.

I’ll keep you posted.

Top 5 Reasons to Hug your Neighborhood Romance Author

5. You might get a book dedicated to you.

4. She has great ideas for romantic getaways.

3. She knows which bookstores sell the best coffee.

2. She has at least 5 titles on her “to be read” shelf that you could borrow.

1. She knows a lot about chocolate…and usually has enough to share.

Another sign?

If you’ve read my previous post about Unemployment and Story Hour, then you’ll know that lately I’ve given odd coincidences the label of “sign.”

And while I’ve yet to fully explore the first sign, I think I’ve been given another.

Lately I’ve been a little down and overwhelmed. A lot of it stems from the holidays. I’m not that fond of crowds, but I’ve developed a system to help me stay chipper and friendly. After I’ve been around a hoard of people, I like to have a little downtime – soft music, a good book, a quiet room – and afterward I’m right as rain. Unfortunately, my schedule is a little too hectic to get much downtime. I’ve been running on reserves since before Thanksgiving and I’m almost tapped out.

So, during a small five minute breakdown last night, I verbalized my concerns that I’m not headed on the right path.

Here is where the sign comes in. During this time, I’m upstairs, trying to steal a few minutes of reading time, while downstairs our TomTom suddenly speaks from inside the box. (It’s important to know that it holds no battery charge when not plugged directly into the car, and it hadn’t been used for days). “Turn right,” TomTom said. “Then…turn right.”

At the time it freaked my husband and son out, and when they told me, I thought it was very strange, too. And then, when I noticed where the box was and recalled what I’d been saying just before it spoke (”I wish I knew if I was on the right path”), a little shiver tickled the back of my neck. Because to turn right and then to turn right again from the place where the TomTom sat, that would lead me directly into my office, directly to my computer, directly to my stories.

And now I can’t help but wonder again…Am I crazy and making too much of these coincidences? Or…is this the whisper I’ve been waiting for?

I’ll keep you posted.

The Persian Cinderella

If you’ve read my bio then you know I have a fondness for fairy tales. Today, in the process of doing research for a class I’m taking, I stumbled across a wonderful version of Cinderella that I’d never read before. The Persian Cinderella by Shirley Climo is a magical telling of a familiar story.

For my research, I’ve read dozens of fairy tales that don’t quite measure up to the original, or even to the adaptations I’d created as a child, but this one surprised me. For a moment, I was transported to another time and place. What so many writers struggle with (keeping the reader interested from the first page to the last), Climo pulled off with aplomb.

After reading this story, I felt a similar giddiness that I’ve felt after reading a good romance. Even though it’s a fairy tale, I believe the characters’ story doesn’t end.

Of course, the content is geared toward children, but that doesn’t mean the story didn’t hit its mark with this older reader. In fact, I’m very pleased to say that I feel inspired.

I hope you read something that inspires you today.

Happy reading!