2011 - One Word

I listen to K-LOVE Positive Radio whenever I’m driving.

In January the two main radio hosts, Lisa and Eric, spoke about yearly goals and New Year resolutions and (unfortunately) how difficult they are to keep. Change is difficult. Not impossible, but it requires strong commitment.

So instead of making a list of New Year resolutions, they asked people to consider having one word for the year. Eric’s word was DEEPER. He wanted a deeper relationship with his wife, a deeper walk with God. In contrast, Lisa said her word was SHALLOWER, as she tended to go overboard on everything in life—doing too much, never saying no…

So it made me think about what my one word would be.

My life has been filled to the brim with so much busy-ness lately that I feel I am getting very little accomplished. I make sure there is food in the fridge, the house is clean (to a point), and there are clean clothes for everyone to wear, but I want so much more than that. So, after careful deliberation, I have decided my one word for this year is: SIMPLIFY.

To start, I’m going through things I’ve had for years and never used—old clothes, old books, old music, and cleaning them out. I’ve heard it said that your possessions own you. Well—I’m not going to give them a chance! I’ll admit I have several things that I will never get rid of because they have deep meaning to me, but there are other things that can go—and will go.

So now I’m curious. What is your one word for 2011?

Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah

Just finished reading...

Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah




Very enjoyable book about a strong woman in desperate times and how it affected her entire life. Fascinating look at the interplay between her and her two daughters.



View all my reviews

Happy New Year!

And thank you readers! Through your support of Texas Wedding for their Baby's Sake I was able to donate a percentage of the sales totalling $1212.00 to the March of Dimes to further their work in the prevention of preterm births! You are awesome!

Here's to a wonderful New Year to you all!

Merry Christmas!

I’m in the process of intense revisions on my current manuscript, but wanted to pop up for air and wish my readers and friends a wonderful Christmas season. I believe I received my very own Christmas gift last evening when my table was full once again with my husband, my sons and my grandson and the quips and jokes and laughter filled the room. Later, as I tucked my grandson into bed he said: “I am so happy. I love my family.” And he gave me a hug. I could hear the contentment in his voice.

Nothing commercial could compare with that.

Oh, that children the world over could experience the same satisfaction this season.

So as you prepare for December 25^th and celebrating Jesus’ birth, my wish for you is that He fill your hearts and lives with his peace, his hope, and his love.

Author One Sheets

Over the past few years the publishing industry has been going through growing pains as it is “morphing” into a new version of itself. At the Romance Writer’s National Conference in Orlando that I attended, almost every workshop had something to do with the changing industry and the role of the internet.

More and more editors and agents want to see email queries and proposals as they do their part in going “green.” Authors are expected to have a web site and promote their books through activity on blogs, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads...and a host of other sites. And the ebook is no longer a stepchild of the industry, but a serious, viable alternative to printed books.

As I gear up to go to the ACFW Conference, along with the clothes, business cards, and laptop, one of the things I will be taking along that I have not used in the past is a One Sheet. As I speak to editors and agents, a One Sheet is something I can hand out that will jog their memories of my pitch and of me. It is also something they can jot notes on of our conversation if they choose.

So just what exactly is a One Sheet?

It’s a condensed, comprehensive sales pitch — and there are two types for authors.
1. Author One Sheet – promotes yourself and your services (author, speaker, teacher)
2. Book One Sheet – promotes your book (s)

Things to include on both are:

· Genre – is it contemporary, historical, fantasy, speculative, non-fiction?

· Word count

· Contact information – including website and blogs

· Short biography of yourself

· Photo

For the Author One Sheet, include a short synopsis of your book (25 to 30 words.) And then include other services you provide. For example: online teaching, speaking at conferences or writing workshops.

For a Book One Sheet, include the short synopsis and then also a longer version that goes into more detail. With fiction, you would want to note the important plot points. For non-fiction, you would want to point out the topics. You can also include the target audience and how you intend to market this book.

Make your One Sheet as professional looking as you can. This means white, 8 ½ x 11 inch, paper. Use different fonts minimally to attract attention to the main areas, but stick to standard Times New Roman, 12 point for the main body. Keep things clean and concise.

One Sheets can be used for other business ventures as well. A quick search of One Sheets on-line will put a plethora of examples at your fingertips.

Great opportunity for new writers!

The New Voices competition at Mills and Boon will soon be getting underway. It all starts September 6, 2010. This is an opportunity for unpublished writers to have their work "out there" and read. The prize for the winner is publication! For those not quite ready to send in their own manuscripts, there is the opportunity to see what others are writing and vote for your own favorite entries.

Check out the requirements at http://romanceisnotdead.com

Manuscript finished!

I'm finally coming up for air after finishing my fourth manuscript. Caleb's story just wanted to go its own way ~ and with not nearly enough horses for my enjoyment. Anyway, finally got the thing wrestled into shape and off to my editor. Thanks for all the title suggestions Jackie, Joy, and Jean...is there a pattern here? The J's have it!

It was a fun contest on my part. If I ever try a title contest again, I may have to give a few more hints. I had fun reading over the entries.

Here are the top ten in no particular order:

Coronado Treasure
Beautiful City by the Bay
California Treasures
All That Glitters
The Presidio At Dawn
Ramona's Parlor
California Mission Done Right (okay I admit this one made me giggle)
The River Valley to the Sea
Fools Gold

And the winner is ~ drumroll ~ Jean M. is the winner with her title entry Her California Man. She'll get an advanced copy of the book along with a $20 gift card to Borders. Congratulations Jean!