Saturday, December 31, 2011

Dream Big

Yellow and red fire tulip


A new year is upon us and people all over the globe are making new year's resolutions, deciding what they want out of the year that stretches ahead of them. People everywhere look at the new year as a new beginning, a chance to make themselves into something new and change their lives.

There are also some people who say that it's a ridiculous practice, that anything you want to achieve, you should already be planning for and working towards, and that waiting for a new year to begin is just silly. But who is to say what is the right time for you to begin a new goal? And why can't you use the beginning of a new calendar year as a starting point?

Some people will also say that you shouldn't make resolutions, or goals if you'd rather call them that, that overreach. You should make practical goals that are easily attainable through a bit of hard work and effort.

Again, I ask why? Why do your goals, your dreams, your new year's resolutions, have to be small? Why do they have to be things that you already know it is possible for you to achieve? Why can't you think bigger, dream bigger? There's a saying that goes something like, "Reach for the moon because even if you miss, you'll still land amongst the stars." Why shouldn't you reach for the moon?

Maybe, if you dream big, you risk not achieving your dreams. But maybe, if you dream big, you will find yourself accomplishing things you never thought possible before, whether or not you actually make that one dream come true.

And maybe, if you dream big, the journey you make while reaching for it is worth more than the dream itself.

Just some things to think about.

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Last Minute Gift Ideas for Writers

Have a writer friend who you forgot to buy a Christmas gift for or just couldn't figure out what to buy? There are some simple last-minute gifts you can do for them, and many of them don't cost anything but your time.

1. Comment on their blogs.

2. Share their blog posts on Facebook and Twitter.

3. Stumble their blog posts.

4. Write about their blogs on your blog, or review their books on your blog.

5. Leave reviews of their books on Amazon and wherever else they sell their books on-line.

6. Offer to beta-read their current writing project.

7. Buy them some Facebook advertising or Adsense advertising.

8. Write them a poem. (No one appreciates the effort and beauty involved in writing a poem more than another writer.)

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

The Craziness Of The Holidays

Christmas Tree 2011


Is craziness even a word? If not, that's too bad because I'm leaving it in the title. It fits!

December has been busy, busy, busy for this mom of seven. There have been school Christmas plays to attend (and costumes to buy for them), treats to buy for school Christmas parties, a Christmas tree to put up and decorate, baking to do for the neighbors' Christmas gifts, Christmas gifts to buy for seven children and a son-in-law, Christmas gifts to buy for my husband, Christmas cards to sign and mail, Christmas decorations to put up around the house and Christmas lights to hang in the windows, presents to wrap and then more presents to wrap, and the list goes on.

I still need to take my younger four chidlren to go and see Santa. And I am praying that they dont ask him for anything difficut to find. (I've already taught them not to ask for anything expensive. I told them that if Santa brings them something expensive, then some other child won't get a good present because Santa only has a certain budget to spend on each child. I know, I'm evil, right?)

Where, you might ask, am I finding the time to write during all of this Christmas madness? The answer is, shamefully, I am not. I haven't even finished my paranormal short story for a competition that I was hoping to enter. And it's due soon. I could blame the fact that several of my children have taken ill at various times, my husband has been ill a couple of times this month so far and illness has struck even me during this cold month. But it would still just be another excuse.

The truth is that if I really want to, I can find the time to write. I've just been lazy and I've been procrastinating. I keep putting it off in favor of other things. And while tending a sick child is more important than getting my writing for the day done, there are a thousand tiny things that I spend time doing during my day that I could easily set aside to spend time writing instead.

SO no more excuses. I am back to my writing as of today.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Free ebook through the 18th!

Photobucket


In the spirit of Christmas, my friend Barbara Mack has made her historical romance ebook, Chasing the Sunset, free through the 18th of December. It's available on kindle through a free download, so go and get your copy today! Check out her other books while you're at it.