Ĺ·±¦ÓéŔÖ

Positive psychologists say accomplishment rates right up there with experiencing positive emotions and relationships and meaning and engagement in life for people to flourish.
If this is the case, then I'm flourishing!  Completing Flower Girl, my second novel, and having it poised for publication on January 11th—well, that's an accomplishment by itself.  Add to that is the review Flower Girl just received by Diane Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review.

Donovan’s review highlights the kernels within the journey of the character Suzanna Jordan that make for a flourishing life. Donovan picks up on the underlying theme—Life is messy, but beneath peoples� imperfections, they can find a way to carve out meaning and accomplishment in life:

� . . . readers will avidly follow Suzanna’s pursuit of a better life and her realizations about what influences have blinded her, in the past. Its attention to realistic descriptions of this process and the changing momentum of Suzanna’s world creates an outstanding inspection of the undercurrents and influences life holds as she strives to keep her personal North Star firmly in mind against all odds.�

The final paragraph of the review fills my heart with accomplishment, meaning, and positive emotion. I want to write stories about the human experience—to show how ordinary people tackle challenges, live through sorrow and betrayal, struggle with doubt, but find a way to act on their aspirations. I want to deliver stories that transport the reader to the most unexpected places within themselves. Donovan’s last paragraph of the review shows that in Flower Girl, I might have achieved this.

“Collections strong in women’s literature and fiction surrounding domestic violence and recovery processes will find Flower Girl an evocative, compelling read that chooses no easy paths to resolution. Suzanna’s changing choices and perceptions are outstanding examinations of the darkness that pervades her world, and provide important keys to recovery that women will want to learn about.�
For the complete review, visit:

Leap of faith: Engaging in something and believing it will work out even though there is no evidence or assurance of the outcome.

By training and characteristic, I like plans. In fact, I love plans—PERT and GANTT charts, lists, timelines, data flow diagrams—you name it, and I've probably done it. No leaps of faith or flying by the seat of my pants in computer programming, either. Systems analysis was my brand.

So, taking a leap of faith and plunging into fiction writing was uncharacteristic. Or was it? I'm thinking my character strengths (as assessed by the Values in Action—VIA—survey of strengths) of bravery, creativity, and curiosity were smoldering and waiting for the right time to fire up and break free from doing the sure, anticipated thing.

And what fire the flames ignited!

For me, writing fiction checks all the boxes that make a flourishing life—called PERMA in positive psychology terms—I couldn't be happier or feel more fulfilled.

Writing sets off positive emotions—seeing and experiencing things differently and deeply—joy, happiness, awe. Engagement—being totally immersed in the creative process where one day bleeds into another and time goes so fast it stands still. Developing new relationships—relationships with the craft of writing and an entire community of authors, writing professionals, and readers sharing their expertise and helping each other. Fulfilling my meaning in life—supporting others through my stories and characters to be their best selves; showing them that being human is messy, but we can all find our North Stars and fulfill our potential. And experiencing the fruits of taking that leap of faith—achievement—by walking the path and saying yes to the journey, an achievement itself.

Take a leap of faith. Free those smoldering embers inside yourself—the fire it ignites may pleasantly surprise you.

"The writer is an explorer.  Every step is an advance into a new land."  --Ralph Waldo Emerson

I am an explorer when I write. As I walk on the well-trodden path, studying my values, beliefs, culture, and experiences, scrubby side trails invite me to take a chance, leave behind the superficial and known, and take the risk to explore the concealed, unresolved, and mysterious.  Blackhorse Road took me on the forgiveness trail and led me to take more risks and roam bumpy paths in Flower Girl—one...

When was the last time you stopped to admire a tree?

When I was a young college student, I had a favorite tree on campus I named Alexander Hamilton Grant. (Even back in the 1960's I had a "thing" for Alexander Hamilton and Ulysses Grant). That tree was a symbol for me—a place of solitude where I could go, find peace, and sort things out. Things always became clearer after a visit with Alexander Hamilton Grant.

Give yourself a break. Find and admire a tree, a flower, a pond, a lake, a str...

In a recent giveaway, Mary Jane, one of the entrants, asked this question:  What keeps you motivated to do all the inspirational things you do?

For me, the key to my motivation is doing things aligned with my strengths. Among my top strengths are bravery, curiosity, and creativity. I'm in my zone and get emotional and physical energy when I can combine these strengths. Acting on conviction to help women fulfill their potential led me to choose women's fiction—to write stories about women's j...

Flower Girl is getting it last touches. What does that mean?

I'm rechecking the copyedits from my terrific editor Kim Bookless, and paper and ebook designs are in production. 

But there's still tons to do.  Yikes!  Here is the to-do list.  There's a lot of "red" going on here.

May was Stephen King month for my reading diversion!

You might ask (and rightfully so) why thrillers and horror would attract a women's fiction writer. 

It starts with, "Once Upon a Time, a women's fiction writer read Stephen King's Writing: A Memoire of the Craft, which led (horror of horrors) to reading his first novel, which led to reading his last novel . . .

Read the reviews and then the books—if you dare.

May 13, 2021

Review of On Writing: A Memoire of the Craft � 5 stars

Just ...

May was Stephen King month for my reading diversion!

You might ask (and rightfully so) why thrillers and horror would attract a women's fiction writer. 

It starts with, "Once Upon a Time, a women's fiction writer read Stephen King's Writing: A Memoire of the Craft, which led (horror of horrors) to reading his first novel, which led to reading his latest novel . . .

Read the reviews and then the books—if you dare.

May 13, 2021

Review of On Writing: A Memoire of the Craft � 5 stars

Just ...

One thing led to another this weekend, and it all started with Ĺ·±¦ÓéŔÖ!  I decided that two shelves—Read and To-Read—on Ĺ·±¦ÓéŔÖ wasn't sufficient.  After all, I'm a reader and an author, and cataloging my books on just two shelves seemed, well . . . Juvenile? Unprofessional? Lazy?  Isn't it high time that I do something about this?

So, after my organizing adventure with Ĺ·±¦ÓéŔÖ, I looked at the sorry mess behind me—three six-shelf bookcases across the back wall of my office.  Ye gods! ...

It's funny how memories have a mind of their own. Floating like a butterfly, they can pop into your head at the strangest times, linked by a thin filament initiated and attached to some extraneous thought not related to the memory at all.  Then poof, like the fleeting butterfly, the memory is gone.

Some memories are too precious to let go of—they are the ones that deserve the honor of being preserved in story.

Take those memories that come to you like a butterfly, cast your net and catch...