Friends & Passion

The greatest reward of my venture as an author has been the friends I have made during my travels. It's so neat to meet new people and make friendships. This past weekend, I had a friend I hadn't seen in many years come out to speak with me and get my latest book. And a former manager of a defunct store in the Charlotte area now lives in Raleigh, as her husband manages one of the stores I visited this weekend. So it was a delight to see them both!!

One thing I've noticed - most people don't have a set dream or goal! When signing books, I always ask the person's passion in life, and half the time they really don't know. And you have to know where yu're going or you might not like where you end up!

Find your passion and pursue it with all your heart!

Today!

Every day can be a winner!!!!

"Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you, as by the way your mind looks at what happened."
- John Homer Miller

Preparing

Tomorrow's Saturday - another book store appearance! I'm making preparations even as we speak, getting everything in order. Every signing is special because someone new will be there who's never met me. Or someone who's come a long way to see me! I don't want to let anyone down.

And if I'm in the right place at the right time, maybe I'll make a new friend!

Think I made one today without even leaving the house. Someone on an art website that just needed a word of encouragement. I hope I helped! I know I need a boost now and then. I've got a couple friends without whom I would've never survived the first year as an author. I am "Words of Affirmation" and I need to hear I'm going to be okay now and then.

And that would be a fitting encouragement for the day-
Say something encouraging to another person today!
It just might encourage you, too!

Young Adult

Just an observation ...

In speaking with libraries & doing research online, I realize how tough it is to find suitable titles for today's young adults.

When I was a teen, there wasn't the amount of YA titles available as there are today. I went straight for books like "Misty of Chincoteague" to adult fiction. Fortunately, I stayed within the realm of Sci-Fi and Fantasy, so there was little sexual content. With the exception of reading "Flowers in the Attic", I avoided the raunchier, more questionable titles.

Today, that's very difficult for teenagers, especially when their own category is full of immorality.



In book notes, MIKE is edited and ready ... but you'll have to wait! I hope that my second venture into a male main character will prove as interesting as Book III. If Mike were a real person, I think girls would be very drawn to his easy going, sensitive nature - not to mention his looks! (Think Heath Ledger.)


And for those who are struggling:

"When faced with a mountain, I will not quit! I will keep on striving until I climb over, find a pass through, tunnel underneath - or simply stay and turn the mountain into a gold mine, with God's help!"
- Robert H. Schuller