A Dream and More

I am always asked where the inspiration for my series began. It started with a dream.

I dreamed about Lori & Jason. It was just a whisp of a dream, but enough that I began to form a story around the two characters. I started writing and the story simply came alive. Before I had completed half of Book I, the remaining four stories were outlined as well. I could clearly see how each character had something to overcome, something that people would relate to and possibly learn from as well.

So the beginning of The Circle of Friends was truly a dream inspired!

And for a little inspiration on successfully dealing with people ...

"Recognize and applaud achievement.
Center on strengths rather than weaknesses.
Create an environment where failure is not fatal.
Motivation is not manipulation."

- Alan Loy McGinnis, Bringing Out The Best In People

A Step Of Faith & Brief News

Still workinig hard on Book V! Heather is proving to be an interesting character and is making me stretch a little. Her "co-star" is unique as well. Specualtions are flying as to who that will be, although I've had two fans guess correctly. Let's just say this relationship will not go as smoothly as the first four!

And a step of faith refers to going outside one's comfort zone, reaching out to others, and just believing and expecting the best! I always try to step out on faith - usually more of a leap than a step - and the results lately have been incredible. And while most times there is a reward, occasionally it's the steps benefitting others that matter most.

You might be the only person to reach out to someone that day - and it might be all they need to step out on faith for themselves!

Advanced Reading!

Hello to The Circle of Friends!

With Book IV completed & edited, I am having one lucky fan enjoy an advanced reading of MIKE. Emily will let everyone know what she thinks when she has completed the book. (Which won't take long -she's a fast reader!)

MIKE also features a first! Promotional day for Book III included a chance to suggest a character's name for Book V. However, the first character to be officially named after a fan will be Stephany in Book IV. Stephany is an awesome young lady with a very promising future - and a very rabid fan!!

So without my fans, the continuation of The Circle of Friends would not be possible! Thanks to all!

"Decide what you want out of life; look on the positive side; and never give up until you achieve it."
- Bill Porter

Book Cover & Momentum

The cover for Book IV will soon commence and there will be some differences in this one. Do not want to deviate too far from the first three books, but I want to make sure people don't think they're getting a book about the Sims! (Does no one watch computer animated movies?) So I'll keep everyone updated on the progress of MIKE's jacket cover.

At this point, my schedule is so packed, I think for Christmas I'll ask Santa for sleep!
No complaints though! It's what I wanted.

And last, some musing about momentum.
It's hard to get going, but most people don't realize the benefits.
When you're pushing the ball uphill, distractions & stumbling blocks are more pronounced. Hit & misses are further apart, which creates an emotional roller coaster. The hits send you on a high, but the misses drag you down for a long time. It becomes easy to forget the progress forward when you only feel like you're going backwards.
However, for those who have resiliency, once the ball picks up speed, those bumps become less noticeable. It becomes the difference between shooting multiple targets with a hand gun or a machine gun. The hits & misses come so fast, you hardly even notice. Plus, there ware enough high moments that you forget the low ones quickly.

So if you're struggling - don't get discouraged, get excited! Do more. Move faster.
And no matter what, DO NOT GIVE UP!