Happy Holiday Season... Don't stop believing!

Any one who has been around me most of my life knows that I LOVE gifts. I usually celebrate my birthday the entire month and maybe even a few days after. The older I get the more excited I’ve become about Christmas. Any given year, I could be seen dancing when I opened my gifts on Christmas morning. This year has been entirely different.  

We moved in August from Pennsylvania to North Carolina. It was something I had always wanted to do. However, it wasn’t until God provided us an opportunity that we were able to cease the moment. Despite how corny it may sound, everyday since then has become more than I could ever receive on my birthday and under the tree on Christmas. What did I ask for this year on my birthday? Nothing. What did I ask for this year for Christmas? Nothing.

Does that mean I’m above accepting gifts? NO! I’m always ready for a gift but for the first time I feel like I have everything that I need. We haven’t been here for long but the change has been good for us. It’s been amazing for our spirit. We both are so happy to be here that we embrace each day more fully than the last.  Some of what we’ve been blessed with I haven’t shared publically. I don’t like when people brag so I don’t want to come off that way. What I will say is God has surely been smiling on us.

If you’re tired of me talking about this move, I guess you should stop reading my blog for a while. LOL! I can’t apologize for my happiness and this move is a great part of it. So, I can’t help but talk and write about it. I was happy before we moved here but this new chapter in our lives is something short of amazing!

I hope everyone has a blessed holiday season and is ready to have a wonderful 2012. Find something that keeps you motivated, and inspired. You can find it in small things as easily as you can in big things. You might not need a new address or career, but find whatever “it” is that will inspire your tomorrow to be even more fabulous than today! Love life and live fully.

Another snowy night on the way!

I grew up in Orange County, NY and vividly remember all the snow we had each winter. Since that time, we have had a few blizzards in various places where I've lived in the NY, NJ, and PA area. However, the past few years we've had winters that didn't closely resemble those childhood winters. Last year I think we had less than 20 inches throughout the entire winter. Now, we are only 9 inches from breaking the 1996 record of 60 or so inches.

Tonight we are supposed to get 12-24 inches. The exact amount depends on the way the wind blows, I guess. I am amazed but know that we were long overdue for a winter such as this. My plan for tomorrow is to be productive. I am going to use the precious hours when I am snowed in to complete or at least work on some of the projects I have started. I want this to be a publishing year for me and need to use these days as best as I can to bring my dreams to fruition. This fire in me is not dimming and it won't. After I bring my first book to publication I'm sure it will only burn brighter!

I have narrowed my search down to a few different self-publishing companies. A number of people I know have used Lulu or Outskirts Press. I am not sure if I will work with them as well but I haven't made any decisions yet. I am doing as much research as I can because I feel that I need to take great care in deciding on which company I will use. I know I judge a book by its cover so my cover is very important to me. I expect when I open the cover of a book that an author has taken great care to bring it to publication. So, I plan on doing the same thing. Although I am eager to get it done it makes no sense to do it incorrectly. In the end, it would cost me more. I have witnessed that and it takes away from the contents of the book.

When I see books that have been poorly edited or typeset, full of grammatical errors or shoddy covers, that's all I end up remembering about the author. I don't get a chance to read what the author was trying to say because the author chose to send out a less than professional piece of work with his or her name on it. I am going to work as diligently as possible to send out a book that I would want to spend my money on in the bookstore. I love books and I want it to show!!

I say all of this to say... "Get it done but get it done right. If you don't put your all into it, the end result will be a reflection of your efforts!" Do it right or not at all...