MILITARY MONDAYS - A tribute to all American Soldiers

I want to offer a special thanks to all our service-men and women and their families who sacrifice for our security and freedom.  May God bless all of you this holiday season.

No Easy Way by S R Claridge VIDEO 2B

FANtastic Friday FLASH

My FANtastic Friday FAN of the week:      J A N E L     G R A D O W S K I

I am pleased to introduce a very creative writer, wife, mother and dog owner:  Janel Gradowski

Janel began her writing career in 2004, designing and writing beadwork patterns which have been published in several beadwork magazines.  She has a new pattern which will be published in 2011.

This year, Janel decided to actively pursue another writing dream she had put on the back burner since the fifth grade.  She dedicated herself to writing short fiction with a focus on micro and flash fiction and has had great success.  Several of Janel’s stories have been published in ebook and print.  

Janel also has an extensive blog, wherein she shares her journey not only as a writer, but as a mother.  It contains information from budgeting to beading and so much more.  I guarantee your visit to “Janel’s Jumble” will be well worth the time.

http://janelsjumble.blogspot.com/

Thank you, Janel, for being my FANtastic Friday FAN.  I have enjoyed learning more about you and will continue to visit your blog.  Thanks for giving us a glimpse into your world.  Happy Holidays!

The Soil of the Soul

When the foundational elements are in tact, marital success boils down to making the relationship a priority.   We must make a conscious effort every day to put the relationship first. 

First means above every viable excuse.  Run errands later.  The laundry can wait.  Leave work on time instead of two hours after everyone else has left.  If you’re too tired to even think about sex, drink a Red Bull or some cofee or tea to pep up.  Turn the television off.  Put your laptop away.  I know you want to Facebook or play Spider Solitaire, but those things can wait.  Putting your marriage first requires a commitment to remove the distractions and follow through by giving your partner your full attention. 
  
This is difficult in our culture.  We are a fast-paced, results-driven society.  We want everything done quickly and we want to reap the benefits before we even put in the work.  Our brains are comfortable in multi-tasking mode; thus, shutting down our minds to everything else and focusing only on intimacy with our spouse can be difficult … but it is necessary. 

I was at a restaurant and witnessed a couple out for a romantic dinner.  They were dressed to the nines, ordered a nice bottle of wine and had the waiter take their picture.  I don’t know the occasion, but they had obviously set this night apart as something special.  Before their salad arrived, the husband had taken two phone calls.  By the time the waiter brought the entree’ the husband had stepped outside twice and the phone call count was up to five.  The sparkle that danced in wife’s eyes upon arriving at the restaurant had dwindled to a sporadic flicker of hope amid a lonely stare.  Her shoulders drooped as each phone call he took sucked the romance from her. 

Now I ask myself, was she gung ho to jump in the sack when they got home?  Probably not.  

Careers are important.  Money is important.  Doing well at your job is imperative to survival in our economy.  But let me say this:  unless you are a top surgeon, wherein someone will die if you do not answer your phone during a romantic, special dinner with your spouse, then DO NOT ANSWER YOUR PHONE!   I am willing to bet that whatever business deal you have going down can wait until after dinner. 

Intimacy in marriage is an active CHOICE.  You choose to make your spouse feel important or you choose to make them feel insignificant.  So many of us try to blame our careers or blame or responsiblities, but the truth is those are mere excuses to hide our own inability to prioritize our relationship. 

When it comes to matters of the heart, we must make time to sow seeds and tenderly nourish the soil.  You cannot expect growth in a garden you do not nurture.  There are no fruits if there is no labor first.

“My husband knows I love him,” comes the voice of a forty year old woman, who makes-love with her husband once a week and openly confesses she would rather Facebook than talk to him.  Relational satisfaction doesn’t come from merely loving each other. Love must be present but it must also be constantly built upon. Hearts tire. Minds change.  Appearances wither. To keep the garden growing in spite of seasonal altercations, we must till the ground, pull the weeds, water, seed and nuture every day.

Gardens thrive when given the right nourishment, and they wither and die when ignored.  Human hearts are no different.  What have you planted in the soil of your spouse’s soul?

TUESDAY TALKS Spotlight Author: ANNE K. ALBERT

I am happy to introduce a fellow VHP Author, Anne K. Albert.  Thank you, Anne, for being my Spotlight Author on TUESDAY TALKS.

Hi S.R. Thanks for having me here today.

Before we get started talking about your books, tell us a little about yourself. What is your occupation outside of writing? 

I’m an art college and university graduate who taught junior high and high school for seven years. I also sold display advertising for a small town weekly newspaper, again for seven years. I worked alongside my then self-employed hubby for seven more. Next, I worked at a national brand water company—again for seven years.

Do you see a pattern emerging here? While all of these various occupations were interesting and rewarding, none can hold a candle to writing. (I now write fulltime.) Oh, and in case you’re wondering, I surpassed the seven year mark as a writer more than seven years ago!

  

Do you have any pets?  If so, what kind and tell us their names.

We’re currently pet-less, but only because we used to drop off our cat at my mother’s whenever we left town for a few days. Mom fell in love with the little fur ball, and after a number of kitty-sitting episodes, suggested the cat stay with her. Permanently. We agreed, and the once wild and crazy feline who refused to let any human cuddle her, now sleeps in my 87-year old mother’s arms like a baby!

What are your favorite books to read?

Romantic suspense. I can’t resist a dead body, a puzzle to solve, a hunky hero, a spunky heroine, and a happily-ever-after.

Where is the most unique place you have traveled?

Probably Istanbul, but I also have to mention Machu Picchu, Cornwall’s Port Isaac, Ten Mile Lookout on Manitoulin Island, Jemez Springs, New Mexico, and the rugged Minnesota coastline along Lake Superior. Each hold a very special place in my heart.

Aside from your successes in the writing industry, what in your life has given you the greatest sense of accomplishment?

My relationship with my husband and my daughter. They’re amazing.

How many books have you written and how many of those are published? 

I’ve written five books so far. The first will never see the light of day, but the others placed or won various writing contests. DEFENDING GLORY, my debut novel, is actually book number four. Released last October in ebook format, it is now available in print. Book number five, FRANK, INCENSE AND MURIEL, a romantic suspense with a delightful dash of humor that takes place the week before Christmas is also available in ebook format. The print edition will be released mid 2011.

How much character and plot detailing do you plan out before you begin writing a novel, or are you a “pantser” (fly by the seat of your pants)?

I’m a pantser…well, okay, make that an extreme pantser. I start with nothing more than a vague idea that someone is going to die. Who, how, and why are never clear. In DEFENDING GLORY, I began with the notion of who the villain would be, but before I’d completed the second chapter my hero found the guy’s dead body! Writing myself into a corner was not what I intended, but having done it I was forced to figure a way around it. I did, of course, and realized the great unknown is why I sit down at the computer each day. I write to find out what happens next.

Prior to becoming a published author, how many rejections did you receive?  How did you handle the rejections?

I’ve lost count, but I’ve probably been rejected by at least thirty agents and ten editors.

In the very beginning, it hurt, but I refused to give up. I entered writing contests for feedback. I wanted specifics of where and how to improve my work. Eventually, I moved up the contest ladder to final in the top five. No longer needing as much feedback, I entered contests with the soul intent to fast-track my way onto an editor or agent’s desk.

The rejections, however, continued.

On a plus note, they transformed from “form” rejections to personal notes and then full-fledged letters. The comments were encouraging. “You have a great imagination,” one agent wrote, “I love the premise.” “You’re a talented writer,” said another. But there were no offers of representation. No offers to publish my book.

That’s when I realized writing, like art, is subjective. As one agent explained in her rejection letter, it’s “why some people adore the book on the top of the NY Times bestseller list, and other’s don’t.”

Rejection is part of being an author.

Out of all the books you’ve written and the characters you’ve created, which is your favorite character and why?

I’m very partial to Val who is a secondary character in FRANK, INCENSE AND MURIEL. She’s an eccentric in her mid-sixties with a heart of gold. I admire her spunk.

If you could step into the world of anyone else’s novel or meet with any character, which/who would you choose?

I can’t choose just one, but I can narrow it down to two. I’d love to ogle Janet Evanovich’s Ranger from a safe distance (!) as much as I’d cherish a one-on-one conversation with Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot. One brains, the other brawn. Two utterly fascinating men.

I couldn’t agree more with you on the Ranger character…though I wouldn’t mind ogling Morelli either.   Whew!  Okay, now that you got me all hot and bothered, let’s get back to your writing career…

If you could give one piece of advice to writers trying to get published what would that advice be?

Keep writing. Take all advice and criticism to heart, but stay true to yourself. And never, ever give up.

  

What's up next for you and your writing?

I’ve always got a number of books on the go at any given moment, but my main focus right now is DEFENDING HOPE, the second book in the Piedmont Island series where troubles outnumber residents. The hero, Deputy Abbott, made an appearance in DEFENDING GLORY, and from the moment he walked onto the page, I knew he deserved a story of his own.

Next in line is VAL AND TYNE DAY’S MURDER, second book of the Muriel Reeves Mysteries. As you might guess from the tongue-in-cheek title, a murder takes place before Valentine’s Day, and Val in smack dab in the middle of the action…much to Muriel and Frankie’s dismay.

 

Where can we read more about you and your work?

Visit my website: http://www.annekalbert.com or my blog: http://anne-k-albert.blogspot.com.

It has been a pleasure getting to learn more about you and your books, Anne.  Thank you for being my Spotlight Author on TUESDAY TALKS.

 

 FANtastic Friday FAN

Spotlight Fan of the Week is: 

J A C Q U E L I N E    T U G L U S

Jacqueline is a spiritual and philosophical author, in the process of finishing a spiritual memoir she has tentatively titled, “Words to a Daughter.” 

She is hopeful to get her memoir published soon, as it is intended to be an inspiration to all who read it. 

Best wishes Jacqueline!  Thank you for being a FANtastic Friday Fan!

Keep The Fire Burning

“Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.”  (I Peter 4:8)

The word “fervent” means to be eager, enthusiastic, passionate, zealous, fanatical and burning.  So what God is saying is not only to burn for each other, but actively keep burning.  It doesn’t say to burn once a week.  It says to KEEP burning.  Eagerly seek to love each other physically, and the emotional, mental and spiritual embers will stay heated.  To keep the fire going we have to constantly and continuously add wood and fan the flame.  Or, blow on it and get a big woody!  If you’re thinking, “Yikes!  She’s so vulgar.”  Let me say this, it’s only vulgar if you’re doing it with strangers.   We were created as sexual beings and marriage was designed to be the playground on which our sexuality romps. 

I challenge you to open your mind and start visualizing sex with your spouse outside the comfort confines of missionary position.  If words like masturbation, oral sex, striptease, doggie style and sex toys make you feel embarrassed it’s because you are clinging to man-made inhibitions not God-given restrictions.  

“Those aren’t very Christian-like terms.”  Says who?   God puts no limit on sexual creativity.  The Bible doesn’t say to keep fervent in your love, but make sure he’s on top all the time.  It says be fanatical!  Ladies, hop on, go down, shock the man you love with pleasure.  Men, be the dirty dog you want to be, spin her around and howl at the moon.  Be eager to try something different.  It takes work to keep a bonfire raging and it requires commitment; but it creates lasting warmth and desire.