Welcome Yolanda Sfetsos, my last Thankful Guest

Firstly, I’d like to thank Ginger for having me over here today. :)

We don’t actually celebrate Thanksgiving in Australia, but it doesn’t mean that I’m not thankful for a lot of things in my life. There's a lot to be thankful for.  

First and foremost, I’m grateful for my small and wonderful family, and that the four of us (hubby, daughter, cat & I) have such a lovely life together. It doesn’t take much to keep us happy. As long as we’re spending time together, we’re smiling. I’m also thankful for my health (and theirs too), the strong sense of willpower I have most of the time, and that I have so many wonderful choices about how to live my life.

Then, there are the other things. The smaller every day things that most of us take for granted, but I can’t help and admire whenever spring rocks around. I love where we live, and the surroundings. We have a river nearby, and I absolutely adore going for my daily walks along the path. I also love the way it feels when the day is slowly blending into night on a summer day. I love warm summer nights, when there’s just enough of a cool breeze coming in through the window to cool me down. I love being indoors when a thunderstorm strikes, or when it rains. I enjoy waking up nice and early, when it’s still dark, and looking out the window to realize that the rest of the world is still asleep, but will wake in a few hours...

I love books—collecting them, reading them, holding them—and am forever thankful that I get to have my own books out there in the wild. This makes me very thankful for the publishers who have taken a chance on me and have given my stories homes, so they can be read by people from all over the world.  

I have to admit that I'm a gadget gal—Kindle, mobile phone, laptop, netbook, MP3 player, Nintendo DS, etc—so I'm thankful to be able to purchase these cool things. I'm also thankful for the music that gets my creative juices going. There are two bands in this world that never fail to inspire me, and for them I'm grateful too.

As you can probably tell, there are a lot of things that I love and am grateful for in this world, but most of them are the simple pleasures in life. I love to see my daughter smile and express herself, love to make my husband laugh and chat to him about anything and everything. And I really enjoy it when my cat actually knows what I’m saying to him and responds.

A lot of things make me smile, laugh, or feel wonderful, and glad to be alive. And without one of those in particular, I think I would go insane. Of course, I’m talking about my muse. Without my muse, I wouldn’t have the ability or drive to put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard. Or be able to find inspiration in just about anything I see or hear, and eventually turn it into ideas that become stories. 

I love being creative, enjoy expressing myself with words, and telling stories... So, thank you so much, my faithful muse. 

Oh, and I’m forever thankful that my husband is supportive enough to take the brunt of working a full-time job so that I can stay home and write (ie. listen to my muse) while my daughter’s at school.

I’m very thankful for a lot of things, and try to never take any of them for granted.

Thanks for reading,

Yolanda

www.yolandasfetsos.com

Welcome, Marsha A. Moore. She's thankful, too.

Thanks lots for inviting me to be here today, Ginger. 

It’s incredibly hard to decide what I’m most thankful for since the list shifts from month to month, year to year. But, health, mine and of those closest to me, will always be at the top. I’ve lived through many troubled years with my own health issues, or cared for loved ones who suffered. Fortunately, all those who I hold most dear are in good health. There is no greater blessing. 

Beyond that, I’m thankful for new opportunities which have fallen my way in 2010. Trying my hand in the world of publishing has brought me many new friends who I’ll cherish for years to come. So many amazing authors I now count among my friends. Most I’ve met through writers’ organizations: RWA’s Fantasy, Futuristic & Paranormal Chapter; Savvy Authors; Writing.com; Florida Writers’ Association. But the group I’m most grateful for is the MuseItUp Publishing community. I can’t begin to express how much I’ve grown through that fellowship of authors under guidance of publisher Lea Schizas.

Thirdly, I’m grateful our house is now as my husband and I envisioned when we bought it a year and a half ago. After that much time enduring construction crews, we celebrated with our first vacation in three years—a week in the Florida Keys. Mind you that was not a major trip since we live in Tampa, but appreciated just as much as if we’d traveled across the country. This past month I’ve been thankful:

            I subscribed to “Florida Travel + Life” magazine, so when we were finally set free, we knew the stops to make a fun trip;

that publication recommended a great fresh fish dive in Key Largo called The Fish House;

we were able to find our fav recipe from that restaurant online, Fish Matecumbe;

and my husband and I recreated the magic of our vacation in our own kitchen, which I’m happy to share today on Ginger’s blog. May it bring you a taste of the Keys and its happiness. I hope you and your family had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Fish Matecumbe

1/2 Spanish onion, chopped
1 (8-ounce) jar capers
5 shallots, peeled and chopped
5 tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup chopped basil leaves
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper
2 lemons, juiced
1 cup olive oil
8 individual Mahi Mahi fillets
Salt and pepper

Serving suggestion: rice

To a medium bowl, add all ingredients except fish and stir to thoroughly combine. Refrigerate until ready to use; it is best to let flavors blend for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.

Preheat the broiler and position the oven rack so that it is at least 4 inches from the broiler, but no more than 6 inches.

Place fish fillets on a baking sheet and then season fish with salt and pepper. Place under the broiler and cook until done on 1 side. Watch carefully, as it may only take a couple minutes, depending on the thickness of your fish fillets and the proximity to the broiler. Remove from broiler and turn each fish over. Top each fillet with about 1/2 cup sauce. Return to the broiler and cook until fish is done on the other side and fully cooked through in the middle. If you are unsure about doneness, cut into the center of 1 fillet; it should be opaque. (You can cover up the cut with the sauce.) Serve with rice, if desired.

Recipe from The Fish House
Key Largo

Tears on a Tranquil Lake, 2/1/2011 & Sea Glass and Sand Memories, 6/1/2011 - MuseItHot Publishing

Welcome, Carol Shenold...being thankful

                Hi Ginger and thanks for having me visit your wonderful blog.  For those who don’t know me, I’m Carol Shenold and I write urban fantasy, paranormal mystery and now, medical romance. I’ve been a nurse for over forty years and a writer for over twenty.

                This time of year we give thanks for everything. We pay attention to nature, family, food, everything in our lives. And I’m thankful. I have a warm house, good food, family to rely on—even if they feud with each other, fight their own demons, and are just as overwhelmed with life as everyone else.

                But I have to admit, I am overwhelmingly grateful for words, the words that allow me to make them my profession. Reading has been my pleasure all my life, from the times I got into trouble in grade school for reading during class, to nursing school when the nuns were shocked that I carried fiction with me to now, when my Kindle goes everywhere with me.

                Writing for publication has been going on for the last twenty years, success with fiction, much shorter number of years. Success is relative of course. I am now published in fiction, both e-pubbed and print and  I’d love to make money with fiction, not just nonfiction. What can I say, I’m greedy. But again, on the thankful side, I’m so thankful that Harlequin is interested in my Medical Romance. Plus, that could lead to money, my first advance.

                Okay, I’ll stop counting chickens. In the mean time, how about an excerpt from Fairy Dust, just for fun? This book is all about fairies, elves and a were-wolf confronting an evil wizard.

Fairy Dust

By Carol Shenold

I hovered three feet from the ceiling in the Herb and Fairy Gardens Shop, praying no customers came in while I calmed down my fairy dust emissions and my temper.

“Bouddicca Andraste Ryan, get your fairy ass off the ceiling and come help me. I’m dying here.”

Seirye, a six-foot elf with white hair, and half owner of the shop, yelled at me. I went up higher. She had no patience with my iffy hold on my magic, especially since we had an order from a coven for 16 flower wreaths, probably for a moon dance. They were due to pick up the wreaths by four and it was already after two. It’s not my fault that I’m only half Fae and not in total control of my magic.

I was named for a great warrior queen and a godess. I felt like neither as I grabbed for my flying waist length hair with both hands, avoiding the ceiling fan.

“You hold your skinny little horses there. I’m doing the best I can. What did you expect? Tell me a team of Darklings (Turned Fairies) from the Under is on it’s way to snatch the Titania Amulet from me and expect me to hold my temper?  Not going to happen.  It's the only thing my father left me, my only tie to the Fae World.  And it's the focus that lets me use earth magic so well." Titania Amulet from me and expect me to hold my temper? Not going to happen. It’s the only thing my father left me, my only tie to the Fae World. And it’s the focus that lets me use earth magic so well.”

Seirye’s laugh, a short bark, held no humor. “He didn’t leave it to you, he just left it because he was in a hurry to avoid responsibility.”

I plummeted to the ground. “Ow. You don’t have to get nasty about it or diss my father.”

She turned on her heel, talking over her shoulder. “It was the only way I knew to get you down before you were caught and we have work to do.”

Elves can be so pissy. I stomped after her, making certain the front door wards were in place as I passed by. They would let people in but any magical creatures would have to leave their powers behind.

Rampaging Darklings were the last thing I needed. I had an assignment this afternoon with the Paranormal Investigative Unit (PIU), to pick up an errant witch and a date that night, my first in forever.

You can follow Carol on her website.

A Bit of Nostalgic Thankfulness...Marva Dasef

November 27^th, 1921 and 1923

My parents share a birthday, but in different years. I think this officially kills any possibility of astrology describing a personality. They have yelled, fought, disagreed, and generally acted like they can't stand each other – until one or the other is in need of comfort or care. Then the whole ballgame changes.

I'm thankful that my parents have stayed married for sixty-eight years (yes, 68) despite their many disagreements.

Despite a recent diagnosis of throat cancer, my father is a tough old bird, and I'm not putting him down for the count. He's been a lot of places, done a lot of things, and I expect him to continue doing just that for a few more years.

Four or five years ago, I decided to write some of his stories about growing up in West Texas during the Depression Era. The first story was about going on a cattle drive when he was ten or eleven. Once that first story was published, he started telling more and more. I wrote just as fast as I could and soon had seven of Little Eddie's almost true tall tales published. Okay, what's another thirteen or fourteen? Piece of cake.

What came out of all this is Tales of a Texas Boy, which has been a modestly good seller since I self-published it back in 2007. It's now available in several ebook and print formats. If you're interested, you can find the links on my website at http://marvadasef.com/tales.aspx  I haven't kept up with sale prices and such since most people buy from Amazon. You can get it there in Kindle and print. Visit my author's page at Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B002BM4DM6) for quick links to all my books.

This is what I'm truly thankful for on my father's 89^th birthday. I captured his tales and put them in “his book.” He's proud of the book, as am I. I'm also very thankful that I decided to write the stories in Eddie's voice. The tales are, after all, all his. And my mother is ticked off that I haven't yet written HER book!

I've included this excerpt because it's a good lesson to us all about how much we have to be thankful.

Excerpt from a Tales of a Texas Boy story: “The Thief”

Eddie and Pa have taken a road trip to the big city. On their way home, they stop for the night at a roadside grove, which is filled with Sooners people driven from their homes further north by the great dust storms. In the night, a girl tries to steal from Pa's truck, but Eddie catches her. Her father storms over, angry and hostile.

“Take it easy. No harm done here,” Pa said quiet-like.

“She’s a damned thief,” the man yelled, then he slapped her hard across the face.

Pa hauled back his fist and shot it right into the man’s jaw. It dropped him like a rock and he fell on his back. The girl took the opportunity to skedaddle over to her ma.

“Now, sir, that is no way to treat a girl and it is no way for you to speak in front of my son here.”           

           

I thought the man would yell at Pa or he’d get up and try to fight him. But he didn’t. Instead, he started to cry and he held his face in his hands and started sobbin’. I was purely shocked at this turn of events. Pa let him go on for a short time, then he reached his hand down to help the man up.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” the man gasped for breath.

“It’s all right. You just shouldn’t be treatin’ your girl like that. It ain’t proper.”

As the sun was now comin’ up, everyone started to go back to their fires again. The man walked slowly over to his own camp. I was glad to see him put his arm around the girl’s shoulders. She flinched back some, but he spoke to her quiet then she wrapped her arms around him. They stood there holdin’ on to each other, like family should.

As we boiled up some coffee and got the cornbread out for breakfast, Pa tol’ me these folks had lost everything to the dust.

“Sometimes, you can’t blame a person if they go too far, if they’d already been pushed too far,” he said. He shook his head and I saw he was sad. I was sad, too.

We packed up our gear. Pa took the rest of the cornbread and went over to the family’s campsite. He handed the package to the girl’s mother, then talked to the man for a few minutes. I saw them shake hands and Pa came back and tol’ me to get in the truck.

Once we were headed down the road, Pa said, “We’ll be seein’ those folks in a couple of days.”

“Why, Pa? Are they comin’ to visit us?”

“I’m hirin’ John, that’s his name, on for a few days.”

“But, Pa, you said we just had enough for us to get by. You quit hirin’ people on last season.”

“I know, I know,” he said and didn’t speak for awhile.

Then, he said, “We just have enough to get by, that’s true. But, if folks don’t have enough to even live, then we just have to make do with a bit less.”

“Yessir, Pa. I can see how’s that’s the right thing to do.”

We drove on home mostly quiet the rest of the way. When we got home and Pa took Ma aside to tell her we’d be havin’ company, she shook her head, but not like she was sayin’ no. She tol’ me to get out to the chicken coop and see if those hens didn’t lay a few more eggs. She had some bakin’ to do.

Tales of a Texas Boy Blurb:

How do you handle a crazy jackass? Eddie knows. If you ask Eddie, he'll tell you pigs can fly and show you where to find real mammoth bones. Take his word for it when he tells you always to bet on the bear. These are things he learned while dreaming of becoming a cowboy in West Texas during the Depression. Through Eddie, the hero of "Tales of a Texas Boy," we find that growing up is less about maturity and more about roping your dreams. Hold on tight. It's a bumpy ride. A wonderful read for anyone who enjoys books like "Little House on the Prairie" or "Tom Sawyer." A great bit of nostalgia for seniors, too.

Bio: Marva Dasef is a writer living in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and a fat white cat.  Retired from thirty-five years in the software industry, she has now turned her energies to writing fiction and finds it a much more satisfying occupation.  Marva has published more than thirty-five stories in a number of on-line and print magazines, with her stories included in several Best of anthologies. She has five published books. The latest is “Ultimate Duty” released this month from Eternal Press. 

More about Marva on her website.

Enjoy her latest video:

Lorrie Unites-Struiff Stopping in to be Thankful!

Hello Ginger and readers,

Thank you for giving me a spot on your blog today, Ginger.

Now, this may be sort of sappy, but it’s from the heart.

There are so many things to be thankful for in life, how do I choose the most important one to blog about?

I’ve searched my brain, my heart, my life, trying to figure out the number one blessing during my many years on this Earth that I give thanks for everyday.

Sure, we may have God, Country, Family, Health, Wealth, Children, etc. Narrowing it down to one is tough, impossible.

As we all know, life throws some terrible curves at us. And, we all have lived through enough sorrows, bad times, depression and the loss of loved ones and friends. We have enough to complain about, cry about, even whine about.

We have had happy times, laughing times, and have known great excitement and joy.

But, through all of this, what is one of the major things that I give thanks for everyday?

Since I must choose one, I choose my friends.

I have read, if you have one good friend in your lifetime, you are truly blessed. I profoundly believe that.

What do I consider a friend?

A friend is a person that you can count on to be there for you, the good times as well as the bad. 

The true friend accepts you for who you are, warts and all. The one who drops everything without being asked and rushes to your side to hold your hand when times are bad. They are the ones who listen to you when you pour your heart out and without judgment. 

A friend rejoices in your good fortune without envy or taking advantage.

There are many of what I call, “Me, Me, Me,” people in the world who take but give back very little. I’m sure you all know a few. There are some who are so tied up with themselves in their own little worlds, they offer you platitudes and go on their merry way.

I am truly blessed, for I have more than one real friend. A few who live near me, and my friends who hold my hand through either the phone from distances away, or through words in emails meaningful enough to make me feel they are right here with me. They give of their time to laugh with me, cry with me, and listen. Friends make it easier to survive the hardships of life.

To me, friends are the staff of life, the ones who feed and sustain my very being. I only hope I do the same for them.

This is the time of year we express our thankfulness, but know I am thankful every day, not only for a season. 

So, for this blog Ginger has kindly let me have a guest spot, I want to thank you, my friends. You know who you are and always believe that you are very special to me.

You are the rock that keeps me anchored while I continue my journey through life.

Blurb

Everyone has secrets.

Homicide Detective Rita Moldova has a secret, a crystal amulet from her Roma bloodline that shows her the last image a victim had seen before they died. Now, a ritual killer is terrorizing her town and the crystal’s magic has suddenly stopped.

 FBI agent, Matt Boulet, is sent to lead the task force and gives the group strange orders. Worse, Rita senses he is holding back a deep dark secret about the killer.

When she confronts her seer mother’s advice, she learns another secret about their clan that she finds impossible to swallow.

Rita swims through a whirlpool of confusion as the investigation continues. Can Rita deny the lore of the ancients? Can she deny her growing feelings for Matt Boulet?

Check out the great reviews on my website.

Gypsy Crystal is available in PRINT and Multiple E-book formats at Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Gypsy-Crystal-Lorrie-Unites-Struiff/dp/1770650415/ref=tmm_pap_title_0

From Books To Go Now...

A new short story and a roller coaster ride of thrills and chills.

Morgan is researching on an Indian reservation in Prescott, Arizona, for her new paranormal novel. She doesn’t believe in the paranormal, but writes it for the trend and the nice royalties. That is until her soon to be divorced husband tries to kill her, and she survives by her wits and a little “strange” help.

Buy site
http://bookstogonow.com/wildblackberries.html

Pat? Dale? Who's the Thankful One?

Even Molly looks suspicious.  :)

It’s that time of year again. This is when we strain our brain in search of reasons to be thankful for what we have. By the time you’re my age, I think we should be thankful each day we wake up and realize we got another reload. 

I do have a number of things to give thanks for, other than my still being on the planet as something other than plant food. First of all, my birthday falls on Thanksgiving Day this year. I was born on my parents second anniversary and thanksgiving, so I’m thankful for loving parents and a wonderful time of year to celebrate. 

I just got my quarterly royalty payment from one of my publishers, so I’m especially thankful that my books are still selling. Can’t wait until I’ll be getting one of these things from Muse. I’m excited as well as thankful that Lea and Litsa have got this baby going top speed already. Should be a fun ride, and not just for the money though that makes it even better.

Don’t know about the rest of you, but I write so others can share a bit of my strange creativity. Characters come to life in my brain and I bust my chops to get them out where the rest of the world (at least the part that is paying attention) can assimilate them. I just love it when a character comes to life!

I have a great family, mostly in good health, mostly more fun than the proverbial barrel of monkeys, and mostly hoping the old man (moi) will hang around a little longer. A tip of the hat to Craig, my son in law, who just had major back surgery and is back home recovering. He and my daughter Mikki have a pair of grandkids that would make anyone thankful to be their grandparent. And to Lecia, my daughter in Florida, who’s given the family Jaden, who lights up our smiles on a regular basis.

I also have more three more kids and a passel of grandkids all over this great country, something else I give thanks for. America is not perfect, but she’s the best thing to come along so far, and with a heart that reaches out to people all over the globe. 

So, that’s my thanksgiving shopping list in a nutshell. God has been kind to me, given me health, talent, family, and a wonderful land to spend my earth days with. How much better could it get?

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody! Let’s celebrate another year! Cheers,

Dale Thompson (living as Pat Dale in a book near your computer)

Check Pat Dale's impressive list of available books on his website.

Coming in 2011:

Sleeping with her Enemy

After losing her husband to an accident and her son to a hit-and-run driver, Ana finds love in Dan’s arms only to discover he may be the driver who killed her boy.

(available April 1, 2011)

Dance with the Devil

Buddy battles a seamy local legacy as he searches for love he can trust, but after finding it with Robin; he’s in for the fight of his life.

(available July 1, 2011)

Zach’s Amazing Dream Machine

Zach, taunted by his classmates, sets out to build a machine that will confirm his grandfather’s stories are true, only to discover a startling fact about ‘truth’ and an unsettling one about human nature.

(available September 1, 2011)

Learn about these and many other fine new novels in multiple genre at:

http://www.museituppublishing.com

 

What is Juliet Waldron Thankful For?

Years ago I first saw “Getting Old Is Not For Sissies” posted on the wall at my mother’s nursing home. It’s proved truer than I could have ever imagined.


A few years back, I had life-changing surgery which put an end to five years of suffering with ulcerative colitis. That’s one of those “down there” diseases, like colon cancer, recently out of the closet of unmentionable ailments. One of the worst things about UC—besides the pain--was becoming virtually housebound whenever the disease was active. Surgery left me with an ostomy, but brought about positive changes, too, freeing me from the burden all my ruined body parts. Once again I could travel, go out to eat, go to the movies, or even just out to the mall. I could ride my bike to the farmer’s market and load the bags with vegetables, or hop up onto the back of my husband’s motorcycle and go out to admire the rural Pennsylvania countryside for hours, a pastime we both enjoy very much.


I’d been feeling stronger every month for the last three and a half years. I could lug sacks of mulch around the yard, pull tough weeds that were hoping to settle in my garden. I was going to the 50+ classes at the gym, planning a trip back East and generally enjoying life again.


Unfortunately post-surgical patients of my kind are digestive Rube Goldberg machines.

Lots of things can (and do) go wrong. I considered myself well-educated about possible problems re-engineering might create, but I missed the early signals of adhesions, which are not uncommon after this surgery. Mine formed a complete intestinal blockage. I’m still emerging from a long hospitalization followed by a longer convalescence, crestfallen and weak. It’s far harder to imagine a nice seamless (literally!) future.


I’ve got to suck it up, though, and bravely head “onward, into the fog.” The beauty of the right-now-moment--a phone call from a beloved grandchild or the late blooming of morning glories—must take precedence over anxiety and “what if’s”. I’m thankful to have been given more time in which to celebrate the small daily wonders of this life.


Check out Juliet's website to learn more about her.

Welcome, C.K. Volnek, a thankful new Muse Author

Life’s Little Pleasures

Thanksgiving. I know it is an American holiday, but I think it’s a day one can appreciate worldwide. To me, it always conjures up a picture-perfect dinner. Turkey. Mashed potatoes and gravy. Dressing. Cranberry sauce. Pumpkin Pie. Watch out... I’m already drooling. I can see the table, filled with food, and around it, my family. I love my family. I can’t imagine life without them. Children, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, parents... I can’t help but chuckle as I recall one Thanksgiving when my brother-in-law dropped a large spoon-full of peas on the floor and tried to kick and hide them under the table ... except the video-camera caught everything on tape. Busted!

But as we celebrate Thanksgiving, it reminds me I have so much to be thankful for. I have been blessed. For all the things I have – life, love, freedom, and faith... Yes, mighty big things to be thankful for. But I also have many little things to be thankful for; so many of life’s little pleasures. I’m so thankful for...

... toilet paper. You don’t appreciate it until you’ve been somewhere where you don’t have any.

... water. As I sip from my glass, I am reminded how I take my abundance of clean water for granted.

... a warm coat. As the temperatures begin to dip and the threat of snow lingers, I’m ever more thankful for a warm coat to wear.

...a comfortable bed. As one of many with back and neck issues, I can attest to the difference a good bed can make in the quality of life.

... my hands. I was asked on an author interview once what I would do if I didn’t have the use of my hands. That would be a most difficult loss for me and I pray I never have to experience it.

... the past. Without my past, good and bad, I wouldn’t be the person I am today.

...the smiles of family and friends. My days would be so dark and dreary except for those warm and sunny greetings.

... an embracing hug. Nothing can warm my heart more than feeling arms surround me in love and support.

These are just a few of my little pleasures, and though they are little, I know my life would never be complete without them. I pray for you all to have a most blessed and happy Thanksgiving. May your cup never run dry and the toilet paper be abundant.

You can read more about my upcoming releases on my website.

C.K. Volnek

What Are You Thankful for? Janice Seagraves wants to know...

Thankfulness

Ginger, who kindly allowed me to guest post here, told me her theme this month is Thankfulness.

And this is a good month it is for that theme. *grin* With Thanksgiving coming up faster than we want to admit and all that cooking we gals usual do.

I’ve had a better year this year than last. Last year right on Thanksgiving my only surviving Uncle on my father's side of the family passed away. So not a great Thanksgiving for me or my family.

But so far this year it’s been pretty good. My first book, Windswept Shores, got published June 3^rd, by Pink Petal Books. The a few days later on June 9^th my daughter graduated from High School, since then she’s entered college.

I’m also extremely grateful that my daughter survived a terrible car crash with only some bruises. She was literally the only one to walk away from the accident. The two other girls, who both happened to be sisters, one the driver and the other the back seat passenger were both airlifted to Fresno. They both had surgery. But thankfully both are making a good recovery.

So I think I have a lot to be thankful for.

How about you? What are you thankful for?

 

"Life is not about the moments we breathe, but the moments that take our breath away."

Stories that leave you breathless . . . Janice Seagraves

http://janiceseagraves.org/

Available from Pink Petal Books.

My Website 

My main Blog

Find me on Twitter

Find me on myspace

Margaret West Shares Her Thankfulness...

It has been a hard month for me. I lost my beautiful mother in law and the following day my buddie Chester. Just a small dog to some, but a writing friend and companion to me. For twelve years he sat at my feet in the office and only moved when I did. When I was dreadfully ill, he sat on my lap and just knew by being there, that he made me feel better. 

This week I have cried so many tears.

Yesterday I was talking to a woman who is terminally ill. That’s one of my jobs.  Helping those who feel lost, alone and afraid. But on this day her words helped me instead. How? She reminded me that however fragile life is, we should be thankful we have been given the chance to live it. So today, while I am mourning the ones I’ve lost, I am thankful for the people, friends and animals that are still with me. My son, who came back from the Iraq war, when so many mothers’ sons did not and my daughter who survived a nervous breakdown and now lives a full and happy life, for my husband who survived two heart attacks and a stroke and for my friends who always support me no matter what. 

While it breaks my heart that the ones I love have to leave me, I am thankful for each day I had with them and the joy they brought into my life. 

www.margaretwest.net

http://margaret-paranormalromanceauthor.blogspot.com/

http://magsx.blogspot.com/

Maggie Dove Shares her Blessings....

Hi Ginger,

Thank you for inviting me to your fabulous site and thanks for giving me the opportunity to talk about thankfulness.  I thank God every day for the gifts that I’ve been given.

I’m thankful I was born into a big family, with loving, caring relatives and, in turn, was able to provide the same loving environment for my two children. I’m thankful for all the women in my life, past and present. My grandmother, who was generous to a fault; my mother, who I miss every single day;  my sisters, who mean everything to me; my aunts, my cousins, and my daughter. Ah yes, my daughter, Carolina, my songbird, who makes me smile on a daily basis. I’m grateful for the men in my life especially for my wonderful husband; my son, the light of my life; my brother and my brother-in-laws…who are all more like brothers than in-laws! And talking about in-laws, my husband’s parents are the best in the world!

I’m thankful for my friends, for the laughter they have brought me, and the memories that I’ll always cherish!

I’m grateful for the United States of America, a generous and amazing country which took me in and gave me refuge when my country of birth was taken over by communism. I’m thankful for my American friends and neighbors who welcomed me into their lives and treated me as one.

Finally, I’m thankful that I’m enjoying my age and I do not feel as though I want to be twenty—well maybe I would like to look twenty, but I would not trade a single day or long to go back in time. Time and experiences have brought me to who I am today—and I love the here and now—for I am now a published author and my second novel, Call Me Duchess, is going to be published by Eternal Press in January!

Yes, indeed, I’m one grateful gal—Happy Thanksgiving all!

Maggie Dove 

Find out more about Maggie on her website.

It's my Birthday and I'll Blog if I wanna...

I'm thankful for so many things in my life.  Today I'm sixty-five-years-old.  I don't know how it happened--I jumped from forty to senior citizen in the blink of an eye.  If anyone asks if I could go back and change anything about my life, I'd say no.  Everything that has happened has led me to this moment.  I've been loved by three wonderful men, have two awesome sons, and my most special gift of all, my grandson, Spencer. 

God has been wonderful to me.  I'm in good health, good spirits most of the time, and I still manage to be a "glass half-full" type of person.  I'm so fortunate that I have a husband who encouraged me to take an early retirement to pursue my writing, and who supported me in my idea to move to Tennessee to become more active in helping Spencer deal with his autism.  He's made wonderful progress, but he still has a way to go.  As I listen this moment to his "stimming" while he plays with Woody and Buzz from Toy Story, I view that repetitive noise as a love song.  Ever love someone so much your heart hurts?  That's how I love my Spencer.

Yes, I'm an author and I'm very proud of all my accomplishments, but if asked to surrender that part of my life in exchange for seeing my grandson grow to be a self-reliant and confident young man, I wouldn't hesitate to let it all go.  My wish is to stick around long enough to see that dream come true. 

One thing in my life that I never have to question is Spencer's love for me.  I see it in his eyes every day.  I hope you have someone in your life that feels that way about you.  It's awesome to be his "Nee Nee."

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Vonn Lane is Thankful...

Autumn is always a time of thankfulness for me, partly because it is by far and away the most beautiful season where I reside, but also because it serves as a threshold for the impending season of peace and goodwill.  It’s a gateway to an attitude of compassion and a sense of wonder.

 This November, I am most grateful for my two daughters who, while still young, are developing into young women of strength, courage and character.  They are learning that respect is an earned status, not a birthright, and that if they desire others to hold them in high esteem, they must first hold themselves in the same manner.  It is always a bittersweet proposition for a mother to recognize that she is not needed nearly as much as she once was, that things once confided are now being shared with best friends, and that “Mom” is looked upon more as chauffeur, errand gal, and chief cook and bottle washer.  Still, I know in my heart as I help them to fly that they will always remember who provided the “lift” to soar them airborne, and that even though they will eventually leave the proverbial "nest", they will also return to me time and time again - just as I do with my mother, and always will.  Yes, I still have my girls for the time being, but time is fleeting.  It sometimes marches forward abruptly and with little regard for whether we are ready.  It steals from us not just our youth and our hopes and dreams, but late night hot chocolate, giggles and girly-talk too.

 So, as I contemplate these sentiments, I am again infused with an almost overwhelming feeling of grace and blessings that while my daughters are blossoming and exploring the realm of independence, and that while many aspects of our relationship will change in the days ahead, the love between us, both unspoken and spoken, is a constant of which time will never erode.  For this, I am truly thankful.

Best wishes to all for a glorious Thanksgiving and a joyous holiday season.

Vonn Lane

An Ocean Apart - Release Date: January 7, 2011 (Eternal Press)

http://vonnlane.intuitwebsites.com/index.html

First off I would like to thank Ginger for asking me to be here. She is such a wonderful lady and so talented…thanks Ginger!

Tis the season for being thankful in all aspects of our lives. I am so blessed in mine that its hard to know where to start. I have been sick for a long time, had many tests done and finally got the results. So far everything is normal except of course I have a tight valve in my heart I need to get checked out and inflammation somewhere but they can’t find it (probably due to my Lupus) and my diabetes is running rampant(my fault on that) but I’m slowly getting it back under control. So yeah I am thankful every day that I wake up and put both feet on the floor and roll out of bed, aches and pains and all.

I'm Thankful I'm Not a Felon!

Someone pasted something silly on Facebook about jail and I commented, then pasted the fun little blurb on my profile.  Wrong move.  My ex-sister-in-law and brother both piped up with memories from the past reminding me that perhaps there is a little of me in my latest release, First Degree Innocence.

 I've blocked the horrible experience of when I was eighteen and arrested in a retail store called, White Front, back in the mid sixties. Of course they had to dredge everything up, but I'm sort of glad they did.  I had some good giggles this morning.

Then, my claim of "innocence" fell on deaf ears and I'd never felt so vulnerable, frustrated and frightened in my life.  In the end, my father, bless his heart, stood up for me and declared that his daughter was no thief, and I was released and all charges expunged.  I'd just taken my first job at the local Air Force Base and had a top security clearance.  I saw it all washing down the drain before my eyes. Whew...that was a close call.  I love you, Dad...even though you've been gone far too long from my life.

Anyhow...this was a great revelation and a chance to share First Degree Innocence with you here.  Carrie Lang feels the frustration, fright and vulnerability I felt on that horrible day, so I did draw from my own past.  Except she wasn't in for shoplifting a pair of $2.99 sandals...



The e-book is available at Smashwords, All Romance Ebooks, and soon, in print, from Createspace.  The ebook version is presented by Books We Love Publishing Partners.  Visit now and enter to win a scrumptious tower of treats.  Tis the season to forget diets.

Thankful? Diane Scott Lewis is...

With an intense, type A personality, I sometimes find I haven’t stopped to “smell the roses” (or gardenias in my case) much. I stormed through my teens, twenties, thirties…and so on, careening toward something I hadn’t yet figured out. Finally, I decided to embark on the passion of my youth, writing novels. That will be so easy, won’t it? I’m vastly talented and creative. More on that later.

The other day, after tied to my computer screen, I had to let the dog out for his duty, and I sat on my front steps. The weather was gorgeous, no humidity, and I glanced down on my gardenia bush, which has never bloomed (too cold in Virginia, I guess) and recalled the luscious blooms my mother grew in California. That fabulous gardenia smell I remembered from my childhood. With Halloween only days away, more of my childhood filtered in to my cyber-fried brain. Our small town came alive—or dead—every Halloween. We children roamed the streets, entered haunted houses, and visited houses where fake hanged men were tossed from ropes off roofs so we could scream. My mother hand-made our costumes, and prepared popcorn balls and caramel apples that no one was afraid to eat, because we all knew each other and felt safe. We gathered tons of candy we weren’t leery about munching on. One street over, two women who were teachers, wore excellent witch costumes and stirred a huge cauldron that they placed in their lighted garage every year. Inside the black pot swirled orange Kool-aid, with orange slices floating on top. On Halloween night we children, after stuffing our mouths with sticky candy, knew we could come here and partake of a refreshing drink. I hope I thanked those women, because I always appreciated their efforts. Who these days would bother, because of all the warnings about tainted treats? Plus, some parent would sue if their little darling got cavities or fat thighs—all that sugar!

So I’m thankful for my wonderful, fairly safe childhood, all the kind people I met, my mother’s gardenias and that delicious orange Kool-aid.

I’m also thankful for Ginger, my hostess, who introduced me to her publisher. 

And my debut historical novel (after years of struggling) THE FALSE LIGHT—winner of the CTRR Award. 

Blurb: Forced from France on the eve of the French Revolution, Countess Bettina Jonquiere must deliver an important package to further the royalist cause. In England, she discovers the package is full of blank papers, and she’s penniless. Stranded in a Cornish village, Bettina toils in a tavern and falls in love with a man who may have murdered his wife. Tracked by ruthless revolutionaries, she must uncover the truth about her father’s murder—and her lover’s guilt—while her life is threatened.

ebook available at: http://www.eternalpress.biz

paperback: http://www.amazon.com

Or visit my website: http://www.dianescottlewis.com

Welcome, Gregory Taylor

Note from Ging: I apologize for the confusion. Kelly A. Harmon was scheduled for today, but I've moved her up in the slot. She and I had shared miscommunications and I almost missed out on her fine post.

Anyhow...today I'm featuring a would-be author. I recently had the good fortune to meet a man named Greg Taylor, when he petitioned to join my author's loop. Greg is interested in writing, and clearly has the talent. In exchanging the normal welcomes, etc., I discovered Greg is homeless and lives in a shelter at the moment. He has shared openly all the events that led him to this stage of his life, so I asked his permission to share the following with you. I was touched beyond words when I read it.

As we leave behind Thanksgiving and progress toward Christmas, I think his post is the most fitting of all to conclude a month of Thankfulness and enhance in our memories that life is more than material things, and we have blessing we often forget to count. My appreciation to Greg for allowing me to post the following:

Before this day of Thanksgiving cometh to an end, allow me to express my thanks for that which I've been blessed . . . . .

My life within the very definition of vagrancy affords me a whole new appreciation for my circumstances.

One revels in a few rays of direct sunlight when the temperature is a notch or two above freezing, and you are fated to be out in the elements. A tall, wide building is a blessing for the windbreak it gives. And when frozen fingers struggle to hold pen to paper, the value of gloves cannot be overstated. Even a blank sheet of paper can be priceless when demand is there to document one's life.

Finding a public clock when one lacks a watch is a serious gain when one must be on time to a soup kitchen or go hungry. The resounding peal of a cathedral's carillon provides a warming rendition of familiar hymns of yore. And thank You for a day that is clear, that I am not chilled to the bone by a soaking rain.
I thank you, God, for a brain that is active and intelligent. Thank you Lord for my not being physically handicapped, or having dire health issues like cancer. I celebrate living in a city where I can sleep upon the pavement without fearing molestation or assault.

Lastly, I appreciate those things I do not have. Thank You for my not having a drug habit, nor an alcohol dependency, as do so many of my circumstance, as they seek escape in false releases. Thanks be above for my not being incarcerated, as freedom is so very priceless. And thank You for my being free from the stressers of divorce, the grief over a lost loved one, or other such like.

I have so very much, even now when I have so very little. Above all, I have you, my Lord, as my constant companion, as I journey through these dire times. For this, I am truly blessed.

Gregory Taylor via post by shared computer in Homeless Shelter, USA.

Welcome, Kelly A. Harmon

Thank You, To Those Who've Gone Before

Among the many hats I wear is "Family Genealogist." For many people, this means collecting names and dates and seeing how far back they can trace the family line.

But, I'm a story teller, too. And for me, genealogy isn't just about the names and dates, it's about the people, and their stories.

For instance, it's a fine thing to know my great-grandad on my father's side was mechanically inclined. Is that where my father get's his ability? I could leave it there, but it doesn't really tell me much about the man.

I have a newspaper clipping from 1937 where in it he refused to accept a million dollars for a machine that he built. In 1937. Was he crazy? If he had invested it, do you know the kind of life
I'd be leading now?

Let's just say I'd probably be able to write full time without the added benefit of a full-time job.

(And yes, I think he qualified as crazy: he spent time in Leavenworth Penitentiary for "moonshining," after being told the revenuers were traveling door-to-door in the neighborhood. He offered those suited fellers "...one fine distillation..." and they cuffed him and took him away for his hospitality.)

Old Mirt may not seem like much of a family to be thankful for, but he was good looking, from what I can tell from the newspaper photo, and that's got to be something to feel good about. Any woman will tell you that good genes are always something to be thankful for. His life was another: you can bet bits and pieces of it show up in my writing from time to time.

My great-great grandmother came over on the boat to Baltimore from Russian-Poland in the late 1800s. She nursed hundreds of people in the great flue epidemic in 1918 (called "The Blue Death) before succumbing herself. Her selfless devotion enabled others in my family as well as perfect strangers-- to pull through. She was barely forty.

Every generation of my family has members who joined the military, and it's them I thank most of all. I wish I knew why they joined. Was it a spirit of patriotism? For those whose parents came over on the boat...did they feel a need to prove they were Americans by enlisting? I don't know...but every son in my grandmother's family joined up. My great-uncles were Army and Navy men. My maternal grandad was a Navy man. My paternal grandfather, along with his two
brothers, enlisted in the Army.

Oh, the stories! From a writer's point of view, I've hit the mother lode.

Let me tell you the one where Uncle Walter arrived back in the states on Christmas Eve...with a donkey...and brought it home to his sister in Baltimore City. Grandpa traveled around the world
with my Mom's baby shoes in his pocket.

I'm also thankful for their service: not just because they kept this nation strong and safe, but because they did a job I didn't have to.

Maybe that's why they joined: to provide a better life for their families. After all, they had already left one country for a better life in another. Maybe it was all part of their plan.

And so, I'm thankful. To them, and to all service men and women of today. Thank you for keeping me and mine safe.

Kelly A. Harmon
Blood Soup, Eternal Press


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What They're Saying About Blood Soup:

This is a medieval tale about a kingdom destined for certain dire ruin if the King's heir isn't a girl. The characters in the story work together AND against each other as they secretly manipulate, scheme, hope, and react to the surprising birth of the King's heir.

Filled with murder, mystery, and very dire consequences, this is a fast paced Novella with vivid portrayal of events and characters, pulling you into this harsh world the author has created and no
doubt leaving her with new fans eagerly awaiting her next book.