HEALTHY AND WISE: STAYING PRODUCTIVE

Staying healthy isn't always easy in today’s world, is it? Most of us work at a desk, have tight schedules, we’re stressed, out of shape and/or overweight, we don’t get enough sleep, and healthy eating is a adding lettuce and tomato to that burger. An exercise routine is either a New Year resolution forgotten on January 2^nd, or is reduced to running for the bus or to the car on our way to yet another appointment.

No wonder we’re tired, cranky, or sick.

A sedentary lifestyle is not good for anyone, regardless of age or occupation. It takes effort on our part to change the pattern and make choices to keep us healthy. This doesn't necessarily mean we have to change everything at once but analyzing our patterns and incorporating gradual changes will help clear the way to a healthier you.

I've learned the hard way that getting healthy and staying healthy takes effort and some of the necessary choices require dedication to maintain. Like millions of men and women in the workforce I have to juggle my family, a ranch with animals, social media, and creative writing with my employment. I don’t have an office to commute to daily; I work a virtual office job from home. My job entails sitting, whether I’m answering phones or doing contract writing. Deadlines (stress) are a way of life. Here are some things that helped me.

I need energy and a clear mind. This means I need to get plenty of sleep. I can assure you that is easier said then done. Writing to deadlines tends to make for some late nights. I make sure that I space those late nights with three solid nights of eight or nine hours of sleep. Sleep is vital to good health and being able to function properly. If I don’t get enough sleep I’m going to be running on empty by mid afternoon and cranky, tired, stressed, and not productive. I also tend to schedule some nap time after lunch to refresh me. Burning the candles at both ends every day never healthy or wise.

Drink plenty of water. Your body performs best when it’s properly hydrated. I’ll be the first to tell you that I love coffee and always have, but I usually drink a couple of cups in the morning and depending upon my mood, a one in the afternoon or in the evening. Caffeine has never worked to keep me awake it tends to quiet my mind and calm me rather than keep me awake.  However, I always have bottled water on my desk. I drink at least two thirty-six-ounce bottles a day. Water keeps me fresh and alert. If you don’t like the taste of water try adding a slice or lime or lemon to your water bottle.

FYI: caffeine and sugary sports drinks might give some a boost in energy, but they aren’t a substitute for sleep or water. Neither is healthy in large doses. Put the Red Bull away. J

Choose healthy food. I always eat something for breakfast. For me that means a good cereal with fruit and almonds or an omelet. I have food allergies so there are many foods (especially processed foods) out there I can’t eat—like wheat and some whole grains. Since I can’t eat whole wheat I tend to choose potato or combo of gluten free flours but sparingly. I tend to eat more protein and rely on fruit and vegetables for my carbs. Lunch is always light.

Research shows our circadian rhythm is at a low point between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. and so one is normally a bit tired about then. If you eat a heavy meal or high carbs at lunch it tends to make you even drowsier because blood and oxygen is diverted from your brain to your digestive track. I find high protein/low carb to be the best lunch for a productive afternoon. My snacks, when I have them, are usually fruit or veggies. I love celery (or apple slices) with peanut butter. These types of snacks tend to boost my energy rather than deplete it like chocolate, cake, and cookies.

Exercise. It’s good for the body and brain. When you exercise, your body releases endorphins that energize your mood, relieve stress, boost your self-esteem, and trigger an overall sense of well-being.

I walk. Not as much as I should but I’m working on that. I've been known to put on a fast paced dance song and dance. Most dance songs are maybe five minutes? Gets my blood moving and my heart pumping. I also do stretches. Stretching throughout the day can help reduce pain and pressure on your muscles that often accompanies sitting for long periods.

I do light exercise after eating. It will help get your blood flowing and will help to ward off fatigue. At lunch I try to get outside (regardless of the season) in the sunshine for ten-fifteen minutes and breathe in the air and soak up the vitamin D.

Staying healthy and productive isn't always easy especially when we we’re stuck behind a desk for long periods of time everyday. But, it is do-able with some planning.

• What’s helped you stay healthy and productive each day?  

WHY A NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY CELEBRATION?

Memorial Day is for remembering the men and women who have fallen in a time of war. Unlike Veterans Day, which honors all those, living or dead, who have served in the military. It was originally called Decoration Day by a proclamation General John Logan, on May 5, 1868. The proclamation also decreed it to be a National annual observation and the first year it was held on May 30,1868. 

Remember the United States had recently fought a bloody Civil War. The country had not yet healed. General Logan's proclamation originally was in honor of fallen Union soldiers. The South had the Confederate Memorial Day observances with emphasis on the lost confederate cause and it was held in various southern states ranging from the end of April to mid June. It wasn't until about 1913 that the two halves of the country started showing signs of honoring American fallen, rather just the Union or Confederate. 

Even though there were places in the United States that called it Memorial Day, rather than Decoration Day, it wasn't until the 1940's that it became the common name. It wasn't officially so named until 1967. That was that year the Federal government proposed not only changing the name but the date of celebration from May 30th to the last Monday of the month May.  The law went into effect on the federal level in May of 1971.

There are those who may have observed the flag ceremony that goes with the holiday, where the American flag is raised at sunrise and then slowly lowered to half mast until noon. At 12:01 the flag is again raised full staff for the rest of the day. 

What is the significance of this ceremony? 

Half mast is in honor of those million plus men and women who have died in service to their country. Full staff represents the living rising up who will not allow their deaths to be in vain. The living honor this sacrifice by continuing the fight for liberty and justice for all.

Other celebrations held nationwide are parades, speeches, marching of veterans from various wars, listening to bands play military aires--and of course cookouts. This is the beginning of summer. Many choose to celebrate the latter rather then remembering, or even knowing the significance of the holiday. 

National cemeteries and military installations have solemn and formal ceremonies. Always, there is the playing of the Taps to commemorate those who have died; and in many places the honor guard give a twenty-one gun salute. In this way, they give honor to the fallen heroes who have given their lives for freedom.




I apologize to those who don't particularly like country music. I have to say there are quite a few unapologetic country singers who feel the need to honor American soldiers with song and video. 

If you wish to listen and watch this one, which is quite good, I'd suggest scrolling down to bottom very bottom of the blog to the music player and turn it off. Otherwise there will be a clash of music, lol!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               FYI: I will be taking a break the last week of May and will resume the blog normal posting in June. 

I am participating in the health blog hop on Wednesday May 29th.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

WARNING! ALLEGED COMEDIAN IN RESIDENCE

My husband cracks me up.

For one thing, he loves westerns. He and the Western channel are good buds. I believe he’s watched about every western series made—all 145 or so. 

Repeatedly.

Me? I’m not a big fan of westerns—well aside from Bonanza, Big Valley, and The Virginian (when I was very young, about 9 or 10-ish I had a wicked crush on Little Joe). These were my dad’s favorites. I remember the theme songs to two others Dad watched regularly, The Rebel (Johnny Yuma) and Rawhide. I say the theme songs because we were usually in bed when they came on, but I can sing the both songs—Have Gun Will Travel too. The only Western I really liked was Wild, Wild West when I was a bit older. Anything else? Forget it.

My husband has a fabulous memory for dialog—especially for anything Lonesome Dove. That’s top on the list of westerns he loves.  I actually had to get downright threatening when he thought going to live in Montana (he calls it MUN-tana) would be a good thing.

Really? Have you seen the snow they get up there? Well, I have. No way, no how. Have a good time. Be sure to write, lol! 

One of his very good friends (and fellow Lonesome Dove aficionados) actually did move there which tickled Dan to no end to think of Terrence “Woodrow” in MUN-tana. Terry has a magnetized sign that goes on his truck that says, “Hat Creek Cattle Company”. You’ll never guess who got that for him.

IMDb

Any number of situations can have Dan quoting ole Gus or Woodrow and he doesn't particularly care where he is when he does. My son and I know, from long observation, when he’s setting up for a quote ‘fest, particularly in restaurants and we tend to hide behind our menus. Slow service or a “surly Bartender” will get you, “One of the things we didn't put up with back then is dawdling service and as you can see, we still don’t…put up with it.”  At a table with friends, he’s been known to raise his Gold Margarita on rocks, with salt, “Here’s to the sunny slopes of long ago.” I fully expect him to tell me on his deathbed, “My God, Woodrow. It has been quite a party, ain't it?”

My husband also loves corny jokes and sayings. He has pages of stuff he’s made up. Other things are from pop culture like movies, TV shows, or comedy skits. He love “voices” and is very good with mimicking what he hears—everything from Dirty Harry to one of his favorites, South Park’s Lock Ness Monster skit. Yep, he’s been known to launch into that one at any time but especially when he hears the price of something being $2 or $3.50, “and I said tree-fitty?” He can do the whole thing, gestures, inflections, voices and all. 

He loves the voices and does them very well. Bless his heart. Too well.

Which is why we have a sign hanging beside the back door that reads: 

Warning! Alleged Comedian in residence. Enter at your own risk. 

MONDAY MUSINGS—I WANT THAT SPARKLE!

One of the good things about editing, especially when it’s a story you wrote several years before, is you can read it with a critical eye. There are parts that blow me away because they’re good (wow, I wrote that!) and then there are other parts that have me cringing over word choices or the over abundance of adverbs, backstory, or passive verbs.

I've done more reading than writing the past couple of years and while I can read a book critically, I usually don’t. I’m a beta reader. I read those stories and proposals with a different eye. When I pick up a book to read it’s for story’s entertainment value. Kind of like movies—some are good, some are just okay and they entertain, some movies are fabulous in their storyline and execution. Do I see flaws, sure, but unless they’re really bad and the story has huge holes in it (at which point I don’t read any further ‘cause you've lost my interest), I tend to gloss over all the little nits and concentrate on the adventure, solving the crime, falling in love, or kicking ass.  But, when a story is done very well, I do take note of how an author handles certain components in the story. I’ll mark it and then go back late and analyze the why and how. 

Recently, I've read several stories with a good plot but what made the story outstanding to me was how the characters (even the villains) just sparkled. They were so real and the dialog was excellent as were the reactions and interactions between those characters. Their dialog and reactions add excitement and fun to the story without a lot of narrative. It takes skill to do that.  A few authors who have a knack of writing good characters like that are Carolyn Brown, Julie Ann Walker, Lori Foster, Olivia Cunning, Karen Foley, and Susan Sey, to name but a few. Carolyn writes some fabulous characters that use regional phrases and colloquialisms—I love the richness and the humor of her stories.

As I read over my stories one of the things I’m paying attention to is how I've written my characters and their dialog. I want them to sparkle, too. I want the layers touching on the senses that put the reader on the spot and in the action. Right there on the center-line  They hear the grunts, smell the sweat, feel the

excitement, and hear the whistle of the ball in their ears and the smack it makes when it’s caught. I don’t want them to just be spectators in the nosebleed section.

I've got some work to do and that’s a fact. But, I’m not groaning over it all. Instead there is a sizzle of excitement as I look at better ways to put my reader on the spot. 

CONTEST PERFORMANCE vs PUBLISHING REALITY

FYI:There won't be a blog post for Friday, May 17th, as I will be out of town. See you on Monday!

My guest is award winning romance author, Caren Crane. I've known Caren since 2007 when we both entered our books in a contest contest sponsored by Gather and Simon & Schuster. I loved Kick Start, and especially the idea of a heroine who was older than twenty, lol! I thought for sure she'd get it published since she did so well in contests with the story.

Unfortunately, receiving contest accolades or even winning doesn't guarantee being published. I asked Caren  about her experiences with contests, what some of the benefits were of entering and placing well, as well as sharing her journey to publication. 

In romance writing, there has been a lot of emphasis placed on entering, finaling in and winning writing contests. I'll admit, from the time I completed my first manuscript I was hooked on contests. I experienced a good bit of contest love from the start, which boosted my confidence in my budding skills. I'm not one to put much stock in certificates, plaques and awards, but it was nice to have them around as reminders that I didn't actually suck as bad as I sometimes felt I did.

Then I finaled in RWA's Golden Heart contest in with my manuscript Kick Start in 2006. Kick Start got a lot of contest love. Many finals and a handful of wins. I didn't win the Golden Heart, but did have a request for the full from an editor for the then-new Next line at Harlequin. They didn't buy it. They liked it and wanted to, but thought certain story elements were too similar to a book they had just bought. To say I was disappointed is a vast understatement.

In 2007, I heard Gather.com was having a First Chapters writing competition where the winner would have their novel published. I was in! What I didn't realize was that the competition was a bit like American Idol. It was partially about your talent and the quality of your writing, but mostly about who you knew and how many of those people you could motivate to vote for your entry. I did semi-final in the contest, but only because I was the "editor's pick" and not because I could rally the masses. (I am still unable to rally masses to do anything. J)

By 2009, I had completed seven manuscripts and spoken to countless editors and agents. I had submitted requested (and unrequested) material to every publishing professional even remotely interested in acquiring what I wrote. While I received lots of great feedback, it became clear that what I felt compelled to write—a mix of contemporary romance and women's fiction—is apparently impossible for New York publishing houses to market. Witness Harlequin's now-defunct Next line.

By that time, I was incredibly busy with my full-time day job and trying to do the endless work associated with successfully getting my back-to-back daughters into their colleges of choice. With scholarships. That took three full years. Last fall, when the baby was deposited in her freshman dorm, my writer friends began pestering me about when I was going to start writing again. When? When? WHEN?!?

I looked around and noticed most of my friends, both traditionally published and as-yet-unpublished, were dipping their toes into the waters of indie publishing. I was a bit intimidated by all it entails, but intrigued by the fact that the author has full control of the entire process—writing, editing, selecting a book cover and creating the timeline for the whole process. My life is still quite complicated and unpredictable, so having full control over the publication process (over anything, really) appealed to me. I decided to resurrect Kick Start first, since it had done so well in its contest heyday. I endured the long, sometimes agonizing, learning curve associated with getting it updated, whipped into shape and ready to upload to booksellers.

And I realized something as I was wrestling with formatting, gutting chapters and writing new scenes to satisfy my beta readers. I really love writing again. What had become little more than drudgery and torment by 2009 is once again the thing I am most excited about. I hope people love Kick Start and all the other books I choose to publish, because it's great fun sharing my characters and their stories with the world. But most of all, I love writing them.

Contests can be wonderful to encourage your efforts, boost your spirits or get your work in front of important eyeballs. They are not, however, the be-all and end-all as I found out. 

• So what has been your experience with contests? I would love to hear the good, the bad and the ugly!

                                                                                                                                                                                                    

BUY: AMAZON, B&N, SMASHWORDS <<

Sometimes when life stalls right in the middle of the journey, all it needs is a Kick Start...

Linda Dowling’s husband traded her in for a younger model, and she clung to the only life and home her kids knew. Easiest thing by far when her heart was broken and her small town was filled with folks who commonly mistook their neighbor’s concerns for their own. But even in Cross Springs, NC, time moves on and heals the most grievous of wounds. Linda shakes things up, goes back to school and—gasp!—starts to date a younger man.

Suddenly everyone in Cross Springs has something to say about her life—and Linda is faced with hard choices. She has tried for years to live up to the expectations of Cross Springs’ society, but now she is remembering the girl she used to be, back before motherhood and self-doubt robbed her of her self-esteem. Should she bow to comfortable roles and old expectations? Or should she give herself a Kick Start and pursue the kind of love she never thought she would find?

All she needs is courage and a good old-fashioned Kick Start. EXCERPT

                                                                                                                                                          

Caren Crane grew up in Nashville, TN, and as a result does not care for country music. However, she cares a great deal about family, friends and men in boots. She blames her love of reading on a childhood devoid of TV and heavy on amusing oneself. Reading books was a lot more fun than playing with Barbies and playing "library" was far superior to playing "school." When she discovered romance novels, the librarians at her local branch were horrified but Caren was delighted.

She now lives in North Carolina with her tall, handsome husband and a very chatty and irascible rescue cat. She is sometimes visited by her three grown children, who are busy having wonderful lives and only require: beds during college breaks, food, rides back to school (though a bus ticket will do) and sometimes cash. Which leaves her with lots of time to write funny, heartwarming stories set in her adopted home state, North Carolina, and to investigate the Smoky Mountains, from whence her mother's people all came. She plans to set a future series in the Smoky Mountains of her native state, Tennessee, and fill the books full of family, friends and happy-ever-after endings. Which all books should feature, in her opinion. You can find Caren on Facebook, Romance Bandits, Twitter, and her website.

MONDAY MUSINGS: IT WAS A GOOD DAY

Hope all of you had a wonderful weekend and all you mama's had a great day. My Mother's Day was lovely. My husband served me coffee, tulips, breakfast, and a gift that was wrapped in gorgeous blue and silver. The wrapping was eye-catching almost as pretty as the gift. I was spoiled. I loved it.

Lots of mushy texts from my brothers and a few from my sisters and nieces. Spent some time with my son after he got off work and a couple of hours with my girl, Deanna and her two girls. If you've never had a manicure by a 5 year old, you're missing a treat. I did manage to avoid a total make-over, lolol! Barely.  

My mom and I giggled and laughed and that's always fun. 

My next  rose--Cherry Parfait

I had a lovely conversation about roses and lots of laughter with a good friend from Washington.  She had some great suggestion to add to my Rose garden. I love roses that smell like roses and love multicolored roses that don't take a lot of fussy care. 

Barbara Bush rose will look good too!

We also talked death and destruction of Japanese Beetles--I hate their little iridescent, rose munching selves. Death to them all, I say. I learned all about Milky Spore and where to buy it and best of all, it won't hurt the good insects like bees. Muwahaha! Take that you nasty beetle larva!

My husband and I battled lots of baby trees growing where they didn't belong and did lots of trimming of the wild and woolly flowering shrubs and hedges and we got lots of sunshine. We still haven't totally reclaimed the garden beds but we're getting close. It was a good day.

Now, I'm dragging my sorry self off to read a good book and perchance sleep. :-)

Hope you all have a great week!

 

HEALTHY AND WISE: WHERE’S THE SUNSHINE?

I've been exploring ways to be and stay healthy—food choices, exercise, sleep, and some quiet time to think and reflect. Over the course of the month, I’ll be sharing things I've discovered. One of the things I have been doing daily, regardless of the season, is getting outside in the sunshine. I've become a bit of a sun-worshiper and I find it has helped me immensely. 

People need sunshine to function optimally. Being outdoors in the sun builds strong bones, a stronger immune system, helps your body regulate calcium, lowers your blood pressure, promotes clearer skin, and a healthier brain. Vitamin sunshine is also known as vitamin D and is one of those vitamins that is made by our bodies by being in the sunshine and in contact with UVB radiation.

According to Scientific American, vitamin D protects our neurons and reduces inflammation in the body. The data from recent studies show that those people with lower vitamin D levels showed slower information processing speed and lower cognitive functions. They went on to say:  "Three-quarters of U.S. teens and adults are deficient in vitamin D..." Wow! 

As writers we spend an enormous amount of time indoors and in front of the computer. It’s basically an inactive lifestyle and not at all healthy for us. Aside from losing tone and gaining pounds we don’t get enough vitamin sunshine—or vitamin D.

Vladimir Volegov

How to counter balance that deskbound lifestyle and increase our productivity?

Get outside. Take a walk in the sunshine.

There are three immediate benefits.  It will clear your mind when it’s feeling sluggish, unable to concentrate, or feeling restless and slow. The second benefit is a walk or run will give you needed exercise. The third benefit is the sunlight will provide your body with much needed vitamin D. 

Did you know that your body could produce vitamin D in as little as 10-15 minutes (or up to 30 if you have a darker skin tone) in bright sunlight? You need to be exposing at least 25% of your body. That’s a bit harder to do in the winter. 

How much sun is safe without suncreen?  

Skin pigmentation affects how much radiation your skin absorbs. The darker the skin, the more it's protected against skin cancer but the less able it is to absorb UVB rays. It also depends upon how much skin is exposed and the time of day. If you're fair skinned and sunning yourself outside in a bathing suit at noon, you only need a few minutes without sunscreen. If you're already tan or of Hispanic origin, you need maybe 15 to 20 minutes (approximately twice a week) to produce the amount of vitamin D your body requires.

Do carry your sunblock but allow your skin at least 10-15 without applying it as sunblocks interfere with allowing your skin to absorb the needed UVBs. Rule of thumb: Getting half the amount of exposure that it takes for your skin to turn to pink. If you want a longer walk or run then by all means apply sunscreen.

UV radiation doesn't penetrate glass. Sitting in front of a closed window doesn't make vitamin D. Your best bet is to take a walk in the noonday sunshine—especially in the winter when the sun’s rays are at too much of an angle. This happens during the early and later part of the day and during most of the day during the winter season. Midday gives the best angle to produce vitamin D. Another option is a UVB light or UVB (high density UVA isn't recommended) tanning bed in the winter.

There are other ways to get, or supplement  your vitamin D but that’s another article.

So the next time you hit that writer block, have problems concentrating, or feel sluggish or restless?  Go grab some vitamin sunshine—it really does a body good. 

FROM A DREAM OF SELLING ONE TO 2.5 MILLION

That's a big leap, isn't it? What I appreciate about my guest, Holly Jacobs, is not only does she tell a good story, rich in family and friendship, but she worked hard to see her dream a reality. It wasn't without rejections. No overnight success, just plain hard work and the love of telling stories. I'll let her tell you all about it.

                                                                                                                               

“There’s the world the way you want it—maybe even need it to be. And there’s the world the way it is. It’s hard to rectify the two. Sometimes it feels almost impossible. But in the world the way it is right now, you've got to figure out a way to cope with that."  ~April Showers, Holly Jacobs, 5/13

That’s a quote from this month’s release, April Showers.  It’s the second book in my A Valley Ridge Wedding trilogy and that paragraph was one of the first things I wrote for the story.  That small snippet became the foundation I built the story around. The quote hints at the fact that these characters live in a hard reality.  Granted, their reality is one I created, but they are not living their dream at the beginning of the book…but don’t worry, they are by the end! 

The fact that I get to create stories and characters is my reality, but more than that, it’s my dream.

I’ve always been a reader.  I mean, I can’t remember a time didn't have a book I was reading.  And like most readers, occasionally I’d find myself wishing I’d wrote a particular book. One day, that wishing became something more.  I was wishing I could write a new book…a story I’d created.

More than a decade ago, I finally said the words out loud.  “I’d like to write.”  My husband didn't laugh.  He didn't scoff.  He didn't tell me to get my head of the clouds.  He said, “Sure, do that.”  I played around with my writing at first.  I sold a poem ($4…uh, I decided poetry wasn't for me).  I sold some literary fiction.  I’d always been a science fiction/fantasy reader, and thought my stories might go in that direction, but what I kept noticing is that they skewed towards relationships. I was fascinated by exploring how one person relates to another.  I found myself gravitating toward romance.

I’d found my niche.

Uh, but I hadn't found my publisher.  I focused on Harlequin’s comedy line, Duets.  I’d send Duets a book, they’d reject it.  I’d send another.  They’d reject it.  And yet another…then, you guessed it, they’d reject it.  My dream was getting a bit battered and I thought about facing the reality that my being a writer wasn't going to happen for me.  But luckily, my husband had an entirely different reality in mind.  He kept encouraging me and telling me that he was sure I’d make it.  I’d make noises about earning real money, he ignore them and said, “Write.”

In March of 2000 I got a call from a Harlequin editor (who’s still my editor) and she bought that first book, I Waxed My Legs for This?  My December 2013 book, A Valley Ridge Christmas, will be my 35^th for Harlequin and my 50^th over all.

Over the years, many of the Harlequin lines I wrote for closed.  Duets, Silhouette Romance, Flipside, Signature, Everlasting Love.  Each time a line closed, I had to reinvent myself a bit and stretch my writing in order to sell to a new line.  I think learning to be flexible in how I tell a story has made my writing stronger.  I still write light romantic humor for Montlake Romance (which bought out Avalon and republished all my old Avalons, along with December’s new, Everything But a Dog) and I’m writing these bigger, more serious dramas for Harlequin’s SuperRomance. 

But mainly, I’m living my dream. I've sold two and a half million books in more than twenty-five countries.  I've written comedy, sweet humor and drama.  This August my first cozy mystery will be released (and my family was just a bit nervous when I talked so happily about someone being murdered). 

I've been so lucky that my family and friends have supported that dream, and that readers around the world have as well!  And I’m very lucky that with a lot of hard work the world the way I wanted it to be has aligned with the world the way it is! That’s a precious gift…and it’s one I pass on to the characters in April Showers!

BUY: AMAZON, B&N, eHARELEQUIN

APRIL SHOWERS~Holly Jacobs 

(A VALLEY RIDGE WEDDING series #2)   

Rainbows don't come without rain

The world you want isn't always how the world is. Former marine Sebastian Bennington discovers that upon his return to Valley Ridge for a friend's wedding. Even his grandfather's health isn't what he's expecting. Nor is the interference from his grandfather's young business partner, Lily Paul.

Even more aggravating, Lily seems to know everything about Sebastian, thanks to his grandfather. But Sebastian can't get her to open up about anything. Is she using all that merry sunshine to hide something deeper and darker? He's determined to find out, as long as their crazy attraction for each other doesn't get in the way….EXCERPT

-Available in audio book format-



Holly Jacobs' books have made Walden’s Bestseller List and won numerous awards such as the National Readers' Choice Award, the Holt Medallion Award and the Bookseller’s Best. In 2004 Holly won Romantic Times’s prestigious Career Achievement Award for Series Love and Laughter.  Holly is currently writing for Harlequin Superromance.  Find Holly: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest,  Website, Holly's Blog 

MONDAY MUSINGS—DISTILLING THE ESSENTIALS

DISTILL: to subject something to or transform it by distillation; to extract the essence 

Have you ever watched an herbalist make essential oils? It’s a fascinating process and one that I will be the first to tell you I know only the basics of the process. I've watched a friend of mine make batches of essential oils.

There is a chamber or pot that holds raw plant material—flowers, leaves, wood, bark, roots, seed, or peels (which is yet another process). The chamber is then placed over or above a pot of water. As the water heats, the steam passes through the raw plant material, and allows for the vapor to flow into a coil where it condenses back into a liquid, which drips into another container. This is what you would call an essential oil. That means it carries the distinctive scent, or essence, of the plant. The oil is then allowed to cool and is poured into storage vials. Later, my friend will bring out her ‘recipe’ book and mix the oils to create certain scents or properties for herbal medicines. It’s a time consuming process and take much more raw plant material than one would assume to create enough oil to fill a little vial. After watching the process I now understand why essential oils can get pricey.

If one is doing peels or fruit to make oil it is first pressed into a paste (that takes some work unless you have a press to do it for you) and then put in the chamber over boiling water and the same process ensues to collect the oil into storage containers. Some fruit/peel/pulp is cold pressed—meaning no heat. The pressure from the weighted press causes the oil droplets to separate from the raw plant material and drip into a container. Olive oil can be made this way.

My mind always jumps to correlations when watching a physical process. I've had a story I wrote on my mind. I know it needs editing. As I watched this process it got me thinking about my rather fat story. I realized that I needed to do some distilling. All those words, scenes, descriptions, and characters (raw material) need a heating chamber so the essence of the story could be condensed into a purer form. Once I had the essential oils of the story distilled I could then mix them to give impact to what I wanted my story to be—much like my friend getting out her recipe book and adding tiny drips and drops oils to make something new and wow. More than a drop can create an overpowering mess.

I’m no different than any other writer. I have attachments to certain phrases and scenes but unless that scene is moving the story forward there is no place for it. I have to detach and let it go. I’m not saying my scene is worthless—it’s not. There was a purpose as I wrote it and that function could have been a necessary ingredient to define a character or back story in my mind so I could find the path to move the story from point A to point B. It was something I needed as a writer but not necessarily something that the reader needs. I want them focusing on the distinctive characters, events and the emotions of the story.

I need to put away the cups and tablespoons and get out my dropper and add some drops of the essential oils to enhance the punch of a scene without losing the story. I want wow in the now.

• So, how goes your writing this week?  

DANCING WITH MAYPOLES AND WRITING

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Have you ever watched dancers around a Maypole? Some of the dances are simple, some complex, some of the dancers are laughing and lighthearted, and others are dark, serious, and stately. Regardless of the style of dance or dancers a pattern emerges as with the ribbons as the dance goes on. Some of the steps taken give no clue as to the final pattern—they seem almost hit and miss—but they’re a work of beauty by the end.

See, dancing the Maypole is not just about the joy of the dance. Part of the motivation in dancing is in the creating of a complex pattern with the ribbons to wrap the pole. The final pattern woven stems from the movement and direction of each dancer. It looks effortless (and it’s supposed to) but the maypole is wrapped and unwrapped many, many times in practice to get the final combination of steps and corresponding end pattern.

The finished pattern on the maypole depends upon several things. The height of the maypole and those of the inner or minor dancers who dance their own patterns while interacting with the outer dancers, the pace and flow of the dancers, the texture of the ribbon material and the spacing of the colors. You may only catch glimpses of the inner circle’s dancers yet they’re all part of the dance. Sometimes the dancers have to reverse themselves a bit and then weave forward again. While dancing they may take the proper steps and yet they won’t know how successful they've been, with setting the pattern, until they’re finished and step back and look at their completed work. It soon becomes apparent when the pacing of the dance was off or someone forgot a step because it shows up in the finished pattern.

It’s similar to writing a story. We start out with all sorts of bright ideas. We have lots of ribbons available to weave our story. Now comes the dancing and weaving. We know the basic storyline—that’s our bare pole. We determine the height and breath of our story. Then are the minor characters and the major characters. Their personalities add texture and color to the story. The pacing, tension, and flow adds a different sort of feel to the overall story pattern—it could make the story light and bubbly or austere, dark and dangerous, or it could be the weaving of both. Sometimes we have to

reverse a bit and rearrange the steps and colors and then move forward again intermingling the ribbons for the finished pattern.

I have several ‘wrapped’ maypoles. I’m looking at the final patterns. Some are too bland in the color/texture choices. Nothing stands out and while the pattern is pretty it lacks that wow factor. I’m going to have to unwrap the pole and add some different ribbon textures and color to the weave of the story. Sometimes I get frustrated because while it started out fine and the dancing was fun when I step back and looked at the overall pattern it’s too jumbled. 

Smacks forehead...What was I thinking ?

And that’s about the time I’m ready to throw it the fire—or donate the damn pole to the highland games for some brawny Scot to use in the caber toss.