Give up or Give More

The power of Choice is amazing. Our choices or decisions in life created the direction our lives travel. Some good, some not so good. It's easy to embrace the good decisions with celebrations, but what do we do when we make a bad decision-run, hide, pull the covers over our heads and never see the light of day. NO!
Take a deep breath and check in with yourself. Bad choices are a learning experience, and we can all relate, myself included, but it shouldn't stop you from pursuing a dream. What are you gonna do, give up, or give more? You pick yourself up, dust yourself off and ask yourself how you can do better. Here are some ideas you can ponder as you make your next big decision.

1. Be careful where you place your trust.
2. Try not to make a decision when your anxious. Be patient and wait it out.
3. Reflect on the past.
4. Don't always go with what worked before.
5. Make an informed decision.
6. Do what's best for you and the people involved with your decision, not what other people think.

Good luck in making your next big decision and remember bad decisions are life's learning experiences.

Whiplash

It's been awhile, and I apologize for that. Extremely busy year so I'm making a better attempt at taking care of my blog starting today!

I had the opportunity to sit down with daughter #2 over the weekend and actually watch a movie with her, a rare and priceless experience. Growing up we usually held a game night and a movie night over the weekend, but alas they grow, and carve out their own lives, so sharing air with them in the same space much less quality time is indeed priceless.

We agreed to watch the movie Whiplash. #2 is a budding musician. She played the clarinet and is currently playing the acoustic and electric guitar with a goal of learning the piano. I love to listen to her practice. Whiplash was an excellent choice for so many reasons! Not only did it focus on the love of music, jazz, in particular it was a valuable lesson in the process of making choices about your life. I viewed this movie as a gift to watch with my daughter. The young star of the film was a driven, determined, focused young man. Great goals to have for an older teenager on the precipice of adulthood, correct? Now comes the juicy part. The choices the young boy made either destroyed his life or allowed him to achieve the greatness he so desperately craved, but at what cost? It's really your own personal perspective that determines the outcome of the movie, and opened the door for a great conversation with #2. I don't want to give away too many spoilers so I won't tell you the whole story, I'm just posting my thoughts about the power choice has in your life, good and bad, accomplishments and consequences. Watch the movie Whiplash with your older teenagers if you have them, even if they aren't musicians. The lessons portrayed about the choices we make and the impact on ourselves and our families is potent.

Happy Mother's Day

Meet Author Merrie Housdon

Hey! Check out Merrie Housdon's fantastic writing! Can't wait to read it myself! Find out more about Merrie by reading my interview and then when you're done, click the links to read her work!

1.                  Did you always want to write?

I think subconsciously I have always wanted to be a writer but I never had a particular desire to write in school.  In fact, I absolutely hated reading and writing in school.  This was mostly because I did not have a choice in what I was reading and the writing assignments were so constricting and most of the time on a very short deadline.  When I was alone, I loved reading and I always kept a journal.  I had and still have a very vivid imagination and took me a long time before I realized I should be writing my ideas down.

 

2.         Do you think there is a difference between a writer and an author? If you do how would you categorize yourself?  

I honestly use the two terms interchangeably.  I used to think that you weren’t an author until you have been published, but since being published I noticed that I still refer to myself as a writer.

 

3.                  Tell me about your writing process.

When I get an idea for a story, I jump on the computer and start writing.  Once I have a solid chapter or scene written, I take a step back and think about what I want my story to include and where I want my story to end.  I create a very basic outline, and then go back to writing.  Sometimes I follow that outline completely and other times my characters run away with my story and I end up with something entirely different than I thought.  I don’t think I could ever commit to a complete detailed outline but for me it’s important to give myself a little directions.

 

4.                  What have you learned about yourself through your writing process or writing in general?  

I am very superstitious about talking about, or letting anyone read my writing before it’s completed.   I don’t consider myself a superstitious person in any other aspect in my life except for my writing.

 

5.                  Tell me about any current or future projects you are working on.

Without giving away too many details, I am working on a Fantasy-Romance Novel that just might end up being a series, and I am also working on a historical romance novella that is set in a fictional town in regency England.   When I have completed both of those projects I also have an idea for a psychological thriller.  While romance and fantasy are my biggest passions, there are so many other stories that I would love to write.

 
 

6.                  Most important, cake or ice cream, or milk or dark chocolate? Which do you

prefer?

Chocolate cake without frosting, I hate frosting! Definitely milk chocolate.

 

7.                  Favorite books

There are so many amazing books that I love, I don’t think I could pick one favorite. To name a few, I love William Goldman’s The Princess Bride, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and Neil Gaiman’s Stardust.

 

8.                  Favorite color

I tend to favor bold colors, especially maroon and navy blue.

 

9.                  Favorite author

There are so many authors that I love, but if I had to choose, I would say Neil Gaiman.  Not only is he a fantastic author and natural born storyteller but he is very inspirational and gives great advice for new authors trying to make their way.

10.              Any tips to share

Write everyday!  Whether working on a story or just writing in a journal, keep writing and don’t stop.  Also, do not forget to support your fellow authors, leave a review for books you read, retweet someone who is trying to spread the word about their book.  We can all use a little help, and it’s a great way to make friends and gain supports for your own work.

 

A Prince for Valentines

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Prince-Valentines-Merrie-Housdons-Romance-ebook/dp/B00R59L468/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418906429&sr=8-1&keywords=merrie+housdon&pebp=1418906428986

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-prince-for-valentines-merrie-housdon/1120941622?ean=2940150256682

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/a-prince-for-valentines/id952897336?mt=11

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/a-prince-for-valentine-s

 

 

 

 

Annie Acorn’s 2015 Valentine’s Day Treasury

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1CWxaCF

AmazonUK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Annie-Acorns-Valentines-Treasury-Anthologies-ebook/dp/B00SKB9I6S/ref=sr_1_1_twi_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1423089306&sr=8-1&keywords=Annie+acorn%27s+2015+valentine%27s+day+treasury

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/annie-acorns-2015-valentines-day-treasury-annie-acorn/1121100977?ean=2940149977376

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/annie-acorn-s-2015-valentine-s-day-treasury

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/annie-acorns-2015-valentines/id960103313?mt=11

Print: http://www.amazon.com/Annie-Acorns-Valentines-Treasury-Anthologies/dp/1507685793/ref=sr_1_1_twi_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1423089503&sr=8-1&keywords=annie+acorn%27s+2015+valentine%27s+day+treasury

 

 

 

 Thanks so much, Merrie!

 

Happy Easter!

WINNER! WINNER! CHICKEN DINNER!

Well, not exactly, but you are winning this...one free signed paperback book of Choices and one free e-book of Forgiveness!

And...drumroll, please...the winners for the Choices paperback giveaway and free Forgiveness e-book are...

Irma Jurejevcic
Angelina Ocampo
Diana Doan...
Patricia Maia
Dianne Galang

Congratulations! I hope you enjoy your prizes and thank you so much for entering! You girls are THE best! Thank you! Thank you! It means the world to me you entered!

Please contact me at authorsheilabliss@gmail.com as soon as possible with all your contact information, snail mail and e-mail addys.

Can't wait to send you everything and I hope you enjoy your "Choices!"

Giveaway!

If steamy romance makes your engine rev, and unconventional characters make you swoon then this is the place for you!

 I LOVE a good giveaway! For the first week of March I'm sponsoring an awesome giveaway for my new release Forgiveness, the sequel in the Choices series. Here are the deets...

10 Signed paperback copies of Choices and the first 5 winners will receive a free E-book of Forgiveness!

Beautiful, brand new paperbacks of Choices and e-books of Forgiveness I can send to you as well. Sounds like a good deal to me!

It means the world to me you stopped by! Thank YOU! I wish you the best of luck!

Click the link https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/d7a359ba1/