Gratitude Galore

Thanksgiving is upon us! The turkey is dressed, the pies are baked, and families are flocking together to spend the day eating and shopping. But through all the full stomachs and "Black Friday" deals, it's good to pause and remember why we have this holiday in the first place.

To give thanks.

Sounds simple, right? But can you remember the last time you stopped and took the time to really count your blessings? Our lives are so busy these days, with day jobs, kids, spouses. We've become masters at multitasking in order to get everything done we need to. Conference calls at home while making dinner. Cramming in writing time while sitting in the doctor's office. Every single second of every day gets counted and used to its fullest extent.

So I know how difficult it can be to take a moment and just feel gratitude for everything you and your family have. Difficult because it forces you to think about what your life would be without these blessings. And that can be overwhelming to think about. But even the little things deserve recognition. The smile of a stranger when you need it. The words of a friend when you're down. The bad - yet funny - joke from a co-worker. These little things deserve gratitude just as much as the big ones, for they make each day different from the rest.

And it's so easy to get caught up in things this time of year, the whirlwind of the holidays. Through the gift giving and the big meals, we tend to forget the little things and breeze through the days until each one blends into the next. And before you know it,another year has passed.

So I ask that you always take a moment to give thanks, not just for the holiday, but every day. For every single day holds a blessing. All you have to do is stop and recognize it.

Have a Blessed and Wonderful Thanksgiving!

Time Just Flies...

I totally forgot to blog last week.

My bad.

Almost forgot today, but that switch in my brain finally kicked in and blinked at me repeatedly until I acknowledged it's significance.

Life has a funny way of getting in my way. I always have the best of intentions, but then things happen and days pass and the next thing I know, the list of things to do has piled up and rearranged, and I want to pull my hair out.

One good thing - my sister drove up from Texas to visit my folks in Ohio, so I will be going to see her this weekend. Haven't seen her since May, so I am excited.

I am also excited to announce that I will be having a short story coming out soon from Sapphire Blue Publishing. I'll pass along the info as soon as I know more, like cover art and release dates.

Fall starts my busiest time - at home AND at work. I'll do my best to not forget you guys again.

I just get a bit frazzled this time of year.

Rainy Day Musings

Fall is here in Kentucky.

And unlike Buffy's glorious weather in the AZ, here it has come in with a soggy whimper.

There's typically a transition of cooler temperatures and brisker days, but lately it's just been a whole lot of rain, making a whole lot of cold. Which, in turn, makes me a whole lot of...blah.

I did manage to drag my fall decorations out of the garage last weekend and put them outside, thinking that might get me more into the spirit.

But alas, no such luck.

It's sad, too, because Fall has always been my favorite season, and Halloween my favorite holiday. I love dressing up, and have a closet full of various costumes and accessories that I pull from. This year, I will be working on Halloween, and need to think of a costume I can wear that will also be comfortable to work in all day.

If it weren't for all the dreary rain, I think I would be more into things this season. But Mother Nature has dumped a ton of water on us here this year, and doesn't seem to be finished yet.

I think I may have mentioned this before, but I'm REALLY tired of rain.

But I guess it's better than snow.

To Blog or Not To Blog...

It's Wednesday, which means it's my day to spout some sort of exceptionally witty banter in a blog.

Trouble is, I'm just not feeling "blog worthy" lately.

I'm not depressed. There's nothing wrong. I just don't seem to have anything important to say.

I'm busy working. And writing. Reading a bit - print books AND e-books. And helping my hubby deal with the myriad health problems that have come up recently.

Fall is finally here. The leaves are turning, the weather is cooler. I usually get a little nostalgic in the fall. I'm going through old poems and stories and seeing if I can turn them into anything viable. Ideas are swirling around in my brain, and I tend to get a bit introverted when this happens, so I can sort them all out.

So in the meantime, have a great day. And pick up a Sapphire Blue E-book!

Win A Free E-Book!

Fall is in the air! The holidays are near, along with all of the hectic shopping, cooking, and entertaining! So why not relax with a free e-book?

That's right, I'm holding my first contest to give away a copy of my debut novel, Second Chances from Sapphire Blue Publishing.

And how do you enter said contest? Well, here's the scoop:

From now until November 25th, leave a comment on my Myspace Contest Blog telling me what you are most thankful for this Thanksgiving. I'll take UP TO three entries per person, as long as you leave three seperate comments.

You can be serious, sentimental, funny, outrageous - it's all up to you! November 26th I will pick a winner from the comments. After you tell me what format you would like your book in, (PDF, HTML, Mobipocket), I will send it poste haste, so you can relax with an e-book on me!

So, it's only fair that I kick off the comments by sharing what I am most thankful for myself:

I'm thankful for Sapphire Blue Publishing taking a chance on my writing, giving me the opportunity to share my voice with you.

I'm thankful everyday for my loving husband. He makes me believe ANYTHING is possible.

And, I'm thankful for whoever invented Mountain Dew. Sometimes, it's the only thing that gets me through a day...

If you don't win this contest, don't despair! I will be having another one in December, along with other fabulous prizes!

What are you waiting for? Visit Christle's Myspage Page link in my list of links and comment away!