BLOG NOTE: I’m hoping this will show up where I expect it to and considering it did not, well, here it is. You, if you scroll through my many posts, may come across pages that have their topic without any content. My intention is to write these in and share them as able. The mechanics of posting is my downfall…too this, too that…the writing is what excites me. I hope this explains the blankness and peaks your interest in revisiting. Thank you

This week’s conversation…

Note-taking

November 6, 2024 – ChrisChat Reviews

Today, I read. I’ll be making notes, somehow, on what your books say to me, on what I need to share to others. Today, I’m finding peace in your imaginations.

November 5, 2024 – Life Becomes Understanding

I’m not writing enough notes. I’m not journal writing, enough. I’m simply too tied into the fear and disgust that’s not mine. I’m feeling it too much. I haven’t set up my whatever you want to call it, my emotional boundry, my energy boundry, and writing helps build these boundries. I need to write, even a simply note.

November 4, 2024 – Everything Writer

It is possible to make too many notes and not enough putting them together. Pointform works for – just the facts – but it makes for boring reading. Makes for disjointed storytelling. It very well could lead the reader, if they ever read them, down a path you never intended. Take notes to remember the thought, but then go write around them.

Procrastination

November 3, 2024 – Creativity

The insane need to be perfect the first time. We all have that image in our mind of how something is supposed to look, sound, be, and when our end product doesn’t match, well, we don’t like that feeling so the next time we delay, delay, delay, till it simply never gets done. Doesn’t mean it disappears, the mind keeps it in the nag compartment right dead centre where we know it every moment. Yes, there are times a strong imagination is a royal pain.

November 2, 2024 – Indulges & Reflections

Considering I’m writing and posting this on November 3rd, I think I’ve proven my view on procrastination…I’m very good at it. Reason for this, besides being behind on my timing, is a bit of everything. But, I believe it’s more about energy level than anything else…except writing, that’s fear of succeeding. Never said I made sense.

November 1, 2024 – Theadora Mitchell, heat with humour

I haven’t solved my procrastination problem, but I believe I’ve found steps to curb and overcome it. Everything I do, I always find something that is a boring pain that ends up distracting me away from completion. I’m hoping my latest idea helps this issue…get the mechanics over and done with…get the outline…draft…set up, whatever bit and pieces that drag, get them done. Sure, call this a lead-up to today’s blog post, but why type more here when I cover it there 🙂 Plus I might still be suffering from horror movie overload and trying to wake up the energy.

October 31, 2024 – Melody Hews, romantic heart

It’s Halloween! The best night of the year! Romance? Well, the “lesson” in all slasher movies is don’t be the couple getting frisky. Don’t be the girl in the minimal clothing. There are no longer any final boys. Scary cuddles are fun starts. Halloween night, the night the veil between us and those gone before thins, maybe next Halloween Iris will tell you her tale.

October 30, 2024 – ChrisChat Reviews

Maybe there is such a thing as too many books? Nahhhhhh.

October 29, 2024 – Life Becomes Understanding

You only get one life, but within that one life, of unknown length, you have as many chances as you need.

October 28, 2024 – Everything Writer

To be the writer’s block or not to be. There’s always something else more vital than my writing. There’s never enough time. Got to make time…how does one make time when everyday only has 24 hours? Take the time…from where? How do I take my time when everything is now, now, now? Prioritized juggling? Excuses? Stressed? All of the above? Whatever it is, get over it and write.

Health

October 27, 2024 – Creativity

Yes, you can write your stress away. You can draw the anxiety away. Crying while cutting onions work, too. And, yes, the things you’re stressing, anxious, crying about will still be there, but you’ll be stronger and able to face/deal with them. Channel those worries into something else and watch what grows.

October 26, 2024 – Indulges & Reflections

There are times we must indulge our cravings…chocolate, a do-nothing day, a reading day, skipping, Yes, even a good wine or scotch or whatever (I don’t drink) and I’ve heard others would add a cigar or pipe (not something I care to smell, though my Pa’s pipe does bring comfort). For our health, call it mental or emotional, we need to forgive ourselves our cravings every once in a while…hey, that’s what makes them so craveable.

October 25, 2024 – Theadora Mitchell – heat with humour

Editing my original thoughts and I can’t think of much else to add to what Mel came up with…trust me my mental health is good. Okay, there’s something that fits…we are more than 1 identity. We’re both a child, adult, friend, lover, employee, employer. We wear multiple hats…indentities. We’re multiple emotions…who hasn’t been arguing with a spouse one second and the next a calming voice to a crying child? One moment I could be writing a murder scene and the next a couple are falling in love and then who knows what they’ll be doing…murder?…something hot? There’s nothing wrong with us for believing this way, but let’s say voting or acknowledging something opposite to that belief. And, I’ll end here cause I can feel myself going deeper into this thought process than I really want to. Stay healthy; play safe.

October 24, 2024 – Melody Hews – romantic heart

Did your vows include…in sickness and in health; for better or worse? Mine and hubby’s did and we’ve been through it all. Heck, we even had someone try and break our marriage up. True story. Some chickie tried calling and telling me she was having an affair with my hubby, even called asking for him and hanging up as soon as he was on the phone. Stranger still, HER “husband” called me at work talking about how he just found out and they had 3 kids at home. Asked where did they meet and what’s his number, I’d call him if his “wife” called again. Hmmm, the gym. LOL, hubby has lymphodema and unable to use a gym. The time period mentioned…uhm, he was on the train home picking me up at said time. That phone number…called back that day with hubby…disconnected. I did tell the other “husband” we had filed a police report on his “wife’s phone calls” never heard from either again. In sickness and in health: surgery on his neck to save his brain stem, lymphodema, my emotional breakdown (thank you social phobia for finding my life anxiety health), infertility, cancer. For better or worse, those need to be changed to: For the ups and the downs, the peaks and the valleys; the light and the dark.

October 23, 2024 – ChrisChat Reviews

Reviewing and health? Let’s switch that up a bit…review your health. Get your check ups. Don’t stick your head in the mud and say it’s nothing. Don’t brush it off with an, I’m okay. Our health isn’t scary. Tests are not scary. It’s the results we find frightening…waiting. Not the unknown, but the now-what-do-we-do. Psst, it’s really not that scary. As my dad would say…coward take this coward’s hand and we’ll walk together. Come on, let’s go.

October 22, 2024 – Life Becomes Understanding

Teeth extraction. Future dentures. Reality. Nothing wrong with any of this, I just have a few hang-ups with the actual doing it. My head anxiety…don’t dare touch it or my hair or then we both deal with my fear demon. Fast gag reflex, fear of choking. Freezing…my nose works, it just doesn’t feel like it will. Pain? Eh, that’s the easiest part. One piece of advice…never pull your children’s teeth with thread. Mine kept that body/mouth sensation memory and that’s what made flossing such an issue…okay, cancer/chemo played a little. I’m on my way to clearing the teeth health up. Sorry my lost teeth and thank you for seeing me this far.

October 21, 2024 – Everything Writer

How do you know when your story idea is dying? Maybe I’ve held on too long to a certain story and because I can’t get it written it’s due to being dead and I can’t see it? Am I being stubborn? Maybe I’m making excuses, so that I can toss it aside…keep it? I’m not liking that I think I know the answer…or the answers to both sides of that question. The solution…keep the room silent, like now, and sit down with the story and give it all my attention. Like I haven’t said that before.

Pathway

October 20, 2024 – Creativity

Thirty years ago I “virtually” stuck my hand up when someone asked for general reviewers for their review site. Not sure I can find that first site that holds/held my first review, but it started me down this path. Now I don’t just offer reviews; I’m offering my opinion to a cyber world that I have no idea if anyone reads, so maybe I’m still talking to myself. I don’t know. Does any creative really know if they will be seen, heard, read? Do we actually do it for that attention or because it’s just who we are? Yeah, we already know that answer.

October 19, 2024 – Indulges & Reflections

The cigarette ad from decades ago…you’ve come a long way baby…it’s true for all of us when we look back over our lives. I’ve come a long way from crying outside my grade 1 class afraid to walk in. I’ve come a long way from the quiet painfully shy girl of middle and high school, the one who never risked sharing all the opinions and insights within. I’ve come a long way as an ex-people pleaser/others before me. I still have a long ways to go, but the uncut path no longer scares me.

October 18, 2024 – Theadora Mitchell, heat with humour

Well, pretty much everything Mel wrote but with more action, more heat, more graphic get to it. Everything romantic and erotic leads to the ultimate connection between people…people who were once strangers, new, outside our family safety net. People who might stay strangers or who might expand our safety net and become our people.

October 17, 2024 – Melody Hews, romantic heart

The path to romance. Keep it real. Life is not a fairy tale and not everything is a happy ending. However, that might be the very reason people read romance…the escape for arguing with their partner over whose turn it is to cook dinner, do the laundry, clean the toilet. Romance reading is also a way to allow ourselves to remember why we fell in love and how to stay romantic. The emotional memory boost.

October 16, 2024 – ChrisChat Reviews

The pathway to getting a good review…to writing a good review. As simple as it sounds it all sounds with attitude. We, as I am also a writer, do not automatically deserve a positive or a negative review. As a reviewer we are not obligated to give positive/negative reviews. It completely boils down to being honest and fair. Understand your limits as a writer; understand yours is only one opinion; there are humans on both side of the coin. Be polite.

October 15, 2024 – Life Becomes Understanding

I’ve learning to follow my own way. Learning to curve out my own path. Learning to accept this and be happy and thrilled with it. Learning to be excited about where I’m taking myself.

October 14, 2024 – Everything Writer

Plotting and by the seat of my pants? Either way the story will find its own path. The characters will develop in spite of what I want. Writing is about letting go of control. I could try travelling down someone else’s path, but I’ll always be just a little off because I’m me and not them. I can follow their guidance, their outline style, but even with the same plot and characters the story will be different. Just like dad said about the truth…there’s my side, your side, and somewhere in the middle something closer to the true truth.

Fear

October 13, 2024 – Creativity

Fear of making a mistake. The mistake is never trying. Perfection is fear. I’m done with perfection, it’s no fun.

October 12, 2024 – Indulges & Reflections

Fear of what others think of me, will think of me, has held me back too long. Fear has been apart of my life for too long. And this fear makes no sense. Some have asked is it about the cancer…nope, I was never afraid of the cancer. I wasn’t afraid of the possibility of dying…and that was too real…I was worried and afraid for those, my child, my husband, my mom, my family, I was leaving. I’m nervous is could reshow, 6 years clear, anytime, but I’m in fear. I’ve learned life happens, we can only do so much to guard ourselves, so why fear.

October 11, 2024 – Theadora Mitchell, heat with humour

Heat with humour, you know I’m talking erotic heat. What is more fearful, more silly then getting naked with someone? What’s more fearful than baring…anything? Not using my true name for this genre was it about fear or embarrassment? Some risks are worth it. And, no, I’m not who my characters are. No, I’m not writing what I know. I’m writing…hopefully…writing the normalcy I’ve heard from those like my fictional characters. I want to help write away the embarrassment and shame thrown on this genre, these choices.

October 10, 2024 – Melody Hews, romantic heart

Loving is fearful. Loving is risk. Acknowledging you read/like/write romance is sappy, embarrassing, easy….whomever said that hasn’t never tried.

October 9, 2024 – ChrisChat Reviews

What if they don’t like my review? What if I make them angry? What if they don’t like me? What if I’m trolled? If I let them, these thoughts would freeze me in more ways than not reviewing.

October 8, 2024 – Life Becomes Understanding

Fear is both irrational and rational. We need it to push ourselves forward in directions we might not have gone. We need it to grow into ourselves. Fear also keeps us safe…when we listen. I want to be strong enough that it doesn’t matter who I meet in the woods.

October 7, 2024 – Everything Writer

Writing in fear makes no sense. I find is scary to write…maybe I am good at it…then what. I fear success.

Wants vs Purpose

October 6, 2024 – Creativity

I want to create. My purpose is to create.

October 5, 2024 – Indulges & Reflections

I want to argue, rant, rage, smack some sense in some. My purpose is to discuss, listen to hear, agree to disagree, and work within to change without.

October 4, 2024 – Theadora Mitchell, heat with humour

I want to not be embarrassed. I want to make people laugh and feel free to be themselves. My purpose is to write the characters in my head and offering them up without apologies, without making them caricatures of someone’s giggles and finger pointing.

October 3, 2024 – Melody Hews, romantic heart

I want to be known and recognized and acknowledge. I want attention. My purpose is to write the stories I have and not be flippant with regards to this genre and its authors and fans.

October 2, 2024 – ChrisChat Reviews

I want to spend my life reading. I want to be lost in the imaginary world. I want to be recognized as fair. I want to be known. My purpose is to be honest and fair. My purpose is to share others with others.

October 1, 2024 – Life Becomes Understanding

I want to matter. I want to make a difference. I still want to be recognized and acknowledged. My purpose is to be the strongest, healthiest, most caring, most loving, most supportive, understanding, accepting, positive person I can be. My purpose is to leave this existence more than when I arrived.

September 30, 2024 – Everything Writer

I want to be recognized. I want to be acknowledged. My purpose is to write the stories within me and send them out and leave the rest to others.

Focus

September 29, 2024 – Creativity

It’s easy…said no one. We grow with practise. We grow when we focus on our skill and dreams.

September 28, 2024 – Indulges & Reflections

Focus can require looking inward and focusing on ourselves. Who are we? Who are we reflecting back to ourselves and then to the world. Are we who we believe we are?

September 27, 2024 – Theadora Mitchell, heat with humour

Focus on the truth of my characters. Focus on what they are telling me and the reader. Don’t focus on the what, where, how. The Why is far more interesting…at least as much as the fun.

September 26, 2024 – Melody Hews, romantic heart

Love stories are not sappy stories. Love stories are not impossible nor are they phoney. Just write their characters the same when as I do my non-romantic characters, focus on who they are and why they are in this story and what they have to share. Focus on the story.

September 25, 2024 – ChrisChat Reviews

The best reads and hardest reviews are those where I lose my reviewing focus. I forget I’m supposed to be reading critically. Reading to offer my, somehow, informed thoughts on this particular story. Something more than just – I like it. It’s good. And, of course, those best reads can also be the easiest to review, but then I have to focus on not going all oooo, ahhhhh, yeaaaahhhh, woooooww. School book reports were easier.

September 24, 2024 – Life Becomes Understanding

With all the notes I have to post here, you would think I should start with them instead of going directly to today’s post. Life doesn’t happen that orderly, does it? Here I am catching up and filling, partially, in the missing bits and pieces and missing the main ingredient…let alone talking in circles. And that’s the full point of this week’s topic: Focus isn’t as direct a path as we may believe. Focus is part of being aware, being mindful of what is happening in a singular moment. It just happens I’ve stopped and listened to that moment and wrote about today. The truth is we do need to sometimes just Stop, Listen, Do.

September 23, 2024 – Everything Writer

I think it’s pretty sure I haven’t been focusing on much writing lately. Today, maybe a little too much, I’m on a roll. I do have one trick I was trying to use and had a teeny bit of success with…before sitting down to any current story I will write a title or opening sentence or a page of whatever comes to mind. I’ll focus on something I have no intention of writing ever again. I kinda win and lose as some of those bits have taken root more than allowing me to escape. Focus, I’ve got to focus.

Solutions

September 22, 2024 – Creativity

The solution to creativity…give in to it. Indulge in it.

September 21, 2024 – Indulges & Reflections

Uhm, I think I need to walk away right now and indulge in some Agatha Christie mysteries and remember to get on track and not write Theadora’s and Indugles/Reflections back to back.

September 20, 2024 – Theadora Mitchell, heat with humour

Thea is creeping out and I’m afraid if I keep writing this bit will get a tad uncomfortable…oiii, I re-read Melody’s bit and now my mind has gone even further down Thea’s corridor. Okay, you can figure this one out yourself 😉

September 19, 2024 – Melody Hews, romantic heart

Do all love stories have to end happily? I vote – no. Every story will write it’s own ending, we simply have to make sure it makes sense.

September 18, 2024 – ChrisChat Reviews

I dare you to trip me up. I love those stories where I can’t figure the solution out. Even better…the ones where I think I solved it, but WHOA, nope, I got fooled.

September 17, 2024 – Life Becomes Understanding

Life sometimes has no solutions. I’ve found writing always helps me find mine…even when it takes a while.

September 16, 2024 – Everything Writer

Solutions, hmmm. Red herrings still need to make sense. Sometimes the butler really did do it. Left field works as long as we knew it was there somewhere at some point. Cliffhangers only work if the next is ready to go.

Wishes

September 15, 2024 – Creativity

Take your wish and turn it into a piece of creativity. That’s where music, stories, all art begins. In our wishes.

September 14, 2024 – Indulges & Reflections

Indulge in wishing. It’s fun. It’s relaxing. And the reflection on that…keep the wishes positive, no one needs the negative energy of a mean wish.

September 13, 2024 – Theadora Mitchell, heat with humour

What would Theadora wish for, should I release her? Do I dare on this very open page? I might just be a bit nervous about this persona. I can tell you this, no matter which hat I’m wearing, I wish people would stop judging others.

September 12, 2024 – Melody Hews, romantic heart

The cliche story of wishing for Prince Charming, anyone ever wish for Princess _______? I know write the story you want to read, but I don’t like reading those romance-type stories. I don’t like boy-meets-girl…boy-loses girl…boy gets girl back. What exactly do I like in a romance story and why do I want to write them? Why do I have Iris in my head telling me these characters and their stories…yes, Iris is a fictional character. Yes, Melody is my fake romance writer name, but like any good costume, once she’s on my thought process changes. Wish and it will come true.

September 11, 2024 – ChrisChat Reviews

There are authors I wish would write more, especially in their series. And yes, there are authors I wish would write something different than the same thing each book. I definitely wish movie makers would take the risk on new materials. And, yes, some characters, no matter how much we love them, are better off gone due to it makes the story stronger.

September 10, 2024 – Life Becomes Understanding

I finally learned to stop wishing I was like someone else. I stopped wishing I was like this one or that one. I stopped because I finally put all my wishes on and into me.

September 9, 2024 – Everything Writer

I wish I could as easily as I used to. I wish I could get others opinions out of my head. I wish I didn’t doubt myself so much. Wishing on a star if more fun. Blowing on a dandelion is more fun. Tossing a coin into a fountain is more fun. Wishing can actually lead to starting something.

Start

September 8, 2024 – Creativity

Who’s stronger me or the blank page? Goofs, mistakes, errors…that’s where the interesting bits are, that’s where the learning grows.

September 7, 2024 – Indulges & Reflections

Indulge and start…I need to just do it. Take time and write. Take time and read. Take my time.

Reflections and start…starting is scary. It is fun. I want to and I’m afraid.

September 6, 2024 – Theadora Mitchell, heat with humour

I have a character, Patrice, she’s a bit over-the-top comfortable in herself. Some might even refer to her as the bad girl, the not-so-nice girl, the one you should stay away from…why? Because she’s that comfortable in herself and her desires. Because she understands people and their desires. Because she has no shame, no judgement, no regrets about her life or those around her. She learned her acceptance and it wasn’t easy. Trust never is, but you have to start somewhere.

September 5, 2024 – Melody Hews, romantic heart

I’m about to discover if I write better love stories from their beginning or somewhere in their middle and reconnecting…oh wait, that’s not exactly how Tina and Patrick fell in love. Dangit! That story is a mix. No wonder I’m having a struggle with the start of part two. Struggling with part one’s redo…it was a fun ending, but I don’t think I really want part to end.

September 4, 2024 – ChrisChat Reviews

TBR. To Be Read. To Be Reviewed. Start where…the oldest one in the pile or the most looked forward to? For every new book started an older book must be started. Now that I’ve started, do I want a writer to start BIG and FLASHY or easy-going and quiet? I don’t even know until I finish. Sometimes it’s all about the my mood when I open your book. Don’t even ask about do I start more than one at a time versus having several on the go. Save that argument for someone else, I have multiples on the go in a variety of forms.

September 3, 2024 – Life Becomes Understanding

Even with journaling, it’s disappointing starting in the middle of the week or month. It’s irritating to have a week of four days perfect fill in of journal notes, but miss the fifth then the seventh. To fail at being perfect at meditating everyday and recording it everyday. Does it really matter when the start is here? I know it’s not about starting or having the perfect attendance, it really is about simply showing up.

September 2, 2024 – Everything Writer

I don’t know what’s scarier, the blank first page or the next page, next chapter, or the ending. I like my story concept. I like the characters. I love the writing feel of pen on paper or fingers on keyboards…the voice in my head dictating my words. But where the hades do I start? How do I justify not dusting or doing laundry or helping with dishes so I can sit and write my imagination? When does the guilt go away…I’m playing. I’m having fun. I’m doing something that won’t pay bills, but might make it easier to live with me. The start is more than just the beginning.

Liar or Hypocrite

September 1, 2024 – Creativity

Liars and hypocrites make fun characters. They’re either completely fibbing and spinning tales or they’re believing exactly what they’re saying/doing and somehow we love them for it.

August 31, 2024 – Indulges & Reflections

Who hasn’t dealt with someone who has been a liar/hypocrite, but then is the first to call anyone out should they cross that line in the smallest way? What’s good for the gander is good for the goose…or is that the other way around? Are you willing to say you’ve never indulged in a small lie to get out of something because you just didn’t want to go/do but didn’t know how else to say it truthfully?

August 30, 2024 – Theadora Mitchell, heat with humour

Let’s be blunt…faking it…is that lying or hypocritical? “No one has ever done _____ better than you.”

August 29, 2024 – Melody Hews, romantic heart

Simple question…can you be a liar or hypocrite in love? Are all “bad” guys and gals liars/hypocrites or simply honest, but we just don’t want to hear it…but secretly that’s the very quality which makes them attractive?

August 28, 2024 – ChrisChat Reviews

In this concept, am I talking as the reader, whose work I’m reading, or me, the writer of the review. Should I lie about the piece in order to save the writer’s ego (and it is our ego that gets bruised when someone speaks negatively about our work)? Let’s switch that around…the writer is has a large ego, something grandiose, and I have loved their work, but just discovered I don’t like them as a person…should I become a hypocrite and write a negative review to “get them?” Then there’s only writing positive reviews…am I comfortable with only writing those and, do what with the negative, less than favourable reviews? Am I being hypocritical then?

August 27, 2024 – Life Becomes Understanding

Which is worse…to be a liar or a hypocrite? When is someone a hypocrite versus simply changing their mind, realizing they were wrong and acknowledging it? Sometimes as I’m mulling over my own topics the only way I can think is by wording it into a question…kinda irritating, I know. I think I would rather be called a hypocrite than a liar. As a hypocrite I can learn more about myself. As a liar, I must know the truth, right? Okay, too many questions coming to mind and they are going down too many paths I don’t have the room here to write out. Which one have you been?

August 26, 2024 – Everything Writer

Which of these is your antagonist? Do they know – play upon what others believe or do they believe what they’re saying and doing? Can you be a hypocrite if you see and understand all viewpoints? What are you if you can admit to changing opinions? Yes, this came from watching too much politics. What stories will the next year or so bring us from today’s history?

Time Away

August 25, 2024 – Creativity

Can we ever take time away from our creativity? Maybe not, but we can take a break to refill that creativity. Time away for inspiration. Time away in order find more to create.

August 24, 2024 – Indulges & Reflections

Reflections, sometimes your time away will strengthen your belief and sometimes it will give you the space needed to accept change.

August 23, 2024 – Theadora Mitchell, heat with humour

Time away from passion? Are you crazy? What about those long distance relationships, the military partnerships. Workers on rigs or boats. When travel and long hours are your norm. Time away can make any reunion more. Time away comes before the make-up. No one said how long or short the time away needs to be.

August 22, 2024 – Melody Hews, romantic heart

Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Out of sight leads to healing the heart so that it will open again. And sometimes the time away will take you down a path to someone new.

August 21, 2024 – ChrisChat Reviews

Reading back to back is fun. It’s great. But, as a reviewer I need to change up the back to back genres. Too many romances and I get jaded, bored. Too many horror and I need something hopeful. Science Fiction? Give me comic relief from the techno babble. Mysteries, as much as I don’t want to admit, they can feel stale. Time away from reading can rest your mind. Time away from a genre creates that want for it. Know any decent monster-animal books?

August 20, 2024 – Life Becomes Understanding

Give yourself a break. You are doing the best you can in the moment, as corny as that sounds.

August 19, 2024 – Everything Writer

Step back from that first draft. Story has a stumble – step back. Your time away will give clarity. We can and do become too close to our creations.

Falling Behind

August 18, 2024 – Creativity

Yesterday’s words lead right into today’s – you can create your own path to falling behind. Be watchful for that overdoing.

August 17, 2024 – Indulges & Reflections

Too much can be too much and that can dull your interest or overwhelm you to the point of overload…falling you behind.

August 16, 2024 – Theadora Mitchell, heat with humour

Passion that’s what heat writing is about, right? Pretty sure I’ve covered my thoughts on the wham bam aspect. How can anyone fall behind in passion? Now, before you take the heat road, think about when the wham bam turns to a whispered blah, couldn’t think of any other word. Simply saying the physical passion may fall or rarely show, but the connection, yes, the love is always there in full force. Possibly even hotter.

August 15, 2024 – Melody Hews, romantic heart

Can routine take over from romance? With time do we fall behind in romancing our partner(s)? The forgotten dinner or flowers versus last minute rush or the make-up missed. What more could falling behind mean in romance?

August 14, 2024 – ChrisChat Reviews

Own your delays. Own your forgetfulness. Own your everything. It is my opinion that the first thing any reviewer owes to an author, publisher, or PR individual and the readers is complete honesty. There’s no need to be blunt or brutal. Be honest. Be humble. Trust is too easy to lose.

August 13, 2024 – Life Becomes Understanding

Journaling. Meditating. Morning and evening routine. Anything I schedule in order to not fall behind. And that’s the point – life happens no matter how you plan. No matter what you try. Life doesn’t stop for you to catch up. Yes, I have a to do list – a reminder list – of what I want to accomplish. My biggest lesson from it? Be gentle with myself when I miss, forget something. Life happens. There’s no competition, no race, to win. It’s my life and I only have one.

August 12, 2024 – Everything Writer

Is this simply a form of writer’s block? Of procrastination? Bored of the story being written? Why fall behind doing something you want, something you profess to love? Too many questions. I could say, for me, it’s a matter of everyday life taking over and having poor time management, but hey, how long does one sentence take?

Momentum

August 11, 2024 – Creativity

Momentum, that one more _______.

August 10, 2024 – Indulges & Reflections

Collecting. Everyone I know has some type of collective passion. Sarah Ban Breathnach, in The Simple Abundance, was the first voice I heard say it’s okay not to collect every – teacup, spoon, stamp, whatever. It’s okay to only keep those that touch you deeply. It’s how I was able to clean out my personal library and temper the momentum of having to get everything.

August 9, 2024 – Theadora Mitchell, heat with humour

Passion and momentum, this could go one way, but let’s take it another – our passion, nope. This thought would be better for Saturday. Momentum in my area of writing can be the slow burn or the overpowering wave, either way it is difficult to ignore. And that’s what you want the reader to feel – the urge to keep reading.

August 8, 2024 – Melody Hews, romantic heart

Nothing says romance more than clean laundry. Someone who shares the load, as the pun goes. Romance, love, laundry, they each build in their own momentum and are better when shared.

August 7, 2024 – ChrisChat Reviews

Momentum. How does that work when reviewing…read more…read faster? Cleaning up files. Checking if books are still available. Checking if there are lost requests. Updating records. Updating cover changes. Deciphering notes…that’s its own rabbit-hole. Send food, I might be here awhile.

August 6, 2024 – Life Becomes Understanding

Momentum started the week. Today’s word is Remember. Why? When I stop to think what I feel I need/want to focus on, even if it’s focus, these crept in the loudest, most persistent. Keep going, not giving up, picking up the pieces…remembering why. Why I want to move forward, continue on this path…continue creating this path. I’ve offered these up so far, what do they invoke in you?

August 5, 2024 – Everything Writer

Today’s word was – momentum. Picked it because I knew I had a backlog of “things” I wanted to get caught up on. Momentum is also needed in writing, but at times it stalls…I’m now thinking like trying to turn a car over, the promise of it catching and then nothing. Keep going. Write anything and whatever falls out of your head. Heck, this is how this was written.

Spontaneity

August 4, 2024 – Creativity

My high school teacher offered this exercise…sit in as dark and quiet of a room as possible and simply write the words that come.

August 3, 2024 – Indulges & Reflections

We want spontaneity as long as we have it planned out.

August 2, 2024 – Theadora Mitchell, heat with humour

Spontaneity…Laughing, with someone freely without judgement or worry. Reaching for someone’s hand to hold without concern.

August 1, 2024 – Melody Hews, romantic heart

Spontaneity…giving flowers for no reason to anyone you love, no matter the relationship.

July 31, 2024 – ChrisChat Reviews

Spontaneity…buying more books than you need. Spontaneity…giving the WT… to the person who said that.

July 30, 2024 – Life Becomes Understanding

You could hold on to the mood you’re currently in – good or bad or blah – or you can be open to whatever shows up in the next instant.

July 29, 2024 – Everything Writer

Does the simple active action of doing something spontaneously no longer make it so? Isn’t the next step from a spur of the moment actually planned, in some manner? One of a writer’s duties is word play, playing with words, hiding or finding meanings within meanings. Hiding the obvious within the obvious by obscuring it. Complex simplicity. The typical mountain from a molehill…depending on your POV, that is.

July 28, 2024 – Creativity

A blank page, knitting needles, crochet hooks, paint brushes, new clay, any creative material can be daunting, can freeze us. Give it some time. Sit with the your creative tools. I’ve doodled, wrote random words on the page, kneaded the clay, and just held the yarn till the next thing I knew something started to form without any thought. Don’t break away from your creative outlet.

July 27, 2024 – Indulges & Reflections

Book, movie, music? Stay at home? Go out and about? Alone or People? Which do you lean towards when your energy is low?

July 26, 2024 – Theadora Mitchell, heat with humour

Cuddling. Simply holding our person…persons…can do more for our well-being than anything else. Just how long should a recharging hug be?

July 25, 2024 – Melody Hews, romantic heart

Couple silence isn’t always due to arguing. We can find comfort and recharge with someone who knows us best, who knows when we need silent strength

July 24, 2024 – ChrisChat Reviews

As a reviewer, my breakaway is always more books, but without taking notes or writing a review. The love of reading never changes, the mindset around it does. Simple free reading for joy.

July 23, 2024 – Life Becomes Understanding

Sometimes time away isn’t the break you need or want. Some find learning, training to be their relaxation. What recharges you – forget what others say.

July 22, 2024 – Everything Writer

Many of us think of summer as vacation and take time away from working. Can you really take time, a vacation, away from writing…from creating? Is writing really working? We must treat it as a full time job, as work, but doing what is you, never feels like work or requiring time away…well, maybe to refill the imagination well.

July 21, 2024 – Creativity

Today doesn’t have much being creating, except for my table/desk. Guess you would call that creating my creative/reflective space?

July 20, 2024 – Indulges & Reflections

The only indulging and reflecting, today, is what am I food am I craving. It’s a slow day with not much being accomplished…and that’s okay. We all have and need these days.

July 19, 2024 – Theadora Mitchell, heat with humour

When writing heat, hot, erotic, you might not want to feel the physical passion, but you want the characters’ passion to be real. Writing heat/erotic isn’t just the act, but the totality of the characters interactions. This is what makes it intense. Do you feel the anticipation?

July 18, 2024 – Melody Hews, romantic heart

Feeling it. Can you feel the characters’ love, more than just wanting them to get together, but the falling in love? This goes back to the saying – if the writer doesn’t believe it how can the reader.

July 17, 2024 – ChrisChat Reviews

Monday’s Happenings was about writing exercises, today it’s more our reading exercise…to be aware of when writers make us feel. Feel anything. Feel everything. Feel more than think.

July 16, 2024 – Life Becomes Understanding

Journaling is the writing exercise of our lives. The moments as they happened and our insight to them and ourselves.

July 15, 2024 – Everything Writer

Thunder storm, noise no light show, but the mugginess and humid stickiness is heavy around on on everything. Why can’t we bottle this to keep for memory isn’t enough. This is why writing exercises are important. Go for a 15 minute round of total description during any moment’s weather or emotion. Pour it out…like the sky above me is doing.

July 14, 2024 – Creativity

This blog space, posted on Sundays, was for anything and everything creative. I had a few writers drop by to share their creative outlets, small interviews, and it was fun, so why not bring it back. There’s more to writers than words.

July 13, 2024 – Indulges & Reflections

I’m bringing back…maybe I’m crazy…my weekend blogs, so why not bring them into Today’s Happenings as well. Indulges & Reflections, guess more like a larger version of Happenings…or Happenings were the shrunken version of them. More personal rambles and thoughts. Randomness. Could be interesting.

July 12, 2024 – Theadora Mitchell, heat with humour

It’s good to remember we all have days in which nothing goes as planned. Even days where nothing goes, stays, changes, basically just sits and stares at the wall.

July 11, 2024 – Melody Hews, romantic heart

Laugh more.

July 10, 2024 – ChrisChat Reviews

Took the day to review what it was I needed around my personal space. I’m quite happy with my results.

July 9, 2024 – Life Becomes Understanding

Meditation doesn’t have to mean silent focus or breathing. your meditation is yours. If all you do is sit and give all to enjoying a coffee and donut, so be it. Pet the cat? Walk the dog? Even the time changing a diaper can give you the focus a meditation does. As the saying goes…be in the moment fully.

July 8, 2024 – Everything Writer

There will be years for questions and years for answers as the saying goes. Today’s a day for a question or two. What risk will you take today – how or will you push yourself.

July 5, 2024 – Theadora Mitchell, heat with humour

Muddled-minded is my new fave wording. It fits today and I think it fits Thea’s mind. I better write that blog on personalities, traits, mine that is. Oyy, now I’m confusing myself…muddled-minded.

July 4, 2024 – Melody Hews, romantic heart

Everyone talks about date night – time for one on one with the one we love or are interested in. Ever take a date night with family, yes the kids, the parents, the grandparents? Isn’t date night a time set and planned not to be missed? Something vital to keep you connected? Who better than any loved one? Right, keep the reasoning and emotions, but change the name.

July 3, 2024 – ChrisChat Reviews

Today’s Reading suggested changing To Do to Get To. A simple change of words with a huge meaning difference. Today I get to read and then talk about people’s fictional worlds. Today I get to visit people’s lives and thoughts and share them with others. Call me lucky.

July 2, 2024 – Life Becomes Understanding

On track, don’t lose focus. You can’t make time; you have to take time.

July 1, 2024 – Everything Writer

It’s Canada Day. History is not all sunshine and flowers, it can be very dark and horrid. I don’t celebrate our past, but our growing future together.

Today’s Happening…

June 28, 2024 – Theadora Mitchell, heat with humour

That safety release…mother nature’s weather laughs. You cannot control everything, anything, and sometimes nothing. Ease your release of frustration, anger, pain, but when you rely on human-made plans to do so, mother nature will remind you – plans are futile and the only real way to find release is through yourself.

June 27, 2024 – Melody Hews, romantic heart

There are times when we cannot ease our anger away and it will simply explode. Love is having someone who understands this and gives us the safety to let go…without violence, of course.

June 26, 2024 – ChrisChat Reviews

5:48pm and I’m not going to get the reading done today I wanted. I started the day great, but filled the morning hours with “household/home stuff” instead of focusing on my morning routine which preps me for the creativeness to come. It’s cooler. It’s raining. I’m now tired and want a nap. Do I push through and read when I’m feeling this…bleech…or try tomorrow when…oh wait, dental appointment, don’t think that’s going to be a great mood to review someone’s work either. Is there ever a good time…you have to make it a good time. Yup, that’s a bit too out there for me today.

June 25, 2024 – Life Becomes Understanding

Sleep came easily last couple of nights; waking at 4am while daughter goes to work for 6am was a bit difficult. Why do our brains get the silly notion of staying up late and get stuff done when we have the dumbest early alarms. Time’s weird.

June 24, 2024 – Everything Writer

Trying to build back from the heat. The house has kept a fair amount within, so still feeling heat drag. I probably should write these feelings down.

June 21, 2024 – Theadora Mitchell, heat with humour

Well, dangit, I don’t even have anything sassy to say…heat is letting up a pinch.

June 20, 2024 – Melody Hews, romantic heart

Not happy about this, but I gave into the heat and have done nothing, thought nothing.

June 19, 2024 – ChrisChat Reviews

It’s Wednesday my designated review day. Once I’m done posting this, I’m reading and writing reviews for the rest of the day. It’s still a Heat Dome in North America so what better to do than read. However, I also realized I review something entirely different and I never thought about before…my own cooking. Don’t you revise your recipes? Even the ones that are a throw together, who knows what, toss in anything. That’s what’s for lunch…then reading. But, let’s end with…what fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants meal did you later tweak into something that’s now a favourite?

June 18, 2024 – Life Becomes Understanding

We’re feeling the heat and it’s only 5:22am. I’m taking this has a reminder to make self-care a priority. How can we help anyone else if we don’t take care of ourselves? Reminds me of RuPaul’s statement about loving yourself. Hmmm, might just be time to pull out his book “Guru.” It’s true, reminders will come to you when you least expect them.

June 17, 2024 – Everything Writer

Heat wave, dome, is starting in my area today. We just went through a rain storm and that’s kept the temps a little down, but you can feel them creeping back up. Isn’t writing like the weather? It builds and leads into the next temperature or action. We even name moods to weather or look to reach them with words. Painting with words and weather…don’t ask where my mind is wandering, but it is.

June 14, 2024 – Theadora Mitchell, heat with humour

I’ve been distracted busy re-organizing my writing and everything else routine. It’s true, routine schedules can be more distracting than helpful, so I’m sitting down and looking closely at what really works for me. I’m an all or nothing gal. Mondays, nothing is working so I might as well just read. Tuesday’s are a good writing day, but let’s ease into it with the short stories. Wednesdays, let’s go back to reading, but working on those reviews. Thursdays and Fridays, Mel and Thea takeover with some other general writing. Fingers crossed.

June 13, 2024 – Melody Hews, romantic heart

Whoa, just saw lightning, the kind I was told was heat lightning. Waiting to hear the thunder, but so far nothing. I worked with a woman who loved T-storms, they “excited” her. I find them terrifying. Probably the same reason I dislike carnival rides. Time to sign off. This Happening didn’t go the way I first thought 🙂

June 12, 2024 – ChrisChat Reviews

Are you spending more because it’s too easy to find, buy, obtain stuff? We don’t have to go out to bring stuff home. We don’t have to wait, except maybe 24 hours. Are novels too long and short stories not enough? Am I the only one bored with what’s at my fingertips? Bored by what’s too readily available? Tired of junk, but have forgotten what’s…treatful? Maybe I’m simply in a mood.

June 11, 2024 – Life Becomes Understanding

Truthfully, the day has started way too early, 5 hours sleep isn’t what it use to be, guess that’s aging? Or simply just me 🙂 I was always a night owl until the hospital stay, 6 years ago. When you start waking at 5am for bloodwork and vitals it tends to become a habit. Now my body is battling the want to go back to old self and the enjoyment of being up early with the sun and birds. The earliness gets more done, most day. The lateness gets the mystery and cozy feeling and settling in and discovering. Both give much needed/wanted solitude. Guess it’s all a matter of time, LOL.

June 10, 2024 – Everything Writer

My dad would say…Jack of All Trades; Master of None…and that’s what I’ve been feeling lately. I was trying to touch on everything everyday and it wasn’t working. So, I’m switching up, starting with dedicated days so I don’t burn out. I’ve also changed the title of these notes, and I’m letting each day have it’s title. More for me, I guess, but we all need a shake up every now and then, right? 🙂

June 7, 2024

Undecided, that’s what today is offering. I’m not tired enough to be worn out. I’m not hungry. I know what I need and what I need to plan for, but I’m undecided about the whole grocery order. I’m undecided about whether to shower tonight or tomorrow. I can’t remember where I left off on my journal work this week. I don’t know what movie I want to rent but I do want to rent/watch one. Maybe I’m just caught up in a traffic circle and no idea how to get off this path.

June 6, 2024

Today feels like a Friday. I can’t get my head around there’s another day before no one in the family is off to work or any appointments are taking place. That we have one more hectic day to move through. Is this worse than having a Tuesday as the Monday after a long weekend? Who invented days anyways…why? Not the most romantic thoughts.

June 5, 2024

Today is a down day. The weather is heavy in humid pressure, everyone in the household has some type of headache and we’re all moving slow in semi-bad moods. Not a day to try anything or do anything but sit quietly and let time move around us.

June 4, 2024

I went to check my previous websites just to see how they look now that I’m not having them live, yeah, it’s a strange feeling seeing just my site’s name and then an offer from GoDaddy to help anyone buy the domain name from me. I didn’t think it would feel this…sorta sad, sorta missing them, kinda low. Did I do the right thing? It felt right at that moment and what I need to do now is get active and take charge of this path I’ve made.

June 3, 2024

The mind is slowly getting back into a normal groove, but it is a struggle. Feels like I’m in neutral and literally going nowhere fast. Give me a moment to catch up.

May 21-June 2 2024

Well, this has been interesting, I’ve missed quite a few days and quite a few “big” life times. Hubby and I have celebrated our 34 years married anniversary, our 36 years together, and a few health headaches. But that’s it for now as I will get back to my focus and show up where I need to be…need to be for me. Time to be a bit selfish.

May 20, 2024

History is not perfect and learning from it isn’t perfect, but we must strive to improve on what went before us. Our writings can offer a snapshot of who we were and who we can be.

May 13 – May 17, 2024

Missed sharing

May 10, 2024

Still in a blah low mood, at this point any other mood would be a welcomed mood change. What’s that saying…this too shall pass.

May 9, 2024

Feeling low. I’m good, but simply in a low mood.

May 8, 2024

Question again…are we reviewing our life when we are cleaning out closets and shelves? Today has 3 piles…keeping…may still matter…time for goodbyes…as much as these apply to old jeans do they not apply to old ways of thinking, too? Perhaps old items that once brought joy but no longer do? Memories that can now be safely stored or let go. Maybe there’s something you’re ready to pass on to someone else? Time to dust off that which no longer fits us.

May 7, 2024

Would you rather be invisible, the ability to become invisible, or have the chance to start all over somewhere else unknown and without your current and past life? Why? More, why can’t you do so now?

May 6, 2024

Just like this Daily Pondering, being written at 11:05pm, it’s never too late. Those dreams you’ve been keeping…dust them off and get making them true. (should I have started with something sithy? 😉

May 3, 2024

We know it’s all me writing these stories under different author names, but I do feel a different voice when I’m working as Theadora or Melody. Are all writers filled with multiple voices and personalities? I think so…have to unless I simply want to admit I’m crazy…oh wait, I’m a writer 😉

May 2, 2024

The old saying is – a June bride. I was a May bride and just found out the most popular month is now August with October quickly taking over. Iris is the February birth month flower, as is Violet and Primrose…hmmm, they’re good names for characters, too. Just a little back information on what I’m using for Iris.

May 1, 2024

I just found a new book series to read. Found the TV adaptation on Disney +…Shardlake. Wonder if Sean Bean’s character gets killed here, too. Just what I need another book (series) to read and watch. I’ve also had a character’s voice bang around in my head…oh joy, another one. Well, I’m done updating the Daily Pondering, time to go write.

April 30, 2024

More distractions. A near entire day of deciding what order to write and read. Balancing out what might be needed and where on the list is that best fit. Like I even have the list set up as appointments…like work times…tried that, didn’t work. I’m blocking myself simply because I’m afraid I’m going to muck up what’s in my head as I try to get it written out. I want to delete this pondering, but it’s for my own benefit I keep it up.

April 29, 2024

It’s Monday and I’m finding new ways to distract myself from writing and reading, although I’m getting more reading done, lately. Do you distract yourself more than you’re productive? What’s so fearful about writing the story and characters that are screaming in our heads? I’ll figure that out tomorrow.

April 26, 2024

Sometimes our senses are wrong and maybe that’s why we need to escape into fiction. I can’t leave it at that, it reads too…dark? strange? wrong?…I mean wrong in the “sense” we hear or see something that invokes the opposite emotion in us than what we would normally feel…sets us off into an argument or tears. When we’re off-kilter fiction allows us time to come back.

April 25, 2024

Question…do you buy flowers for yourself? Add to that…flowers are for everyone.

April 24, 2024

Who else gets impatient when waiting for a new book in a fave series? Knowing authors, they just as impatient to get the next one written, too. We’re all excited about their worlds.

April 23, 2024

Always stay open to change. Life will bring surprises at anytime, how will you react?

April 22, 2024

Happy Earth Day. Do you acknowledge Earth Day? I’m not sure I can salvage my hanging plant, not sure I’m a plant person anymore. I’ll try. Do you think if I wrote a plant person into any story I might start to feel more like one? Wait, that’s an idea for an existing character. Back to writing.

April 19, 2024

I’ve gone and done it. I’ve cancelled my other websites…all gone. Now I really need to work on how I want to best use this site and setting up each section. Change is good…right?

April 18, 2024

I swear there are things people just want to make more complicated than they need to be…like simply changing a payment plan. I won’t go into details, but it should be a simple switch from paying this amount to now paying this amount, not requiring the customer to have to switch, move, migrate, whatever, their existing account. Oiiii. That’s like calling your phone service and asking them to remove, oh, let’s say, a long distance plan from your account and them then handing you a new phone number. People really do like to make things more complicated than they need to be. Take using a person’s name…please call me ______ … or … I prefer this or that pronoun… or … in my early life, I’m Ms not Miss or Miss not Ms or Mam. Just use what the person asks you to use, what’s so difficult about it? Complicating, it seems to be humankind’s wacky skill.

April 17, 2024

Forgot how much I enjoy short stories. Finally getting some downtime reading fitted in the day. I could listen to books and walk, but I don’t trust myself not to get too into the story and end up walking into traffic. Do you listen to anything while walking or even driving?

April 16, 2024

Walked across the road to the grocery store, with my daughter. It was sunny and warm. Then went to another store later in the day and shopped by myself. It felt good even discovering I need more walking time to build up these legs.

April 15, 2024

Hello, Monday. We’re on the cusp of spring weather. Windows open and going out with coats. The sun feels very warm on my shoulder through the window. My creative energy is surging with this change in weather. And, yet, I feel the pull to writing something dark and shuddery.

April 12, 2024

Heat is more exciting to write than strictly erotic…what is the definition of erotic? Tending to arouse. Teasing? Excitement. Yup, that sounds more interesting.

April 11, 2024

How can change be both scary and exhilarating? That’s what I’ve been feeling.

April 10, 2024

Been reviewing my Task list again. Need to find the most efficient and effective order to accomplish everything I want in a day. Plus, it’s a good way to re-order one’s mind when it’s been “off” like mine has been.

April 9, 2024

Please tell me I wasn’t the only one who felt yesterday’s eclipse. I know it was a few seconds, but as soon as it was past, I crashed. I fell asleep for a couple of hours and was “off” after and all day today. Funny thing, first time I never felt the pull of the moon, either. Normally, I have to look at/for it, but not this time and frankly it was closer. Hmm, the mind might be playing with me.

April 8, 2024

It’s Eclipse day. What difference(s) do you feel today? What are you expecting/anticipating? I’m supposedly in the path for a total coverage, but guess what, it’s overcast right now. That’s the thing, we always need to be ready for obstacles and curves in the road. Let’s call them Plot Twists 🙂

April 5, 2024

I also write sassy, saucy, teasingly. I know what works for me.

April 4, 2024

I am a romance writer. I write stories to warm the heart.

April 3, 2024

Well, as you can see, I’m changing the website(s) around again. I’m hoping by recombining all my umbrellas under one site I’ll save time and have something for everyone.

April 2, 2024

Happy April and the showers to come. I’m up early, the timing I want and need in order to get everything I want to accomplish, not saying this won’t be a challenge since I’ve fallen into a habit of sleeping late, but it is the best time for me. Are you aware of the best timing for you?

April 1, 2024

Adaptability. That’s today’s mantra. There just seems to be change around every moment’s corner today. Change of plans, ideas, needs, wants, and just plan getting through the moment. I will focus today and get what I need and want done. I will adapt.

March 29, 2024

I’m a writer of heat, but for this Friday I’ll behave and only say…Chocolate.

March 28, 2024

Rewrites. Re-writing. Revisiting what I wrote and correcting or changing. The story is in the rewrite; in the edits. Why has it taken me this long to realize I can rewrite Midnight Find that has nothing to do with the original story-call? The call was for a romance without the HEA and I did that, but I’m not using the common dominator for that anthology…why then do I have to keep it as a non-HEA? Simple…I don’t, I can rewrite that part as well…I can expand on that original without the headache I’m facing on the new story. Oiiii, it’s taken long enough.

March 27, 2024

What’s your favourite reading material? Full-length book, novella, short stories in magazines? Fiction or Non? Do you read anymore? All of the above? Yeah, that’s me. I’ve also recently joined Audible. One problem with that one, probably goes back to childhood, I fall asleep within minutes of listening to any story. Either way, a good story is a good story.

March 26, 2024

Remember to have fun

March 25, 2024

Adaptability that’s today’s reminder and what I realize I need to do. My sleep patterns changed when in hospital 6 years ago; they’re changing again…have changed. Time to acknowledge and move with them.

March 22, 2024

Watching reruns of the original Magnum P.I., dang he had long legs with those white short-shorts. What can I say, it’s what’s striking me at the moment.

March 21, 2024

I read something along these words, about parents and children…we know them all their lives, but they only know us for part of theirs…and you know I’ve got that messed up. Of course, we only know them part of their lives, they…are supposed to…live beyond us and those years we don’t know them. Where I’m going with this I don’t know, it sure is a pondering/wondering. What I do know is I’ve known my husband longer than I’ve known my family…longer than his have known him. There’s comfort in this and with last week’s scare I’m more aware of it.

March 20, 2024

Where do you do your reading? I’m sitting at my desk as I type this pondering and I’m using my Cubii that lives under the desk…two things at once and yes, the Cubii does help me think. I guess that advice of if you have a question, walk to find the answer, is right. Do you read in silence or with something playing in the background? Right now I have a sound machine playing ocean waves.

March 19, 2024

As much as the world impacts my space; as much as another country’s decisions impacts thoughts in my own; as much as I care about people’s pain; there are times I must turn it off for my continued strength.

March 18, 2024

Watch your blood pressure, too high or too low isn’t good. Hubby’s home and we’re all starting to get back into normalcy. I know we should remember emotions to use in writing, but this past week’s I don’t really want to.

March 15, 2024

Home and making sure he drinks his water and Gatorade. He’s just a bit tired of us asking to describe his tiredness…normal or that strange dizzy type he had on Sunday. Are you drinking your water? Hey, love can be a nag 😉

March 14, 2024

He’s home!

March 13, 2024

Hubby still in hospital, but doing better. Looking more and more that his natural low blood pressure simply (right) went lower than is functional. Review your blood pressure regularly. Hubby now has to increase his salt intake and drink more water.

March 12, 2024

Hubby’s still in hospital, but now on a 24-hour blood pressure monitor, gets squeezed every 20 minutes. I’m re-organizing the house.

March 11, 2024

Hubby’s in hospital. Waiting on test results.

March 8, 2024

Only thing I can write, about two weeks late, dad would have been 93 on the 9th. Wonder what he would be like at that age?

March 7, 2024

This does not feel like March. I’m waiting for that last snow storm I know is sneaking up on us. Hope I’m wrong.

March 6, 2024

As I was going over some blog notes, I thought this one would be better as a note here….who should a reviewer write their review for? The author? The reader/audience? Themselves? How much weight do you give reviews…book/movie…in making your choice?

March 5, 2024

Ever forget to exercise…put it off cause, well, you just don’t want to, not the right time…and then when you do, like me using my Cubii as I type this, remember just how much you like it? That’s me today. It’s also me today going to overdue the Cubii because I’m liking it and not staying aware that my legs are not used to being on it this long or at this speed. As the saying goes…even a good thing can be done a bit too much. Maybe I need to loosen the tension if I’m not going to listen to myself and keep Cubii-ing?

March 4, 2024

Finally, starting to feel back to normal health. Having stated that, today has strange vibes. Maybe it’s the change in weather or the worry about the weather starting too good to last, but I’m feeling “off.” Ever have those morning feelings? Not sure I’ll be writing today…don’t want these moods to show up in the writing.

March 1, 2024

Hello, March. Are you a Lion or a Lamb? Who else believes in crazy sound ideas of weather?

February 29, 2024

Leap Day. Have you ever written a leap year, leap day, into your stories? How does this complicate a story, would it? Just wondering how it could be used.

February 28, 2024

How often do you review, take stock, of your life? Check in that you’re on track to where you want to be, heading towards?

February 27, 2024

Let’s call today a step backwards and wanting a fresh start. Multiple reasons, one being Monday night was a coughing night every hour. Two steps forward in getting better to three steps back. Redo, please.

February 26, 2024

Again, only because I’m living it…do you ever write your characters as being sick? Or are our fictional characters like TV characters…un-human with no need of toilets or ever getting sick, unless that’s the story?

February 23, 2024

It’s here. The cold has unloaded for its stay. Please let it be a short one. (tonight will be shivers under the covers and waking every hour to blow the nose)

February 22, 2024

Being sick isn’t romantic, but having hubby and daughter take care of you and family needs, sure is love.

February 21, 2024

It’s coming…or going, I hope. Please don’t let this be the 3 day start to a cold.

February 20, 2024

Who knew that freezing one side of your mouth for teeth cleaning can be so draining? Yes, I’m a suck when it comes to the dentist, mostly the cleanings.

February 19, 2024

Only because I have music playing…do you know the music your character(s) enjoy? What do you think that tells about them?

February 16, 2024

Valentine’s is over…or is it? Do you celebrate on that actual day of the week it lands or wait until a weekend or evening before a non-work day? Do you to large or keep it small? Is Valentine’s simply too much pressure on anyone? Since it’s two days gone are you dealing with regrets or planning how to make up those regrets? Maybe I’m just overdone with the commercialization of it all.

February 15, 2024

Love. Yesterday was the day we celebrate love. For some of us that made it the hardest, second hardest, day of the year. I’m lucky, it was an easy good day. Lucky? Now isn’t that a strange word. Do I mean that someone who doesn’t have what I have isn’t lucky? Talk about generic wording I’ve adapted from the world around me. Sorry about that and I’m going to leave this as is as a reminder it’s not about luck, but…what? What is your definition of love?

February 14, 2024

Happy Valentine’s Day. I might be a day late in posting this, but I’m keeping the Wednesday date because it applies to the reviews we give, especially on this day of love. We put a lot of pressure on this day…what if we’re not or we’ve lost or broken up…it gets emotional. Then there’s reviewing what were we given…gave…too much, too little, too anything. For my family, it was the dinner. You know the restaurant is going to be busy, takeout is going to be busy, but then reality comes in and you’re basically bored. Yes, this day has far too much pressure on being perfect that it loses meaning. Forget the packaging, how’s the content 😉

February 13, 2024

I need a do-over. Today’s been a day of nothing going as intended or planned. Heck, even my To Do List weekly set ups are skipping a week. It’s one of “those” days.

February 12, 2024

Woke up early today, before 5am early, think a nap might be needed later. It will need to be between writing and phone appointment. Maybe I’ll simply need time on the glider to wake up and stretch the legs. I can listen to more stories via Audible…yup, gave in and got the app. So far so good, but if I listen at night I fall asleep. Feels like that nap is calling.

February 9, 2024

Happy Friday. Time to do a back up of my laptop…better to be safe than sorry 😉

February 8, 2024

Another Fog advisory today. Who else finds fog romantic weather?

February 7, 2024

Happy February, Everyone. I’ve probably mentioned this before, but just realized I’ve been reviewing books for nearly 30 years. I don’t think my list has every been below 100 TBR…to be reviewed. Happy reading.

February 6, 2024

Supposedly a couple of North American rodents are telling us we’re in for an early spring. I like that idea, but given we haven’t had much winter weather in my area, well, I have a bit of a dread feeling we’re going to be hit in March with some nastiness. Believing and trusting are fine, but always stay open to changes.

February 5, 2024

Hello, February. Everyone talks about their TBR (to be read) pile that keeps growing, do you ever think that maybe too many of us are writing? Nah, me neither.

February 2, 2024

Hello February. Teasing us with your shortness only to have us face March’s lion/lamb testing of winter. You maybe the month of love and hearts, but you can be the hardest cruelest month as well.

February 1, 2024

Happy Valentine’s Month. A time to remember love. A time that pressures us all about what love is; should be. Today let’s just feel the love we know, knew, have.

January 31, 2024

Last day of January and I’m still expecting winter. Sure, we’ve had some snow and some blistering cold and a whole lot of overcast days, but where’s our winter? Look I’m not missing those snow and ice covered roads, paths, piles of stuff that won’t melt, but I am dreading their appearance. If this January was a genre I think suspenseful noir would fit…anticipation of what’s just beyond the fog’s edge.

January 30, 2024

Hi. Feels good to be on track. I tend to have a strong productive day followed by one of not so much; however, today is following yesterday’s accomplishments. The weather is just as overcast, but my productivity is wide open and that’s pushing my energy levels. Are you aware of your energy habits? Become so and you’ll be amazed at what you will do.

January 29, 2024

End of January. Last few days and then we hit February. I’ll be the broken record and say that this month went by a bit fast…mild weather if not the most overcast foggy one I can remember. Not sure if this is depressing or not, but today is a bit brighter. Forget the word count, I’m looking for one sentence I won’t cringe over.

January 26, 2024

I can’t remember what I was feeling this day, but I want to acknowledge that sometimes we lose track of our time. Lose track of what we’re doing and what we could/should have been doing. How much time do we waste? Let runaway from us?

January 25, 2024

I should save this for a Love is post, but I’m feeling too good and need to share now…love contains the element of helping hands when you’re feeling overdone. Someone doing a simple load of laundry, cleaning out the garbage, any of the small things you could easily do in passing, but they’ve done it means the world when the small things are your current mountain.

January 24, 2024

Still feeling overwhelmed, little bit of progress in the right direction…so, why am I adding more books to my TBR pile??? Books, series, I’ve already read and want to read the next one. All I can think is, I’m craving the comfort of the familiar. I’ve disliked “Hollywood” pulling the same-ole movies out instead of the new, so why is there comfort in re-reading a fave?

January 23, 2024

Feeling overwhelmed. I know this will pass and I know what I need to do to help the passing; however, the energy is challenging. Need to remember that one step starts the process. Any tips?

January 22, 2024

Today is a fine example of the days it’s more a trudging through the minutes than skipping along with ease. However, both require showing up and here I am.

January 19, 2024

I also found more Theadora writings during a note clean out. How did I forget these? One is the start of a set of shorts…I guess given the genre, we could call them quickies?

January 18, 2024

I cleaned out some old notes and found two, maybe 3 story notes. So, I’ve added to my writing load, but better yet discovered I can do this, I have the imagination and ability.

January 17, 2024

How can January be half over? I thought by now I would have multiple reviews up, campy movies blogged about, and far more books read/started. I still have half a month to go, right 😉

January 16, 2024

I read that animals hibernate due to lack of food supply, so sleeping, hunkering down, saves their reserves. I’m finally realizing I slow down in the cold, too. I barely want to do anything and it’s not because we’ve had little sunlight. What could I do to boost this energy?

January 15, 2024

THE SUN!!! I know, capitals and exclamation marks are overkill but, it’s been weeks since the sun broke through, it deserves a major shout out. However, my mood/energy will need a few more beams to reach this level of excitement, so in the meantime I’m simply moving along doing my best.

January 12, 2024

The winter storm sky is creeping over as I type. The wind is bullying the trees. I do believe those birds are riding the sky-waves like a surf or rollercoaster. Not sure if my body is reacting to the temperature change or my anticipation of what it’s like outside. It might just be a day for cuddling down with proven fave movies or those TBR books.

January 11, 2024

For Christmas, I asked for one of these…Kalimba Thumb Piano…and I’m finding the tune/tone quite pleasant. Now to start playing it more and figuring out how to really use it. I think we all forget that sound can call to us in multiple ways, if we stop and listen. What’s your romantic sound?

January 10, 2024

I’ve finally listed my non-reviewing books and I don’t know how you would call this feeling of them being about the same size as those books I’m working on reviewing. There’s a mix of overwhelming thrill and uh-oh. Either pile, it’s what I’ll be doing this stormy weekend.

January 9, 2024

I wanted to start my days earlier than I was in December, but I didn’t mean 4:30am. It was great to have my normal journal routine done earlier, but right now I’m fading and it’s not even noon. New habits, change in habits, take time to take hold and for us to adjust. Today’s a day of adjusting. I know I’ll appreciate this rough patch later in the month when it becomes routine.

January 8, 2024

Time to get back to normalcy…sorta. What I’ve been doing to re-organizing notes and, oiii, do I have a mass of notes. I’m not sure which blog, WIP, review some of them go to and that’s what’s taking my energy today. How are you doing?

January 5, 2024

I know the days are mixed up. I don’t really care, my child’s birthday is today and that’s the only thing that matters today. Happy New Year and Happy January b-days to all!

January 4, 2024

Anyone else worn out? Anyone else have their days completely mixed up? I know it’s the 4th and Thursday, but my body and mental have no idea what’s what. One moment I think we’re ahead of time and another a day behind. This week is a whatever time. Think I’ll go nap.

January 3, 2024

Happy 2024. It’s that time to take stock of what you want to accomplish in the next 12 months. Where are you with the books you’re writing, reviewing, and looking forward to? Taking stock…yup, been doing a lot of that these last few days. I’m looking forward and it feels right.

January 2, 2024

I’m still hearing that lyric…it’s a new day; it’s a new dawn…but I’m not feeling blue. Maybe a bit of a shock and I’ve explained more of that in today’s blog post…yup, I’m on a rolling start which is where I want to be. Making some changes which feel right, small ones some might say, but for me they feel like a cumbersome sweater is being wiggled off and folded away. Maybe I’ll wear it again; maybe not.

January 1, 2024

Just how many times today have I written 1/23? Good thing I don’t write cheques anymore, LOL. Watching the show “Luther” (yes, finally) and the song lyric – It’s a new day; It’s a new dawn – played, fitting for today. Wishing you a great 2024.