Do Good- and Good Things will come your way!
Happy New Year
I hope for everything you want and need in 2012!
Twelve Days of Christmas- Review
Twelve Days of Christmas by Trisha Ashley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I read this book right before Christmas and it was my favorite holiday book this year. The characters were well developed, the plot was interesting and I found myself wanting to stay up all night so that I could finish it. (But then was disappointed when I did because I wanted to read more about this town!) Kudos to you, Trisha Ashley, as we say in the south- “You did good!”
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Touched by Angels Review
Touched by Angels by Debbie Macomber
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Debbie Macomber is a favorite of mine and I was so excited to read this book at Christmas time on my vacation. I didn’t realize that this was part of a series and series always hook me so I may read some of the others. Basically there were three stories in this book, one for each angel. Only one disappointed me- the one about the teacher, Brynn. As I read that one I noticed way too many parallels with the movie Dangerous Minds. The plot wasn’t similar it was almost exact. One of the student’s names was even the same. The only difference I noted was that in the book Brynn had a priest for her mentor where in the movie it was another teacher. In both the setting was a low income, mostly Hispanic, school. One of the students got pregnant, one died, the teacher decided to leave at the end and the students convinced her to stay. All of that happened in the movie Dangerous Minds. I guess all of us let things we’ve seen creep into our thoughts but this one was too much.
The story about Hannah and Joshua was wonderful and I loved it, as was the story about the dancer and the rancher- great plot.
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Love Quote
Isn’t this so true? I fight sleep every night to spend time with my amazing husband!
Merry Christmas to All
I hope you spend time with family today!
Merry Christmas Eve
Now that’s just funny!
Jane Beckenham’s Come to Visit!
AND SO IT’S CHRISTMAS….HELP!
Don’t sweat it.
Jane Beckenham
According to children it’s ten sleeps until Christmas day (that is as I’m writing this little epistle). I should be terrified, frantic, scrambling to get my act together into shopping mode.
Am I?
Nope. Not this year. Which is weird, because really I’m a christmas-aholic. However, maybe it’s because I’m getting old(er). Maybe it’s because it’s been a tough year both personally – move house – illness (bla bla bla) and also where I live – in New Zealand, it’s been a tough year for my countrymen and women as areas in NZ suffered massive earthquakes.
So the year to date has kinda cast a dullness over the coming festive season. And it doesn’t really feel like Christmas. It’s chilly-ish, wet and windy. And it should be hot and humid and we should really be into bbq’s, the beach, and thinking of summer holiday. Because, yes, dear reader, while you’re shuffling through the snow and making snowmen, we’re grazing the golden sand beaches and surfing the waves.
So ready or not Christmas is coming and fast on its heels of course is New Year…and what does that mean. Goals! New year’s resolutions.
Why is it that we make New Year resolutions? Probably because its the time we take stock of what we have done, achieved, or not in the year ending. Maybe it’s because we want to find a way to do better, work harder, faster, smarter in the coming year. Or maybe we have already done that, and want to chill out a bit more in 2012, remember how to have a life.
Years ago, after I was exhausted from life’s challenges I spoke to a life coach/counsellor. She asked me what I did for me.
My instant response was “I write, of course.”
No Jane, that’s your job. What do you do for you?
Well, that hit me hard. I had no idea. Not a single clue.
Finally after a bit of chatting we decided I was going to go home and that night have a bubble bath. Well I was so excited, it was like this woman gave me permission to stop and smell the roses.
Sometimes in life we get so caught up with what we have to do now, tomorrow, or should have done yesterday but didn’t’, that we actually forget to breathe.
That moment when I had to think of something I did, or wanted to do, changed me forever.
Why”
Because I had no answer. How sad is that?
So I challenge you as you charge towards 2012, thinking your going to write up a storm, sell a bunch of manuscripts, edit so perfectly and of course all the while losing about 20lbs (I wish), what I want you to think of as you write all these new year’s resolutions down is to write three things you’d like to do this coming year – JUST FOR YOU.
Did you hear that? You. Just you. Something you enjoy – maybe it is with your loved ones, but it’s still got to be something you really want.
Here’s my list.
• Read every day. – Sometimes I forget – actually I forget A LOT. So that is something I really want to remedy.
• Visit the Brides through the ages exhibition at the Te Papa Museum in Wellington – this exhibition is fro the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. It’ll mean a plane trip and a day or two away from cooking and cleaning – bliss!
• Continue with my bucket list – which is a cooking one – I want to try lots of different recipes and the idea is to cook something new each week from my ‘bucket list’.
So it seems easy enough to think of these things, even to write them down, but believe me, it’s harder as the year progresses to stick to it when life gets in the way.
But isn’t it better to try, than to not try at all?
Happy festive season to you all, happy reading and writing, and most of all happy enjoying doing what you want to do just for you.
Jane Beckenham
www.janebeckenham.com
In books Author Jane Beckenham discovered dreams and hope, stories that inspired in her a love of romance and happy ever after. Years later, after a blind date, Jane found her own true love and married him eleven months later.
Life has been a series of ‘dreams’ for Jane. Dreaming of learning to walk again after spending years in hospital. Dreaming of raising a family and subsequently flying to Russia to bring home her two adopted daughters. And of course, dreaming of writing.
Writing has become Jane’s addiction – and it sure beats housework.
You can contact Jane via her web site www.janebeckenham.com or email her at neiljane@ihug.co.nz
All I Ever Wanted released at Red Rose Publishing
If you’re in the mood for a bit of Christmas romance then head on over to Red Rose Publishing.They are releasing 2-3 books every day for the 12 Days of Christmas. My short BBW erotic romance, All I Ever Wanted, was released today.
Here’s a short blurb:
Mitch is a chubby chaser. He can’t keep his hands off of volumptous women. Darlene loves short men and is sexually adventurous. You’d think they were a perfect pair- if only they hadn’t met in such a public place as an office Christmas party!
And an excerpt too:
I exempted myself from their droll company, and made my way in the direction of the slutty dressed temptress who boldness excited me. The silver sequins on her top sparkled all the way down to her too-tight black skirt. Oh, yes baby, gaudy to the max. Half way across the room our eyes locked. What a twinkle. Don’t look away, I begged with silent longing. Her hands waved back and forth as she stepped away from the bluebloods, touching each of them on the shoulder as she moved. Touch me, touch me, I pleaded. How long had it taken this angel to stuff her folds into that stifling outfit? And next time would she let me help her? Every lewd action I planned to take against her formed into a plan before we ever spoke.
“Hey. I’m Mandy. Want to dance? Get a drink?” A red headed bimbo, perfect teeth and make up, slid up beside me, drunk as a skunk. I noticed a wink my way from Mr. Hizeman.
“No thanks. I’m meeting a friend over there.” I attempted to walk away quietly but she wouldn’t give up. I pointed to my dream girl. “She’s waiting for me.”
“That cow? What would you want with her? I can make your dreams come true, soldier.” She moved my hand to her ass. My destination girl’s eyebrows rose in question.
I shook my head vehemently back and forth. “If you were a man I’d punch the living daylights out of you. I haven’t even met her and I already know she’s more woman than you’ll ever be.” I jerked away from the simpleton and she fell face down on the floor. Several guests ran to her rescue throwing a few insults my way as they helped her stand. All that mattered was closing the gap between where I stood and the striking vision before me.
New Writers
I am often approached by new writers. People who want to be published, see their name in print and/or make a living with words. I have lots of advice for these people but most of it is my opinions. The biggest obstacle to getting published- not writing. Seems easy right? Never give up is another saying that seems easy but isn’t always. There are ten million free workshops, classes, interviews, blogs, etc. that can help you improve your writing but very little articles that will keep you motivated.
You know the saying, you only have to run faster than the slowest man when the beat attacks- or something like that!
