Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends in the United States! Actually, to all my friends wherever you are, because I'm sure you are thankful for many things, as am I.

My family, including Ed's mom, are in Lake Tahoe celebrating the holiday. 

My dear daughters in Lake Tahoe

As I posted on my Facebook...

I am so grateful for my many blessings and for my friends and family. In addition, I am grateful for my challenges, because they teach me valuable lessons and make me who I am. However, I realize some are challenged much more than others. Sending hugs and love to anyone who feels their challenges are heavy this holiday season.

This time of year can be really hard on people, and I hope those who need support will reach out for it. Sending all my thoughts and prayers to those with heavy hearts this holiday season.

Black Friday Deals

Some great Black Friday deals and fun to share with you today.

Chasing Memories is FREE on Amazon Kindle today through 12/1/13.

Thanks to the lovely Gin at Gin's Book Notes for the graphic... she's a gift to authors and readers. Truly. Check out her site.

A great series by the amazing Jo Michaels is on sale, with the first two in the series FREE, until 12/3. Don't miss out--you get the entire 5-book series for $2.97! Crazy good! Find out more here.

Want a chance to win one of FOUR $50 Amazon cards? Enter below. Also, please come to the Facebook party TODAY (11/29/13) here.

This event was organized by the lovely Laura Howard. Her book, The Forgotten Ones, is FREE today on Amazon Kindle as well, so grab a copy here. Find out more information here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

There are so many great deals today, but I couldn't list them all here. Follow me on Facebook or Twitter for more!

Grateful to be a Winner & a Gift: ROW80 & NaNo Updates

Monday night, at 10pm West Coast time, I did it. I passed 50K.

I needed to write a bit more to wrap things up, but I couldn't help but validate and official be declared a winner. I nailed the last few words yesterday. Next week, the editing begins.

I'm so grateful. November is not the month I would pick for writing a novel, with the holidays looming and general end-of-year anxiousness. But I've written a book the last two years, so something about it must work for me.

I am so grateful for the support and encouragement I get from my writing community. At this time of thanksgiving, I hope you all know how much you mean to me.

As a small way to say thank you, the eBook of Chasing Memories is FREE on Amazon today, November 27, through December 1.

I'd love some help spreading the word. I have some prewritten social media goodies below to make it easier.

For Facebook

I'm giving away my book as a Thanksgiving gift to you! A great #YoungAdult #paranormal read that will keep you riveted to the pages. http://amzn.to/1aUIOBd Grab yours while it's hot and★★ FREE ★★ Highly rated, over 20 reviews! 4.6 Stars! Happy Thanksgiving, all!! ~Tia

For Twitter

★ A Thanksgiving Sale ★ Great #YA #Paranormal Read http://amzn.to/1aUIOBd #FREE on #Kindle 4.6 of 5 stars 20+ reviews! Pls RT!

Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!

If you aren't in the US, I wish you a week full of what makes you grateful.

Going With the Plan or the Muse? -- ROW80 & NaNo Updates

I've been a bad blogger this month. For the past two Fridays, I've neglected to post. But it's for a good reason... I'm writing. NaNoWriMo is winding down, and I'm determined to finish my manuscript before my parents arrive for Thanksgiving.

As of last night late, I was at 46,633 words.

My plan is to finish today or tomorrow morning and set it aside for a few weeks. Then, I'll edit once and send it off to my beta readers before it finally lands in the hands of my amazing editor, Jo Michaels at Indie Books Gone Wild. While my betas and then Jo have it, I'm going to write book three.

Then, I plan to finish book two of Depression Cookies (already have 45K).

So of course a funny thing happened to me this weekend. An exciting idea for a new Young Adult book, one I believe will be a stand alone, came to me. I'm so jazzed about it, but I have plans. What's a writer to do?

Should I be practical and stick to the plan (taking detailed notes on this shiny new idea) or should I write the new one first?

Not a bad dilemma to have, especially since I really wondered after Depression Cookies if I was a one-and-out author.

Monday is also my A Round of Words in 80 Days (ROW80) update day, but my only goal for November is NaNo and keeping up with my sponsor posts. I was caught up before Sunday's updates, so I will plan to catch up again today.

I hope everyone is knocking out words, whether as part of NaNo or not. Happy writing.

And check out Mom in Love with Fiction today for some information on Ripley Patton's PSS Chronicles and a top ten movie list. 

Ghost Hand (Book 1) is currently free on Amazon!

And speaking of free, the eBook for Chasing Memories will be FREE on Amazon from Wednesday, November 27 through Sunday, December 1.

On Wednesday, I'll share premade Twitter and Facebook posts for sharing. Please stop back by then and help me spread the word.

ThanksLiving: Feeding the Fire

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I hope your day was filled with blessings, good food, and family and friends.

This Thanksgiving I've made a vow to live with thanks in my life. As wonderful as it is to give thanks and be grateful one day a year, it is much more meaningful to live a life full of thanks.

Each day this month on Facebook I have said something I was grateful for. It's amazing how much this simple activity forced me to own the blessings in my life. It's easy to let life's challenges get us down.

I plan to continue this daily thankfulness from now to next Thanksgiving and see how it impacts my life. No, I won't fill up everyone's FB Newsfeed. I bought a journal for my daily thanks.

This last year has had many ups and downs for me, and many of those are continuing. My life is in quite a state of flux right now. My husband is in between jobs, and my middle daughter is facing a lot of challenges with her EE diagnosis. But I've found it's easy to let stress and fear rule the day.

And I've never appreciated EASY. I always tell my children that anything worth doing, worth having in your life, shouldn't be easy. If it's easy, we take it for granted and never truly appreciate it. Don't get me wrong, things worth doing shouldn't feel impossible... just challenging.

Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.  Ralph Waldo Emerson

This Thanksgiving, I'm grateful for all the people in my life. I truly believe there is a reason for every person who enters our lives. Sometimes that person causes pain, but we learn from it. Other times, they bring happiness that makes us grow. But I'm most grateful for people who inspire my self-discovery.

In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit. Albert Schweitzer

A special thanks to each and every one of you who light my inner fire. Without you, I'd be a dim bulb flickering.

What are you grateful for today?

Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing, Baby, and I’m so Thankful!

Happy Thanksgiving. Today, please welcome, once again, my lovely mother and co-conspirator.

*****

Tia challenged me to write a blog post for Thanksgiving. I stalled. Why? This year has been monumental for me, my husband and family. How can writing a labor of love be so hard? Why aren’t the words just pouring forth?

This morning, God delivered the perfect venue, music. I picked two favorite songs, one by Marvin Gaye and the other by Kelly Clarkson to give structure to my tangle of words, emotions and gratefulness.

Sometimes it is the musical lyrics and words in songs that stir us to remembrance and joy, to a time and place where everything is real, everything is just and everything is powerfully embedded in a simple phrase, “I’m so thankful!”

Ain’t nothing like the real thing, baby!

Thankful for the lessons I’ve learned by God’s side,
Thankful for the love He keeps bringing my way,
Thankful He knows everything in my heart,
Thankful He knows my thoughts before I speak,
Thankful for the blessings, for precious moments,
Thankful for joy and the troubles I’ve known,
Thankful for the truth that keeps guiding my soul,
Thankful I knew through it all, I was never alone,
Thankful, so thankful!

Ain’t nothing like the real thing, baby!

Thankful for a soul mate of forty-one years,
Thankful for memories to cherish and share,
Thankful in trouble your hand stayed in mine,
Thankful when we took the “I” out of pride,
Thankful for faith, love and family devotion,
Thankful for your courage and protectiveness,
Thankful for your strength when mine waned,
Thankful for humor when we needed it most,
Thankful, so thankful!

Ain’t nothing like the real thing, baby!

Thankful for watching three daughters grow up,
Thankful they’re mothers with girls of their own,
Thankful their husband’s are men of conviction,
Thankful their children are loving and mindful,
Thankful each daughter has blossomed uniquely,
Thankful their faith draws a bead on the Father,
Thankful for their imprint on the needs of others,
Thankful for their concern, love and dedication,
Thankful, so thankful.

Ain’t nothing like the real thing, baby!

Thankful God gave me a heart to help others,
Thankful God sent me children who needed a hug,
Thankful God gave me broad shoulders to loan,
Thankful for acquaintances who touched my soul,
Thankful for friends I cherish and call family,
Thankful for a special once-in-a-lifetime friend,
Thankful, so thankful for all my blessings!
There ain’t nothing like the real life, baby!
Thankful, so thankful!

What are you thankful for on this day of thanks?

Thankful for the Big and Small Things: ROW 80 Check In

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I am focusing on gratitude. Today, I packed my three kids in a car at 4am to avoid DC traffic. If you've read this blog before, that's enough said on the topic. Just in case you haven't, please check out my post: Death, DC Traffic, and Public Speaking.

We are heading to my mother's house for Thanksgiving, but all my friends and family will be in my thoughts.

I am grateful for many things. First the big things, and then a fun list of the small things.

The Big Things
* My three beautiful daughters.
* A wonderful marriage to a great husband.
* My friends and family, both far and near.
* The freedom we enjoy in America, and to those who put their lives on the line to protect it.
* Health. I'd be especially grateful for more of it since my family is in a two-week spree of at least one person being sick.
* My writing community. Your unselfishness is inspiring.
* All the places I've lived. Beyond the people who have touched my life, I also have experiences I would never trade.
* My faith, and my ability to use it for good.
* People who choose to put good vibes out into the world. Negativity is easy.

The Small Things
* DVD players and all electronic entertainers (I am, after all, packing three kids in a car for six hours).
* Mechanical pencils. I hate a dull pencil, and these have saved me hours of sharpening.
* Food, in so many shapes and sizes, but especially baked goods.
* Books. They've brought both entertainment and knowledge into my life.
* Hair Dryer/curling iron combination. Again, I'm all about efficiency.
* Computers, although it can be a love/hate relationship. I can't imagine life without them.
* Red ink pens. Editing just wouldn't be the same without them.
* Elastic and cotton. So much of my wardrobe would be obsolete without these materials.
* Fake flowers. Unfortunately, I kill the real ones.
* Vacuum cleaners. Not only do they suck up filth, but they teach those little toy pieces a lesson every now and again (and my kids for leaving them defenseless).
* Slip-on shoes. Have I mentioned efficiency yet?
* Diet Coke. I don't drink coffee, so consider it my cup of joe.

I'm sure I've missed many, but the list has put me in the right mindset to hang my head on Thanksgiving day and truly say thanks.

*****

I am also thankful for my ROW80 writer friends and for our fearless leader, Kait Nolan.

Quick ROW80 Update

Writing/Blogging: I wrote five posts in advance so I could enjoy the holidays. A lot of writing, but little went to my WIPs. I hope to get some writing done this weekend and maybe even some writing during the two six-hour car trips.

Miscellaneous: I'm taking books and hope to get some catch up reading in.

Exercise: I am running a 5K Turkey Trot Thanksgiving morning so I can eat, eat, eat. All my no sugar rules go out the window for one day. I am visiting my mother after all.

Hope all my ROW80 friends have great updates and a lovely Thanksgiving. A special cheer and well wishes to those doing NaNo. The finish line's in sight.