Category: Thoughtful Thursday

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Behind the Scenes of NOW AND ALWAYS

My latest release, NOW AND ALWAYS, is set in Miami. As a kid, we always went to Miami in August to visit family and friends. It used to be a fun road trip as we made our way from New York, down the East Coast and eventually to Miami. We used to stay in South Beach back then, not because it was trendy, but because it was inexpensive. At one point we stopped staying there as the area had gotten too bad.

It’s nice to see South Beach revived to its Art Deco splendor. I was lucky enough to revisit South Beach a few years back and here are some of the photos from Ocean Drive and the South Beach area. In NOW AND ALWAYS, Connie gets an apartment in this area while she goes undercover and fights her attraction to sexy physician Victor.

This is a view of the beach from Lummus Park. The brightly colored lifeguard stands are a staple of the Miami Beaches.

South Beach Lummus Park

There are quite a number of glamorous hotels in South Beach. This is the pool area at the Loew’s Hotel. Lovely place right near Lincoln Drive. For those who read KISSED BY A VAMPIRE, lots of action in that book happens along Lincoln Drive, a pedestrian mall lined by restaurants, clubs, and stores.

Loew's Hotel

The smaller and older hotels are famous for their Art Deco style and neon. The neon throws its color into the tropical night, making it come alive.

sb4

Hope you liked this behind the scenes glimpse into the inspiration for NOW AND ALWAYS.

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Discover THE LOST Energy of Change

I hope you’ve enjoyed all the guests this week and thanks for all the good wishes on the cold. I’ve still got a cough, but am feeling much better. Before we were interrupted by RWA and my illness, we were talking about THE LOST energies in the things all around us.

Today I want you to consider the energy and power that resides in Change.

“Change?” you wonder. “How can Change possess energy?”

Well think about this. Albert Einstein said that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. Think about all the energy and time that is wasted by doing the same thing time and time again only to have nothing different happen.

Think about what would happen if you took a different approach? Traveled a different path?

Nature inherently understands this. If you’ve ever spent time near the ocean you see how the water finds its way to the shore by following the path of least resistance. Although it may pound and pound and pound at the obstacles we throw in its way (jetties, docks, dams, etc.) inevitably it will take a different route to get where it needs to go.

I feel like I am at that point in my life. Doing the same things over and over without accomplishing anything different. It happened before many many years ago and the change I took then was what led to my writing career.

Now I look at my writing career after nearly a dozen years and ask myself, “Where do you go now? What can you change?”

Change being the operative word. There is power in Change. There is power in exploring new things.

That’s not to say that Change isn’t a scary thought. Most of us are creatures of habit and have built our safe havens where we are comfortable. It takes a lot to budge us out of those cozy nests, but sometimes you have to say, “Why the heck not?”

So with that challenge, I’m going to think about what I’ve been doing and how to effect Change. How about you? Are there things that you will challenge yourself to change? Will you empower that energy inside of you to try something different?

Also, if you’ve got a moment, visit the Carina Press blog to find out more about the inspiration behind THE FIFTH KINGDOM and the relic in the story!

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The Royal Wedding

There are some memories that never leave you, whether good or bad. 9/11. That memory will never fade especially as the tenth anniversary approaches.

The shock of going to the convenience store one summer weekend to pick up bagels and the paper and seeing that Princess Di had been killed.

Watching Princess Di marry Prince Charles on another summer day. My mom and I had gotten up early to watch together. She had been diagnosed with cancer just a couple of months earlier. Little did I know I would only have her for another short couple of months.

Still, it was a magical memory. The carriage. The gown. The traditions. I still remember it to this day!

So here’s a look back in time to that day. Tomorrow I will be recording the wedding so that my daughter and I can sit side-by-side watching the event. Maybe I’ll buy some scones and clotted cream. Whip up a little tea for us to enjoy while we watch.

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Proud to be an American

Feeling very patriotic today. Maybe it was being at the SOS Military Mixer at the RT Convention. Or maybe it’s what is in the news everyday. Regardless, there is no doubt that despite all our differences, we should all stand tall and say that we are proud to be American. And we should be thankful every day for those who make it possible for us to have our Liberty and the right to express our differences.

So today I offer you a song that always chokes me up every time I hear it. I understand the amazing and wondrous gift that I have been given to be able to enjoy the American Dream. I also understand that the Dream is paid for by the sacrifice of our military men, women and their families, so this is to honor them today and every day. Never forget their sacrifice and never forget the words of John F. Kennedy when he said:

And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.

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The American Promise Advertising Style

We all have commercials we love. They can be funny or sad. Sometimes the feelings the commercials evoke are so universal that the commercial passes into pop culture status, enduring long beyond it’s finished running.

Then there are commercials that rouse our emotions and wring them out. Make us remember things too important to ever forget. That’s the way I feel about these two commercials highlighting the promise of America. Vindicating its values and all that we believe to be good and true about this Nation.

The American Promise advertising style.

I’m glad to see them because it seems to me that lately too many of us are cowed by the media/politicians/celebrities into thinking that being patriotic is somehow rascist/stupid/hokey.

Well, I’m not afraid to say that when I see the American flag flying high or hear the National Anthem, my heart beats faster, my throat chokes with emotion and tears come to my eyes.

As I’ve said before and will say again, I’M AMERICAN AND DAMNED PROUD OF IT! Don’t be afraid to say it either.

For now, I’m sharing these videos with you that remind me of all that is good and possible in America.

If you can’t see the videos below, you can click here for the CHEVROLET Heartbeat of America commercial or you can click here for the Jeep Liberty commercial our cut and paste these links into your browser:
Chevrolet Ad: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYThjgJZFwo
Jeep Ad: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mi0SbrrGaiw


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It’s the Power of Love!

There is an interesting article up at Yahoo News Today about the best advice that Warren Buffett ever received.

According to Buffett, also known as the “Oracle of Omaha”, his father taught him how to live and Buffett believes that all parents can make their children “better human beings” with the power of one simple thing: Unconditional love.

I was lucky to have had a mother who believed in that. I never had any doubt that mother loved me with all my faults and that I could always turn to her when I needed support.

It was imperative to me to do the same with my child, understanding all the good and bad, but always being clear that my love was not conditioned on her getting good grades, being a better athlete, etc., although we always stressed to her that those things were important for her future.

It’s not always easy to be this way in some situations. Can unconditional love make you a doormat? What do you do if your child just seems to be going nowhere? Can you show “tough love” and still have it be unconditional?

I sure don’t have all the answers and I’m sure neither does Warren Buffett. But it’s an interesting news piece and interview if you’ve got a few minutes to spare this morning. You can either click on this link or cut and paste this link into your browser:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_upshot/20100708/bs_yblog_upshot/buffett-recounts-the-best-advice-hes-ever-received

You can also see his comments here:


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Thoughtful Thursday – Help Our Fight

About a year ago I joined a group of writers who wanted to share with others their love of doing different things. Because of that spirit of daring, we decided to call ourselves Danger Women Writing. In the year that followed, we’ve found out a lot about each other personally, offered support for our writing endeavors and most important of all, become friends with each other and the women on our loop – our Dangerous Readers!

Today we’re joining together for something different and even more important – to help our friend and Dangerous Woman Jennifer Haymore fight breast cancer. Please take a moment to visit Jennifer and also download one of these graphics for your website, blog or social media site. We’ve got a wide selection of items available at the Danger Women Writing Fight Breast Cancer store to help Jennifer and others like her beat Breast Cancer.

Right click to grab a banner to put on your site, Facebook page, blog or anywhere to help us spread the word or click on the banners to purchase apparel and other accessories at our store!




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