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Kim Hornsby

Kim Hornsby is an USA Today and Amazon #1 Bestselling Author, having shared space on the top five bestseller list with J.D. Robb, Stephen King and Nicolas Sparks. 

To read more about Kim, her blog posts, and books, please click HERE .

Stuff, Stuff & Stuff ~ by Cynthia Land, LMT, RYT

I was recently surprised/not surprised to see Marie Kondo capitalizing on the fame of her decluttering books by selling items to, wait for it, clutter your house.  

Here's a recent article about it in The Atlantic. I get that she's pushing out her brand but it sure looks funny from my end.  

We in the West seem to be susceptible to all kinds of buying strategies.  If you tell us it's good for us or will help us to lose weight, we're likely to buy it.  Marie convinced us to buy her book to help us bring more joy into our lives.  The idea was to help us get rid off all the clutter in our homes, the things we were no longer using that had simply become a burden.  

In the practice of Yoga, with a capital "Y", we approach this idea of decluttering from the very first limb of the eight limbs of yoga.  The first limb has five parts and one of them is called Aparigraha, or non-possessiveness.  Sometimes it's translated from Sanskrit as non-attachment.  Many of us become attached to "things." "Don't take my Cuisinart, I can't live without it."

I confess to a deep desire for a Maserati Quattroporte.  I had this desire imprinted even deeper when my ex-brother-in-law bought one and I got to ride around in it.  That said, I realize this desire is unfounded and that my budget is no where near the reality of purchasing one, so I don't linger on this desire.  I just admire them.  Now you Tony Robbins types may say, "but Cynthia, anything is possible, you could start thinking big and saving for that car." And I will tell you that while I would love to have a Maserati, the owning of one, doesn't run my life.  I think of it in passing, occasionally.   I'd really rather think big on other things.  

On the other end of the spectrum, I see women blindly attached to the idea of relationship bliss that they destroy themselves to be with a man. Their notion of being single so abhorrent that they will attach themselves to men so deeply unhealthy just to prevent themselves from being single.  We are only starting to foster a woman's individuality and that she doesn't need a man/relationship to define or value herself.   Yes, I recognize I just compared my desire for a car and a woman's desire for a man but I wanted to show that one attachment can be manageable and one can be damaging.  So how do we get out of this mess?

Yoga suggests we practice letting go.  Let go of these attachments so strong they drive us to distraction, attachments so strong they cause us pain.  Obviously this is a practice, not something we just drop like a hot potato.  I too used to throw myself at men because I thought that's just what you did.  I felt so strongly that I HAD to be in a relationship or somehow I was less than my fellow woman.  My self esteem was lacking, that's for sure.  I sought counseling to put my mind in the proper perspective but I also meditated on letting go.  This is a process I have by no means perfected, but I keep meditating and my mind no longer holds on to things like it once did.  

Our Perception of Success ~ by Bambi Sommers

Tell me, are you a success?  If your answer is yes, good for you!  If you’re answer is no, maybe it’s time to look at your definition of what success is.

When I was growing up, people who had “prestigious” jobs were looked upon as being successful; doctors, lawyers, bankers, and the like.  But time and circumstances have changed things.  The cost of day to day living has gone up drastically and wages have had a hard time keeping up.

The cost of insurance has pushed some doctors out of practice. And hospitals are gobbling up private practices left and right, making it easier for doctors because the hospital is absorbing the cost of the malpractice insurance.

So, bottom line is unless you are one of the super-rich, the picture of success is not what it used to be.

In the writing world of indies, self-publishing has become the norm.  What used to be a negative word has developed into something writers actually want and plan to do.  It has become easy and inexpensive and is filled with choices as to how and where to publish, allowing the writer to have the final say on covers, pricing, and the like.  This doesn’t mean that just because you’ve self-published, your books will sell.  Once you publish, now you have to market and, with thousands of books flowing into that market  every day, it can feel like being in a soccer arena with everyone screaming and trying to be heard above the deafening roar.

This is why most indie authors work day jobs and write because they love it.  Very few actually make a livable wage.  It’s not because the books aren’t good.  There are many talented writers who, unfortunately, get overlooked on a daily basis.  It’s marketing among the masses.

Why am I raining on your parade?  I’m trying to get you to see that success isn’t necessarily about money, at least not anymore.  For most people in present day, success equals happiness.  

In the days of success being judged by your occupation, social media wasn’t even on the radar.  Those who self-published were considered writers who weren’t quite good enough to be picked up by a publisher (even though that was not true.) Writers had to send their books to publishers or “query” which many still choose to do today.  This is a much longer process and usually entails the writer having to withstand many rejections.

Modern day comes with more than its share of stressors that weren’t a factor years ago.  Social media has panned out to be both a blessing and a curse.  A blessing in the fact we can instantly obtain information, ideas, entertainment, and conversation.  A curse meaning social media, and technology in general, has increased many stressors in children and adolescents that were not there before, such as the need to keep up in a fast-paced, constantly changing world and learning how to deal with cyber bullies.  

Check statistics of the amount of medication given to children in present day for things such as ADHD compared to the days when children played outside and used their imaginations more.

Not to say it hasn’t affected adults, it has.  The need to keep up, once again, is a huge factor, along with the constant barrage of information, right down to eye strain.  I’m not knocking technology; I actually use it constantly for my business.  I’m just saying that information that we used to take days to absorb now comes to us within seconds.  And it doesn’t stop there. There’s more information right behind it. And so on, and so on.

If you don’t believe technology has caused stress, look at all the information now about self-care.  Books, classes, YouTube videos, CD’s, even entire stores are dedicated to it.  This might not have come about if we didn’t feel the need to disconnect with all the technology that rushes at us every day. 

We used to talk on our land line telephones (corded, of course!) or face-to-face when we wanted to be in contact.  Computers, when they did come, took up almost our entire desks with their bulkiness, and cameras were something with actual film that we had to wait days, sometimes weeks, to develop.  The plus side of this was no one filmed you when you were making a fool of yourself in public!

To sum all this up, things in our world today have changed drastically and our interpretation of success needs to change with it.  If you can find happiness in what you do for a living, you are successful!  If you have happiness and passion – even if you can only do it part of the time, you are a success!  You have found something that brings you joy!

If writing is your joy, keep doing it – even if you’re making little or no money, keep that joy, that positive energy, flowing.  Rethink things and enjoy your success!

    

Bambi Sommers has written eight romance thrillers. She also is a stylistic editor who keeps the author’s style while making their words better.  You can contact her by email at sommersbambi@gmail.com, or by clicking these links.       AMAZON      WEBSITE  

Santa Fascination ~ Jacquolyn McMurray

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated with Santa Claus. As a youngster, I was sure I saw the reindeer pulling Santa’s sleigh across the sky and heard them as they pranced on our roof. We siblings would spend hours with the Sears Roebuck and J.C. Penny Christmas catalogs to reference the gifts we wanted Santa to bring. 

Annie Spratt on Unsplash

All seven of we kids knew not to ask for extravagant gifts. We weren’t a wealthy family, but our mother managed to make Christmas morning a magical event and selflessly gave the credit to Santa for the multitude of gifts we received.  

The origin of Santa goes back to the 3^rd century in modern-day Turkey where St. Nicholas was known as the patron saint of children. Legend tells us St. Nicholas was born into wealth, but gave it all away. He spent his life helping the poor and sick. Over centuries, and across cultures, St. Nicholas took on many manifestations, but always maintained the persona of kindness and giving.  

Dutch immigrants are credited with introducing St. Nicholas to the United States in 1773 when they gathered on the anniversary of the saint’s death. A more modern version of St. Nicholas was immortalized in 1822 with Clement Clarke Moore’s poem, “An Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas,” later known as the iconic “’Twas the Night Before Christmas.” Through that poem, the magical abilities of Santa and his reindeer were imprinted on our minds.

I’m sure I inherited my love of all things Santa from my mother. One of her favorite movies was Miracle on 34^th Street. I still prefer the 1947 original version featuring the young Natalie Wood.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--uyzf7X_0c

It’s no surprise that I collect Santa Clauses. I often buy an ornament when I travel, and friends and family give me Santa themed gifts.  

Each piece in my collection holds a memory, like the ornaments from my sisters--reminders of a shared trip, our love of chocolate, and a Santa bearing gifts. They all make me smile.

                                                                                                                     

                                    

As much as I love all the various pieces in my collection, the Santa that brings back memories of my mom is one of my favorites.

Back in the day when our mother was still living, we four sisters took mom on a road trip from our home town of Tama, Iowa to Eureka Springs, Arkansas. 

We stayed in a bed and breakfast where we staged photo shoots with mom as the star. She was always such a good sport and always up for any activity we proposed. She readily played along with our antics-- the sillier the better.

The Victorian cottage we rented had a pink velvet settee—the perfect prop for our photos. Mom donned a turquoise satin bathrobe and a lampshade for a hat. My sisters fed her grapes as if she were the Queen of Sheba while I snapped photos.  

At the Silver Dollar City amusement park in Branson, Missouri, we pushed mom around in a wheelchair so that she would have the stamina to spend the day in the park. She loved the water rides and the live shows. She clapped her hands to the music and applauded heartily.

I remember she spent quite a long time choosing just the right souvenir. She settled on a wire-wrapped ring. She wore that ring for years after the trip. I hope when she looked at it that it gave her pleasure.

I bought my Father Frost ornament on that trip. And every Christmas when I go through my decorations, I look at Father Frost's kind eyes and rosy cheeks and think of mom and my sisters and give thanks that we had that trip together. 

The mental snapshots of Christmastime~by Joanne Jaytanie

The holiday season is in full swing. It takes twice as long to drive through town, find a parking spot, check out of a store, and don’t even mention trying to mail a package. But I do love this time of the year. Yes, it’s a busy time, and no, I probably won’t get all the items on my to-do list checked off. Even so, I adore spending time with friends and family, a meal, a drink, even a phone call are the times to cherish. Sharing the wonder and joy of this magical season is something one should never outgrow. Keep the mental snapshots of every heartwarming moment close at hand. 

What better way than to share an excerpt from my story Christmas Reflections. I hope it spurs your Christmas hopes and dreams of this extraordinary time of the year. 

Christmas Reflections:

     Colton followed Juliet back to Forever Christmas. He offered to help unload her car. This was his first opportunity to see her shop and, he admitted to himself, he wanted to get a look at one of the old houses. They drove past the main house that buzzed with workers, and down one of the dirt roads. Evergreen trees framed the road and blanketed the landscape as far as he could see. 

     She turned off the dirt road into a clearing. In the middle of the clearing, sat a pristine two-story Victorian-style house, painted in shades of lavender and trimmed with chocolate brown. A wraparound porch surrounded the house. There was a large parking area to the side of the house and at the front of the lot, a large silver and purple sign read Christmas Reflections. Other arrow signs in the same color scheme pointed toward the back of the house. Colton got out of his car and helped Juliet unload.

     “Thank you, again. You really didn’t need to do this. Lunch more than made up for running me over.” She grinned at him.

     “My pleasure. I’m done for the day, and this gives me the opportunity to see more of your farm. The trees are really impressive from the road. On foot, you don’t get the same appreciation for the massiveness of the area.”

     An oversized cobblestone walkway picked up at the edge of the lot and led to the back of the house. He turned the corner and stopped, stunned by the view. The walkway bloomed into a full patio that encompassed the entire length of the building. The door was painted a deep purple, and the top half featured a beautiful window made of clear leaded-glass. Above the door, a large, elegantly-carved silver and purple sign read Christmas Reflections. Flanking the door, the bay windows burst with color, adorned with panes of stained glass in all different colors and patterns. 

     “You did a marvelous job, Juliet. I know a dozen people who would love to hire you, should the need ever arise.” A feeling of guilt stabbed him. “How long have you done glass work?”

     “Most of my adult life,” she said.

     “I find the name of your shop intriguing. Mind if I ask you how you decided on it?”

     “It’s based on my life. As we discussed over lunch, I left for bigger and better things, or so I thought. Upon reflection, I realized everything I needed to make me happy, I’d left behind.”

     When they entered the shop, Colton thought he couldn’t be any more amazed, yet he felt as though he’d left the world behind and entered a magical land. Colors flashed and sparkled around him, rainbows danced on the shop walls. There were Christmas ornaments made from dozens of tiny pieces of glass, jewelry boxes, and glass table lamps displayed on the cherry shelves. Oversized A-frame cherry wood stands held additional framed glass windows, stunning angels with milky white wings, and holly wreaths. The Christmas tree in the corner shimmered with glass holly, Santas, and snowmen. He was drawn to one of the glass table lamps.

     “This is all amazing, your work is breathtaking. I love this desk lamp” he said.

 The angel and blue box were made by me.

Wishing you and yours a wondrous Christmas season.

  

To learn more about Joanne and read her past blog posts click here.

Until next time...

Joanne