writing
From the Heart
The Benefits of Skipping!
Did you know skipping rope may improve your heart health, physical coordination, and bone density. It’s also a great way to lose belly fat and ease anxiety! According to Nike, jumping rope is a great way to get a full-body workout https://www.nike.com/a/benefits-of-jump-rope
Of course, jumping rope may not be in your best interest if you are of a certain age and/or have joints that don’t appreciate the pounding. I doubt The Dahlonega Sisters will be taking up that sport anytime soon. Well, Mutzi McGilvray might…but she is a spunky character with an abundance of energy.
If you don’t know who she is, you’re in luck. Check out the first book in The Dahlonega Sisters, The Gold Miner Ring for $.99. (Available in the USA only) https://www.amazon.com/Dahlonega-Sisters-Gold-Miner-Ring/dp/1734038306.
While reading may not help you lose weight or strengthen your bones, following these sisters on their delightful journey might ease your anxieties and make you chuckle at their sister fussing.
Mutzi, Marge, and Rose Ellen are joining forces with Chuck Hansen to open Skipping Stone Lodge, New Beginnings. The eBook and paperback are now available on Amazon. All other venues should be available within a few days.
https://www.amazon.com/Skipping-Stone-Lodge-New-Beginnings/dp/173403839X
Chuck Hansen is ready to pay it forward. Only three years earlier, fresh out of prison and stuck in a downward spiral, his long-lost sisters Rose Ellen, Marge, and Mutzi appeared, giving him hope and a new life. Chuck is determined to repay their kindness and prove to the town of Dahlonega who he really is. His sisters rally to support him when he proposes creating a peaceful sanctuary called Skipping Stone Lodge.
But one impulsive decision to help a troubled young man puts Chuck right back where he started—behind bars. In a flash, everything he’s worked for is on the line. Can he count on his newly found sisters to help him rewrite his future, or is this one mistake too many?
Thank you for following my posts and for reading my novels. Your comments, messages, and book reviews are always appreciated.
Sincerely,
Diane
Baskets, Bubbles, and Books
How can it be August already? What happened to April, May, and June? Did I sleep through them?
No. I did not. When I wasn’t writing, I was weaving. My daughter, Laura, and I just returned from the Missouri Basket Weaving Convention in Independence, Missouri. What a great organization! So many talented instructors, volunteers, and happy weavers all gathered together to create magic.
The top right is called Seashells and was designed by Debbie Elston Hurd. The other three were designed by Mary Price. Top left is Shadow Box. Next is Sea Glass, and the bottom (my favorite) is Nautical Edge.
Five days with these fun-loving fabulous women was a welcomed break from writing. I took my laptop but didn’t take it out of the bag!
While the weeks/months have been slipping by, not much progress has been made by The Dahlonega Sisters, I keep in touch with them regularly and they assure me Skipping Stone Lodge should be completed soon. Actually, they knew I was distracted with another mission so they have been pretty quiet.
So where do the bubbles come in? I’ve got a bottle of champagne chilling in the refrigerator waiting to share some exciting news about my next book adventure.
Burning Embers Book One, Spark to Flame will make its appearance very soon! I’m working with a cover designer for my new romantic suspense series. My editor just returned my manuscript with the first round of edits. As some of you know, this romantic suspense novel which takes place in Colorado near a wild horse sanctuary has been in progress for many years. The bones were too good to bury so I’ve been rebuilding it piece by piece and it will finally be published by fall. I’ll share a sneak peek at the cover very soon. Thanks to all who have encouraged me to see it through.
Last but not least, I’m excited to be part of the Local Books and Brew Book Signing at Third Wheel Brewery in St. Peters, Missouri https://www.thirdwheelbrewing.com/ on Wednesday, September 6, 2023, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Award-winning authors will be available to answer questions and sign your books. Sarah Angleton, Pat Wahler, J.J. Zerrr, Tammy Lough, myself, and Tara Pedroley. Stop by and sample a cold beer while learning about an exciting new book club focused on local author books.
That’s it for now. Stay tuned for another post soon. Thanks for following my journey!
A Fresh Start to the New Year!
Happy New Year to all who read this! Wishing you peace, joy, and fulfillment of any long-held dreams.
Making annual resolutions—which seldom last longer than a few weeks—is not my thing. Life has a way of interrupting my best planned out schedule like losing weight or being more consistent in posting blogs. One thing for sure, my followers can’t complain about me flooding their inbox with too many posts.
While I try never to make promises I can’t/won’t keep, I do have a tendency to travel the backroads of my mind remembering the footsteps which caused me to stumble and the ones where I marched ahead.
With regret, I did not finish editing my romantic suspense novel, nor did I reach 50,000 words on the next Dahlonega Sisters novel during NANOWRIMO. I count both as stumbles since they are still works-in-progress which I’m hoping to publish in 2023.
While reviewing the positives and negatives, I was inspired to write about a mountain (okay, maybe it was a hill) I successfully climbed this year.
Fear.
It has always limited my world. I’ve never been bold or brave. Conforming to rules and expectations kept me out of trouble as a kid and for the most part, as an adult. I’m not timid, but I seldom risk venturing into the unknown, especially on my own. My husband of fifty-one year is even less adventurous. As such, the width of our world has been pretty limited.
However, we’ve often been very blessed to vacation across the United States with my brother and his wife. They skillfully and confidently take care of all the arrangements: hotel reservations, car rental, and mapping out all the sights to see. We merely get in their vehicle and enjoy the experience.
This year, my dear friend who now lives in Virginia, invited me to join her at a beach house in the Outer Banks, North Carolina. We’d talked about the possibility ever since she moved away. I’d promised to visit and to spend time at the beach with her. When the opportunity presented itself, I balked. The list of reasons why I shouldn’t go grew quickly: Hubby would be all alone. The cost of airline tickets and car rental would dent our savings. Too many commitments listed on my calendar.
Truth was, none of those things were the issue. It was fear.
Traveling alone freaked me out. I hadn’t flown in more than twelve years, hadn’t rented a car in nearly twenty, and even more important, I’d never driven for hours by myself to an unfamiliar location. I don’t even like to test drive a car when we are looking to buy it.
I’m not a “what if” person, but I sure spent a restless night praying for an answer and trying not to think of things that could go wrong.
The following morning, I woke with new-found confidence. I called my daughter, who travels frequently, and asked for her help. She selected the flight, arranged for a rental, and reassured me I could do this. Suddenly, excitement overtook the fear. I mapped out the driving route, researched the requirements and limitations for flying, and started packing.
Not once did I feel anxious or second guess my decision. There were no delays flying out, the rental car was a breeze, and my Garmin took me right to the driveway of the beach house. I felt like I’d released a new me.
We laughed. We cried. We made new memories. Then, we promised to do it again next year. And, I found a confidence that had escaped me for most of my life. Hubby survived alone. I didn’t get lost or end up in Timbuktu. I could do this!
When I got back home, still feeling pumped with confidence, I filled out applications for passports for my husband and myself. He may not ever use his, but I will. There are places I want to go to and things I want to see.
Shortly after I returned from vacation, my daughter booked for us on a Caribbean cruise which we will take in April 2023. Once I’ve gotten my feet wet on a ship and abroad, I hope to convince my husband to join me on another cruise or some other trip out of the country.
Fear is in my rearview mirror. I hope it stays there!
So here is to the start of a new year. May you face your fears and rise above them.
Blessings to all of you.
Diane
Taciturn
Some might call it procrastination; others think it’s neglect; perhaps it might be avoidance. I’ve been guilty of all three at times.
Today, I’m choosing to call my seven-month absence from posting on my blog as taciturn. Bartlett’s Roget’s Thesaurus covers my silence quite thoroughly. I refuse to comment on the weather, politics, or religion. My husband would dispute that assertion, but that’s my story and I’m sticking to it. Actually, I’ve been busy doing what writers do. Writing!
After finishing the third book in The Dahlonega Sisters series, https://www.amazon.com/author/dianemhow
I decided to brush the dust off my very first (still unpublished) romantic suspense novel, Burning Embers. It was written during NaNoWriMo. If you aren’t familiar with this supportive writing organization, I encourage you to check it out. https://nanowrimo.org. I’m probably on my tenth round of edits, but I keep plugging away it and hope to see it published by fall of 2022.
Besides weaving stories, I weave baskets. Here are a few I’m getting ready to sell along with my books at a pop-up market at Third Wheel Brewery https://www.thirdwheelbrewing.com/ on May 7. A dozen vendors will display their handmade crafts just in time for Mother’s day. Come check it out and grab a bite to eat while sampling a cold brew. Win, win!
Last but not least, in honor of Mother’s Day, I’m sharing a picture of my Mom and sisters.
I miss her every day and I thank her for teaching me to be responsibe, generous, and unselfish. I will never be as good at it as she was, but I try.
I’m giving away a basket and book package. (sorry, USA only). All you need to do is comment on this post with a note about your mother or a mother figure who influenced your life. I’ll draw a name on May 8th and contact the winner for details.
Can’t wait to hear your stories.
Hot Off the Press!
The Dahlonega Sisters, Golden Adventures has arrived just in time for your fall reading pleasure!
Not all dreams are meant to come true. Sometimes fate has better plans. Journey with these spunky women as they laugh, cry, and find new adventures in their golden years. This entertaining women’s fiction series takes place in the quaint historic town of Dahlonega, Georgia. The women are as wholesome as apple pie, feisty as young pups, and resilient as a strong rubber bands.
https://www.amazon.com/Dahlonega-Sisters-Veins-Gold/dp/1734038330
https://www.amazon.com/Dahlonega-Sisters-Gold-Miner-Ring/dp/1734038306
As a special offer to my followers, for a limited time, I have signed copies of the books available for $12 each. Any two books for $22. Add $3 for shipping one or two books, $5 for three. (Sorry, US only)
It’s never too early to shop for the holidays. Is there an avid reader on your Christmas list? Buy all three for a limited time $30. Add $5 for shipping.
Send me an email at authordianemhow@gmail.com
Offers expire October 26, 2021.
One last thing. These lovely ladies aren’t ready to rest, quite yet. Be on the watch for their future endeavors. Perhaps they’ll be Skipping Stones at their brother’s B&B. Stay tuned!
Thanks to my many followers, all the wonderful folks who have bought my books, and to anyone who supports Indie authors! Without you, there would be no need for me to write novels, short stories, or poetry.
Diane
More Than Just Writing
I’m trying to juggle writing the second book in a series, editing a romantic suspense, drafting a short story and poem for upcoming contests, and marketing my first novel. It’s overwhelming.
Sometimes, I have to step away and play for a little bit. What do I do when I’m not stuck in front of my laptop pecking away at the keyboard?
I weave baskets. Yes, old fashion basketry. Did you know some of the oldest baskets date back 10,000 to 12,000 years? Believe it or not, I’m not the only one interested in this craft. In fact, there are hundreds, probably thousands, of men and women who belong to guilds all over the United States.
Every August, my daughter and I attend the Missouri Basketweavers Guild (see basketweavers.org) convention, spending the weekend creating amazing baskets and sharing time with other weavers. In order to keep our skills fresh, and just because we love doing it, we gather in my home with another dear friend about once a month and create something new.
I finished my first basket of the year this weekend. It’s called Lucky. The pattern was designed by Dianne Gleixner, a gifted instructor I met at one of the conventions I attended.
Basket weaving is my guilty pleasure, right after wine and dark chocolate. It uses another part of my brain that needs attention too. There’s something therapeutic about working the reed, packing the rows snug, and shaping it until it looks like the one in the picture.
Just for a little while, my mind isn’t consumed by plots and dialogues, inciting incidents and Amazon ads, Facebook posts and Book This or Book That. In order to achieve success in the craft, I have to focus on the pattern and use my hands and fingers in a different way. It frees my mind from writing, just for a short while.
What is it that you do when you need a distraction from your work? Do you sew? Read? Solve puzzles?
How about taking a few minutes to share, you never know when you might inspire someone to try something new.
Book Birthing
I’ve been introduced to so many new terminologies in the past two years, most of them pertaining to writing, my head spins like that little blue circle on my computer does every time it doesn’t want to connect to something.
I laughed the first time I read a Facebook post announcing a book birth. Boy, what a crazy term, I thought. As I’ve muddled through the complex and overwhelming process of self-publishing, I decided I probably know where the term originated, even though I haven’t confirmed it yet.
I remember the excitement being pregnant, eons ago mind you, but still, it’s one of those things you don’t easily forget. Oh, my gosh. The excitement! I had a baby growing inside me. It wasn’t long before I could feel her squirming about, kicking and reminding me that soon I’d be holding this precious little bundle with tiny fingers and toes, stroking it’s tender cheeks and drawing in the insatiable scent of a newborn.
As the months passed, my joy turned to anxiety. What did I know about being a mother? Sure, I’d learned some things from watching my younger siblings, but to be totally responsible for this tiny miracle I carried inside me? It was overwhelming to comprehend, especially since I wasn’t handed a book giving me specific instructions for handling colic, puberty or dating.
Similarly, when I first started writing The Dahlonega Sisters, The Gold Miner Ring, I was enthusiastic and couldn’t wait to complete each chapter. Then as I shared it with my critique group, I began to understand it needed a lot of nurturing. After many rewrites and edits, somewhere around my fourth draft, I got brave enough to set a delivery date of October, no later than November 2019.
That’s when the labor pains began. I had to learn the pros and cons of self-publishing versus traditional, and then someone threw in “hybrid” just for good measure. Simple words like genre became complex. I didn’t understand the challenge of finding the appropriate genre for the book I wrote. All I knew was that I wrote something I wanted to share with others.
With the hand-holding assistant of my mentor, dear friend, and talented author, Jeanne Felfe, https://www.BridgetoUsBook.com, I managed to learn the difference and need for an ISBN, LCCN, AISN, and a thousand other acronyms with which I won’t bore you.
The much anticipated day of arrival came and the delivery man left a box on my doorstep. I anxiously removed the first book and stroked the delicate matte cover, savoring the heavenly scent of my freshly printed manuscript. I restrained from using the term book birth, but I did take a picture to post on my author FB page, https://www.facebook.com/dianemhow/
And now I know the job of “raising” this new addition will be even harder than giving birth to it. I’m overwhelmed with notices from Book Bub, Facebook, Amazon, and dozens of unread articles on promoting and marketing. Then there’s twitter, FB, Instagram, and so many more social media opportunities. But I’m determined to do my best, taking one bite of the elephant at a time.
It would be an honor if you’d stop by for a visit.
https://www.amazon.com/author/dianemhow
It’s available everywhere!
Happy Book Birth, The Dahlonega Sisters! Hope you have many siblings to follow.
Reaching for a Star
Many years ago, more than I care to acknowledge, I dreamed of publishing a novel. I wasn’t hoping for fame or fortune, merely a desire to entertain some readers, bring a little joy to a stressful day, and know that I made just a smidgen of a positive influence in this often worrisome world.
My dream felt as distant as the stars in the sky. I’ve heard many writers share the same feeling, but the more I became involved in the world of writing, I watched others succeed and I decided I wanted it too.
First, I joined a writers Guild, http://www.saturdaywriters.org, and then a small critique group, Pen to Paper. Soon I belonged to a second critique group, The Round Table Writers, some of the most powerful and supportive friends and writers in Missouri. My vocabulary increased, I began to understand point of view, and soon, I was writing short stories and poetry that won contests and were published in anthologies.
Still, I held onto my dream of completing a novel. I was introduced to National Novel Writing Month, NANOWRIMO, https://nanowrimo.org, which challenges writers to compose a fifty-thousand word novel during the thirty days of November.
I dove in head first and succeeded the first year I tried. I fell short the second time, but I learned I could do it if I put my mind to it. My first two attempts are still works in progress. About two years ago, I began a third novel and fell in love with the characters and story plot. I finally gained the confidence to believe it should reach the shelves of a bookstore. With the help of many fellow writers, especially Jeanne Felfe, https://jeannefelfe.com/, , author of the heartfelt novel, Bridge to Us, I’ve stretched a little closer to that star.
I am pleased to announce The Dahlonega Sisters, The Gold Miner Ring, is available for preorder on Amazon with a scheduled release date of November 5, 2019. It will also be available in paperback. https://www.amazon.com/author/dianemhow
To all the bloggers, dreamers and hesitant writers, I say go for it. Read, listen, join, and learn. Then make a goal and keep plugging away until that star becomes so close you can almost touch it. You can do it! I believe in you.
Writing Silver Linings 