And so 2013 has begun. Tomorrow starts the first full week. Most everybody has gone back to work and the kids are hitting the books again. Guess it's time for this writer to start making a book again. Time to think about new characters or about how the old characters have changed as the years have passed since I'm going back to Rosey Corner. Time to think about how to make this book better than the books before. How to make it a story readers will not only want to read, but a story they will like so much that they tell their friends to read it too.
Word of mouth is still the very best advertisement a book can get. Haven't you sometimes told someone that they should read this or that book? I certainly have. I've had plenty of people tell me the same. Read this. It's great. That's the kind of book I want to write. That's the kind of book I'm guessing every writer wants to write.
I need to get busy figuring out my new story, or I'll be staring at a deadline and wondering how in the world I let so much time slip past without getting the story going soon enough.
Alas, there are always reasons not to write. At least for me. Some really good reasons. My hours taking care of Mom. The grandkids. They do grow up so fast. Getting the church bulletin ready. Laundry. Cleaning. Cooking. Walking to clear my head and help me think about the new ideas. Taking pictures of the snow and icicles. (I had to get that picture in here somewhere.) Sometimes the reasons not to start typing Chapter 1 are things that need doing writing wise. History books need reading. How can I possibly write anything until I know more about the time period? Maybe I should do some research on the internet. And while I'm signed in, I might as well check Facebook to see if anybody left a comment. Or there might be a new e-mail. From my publisher. They might need something.
They do! They need me to write a book. I need me to write a book. I want to tell a story - a new story. It won't be easy. It never is. At least not every day. Some days the words will come hard, but they always have eventually come. And if all goes well, if all goes the way it has in the past, I'll get to tell a new story in 2013. That's what I do. So, ready, set, type!
What are you "ready, set, go"for in 2013?
Nancy of FL did finally get in touch and claim her 1st prize - the bookends, the autographed book, The Bridge, by Karen Kingsbury and she picked my book, Orchard of Hope. Thanks again to everyone who entered and joined in my Christmas fun. You're the best. Plus I see I hit 100 in followers. That deserves something special. I'll come up with a new giveway soon. Maybe one especially for you reading friends who take the time to read my on-line journal. Thanks so much.
2013. Now that's a number that can make you sit up and take notice. I don't know why, but it just seems more in the future than 2012. Maybe that's because it is - in the future. The year to come. A year full of the unknown. Good unknowns. Perhaps not so good unknowns. Would you like to know what waits for you in the wings of 2013? Do you want to know the future? Or would you rather take each day as it comes?
I think I'd rather take the days as they come. Of course, I do like looking ahead to see what the weather is going to do. Not that the weather people always get it right. Maybe that's part of the fun of watching the weather - to see if the forecasts happen. Sometimes they don't get it right any better than the wooly worms. I saw this little worm last fall and wasn't sure if it was forecasting a cold winter (all black) or a warm winter (all brown).
The weather forecasters did get it right Friday. We had snow. Lovely snow. Great snowman making snow for the kids and the young at heart. I'll claim being young at heart for making a little snowman when I went out to clear off my front deck. Turned out to look more like a snow teddy bear, but still fun. I put a picture of it on my Facebook author page. I like a little snow each year. Fun for walking with the dogs, Oscar and Roxie who both like the snow. Fun for taking pictures like the one up top that surprised me with the sun glow.
So I'll just step forward into 2013 taking one day at a time. That's the way we're having to do it with Mom. We never know how she'll be each day. She hasn't felt well this week and it's bothering her sleep. Sometimes she's ready to get up at midnight. Needless to say, I'm not. So I guess we're taking it one night at a time too. Maybe even one hour at a time.
But a new year is a time of promise and hope no matter how you look to the future. And I promised to reveal the winners of my Christmas giveaway today. So drum roll please. I've already contacted them all and have heard back from all but the winner of the first prize. That's Nancy. I know she's in the south, but don't yet know which state or which book she's going to want as her prize. She will get the bookends and that book of her choice. Kristina of VA was the second prize winner. She picked my book, Angel Sister, and two other autographed books - Dark Pursuit by Brandilyn Collins and Troublesome Creek by Jan Watson. The winner of the "never won before" drawing is Dianne C. of Georgia. She gets the cute cat magnets (luckily she says she's a cat lover) and my book, Angel Sister. Then just because, I picked an extra winner, Peggy C. of Iowa. She wants Angel Sister too and I'm throwing in a surprise book for her too. Not sure which one yet, so we may both be surprised. Looks as if Angel Sister was the winner in this giveaway. :) Thanks to all of you who entered the Christmas giveaway contest and especially to those of you who shared your Christmas joys and memories with me. I loved reading about your Christmases. We'll do it again in 2013. I'll be celebrating the re-issue of Scent of Lilacs in March, so watch for a new contest then. If you're signed up for my newsletter, you'll hear about it first. If you're not signed up for the newsletter, you can get on the list by clicking on the newsletter link on my website.
Wishing you a very happy 2013 with a hopeful forecast of blessings each and every day. Thanks for reading!
"We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day." ~ Edith Lovejoy Pierce.
And so 2013 has begun. Tomorrow starts the first full week. Most everybody has gone back to work and the kids are hitting the books again. Guess it's time for this writer to start making a book again. Time to think about new characters or about how the old characters have changed as the years have passed since I'm going back to Rosey Corner. Time to think about how to make this book better than the books before. How to make it a story readers will not only want to read, but a story they will like so much that they tell their friends to read it too. 
