Joy Candellaro once loved Christmas more than any other time of the year. Now, as the holiday approaches, she is at a crossroads in her life; recently divorced and alone, she can’t summon the old enthusiasm for celebrating. So without telling anyone, she buys a ticket and boards a plane bound for the beautiful Pacific Northwest. When an unexpected detour takes her deep into the woods of the Olympic rainforest, Joy makes a bold decision to leave her ordinary life behind--to just walk away--and thus begins an adventure unlike any she could have imagined.In the small town of Rain Valley, six-year-old Bobby O’Shea is facing his first Christmas without a mother. Unable to handle the loss, Bobby has closed himself off from the world, talking only to his invisible best friend. His father Daniel is beside himself, desperate to help his son cope. Yet when the little boy meets Joy, these two unlikely souls form a deep and powerful bond. In helping Bobby and Daniel heal, Joy finds herself again.But not everything is as it seems in quiet Rain Valley, and in an instant, Joy’s world is ripped apart, and her heart is broken. On a magical Christmas Eve, a night of impossible dreams and unexpected chances, Joy must find the courage to believe in a love--and a family--that can’t possibly exist, and go in search of what she wants . . . and the new life only she can find.
Writing blocks are inevitable. They're just part of the writing journey. When they happen, they're frustrating and sometimes you feel like you're never going to get through them.
Here are some tips and tricks on how to break through your writer's block:
1. Make A Move
If you're used to writing at your desk, maybe move to the dining room table. Go to the library, or maybe the local coffee shop. Sometimes new surroundings can get those creative juices flowing again.
2. Set Realistic Goals
As creatives, we tend to shoot for the stars even if that isn't realistic. So instead of setting large goals like finishing the book you're working on, break it down into smaller, short term goals. That could be finishing a chapter, or even a single paragraph. Progress is progress.
3.Take A Walk
Sometimes the best way to inspire creativity is to step away from your writing and go for a walk. I've broken through many blocks in my writing by going for a walk and talking out a scene or a character's motivations. Nature can be really inspiring!
4. Just Write
This may seem counter intuitive, but hear me out. Sometimes we, as writers, want to sit down and write a master piece right out of the gate, but that's not realistic. There's a reason successful authors don't publish their first drafts. But if you're trying to push through a creative slump, it doesn't matter how good it is. No one's going to see it but you. The goal is to let your mind wander until something clicks and the story starts flowing again.
5. Explore Your Creativity
If you're struggling with writing, maybe try another creative medium. This might be Painting, drawing, or scrap booking. For me, it's singing. I'm able to focus on both the creativity and the technical aspects of music while losing myself in the song. It both relives stress and gives my brain something else to focus on.
6. Re-find Your Inspiration
What made your want to write books? Was it a book? A movie? Did your love a reading make you want to create stories of your own? For me it was a need to give the couples I love their happily ever after.
7. Set Time To Write
It's so easy for life to get in the way of writing. My life is a perfect example of that. Being a small business owner on top of my writing and author career makes balancing everything a challenge. I'll be the first to admit, I'm not perfect at finding balance and I prioritize my mental health above all, so sometimes the writing doesn't get done. But having a schedule, a time set aside each day or week for writing, will not only allow you to make progress in your story, but the structure can remove a lot of stress so you're not constantly thinking about your writing during family activities.
8. Writing Prompts
Do you remember when you were given writing prompts in school and told to write a 500 word essay? You can still do that! It can be anything. I used to be in a Facebook group where every Friday where we were given a picture and asked to write exactly 100 words. It was fun, and yes, it got those creative juices flowing.
Writing blocks are a natural part of the writing process. Creating something out of nothing, even if it's all occurring in your head, takes a lot of energy. Give yourself permission to work through your creative block. Just because someone else can pump out 10 books a year doesn't mean you have to.
I've been publishing for over a decade and this is by far the biggest event I've ever attended.
Over 40,000 people attended the Columbus Book Festival this past weekend. With over 200 authors signing, there was something for every book lover.
I was in the indie author alley tent at the far side of Topiary park with 90 other indie and small press authors. It was HOT, but that didn't deter readers from browsing and buying books.
The author beside me brought 40 books with her and sold out on the first day. Maybe others had to bring new stock for day two.
I'd heard rumors about how busy last year's event was, so I'd come prepared and fully stocked. It was a good thing, too, because I sold out of two of my titles and was only left with two copies of another.
The staff and volunteers were wonderful. They kept coming by to check on us, making sure we had what we needed and seeing if we needed a break.
I'm so glad I was able to participate and hope to attend next year as well.
Join me this weekend, July 13th and 14th, at the Columbus Book Festival.
The festival is taking place at the main library in downtown Columbus, Ohio and in Topiary Park next door.
I'll be set up in the Indie Author tent located in Topiary Park, along with 90 other indie and self published authors.
Outside of the authors, there will also be bookish vendors, food trucks, activities for the kids, and of course BOOKS, BOOKS, BOOKS!
For more information, click HERE.
I hope to see you there.
She’s the city girl who refuses to be saddled with a man. He’s the cowboy who wants her anyway.The last thing Ada Hart needs is a man to take care of her. Not anymore. After failing out of her interior design program and the disaster that was her short-lived marriage, Ada clawed her way up from her rock bottom. Now, the only person she trusts is herself, and that has gotten her further than ever before. She has her own business, and one of the largest ranches in Wyoming just hired her for the most important project of her career.When Ada arrives in Meadowlark, she finds herself in a dive bar where she can’t seem to shake the eyes of a handsome cowboy. When she leads him to the back of the bar, he leaves her with a kiss that most people can only fantasize about. She almost regrets that she’ll never see him again . . . except it turns out he’s her new boss.Weston Ryder is a happy guy. Even happier now that the mystery woman from the bar is the interior designer for his dream project on his family’s ranch. He feels like he hit the jackpot. It’s too bad she wants absolutely nothing to do with him outside of work. Ada is convinced the pull she feels toward Wes will go away, but Wes can’t stop thinking about her. Even though walls are coming down around Rebel Blue, Ada’s walls are firmly in place.Can they make it through this project without giving in? Or will they both put their dreams on the line for a chance at love?
July 1, 2024 - August 31, 2024
If you love firefighter romances and Femdom stories, then you need to grab your copy of this smokin' hot romance!
Beth Davenport has no interest in getting involved with another man for the foreseeable future. To say her last relationship ended in disaster would be a colossal understatement. The only reason she agrees to put in an appearance at Serpent’s Kiss, a private kink club in downtown St. Louis, is because her best friend, Nicole, won’t quit nagging her. When she walks in the door that night, the last thing she expects to do is meet a man who will have her reconsidering her ban on men.
As a captain with the St. Louis Fire Department, Drew Parker is used to being in charge. His crew relies on him to make sure they know what they’re doing and return home to their families after every shift. It isn’t, however, what he wants in a relationship. Drew decides to join Serpent’s Kiss to see if what appeals to him in fantasy is something he wants to explore in the real world. He’s also hoping that he’ll be lucky enough to meet a woman with whom he can explore his desires. The night Beth walks into the club, he is intrigued. Drew has to get to know her better.
After what happened to her, Beth is reluctant to get involved with Drew. It doesn’t matter that he is sweet and charming. She’s been burned before and Beth doesn’t think she can survive having her heart crushed again. Drew, however, won’t take no for an answer. He wants a relationship and is determined to chip away at her defenses until she relents. Will she give him a chance, or did her ex leave her with scars too deep to heal?
For two sworn enemies, anything can happen during the Hawaiian trip of a lifetime—maybe even love—in this romantic comedy from the New York Times bestselling authors of Roomies.
Olive Torres is used to being the unlucky twin: from inexplicable mishaps to a recent layoff, her life seems to be almost comically jinxed. By contrast, her sister Ami is an eternal champion...she even managed to finance her entire wedding by winning a slew of contests. Unfortunately for Olive, the only thing worse than constant bad luck is having to spend the wedding day with the best man (and her nemesis), Ethan Thomas.
Olive braces herself for wedding hell, determined to put on a brave face, but when the entire wedding party gets food poisoning, the only people who aren’t affected are Olive and Ethan. Suddenly there’s a free honeymoon up for grabs, and Olive will be damned if Ethan gets to enjoy paradise solo.
Agreeing to a temporary truce, the pair head for Maui. After all, ten days of bliss is worth having to assume the role of loving newlyweds, right? But the weird thing is...Olive doesn’t mind playing pretend. In fact, the more she pretends to be the luckiest woman alive, the more it feels like she might be.
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